Sokanu: The Blog

This is a guest post by Daniel Wong. 

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The Confusion About Happiness 

Do you want to be happy or “not unhappy”? These might sound like synonyms, but they’re really not. The difference between happiness and “not unhappiness” is really the difference between frustration and fulfillment.

All of us want to find happiness in our career, health, relationships and finances. If we’re not careful, however, we’ll discover how not to be unhappy in these areas, but we won’t learn how to find real happiness.

Take your career, for example. The factors that make you a “not unhappy” employee are very distinct from the factors that make you a happy employee.

Here are some "not unhappy" factors: a comfortable office chair, pleasant co-workers, a reasonable boss. Without these things, there’s no doubt that you'll be unhappy. For example, I can’t imagine how unbearable it would be if you had a horrible working relationship with your direct superior. 

But just because all the “not unhappy” factors are in place doesn’t guarantee that you'll be happy. No one goes to work thinking, "I'm SO happy that I get to spend eight hours sitting in my super comfortable chair today!"

It’s evident that being extremely “not unhappy” doesn’t result in you being happy. As an employee, you need “happy” factors in order to be happy. Here are a few of them: the belief that your work makes a real difference, the feeling that you're part of something greater than yourself, the fact that your work is appreciated.

The Happy Employee

It puzzles me that, in the business world, a vast majority of incentive schemes are geared toward making employees "not unhappy." These schemes are often related to pay, benefits and privileges. Many companies think that enabling their employees to be as “not unhappy” as possible is the key to building a happy and motivated workforce. 

Don’t get me wrong; higher salaries, pleasant working environments and other “not unhappy” factors are important, but companies should focus on “happy” factors if they want their employees to be engaged and productive. 

Can you imagine an employee who finds deep meaning and purpose in her work not giving her best for the company every single day?

As you’ve probably already realized, finding happiness in your career is a challenging task. But this quest becomes much simpler when you understand which factors—to you, personally—fall in the “not unhappy” category, and which factors fall in the “happy” category.

To help you in this process of discovering a career you love, I invite you to answer the questions below. 

1. If you’re currently working, what factors prevent you from quitting? If you’re not currently working, what factors are important to you in a career? Your answers can also be based on your previous work or internship experiences. List your top 15 factors.
2. Of these 15 factors, which ones give you a sense of comfort and peace of mind, but not fulfillment? These are some of your “not unhappy” factors.
3. Which aspects of your job frustrate you? These are probably areas where certain “not unhappy” factors are absent. From this list, derive the “not unhappy” factors that matter to you. 
4. Based on Steps 2 and 3, you now have a combined list of your “not unhappy” factors. 
5. Of the 15 factors you listed in Step 1, which ones give you a sense of excitement, enthusiasm and satisfaction? Which ones thrill your soul? It might be helpful for you to think of a few specific work tasks or projects. The factors you choose are your “happy” ones. 
6. Rank order your “not unhappy” factors based on how they will likely influence your levels of long-term job satisfaction. 
7. Repeat Step 6 for your “happy” factors. 
8. Looking at the lists you created in Steps 6 and 7, do you think they accurately represent what matters to you in your career?

All of us have blind spots, so you might miss out some factors. But I trust that this exercise has given you new insight into what you’re looking for in an ideal career. Keep in mind that, in general, “happy” factors are a lot harder to come by than “not unhappy” ones. No job is perfect, so seek to maximize your “happy” factors while setting reasonable standards for your “not unhappy” ones.

Is The Aim Of Life To Be Happy?

Despite all of this talk about happiness, you’d probably agree with me that the ultimate aim of life isn't merely to be happy. Developing traits such as kindness, courage, generosity, patience, integrity and commitment is more important than being happy. But in order to acquire those traits, you’ll inevitably need to go through moments of unhappiness.

If given the choice, however, between being happy and unhappy, all of us would choose to be happy. Since that's the case, it’s vital that we not confuse what makes us "not unhappy" with what makes us happy. 

This applies to your career—and also to every other area of your life. Don’t settle for “not unhappiness” when happiness is what you really want.

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Daniel Wong is passionate about helping young adults to maximize their education, career and life. You can read his blog at Living Large and find him on Twitter.

I was reading a blog post the other day called Startups, Innovation and the Decline of the Corporation which talked about the imbalance between the “normal” world and the “trend” world. In the normal world, unemployment is very high, people are struggling to find stable jobs and economic trends have a lot to do with how the market moves. Globalization is a huge, scary problem due to the fact that people are not just competing with people in their own town, state or country - but rather with people across the world. 

In the trend world, unemployment is nearly zero, market wages are increasing and the war for talent is becoming fierce. Examples of this can include what is going on in Silicon Valley currently, what is happening with geologists and the mining industry, and this problem always seems to happen in the financial world. 

Which world do you live in? Do your parents complain about how tough the “real world” is or do they complain about how people are progressing faster than they are. Is your town growing or are people leaving for greener pastures? All of these are indicators of the type of environment you are.

Regardless of the macroeconomic trends, the fact is that you still need to work. And because you need to work, you will always be thinking about what the right career is for you. With that being said, I believe there are two ways to look at how you are going to approach a career, being a “trend hunter” or finding a “passion cluster”.

Trend Hunter

If you go and talk to your parents right now (assuming you are young), they will probably tell you that there is a lot of money in a) computers b) pharmaceuticals c) insert whatever career they are in. They will tell you to “look where the puck is going, not where it is right now”. This is actually good advice.

What your parents are trying to do is guide you into a sector that has a rising trend. When water rises, everything on it rises as well right? While this is good advice, but unless your parent is the head of the economic committee of North America or a fortune teller, it is nearly impossible to predict what sectors will be rising consistently. There are obvious macroeconomic factors that will always make sense, but markets change.

If you are involved in the technology world right now, you are probably doing pretty well. Your salary is high relative to the rest of the country, your friends all have similar mindsets and you like the idea of building something each and every day. But what is going to happen if the technology bubble bursts again? Even though a large percentage of workers will remain employed, that supply and demand curve has shifted. The sector trend advantage will have shifted to something else.

Keep in mind that Detroit used to be the “Silicon Valley” of the early to mid 1900’s. That trend carried people through a whole generation. Now? Detroit is often labelled the worst place in America. Pick a trend that makes macroeconomic sense for the net 25-50 years. How do you know? What is our world being replaced by? Will we need oil? Food? Medicine? There are underlying currents always at work if you want to play the trend card.

Finding A Passion Cluster

As opposed to finding a trend to work yourself into, a passion cluster takes the same kind of idea but excludes the need to be in a rising trend. The problem with playing towards a trend is that you may not necessarily like the career you are. The money may be good, the people smart, but you may be unhappy. None of that other stuff matters if you aren’t happy.

What to do? If the average American will have seven careers in their lifetime, isn’t it impossible to have one “passion” that you do for the rest of your life? Maybe not for some people who strike it big (authors, musicians, entrepreneurs, etc..) but for most people this will probably hold true. And so, you need to find something I call a “passion cluster” to fit yourself into.

The first step is to identify what you have an interest towards. We have spoken about this previously, but finding that “cluster” is fairly important to start. Once in that cluster, you need to identify a career that you can see yourself in because you love the type of work that it entails. It may not be “your single passion” but it is one of the things that you enjoy doing. The key is to also look at the adjacent careers surrounding that career to know where you can transition into.

Let’s say you want to be in the film industry. That is your cluster. You may look at becoming a sound engineer. You want to be responsible for all of the "background sounds" that take place in any movie. You may find this fascinating. After three or four years of doing this, you may want to become a special effects sound engineer, causing you to learn more. After a few years of this, you may be offered to run the sound department of a major production company. Since you are now at the top of a company, you have a birds eye view of the other aspects of the business. You may find that the sound means nothing if the visuals aren't there to support it. Soon you transition over to leading the integration between visual and musical special effects. If you do a good job, you may be ready to be a producer or maybe, a director.

This career path is hypothetical, but you get the idea of finding that "passion cluster". Instead of being passionate about a single career or single role, you are passionate about a band or cluster of careers. The goal then becomes entering into this world and learning as much as you can about it.

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I believe that with the current macroeconomic conditions, you will need to do one of these two things in order to thrive and love what you do. Finding rising trends is a tricky business, but some people are talented at this and have the skill set for it. For the rest of us, we need to quickly identify a cluster of careers that we can love and find meaning with. It may be nearly impossible to define what a career will look like in 10, 20 or 30 years, but you can be fairly certain that industries will still be around.

What do you think? What will careers look like in the future?

There are two types of golfers that exist (good one's anyway) - yardage players and feel players. A yardage player is someone who knows that their 7-iron will carry between 155-165 yards, no more and no less, if they hit it well. They have a yardage book that they carry with them at all times, or one of those laser yardage-finders. Yardage players make up the majority of golfers that you are going to play with.

A feel player, on the other hand, is someone who probably couldn't care less what the yardage is to the pin. If he knows he is somewhere between 150 yards and 180 yards out, he's fine. Why? He goes with his gut. Does this sound risky? It sure does. What if the club you pick comes up short, or you hit it over the green? The thing with feel players is that they can hit their 7-iron 160 just like the other guy, but they can also hit it 100 yards, 110, 120, 130, 140 and 150. 

Huh?

Golf is a game, like life, where nothing stays still. Being a yardage player only works if you are a) a professional golfer and b) hit the ball exactly flush every time. Otherwise, what happens if things aren't perfect. What if it is windy out? All of a sudden that 7-iron may only carry 140 yards. You can't hit the ball with the same trajectory, because the wind will knock it down. This is where being a feel player makes so much more sense. You are so used to going with what feels right that you just adapt your swing to the conditions. In the rough? Just swing a little more steeply. Windy? Choke down on the club. There are many examples of this.

I learned about being a feel player from a good friend of mine. We were in high school playing a round of golf together. We were both about 80 yards out from the pin, which is a very awkward yardage. No club "goes 80 yards" when you take a full swing. I was trying to figure out what club to use, and looked over at him. He just took out whatever wedge, and started to take practice swings. I said "how do you know how far you are going to hit that club?" and he said, "I don't - I'm just going to go with my gut on how hard to swing".

Little did he know that I was going to take that and use it as a wonderful principle in business. While this seems like a simple concept, it is so important in life. So many of us go through life being "yardage players" - we calculate everything in order to make sure we take the least amount of risk. We go into careers because we want to be safe, not because we love that career. We listen to other people religiously, because we don't have enough faith in ourselves. When we are young, we haven't yet determined a "yardage book" for ourselves, so we don't know what is right and wrong. So we listen to others.

What I think we should be doing is trying to incorporate elements of both players into our lives. We always need those yardages to make sure we are in the right area. Just like there is no use in using a driver for a 50 yard shot, there is no use in making wildly wrong decisions simply because we are ignorant. But once you are in that right "range", just like a club, you need to let your feel player take over. Use the advice that people give you, but ultimately go with your gut. 

If someone tells you that you can't be a painter "because there is no money in it" take that advice and lock it away in your brain. Then talk to a painter who has made money and get their perspective. Start to determine your "range" in perspective. When it comes time to make that decision, use that information to set you in the right direction, but always follow your gut. The difference between other people's advice and your gut is that you know yourself better than anyone else in the world. You know, internally, what is right and wrong for you. Your "feel player" is telling you this information - listen to it.

The last thing you want to regret when you are older is listening to the advice of others are not listening to yourself enough. I'm going to take a quote from http://thenextweb.com/lifehacks/2011/05/31/the-top-5-regrets-people-make-on-t... to end this post.

1. I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.

This was the most common regret of all. When people realize that their life is almost over and look back clearly on it, it is easy to see how many dreams have gone unfulfilled. Most people have had not honoured even a half of their dreams and had to die knowing that it was due to choices they had made, or not made.

It is very important to try and honour at least some of your dreams along the way. From the moment that you lose your health, it is too late. Health brings a freedom very few realise, until they no longer have it. 

Our parents may well be the last generation ever to have a single, stable job for 30 years or more. Many of our parents got their degree, being the first in their family, and used this to land a safe, well-paying job. With the recent financial turmoil, and the rise of technology and globalization, there is a very likely chance that most of us won't have just one job throughout our working life.

If we are trying to find our passion and translate this into a career - should we be worried? Today's post is going to take a look at people who seem to have multiple interests - which allows them to bounce in and out of certain careers. Is this still considered finding your passion? Then we will take a look at people who never really vary from their original career path - having truly found what they love to do. I believe there is a large difference between the two and only one of them leads to world-class success.

Liking What You Do

A common scenario for individuals that have been through college or university and landed a fairly stable job is to eventually move up the career "ladder". This means more responsibility and increased pay. But this does not necessarily mean more intrinsic value. After the initial burst of excitement of having a "real" job - you may begin to have a small twinge of something in your gut. This little feeling is something telling you that you are not really following your path. This usually happens when you settle into a job that does not align with your passion - what you prefer to be doing. This scenario is extremely common and usually not in your best interest. You can even enter into a job trap called "golden handcuffs" where you are getting paid well enough to live a very decent lifestyle, but not paid enough to quit and start over again, without having major financial issues.

But this post is about when you are in a job that you get value from. You like the task at hand, you see how you are contributing and you believe that you have passion for it. Great! But with most people, when they have been in a career that they "like" for years, it may become stale. This is perfectly natural. They then go and look for another career in something else they like to do. If they are talented and skilled enough, they will make a transition into another career. By living your life doing things you are passionate about, you will generally be very happy. After all, most people don't ever get the chance to do work that they like!

So what is the problem? Why did I mention above that this doesn't really count as finding your passion in life? For a couple of reasons, but the main one being that I believe people have one true passion that they should be doing. Is this the same thing as having one career your whole life? No - not at all. I still believe that we are in a world where one must have multiple careers. However, I believe the major factor comes from where those careers happen to be in.

Loving What You Do

Let's take a couple of case scenarios. The first person is someone I know. He is talented in quite a few things, but very talented at skiing. Even though this is really only his first year of taking skiing seriously, he has already become a certified instructor and has improved tremendously over the course of just a few months. I believe that if he dedicated his life to it over the next eight years, he could potentially be in the Winter Olympics come 2018. Why do I mention this? Because beyond the fact that he likes to ski - he also has a natural aptitude towards it. And following the hedgehog concept - skiing is also a viable career path that can lead to quite a few well-paying jobs. 

But is he going into a career path involving skiing? No, for the simple reason that he does not have a true passion for it. By this I mean that he cannot see himself being involved in a skiing career for the rest of his life. Skiing is just an interest, and something he likes to do. Can you call this one of his passions? Sure - but I think that it is better called a hobby he loves to do.

This sounds like a perfect scenario, and some hubris was used for literary effect. But when that child grows up and becomes a dancer, this will be her true passion. Sure, she will have other interests on the side, maybe painting and gardening, but she only likes those things. She only loves to dance, and can't imagine her world without it. Even after she is too old to continue dancing, she will transition into a career still within that industry. She may become a choreographer, the owner of a studio or a writer. Even though she will fluctuate careers - she will always stay within the category.

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Here within lies the difference between world-class individuals and those who like what they do. People at the top of any career have found their passion in life - and can't picture their life without it. They wouldn't be themselves anymore if it weren't in their life. They are partly defined by what they do as a career. We term this a passionate calling. 

Those who like multiple careers throughout their lifetime are not any worse off - it's just not the same thing. Most people that happen to find multiple careers they are passionate about are extremely lucky. But these careers are defined more by interest than they are by intrinsic value - making them passionate careers.

What Is A Journalist?

In broad terms, journalists are writers that find and present information in many areas of life. In a more “traditional” sense, journalists are writers that find and research information to be presented to the public through mediums like newspapers, magazines, radio, television stations or the internet. In many ways, journalism is the backbone of media industry. Therefore, many media jobs require some aspect of journalism experience. The type of writing a journalist does, depends on the subject being covered. Another aspect that affects a journalist's job is the type of medium they produce news for.

What Does A Journalist Do?

Journalism is a broad career with many opportunities. Within different areas of media (television, radio, newspapers, magazines, etc.), there are specialized tasks for journalists. Depending on the size of an organization, a journalist may work one or many of these tasks:

Reporters are directly involved in the gathering of information. They conduct interviews, find sources, and pull together all the information needed to write a well-rounded news story. Reporters also present the information in a written or spoken form in news stories, documentaries, or feature articles. General reporters cover all kinds of news stories, but some may specialize in certain areas such as sports, politics, or lifestyle. Some reporters may work on staff for large news organizations, or as freelance writers, writing stories for whomever is paying them.

Sub-editors take stories written by reporters and put them into a form that suits the special needs of their particular newspaper, magazine, or website. Sub-editors do not gather the information themselves but rather they concentrate on how existing stories can be better tailored to match a specific audience.

Photojournalists use photography as a way of reporting the news. They may cover events with a reporter, taking photographs to represent a written story or attend news events on their own, doing both jobs. A photojournalist is like a reporter that must make decisions instantly in order to capture important events at the time they take place. They must carry photographic equipment and be able to make snap decisions. This may mean they are exposed to some obstacles like physical danger, crowds, or harsh weather.

The editor is the one in charge of deciding what goes in a newspaper, magazine, or news bulletin. He or she is responsible for the content that is to be written by the journalists and makes all final decisions.

The news editor is the person in charge of all news journalists. They make all the decisions about what stories to cover and who will do the work. In large news organizations, the news editor may have a deputy, often referred to as the chief of staff, whose job is to assign reporters to selected stories.

Feature writers write longer stories, which give more background to a news story. This type of writing involves a lot more in-depth research to give readers a lengthy and informative article.

What Does It Take To Be A Journalist?

Journalists must have a desire to find and write stories that are important to the people. There is a great deal of power that comes with being a journalist, as they decide and create what it is the public should see or read about. Journalists can be seen as “watchdogs” for the ordinary man or woman.

People trust journalists with facts, whether they are being given or received. This trust must be honored. One should never use journalism for selfish needs, but rather for improving the life of other people. Journalists must have a passion for the truth and exposing that truth to the people. But desire alone will not make a successful journalist.

On the technical side, a journalist needs to have excellent research skills and an ability to generate information and good content. They must be able to ask the right questions and understand situations quickly in order to produce coherent stories.

Like any writer, journalists should have a passion for language and all the ways it can be used. It's not just about the facts, but also about the way they are presented. Journalists need to have excellent writing and grammatical skills, and must always aim for accuracy. The best way of ensuring accuracy is to have a system for keeping track of facts, perhaps in a notebook. This way, when events are taking place, a journalist has a quick way to gather the information that he or she will use later.

To gather this information, journalists need to have determination (though sometimes perceived as aggressiveness) to ask all the appropriate and necessary questions until all the facts have been addressed. This may mean asking the hard questions that could upset people. It may be painful but there is respect to gain in the end. There is a simple rule: be polite but persistent.

Workplace

Depending on the type of article being written, a journalist works anywhere they are able to, in order to produce that story. There are two parts to creating a story. The first is being out on the field gathering the facts. Journalists need to find sources, attend functions and big events, and interview people. Anywhere that the news is happening, there's usually a journalist (or several) on site. Journalists have to know where to look for a story, as sometimes it is necessary to do some sleuth work when digging up information.

The second part is the writing. If a journalist works for a large news organization, he or she may have an office (or desk) to work at in order to meet strict and short deadlines. Freelance writers can work from home or anywhere that they are able to produce well-written work.

Salary

There are a number of factors that determine the salary of a journalist, including education, type of media, work experience, location, employer and talent. The average salary for a novice journalist sits somewhere in the $30,000 range, but as listed above, many factors determine this rate.

The quality of a journalist's writing can greatly affect the wage, as well as the company profile that he or she is working in. If one has earned a Bachelor of Arts and Science degree from a good institute, he or she may earn a starting salary of $22,000 - $50,000. Those earning a bachelor's degree specifically related to journalism can earn even more. Students who have obtained a master's degree in journalism can earn an additional $10,000 - $20,000 annually.

And of course, over time, as experience is gained and the quality of writing improves, a journalist's salary will grow.

List of Schools

http://www.canadian-universities.net/Universities/Programs/Journalism.html (Canada)

http://http-server.carleton.ca/~mmcguire/J-Ed/j-prog/index.shtml (Canada)

http://www.journalismschools.com/ (United States)

http://www.squidoo.com/bestjschools (United States)

http://www.markovits.com/journalism/jschools.shtml (International)

What Is An Editor?

Editors are critical readers that love words. They are the people who prepare the writing of others for publication. Editors are seen as gatekeepers between the writer and audience, and they have to take a dual-sided point-of-view in order to keep both parties happy. Authors know their stories inside and out and have had a strong relationship with their manuscript for years. Audiences, on the other hand, have no emotional attachment to books that they have not read yet and are quick to judge any novel that they pick up to read.

The editor needs to edit a manuscript from both points-of-view. Changes that are to be made must feel like the author's authentic voice to keep him or her happy with the new and improved manuscript. The manuscript may also need changes that will keep the audience pulled in and interested for the length of the novel. One of an editor’s many challenges is to find a balance between the two.

What Does An Editor Do?

Editors supervise a range of functions in a publishing house and have many tasks that need to be accomplished before a book is ready to be launched. When people hear the word “editor” they usually imagine someone who spell checks and is a stickler for grammar. While this is true, a lot more goes into editing a manuscript. When a manuscript is picked for publication there are many alterations and decisions that need to be made before the book can go to print. These alterations are made by different kinds of editors.

The first editor a manuscript goes through is the Acquisitions Editor. This is the editor that picks out the manuscript and decides if it would be a profitable choice for the Publishing House. He makes a pitch to the House to publish the manuscript and figures out all the budgeting, marketing, and contractual decisions. He is also the editor that facilitates communication between publisher and writer.

When a manuscript has been chosen it may need a heavy amount of editing. This work goes to the Developmental Editor. This editor works very closely with a writer as they try to develop the work to be its best. Content, organization, and presentation are all considered. He assists the writer in developing material including characters, setting, and plot, if needed. He may suggest additional research to be done to “flesh out” certain parts of the material for clarity and to create better flow. He makes comments on style, structure, and flow of information. Spelling, grammar, and punctuation are also checked along with URL links, captions, graphics, footnotes, references, photos, tables, quotes, bibliography, and citations. This type of editing is the most invasive, so the editor works closely with the writer to be sure that he approves changes and his original voice is preserved.

Next in line is the Line Editor. He goes through a manuscript line by line and finds grammar and spelling errors that compromise the quality of the material. He makes sure that word choice contributes to the overall tone of the book. In some publishing fields the Line Editor and Copy Editor positions are combined into one.

The Copy Editor is the one to go over a manuscript before it's ready for print. He examines the document for inconsistencies in theme, style, and factual information. He checks permissions for copyright material and ensures there will be no legal conflicts. Grammar, spelling, and punctuation are also scanned again. The main purpose of a Copy Editor is to make sure the import of text is clear and amusing for the reader.

In the home stretch, the edited manuscript goes to the Production Editor who oversees the transition between manuscript and published book. He is the last person to review the material before print. He manages the typesetting, artwork, and budgeting and ensures quality is met in all other areas of editing.

What Does It Take To Be An Editor?

Editors spend their time running their eyes over text looking for errors and changes that can be made to better enhance the material. It's so important that they have patience and pay attention to every detail. It takes a lot of focus and time to be able to read a document through an Editor's eyes and to make it publishable. They need to have a good sense of the language and should be knowledgeable and updated on current affairs. This makes their job easier if they already know a bit about what they are reading. Editors do not need to know every rule about grammar, punctuation or spelling, but they do need to know how to use the resources that will help them make those decisions.

An English or Journalism degree is recommended, but not mandatory, to get into the publishing world as an Editor. A master’s degree is also something you may consider. Like many careers, editing is something that is learned on the job. Starting at an entry-level position and learning the job by doing the job, is the best way to move up in a publishing house.

Workplace

Editor's hours are generally determined by the production schedule, and by the type of editorial position they have. Most salaried editors work in-house, dealing with production deadlines and the pressures of trying to produce accurate work. This is advantageous because they get to learn how the production works from the inside.

Advances in electronic communications have changed the work environment for writers and editors alike. Editors can do a lot of their editing from their homes or wherever they feel the most comfortable. This is both good and bad. Their schedules and hours are a lot more flexible and they have more independence.

Schedules and budgets are tight in a publishing house so a lot of employers don't want to risk new freelancing editors. They may be less likely to hire someone with no in-house experience. With experience, editors will know what they can handle and what projects might be too much. At some point they learn when to turn down a project. The most important thing is that editors use their time well and meet all deadlines. After all, they are working as part of a team and everyone must do their part.

Salary

The typical wage for editors is $20-$75 per hour and ranges depending on experience. Editors usually work forty hours per week but time is not necessarily a constraint. Work hours purely depend on the workload or deadline to be met. The average salary for a starting editor is around the $30,000 range and increases with experience. An editor that that been working for many years can earn up to $80,000.

List Of Schools

http://education-portal.com/colleges_with_journalism_major.html

http://crazyindustry.blogspot.com/2005/03/becoming-editor.html

So on your way to getting the milk, you walk through the middle of the store — historically where the tougher-to-sell items are displayed — past jumbo olives and potato chips that you had no intention of buying. But seeing them on the shelves …"

These are examples of us being "nudged" in life. When external influences begin to sway our convictions, we are being led in a certain direction, to a certain objective. Go back to the grocery shopping. Did you intend to pick up those Oreo's in the middle of the store? Of course not, yet you probably will end up checking out with them in your cart. Why? The psychology of choice has led us to that decision, through external influences.

The challenge, then, is when do you listen and when do you ignore? Let's use career choice as an example. Many people will come across this scenario. They want to pursue a career in a field because they are passionate about it and know they can succeed. Yet everyone they knows tells them they are crazy and that they should go into a field that is "safe" and pays well. What do you think happens most of the time? Unless that person's internal conviction is super strong, they will probably listen to their external forces. After all, what do they know? They are just young with not much experience. These older, wiser adults must know what is best.

 Many times in our lives we don't always want to rely on one source. That would be unwise in many cases. So when it comes to something like career choice, why do we only listen to our friends and family? Usually it is because we don't have anyone else to ask. But online solutions and offline groups are starting to provide an architecture that can help you make this choice. Sokanu is being built to provide a choice architecture when it comes to careers. We are going to try and help "nudge" you, not in the direction we best see fit, but in helping you find the direction you best see fit. This is the goal of architects of choice. They are supposed to help nudge you in a positive direction based on your likes, dislikes and actions. This way, there is no bias, and ultimately the decision still lies on the individual.

Some people know what they want to do from a very early age, and never waver from their decision. But those people are few and far between. For the rest of us, we need to decide whether we want to take control of designing our life or if we want to be nudged.

What Is Naturopathy?  What Is A Naturopathic Doctor?

Naturopathy, (also known as Naturopathic Medicine or Natural Medicine) is an alternative medical system that focuses on natural remedies and the body's natural ability to heal and maintain itself. 

Naturopathic Medicine is:

• A certain system of primary health care that looks at the root causes of illness, and promotes health and healing using natural therapies.  It supports your body’s own healing ability using an multi-faceted approach to disease diagnosis, treatment and prevention that includes:
• Acupuncture/Asian Medicine
• Botanical Medicine
• Physical Medicine (Massage, Hydrotherapy, etc.)
• Clinical Nutrition
• Homeopathic Medicine
• Lifestyle Counseling

The term "Naturopathy" is derived from Greek and Latin translated as "nature disease". Naturopathic philosophy favors a holistic approach and minimal use of surgery and drugs.

Naturopathic Doctors (ND) and/or Naturopathic Medical Doctors (NMD) strive to find the cause of disease by understanding the body, mind and spirit of the person. 

There are two main areas of focus in naturopathy. One is supporting the body’s own healing abilities, and the other is empowering people to make necessary lifestyle changes for an individual’s best possible health. 

Short bouts of illness as well as chronic conditions, are treated by the Naturopathic Doctor, but the main focus is on educating patients in order to prevent disease.

What Does A Naturopathic Doctor Do?

Naturopathic treatment is all about good health and wellness.  The main thought behind naturopathic practice is the belief that the body has a natural ability to strive for health. The doctor’s role is to work with a person to promote the natural healing of the body.  Health is believed to be more than just the absence of disease, and the Naturopathic Doctor works on strengthening the body’s natural defenses.  

Naturopathic Doctors will see the symptoms of a disease as the body’s defense mechanism trying to bring the person back to a state of health.  Rather than suppress the symptoms, the doctor will work with this process.  A path of treatment will be designed that will meet the patient’s needs.  

In order to nourish and cleanse the body, the Naturopathic Doctor may suggest dietary changes.  Avoiding certain foods or eating certain foods will be discussed, as well as perhaps looking into taking supplements.  

A diet high in fresh fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts and whole grains are often the basis to getting a healthy body, but the patient may first be put on a cleanse to rid the body of toxins.  Lifestyle changes may also be discussed, such as incorporating relaxation techniques and exercise into the patient’s life.

Common ailments that Naturopathic Doctors treat, include:

• Chronic Fatigue
• Digestive Complaints
• Menopause
• Menstrual Problems
• Asthma
• Eczema
• Migraines
• High Blood Pressure
• Constipation
• Back Pain
• Depression
• Arthritis

What It Takes To Be A Naturopathic Doctor

Naturopathic applicants must possess internal qualities such as motivation, concern for others, integrity and a belief in the process and application of natural medicine.

There are Six Primary Principles Of Naturopathic Medicine, and they are adhered to by Naturopathic Doctors, similar to the Hippocratic Oath.  They are:

1 - The Healing Power Of Nature: Trust in the body’s inherent wisdom to heal itself.

2 - Identify And Treat The Causes: Look beyond the symptoms to the underlying cause.

3 - First, Do No Harm: Utilize the most natural, least invasive and least toxic therapies.

4 - Doctor As Teacher: Educate patients in the steps to achieving and maintaining health.

5 - Treat the Whole Person: View the body as an integrated whole in all its physical and spiritual dimensions.

6 - Prevention: Focus on overall health, wellness and disease prevention.

If you are considering a career as a Naturopathic Doctor, it will take a long-term commitment both for school and post graduation.  In addition to the same basic training in the sciences as Medical Doctors, naturopathic schools introduce courses in clinical nutrition, psychological counseling and natural and holistic approaches to heal the body.  Naturopathic schools provide a curriculum that will prepare the Naturopathic Doctor to view patients as individuals, taking into consideration both physical symptoms as well as other things in their lives that may be affecting their health.

While a specific major isn’t required for admission, students need to have completed courses in English, Humanities, Math, Physics and Psychology.  A strong emphasis on Biology and Chemistry is necessary.  It would help prepare the student for naturopathic study if courses like Anatomy, Biochemistry, Botany, Physiology and Developmental Psychology are taken.

Most naturopathic medicine programs are four-year programs, but it is not unusual for students to take up to five years to complete their training.  This would be in addition to their undergraduate degree. 

Graduates of Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine programs must pass standardized licensing exams.  They must also register with appropriate provincial or state licensing boards.

Workplace

Most Naturopathic Doctors work in private clinics and set their own hours.  They may work evenings and weekends to accommodate their patients.  They are either sitting at a desk talking to patients or doing paperwork, or they are on their feet examining and treating their patients.   

Salary

Naturopathic Doctors have the ability to make a very good and rewarding living helping people attain good health and wellness.

According to a survey done by the AANP (American Association Of Naturopathic Physicians), the average income of a Naturopathic Doctor or practitioner falls in the low to mid range of family practice doctors.  The average salary is $80,000 per year, but the range can be anywhere from $40,000 to $200,000 per year.  This, of course, depends on experience and specialization.

Twelve states and four provinces allow the practice of naturopathic medicine:

States:  Alaska, Arizona, Connecticut, Hawaii, Kansas, Maine, Montana, New Hampshire, Oregon, Utah, Vermont and Washington (as well as Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands)

Provinces:  British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario and Saskatchewan

Note:  Many states are now considering naturopathic legislation, as the realization of having trained physicians in preventative medicine is making more and more sense.

What Is A Television Writer?

A television writer is a skilled writer responsible for the developing, writing, and revision of scripts so that they are ready for the silver screen. They are responsible for creating all plot lines, characters, dialogue and situations. Episodic television writers also work as producers to oversee the budget and overall quality of production of a series. Television writers usually work as part of a group of writers to ensure that scripts are written well and meet strict deadlines. 

What Does A Television Writer Do?

Television writers are responsible for the production of a television series from the beginning processes of writing a script to the launch of a pilot episode. They prepare scripts for a wide range of television programs including soap operas, comedies, dramas and documentaries. A pilot episode may be “picked up” by a network for a contracted television series. Some writers also create ads for local sponsors, previews for upcoming shows and station announcements.

A major change has taken place in television production in recent years. No longer are studios spending millions of dollars on long-term development deals with writers in hopes that they will provide them with a hit show for the studio. More recently, studios engage writers to create or contribute pilot scripts to be considered for development. A pilot script, also known as a pilot episode or series premiere, is the first episode in a television series. Pilot episodes are created as a test run to determine if a television series will be well received on air. The studio is granted a number of options to involve the writer in the processes of writing and producing a script. The benefit to this is if the studio is not happy with a script, it can cut its losses early, while only having to pay the initial script fee. These deals, referred to as “one of’s”, are the dominant form of television series writing deals.

When a script is picked up for a pilot episode, the writer is involved in many aspects. He will be the one to hire the director of a given episode, work with a line producer to hire a crew, and supervise casting and post-production efforts. The head writer is also referred to as the “showrunner”.

What Does It Take To Be A Television Writer?

As with any career in the writing world, the way to gain experience and build a portfolio is to write. A television writer builds something like a portfolio called a “spec script”. A spec script is a sample of writing that showcases a writer's knowledge of the craft and lets others know that he has an understanding of the format of television writing. It could be an original television pilot or a script for an existing show. A good spec will illuminate a writer's skills.

Once their foot is in the door, a television writer is under the gun to write shows that meet strict deadlines. When a writer is creating a spec script he can use as much or as little time as he/she needs. Working in television means a writer has to meet very short deadlines that may change day to day.

Television uses a lot of material. An hour long drama needs a new script every five to seven days. A typical TV deadline takes a week to go from an approved outline to a good first draft. A good writer should be able to accomplish it in four days, which leaves one day to fix mistakes. No one expects perfect work, but they do expect constructive work that can be built on. With such a demanding schedule, a writer is NOT allowed to have writer's block. It's just not an option. A schedule must be stuck to and a writer must be able to power through a script and make it happen.

The most negative thing a writer can do for a network is to deliver a show late. A network has a slot in their schedule for a show. If a show is late then the network will have to find something else to fill that slot with and that means money is lost and people lose their jobs.

Something else writers have to take into account is the internal structure of television. Because commercial breaks are the bread and butter of television, the story needs to be structured with cliffhangers to take place at the end of an act, so that the audience will want to return to the show once the commercials end. A studio's goal is to keep the viewer tuned into the show, and to make them want to return for the next week's episode. It's vital that writers structure episodes in this way to keep the audience interested.

Workplace

Writing a spec script can take up as much time of a writer's schedule as he/she needs as it only matters when the script is complete. When a writer is working with a network, he/she is on a strict schedule. Writers are usually part of a writing team to ensure that the writing can be completed well and on time. The writing team may consist of anywhere between four to twenty (or more) writers. This all depends on the budget, show, and the preference of the showrunner. This may mean a room full of people sketching ideas and writing scripts, surrounded by pots of coffee to keep up their energy. What matters most in a writing team is that the work is done efficiently and well so that a show can air on time.

Salary

Under the Writer's Guild Agreement (which governs most television projects), the price for rendering a half hour script is $30,000 while an hour-long script is $43,000. For this price the studio will be entitled to a story, first draft and final draft of the script. In some cases, the studio will bargain for a story, first draft, two sets of revisions and a polish. Usually, the writer/creator will receive a higher pilot writing fee than mandated by the WGA. It may range from $50,000 (for a relatively inexperienced writer) to $250,000 for an experienced and established writer. This money only applies to the “one-of” deal.

In many cases, when a pilot is picked up and ordered to production, the studio will guarantee the writer employment as an “executive producer” of the pilot episode at a negotiated fee. The WGA does not govern these producing fees. A writer's experience and social influence are taken into account during negotiations. These fees for producing such services can range between $15,000 - $100,000. Here is a great link with specific fees based on WGA 2008 Schedule of Minimums. http://www.wga.org/subpage_writersresources.aspx?id=68

List of Schools

http://www.humber.ca/program/television-writing-and-producing (Canada)

http://specialprograms.tisch.nyu.edu/object/tvwritingcert.html (U.S.)

What Is An Author?

Authors are lovers of language. Their passion is writing well-crafted pieces of work.  Authors work closely with words and use the fundamentals of language to evoke images, generate ideas, create musicality, inform, and to do so in a way that readers find accessible. There are many different types of authors, including novelists, poets, journalists, screenwriters, playwrights, copywriters, and so on, that stem to many genres, including academic, creative, business, professional, and journalistic writing.

What Does An Author Do?

For as many different types of books and published writings there are in the world, there are as many different types of authors that write them. Very simply, an author writes. A very loose definition of a professional writer is one who is paid for his or her writing.

So what does an author's write? The answer could be just about anything, from flash fiction (300 to 1000 words) or novels (40,000 words and up). In between the two are novellas, novelettes and short stories. Freelance authors may also contribute to magazines or journals. Another form of work that authors may work in is called ghost writing. Ghost writers write books, articles, stories and other texts that are officially credited to another person. Ghost writers have to work hard to keep the voice consistent with that of the official “author.”

There are many basic modes of writing that authors work in, including creative, descriptive, expository, narrative, and persuasive. Creative writing is meant to entertain the reader. Under the umbrella of creative there is fiction, poetry, scriptwriting, and the loosely defined, creative non-fiction. Creative writing is more reader-oriented as it is meant to capture the reader and keep them interested and invested in a piece of work for the length of a piece. Descriptive writing may be categorized under creative too, as it is meant to create vivid and clear images in the readers' minds describing a person, place, or event. Expository writing is meant to inform or explain. Journalistic writing falls under this category as it is meant to inform the reader about events, places, people, or the general happenings of the world. Narrative writing follows the path of a story arch, having a beginning, middle, and end that includes a platform, a conflict, the rising action, the climax, and a closing resolution or conclusion. Persuasive writing works to persuade the reader using supporting evidence to influence the reader's way of thinking.

Authors use their voice in the form of text to express ideas, thoughts, images and information. Whether they write novels from their own research and imagination or articles for others as freelance writers, the work is up to them.

What It Takes To Be An Author

Authors have one main goal, and that is to produce a well-crafted body of work. This takes a lot of time and attention to detail. Authors need to have a very clear understanding of language and the mechanics of it. While an editor can help with technical mistakes, an author needs to have an excellent understanding of grammar and punctuation, as it makes an editor's job much easier and a manuscript more accessible. Publishers look for manuscripts that have few mistakes, as they will be more inclined to publish pieces that involve the least amount of revision.

Another important element of being a writer is dealing with patience and pressure. Every professional author has deadlines to meet, which puts a lot of pressure on them. At the same time, creative flow does not always work in the same timeline. As with novels, patience is key as it sometimes takes years to write one and it very rarely comes all at once. Ideas have to be explored and developed. Plot lines can be moved and shifted around. Character motivation may change.  Authors have to trust their instincts and let the ideas come as they may. Authors have to find that happy place between getting the writing onto paper and giving their best work by the time that deadline comes up.

To be an author also means one has to have thick skin. A novel may not be accepted on its first try. Or second. Or tenth. Rejection hurts, but it's important that writers keep at it. Maybe the reason a manuscript is not accepted is because it needs some revision. It may be worth having another look at it. Writers need to be persistent to get their work published.

Lastly, but most importantly, writing is a passion. A writer must love writing to do it well and for a long time.

Workplace

An author's workplace is typically any place that he/she is able to produce work. For some, that may mean a quiet desk with a computer, surrounded by books, encyclopedias, a dictionary and thesaurus. Some may find the gentle hum of conversation an easy writing background and find a place in a coffee shop to tap on their laptop. Some prefer the old-fashioned method of paper and pen to produce their work. The options are endless, as long as authors are able to find a comfortable place to be creative and productive.

It's important that authors remember that they inhabit the body of a human. Writers will sometimes be so tuned in to the creative moment, that they may forget to take care of their bodies. Writers need to take regular breaks to eat or rehydrate. Sitting in a chair for a long period of time is hard on the back so it's important that writers stretch and move around to let their bodies loosen up. If writers ever find themselves stiffening up while working, they need to remember that stimulation with the outside world is imperative for absorbing information to write about, so they should take a break! Stand outside. Breathe fresh air. Go for a walk. Writers need to let their brain and body readjust to movement so that they are refreshed for the next writing session. Most importantly, they need to enjoy what they're doing and have fun!

Salary

An author's salary varies on a huge level. They may make millions. They might make nothing. It all depends on the type of writing and how well it sells. Authors are all self-employed in the sense that they are not full-time or part-time employed by a publisher. Author and publisher conduct business by signing contracts for the production of one or more books. The author can work for either a flat fee or a percentage. When a contract is being negotiated, usually the author receives an advance. An advance is a lump sum of money that must be earned back with future royalties on the sales of the book(s).

Let's say that you receive an advance of ten thousand dollars for a single book. This means that you would need to earn ten thousand dollars in royalties from sales of that book, before you will receive any additional royalties.

In some cases, a book may not earn enough money to pay off the advance. Let's say that your book earns four thousand dollars in royalties. If your advance was ten thousand dollars, that means that six thousand needs to be earned to pay off that advance. Depending on the contract, publishers could request that the unearned six thousand dollars be paid back. That being said, this rarely happens in practice.

Writing is a labor of love. It's never a guarantee that a lot of money can be made. Many writers have other jobs to subsidize their cost of living. It's all about the passion in the work. If you love to write, do it! 

List Of Schools

http://www.be-a-better-writer.com/creative-writing-degree.html

Note:

Almost all colleges and universities have an English major. Not all colleges have a creative writing or literature major. That said, the University of Iowa's Writers Workshop is probably the best writing school in the nation. There are only a handful of students accepted each year. Most students who end up in the workshop have already received their bachelor’s degree. Many aspiring writers choose to go to U of I in order to work towards getting into the program. 

Obviously, all the elite schools have excellent writing programs, especially Stanford and Columbia. Many State schools hire working/published writers to teach at their schools. Some young writers choose to enroll in the schools at which their favorite writers work.