Human rights law All Human rights are universal, indivisible and Essay

Human rights law All Human rights are universal, indivisible and interdependent and interrelated. the international community m - Essay Example The United Nations through its charter on human rights seeks to protect the laws that guards and binds the protection and freedom of every human with dignity and individual respect for all, being the hallmark of such laws. We are individuals who live and operate by certain national or international legal order, whether we are Americans, Nigerians, Chinese or British, we possess, to varying degrees which depends on the State within which we exist, rights. These rights, such as the right to existence, and the freedom of speech, right to marriage, freedom from arbitrary detention or the right to free expression oneself, are almost always incorporated into the national Constitutions and legislative Acts of nations. The to which these rights are respected and the preferences of certain these rights over others, largely depends on the nature of the national legal system within which we evolve and develop and operate, thus, regardless of the fact that we live in a democratic, a monarchical or on the other extreme; a repressive and authoritarian State, human rights should always be respected. But many events over the past decades of human existence, has proved that such rights that ought to be respected in most cases, are not. Certain individuals or group of individuals have had their freedom trampled upon by stronger forces within the nucleus of the same or an external society. Many laws meant to discriminate against certain people from certain regional or ethnic locations have being propounded and executed by ruthless states as a means of silencing oppositions. For instance the Grand Holocaust in Germany, carried out by the ruthless Nazi, under the leadership of Adolf Hitler, the Rwandan Genocide of 1994, the Iraqi Genocides against the Kurds, the genocide in Bosnia Herzegovina and the Cambodian Genocides, are all acts that openly violated human rights of individuals and peoples of a particular nationality/ethnicity. Other inhuman actions like the imprisonment of Nel son Mandela of South Africa, the Apartheid, Slavery in Africa, the invasion of Kuwait by Iraq, the exploitation of sovereign states by the USA and its Western allied, the house arrest of ASSK of Burma etc. are all examples that portray how nations and peoples (stronger elements in society) can trample upon the human rights of weaker elements in society. Some of this atrocities and infringement on the rights of others were carried out internally within a state, while others were carried out by external states or individuals against the people of another society. The big question here is what can individuals do if their rights provided under their national laws are not respected, or if national laws do not safeguard their fundamental human rights at all. Is there an international forum where individuals can turn to and file a complaint against that State? Or against another state? Depending upon the situation at hand? Beginning from the year 1945, the United Nations became active in f ormulating and implementing policies that will ensure the protection of human rights of every human being all over the world. They have set up many instruments for protecting Human Rights after 1945. Article 1 of 1948 UN Charter states that2 â€Å"

A Rose for Emily Essay Example for Free

A Rose for Emily Essay Decay is found in numerous parts of â€Å"A Rose for Emily†. The image pattern works its way from Emily’s mind to the inside of her lover, Homer Barron’s, resting chamber. In â€Å"A Rose for Emily† you find five major elements of decay. The first element of decay that is found in â€Å"A Rose for Emily† is the decaying of Emily’s mental state. Emily may have felt trapped because her father wouldn’t allow any male suitors to visit her, so when her father died she likely felt she should trap his body and not bury it as revenge because he wasted her youthful potential for love and an independent life. Emily’s denial of her father’s death expands the theme of death because she traps herself home unwilling to allow the change of death to affect her lifestyle. Another element of decay that is found in â€Å"A Rose for Emily† is after the death of her father Emily allows the house to decay and become an eyesore, as the town’s people described it. Not only did the school look decrepit in a town that was embracing modernization but it also reeked of death and decay as well. Emily didn’t accept the theme of change because she seemed to live comfortably in the decay. She also wouldn’t accept the town’s people’s wants to modernize how the town looked by putting numbers above her door. Since Emily was living in a standstill in the period in which she grew up in, she never changed the interior of her house so she left all the furniture that was at one time very sophisticated go to waste and decay (Teen Ink). After her father and lover’s death, Emily let the decay continue to take its toll on her life by allowing her physical condition to decay. Emily at one time was one of the most sought after women with her slender body, angelic features, and her white attire. When she let the decay take over her personal hygiene and physical appearance she had traded in all those great looks for a heavy set figure, her dark eyes, and her grim black attire. When Emily let her physical appearance go she also enhanced the theme of decay and how time changes the body. Not only does the element of decay take over Emily’s mind, house, and body, it also deteriorates her social standing in the town. Town’s people once viewed her as a promising woman who would surely succeed in the future. Now she was thought of as a crazy suicidal woman (Teen Ink). In her reality Emily remains proud and doesn’t recognize the fact that she has fallen from the aristocratic social status that she once was in before the death of her father. This element of decay helps expand the theme into a fall from a notable social standing or rank of power. The last and major climatic element of decay was after Emily’s funeral the town’s people opened the abandoned room in the middle of the house and found the remnants of her lover in bed. She had clearly been lying beside Homer Barron’s corpse for thirty years due to the evidence of the long strand of iron gray hair found on the pillow beside his (Faulkner). The decay isn’t just upon poor Homer Barron but is also noted on everything in the room. The town’s people see the effects of decay in the rose colored room with dust blanketing everything and the tarnishing of the monograms on the silver toiletries placed in the room that appeared to be suited for a bridal suite as if it were an eerie dream. This element of decay enhanced the theme of Emily’s sad tragic life. There is also a surprising twist in this short story that would make any reader curious. The Negro servant, Tobe is the only one to escape the house of decay unscathed. As quoted by Faulkner, â€Å"He walked through the house and out the back and was not seen again†. After being trapped into servitude to Emily’s family for the majority of his life, he escapes the house of decay and goes on to live his life free of Emily and all her secrets. All the present elements of decay in â€Å"A Rose for Emily† show that the theme isn’t simply limited to that of change or death but it is very broad and can be interpreted and perceived in many ways according to the reader’s thoughts and views. Faulkner plays the element of sweet, sickening decay in every aspect of this short story to enhance each theme. Emily Grierson’s comfort in decay grew when her father passed and ultimately lead to the demise of her home, her mind, her body, as well as the demise of her lover Homer Barron.

Leslie Marmon Silkos Lullaby, Storyteller, and Yellow Woman Essay exam

Leslie Marmon Silko's Lullaby, Storyteller, and Yellow Woman Leslie Marmon Silko?s work is set apart due to her Native American Heritage. She writes through ?Indian eyes? which makes her stories very different from others. Silko is a Pueblo Indian and was educated in one of the governments? BIA schools. She knows the culture of the white man, which is not uncommon for modern American Indians. Her work is powerful and educating at the same time.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In this paper, I will discuss three different works by Silko (Lullaby, Storyteller, and Yellow Woman). Each of the stories will be discussed according to plot, style, and social significance. After that, I will relate Silko?s work to other literary genies and analyze her work as a whole. ?Lullaby';   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The main character in this story is a woman named Ayah. Ayah is a Native American who lives in a shack with her husband and two children. She is not very close to her husband, (Chato), but she is very loyal to him. This is the way of a Navajo Woman, being loyal to your husband and family. Chato was a well-spoken man who spoke both English and Spanish in addition to his native language. The worst thing that happened to Ayah was the loss of her two children to the welfare board. They were either sick or she wasn?t providing for them. She wasn?t taking care of them in a way that pleased the whites; however, she raised her children beautifully in the Native American tradition.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  ?Lullaby'; is full of Native Ame...

Promoting Molly’s health and wellbeing Essay

The purpose of this essay will to be to promote Molly’s health and wellbeing through evidence based theory and practice (Refer to appendix 1 for Molly scenario). Molly has various health needs that necessitate the need for health promotion such as the risk of postnatal depression. However, for the purpose of this essay, the focus will be her type 2 diabetes health need. There are several bio-psychosocial factors that contribute to Molly’s health and wellbeing such as genes, stress and low income. The interventions that are designed to promote Molly’s health and wellbeing will include education and empowerment . These will address Molly’s determinants of health by using appropriate models and approaches to provide realistic and practical suggestions to Molly. The rationale upon promoting Molly’s diabetic health need is due to the fact that, type 2 diabetes can cause severe complications such as retinopathy, kidney failure and cardiovascular disease. What is more, type 2 diabetes continues to increase in the United Kingdom and it is estimated to affect more than 5 million people by 2015 (NHS choices 2013) Historic overview of health promotion was first highlighted by Florence Nightingale (1860) who noted the biomedical care given to patients and suggested the need to provide holistic patient centred care to patients (Piper 2010). Notably, she recognized the importance of environmental factors such as cleanliness and nutrition to promote the health of patients (Piper 2009). Health promotion is a plethora of contested definitions. Therefore, over the years there have been considerable attempts to define this concept. For (WHO 1986) Ottawa Charter, health promotion is defined as a process of educating and empowering people to make healthier choices (Hubley et al 2013). This definition implies that, health promotion is a holistic concept that emphasizes on the physical, social and mental wellbeing (Piper 2010) The nurse is the health professional that will be involved in promoting Molly’s health and wellbeing through evidence based theory and practice in addition to using various models and approaches (Piper 2009). This strategy will enable Molly and the nurse to individually and holistically express themselves, develop innovative plans suited to Molly’s health needs and promote effective communication between Molly and  the nurse (Bowden and Manning 2006). Communication is an important principle in health promotion as not only does it underpin the basis of holistic care given to patients but it also builds therapeutic relationships between the nurse and the patient (Bowden 2006). Communication is a fundamental concept in nursing that is defined as a skill of information sharing between the patient and other health professionals (Yulli et al 2011). In these circumstances, the nurse will communicate with Molly through various modes of communication which will include verbal, non-verbal and written communication. She will discuss with Molly on shared values and beliefs that is relevant to Molly’s health needs. Most important, communication in Molly’s case will go beyond information sharing to involving Molly in her own care by supporting her to make positive healthier choices in her life (Hubley 2013). Significantly, the nurse will adhere to ethical principles of autonomy, non-maleficence, beneficence and justice (Whitewood 2010). There are several bio bio-psychosocial factors that contribute to the health and wellbeing of Molly. These factors can be well understood by using the bio-psychosocial model. This is holistic model that combines major determinants of health such as social economic status, biological status and psychological status to give a holistic view of an individual mental, physical and social wellbeing (Baxter 2010). The biological factors that contribute to Molly diabetic health need are her genetic susceptibility due to her family history (NHS choices2013). Her unborn child is also at a risk of inheriting the illness from her mother. Type 2 diabetes tends to run in families largely due to similar unhealthy lifestyle (Bowden and Manning 2006). Whereas Molly might have inherited type 2 diabetes from her parents, the development of this illness is also influenced by lifestyle choices (NHS choices 2013). Psychologically, Molly is at the risk of suffering from postnatal depression and stress due t o physical demands of work and taking care of her family. This can consequently lead to mental illnesses (Hobart and Frankel 2009). Psychological illnesses can affect Molly’s ability to self-manage her blood glucose. Apart from this, psychological instability can cause Molly to lose control of her diabetes with fatal consequences (NHS choices 2013). Molly is on a low social economic status as she is only able to work part time. Green  and Tones (2010) contends that, low income limits access to nutritional food and housing which can consequently lead to poor physical health and social exclusion. Furthermore, Hill et al 2013 s proposes that, type 2 diabetes disproportionately affects people with limited resources. Perhaps this is because, low income earners are more likely to indulge in unhealthy damaging behaviours such as eating unhealthy food and lack of physical activity (Hubley 2013). If this were the case, Molly might not able buy healthy food or accesses those activities that address her health needs such as the gym and other social networks in her community. All these factors might hinder positive health outcomes. According to (WHO 1986), health is defined as not only an absence of diseases but also a complete state of physical and mental wellbeing. In order to promote Molly’s health, a holistic approach is needed to address the bio-psychosocial the factors that affect her health and wellbeing. Therefore, various activities need to be undertaken by using appropriate theoretical approaches and models. Initially, the nurse should ensure that, Molly’s basic needs are meet first before moving up to the higher needs. Maslow (1943) proposed that, humans have hierarchies of needs. He believed that, needs such as food and water are meet first before reaching the level of self-actualisation (Hubley2013). Having previously identified that Molly is on a low income which can affect her ability to access healthy food. The health promotion priority will be then to address this need before moving on to the other higher needs. The nurse should advice Molly on the help that is available for her to increase her earnings . For example, Molly would benefit from extended school that offer childcare and family support services (Larkin 2009). The importance of childcare would be that, Molly will be able to work more hours bringing in some extra income for her family. Consequently, she will be able to buy healthy food and engage in activities such as swimming or going to the gym. Significantly, this would reduce her risk of social exclusion and diabetes related complications (NHS choices 2013). However, it is important that Molly believes that, her positive health behaviours will prevent complications and help acquire good quality of life. This will influence  Molly’s willingness to take action (Yulli 2010). According to Health belief model by Rosenstock (1966), Molly will only take positive action if she believes that, she is susceptible to serious illnesses, believes that her type 2 diabetes is serious and believes that her positive actions will avoid the negative consequences of diabetes ( Yulli 2010). For instance, by doing physical activities it reduces her chance of her being obese and consequently reducing her risk the of cardiovascular diseases or even death (Coyle 2013). The Health belief model is useful in promoting Molly’s diabetic health need. This is because it organises the patients health status, views and points out the factors that that determines whether the patient will change their behaviour. Furthermore it provides a useful checklist that points out the issues that need to be addressed and the patient’s motivation to change their health ( Yuill et al 2010). Nevertheless, the Health belief model has not escaped criticism due to its individualistic way and ignores social influences (Hubley 2013). For example, Molly low income status may influence her decision of whether or not she eats healthy food. Furthermore, it does not address psychological factors such as fear and denial that greatly influences human ability to take positive action towards their health (Hubley 2013) . For instance, Molly’s ability to engage in physical activities may be affected her pregnancy, emotions and social influences such as family and friends. Another activity that to be undertaken to promote Molly’s health is encouraging Molly to learn from positive role models that will motivate her to positively regulate her behaviour and reflect on her actions (Green 2010). This can be learning from her family, friends or other people who have type 2diabetes but have successfully managed their diabetes through positive attitudes, behaviours and treatments. According Social learning theory by Bandura (1986), people actions are influenced by observing the behaviour of other people. He argued that, this promotes people self-esteem that in turn drives them to make positive changes (Green 2010). In these circumstances, the social learning theory is equally important in promoting Molly’s diabetic health need because it addresses the concept of self-esteem. This is a key part of resisting negative influences and promotes self-efficacy and locus of control to do what is right by her health (Amdam 2012). Social learning theory importance should not be  underestimated as it recognizes that, individuals do not exist in isolation (Amdam 2012). Despite this, it is criticised by biological theorists for its rejection of biological factors such as genes. Moreover, the biologist model challenges the social learning flawed assumption that, behaviours are learnt by contending that, behaviours are inherited but not learnt (Gyenscuico 2011). Education is another activity that needs to be undertaken in order to promote Molly’s diabetic health need. The aim of education will be to teach Molly on self-management skills and to improve Molly’s knowledge on diabetic care (Bowden and Manning 2006). The nurse will use health educational model to modify Molly’s behaviour and actions through providing value-laden facts and information about type 2 diabetes . This may be done by giving Molly leaflets about type 2 diabetes, teaching Molly on how to control and monitor her glucose levels (Bowden and Manning 2006). According to education approach, if Molly have the necessary knowledge on diabetes, she is more likely to make positive decisions (Lawrence et al 2009). For Instance, by teaching Molly how her blood glucose is affected by food and exercise, she is more likely to eat more healthier food and be active in order to keep her blood glucose stable (NHS 2012). One cannot ignore that education model is evidence based and not only does it educate the patient but it also gives skills to the patient. However, this model fails to consider environmental, psychological and economic constraints which affect individual’s ability to make choices (Lawrence et al 2009). Another limitation of this model is its simplistic view of cost-benefit analysis. It assumes that, if Molly is given the knowledge she will accept it unconditionally, weigh up the cost and then make a positive health choices for her best interest (Bowden and Manning 2006). What is more, its deterministic view point that, education is a must does and its top down approach does not give Molly much free will to make her own choices which the self-empowerment does (Bowden and Manning). The empowerment model gives the patient the free will through it advocacy of the individual concept of locus of control and self-efficacy to take control of their own health (Lawrence et al 2013). Thi s model links to the activity of empowerment which is another activity that needs to be undertaken in in order to promote Molly’s health and well being . This will be through Molly  participating and taking part in all areas of decision making (Piper 2009). This model shifts the balance of power from the health professionals to the patient (Piper 2010). The empowerment model bottom up approach is a vital factor in empowering the patient (Bowden and Manning 2006). The empowerment will mean that , Molly is acknowledged as being a part of her health promotion and she will work alongside the nurse and other multi-agency teams involved in her own care (Yulli et al 2010). Perhaps this might raise her confidence and influence her ability to make healthier choices by taking responsibilities on her type 2 diabetes management (Hanlon et al 2012). The advantage of using the self-empowerment model in Molly’s scenario will be that, Molly will gain more control of her life and confidence to move towards healthier existence (Hanlon 2012). However, it fails to consider influences of power that may prevent Molly from making healthier choices (Hanlon 2012). For example, Molly’s husband might influence her ability to make choices. Moreover, it does not address social economic factors such as low income that can mean that, Molly’s primacies may be at odd with the priorities of the health promoting professionals (Bowden and manning 2006). Finally, its acknowledgment of the self-determination means that, Molly might exercise her free will and choose unhealthy eating behaviours that might place her at risk or even death (Dean and Irvine 2010) One cannot ignore the benefits of health promotion in Molly’s scenario is a useful tool to educate, motivate and empower Molly to make positive changes towards her health. However, health promotion can be problematic at times. This is due to the dangerous assumptions of the health promoters focus on health issues ignoring that, people have various motives to change their behaviours and health might not be one of them (Scrive 2010). For instance, for Molly diabetic health need might not be her prime motivator to change her lifestyle. Another criticism of health promotion is the ever changing health advice for patients due to research that is always finding new evidence (Amdam 2011). In these circumstances, patients have barely enough time try one treatment or advice before th ey can adapt to another. This affects the efficacy of health promotion (Scriven 2010). Evidently, the media contradicts the health promotion advice which is based on facts due to its focus on controversy rather than facts which can be confusing for the patients (Amdam 2011). Furthermore, the health promotion in Molly’s scenario  raises this question. If Molly decides not to change, does it mean that the health promotion in her case has failed? The challenges of effective health promotion require actions at all levels starting at an individual, community and at a government level (Scriven 2011). Therefore, to successfully, promote the health of an individual, it is necessary to have an approach that combines all these levels together as they all influence the effectiveness of health promotion ( Amdam 2011). To conclude, health promotion is defined as a process of educating and empowering people to make healthier choices. Molly’s health is influenced by various determinants of health that are linked to her social, biological and environmental conditions. The health promotion emphasis is to tackle such determinants of health through evidence based practices that combines various theories and approaches. These theories and approaches are tied up with practical activities that are aimed at changing Molly’s lifestyle and behaviour to promote her health. The importance of health promotion should not be underestimated at it educates and empowers the patients to make positive actions towards their health. Nevertheless, health promotion is plagued with challenges such as contradicting health advice that affects the efficacy of health promotion. These challenges affect the most vulnerable people such as Molly. It is therefore important that the health promoters recognizes these difficulties and address them accordingly. Finally, it is recommended that, future health promotion professionals address the deficit of the lack of an approach that tackles health promotion at an individual, community, government level to ensure the effectiveness of health promotion. Referencing Amdam, R. (2011) Planning in health promotion work. Oxfordshire: Routledge. Baxter, M. Health (2010). 2nd ed. Cornwall: Polity press. Bowden, J. and Manning, V. (2006) Health promotion in Midwifery. 2nd ed. London: Edward Arnold Ltd. Ghensucico, B. (2011) Critic on Albert Bandura’s Social Learning Theory. Dawsonera [Online]. Available at: http://dawsonera.com [Accessed: 25 January 2014] Green, J. and Tones, K. (2010) Health promotion planning and strategies. 2nd ed. London: Sage Publication Ltd. Hanlon, P. Carlisle, S. Hannah, M. and Lyon, A. ((2012) The future public health London: Open University Press. Hobart , C., Frankel. J. (2009) Safeguarding children . 3rd ed. Cheltenham: Thornes Ltd. Hubley, J. Copeman, J. and Woodall, J. (2013) Practical health promotion. 2nd ed. Cambridge: Polity Press. Larkin, M. (2009) Vulnerable groups in health and social care. Dawsonera [Online]. Available at: http://dawsonera.com [Accessed: 30 March 2014] Needle, JJ. Petchey, RP. Benson, J. Scriven, A. Lawrenson, J. and Hilari, K.(2011) The allied health professions and health promotion: [Systematic review] Cochrane

AP Essay: Maria W. Stewart Essay

The Great Missippi In the passage â€Å"Rising Tide: The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927† the author John M. Barry describes elaborately the functions and complexity of the Mississippi River. The author wants to inform the reader about the fascinating characteristic the Mississippi River offers, through a descriptive and informative passage. The author’s fascination of the river is incredible due to the simple, solid facts that are stated. Throughout the passage the author uses many rhetorical devices to amplify his message such as diction, vivid imagery, and simile. The author uses a series of rhetorical devices in the passage such as asyndeton to help communicate his fascination of rivers to the reader. An example of this is â€Å"It generates its own internal forces through its size, its sediment load, its depth, variations in its bottom, its ability to cave in the riverbank and slide sideways for miles, and even tidal influences†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (20-23). This example is very useful to our understanding of rivers because it’s very detailed and rich in in facts. Another rhetorical device the author uses in the passage is the usage of similes. A clear example of this is â€Å"Rather, it moves south in layers and whorls, like an uncoiling rope made up of a multitude of discrete fibers†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (36-38). This is a very interesting example of a simile, simply because it compares two things with very descriptive words and because it gives the reader a more concrete understanding of the rivers strength. It also makes the reader become more engaged and interested to the passage. The last rhetorical device in the passage is the use of vivid imagery. The author uses this powerful device in the passage to amplify and captivate the reader. An example of this is â€Å"Humphreys observed an eddy, running upstream at seven miles an hour and extending half across the river, whirling and foaming†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (47-49). This example helps the reader emphasize the rivers complexity and.

There Ought to be a Law essays

There Ought to be a Law essays THERE was an interesting article in our Metro section last week. That was the one that said movie fans might no longer see Vilma Santos and Lito Lapid on the silver screen. Not unless they want to give up being mayor of Lipa City and governor of Pampanga province, respectively. Apparently, there's a provision in the Local Government Code that says mayors and governors "are prohibited from practicing their profession or engaging in any occupation other than the exercise of their functions as local chief executives." But for this to happen, the group that has raised this issue must first win its case in court. Happily, that group, the Social Justice Society, is composed mostly of lawyers. They have cited Joey Lina as respondent for allowing Santos and Lapid to appear in movies. I'm rooting for them. I've been arguing this for a long time now, and for all categories of public officials. The usual justification for senators in particular the Senate now having the dubious distinction of harboring the biggest number of fugitives from the silver screen, the hard court and television is that there is no law against it. Well, at the very least, there is no law against people defecating in public too. Or at least there is no law specifically citing it, though there's one reproaching, and penalizing, scandalous behavior. There is no (explicit) law against it because none is needed. It is common sense. You do not normally expect anyone to relieve himself gleefully, or disconsolately, against the wall. As it turns out, however, there is a law against public officials doing sidelines. If there's a prescription against local government officials reverting to their previous roles, in more ways than one, there should be one as well against national officials doing so. The principle applies equally, if not more so, to them. The principle applies as well to senators and congressmen who continue to host shows on television or do c ...

A Foolproof Way to Write a Press Release (with Samples)

A Foolproof Way to Write a Press Release (with Samples) Whether you are announcing a new product or novel, improving your brand or author image, or looking for search engine optimization, a press release is a great way to achieve these aims and more. What once was simply a way to communicate a message to journalists has become something with a far greater reach- a viral reach, in fact- and can be used to jumpstart your brand, business, or novel marketing. Using a simple inverted pyramid style of writing, the press release offers a way to advertise everything from an event to a new product to publication of a book, and theres a foolproof method to write it. If youre looking for that method, youve come to the right place.What is the point of a press release?If were going to discuss method- we should first discuss purpose. Before the growth of Internet marketing, press releases were sent to journalists to obtain media coverage. In keeping with the rules of journalism, the style was focused on sharing the news quickly and effectively via head line strength and a powerful lede, otherwise known as an opening paragraph and hook.Now, this purpose has evolved into a highly effective way to distribute information online- through company websites, email campaigns, social media, or press release publishing platforms- and achieve SEO (search engine optimization) goals for an organization, brand, or author. This results in a compact, power-packed punch of information dissemination that reaches audiences in the most succinct way possible.In essence, a press release now has viral possibilities. What once was limited to a shot-in-the-dark attempt to catch a journalists attention is now a medium offering great potential in landing a website in top spots for search engine results and building brand identity, whether for an author or a business.A press release offers viral marketing possibilities for your brand, business, or book. Photo by Dominika Roseclay from Pexels.How do I make the most of a press release?In consideration of the mu ltiple aims that a press release can now achieve, its time to rethink what should go into one in the planning and writing stages. Ideas like readability, keywords and effective headlines- although always a part of writing an effective press release- are even more pertinent now.This means that if you have an hour to plan and write a press release, a large percentage of that time (20 minutes, at least) should go into determining a catchy headline and the right keywords to be included. While its impossible to cover this topic in depth for the scope of this article, you can learn more about creating a compelling headline by reading this piece about writing headlines that increase online traffic potential.You can also run several headline possibilities through this headline analyzer, although there are a few steps youll have to go through (entering your name, email address, and company information) to get a readout. The readout you receive, however, is a great breakdown of important aspe cts of your headline, such as the emotional appeal, power words, and generic word choice youve used. Youll also receive a score on the headline youve chosen and be offered instructions regarding how to tweak it to get a higher score.What are the components of a press release?Beyond a catchy headline with important keywords included, the other components of a press release are:Contact information for media to get in touch with youThe city and state where this news is happeningBody copy, ordered by level of importanceBoiler Plate with information about your organization or brand. If youre unsure of how to write the boilerplate for your business or author brand, this website offers several great examples to guide you through the process of writing it. Basically, your boilerplate should include the following details:The name of your organizationYour mission statementFounding dates (if applicable)Company size (if applicable)A brief statement on what your organization is doing today to fu lfill the ideas in your mission statementThe outline of a press release is simple. This graphic from CoSchedule is a great resource to use to make sure you are following the correct format and including all necessary elements when planning and writing your press release. As you can see from the graphic, the outline you should use is:HeadlineStatement of For Immediate Release and date of publicationPress contact information, including contact name, email and phone number (if applicable)Summary bullet pointsAn introductory paragraph (otherwise known as the lede), including a hook and the who, what, when, where, and why of your content.A second (and possibly third) paragraph offering additional information that supports your lede.The boilerplate of your organization or brand.So how do I write a great introductory paragraph/lede?As youll see from the graphic mentioned above, following the summary points of a press release, the introductory paragraph is the most important part of the con tent youll provide. If youve ever heard of the inverted pyramid strategy of writing, a press release follows it precisely, with the most important information at the beginning of the copy.Who, what, when, where, and whyThis means that the basic details of your press release- who, what, when, where, and why- should be all included in the first paragraph. You should write this paragraph assuming that your reader will read it alone, and none of the paragraphs that will follow. In journalists terms, this paragraph is called a lede, and is meant to entice the reader to read further. In other words- out of the three or more paragraphs you write in your press release, this one should get the most attention.In the lede, you should include the following aspects of your story:Who is the story about?What is happening?Where is it taking place?When will it take place?Why is it important?Follow these five Ws with a hook, which is a sentence informing the reader why they should be interested in th is event. All of these together will be the first paragraph of your press release.What about the other paragraphs?If youre following the inverted pyramid format mentioned earlier, the second and additional paragraphs of your press release are simply additional information to offer your reader about the five Ws. This is the part where youll want to include quotes from important people involved with the project, product, or campaign. If you are writing a press release for a book that youre publishing, youll want to include your own quotes in these paragraphs, while writing the rest of the release in third-person point of view.Its important to keep in mind that any quotes used in this part of the press release should be beneficial for the reader. In other words, any quotes that you use should offer more detail for anyone interested in learning more about the focus of the press release, including insider information about the product or service being offered. You should use these paragr aphs to tell your reader what they can gain from what youre advertising, rather than just random details about the speakers background or experience.How do I write a press release for a book?If youre writing a press release for a book, youll want to follow most of the same guidelines mentioned above. If youre using the press release for SEO purposes or simply as a viral marketing technique on social media, following the steps Ive mentioned above will get the job done. Just keep in mind that the 5 Ws- who, what, when, where, and why- might take on additional meaning in this context. Specifically, if youre writing the press release to announce a book signing, youll need to include the details related to that book signing in the introductory paragraph.A press release should include the details related to an event, specifically who, what, when, where, and why. Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.However, in the case of a press release related to a novel, its important to also include details abo ut the book itself- thus, the second set of 5 Ws. In the second paragraph, immediately following the introductory one stating the details of the actual signing event, youll want to clue readers in on the summary of the book. This might include its genre, main characters, setting, and a brief one- to two-sentence summation of the plot of the book.Other things you might want to include within a press release for a book signing or publication date include:Interesting details about the author or the authors storyAny award or recognition that the book has wonAny endorsement that a celebrity or well-known person has given for the bookAny buzzwords that might attract a certain audience to your book, i.e., millennials, working mothers, or spirituality.This article goes into more detail about specific points to focus on when writing a press release for a book and/or book signing event.Sample press releasesAs promised, here are some sample press releases written across a variety of industries .GameStop Announces Limited Supply of Nintendo Switch SystemsApple Expands Global Recycling ProgramsVail Resorts Acquire Stowe Mountain ResortA sparkling romantic comedy about one womans decision to tinker with the horoscopes of the (Aquarian) man of her dreams- with far-reaching consequences*.*Notice that on the author press release, the bulleted summary quotes are reviewer quotes, while the who, what, when, where, and why are all information about the books plot. This is because the purpose of the press release is to announce the book itself, rather than a signing or event surrounding the book.