Freud s Theory Of Instincts And The Individual Psyche

In Sigmund Freud’s â€Å"Civilization and its Discontents†, we are introduced to a new outlook in the way we view our lives due to his analysis of civilization and how it has affected our happiness. Freud uses his theory of instincts in order to explain what encourages us as well as how our behavior is all linked together and is motivated by our instincts. He explains why humans seek happiness and how it is one of the toughest things to achieve. Towards the end of his book he also gives an insight on how the individual psyche which consist of the id, ego, and super-ego leads us to feel guilt and its impact on civilization. Through his theory of instincts and the individual psyche, Freud is able to demonstrate how civilization has set limits to†¦show more content†¦The pleasure principles goal is to avoid pain, which Freud later states it is not always a good thing because the longer things follow the pleasure principle the happiness received begins to decrease and no longer has the same affect. Overall, this makes it harder for individuals to stay happy. Along with the pleasure principle, Freud states there are three main things that also make us unhappy which are our body, the external world, and our relations with others. And out of all these three, the worst comes from our relations with others, we hurt one another more than anything else on earth. Freud states, â€Å"happiness †¦ is a problem of the economics of the individual’s libido† libido meaning sexual desires, he demonstrates how an individual’s sexual desires and being able to fulfill them leads them to their happiness. At the same time, Freud’s use of libido can also represent a person’s desires and pleasures as a whole and not limiting itself to sexual pleasure. Libido connects to Freud’s theory of instincts. Freud believes that our instincts influence our behavior, and our behavior is caused by our desires. â€Å"Satisfact ion of instinct spells happiness for us’ , this implies that if our desires are satisfied, our behavior is better and we will be happy. However, there seems to be a problem when it comes to Freud’s theory of instincts and civilization. Freud states that civilizationShow MoreRelatedIs The Human Race?868 Words   |  4 Pagesetc†. Although civilization has a positive cognition, Sigmund Freud, a neurologist and initiator of the concept of psychoanalysis, acquainted civilization as being something inadequate. Thus, civilization enables the human race to feel genuine happiness by outlawing actions that come instinctively by our individual psyche. Freud argues that the human race was born inherently savage, meaning that each individual has inborn instincts that make them barbaric. In his book, Civilization and Its DiscontentsRead MorePsychoanalytic, Jungian, and Individual Psychology Theories Essay988 Words   |  4 PagesPsychoanalytic, Jungian, and Individual Psychology Theories When the word classical is used, images of things developed long ago with their traditional styles and ideas come to mind. They are perceived today as outdated and not as effective. Classical models of psychotherapy although deemed outdated, still have relevance in today’s practice of understanding human behavior. Psychotherapy is a science and art that was established back in the 1800’s with its own style and ideas. Classical modelsRead MoreSigmund Freud, Neurologist And Founder Of Psychoanalysis,1320 Words   |  6 PagesSigmund Freud, neurologist and founder of psychoanalysis, paved the way of dream interpretation with little competition or suspicion to his discoveries. That was until the rise of his former advocate, Carl Jung, began to challenge the founders beliefs. While working together, Jung and Freud explored the human mind and jointly agreed on the separation of the conscious and unconscious. Within the unconscious and dreams there was a mutual understandi ng of the need to identify and interpret symbols.Read MoreCarl Jung and Sigmund Freud1412 Words   |  6 PagesCarl Jung and Sigmund Freud Introduction Carl Jung (1875-1961) and Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) were two individuals whose theories on human personality would completely affect the way that people viewed the human mind. Carl Gustav was a practicing psychotherapist while Sigmund Freud created the discipline of psychoanalysis. The two men had seemingly identical beliefs about human behavior, but also had contrasting beliefs about concepts such as the ego, the psyche, and the state of unconsciousnessRead MoreTheories Of Personality And Psychology1382 Words   |  6 PagesPSY8100 CLIFFORD THEORIES OF PERSONALITY 3 (DEBATE EXISTENCE OF THE UNCONSCIOUS) Faculty Use Only Debate on Psychoanalysis vs. Behaviorism: Freud and Skinner Moderator: Good evening, and welcome to the Northcentral University?s debate on psychanalysis versus behaviorism. My name is Nisaa Kirtman and I am from the Department of Psychology. It?s an honor to be the moderator of tonight?s debate. The topic for tonight?s debate are the contrasts betweenRead MoreOne Flew Over The Cuckoo s Nest1226 Words   |  5 Pagesspectacles of Sigmund Freud, esteemed Austrian psychologist. Freud’s highly regarded contribution to the study of the human brain and mind opens the curtains of the books reality. Things like mental illness and depression were not well known or understood traits for a person to have in Freud’s lifetime, those of which have heavy representation in Kesey’s story. One of Freud’s biggest theories is the â€Å"id†, the â€Å"ego†, and the â€Å"superego†. He believed that the â€Å"id† represents one’s instincts, â€Å"ego† representsRead MoreThe Unconscious Mind Is Not Some Black Hole Of Unacceptable Impulses933 Words   |  4 Pages†(â€Å"Unconscious†). The Unconsious is the place a large portion of the work of the psyche completes; it s the store of programmed aptitudes (, for example, riding a bicycle), the wellspring of instinct and dreams, the motor of much data handling. The unconscious mind shows the real intentions behind the mask.Freud added to a geological model of the psyche, whereby he depicted the components of the mind s structure and capacity. Freud utilized the relationship of an iceberg to portray the three levels of theRead MoreModernism Vs. Modernist Modernism1185 Words   |  5 Pagesthinkers such as Karl Marx and Sigmeud Freud played important roles in this ti me. Therefore, we discussed some of their more important works in class. For instance, you cannot study Marx thought without mentioning The Communist Manifesto. Similarly, Freud cannot be mentioned without his Outline of Psychoanalysis. Marx and Freud, after World War I, began to question the rationality of mankind. The difference being Marx focused primarily on political issues and Freud on psychology. Still, both were veryRead MoreEssay about Sexual Frustration in Alfred Hitchcocks Rope2778 Words   |  12 Pages On May 21, 1924, two highly intelligent university scholars from Chicago, Richard Loeb and Nathan Leopold, executed their highly-calculated plan for the cold-blooded murder of a distant relative of Loeb#960;s, 14-year old Bobby Franks. As students of Nietzsche#960;s philosophy, Loeb and Leopold had set out to commit the #8805;perfect murder#8804; in order to actualize the belief that they were of an elite group, superior to the common man, to whom the standard moral code did not applyRead MoreMarx, Mill And Freud s Critique Of Political Economy And The Communist Manifesto Essay1133 Words   |  5 Pagessometimes merely implicit) notions of freedom and unfreedom we find in the texts we have read by Marx, Mill and Freud. Use the esoteric traditions we have examined thus far (from the Book of Job to Plato) as a comparative yardstick, or point of reference, but without letting them take over the foreground in your paper -- the latter should be reserved for these three figures. Karl Marx, Sigmund Freud, and John Stuart Mill are three authors who tackle the topic of freedom in unique ways, but their messages

Current Art Vs Ancient Art - 1901 Words

Yazeed Alamri Argumentation and Research August 19/2015 Final Paper Current Art Vs Ancient Art Introduction Since time immemorial, art has always been a product of man’s emotional and intellectual connection with the world. The primary aim of art is to create a message that will either trigger an inexplicable consciousness within the spirits of its audience, or provoke wisdom among the minds of the curious persons. Owing to its deep-rooted role for man, art has long been explored in several manners, with some scholars pursuing the mere aspects of art, while some take on deep comparative examinations. However, the act of connecting ancient art to contemporary art is not, as easy as taking into account, the time both came into existence. More so, how current artists perceive the ancient art, and how it influences their current works. There is a more precise, more diverse approach in understanding how ancient art measure up to the contemporary ones. The overall purpose of this research paper is to gain insight of the perception and attitude towards ancient art among current artists. To understand and complete this research topic, the paper will offer deep research, which will also include interviewing current artists with an aim of completing the set objectives. Nonetheless, current artists have the obligation to appreciate ancient art, so as to develop the act of appreciating art works in the society, including the works of current artists. Background of the topic BeingShow MoreRelatedThe Art Of Feng Shui1328 Words   |  6 Pages The Art of Feng Shui Topic: Feng Shui General Speech Purpose: To inform my audience about the art of feng shui. Specific Purpose: To have my audience be able to use this information and the decorating tips I provide to rearrange their living spaces so that they can live in a harmonious environment filled with positive energy. Thesis Statement: Feng Shui is an ancient Chinese art of placement that strives to create a harmonious environment with a positive flow of energy within the home by strategicallyRead MoreKiller Cultures: Discovering the Effects of Culture on Ones Personal Happiness921 Words   |  4 PagesItaly vs. America II. TS#2: After leaving Italy, Elizabeth traveled to India, researching the effects of prayer and religion. A. Detail 1: Effects of religion on happiness B. Detail 2: Healing effects of religion C. Detail 3: Depression rates in India vs. America III. TS#3: In Indonesia, Gilbert found the balance between indulgences and faith, creating a happy, balanced life. A. Detail 1: Depression and obesity rates in Indonesia vs. America B. Detail 2: Obesity rates in Indonesia vs. Italy Read MoreThe Most Powerful And Largest Cities Of Mesoamerica968 Words   |  4 PagesC.E. throughout Mesoamerica s Golden Age. Some of the most influential aspects of this great city would extend from other well known civilizations, the Maya and Aztec people for example, during their respective governing periods. As of the most current standing, the original name remains undecipherable in the surviving glyphs recovered at sites. Much in the same way, the initial cause of collapse for this once awesome metropolis is merely speculative through what clues have been saved from a socialisticRead MoreTechnology And Its Impact On Art1388 Words   |  6 Pagessociety, technology and art go hand in hand. Art has been around for a long time but technology such as computers are still very new. These two mediums have comingled and now evolve and effect the other. Art has changed to reflect the vast improvements technology has contributed to com munication and the ability to create using digital space. Technology has also changed with artist pushing the boundaries of what is technical possible in the digital realm. 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Sparta is know for their immense military might (Spartan Military). Athens is known better for their leading naval force in Greece (Women of the Ancient World). Their government systems were very differentRead MoreEssay on The Influence of Christianity on Ancient and Modern Greece1657 Words   |  7 PagesThe Influence of Christianity on Ancient and Modern Greece Problems with format ?From the earliest establishment of Christian churches in Macedonia, Achaia, Epirus, and Crete, to the expansion of the Orthodox Church, Greece has been a formidable landmark for development of Christianity throughout the world.? From its arrival to Greece with the first preaching of Paul, the Christian faith has undergone a unique assimilation into the cultural and philosophical traditions of the Greek peopleRead More Juxtaposing Viewpoints on Genetic Species Revival1341 Words   |  6 Pagesunderstand the issue as it becomes more prevalent, it is important to examen different perspectives that span many centuries time, generating new insight on the issue. Examining different perspectives on the perceived human influences on species extinction vs. natural law and lack of adaptability, and give a determination on the ethical implications to society and ecology from the above arguments and philosophies from each viewpoint. Through these key statements, the arguments on genetic species revivalRead MoreA Study on iPhone Essay2433 Words   |  10 Pagesmanner we can understand. Do we mean refined art and literature? Do we mean language? Do we mean music and visual arts, such as movies and TV? Do we mean clothing and food? Do we mean habits and customs? Do we mean the way we think about serious topics such as religion, death, friends, family? What exactly do we mean when we talk about this â€Å"cultural dominance†? Here are some dictionary definitions of culture from various sources: †¢ The beliefs, customs, arts, etc., of a particular society, group, place

Factors Influencing Tourist Attraction to the Adelaide zoo Samples

Question: Discuss about the Factors Influencing Tourist Attraction to the Adelaide. Answer: Introduction The tourism industry is important as it generates revenue for country to boost the economic development. The tourists visit various destinations for leisure, business or any other purpose and while on stay or entry to those regions they are able to pay for services. The customer satisfaction is important in tourism due to its influence on their decision to visit a given tourist destination and thus strategies can be adopted to maximize customer satisfaction and retention (Kouthouris and Alexandris, 2005). Customer satisfaction has long been used in marketing to measure how organizational products meet or surpass customers satisfaction. A study by Cronin et al. (2000) found that customer satisfaction is important for the success of business. Adelaide Zoo is one of the largest tourist destination in Australia and it is particular of interest since it experiences fluctuation of visitors annually (Orams, 2002). The current study of customer satisfaction provides best indicators and facto rs tourist consider before visiting Adelaide Zoo. If tourist is satisfied, then there is high chance of coming back to the back or mobilizing friends and family to visits the place. The tourists who are unhappy are at high risk of not visiting Adelaide Zoo thus affecting revenue generation. There is a high competition in tourism industry worldwide just like any other business activities necessitating the government to adopt strategies to improve local tourism. The indicators of why customer chose one destination over another provide useful information for the tourism sector and local government to support Adelaide Zoo by creating political, social and infrastructure developments that create environment for greater tourist satisfaction. It has been established that there are many factors that affect tourist destination including price, expectation and perceived quality (Beerli Martin, 2004). Other studies have highlighted significant influence of behavioral, demographic and socioeconomic factors on tourists' satisfaction with destinations (Murphy et al., 2000). In this study, we evaluated customers satisfaction of people in campus who have visited Adelaide Zoo in order to inform the destination on how to improve its competitive advantage. Background information on Adelaide Zoo Adelaide Zoo is one of the oldest tourist attraction in Australia located near Adelaide City, South Australia. The Australian government made the park to be run on a non-profit basis to increase conservative measures and encourage the locals to visit the site. The park is rich in plant and animal diversity with over 300 animal species and approximately over 2000 animals. The park was open in 1883, making it one of the oldest tourist attraction site in Australia occupying 8 hectares of land (Anderson, 1995). Early in 1950s the park was negatively affected by bird trade where live birds particularly finches and parrots were exported. A proper legislation has curbed many risk factors that was threating wildlife in the park and many community and private organizations are involved in conservation. This site was chosen particularly due to its uniqueness as having display of all Australian zoos. Furthermore, apart from its closeness to central business district, the site has huge variety o f exotic and native mammals, fish, largest panda and reptiles in surrounded by magnificent botanic garden. The resident gets to enjoy free tour in the park thus offering motivation for locals (Adelaide Zoo, 2017). Limitations One of the problem encountered in the study is randomization. Since there were few individuals who have visited Adelaide Zoo it was difficult to pick interviewee randomly. In this study, the respondents were restricted to three variables, there is possibility that there are other intervening variables affecting individuals decision to visit the park. The study further could not establish link between tourist motive and level of satisfaction. Methodology Research Design This study adopted descriptive survey research design. This design was chosen because it uses data collected from research questions to answer questions concerning current status of a phenomenon. Mertler (2008) argued that when dealing with people, situations and conditions about which we wish to know more, then descriptive survey is best. These arguments favor this study hence the choice of this design. This research used both quantitative and qualitative methods. sampling techniques and target Population This study adopted purposive sampling technique to determine the sample population who have visited Adelaide Zoo. Approximately 100 people were asked if they had visited the park from which 20 individuals were picked. Target population is the list of all individuals or members that the study is about or interested in (Kitchenham Pfleeger, 2002). The target population of the study comprise of 20 individuals attached college and must have visited Adelaide Zoo. Research Instruments In this study, data was collected through structured questionnaires which was circulated to study participants in the college. Questionnaires are selected because they provide a high degree of data standardization and adoption of generalized information amongst any population (Hsieh et al., 2005). The questionnaire was presented with closed and open ended questions. The questions seek factual information such as position in the college, sex, and professional qualifications. The other part aimed at seeking opinions, perceptions and attitudes of the respondents with regard to the variables used in the study. A 5 point Likert scale for establishing visit frequency (5=very frequently, 4= frequently, 3=occasionally, 2=Rarely and 1= Very rarely) and another scale for determining level of satisfaction (5= very satisfied, 4 = satisfied, 3= neither satisfied or dissatisfied, 2= dissatisfied and 1= very dissatisfied) were used to solicit respondents perceptions and opinions regarding the selec ted effect action variables. Opportunities were also provided to respondents through open ended questions to provide extra relevant information. Data Collection Procedure The questionnaires were administered to the sampled respondents using the drop and pick method. The respondents were allowed adequate time to fill the questionnaires after which the questionnaires were collected after one week for analysis. Data Analysis and Presentation Once the raw data was collected, the first step was to clean the data for any inconsistencies. The coding of the data was the next step. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to explain results of the findings. The data collected was be coded, and analyzed through Excel. The results were presented in tables and charts. Results There were equal number of male and females in study sample (figure 1). However, during the initial 100 samples that were questioned to determine whatever they have visited Adelaide zoo there were more males (62 %) than females (38%) (data not shown). Figure 1: Gender of the participants Socio-demographic variables showed that majority of the interviewed were between the age of 21-30 years old (65%) followed by 31-40 years (15 %) and over 4 years were the least (20%) (Table 1). The participant who have enjoyed local tourism destination (55%) were slightly above the lovers of international travel (45%). Similarly, many people had visited other destination apart from Adelaide Zoo comprising of 55%. There were many undergraduate (80%) participants compared to graduate (20%) (Figure 2). Figure 2: socio-demographic characteristics The study showed that majority of the of the respondents visited Adelaide Zoo very frequently and frequently by 25% and few visited very rarely (10%). Accessibility stood to be the most motivating factor to visit Adelaide Zoo (45%). The number of respondent who were satisfied Adelaide Zoo were similar to undecided respondent. However, it was evident that significant number of respondent were very dissatisfied (10%) with Adelaide Zoo services. Table 1: dimensions influencing participants to visit destination Variable Results (n-20) Age (years) 21-30 (65%) -31-40 (15%) over 40 (20%) Rate of visiting Adelaide Zoo Very frequent (25%), frequent (25%), occasionally (20%), rarely (20%) and very rarely (10%) Motivation to visit Adelaide Zoo Affordability (35%), accessibility (45%) and income (20%) Level of satisfaction Very satisfied (30%), satisfied (30%), neither satisfied nor dissatisfied (25%), dissatisfied (5%), very dissatisfied (10%) Discussions The majority of the respondent were undergraduate students with age between 21 and 30 years old on campus and few staffs. The respondents preferred local tourism that is encouraging so as to save foreign exchange and offer revenue to the local industries. However, the studied further identified significant number of people prefer to travel abroad though the country has many enjoyable attractions. The government has a lot to do to promote domestic tourism. In other study, Felsenstein and Fleischer (2003) suggested that making arrangements with local tours and offering benefits at reasonable prices lower than that offered to foreign tourist boosts local tourism. The government has to invest heavily on infrastructural developments like hotels and shopping malls that support tourism industry (Littrell et al., 2004). Majority traveled more often to the Adelaide Zoo and they cited accessibility as a motivating factors. This is in harmony with previous studies where a universal accessibility has been cited to promote tourism irrespective of race, gender, age color, nationality, religion and physical conditions. The participant attributed accessible heritage and infrastructure in Adelaide as welcoming. The park is a walking distance from the central business district and one can take approximately 15 minutes to get into the park. Adelaide Zoo has met international standards by designing infrastructures around the park to gather for handicapped. The cheap transport system including road, air, sea and train transport network (Allan, 2011) that connect Adelaide city to the rest of the world is promoting tourism in the city. The increased use of technology has promoted information services (Buhalis Law, 2008). The respondents cited using internet to make travelling arrangement easy. One reported to booking and paying for fair and accommodation online. Affordability was further a great motivating factor for individuals to visit the park. As indicated earlier, the park is non-profit and thus little entry fee is charged on Australians. The efficient transport system has lowered the cost of travel to Adelaide city making it affordable for tourists. The cheaper flexible price of airlines in certain seasons of the year has enticed more people to travel (Pearce et al., 2007). High infrastructural development in the city has further contributed to affordable accommodation for the tourists. The income was least factor since majority of respondents were students who depend majorly on income from their guardian and parents. The respondents were generally satisfied with services of Adelaide Zoo. The park has adequa te tour guide to take people around the park. Conclusions This study proved that students are contributing significantly to the tourism sector in Australia with majority of them reporting to enjoy leisure travel. The Adelaide Zoo has opportunity to increase tourism activity from the student as evident from proportionate number of students who have visited the park. Affordability and accessibility were the major factors affecting individuals to visit the factor. This means that the government has to do more to make tourism affordable and accessible to encourage domestic and international tourism. Recommendation This study was conducted in college with small sample size. It is recommended to include more participants in the next studies that must be chosen randomly to increase its reliability. The following studies further need to include more variables so as to come up with conclusive findings that can apply generally to tourism industry. References Adelaide Zoo. (2017). Adelaide Zoo Animals. Retrieved on April 24, 2017 from https://www.adelaidezoo.com.au/animals/. Allan, A. (2011). Land Use Planning and its Role in Transforming the Adelaide-Gawler Line into a Transit Corridor of Connected Transit Oriented Developments. Anderson, K. (1995). Culture and nature at the Adelaide Zoo: at the frontiers of'human'geography.Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers, 275-294. Beaumont, N., Dredge, D. (2010). Local tourism governance: A comparison of three network approaches.Journal of Sustainable Tourism,18(1), 7-28. Beerli, A., Martin, J. D. (2004). Factors influencing destination image.Annals of tourism research,31(3), 657-681. Buhalis, D., Law, R. (2008). Progress in information technology and tourism management: 20 years on and 10 years after the InternetThe state of eTourism research.Tourism management,29(4), 609-623. Cronin, J. J., Brady, M. K., Hult, G. T. M. (2000). Assessing the effects of quality, value, and customer satisfaction on consumer behavioral intentions in service environments.Journal of retailing,76(2), 193-218. Felsenstein, D., Fleischer, A. (2003). Local festivals and tourism promotion: The role of public assistance and visitor expenditure.Journal of Travel Research,41(4), 385-392. Hsieh, Y. C., Chiu, H. C., Chiang, M. Y. (2005). Maintaining a committed online customer: a study across search-experience-credence products. Journal of Retailing, 81(1), 75-82. Kitchenham, B., Pfleeger, S. L. (2002). Principles of survey research: part 5: populations and samples. ACM SIGSOFT Software Engineering Notes, 27(5), 17-20. Kouthouris, C., Alexandris, K. (2005). Can service quality predict customer satisfaction and behavioral intentions in the sport tourism industry? An application of the SERVQUAL model in an outdoors setting.Journal of Sport Tourism,10(2), 101-111. Littrell, M. A., Paige, R. C., Song, K. (2004). Senior travellers: Tourism activities and shopping behaviours.Journal of Vacation Marketing,10(4), 348-362. Mertler, C. A. (2008). Action research: Teachers as researchers in the classroom. Sage. Murphy, P., Pritchard, M. P., Smith, B. (2000). The destination product and its impact on traveler perceptions.Tourism management,21(1), 43-52. Orams, M. B. (2002). Feeding wildlife as a tourism attraction: a review of issues and impacts.Tourism management,23(3), 281-293. Pearce, D. G., Tan, R., Schott, C. (2007). Distribution channels in international markets: a comparative analysis of the distribution of New Zealand tourism in Australia, Great Britain and the USA.Current Issues in Tourism,10(1), 33-60.

Publisher Interview What to Expect with Publishing Your Book - The Writers For Hire

PUBLISHER INTERVIEW: WHAT TO EXPECT WITH PUBLISHING YOUR BOOK The fairytale version of finishing a book goes something like this: You dramatically pull a final book page from the typewriter carriage, stack it on top of a huge pile of papers, stuff it into a bulky package, rush ship it to your favorite publisher, and immediately get a call praising your book and offering you top dollar. Of course, we all know that’s not how it really works. With the advent of self-publishing, authors have a significant amount of choice in their publishing process, and with so many traditional, self, and niche publishers to choose from, the publishing process looks different for everyone. So what should you really expect when publishing your book? To help us understand how to separate the publishing fairytale from the reality, we recently spoke with Ella Hearrean Ritchie from Stellar Communications, a company that specializes in helping authors through the publishing process. TWFH: What are the pros of traditional publishing and self-publishing, respectively? MS. RITCHIE: Let’s start with traditional publishing. This is where you take the time to research the publishers that may be interested in your manuscript, send them a query letter, and wait to find out if they will represent you and your book. The pros here are the publishing house often bears all or most expenses. Also, you and your book have instant credibility as well as an instant audience for broader reach, which could mean greater royalties. At the other end of the spectrum is self-publishing. As a self-published author, you own the rights to your book, and you stay in full control of the content and marketing. TWFH: What would you consider to be some of the cons of traditional publishing and self-publishing? MS. RITCHIE: The cons of traditional publishing include waiting to hear back on whether your book is accepted, which can take a while. And because many people are vying for a chance with the publisher, the chances of being selected are slim. The publishing house might also have additional stipulations, such as required attendance at book events. Some of the downsides to traditional publishing are that you are working with a really large team, and are ultimately accountable to the publishing house itself. Expect to ask someone for approval every time you want to make changes or conduct an outside-of-the-box marketing campaign. You’re not necessarily an entrepreneur, but more of an employee. The downside to self-publishing and making every decision on your own is that you may not be making the best decisions. This path can also feel pretty confusing and overwhelming at times because of the hundreds of big and small decisions that come with creating a book on your own. Unfortunately, a telltale sign of a self-published bookis when quality is sacrificed for the sake of the budget. Readers can often spot a â€Å"do it yourself† book and won’t take the writing seriously. This takes away from your credibility and can hurt your marketing efforts. You can, however, engage a project manager to help coordinate the process. This option is more costly than self-publishing completely on your own, but may prove a worthy investment in the long run. TWFH: What is the first thing someone should do before approaching a publishing company to self-publish? MS. RITCHIE: Picking the right publisher, for you, is the first step to a peaceful process. Take the time to list your goals and expectations as the driving points for your conversation with any publishing company. Beyond your list of goals you’d like to accomplish, if you’re a first-time author, it can be difficult to know what to look for and what to avoid in a publisher. Before you approach any company, talk to other self-published authors about their experiences. Educate yourself on any potential pitfalls or areas of concern, and then you’ll be better prepared to ask the right questions. TWFH: What are the most common misconceptions you hear from people when a writer approaches you about a potential project? MS. RITCHIE: One common misconception is that a quality book can be quickly and easily produced. While it’s true that â€Å"printing on demand† has made book publishing more accessible than ever, the reality is that a lot of time and attention to detail go into each step of the publishing process. When an author tells me that there’s â€Å"not much to do† to develop a manuscript into a book, there is always a little more to do. Whether the remainder is really big or small, there’s always another detail. Another big misconception is that books reap profits. The truth is that it can take a lot of time and money to produce and market a book, and there is no guarantee that an author will recoup the investment. TWFH: What is the biggest initial hurdle to starting the publishing process with a new client? MS. RITCHIE: One thing that I notice in manuscripts is that great detail is taken when preparing the manuscript itself. But, the overall marketing of the book and the cover concept hasn’t been given much thought. Most authors come armed with the body of a manuscript and maybe one or two additional elements, and it’s often the job of the publisher to create a complete marketing plan and cover concept, and show how this can enhance the author’s overall story. Most authors don’t realize that their manuscripts are not complete when they are submitted. TWFH: What should an author expect to do to make his or her book successful? What does a successful book look like? MS. RITCHIE: A successful book is all about being clear on your goals and expectations. Some authors want a family history book that captures their legacy for future generations, so a beautiful, durable hardcover book that is printed for the family is their definition of success. Other authors want to spread a message to as many people as possible, so an affordable paperback book with appealing content that is available on Amazon and Barnes Noble is their definition of success. It’s really up to the author’s vision. TWFH: What are some of the stereotypes that you’ve run into when approached by writers? MS. RITCHIE: Some of the negative comments that I’ve heard about self-publishers are that they take money without fulfilling promises, that they’re unresponsive, and that they don’t pay attention to details that matter to the author. The comments seem to boil down to one stereotype, which is that publishers don’t care about the author. Unfortunately, there is some truth to this stereotype. I’ve heard some horror stories and have experienced a few disappointments myself. This is why it is so important to take the time to choose a publisher that is right for you and your book. *Stellar Communications is a book publishing team that delivers quality content on time to nonfiction authors, business leaders, nonprofit organizations, and federal government agencies.