The Foreign Service Journal, November 2016

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | NOVEMBER 2016 9 your holiday book shopping at the AFSA Bookstore, consider a donation to the FAD to help AFSA tell your story. Before we get to the books them- selves, this month’s Speaking Out is a pitch for good writing. In “Getting Beyond Bureaucratese—Why Writing Like Robots Damages U.S. Interests,” FSO Paul Poletes argues that in diplo- macy and in life clear and concise writ- ing gets the message through. This month we also celebrate 70 years of the Fulbright Program, with a selec- tion of five stories from Fulbright alum ni who applied their experiences to careers in the Foreign Service. While focusing on the stories of our community, we want to encourage you to break out of official writing and think about writing for The Foreign Service Journal . The Journal strives to be your hometown magazine—for you and also about you—and a vehicle for showing those outside the foreign affairs agen- cies what the diplomatic life and career is all about. We welcome your submissions on any topic of concern or interest to members of the FS community. Or you can choose among the focus topics for 2017 (see box). If you find a topic that inspires, check in with me to find out about timing and plans. Assume at least 8-12 weeks from submission to publication, so plan ahead for focus topic contributions. Our excellent Editorial Board meets monthly to review and vote on which submis- sions to publish. Find guidance on how and what to submit at www.afsa.org/ fsj-author-guidelines. We are always seeking strong Speak- ing Out submissions (1,500-1,800 words), as well as articles for Reflections (700 words) and features (2,000 words). Occasional features include FS Know How and FS Heritage. And please do share your thoughts about articles you read in the Journal by sending a letter to the editor. Comments can also be shared on the AFSA or FSJ Facebook pages. Send your feed- back and submissions to journal@afsa.org. Thanks for reading, and for writing. n LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Sharing Your Stories BY SHAWN DORMAN T Shawn Dorman is the editor of The Foreign Service Journal. 2017 FSJ Focus Topics January-February : Notes to the New Administration March : Diplomatic Security at 100 April : The Future of Europe May : Public Health and Diplomacy June : Militarization of Foreign Policy July-August : Science and Environmental Diplomacy September : AFSA Awards + Diplomatic Tradecraft October : Dealing with Iran November : In Their Own Write December : Best Practices in Worldwide Diplomacy he November Foreign Service Journal is always a favorite for us to put together, because we get to peruse and highlight— and yes, promote!—books by Foreign Service authors. The writing featured is not that of cables and other official communications, but rather what you produce when free to write on topics and in a style of your choice. This year’s wide-ranging collection takes readers into the “heart of Egypt” and the “dust of Kandahar” and from “mis- adventures” and “everyday life” in the Middle East to mysteries in Vienna and wolves in Sarajevo—each book convey- ing some element of the Foreign Service story. FS authors come to writing with unique world views worth sharing. AFSA is amping up efforts and programs to help tell the stories of the Foreign Service through your voices—as speakers, as authors, as envoys for the Foreign Service in all 50 states. Ambassador Barbara Stephenson’s President’s Views column, “Champion - ing American Diplomacy,” and Ambas- sador Tom Boyatt’s Retiree VP Voice column both call our attention to this new outreach campaign that is being supported by the Fund for American Diplomacy, known as the FAD, one of AFSA’s non-profit charity and educa- tional arms. After you’ve done