The Foreign Service Journal, January 2009

J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 9 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 17 (subject, of course, to revision). Because of our lead time for publi- cation, and the requirement for Edito- rial Board approval, we need to receive focus article submissions at least three months (and preferably longer) prior to the issue’s release date. Thus, we have already lined up authors for the January, February and March issues, but there is still time to submit manu- scripts for later months. Submissions should generally be between 2,000 and 3,000 words, though shorter pieces are always welcome. If those choices don’t grab you, or if you feel we have not devoted enough space to a professional concern or functional issue, please consider writ- ing a feature article (also generally 2,000-3,000 words long) for us. FS Heritage , a new department we introduced last year, is off to a strong start. However, we continue to welcome submissions spotlighting U.S. diplomats whose names many of us know only from history books or the halls of State. Our annual FS Fiction Contest continues with the same rules that applied last year: Entrants are re- stricted to one story of 3,000 words or less, which must be e-mailed to us at campi@afsa.org no later thanMarch 1. We will publish the winning story (se- lected by the FSJ Editorial Board) in our July-August 2009 double issue, and the other top stories over the fall months. For more details, see the ad elsewhere in this issue, or contact us directly. We invite those of you who expect to publish a book between now and next fall to send us a copy (along with promotional materials) for inclusion in our annual compilation of recently published books by Foreign Service- affiliated authors, In Their Own Write . Sept. 1 is still the deadline for the roundup, which will run in No- vember. For more information, con- tact Senior Editor Susan Maitra at maitra@afsa.org. Share Your Insights We take seriously our mission to give you “news you can use” —e.g., in- formation about how to advance your career; tips on dealing effectively with the bureaucracy at State and the other foreign affairs agencies, especially when you are trying to resolve a prob- lem; and updates on how AFSA is working to improve working and living conditions for Foreign Service em- ployees and their families. Much of that coverage is found, of course, within the pages of AFSA News . That section offers many dif- ferent ways for members to share their experiences, thoughts and concerns re- garding professional issues, including the following departments: Family Member Matters, Of Special(ist) Con- cern (a forum for specialists), Where to Retire, The System and You, On the Lighter Side (FS humor), Memo of the Month, and The System and You (notes from inside the bureaucracy). Contact AFSANews Editor Francesca Kelly for more information at kelly@afsa.org. Another place to look for such items is our periodic FS Know-How de- partment. We welcome contributions on topics ranging frommanaging one’s career and cutting red tape to parlay- ing one’s professional skills in retire- ment, as well as financial information and guidance targeted to Foreign Ser- vice personnel. There are many other ways you can contribute to our pages, of course. I hope you will share your reactions, positive and negative, not only to this issue but to what you read every month, by contributing to our Letters section. Just bear in mind that, as with all periodicals, the briefer and more fo- cused your letter is, the more likely we’ll be able to print it in full. (In gen- eral, 200 to 400 words is a good target.) The Speaking Out department is your forum to advocate policy, regula- tory or statutory changes to the For- eign Service. These columns (approxi- mately 1,500 to 2,000 words long) can be based on personal experience with a professional injustice or present your insights into a foreign affairs–related issue. Our Reflections department pres- ents short commentaries (approxi- mately 600 words long) based on personal experiences while living or traveling overseas. These submissions should center on insights gained as a result of interactions with other cul- tures, rather than being descriptive “travel pieces.” We are also pleased to consider poetry and photographs for publication, either in that section or as freestanding features. Please note that all submissions to the Journal must be approved by our Editorial Board and are subject to ed- iting for style, length and format. For information on how to submit a col- umn, article or letter, please contact us at authors@afsa.org and we will be de- lighted to respond. For other inquiries — changes of address, subscriptions, etc. — e-mail us at journal@afsa.org . Let us hear from you. L E T T E R F R O M T H E E D I T O R There are many ways you can share your insights in our pages. Let us hear from you.