The mutation rate Essay Example for Free

The mutation rate Essay One of the greatest challenges for evolutionary biology is explaining the widespread occurrence of sexual reproduction, and the associated process of genetic recombination. Sexual reproduction involves one individual combining half its DNA with half of DNA of another individual, so that the offspring is only half genetic copy of each parent. However, in asexual reproduction, the offspring are genetic copies of the parent. Thus, sexual reproduction poses an evolutionary problem because it seems to be half as efficient a method of reproducing as asexual reproduction. Asexual females can potentially produce twice as many daughters as sexual females, so that the ratio of asexual to sexual females should initially double each generation, resulting in the two-fold cost of sex.? In addition to this 50% cost and the dilution of the individuals genome, sexual reproduction also presents other disadvantages in comparison to asexual reproduction. First and foremost there is the cost of recombination favourable gene combinations that have increased in frequency under the action of natural selection are broken up. Secondly, the process of sexual reproduction requires a significant cellular-mechanical cost as sex requires meiosis, syngamy and karyogamy. A great amount of time is taken up by these three processes alone, and far exceeds the time required for two mitotic divisions. Also, these processes are unnecessarily complicated if reproduction is sole objective. Asexual spores and meiosis-bypassing apomixis appears much more efficient. Thirdly, sexual species can not perpetuate what are often fitness-improving types (eg: triploids, aneuploids). Finally, the actual physical contact between organisms/gametes entails risks separate from those that are maintained by sexual competition. One of the primary costs of initial contact is the risk of disease or parasite transmission. Another significant cost associated with fertilisation is the eminent wastage of gametes, or more appropriately in some cases, a waste of effort transmitting gametes. Given all of these costs, we would expect natural selection to favour asexual reproduction in wild populations, however, it generally does not: sexual reproduction is widespread throughout the animal and plant kingdoms. Sexual reproduction must enjoy some evolutionary advantage, which means that the advantage is not caused by the process itself, but by the changes it causes in progeny genotypes (as a result of recombination), which should drive the evolution of sex. Thus, the problem of explaining sex is to find a compensating advantage of sexual reproduction that is large enough to make up for its cost. Many theoretical models have been developed to show the conditions under which there is a sufficiently large short-term advantage for sex to offset this two-fold cost. The general consensus amongst evolutionary biologists is that there are two relatively convincing, modern day theories. Both of these theories are concerned with a deterministic advantage to sex and recombination through the production of genetically variable offspring. This increases efficiency of selection, and hence accelerates the increase in mean fitness. The first of the two theories is known as the Mutational Deterministic Hypothesis (Kondrashov, 1988), and states that sexual reproduction can enable females to reduce the number of deleterious mutations in their offspring. This idea requires that each deleterious mutation leads to a greater decrease in log fitness than the previous mutation (synergistic epistasis between deleterious mutations). The principle theme is that when this is the case, sexual reproduction increases the variance in the number of mutations that will be carried by the offspring. The subsequent lowered fitness of the individuals carrying above average numbers of such deleterious mutations will lead to an increased number of deleterious mutations being eliminated from the population. If the resultant mutation rate per generation is sufficiently high, then this process can theoretically fully compensate for the two-fold cost of sex. However, the genomic mutation rate (U) is exactly where the problem lies, as the plausibility of such a Ratetheory is dependent upon a relatively high rate of mutation within the genome. A female gains the advantage whatever the deleterious mutation rate, but the relative benefit increases with the mutation rate. But what deleterious mutation rate is needed to outweigh the two-fold cost of sex? Kondrashov suggests that the answer depends essentially on the details of the theoretical model, but a rate of about one new deleterious mutation per individual is probably sufficient. Thus, sex becomes advantageous relative to cloning if U is more than about one. This is the most controversial point in this theory, because deleterious mutation rates have historically been thought to be much lower. Mukai has performed a number of experiments on Drosophila and deduced that a mutation rate of 0. 5 per individual per generation was sufficient. The problem concerning mutation rates is difficult to solve as there is no strong factual evidence that exists to rule out mutation rates as high as are required for sex to prosper. However, Mukais estimate of 0. 5 per individual was a lower bound estimate, and his results are also compatible with a figure greater than one. The second of the two modern day models ignores the effect of deleterious mutations and concentrates on external environmental change. This model suggests that sex accelerates adaptation to a changing environment by creating new gene combinations.

Child abuse: Cause and effects

Child abuse: Cause and effects Child Abuse Cause and Effects Abstract Child abuse is one of major problem faced by many children around the world and its take the attention of all nations. Children can be abused by different people like parents, strangeness, and member of their families, teachers and other children at school or in the community. Regardless who are the abusers, causes and effects are all same like any other abuse. Child abuse can be categorized into four types: physical abuse, psychological abuse, sexual abuse and neglect. Each type has different causes and different effects on child life and on the community. In this paper I will highlight the causes and effects of it .The causes can be due to poverty, family stress, abuse of substances (drugs, alcohol ) and psychological problems. The effects depend on the type of the cause and it can be divided into three categories which can be seen in the individual and reflect in the community. These are Emotional effects, physical effects and behavioral effects. Treatment of child abuse after the recognition of the causes and its effect is important and before that the prevention or stopping it is the chief of all. There are several clear steps everybody especially the family need or must to follow it. Child Abuse Cause and Effects Children are a gift from Goad to every parents dreaming of having a child. They have the right to be loved and treated will, unfortunately; still there are those who are suffering from abuse in the extremely sense of the word. It is also difficult to imagine that any person would purposely cause harm on any child .The word abuse is define as make a bad or wrong use of (Oxford Advanced, Learner Dictionary, 1977, P.4) and a child is defined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) as Every human being below the age of 18 years unless under the law applicable under the child majority is attained earlier.Barent Barnet stated , Much as we might like to believe otherwise, child abuse is wide-spread.(Barent Barnet,1998) (P1207). There are several terms used by different agencies regarding child abuse. The United state Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) define child abuse or maltreatment as any act or series of acts of commission or omission by a parent or other car egiver that results in harm, potential for harm, or threat of harm to a child (Child Maltreatment: Definitions, ,April 20, 2009, para.1). Moreover, some child development experts simply they define child abuse as any act which fails to take care of the children. At present the rate of child abuse incidents increased rapidly and continuing and each child around the world in spite of his /her age, sex, race and religion can fall victim for abuse from the strangers or from member of his/her family. According to Child Protective Service agencies, state in 2001 probable 3 million children were reported as suspected victims of abuse and neglect. They reported that young children are most at risk for being abuse or neglect, and 40% of the victims are under the age of 6 years too (Barent Barnet, 1998) (P1207). Child abuse can include many types, has many causes and its affects the innocent children negatively and leaves deep and permanent marks on them. Child Abuse can happen because of poverty, family stress, abuse of substances (drugs, alcohol ) and psychological problems. Child abuses have different forms. It can be physical, emotional , sexual abuse and neglect. The abusers can be from family or a stranger and those are selected to express their difficulties or problems on the helpless children who are unable to defend themselves. The effects of any types of abuse what ever the cause is severe and various according to the form of abuse. It can be seen on the child, family and community. Causes of Child abuse There are several causes of child abuse. First cause is poverty. It happens when the family does not have the resources to provide or to meet the need of their family members especially children like food, proper dress, education .ect. In some poor countries, number of families tends to sail their children to rich people and some they make them to work in very young age or they just leave them in front of any orphaned door because they are unable to meet their need and this consider as abuse for them. Family as we know is considers as core of safety to all children and it is an important sour of love and care. Family problems are the second cause of child abuse, it can be due to divorce so the child will be separated from the family and because of that a lot of problems raised such as both parents asking for their right to take the child. Moreover, child abuse almost occurs in many families with abused parents were they abused before therefore they are reflecting that on their child ren. Some of the parents are young and they dont know how to deal with difficulties that they face when taken care of a child. The third cause of abuse results because the abusers are taken substances which make them unaware of them self or others around them. Substance abuse is become one of the main reasons for the increasing number of child abuse around the world. Through out different studies it was clear that parents with history of substance abuse, most commonly alcohol, cocaine, and heroin, were more likely to abuse their children. This substance can leads to developing abnormal behaviors by the abuser either they are from family or strangers. The last cause of child abuse can be psychological. Parents who do not have a support community of close friends or relatives living nearby may feel isolated. Some of the family members who are suffering from mental disorders tend to harm the child without knowing Forms of child abuse Child abuse can take different forms physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse and neglect as mention previously. Physical abuse includes scalding, beating or severe physical punishment and it is easiest to identify the dangers of physical abuse. Sexual abuse includes sexual assault, fondling of genital areas, and exposure to indecent acts or involvement in sexual pornography in the net or in some television channels. Sexual abusers steal from a child their childhood. Emotional abuse includes verbal abuse and unfair criticism, terrorizing acts, and lack of nurturance or emotional support. Child neglect can take on a number of different forms. For instance a childs nutritional needs can be ignored, resulting in a deficient diet and, in turn, a failure to thrive. This type of neglect is not necessarily done purposely and it may result because parents have lack of knowledge regarding a healthy diet or from poverty. Physical neglect results when a child is not provided with shelter a nd clothing. Neglect can also come in the form of inadequate medical care, lack of proper supervision, and lack of educational opportunities. Finally, neglect also includes inadequate emotional care, where a child experiences a continuous lack of response to his or her crying or any other behavior in need of a response. A UNICEF report on child well-being stated that the United States and the United Kingdom ranked lowest among industrial nations with respect to the wellbeing of children. This study also found that child neglect and child abuse are far more common in single-parent families than in families where both parents are present. The type of neglect experienced by children can be dependent on the culture in which child lives. For example, in India one problem still faced by many young women is marriage in small age and some time they are still children. Due to extreme poverty, many girls are consider as a financial burden to their families and are in turn forced to marry in e xchange for money. In some cases, young women are sold. As Segal (2001) notes, under both circumstances these children are inevitably physically abused. Based on the above child abuse with its various forms and causes it has several effects too. It can be short, and others are lifelong so it is differ according to the severity of the abuse and its type. Children with a history of abuse are at risk of developing psychiatric problems. Furthermore, new research linked between exposure to child abuse in all its forms and rates of many chronic conditions that adult develops. The strongest evidence comes from the Adverse Childhood Experiences like V. J. Felitti, MD Kaiser Permanente and R. F. Anda, series of studies which show relations between exposure to abuse or neglect and higher rates in adulthood of chronic conditions, high risk health behaviors and shortened live span. The effects of child abuse can be divided into three categories which can be seen in the individual and reflect in the community. These are Emotional effects, physical effects and behavioral. Starting with emotional effects which include low self-esteem, depression a nd anxiety, eating disorders, bad dreams; bed wetting, difficulties in building relationship, isolation, and personality disorders. Physical effects include life threatening injuries, death, lifelong health problems, difficulties in understanding, and physical disabilities. Finally, Behavioral effects that include problems in school the progress of mental development , criminal behavior, pregnancy of girls in small age, suicide attempts, substance abuse, aggressive behavior, abuse others and anger. In conclusion, it is clear that child abuse is a global problem. It occurs due to several causes which can be financial stress and poverty, adult use of alcohol and other drugs, parents are not having basic knowledge of child care and development. In addition adults can abuse children in different ways for example physically, emotionally, sexually and by neglect. So it is important or must be aware of the signs which may leads to abuse and detect it. These characteristic can appear in: Families who are isolated and not involve with the community. Parents who are having history of abused as children. Families who are most of the time facing money problems. Parents who abuse drugs or alcohol so they become impairment caused by being intoxicated. Parents who are very inflexible in disciplining their child. Parents who show too much or too little concern for their child. Parents who feel they have a difficult child. Parents who are under a lot of stress The effect of these problems are found in the child and then in the community as a result. The effects on a child depends on the degree of the abuse is, the greater the abuse, the greater the effect on the child. Abused children also exhibit conditions like difficulty in building up relationships with others so he/she will be isolated from community. A feeling of guilt and anger can be develop and may become abuser him/herself later in adult stage. It is clear that child abuse regardless of its cause leaves more than just bruises or words; it is a matter which needs a greatest attention since it involves the future generation of the world. Not only they will suffer from the physical and mental abuse, they suffer many long-term effects, including delays in developmental, refusal to attend school, separation from community and anxiety disorders. Even though, child abuse is still continuing and complex problem with many causes, we should not build a negative attitude toward its prevention. Therefore everybody responsible in stopping child abuse by reducing if not eliminating the causes yet we feel angry at abuser who can take away a spirit of a child. Around the world there are many agencies with different program trying their best to stop it. This can be done by adapting several plans for example: Preventing and treat individual with substance abuse Parents listening to their children and talk with them. Educating new parents on the parenting skills since Children need to know that they are special, loved and capable of following their dreams. Stopping child abuse when seeing it. Teaching the child the difference between acceptable and unacceptable touching, and to trust their instincts about people. Educating the parents about the signs of abuse so it will be easy to detect it. Children are an important element in any community; they desire a maximum love and care should be given to them without any restrictions. They are deserves a healthy, save childhood and the opportunity to grow up to normally and become contributing adult able to serve and build up a healthy community. We all want to protect them and guide them in the right direction. References Child Abuse Physical Abuse and Neglect, Psychological Maltreatment, Sexual Abuse. Retrieved December 18, 2009, from http://family .jarnk.org/pages/219/child-abuse.html Child Abuse. Retrieved December 18, 2009, from hptt://www.indianchild.com/child_abuse.htm-child Coon, D. (2004). Introduction to psychology, Gateways to Mind and Behavior (Tenth Edition ed.). Hornby, A. (1985). Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary of Current English. Potts, N. L., L.Mandleco, B. (2007). Pediatr ic Nursing, caring for children and Their Families (Second Edition ed.). The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study,Retrieved December 18,2009, from http://www.acestudy.org/ The Relationship between Parental Alcohol, Drug Abuse and Child Maltreatment. Retrieved December 18, 2009, from http://www.childabuse.com/fs14.htm The Reality of Child Abuse cause and effect. (2009). Retrieved December 18, 2009, from http://stopabusega.tripod.com/id6.html United state Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),child Abuse,. Retrieved December21, 2009, from http://www.cdc.gov/std/stats/pdf/trends2006.pdf What is child abuse and neglect?. Retrieved December 20, 2009, from http://www.orgeon.gov/DHS/children/abuse/abuse-neglect.shtml

Generation Ecstasy :: essays research papers

For my book report I read Generation Ecstasy. There was so much information in the book about the rave scene and "ecstasy", I didn't know where to begin. It's been ten years since the English seized on Detroit techno, Chicago house, and New York garage as the seeds of what's generally agreed-over there, at least-to be the most significant music since punk, and they're celebrating with a slew of historical studies. Simon Reynolds attempts to bridge the gap with "Generation Ecstasy," an exhaustive compendium of almost every rave-associated sound and idea, both half-baked and momentous, that traces the digital Diaspora back and forth across Europe and America. Using the multiple perspectives of music critic, enthusiastic participant, and sociological outsider to trace the development of dance music's "rhythmic phsycadelic," Reynolds, finds two predominant, contrasting strains: the search for gnosis, or spiritual revelation, and the desire to get completely out of it at the weekend. Setting these timeless traits in the context of the up-to-the-minute technology that made rave emblematic of its era-the fragmentary, fast-forward aesthetic, the flexible production and distribution network, the avoidance of personality and narrative in favor of sensation-he comes up with a portrait of hi-tech millennium that resonates well beyond its subculture confines. There are those who might find a book to analyze music that often aims for the effect of a sledgehammer to the head a mite pretentious. Yet the radicalism of dance music lies precisely in its "meaninglessness," which, paradoxically, requires intellectualization in order to get at its significance. This problem is particularly acute for Reynolds, who wants to both valorize everything about techno that makes it resistant to rock-crit "literary" analysis, and also explain exactly why it really did mean something, man. His central tool for resolving this contradiction is the idea of the "drug-tech interface": the reciprocal relationship between Ecstasy (and other less central intoxicants) and machine music that resulted in a feedback loop between sounds geared to enhance the rush, and rushes that inspired producers to take sound into new spaces. The drug-tech interface gives "Generation Ecstasy" a narrative backbone that applies again and again, ac ross continents and cultures from Texas, where Ecstasy culture first reared its head in the mid-'80s, to Scotland, Holland, and Germany. The story starts with the initial, utopic discovery of Ecstasy and its boundary-lowering qualities, and ends, with varying degrees of speed, with the descent into polydrug abuse and depression.

Film Editing Essay

The 1972 film The Godfather directed by Francis Ford Coppolla based on the novel by Mario Puzo that takes one inside the world of the Mafia as shown in the Corleone family where its patriarch, Don Vito is the â€Å"Godfather† but later, the focus of the film would later on shift to his son Michael who at first was not part of the Mafia family, but later on gradually joined it until he became the Godfather. The rise of Michael Corleone from being a â€Å"civilian† to Godfather is made possible by a well-coordinated cinematography which also involves editing. Editing is a film technique where reels of film are subjected to â€Å"cut and paste† in order to weave the scenes into a seamless sequences of events that unfold the moment it hits the silver screen. In this film, the producers make use the continuous editing technique. This approach is employed for the purpose of maintaining continuous or clear narrative action. It begins with the scene when Michael arrives at his sister Connie’s wedding reception which is presided by their father Don Vito. This scene shows that Michael is not part of the other â€Å"family† his father leads as depicted by him dressed in a military uniform which showed he came from the war. The next scene would be the attempted â€Å"hit† (murder) of Don Vito in the market and a separate scene where Michael’s older brother Sonny was killed. This is followed by the scene where he was mauled by corrupt police officers and another where he is handed a gun by his father’s mafiosi which he would use in a later scene to kill McCluskey, one of the corrupt cops and his father’s rival Sollozzo. His brother’s death and later his father, has thrust him into becoming the head of the â€Å"Family† which is underscored by scenes showing the â€Å"hits† on rival mafia leaders while serving as the godfather of his sister’s son. This is capped with the final scene where he closed the door to his study as he is about to preside over a â€Å"family† meeting with his second wife Kay standing by the doorway. These shots were cut and pasted in a way that it follows a progressive sequence. The seamlessness of the scenes shows rhythm in the editing and the intervals were either minimal or eliminated thereby preserving the momentum on focusing on Michael. The film also makes use of eye-line matches where the audience sees things initially from Don Vito’s perspective, at the beginning and switching to Michael, as it is shown in numerous scenes especially his confrontation with Sollozzo and switches to his wife as shown in the final scene when the door to Michael’s office closes with her looking on which underscored that Michael chose his other â€Å"family† thereby sealing his fate. The baptism scene shows the application of the temporal relationships as it is interspersed with the deaths of rival mafiosi, indicating what was happening at the same time. In conclusion, the use of (continuous) editing helped make the story of The Godfather easy to understand and to appreciate totally as it shows a seamless stringing of scenes that show the rise of Michael Corleone to power. Reference Coppolla, F. F. (Director). (1972). The Godfather [Motion Picture].

African Traditional Literature Essay

Indigenous literature whether oral or written is the cultural heritage of most societies. Unfortunately, African traditional literature overtime has been treated as something inferior to their Western counterparts. But to a large extent, both traditional African literature and their European counterparts have similar socio-artistic values. Both express interest in the events happening in their society because they recognize their role as social barometer, hence, they need to express themselves properly to their audience no matter the language they use. African traditional literature shares a lot with similar literature from other parts of the world. More recent studies have indeed revealed that the old view that rural societies are not capable of producing elegant literature expressing the responses of men in an advanced culture to events around them is no longer tenable. This view was upheld by Westerners who studied traditional African literature with racial prejudice. They believed that African culture was still struggling for elementary problem of existence and was yet to attain the level of civilization that will facilitate the pursuit of literary achievement. But this view was met with a lot of controversial criticisms, as African Scholars began to argue the importance of African traditional literature in the literary world, stressing the fact that traditional literature is not only relevant, but should also be accorded a literary status in the literary world. Their reasons being that African literature perform certain functions in the society; the noticeable variety in the existing genre and; the competent evidence in the elegant use of language exhibited in the cause of performance with the resultant aesthetic effect, and with time, African traditional literature began to be accepted. But it was not wholly accepted by these Europeans. They began to employ their foreign concepts in the critical evaluation of African traditional literature. They believed that Africans do not possess adequate tools for the appraisal and evaluation of their literature. Hence, they began to employ these foreign approaches in the study of African traditional literature.

Breaking Bad Blue Crystal Meth Rock Candy Recipe

Breaking Bad Blue Crystal Meth Rock Candy Recipe Have you ever wondered what AMC used for crystal meth in Breaking Bad? Walts famous blue crystal meth is rock candy, not drugs! Here is a recipe to make your own blue crystal candy, perfect for a Breaking Bad party or snacks while watching the show. Of course, you can make the candy any color, flavor it, or even make it glow under a black light. Blue Crystal Ingredients You only need a few common cooking ingredients for this project: 3-3/4 cups sugar1-1/4 cups light corn syrup1 cup waterblue food coloring (or whatever color you like)1/2 to 1 teaspoon flavoring, such as vanilla, lemon, or cherry flavoring What To Do If you have a candy thermometer, be sure to use it. Otherwise, watch carefully for any darkening or browning of the sugar, which indicates youre getting the mixture too hot. Grease a cookie sheet. You can use butter, shortening, or non-stick spray.Stir the sugar, corn syrup, and water together in a pan over medium heat.Bring the mixture to a boil and continue boiling for 3 minutes.Stir in food coloring and flavoring, if desired.This is the part where the candy thermometer comes in handy. Increase the temperature to 300 Â °F. The goal is to melt the sugar and harden the candy, but not carmelize (brown) it. Once the mixture reaches the temperature, remove the pan from heat.Pour the hot mixture onto the greased cookie sheet. Be very careful! The candy is extremely hot and sticky at this point.Allow the crystals to cool completely. Use a mallet or hammer to break the crystals into pieces.Store your blue crystals in an airtight container, since humidity will make them sticky. To keep the crystals from sticking to each other, you can spritz them with nonstick cooking spray or dust them with powdered sugar. Glowing Blue Crystals If you want blue crystals that glow blue under a black light, replace the water in the recipe with tonic water. The quinine that produces the blue glow has a distinctive flavor, which you may like or may wish to mask with another flavoring. Learn More Breaking Bad ChemistryCrystal Meth FactsGrow Sugar Crystals or Rock CandyMake Maple Syrup CrystalsHoneycomb Bubble Candy Recipe

How Simple Planning Will Keep Your Novel On Track - Freewrite Store

How Simple Planning Will Keep Your Novel On Track - Freewrite Store Today’s guest post is by Zara Altair  (@ZaraAltair), writer of The Argolicus Mysteries set in ancient Italy.  Zara also coaches budding writers to create winning stories as  The Story Bodyguard  from her home near Portland, Oregon. Planning Your Novel Works When most writers get an idea for a new story they want to dive in and get going. If you skip planning, your novel is likely to have bumps, detours, and dead ends. You are likely to spend hours of wasted time that you couldsave by planning first. Planning can help you avoid time consuming mistakes, rewrites, characters taking over and derailing the flow, and get you to the end quickly.    Novelists can streamline story writing with creative planning. First brainstorm scenes, then organize them into a story structure. The Story Brainstorm Planning a story can be creative. You don’t have to construct a rigid outline like the one’s you turned in for school. Correct planning is just a creative as the actual writing but in a different way. You brainstorm as many ideas as possible - scenes, bits of dialogue, action sequences, theMcGuffin, what trips up your protagonist. Any and every idea about the story. The ideasdon’t need to be in logical or in sequential order. At this point you are collecting all the bits and pieces you want in your story. Some writers use 3x 5† index cards.Some use a spreadsheet. Some use writing software  like Scrivener. Or, just list them out in a text document. The key is to brainstorm the story and scene ideas. ​Writers want a story unlike any other. Brainstorming your scenes is a creative way to capture the essence of your story. The ideas go straight from your head into story scenes. Keep adding scenes until you have all the scenes of your story. You can move them around as you add scenes, but don't focus on this too much. The concept is to write as many scenes as you can that will be part of your story. The key to this process is that it is a brainstorming exercise. No judgment. If a scene comes to mind, add it to the list. You'll organize them later. Organize the Bits into a Story Structure Once you’ve collected your story bits and pieces, you can rearrange them into a story sequence. This is where index cards or software with moveable components can be invaluable. You can move your ideas around until you feel you have created your story order. It doesn't matter if you use The Hero's Journey, Save The Cat beats, or any story structure device. Different structures work best for different writers. Get your basic plot points. Here is novelistKristen Kieffer's basic list. Exposition. The necessary character, setting, and background details readers need to understand the context of your novel. (Note: exposition is *not* the beginning of a novel, though most often exposition is revealed during the first few chapters in order to set the scene). Call-To-Action.The moment when the hero is called to leave the ordinary world to take part in an otherworldly adventure. Usually found in fantasy and science fiction novels. Rising Action. The series of events leading up to the climax of the story. Crises. Peaks in tension or conflict that occur throughout the rising action of the novel. Climax. The most intense crisis found in the narrative though notnecessarilythe final crisis. Falling Action. The series of events after the climax of the story where questions are answered and any remaining crises occur and are resolved. Resolution.The final moments of a novel where any remaining threads of tension are resolved and a new reality is established. Now you can place your scenes in story order, according to your chosen plot structure. Use a cork board, software, or a document to order your scenes. Some writers enjoy the tactile sensation ofphysicallymoving cards while others like the convenience of software or even text documents eliminating the need to transfer handwritten notes into typed text. It doesn’t matter which tools you use. It’s the process that will help you with your novel. Story Structure: The Container for Your Scenes At this stage two things can happen: You find you have scenes missing to complete the full story structure Scenes on your list don't seem to fit in the story structure ​Now it's time to refine your structure. If important scenes are missing you can add them to complete the full cycle of your plot. This part of the process helps you make sure the entire storyline is complete. Take a look at those scenes that don't fit in the story structure. If you don't find a place for the scenes to move the story forward, it's time to let them go. You can save them for another story if they are too precious to throw away. Rewards of Brainstorming and Structure With the scenes in line with the structure, it's time to write. The immense benefit of brainstorming the scenes is that you already know what happens. You don't have to stall wondering what comes next. You've already envisioned the scene. And, you have already envisioned the story fromstart tofinish. Once you have completed the brainstorm and structure, you’ll find may benefits to taking the time to plan your novel. Write Faster As you write, you won’t wonder what comes next. You’ll be using your creativity and writing skills to write the best scene to move the story forward. Your scenes will flow because you already know not only the basic elements of the scene but also where the scene fits in the story. You can incorporate foreshadowing without using a heavy hand. Save Time Because you are writing faster and know where you are going with the story, your novel will flow without wondering what comes next or how to follow-up on a scene later on. Eliminate Rewrites If you have done your work thinking through the story elements and the structure, you won’t toss scenes or entire chapters because the story shifted while you were writing. The time you spend at thebeginning creating and organizing your scenes, will keep you on track with your story. No Writing Yourself Into a Corner Without a plan, many beginning writers find that characters take over and lead the story off in an unforeseen direction. Then, off track theyare unable to take back control and find themselves in a â€Å"story corner.† The brainstorm and organize process shuts the door on story wandering. You Stay in the Story Flow Because you know the overall story, youare always headed toward the story end as you write. You have already tested each scene for how it fits in the overall story plan. Your only job when you are writing is to make the scene come alive. Scenes as Building Blocks Every scene is a building block for your novel. The brainstorm and structure process eliminates unnecessary scenes before youspend time writing them. You have already calculated which scenes fit inside the story structure and how they build the story within the sequence. Planning is the Key to Story Ease Simple planning eliminates many novel writing frustrations. Novel writers who use this simple technique find they are closer to their story the moment theybegin writing. They discovered plot holes and completed the story structure before writing. They save time by eliminating unnecessary scenes, conquer character derailment, and keep themselves from discouraging rewrites before they write. This simple planning process builds your story creation creativity. Every story has been told. Planning helps you create the story that is truly yours. Writers who use simple planning find their stories flow as they write scenes. They get to a satisfying conclusion and they finish the novel.    How do you plan your writing? Let us know in the comments!    Zara Altair  (@ZaraAltair) writes The Argolicus Mysteries set in ancient Italy featuring patrician Argolicus and his lifelong tutor, Nikolaos: The Used Virgin, The Peach Widow, and The Roman Heir. She writes for the web as a semantic copywriter and is working on a book for writers: SEO for Authors.  Zara also coaches budding writers to create winning stories as The Story Bodyguard from her home near Portland, Oregon.