Family Communication Issues

Comparitive political systems questions on the government and Essay

Comparitive political frameworks inquiries on the administration and constitutions of chile - Essay Example attempts and four bureau level offices that serve only at the presidents discretion.1,2 The president is liable for keeping up open request, guaranteeing outer national security, and filling in as president of the outfitted forces.3 likewise, the president has the sole position to choose Supreme Court judges, Army leaders, and negotiators without the affirmation of the legislature.4 Many of these expansive presidential forces were conceded by the constitution embraced in 1980.5 The Chilean governing body is a bicameral structure referred to on the whole as the National Congress. It is made out of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate, which co-enact and share oversight responsibilities.6 These branches are noted as the lower and upper house. The Chilean lawmaking body has a board of trustees framework that composes enactment and affirms bills for casting a ballot. What's more, there is a change procedure that permits lawmakers and once in a while the presidential branch to offer corrections to bills before going to a vote.7 The National Congress is directed by the President of the Senate who is chosen by the group of congresspersons. Notwithstanding the legislators chose by open vote, gatherings, for example, previous priests of the Supreme Court, previous Comptroller General, previous Commanders in Chief of the Army, Navy and Air Force, and previous Presidents of the Republic are likewise spoken to in the Senate.8 The official branch may now and again go about as a governing body with the ability to present bills, make revisions, and submit sacred amendments.9 Chiles constitution, received in 1980, talks about finally the appointive framework for the President just as the National Congress. Likewise, it decides the necessities old enough and citizenship required to pursue position. The Presidency necessitates that the competitor get a flat out dominant part of the well known vote, which may require an overflow political race if there are more than two candidates.10 The assembly is additionally chosen by direct polling form from

What to Do If You Fear Eating in Public

What to Do If You Fear Eating in Public Social Anxiety Disorder Coping Print Social Anxiety and the Fear of Eating in Front of Others By Arlin Cuncic Arlin Cuncic, MA, is the author of Therapy in Focus: What to Expect from CBT for Social Anxiety Disorder and 7 Weeks to Reduce Anxiety. Learn about our editorial policy Arlin Cuncic Reviewed by Reviewed by Amy Morin, LCSW on August 30, 2019 facebook twitter instagram Amy Morin, LCSW, is a psychotherapist, author of the bestselling book 13 Things Mentally Strong People Dont Do, and a highly sought-after speaker. Learn about our Wellness Board Amy Morin, LCSW Updated on September 11, 2019 Social Anxiety Disorder Overview Symptoms & Diagnosis Causes Treatment Living With In Children In This Article Table of Contents Expand Triggers Fears Research Treatment View All The fear of eating in front of others can wreak havoc on your social life, work prospects,  and adjustment to college. Socializing usually includes some form of food and drink. Business meetings sometimes take place over lunch or dinner. College cafeterias can be crowded. If eating and drinking in front of others causes you extreme anxiety, you may either endure these situations with great discomfort or avoid them altogether. Avoidance creates a vicious cycle in that the more narrow your life becomes, the harder you will find it to eat and drink in front of others. You may find yourself turning down invitations or making choices that dont require eating in front of others, such as eating in your dorm room rather than meeting new friends in the cafeteria. Triggers of Fear of Eating in Public Fear of eating and drinking in front of others can be triggered by a wide variety of situations, foods  and dining companions. Some people feel anxious in every situation in which they must eat or drink in front of others, while others fear specific settings such as formal banquets or dinner parties.Certain individuals become anxious only when eating in front of authority figures. On the other hand, some may be anxious even when eating in front of people whom they know well.Some may become more fearful if they are in a crowded restaurant as compared to dining in a quiet atmosphere with only a few companions. If you are like most people with a fear of eating, your level of anxiety probably escalates in proportion to how difficult the food is to eat. Foods that require utensils such as salads, soup, and dishes with sauces are usually the most anxiety-provoking.Potentially messy foods such as spaghetti will be more anxiety-provoking because there is a greater likelihood of embarrassment while eating.Finger foods are usually the least threatening.Type of beverage does not usually influence the level of fear, although drinks that are more likely to stain, such as red wine, may provoke more anxiety. Fears If you have a fear of eating or drinking in front of others, there is probably a long list of embarrassing events that you worry might happen in these situations. They may include some of the following: Your hands will shake.You will spill your food or drink.You will choke on your food and draw attention to yourself.You will vomit or lose control of your bowels.You will look unattractive while eating.You will become flushed from eating spicy food. Research Underlying all of these fears is the fear of being negatively evaluated by others.  Indeed, a 2015 study found that this fear of negative evaluation explained part of the relationship between social anxiety and aspects of disordered eating.?? In addition, a 2012 study found that social appearance anxiety (the fear that you will be negatively evaluated for your appearance) may predict symptoms of both social anxiety and eating disorder symptoms.?? As a result, modifying those underlying negative beliefs or negative social evaluation fears is what is needed to treat this type of disordered eating, rather than a focus on specific issues with eating. Treating a Fear of Eating in Public If difficulty eating in front of others is causing significant impairment in your daily life, and you have not been diagnosed with a mental health disorder, consider making an appointment with your family doctor for further assessment and possible treatment. When the fear of eating or drinking in front of others is a symptom of social anxiety disorder or SAD (about 20% of people diagnosed with SAD have this fear??), treatment in the form of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) or cognitive-behavioral group therapy (CBGT) is usually recommended. CBT involves the identification of negative automatic thoughts and the replacement of these thoughts with more rational thinking patterns. In addition, some form of exposure training usually complements the practice of cognitive restructuring. This may involve actual eating and drinking scenarios in which other group participants act as dining companions. If your anxiety about eating in front of others is due to an eating disorder, or a combination of an eating disorder and SAD, then treatment will need to be tailored to your unique situation. In addition, if you experience  generalized SAD, or your symptoms do not respond to therapy, medication such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) may be advised. A Word From Verywell If you are experiencing difficulty eating in front of others, consider the source of your anxiety. Are you worried about how others will perceive you or more worried about eating the actual food itself? Ask yourself these questions to better understand your own disordered eating patterns and what the next steps may be.

Online Community Essay Sample free essay sample

Introduction Online community is a term that is used to mention to a bunch of people who are known to interact chiefly through assorted media of communicating. These communicating media include Usenet. electronic mail. telephone. and letters. They don’t value and neither do they utilize communicating that is face to face based. This group of people is sometimes referred to as e-community or practical community. The chief mechanism for on-line community group is web via a computing machine. Largely this group of people does non cognize each other in existent life state of affairs. These people use means that are rather diverse in nature in their communicating. They include embodiments. picture texts and chat-rooms that are text based. These are sometimes used in combination or individually. This has been made easy through creative activity of webs in the societal sector. This advancement is due to the important alterations that have occurred in line with socio proficient sector. ( Barry. 1997 ) Background Online communities have existed throughout history. It is merely that technological progresss have encouraged their being. This is non a new thought wholly. It is known that during the 17th century. there was an on-line community that communicated through letters. They were extremely associated with the Royal Society. National newspapers were known to lend extremely to online communities during this epoch. Online community Initially. a community was defined by the geographical boundaries. This included small towns and even vicinities. On-line communities on the other manus are rather dispersed in relation to their geographical boundaries. Online communities are merely but people who have a common undertaking. involvement and thought. These people usually interact in a society that is virtually based. This usually occurs across the organizational. geographical and besides clip boundaries. There are really many theories about on-line communities. It is apparent that incorporation of users into on-line communities really follows engagement that is legitimate in nature. They can be described as peripheral. inbound. insider. boundary and outbound. This last phase the member leaves the community chiefly due to assorted grounds like relationships. It is really easy for a individual in another continent to hold changeless communicating with another 1 in a really different community. Research indicates that different communities that are online based have degrees of interaction that are really different excessively. On-line communities that are invariably pass oning through confab suites and message boards are deriving popularity compared to those pass oning through letters. This is due to the fact that they are faster agencies of communicating compared to the latter. Online community in most instances does non hold really strong bonds between its members. This is particularly those who interrelate through the cyberspace. Sometimes the communicating between members of on-line community is merely informational based. In this instance the members can merely e-mail inquiries and replies to each other. It is nevertheless clear that the members merely remain being aliens to each other. Another facet is that there is a comparatively high turnover rate in the rank. ( Barzilai. 2003 ) These communities chiefly depend on societal exchange and interaction between the members that are online. This tendency is besides catching up within the concern sector. Sometimes they can dwell of topical or even regional organisations. In this instance organizations carry out their concern activities online. This includes merchandising and buying from other organisations. The merchandises are usually posted in order to make the individual who ordered for the goods. These communities are nurtured through the assorted package tools in the market. They include Google groups. Yahoo groups and Microsoft Sharepoint packages. Online communities consist of people of different cultural backgrounds and of different position. Sometimes they get to cognize of each other by default etc. Others get to cognize their members email reference through online advertizements and through newspapers. It is known that changeless communicating usually consequences in friendly relationship which can even go intimate though the two parties don’t physically meet. This is whereby there are on-line lovers who have neer met and neither do they cognize how their spouses look like. By and large the life style in this 20 first century has encouraged this type of community and its operations. ( Kim. . 2000 ) Claims There are claims that on-line communities can really function as a land where felons operate. They include money launderers. stalkers and besides stealers. This usually puts immature kids at hazard of kid trafficking. There are besides claims that when an single spends a batch of clip in on-line interactions and communities. this can hold negative effects of the individual’s normal interactions in the existent universe. This is usually referred to as a upset of internet dependence. This claim is non justified because there is no manner an person can neglect to interact in existent life. The clip that people spend communicating through media like letters. cyberspace etc is rather minimum compared to that clip spent in existent life interacting face to face to friends and relations. Many bookmans have critiqued the whole thought online communities are non communities at all. This is whereby the term community means an entity that is geographically circumscribed. Looking at these claims that online communities are non communities shows some narrow manner of looking at things. This is because a community is that which has boundaries of any kind. A community is besides known to be rather unstable where there are people traveling in and out. This automatically makes on-line communities to be truly regarded as communities. ( Preece. 2000 ) There are besides claims that on-line interactions affect offline 1s negatively. This is because it is alleged that practical life takes over people’s lives. It is believed that it makes people have different personalities and in the long tally clash is caused in offline groups. This is non true since people spend more clip in offline interactions than online. Many people have benefited from on-line communities. This is because research shows that this group has narratives of people who need particular aid from the community and in the long tally they get assistance. This could be in relation to career pick among other determinations etc. This fact shows that on-line communities are really of import and rather helpful because people get assistance through them There are besides positive impacts that passed on to members. Three points that back up the allegations are- Decision Online community can be described as a group of people that interacts through assorted media channels. They include cyberspace. letters and phone calls among others. This group of people does non utilize face to confront interactions in their communications. They are people who have diverse geographical locations and can be of different ethnicity and cultural background. They nevertheless have a common end or purpose. This can be concern based where the communicating is between organisations. There are claims that these interactions negatively affect an individual’s online interactions. This is non true as the clip spent in offline interactions supersedes that taken in the latter. Other claims include the facet that this is non a community because of geographical disparity. It is a community there is motion in and out of the group. All in all on-line interactions have made people to easy interact without bound of folk. race. geographical background and clip factor. A program of action that can be carried out to do on-line communities more meaningful is to sensitise people to hold clear ends that affect members positively. Police besides need to update their condemnable trailing engineering in order to follow up those that online based. Mention: Barry. W. ( 1997 ) : An Electronic Group is virtually a Social Network. In Culture of the Internet ; NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum ; Pp. 179-205 Barzilai. G. ( 2003 ) : Communities and Law: Politicss and Cultures of Legal Identities ; Ann Arbor ; the University of Michigan Press Kim. . J. ( 2000 ) : Community Building on the Web ; Secret Strategies for Successful Online Communities ; London ; Addison Wesley Preece. J. ( 2000 ) : On-line Communities ; Supporting Sociability ; Designing Usability ; Chichester: – John Wiley A ; Sons Ltd

Legal Research Essay Example

Legal Research Essay Simon, a first year law student, decided to buy a DVD for use at university. He wanted a machine that would play his own DVDs as he had a collection of films he had copied from video to DVD at home. He explained exactly what he wanted at the shop. However, when he got the machine home he found it would not play home-recorded material, but it did play the pre-recorded DVDs he had bought. He went back to the shop but they said they did not have the machine he wanted at that he could not have his money back as the DVD player they sold him was in perfect working order. Simon, deciding he needed a break booked a holiday, looking for: Sun, sand and Sangria. He told the holiday agents exactly what he wanted; lots of people, a full night life, luxury accomodation and the beach. He was assured that Hotel Luxor in Macedonia in July would be perfect to meet his needs. He took the holiday, paying by credit card. On his arrival, he found himself booked into a small chalet in the mountains, where it snowed. There was no room service,lights out at 10.00 pm and the only other guest at the chalet was a surly sheep. Thoroughly dissapointed, Simon returned to Liverpool to resume his law studies. However, he had not paid his full fees from the previous year and was not allowed to enrol on the degree. Advise Simon of his legal remedies in all the above circumstances. We will write a custom essay sample on Legal Research specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Legal Research specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Legal Research specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer With view of the Sales of Goods Act 1979, Simon has a case for compensation in regards to a breach of conduct. In addition, Simon needs to look at Loss of Enjoyment, and Inconvinience, in regards to a falsely represented holiday abroad. Finally, the last paragraph deals with basic contract law, and the failure of paying for tuition fees. Section 2(1) of the Sale of Goods Act 1979 defines a contract of sales of goods as a contract by which the seller transfers or agrees to transfer the property in goods to the buyer for a money consideration, called the price. Section 13(1) of the Sale of Goods Act 1979 states that where there is a contract for the sale of goods by description, there is an implied term that the goods correspond with the discription. Section 14 deals with the implied terms about quality or fitness. Ss(3) states that where the seller sells goods in the course of a business and the buyer, expressly, or by implication, makes known to the seller (a) any particular purpose for which the goods are being bought, there is an implied term that the goods supplied under the contract are reasonably fit for that purpose Simon explained exactly what he wanted at the shop and thus the particular purpose as to why the good was being purchased, however the DVD machine that he purcahsed did not correspond with the description, and therefore did not satisfy the purpose for the purchase. An important remedy available to Simon is the rejection of the goods for breach of contract. Simon does not need to return the goods to the selller to reject the goods, as it is enough if he informs the seller that he refuses to accept them [Grimoldby v Wells] [1875]1. If there is any breach of condition within the time limited for performance the seller makes a conforming tender, then this may be effective. [Borrowman, Phillips Co v Free and Hollis] [1878]2. Simon may look to a compensatory damages for breach of conduct in regards to the DVD player. The aim of compensation is to put the claimant into as good a position as would have been if no breach of conduct had been committed. [Robinson v Harman] (1848)3 In 1994 a Bill was implemented and has now passed into law as the Sale and Supply of Goods Act 1994. The main change effecting this are to modify the quality warranties, and ammend the rules on acceptance and rejection. The three main terms laid down in the act are present in s13, s14(2), and s14(3), and the main objective of them is to give buyers some protection against the risk of the goods proving to have defects of quality or fitness for purpose. There is implied term that where goods are sold by description the goods must correspond with their description, however the protection here can be limited, particularly where the description of goods is not a detailed one. 4Distinction between s14(2) and s14(3) had been been muddled because such a wide interprentation has been given to s14(3) that it covers ordinary purpose as well as special purposes, leading to significant overlapping. Therefore Section 14(6) was implemented in order to distinguish between the two sections [Jones v Bright][1829]5 Section 14(6) provides the test of fitness for purpose. This provided the statutory definition of merchatable quality. Its main element requires that the goods should be reasonably fit for the purpose for which goods of that kind were commonly bought [Aswan Engineering Establishment Co v Lupdine Ltd] [1987]6 1 7Under the original section 14(1) the buyer has to satisfy the court that he had expressly or by implication made known to the seller the particular purpose for which the goods were required so as to show that he relied on the sellers skill or judgement The current s14(3) now mainly confirms the old case law on this point. It is now clear that the onus is on the buyer in the first place is to only show that he has made known the purpose for which the goods are being bought. Reliance will then be presumed, unless the seller can show it to have been unreasonable. [Grant v Austrailian Knitting Mills][1936]8 In Simons case, it states that he explained exactly what he wanted , and so it is assumed that the seller understood precisely what Simon required. The seller could argue that Simon was unreasonably reliant on him to find him the right good. [Dorset Yacht Company Ltd v Home Office], [1970]9. In contrast, if the defendants can show that the breach is so slight that it would be unreasonable for the buyer to reject the goods, then the breach will be just warranty.10 Damages may be awarded for injury to the victims inconvenience or loss of enjoyment where the inconvenience or loss would have been presumed to have been contemplated by the parties at the time of entering the contract [British Columbia Saw-Mill Co Ltd v Nettleship] [1868]11 12In contracts to provide entertainment and enjoyment, (such as holidays), damages may be awarded for loss of enjoyment and the frustration, annoyance and disappointment associated with such loss [Jarvis v Swans Tour] [1973]13 Since this decision in Jarvis v Swans Tour [1973], the courts have awarded damages for loss of enjoyment and the reduced value of the holiday purchased. A charge for reduced value of the holiday purchased (diminution in value) is where a service which has been contracted for, but has not been provided, or where there has been some other breach of the contract between the supplier of the holiday or service and the holidaymaker. If this is the case the claimant claims the difference between what he purchased and what he received Loss of enjoyment is the 14distress, vexation, disappointment and annoyance suffered by a claimant on holiday, and they were unable to enjoy their holiday because of factors for which the defendant is liable. Simon may be entitled to damages for disappointment and loss of enjoyment suffered as a result of the breach of contract. This recognises the objective of a holiday contract, to provide enjoyment, peace of mind and relaxation. To work out how much damges Simon would be awarded the judge would try to find the difference in value between what the holidaymaker contracted to receive and what was actually received. So for Simon it would be the difference between Sun, sand, and sangria, lots of people, full night life, luxury accommodation, and a beach and in contrast small chalet in the mountains, snow, no room service, lights out at 10pm, and no other guests. If Simon is to receive damages, the ammount awarded is dependant on a number of components. The main components consist of the length of the holiday, and the price of it. In addition, the importance of the holiday is a main factor. Simon could argue that the holiday was extremely important to him, as earlier on in the case it says he is in need of a break after the stress caused to him with the DVD player he purchased. If Simon can argue this case succesfully then the courts may look at his case in a favourable maner. It is likely Simon could claim a complete refund, if he can argue that the contract came to nothing and he got not one thing for which he had been contracted. Simon could argue that the holiday was inordinately bad [Forsdyke v Panorama Holiday Group Ltd][2002]15 as what he received was almost the opposite of what the contract he agreed, and therefore claim back between two and two and a half times the cost of the holiday, as suggested by District Judge Geoffery Martin. The University has made an offer to Simon of a place on the course. An offer is a proposal or proposition by one party, who is willing to be bound by the terms of the proposal if accepted by another party. An acceptance must be full and complete, and by Simon enroling on the course, he subsequently accepted in full the offer. 16Universities reserve the right to impose sanctions against students who refuse to pay fees, and may result in the suspension of the students registration. As Simon has failed to pay the University , he is unable to register for the next year of the course. However he may be allowed to be reinstated on the course if he clears the debt or some sort of a repayment schedule is agreed. In conclusion, Simon may look to receive compensation for the DVD player, as long as he takes the old one back in the same condition it was in when purchased. Furthermore, Simon may also look to be awarded in damages for loss of enjoyment, and inconvinience regarding the holiday to Macedonia, as it was not the holiday type he had described to the seller that he wanted. Finally, Simon may be able to get his place back on the unervisity course if he can pay the debt he owes to the university, subsequently if he can not afford to, then he can arrange a repayment schedule.

A Portrait of the Artist as a Yong Man

A Portrait of the Artist as a Yong Man Joyce â€Å"A Portrait of the Artist as a Yong Man† by James Joyce has several important themes that relate to a person’s individuality, its natural development and conscious evolution of the personality and understanding.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on A Portrait of the Artist as a Yong Man specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More One of the motifs is the defiance of religion and the moral understanding of the world. Stephen does understand that he is not only breaking religious codes, but also does damage to his morality. Every time he engages in the services of prostitutes, he chooses to forget about religion. This is a deeper theme where a person holds back on their morals, only to redeem themselves later. In time, he understands that he must live a life by ethical and moral criteria, embracing all that has been given to people. This clearly illustrates the two extremes of his personality. One is comp letely disobedient to any social regulations while the other is pure, and wants to lead a life free of sin (Joyce, 2011). Another motif pertains to Stephen wanting to become an artist and choosing isolation as one of the necessary steps towards his goal. From one perspective, he leaves everything behind to pursue own dreams, and thinks it will make him a better artist. From another, he understands that his community and family have made him who he is, and they will always be a part of his inner world and understanding. He is shown to be appreciative of the knowledge he has received, thus he plans to give back to the community in a form of his art (Wollaeger, 2003). A rather crucial motif is the development of the individuality and understanding of the surrounding world. At the beginning, Stephen is described as a child who is not fully aware of the world. The words and phrases that are used qualify as simplistic and naive. It is as if he is a distant observer of the surrounding worl d, and does not really participate in its seriousness. Later, when he become a teenager, his thoughts are more defined and understanding. But still, he is very much devoted to the church, letting the rules of society and religion to define his comprehension of life. In the end, he becomes a fully reasonable person. He attends the university, and is shown to have reached great potential in his logical thinking, as well as emotional understanding of own character and people (Attridge, 1990).Advertising Looking for assessment on british literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Music and singing are another major motif of the novel. It is made to represent the way people escape the harsh reality of the world, and better their mood. Stephen appreciates music and singing because it is a part of the language that might seem the same but is quite different. It touches his inner parts of the soul, and sets the course for a life filled with kindness and emotion. Even when he hears a woman singing, he feels at peace, and sets his goals on becoming an artist. It is made clear how the power of a song and music can help anyone to set their mind on personal dreams and try everything to achieve them. The same can be said about the prayers and religious singing. Stephen feels the power of a song when he visits the church, and the phrases become embedded in his mind for the rest of his life (Bloom, 2009). The novel touches upon several important divisions of a person’s life. All are key in the development of a healthy personality, especially an artist. It is made obvious that everyone is an artist at heart; it just takes time to discover which particular one. References Attridge, D. (1990). The Cambridge Companion to James Joyce. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. Bloom, H. (2009). James Joyce. New York, NY: Infobase Publishing. Joyce, J. (2011). A Portrait of the Artist As a Young Man. London, UK: Interactive Media. Wollaeger, M. (2003). James Joyces A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man: A Casebook. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on A Portrait of the Artist as a Yong Man specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More

Promote Your Writing On Facebook

Promote Your Writing On Facebook Promote Your Writing On Facebook Promote Your Writing On Facebook By Guest Author This is a guest post by Lela Davidson. If you want to write for Daily Writing Tips check the guidelines here. Love it, hate it, or tolerate it, Facebook is here, maybe not to stay- because nothing is changing faster than media- but it’s here now. Facebook is an important way to reach readers and network with clients, fellow writers, and editors. I use Facebook every day to engage readers (and potential readers), and to network with those who can help me reach more readers. Through significant daily interactions, ‘branded’ messages, and posting links to my work, I hope to build that all important ‘platform’ we someday-to-be-bestsellers need. A Short History of a Reluctant Facebook Junkie I opened my Facebook account under duress. A client required links from a Facebook profile to the blog posts I’d written. I’d already tried (and given up on) social bookmarking sites like Digg and Stumble and I resented the extra time it took to pimp my posts. I wanted to be a writer, not waste time working the system of you-click-my-link-I’ll-click-yours. However, in the short time the assignment lasted, I got hooked on Facebook. Interacting With Readers and Others Chatting up old friends on Facebook was training for how I use it now, which is more strategic, but not too different. I’ve branched out from my ‘real’ friends, embracing the concept of â€Å"Facebook Friends,† who may or may not be people I actually know IRL (in real life- do the kids still say that?). The decision about what to share and with whom is the biggest challenge for writers wanting to use Facebook for professional networking. For me it has been a seamless transition from my friends, to their friends, and beyond because most of what I write is personal. If I’m writing about the hair balls in my bathroom for a magazine essay, I don’t mind telling you about them in my status bar. Facebook allows me to engage readers and convert would-be readers, by giving them a preview of my longer writing. Keeping Your Distance If you don’t want to get too personal with readers you set up a Page, which is different from a Profile. Readers can become fans of your page and this fan status shows up in the information section of their profiles. Interaction from a page is limited, but it’s better than nothing. In addition to frequent status updates, it’s also extremely important to comment on your Facebook Friends’ status and links. This is interactive media. If all you do is talk about yourself, eventually no one will listen. Developing a Platform Both established and aspiring writers need a platform in order to sell their work. In Get Known Before the Book Deal, author Christina Katz defines platform as: . . . all the ways you are visible and appealing to your future, potential, or actual readership. Katz emphasizes that platform development is important not only for authors, but also for aspiring and soon-to-be authors. Interaction with your Facebook Friends builds the foundation of your relationship so that when you post a link, they may read it or pass it along via the Share function of Facebook. This lets every one of their Facebook Friends know that 1) it exists, and 2) they think it’s cool enough to be associated with. And Finally, Posting Those Links Wherever you are in your writing career, you have a core fan base of people who like what you write because they like you- family, friends, neighbors. Even my ‘real’ friends who aren’t interested in my writing are still interested in me. Maybe their friends and family might like what I’m writing. Facebook is the easiest way for them to share my stuff. The more I interact with them the more they are likely to find something they like. When that happens, the spread can be viral. I hope. It’s important to note that links are different from status updates. They don’t show up in your status bar, and unless they get a lot of Likes (thumbs up) or comments, they may not show up in your Facebook Friends’ news feeds either. I don’t feel like I’m pestering people with my links if I occasionally post more than one in a day. Also, when I’m commenting on someone else’s status, sometimes it’s natural to include a link. For example, I write a lot on family topics so whenever someone posts a status about their kid losing a tooth, I’ll comment with a link to an essay I wrote about the inflation of Tooth Fairy payouts. Friending Editors and Fanning Magazines As my essays have started to get picked up in more print magazines, I try to Friend the editors and become a Fan of the magazine’s website. (Sorry, fellow DWT guest author, but Friending and Fanning are verbs.) A lot of print magazines publish online versions. When the piece runs, I post a link, as well as thanking and tagging the editor in my status update. Before an editor has bought something of mine, we can connect as Facebook Friends. Though we may never meet in person, Facebook savvy gives me an edge over the hundreds of other writers hitting the inbox. Many of those editors use the same email on Facebook as they do for submissions, so I use Facebook’s automated ‘Find Friends’ utility to identify them. When it comes to social media there are no experts. So jump in- from wherever you are- and play. That’s what I did. Facebook has expanded my reach, helped build my ‘platform’, and put me in direct contact with readers, clients, and editors. It can do the same for you. Lela Davidson’s award-winning column, After the Bubbly, appears regularly in Peekaboo magazine, and periodically in other magazines throughout the country. She is the parenting columnist on HubPages and a regular contributor to ParentingSquad. Find out more on her wildly entertaining blog. Or just Google her. She loves to be Googled.    Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Freelance Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Using "a" and "an" Before WordsHow Long Should a Paragraph Be?Mankind vs. Humankind