Saturday, January 27, 2018

Free Writer’s & Artists Residencies - Offered Every Year

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Eliza So Fellowship
This month-long residency in Las Vegas will offer award recipients time and solitude to help them finish a book that is already in progress. The 2018 fellowships will include room and board at The Writer’s Block, along with a $500 food stipend and $400 toward travel. You must have a novel, collection of stories, memoir, or other prose work (fiction, nonfiction or hybrid) in progress (100 pages minimum) or poetry collection in progress (30 pages minimum). And you are either: a) A US immigrant (documented or undocumented), b) An indigenous writer with significant ties to Montana. Deadline March 25, 2018
https://blog.submittable.com/2017/12/the-2018-eliza-so-fellowship/
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Massachusetts Fellowships
The Artist Fellowships provide competitive grants of $12,000 and finalist awards of $1,000 (award amounts contingent upon legislative appropriation). The number of awards per discipline category varies according to the number of applications reviewed, the recommendations of each panel, and program funds available.  Writing category is open to fiction and creative nonfiction. Deadline January 29, 2018.
http://www.massculturalcouncil.org/programs/artistfellows.asp
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Kentucky Fellowships
The Al Smith Individual Artist Fellowships (every two years for literary arts) are $7,500 unrestricted awards given to Kentucky artists who have achieved a high level of excellence and creativity in their work. The current deadline is for the literary arts to include fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry. Deadline February 15, 2018.
http://artscouncil.ky.gov/KAC/Showcasing/ASF.htm
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Chulita Lodge
Location Lake Clark National Park, Alaska. Chulitna Lodge Artist-In-Residence Program seeks to provide the time, space, clarity, and facilities for all forms of creative professionals to make and meditate. Chulitna Lodge is 180 miles west of Anchorage, Alaska. The property is an inholding on hundreds of square miles of the national park, so there are no roads leading in or out. The only access is by plane. Full scholarships include Room & Board plus flight from anywhere in the continental U.S. and commuter flight from Anchorage to Port Alsworth and require a minimum of six-week commitment between June 1 and September 30.
Fellowship – No fee, all expenses covered including travel expenses from anywhere in the continental US
Work Study – No fee, expenses covered including travel expenses from Anchorage to the lodge.
Applications to Chulitna's programming can be made on slide room at the following link:
https://chulitnalodge.slideroom.com
Deadlines: in mid-January of every year
http://chulitnalodge.com/artists#anchor_117241


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Huffington Post Offers Paid Assignments

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Nothing new - just differently called - … albeit paid now. And for professional writers. Huffington Post explains: “We’re launching HuffPost Opinion and HuffPost Personal. If you want to be a part of them, here’s how you can pitch to us. All published contributions to these new sections are paid.
Opinion  “A HuffPost Opinion piece is smart, authentic and timely, and offers rigorous analysis. Which means it has something original to say or an original point of view to offer that sheds a new light on an existing debate. Or it pulls something into the spotlight that isn’t already there. It presents a strong argument backed up by provable evidence. And the piece represents the views of the writer clearly and transparently. It will be exclusive to HuffPost, which means it hasn’t been published anywhere else. If you’ve already pitched it elsewhere, you should let us know.” Personal “A HuffPost Personal piece is original, authentic, compelling and told in the first person. We feature writers from different backgrounds and identities with distinct voices and points of view writing about a variety of topics, including identity (race, gender, sexuality, disability, etc.); health and mental health; sex/love and relationships in every sense of the word; family and parenting; work, money and career; body and body image and just plain old great stories about unique life experiences." "It will be exclusive to HuffPost, which means it hasn’t been published anywhere else. If you’ve already pitched it elsewhere, please let us know.”

  • What’s your relevant expertise or experience?
  • Briefly summarize your story idea.
  • Briefly explain why you’re the right person to write the piece.
  • Briefly explain why this argument or story matters. What are the stakes here?
  • Briefly outline how the piece will start and end. Do not send full drafts.
  • “Note clearly in the subject line what you’re pitching, using a clear, informative headline.
  • Specify in the subject line if your pitch is timely.
  • Include a short description of your previous writing experience and links to published clips, if relevant.
  • Be your own work. We do not accept pitches from PR representatives or agents.”

pitch@huffpost.com Chloe Angyal - Deputy Opinion Editor, HuffPost Emily McCombs - Deputy Editor, HuffPost Personal
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Monday, January 22, 2018

Neue YouTube Regeln - Weniger Geld!




Wer etwa als One-Hit-Wonder auf YouTube Geld verdienen will, muss die Zuschauer künftig also motivieren, nicht nur sein Video anzuschauen, sondern auch seinen Kanal zu abonnieren. 

Ein einziger Clip mit zigtausenden oder gar Millionen Aufrufen, sei es ein Amateur-Video von einem bedrohlich nahen Hurrikan oder einer lustigen Alltagspanne, ist dann womöglich zu wenig, um dem Uploader Einnahmen zu bescheren. 
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Für Leute, die solche Aufnahmen gemacht haben, könnte es dadurch attraktiver werden, ihre potenziell viral gehenden Inhalte an bekannte YouTuber oder Content-Agenturen zu verkaufen, die diese dann auf ihren bereits etablierten Kanälen veröffentlichen.




Andere Finanzierungsformen werden interessanter
Am empfindlichsten treffen wird die 1000-Abonnenten-Schallmauer derweil Nischenkanäle mit einigen Hundert, dafür vielleicht besonders engagierten Zuschauern. Sie fliegen aus dem Partnerprogramm, wenn sie nicht binnen der nächsten Wochen die neu festgesetzte Mindestabonnentenzahl für die Mitgliedschaft erreichen.
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Ihre Videos sind dann automatisch - von Produktplatzierungen und ähnlichem abgesehen - werbefrei, bringen also kein Geld mehr.

Saturday, January 6, 2018

New Years Resolution: Writing for a Living?

If you want to use your excellent writing skills to build the life of your dreams - where you don’t have to report to a boss or to an office?  Where you work when you want, from wherever you want, on projects you enjoy?



Does Writing for a Living Sound too Good to be True?
Do your writing work from the comfort of your home or at a favorite cafe, or while vacationing on a sun-filled, breezy island … Discover how to create your own satisfying, well-paid writing career in our new author-guidebook.  Writing for a living doesn’t mean you have to wait forever until royalties rolling in.  

"Use your book's manuscript to extend your revenues, find tons of freelance writing opportunities in this title and learn everything about grants, crowd-funding, fellowships, writer contests or writer vacations in free residencies."

The Possibilities Are Endless...
Learn how to be in charge of your income now.  The only “ceilings” are the ones you place on yourself!  You can make an excellent living as a writer.  All you need is someone to show you how to start.

Writing for a living offers lots of advantages – you get to choose when and where you work, and with whom.  But it’s not enough to say you want to make a living as a writer; you need to know HOW.  You need a concrete plan to bridge the gap between where you are now to where you want to be.

111 Tips to Make Money With Writing shows you the many possibilities 

to become a full-time writer - with a lot more than 111 tips.






CONTENT:
HOW TO LEVERAGE YOUR BOOK
Distribution to More Retailers
Sell From Your Own Website
Audio-Books
Hardcover  Books
Foreign Rights
Copy Royalties

WRITE MORE TO PROMOTE YOUR BOOKS
Prequels & Sequels
Short Stories
Writing Contests
Writing at Platforms
Guest Blogs

LINKS TO FREELANCE WRITING
Writing Opportunities
Freelance Writing Tips
Write Sponsored Posts
Writing for Magazines and Newspapers
Freelance Platforms

FIND EVEN MORE MONEY
Grants, Fellowships, and Residencies
Teaching
Affiliate Marketing
Podcasts
Selling Your Images Online
Crowdfunding

MORE USEFUL TIPS FOR WRITERS
Legal - Writer Beware 
Income Tax
Digital Nomads
Resources

For a Preview click here:  http://a.co/eD6PcoW

Find it on iBooks, Barnes&Noble, Kobo, Chapters, Thalia, Weltbild, etc. 

via a universal link:







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Friday, January 5, 2018

Myths & Truth About Log Homes


For those who may be thinking about building or buying a log home, take a look at this list of myth and truth about living in a totally natural environment:
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Log homes are a fire hazard - NOT TRUE
In order for a wall assembly to be considered a fire hazard, the fire resistance rating must be below 30 minutes.  An 8-inch thick solid log wall performance is rated at 60 minutes - while wood frame exterior wall construction with drywall on one side is only able to perform just at this 30-minute rating - half the performance.  Why?  Solid logs are an extremely poor conductor of heat.  The char formed on the outer surface of the log prevents oxygen from reaching the rest of the log which results in no more fuel for the fire.

Log homes require extensive maintenance - NOT TRUE
In order to maintain the look of any house, there is maintenance.  For the log house, a clear UV coat every 5-10 years.  For the conventional house, it means cleaning of siding, re-grouting brick veneer, etc.  Logs as with many other building materials (even vinyl siding) have 2 main enemies: sun and water.  The trick to eliminating maintenance is the smart design.  With a proper roof overhang & elevation to protect the logs from the elements, maintenance is kept to a minimum!



Insects are attracted to log homes - NOT TRUE
When the logs are set on your foundation, they dry to the relative moisture content of the area.  Insects are not attracted to dry wood, they are attracted to the moisture in wood of fallen trees outdoors in direct contact with the ground is where they call home.

Log homes are difficult to insure - NOT TRUE
Compared to conventional construction, log homes are not a fire hazard, actually, less of one due to there is low flame spread rating.  Logs are also able to be restored back to their original condition if a fire does so happen by removing the char formed during the fire.  Insurance companies are, well aware of the benefits of log construction, they are happy to insure your home, just find out for yourself, any reputable company will be thankful for your call.
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Log homes are significantly more expensive to build - NOT TRUE
The cost of building a log house is actually gone down compared to conventional construction.  Dimensional lumber has more than doubled during the past 10 years due to increased manufacturing costs (fuel to run the mill, transport, etc).  The raw material, the log has been relatively the same price for the past ten years.

Log homes do not last - NOT TRUE
Some of the oldest standing structures in the world are made of logs.  The key to longevity, as with any house is to protect it from the elements (rain, wind, sun, & snow) With proper design a log house will last forever.  Design principal should include elevating the foundation above the ground, at least 12-24” and with a sufficient roof over-hang



Logs are not good insulators - NOT TRUE
Most log homes constructed have an insulation value that is 25-50% higher than standard conventional construction. Wood is comprised of tiny air pockets which help resist the flow of heat. The heat flow through a log is very slow which gives logs thermal mass benefits. Thermal mass means the ability of a substance to store heat and radiation.


The Many Benefits of Log Homes 
  
      



Preservation of Nature
A log house preserves nature instead of hiding it.  Logs provide the structural and finish (exposed) material, complementing nature’s real beauty and heritage.

Log Homes are Energy Efficient
The Softwood Log is among the best natural insulators known to man.  Why?  As wood dries, its cellular structure changes from holding water to tiny air pockets.  These air pockets act as resistance to heat flow through the log, and therefore an excellent insulator.  In addition, logs also act as a thermal mass when heated, meaning they are able to radiate heat back to the inside or outside of the building, whichever is the warmer side of the log.  Less pressure is placed on your heating system during the winter and a cooling system in most locations is not required any time of the year.

Higher Air Quality
The more manufactured materials in a home the higher the air pollution, mainly due to the glues and adhesives used commonly in conventional house construction.  Materials include OSB, tar paper, fiberglass insulation, paints, carpets, linoleum, varnishes etc.   People with severe allergies who live in standard wood-frame houses usually require some form of the air-purification system.  Log home builders use minimal manufactured material, therefore low toxins and healthy indoor air quality actually exist.


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Authenticity
Log homes were permanent shelters of our early pioneers and settlers.  It is authentic, it binds us to our heritage.  Some of the oldest structures in the world are constructed with logs.  A properly designed log house should last a lifetime or longer.  Just visit pioneer homes from the last three hundred years!

Read more:
https://www.pioneerloghomesofbc.com/seven-reasons-to-own-a-log-cabin/
http://loghomes.org/why-log-homes-are-better-than-conventional-construction/
https://www.artisanloghomes.com/benefits-of-building-a-log-home/
https://www.logcabinhub.com/insulate-your-log-cabin/


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Thursday, January 4, 2018

Wie Piloten & der Staat ausgetrickst wurden




Im Ratgeberbuch TRAUMBERUF PILOT? von Doris Daily wurden die Missstände - nein, kriminelle Machenschaften - bei der Irischen RyanAir schon ausführlich beschrieben, inklusive Interviews mit betroffenen Piloten. Auch die Vereinigung Cockpit (VC Gewerkschaft) wirft der irischen Fluggesellschaft seit Längerem vor, mit schein-selbstständigen Vertragspiloten illegal Kosten gespart zu haben.

Der Spiegel berichtete nun:
“Die Staatsanwaltschaft Koblenz hat mit Blick auf selbstständige Ryanair-Piloten fünf Briten angeklagt. Sie sollen als Verantwortliche zweier britischer Personal-Dienstleister in insgesamt 920 Fällen wissentlich keine Sozialbeiträge für von ihnen vermittelte Piloten abgeführt haben, wie die Behörde mitteilte."



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RyanAir’s Pilotenproblem - Nein, die Probleme der Piloten
"Dabei geht es um 277 Ryanair-Piloten mit deutschen Heimatflughäfen, für die rund sechs Millionen Euro Sozialversicherungsbeiträge fällig gewesen wären.

Die umfangreichen Ermittlungen der Staatsanwaltschaft hatten bereits 2011 begonnen. Im Oktober 2017 hatte Ryanair mitgeteilt, man halte sich an die europäische Gesetz-gebung und unterstütze die Staatsanwaltschaft in ihrer Arbeit."

Ha ha ha… Und warum haben die Beamten 6 Jahre! gebraucht um herauszufinden ob oder ob nicht Sozialversicherungsbeitraege gezahlt wurden? 

Ryanair beschäftigt einen beträchtlichen Teil seiner Piloten und Co-Piloten über ein sogenanntes Kontraktor-Modell.  Die Flugkapitäne müssen eine Art Ich-AG gründen und Verträge mit Personalvermittlungs-Firmen abschließen, ehe sie für Ryanair fliegen dürfen.




Nach Angaben der Ermittler wurde die Anklage gegen die fünf Beschuldigten im Alter zwischen 35 und 62 Jahren bereits im September erhoben.  Diese musste aber erst ins Englische übersetzt und zugestellt werden, bevor die Behörde nun die Öffentlichkeit informierte.  Falls das Landgericht Koblenz ein Hauptverfahren eröffnet, müssen die fünf Briten zum Prozess anreisen. Ihnen könnten dann laut Gesetz eine Geldstrafe oder bis zu fünf Jahren Gefängnis drohen.

Lesen Sie den kompletten Spiegel Artikel hier.







Fleeing Wildfires, Floods, Earthquakes or Tsunamis




Dangerous wildfires, burning all summer in Western Canada and last month around Santa Barbara and Los Angeles have forced the authorities to tell nearly 200,000 people to flee their homes, some with very little time to prepare.
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What to Take and When to Evacuate
It is never too early to plan for a potential evacuation, even if you’re not in an area immediately affected by flood or flames.  Natural disasters can quickly travel great distances and move in different directions - especially when driven by the wind, such as in the California and British Columbia fires.  Take it seriously and follow the emergency procedures.  Better safe than sorry…
You never know how long you might be away in such cases, or whether there will be a home for you to come back to. Here are some suggestions to prepare for such an emergency - well in advance.
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Always and Especially Before a Fire or Flood 
It does not need to be a disaster - an imploding computer can also wipe out the work of years - if you have no current backups.  Make it a habit to copy the content of all computers in your household on an external hard drive AND on a powerful memory stick.  Attach the later on your keyring and bring your hard drive to a family member or hide it somewhere in your car, or stash it in your bank safety-deposit box.

Take pictures of your bookshelves, valuable antiques, of birth certificates, property titles, insurance records and other crucial paperwork, and add all these images immediately to your back up or send it to a cloud service. Same with your computer files. The benefit of having all your computer content in the cloud: You can work on it even without having any internet services - which might not be the case in a new environment or after you return to your destroyed home.


Create a Family Plan Long Before Disaster Strikes
Set a meeting point (and a second one farther away in the first cannot be reached or is in a flood or fire region. Just in case you are not leaving your home together as a family at the time of evacuation.  Let everyone have a list of important phone numbers, such as relatives, authorities, social services, friends, and insurance companies.  Designate an out-of-area friend or contact, and let that person know that the family is evacuating, and to where. If family members are separated, or phone systems are overloaded, sending a text message to the contact might be the only way to let others know you are safe.
Map at least two evacuation routes.
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Prepare, Prepare, and Prepare More
Get as much cash as possible at the nearest bank or ATM. Fill your car tanks up with gas, check fluids and tires, and pack your car well in advance. Backpacks are better than suitcases.  Prepare an emergency supply kit, such as flashlights for everyone, batteries, and food and lots of water, and other items that you would pack going on a camping trip for two weeks.  Also pack a change of clothes, prescription medications, and extra eyeglasses or contact lenses. Don’t forget to gated all the necessary cables and chargers for your electronic devices.  If you have pets, do not forget about pet food and medication.



More than clothes, pack irreplaceable family photos, jewelry or heirlooms, and make room for them in the evacuation kit as well.  Clothing, shoes, handbags, or cosmetic articles can easily be replaced but family treasures not!
Keep important documents in your hand luggage, like birth certificates, bank and credit cards, social security and health insurance cards, passports, property titles, insurance records etc.. In addition to being difficult to replace, some of the documents could be needed to file claims with insurers or FEMA after a disaster.

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When Disaster Approaches
Prepare your home. If you have time, remove flammable items like wood piles, brush and propane tanks at least 50 feet away from your house, same with patio furniture and umbrellas.  Take your boat or any other devices that carry gas away from the house and to the edge of your property if possible.
Attach garden hoses to the outlets to give firefighters a water source if they need it, but don’t turn the water on. Shut all windows and doors, but leave them unlocked once you evacuate, so firefighters can get in. Turn on outdoor lights so firefighters can see the house through the smoke. Shut off the gas at the meter, and turn off the air-conditioning. Unplug all electric devices, lamps, and kitchen gadgets.
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Tune in to Local Media 
Monitor their websites because as things come in, they’re sharing them on social media.  You don’t need to wait for an order. If your home is threatened by water or fire and you’re able to leave, there’s no need to wait for warnings. History shows us that those who leave the earliest often fare the best. That is especially true in densely populated areas where roads are jammed and ambulances and firefighters have little space to move.

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When You Decide to Leave
Dress in pants, long sleeves, sturdy shoes, sunglasses and a hat.  If there is a flooding situation wear even your life-jackets if you have any.
Electronics, cell phones, personal computers, backup hard drives, and chargers should all go into the car, along with the emergency kit, personal documents, family keepsakes, cash and credit cards, and certainly your pets.
In fire and smoke situations close your car windows and use recirculated air-conditioning. Tune in to the local radio station to learn about safe routes and traffic situations.
GOOD LUCK!


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