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The 5 Year Journal
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Scribble Articles
EDITING SECRETS
by Laura Backes, Publisher, Children's Book
Insider, the Newsletter for Children's Writers
Once you've plotted out your book, developed the characters and written
the last word of text, the real work begins. As busy editors are
bombarded with hundreds or even thousands of submissions a year, it's
more important than ever that authors apply their own editing skills to
their manuscripts before putting them in the mail. Checking your basic
grammar and spelling are of course important, but authors need to go
beyond surface editing if their work has a chance of catching an
editor's eye.
* Trim, tighten, hack away. First, second and even third drafts
of manuscripts are almost always laden with extra words and scenes. Take
a break from your book and then read it through with a fresh eye. Write
down your theme in one sentence (what the book is about, such as working
through shyness on the first day of school or showing how Thomas
Edison's childhood experiences influenced his adult life). The plot (or
progression of facts and events in nonfiction) is your vehicle for
conveying the theme to the reader. Ask yourself if each character and
scene advance the plot toward communicating this theme. And decide at
the beginning that you will give up your precious words and
finely-crafted scenes for the betterment of the book. Pithy dialogue may
be fun to read, but if it pushes your story off track, it's just a
literary dead end. Take the publishers' suggested word limits seriously:
no, you don't really need 3000 words to tell your picture book story
about Freddy the Frog's adventures in the Big Pond.
* The elements of speech. Well-crafted dialogue can be a writer's
most important tool. Dialogue is not just there to break up the
paragraphs or show that your characters know how to talk; ideally, it
adds to character development, moves the plot along and replaces
sections of narrative. Each character should sound like himself, with
speech patterns and phrasing that are unique. This is especially true
with talking animal books. I see many of these manuscripts where, if I
took away the words that identify the speakers, each character would
sound exactly the same. Don't have dialogue repeat the narrative and
vice versa; "Did you hear that? Someone's at the door!" does
not have to be preceded by "They heard a sound at the door".
* Show don't tell. How many times have you heard this? It's still
true. Comb through your manuscript for sentences that tell the reader
how a character felt (Sara was sad) and replace with sensory
descriptions (Hot tears sprang to Sara's eyes and rolled down her
cheeks.) Avoid telling the reader what to think about the story (Jason
foolishly decided to trust Mike one more time.) Instead, present your
character's actions and decisions to the reader, and let the reader draw
his or her own conclusions (incidentally, this is how you
"teach" without preaching).
* Wipe out passive writing. Search for verbs preceded by
"would" (would go, would sleep, would eat) replace with the
past tense (went, slept, ate). Also look for actions that seem to happen
out of thin air. "The door was opened" is passive, because the
sentence lacks a "doer". Remember, the reader needs to
visualize what's happening in the story. "The wind blew the door
open" is better, because the action can be attributed to something,
and it puts the most important element (strong wind) at the beginning of
the sentence. Simply rearranging the words ("The door blew open
from the wind") puts emphasis on a door that won't stay closed,
making that the subject of the sentence.
* Be precise. One of the best ways to make your writing come
alive for the reader is to use exact nouns, verbs, adjectives and
adverbs. One well-chosen word is always better than three vague ones.
Adjectives like big, little, cold, hot, beautiful, scary and silly;
adverbs such as quickly, slowly, loudly, and softly; and general verbs
like walk, went, stayed and ate don't draw a vivid picture for your
reader. Of course, sometimes these words are appropriate, but try as a
rule choosing words that describe specifically what you want to
communicate. Words that sound and look interesting are also a plus.
Tremendous, tiny, frigid, scorching, plodded, sauntered and gulped are
more fun to read, and they each lend an emotional overtone to the
sentence (if your character gulps his food, you don't have to tell the
reader he's in a hurry).
And finally, make sure there's a logical cause and effect relationship
between the scenes of your book. Each event should build upon the ones
that came before. The plot should spring intrinsically from your
characters; nonfiction should unfold because of the nature of your
subject and your slant on the material. It's when everything comes
seamlessly together that you have a winning book. Make it look easy, but
don't skimp on all the hard work it takes to get there.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Laura Backes is the publisher of Children's Book Insider, the
Newsletter for Children's Writers. For more information about
writing children's books, including free articles, market tips,
insider secrets and much more, visit Children's Book Insider's
home on the web at http://write4kids.com
Copyright 2001, Children's Book Insider, LLC
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STARTING A
SENTENCE WITH THE GERUND
by Laraine Anne Barker
The gerund refers to verbs ending in -ing. Starting your sentence
with the gerund can bring about some startling results.
Examples
* Bending down, she laced up her shoes, grabbed her keys from the table
and raced from the room and down the stairs. That's an
amazing number of things to be able to do while bending down! Think
about it.
*Slamming the car door, he locked it and hurried into the house.
This is not as exaggerated as the first sentence, but the fact
remains that nobody can lock a car door, let alone hurry into a house,
while still closing the car door.
I don't think you need any more samples--though you could always look
at other examples on http://lbarker.orcon.net.nz/hangingparticiple.html
where use of the gerund to start sentences brought about hanging
participles. Then start searching your manuscript for sentences that
start with the gerund and (preferably) rewrite them to avoid it. As an example,
a rewrite of my samples could read:
She bent down, laced up her shoes, grabbed her keys from the table and
raced from the room and down the stairs.
AND
He slammed the car door, locked it and hurried into the house.
I'd like to point out, though, that detailing every move your character
makes (as I've done in these examples) is boring. Don't do it too
often. Preferably do it only when such actions prove more important than
they seem.
For further writing tips, see other links on my Site Map at http://lbarker.orcon.net.nz/sitemap.html.
© L A Barker Enterprises.
Laraine Anne Barker writes fantasy for young people. Visit her web site,
Fantasy for Children & Young Adults, at http://lbarker.orcon.net.nz
for FREE stories and novel excerpts. Sign up for the NOVELLA OF THE
MONTH CLUB, absolutely FREE! |
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The Three Biggest Mistakes Made
By Fiction Writers
Magdalena Ball
Even highly celebrated authors do it. While most
writers are fairly clear on the importance of plot, there are other
writing skills such as a strong narrative voice, good deep
characterisation, and relevant, subtle scenery description which set a
work of fiction apart, rendering it literary or great . In my work as a
reader for a small publishing house, I have seen these errors in nearly
every manuscript which has come across my desk. Sometimes there
are minor instances of them, and sometimes they are major enough to make
the manuscript unreadable. Popular and well respected authors like
Grisham, Kureishi, and DeLillo have all been guilty of these common
errors, which will almost always render a work of fiction amateurish and
shallow. No amount of exciting plot or poetic description of the
surrounding environment will make up for it. Following is a list
of the three most common, and most damaging, fiction writing errors.
Forewarned is forearmed. Just don't forget that the best way to avoid
these errors is to read lots of writers who have excellent command over
their narrative voice, characterisation, and scenery description.
Authors like Margaret Atwood, Julian Barnes, and Peter Carey are modern
masters. Extensive reading of good quality literature can help
develop that subtle ear for what works and what doesn't. In the
meantime, the following tips are a good starting point.
Patchy or uncertain narrative voice
The narrative voice is critical to any work of fiction,
and it is probably one of the most overlooked areas of focus for new
writers. Vague narrators, uncertain tense, and an unclear voice are all
the result of poor narration. A great writer will have total
control over their narrative, the voice which guides the reader through
the story. The easiest way to ensure you have a clear narrative
voice is to write in the first person. Then your narrator is an
obvious character, and you have only to manage that characterisation to
have a clear narrative. However, first person is not appropriate
for all fiction, and it has its limitations, since you are tied up in a
single perspective. For third person narratives, the key point is
to ensure that the narrator is actually defined as clearly as any other
character, regardless of how visible or invisible you want that narrator
to be. Any straying from the main narrative voice or mistake in
consistency can be a disaster.
A good narrative voice is generally consistent, and
doesn't switch from first ("I"), to second ("you")
to third ("he or she") person, unless the author is doing it
quite deliberately, and it takes great skill to pull off switching
narration. In most cases, switching person spells the death of a
story. More subtle, but equally important is the need to keep the
narrative viewpoint consistent. It can be hard work to develop a
single viewpoint, and using multiple viewpoints can be very complex,
with the need for careful, well crafted breaks between viewpoints and a
really clear, plot oriented reason for doing so. The reader must have a
good sense of the narrative voice - why it sees things the way it does,
whose perspective it is taking.
Poor characterisation
Characterisation is related to narrative voice, as the
narrator is generally a character too, and if he or she is unclear or
shallow, then most of the other characters will also be. While
most writers understand the importance and concept of characterisation,
and it is not as subtle as skill as the narrative voice, modern
bestsellers and genre writing still tend to be plot, rather than
character driven, especially in our world of fast paced, instantly
gratifying television and film. Clichéd, superficial characters
are the mark of a poor writer. A great character can save a basic
plot, but no amount of action will make up for unbelievable or overly
basic characters. A good character has the same kind of depth,
complexity, and believability as an interesting person. The reader
wants to know more about them; to spend time with them; to imagine their
lives beyond the boundaries of your story or book. There are a
number of books written about creating good characters (see References
below). However, the basics of characterisation are as follows:
Ensure that your reader cares about the characters.
Solid characters are not enough - they have to inspire strong feeling.
Good characters are complex. A reader's response to them shouldn't
be entirely simplistic either. This means they grapple with the
same things real people grapple with - morality, the meaning of life,
love, death, time management, etc. No one is purely good or purely
evil. The most unlovable protagonist must still have something to
make them interesting to the reader, and believable. Clichéd,
cardboard cutouts will ruin the best plot. Clichéd traits. for
example. All characters must count - must be related to the meaning and
narrative of the story. Avoid extraneous characters - who
appear and disappear without relevance to the plot. Characters
should sit at the heart of any story. This means beginning, and
continuing with characterisation throughout the entire story. Avoid
contrived description. Characterisation should be woven into the
plot.
Over abundance of scenery description
This comes directly from writing class, where new writers
are taught to describe everything in great detail. Good
descriptive writing is an excellent skill, however, it can be overused
to the detriment of a piece of fiction, especially when combined with
poor characterisation. An abundance of natural scenery unrelated to the
characters will seem gratuitous and amateurish. Gorgeous scenery
is not an error in itself. Descriptive writing can be powerful,
creating the setting and backdrop for the work, and providing some very
moving passages. However, purely purple prose tends to be glossed
over by readers, as an attempt at writing prettily rather than writing
meaningfully. Every single piece of description must have some
relevance to either the character development or the plot.
Summary
Of course it takes more than a good narrator, good
characters, and good, subtle scenery description to make a good piece of
fiction, but these three areas will set a great piece of work apart from
a mediocre one. The most common error is patchy narrative voice,
and all writers should approach this area with some thought and caution,
since it is much less well taught in writing classes than techniques
like plot development, and characterisation. Once again, the best
way of avoiding these errors is to read good literature, noting always
the narrator, the character development, and the subtle relationship
between scenery and character, setting and plot.
References/For more information
Narrative Voice
http://landow.stg.brown.edu/victorian/art/crisis/crisis4a.html
Paradigm, Point of View, and Narrative Distance in Verbal and Visual
Arts by George P Landow, Professor of English and Art History, Brown
University
http://english.tyler.cc.tx.us/engl2307nbyr/narrativepov.htm
A very clear and basic guide to the different narrative voices, from
Candace Schaefer
http://www.irasov.com/narrative_voice.htm
Yuri Rasocsky's humorous dialogue on the topic of narrative voice
http://mnmn.essortment.com/flanneryoconno_rqkk.htm
Using Flannery O'Connor's "A Good Man Is Hard To Find",
this article analyses a variety of narrative techniques
http://www.qcc.mass.edu/booth/102/ptview/index.htm
A slide show by Sheila Booth of at QCC Mass - including a complete
overview of the narrative voice.
http://courses.nus.edu.sg/course/ellibst/PowerPoint/Lect11/sld019.htm
Point of view in narrative fiction slide show from National University
of Singapore,
Characterization
http://www.sfwa.org/members/Crispin/ACC_Characters.html
The Key to Making You Characters Believable by A.C Crispin
http://ut.essortment.com/characterswriti_rxgl.htm
Creating fictional characters by Pagewise
Scenic Description
http://www.eclectics.com/articles/setting.html
Lori Handeland's article on Setting
http://tntn.essortment.com/writingfiction_rcck.htm
Creating the perfect setting for writing fiction By Chrystal McCoy
General Guides
Noah Lukeman, The First Five Pages, Simon &
Schuster, 2000
Strunk & White, The Elements of Style, Macmillan, 1979
Christopher T Leland, The Art of Compelling Fiction, Writers Digest,
2000
------------------------------
About the author: Magdalena Ball is content manager
for http://www.compulsivereader.com
The Compulsive Reader, http://www.suite101.com/welcome.cfm/10111
Australian Literature Reviews, and is the author of http://www.compulsivereader.com/report1001.html
THE ART OF ASSESSMENT: How to Review Anything. She has a regular
review spot on 5UV radio, and her fiction, poetry and essays have
appeared in a wide range of on-line and print publications. |
WRITE THAT
FIRST DRAFT FIRST...THEN GET PUBLISHED!
by Shery Ma Belle Arrieta
mailto:publisher@ewritersplace.com
Anne Lamott wasn't so subtle about what she thought of first drafts in
her book, Bird by Bird. In fact, she started off by writing, "Now,
practically even better news than that of short assignments is the idea
of sh**** first drafts. All good writers write them. This is how they
end up with good second drafts and terrific third drafts."
I agree with her. First drafts are the roughest, and well, ugliest
drafts. It's a common mistake of beginning writers, as well as seasoned
ones, to expect themselves to produce shiny, perfect very polished and
publishable first drafts. What these writers don't know is that these
ugly and every-editor's-nightmare first drafts can provide them with the
opportunity to explore every angle, every slant, and every idea for an
article or a work.
WRITE DOWN EVERYTHING! Well, at least try to write all of them
down. This is the stage where you don't let the memories of your English
professors get in the way of writing. When you start with your first (or
rough) draft, you have the prerogative to hurl those boring English and
grammar rules out the window. Don't worry, you'll pick them up later.
STEW FOR A WHILE! After you get all your ideas down on paper,
leave them. And I mean it! Don't even try touching them until a
sufficient amount of time has lapsed. Give it a day or two. Let it stew
on your desk. Go to your dentist, get a manicure, or write other stuff,
but don't, for your muse's sake, get your hands on your first draft just
yet!
GET LETHAL WITH THAT RED MARKER! The next day is the time you can
brandish your most lethal weapon - your red (or any color you prefer)
marker. Take out your terrible (and you will realize that it is
terrible!) first draft and start crossing out ideas and sentences you
don't need.
ON TO A GOOD SECOND DRAFT! Remember the English and grammar rules
you threw out the window the day before? Now's the time to pick them up.
You need them now. Go over the remains of your first draft. You probably
can't help wincing as you go along and start editing your work, joining
fragments, making the verbs and the subjects agree with each other,
correcting your spelling and finding that sentence or paragraph to lead
your article or story. Firm up your second draft. You will find that
it's a lot leaner and better than your terrible first draft.
GO AHEAD, GO FOR THE KILL! With an already better and
much-improved second draft, why stop when you can make it even better
and more polished? Like what Lamott wrote, go over your third draft as
if you're a dentist looking for cavities, flossing every tooth and
treating bad breath. Your third draft hopefully is your final and best
draft.
ASSIMILATE, ASSIMILATE! Lamott wrote, "The first draft is
the child's draft, where you let it all pour out and then let it romp
all over the place, knowing that no one is going to see it and that you
can shape it later." Let your ideas flow the first time you sit
down to write that article or story! It's only when you write those
terrible first drafts will you be able to produce really, really great
stories! Then you can get them published!
Copyright © 2001 Shery Ma Belle Arrieta
mailto:publisher@ewritersplace.com
============================================================
ABOUT Shery: Shery is the author of the exciting new
series of ebooks, SEEDS: Ideas for the Everyday (Non-Fiction) Writer. If
you think you need inspiration to write, think again! The ebooks in the
SEEDS Series will keep you writing *every day* -- all year round! -- and
you don't even have to be inspired! Visit http://www.seedsforwriters.com
today and find out how you can get BIG discounts on the SEEDS ebooks! |
DON'T MAKE CHARACTERS DO IMPOSSIBLE THINGS WITH THEIR EYES
by Laraine Anne Barker
I'm sure you've read sentences like the following:
She dropped her eyes to the floor.
(Whoops! Hope they didn't get broken. But why remove them from their sockets in the first place?)
* I raised my eyes to the ceiling.
(Hey, eyes, I've changed my mind. Come back down! I can't see without you.)
* His eyes bored into mine.
(Excruciating for me; probably not much better for him.)
* He cast his eyes over the water.
(All right! All right! No more smart aleck comments. I promise!)
* Her eyes fell from his.
* He screwed up his eyes.
* Her eyes fell on something half-hidden ...
* Her eyes clung to his.
* His eyes were riveted on ...
* Her eyes followed him.
* She tore her eyes from his (or from anything else).
Well, I think you got the point long before you came to the end of those samples. At one time writers could get away with something that creates strange images in a reader's mind if taken literally. However, these days most editors don't like characters doing impossible things with their eyes and expect writers to mean EXACTLY what they write. So go through your manuscript for the word "eyes" and make sure you haven't written anything similar to the above. You might think it doesn't matter--you've seen things like this so many times in published books that it must be all right--but to an eagle-eyed editor it looks dated at best, amateurish at worst. Besides, you don't want your writing to be anything less than the best, do you?
Characters can also be made to do weird or impossible things with other parts of their anatomy:
Amy took her head out of the oven. (Anyone for roast human head? Oh, sorry; Amy was actually CLEANING the oven?)
Jeremy crossed his left leg over his right and planted both feet firmly together. (Perhaps Jeremy is supposed to be an incredibly supple acrobat.)
Here's another sentence structure that creates weird images in a reader's mind:
He had an older sister who wore weird clothes, a shiny new bicycle and a large hairy dog.
Any updates to this article will appear on http://lbarker.orcon.net.nz/eyes.html
© L A Barker Enterprises.
Laraine Anne Barker writes fantasy for young people. Visit her web site at http://lbarker.orcon.net.nz Fantasy for Children & Young Adults for FREE stories and novel excerpts. Sign up for the NOVELLA OF THE MONTH CLUB, absolutely FREE! |
Grammatical Mistakes DON'T Sell
by Alexandria K. Brown, "The E-zine Queen"
When you receive a sales letter with typos or grammar mistakes in it, do you take it seriously? Probably
not. As soon as I see a few eighth-grade English blunders in any marketing effort, I quickly decide the
author's product or service is not deserving of my time.
E-mail is so quick and easy to write and send, that we don't give it the same attention as we would a
printed letter. It's VERY important to make sure any communication you send to clients, customers, and
prospects represents you only in the best light.
Now, if good grammar isn't your strength, no worries! I write and edit for a living, so this stuff is my bag. My point is that you
should *check and double-check* all communications you send out, or you risk blowing your credibility.
Here are the five most common (and embarrassing) grammar mistakes I see in sales letters every day. And they're all for words that sound
alike, as you'll see.
1. IT'S AND ITS
it's - contraction for "it is."
"It's really beautiful outside today."
its - possessive, something belongs to "it."
"Our company credits its new CEO for this year's successes."
TIP: One of my grade school teachers taught me to remember that an "it" can't own anything, so it doesn't deserve an apostrophe as
the possessive.
2. AFFECT and EFFECT
affect - to influence (always a VERB)
"Your tardiness has affected the whole team!"
effect - to bring about or execute (VERB), result (NOUN)
"We'd like to effect this policy immediately." (verb)
"Those legwarmers definitely lend your outfit an '80s effect." (noun)
TIP: I relate the "a" in "affect" to the "a" in "action."
3. WHO'S and WHOSE
who's - contraction for "who is"
"Jeff's the guy who's giving us a ride."
whose - the possessive of "who." Something belongs to someone.
"Whose notes are these?"
TIP: Again, you're only using the apostrophe with the *contraction*
(like in "it's").
4. YOU'RE and YOUR
you're - contraction for "you are"
"You're really asking for a raise?"
your - the possessive of "you." Something belongs to someone.
"Mrs. Henley, your dog is digging in our yard again."
TIP: And yet again, you're only using the apostrophe with the *contraction* (like in "it's").
5. THERE, THEIR, AND THEY'RE
there - use this spelling when you're talking about a place (literal
or figurative).
"Sit over there." "Stop right there." "I absolutely agree with you
there."
their - the possessive of "they." Something belongs to them.
"She thinks the Joneses are so cool because of their new BMW."
they're - contraction for "they are"
"They're ready to quit their corporate jobs and go retire in Maine."
TIP: And, once more folks, you're only using the apostrophe with the
*contraction.* (See the pattern here?)
Okay, Got All That? : )
Now, if you can't memorize all these right away, don't worry! The idea is to realize what you DON'T know well, and have the sense to
look it up when you're not sure.
In fact, why not print this e-mail and keep it handy?
Have a great weekend!
© 2001 Alexandria K. Brown
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Writer and consultant Alexandria Brown's FREE biweekly e-zine will help YOU write compelling Web,
brochure, and e-zine/newsletter copy to attract new clients, build customer relationships, and increase
sales. Subscribe today at http://www.akbwriting.com
or via AKBMarCom-On@lists.webvalence.com |
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Learning to
Question your Elephant Child: Who, What, Where, When and Why
By Stephen E. Jordan, II
Having problems writing? I don't know why. San Francisco Chronicle
columnist Jon Carroll writes up to five columns a week. After all, if he
can write five columns, you should be able to write a five-lined poem-but
that does not seem to be the case.
How does he do it? Carroll claimed to recite lines from Rudyard Kipling's
"The Elephant Child":
I have six humble serving men
They taught me all I knew
Their names are what
And where and when
And why and how and who.
I'm more than sure that two incentives for Jon Carroll are 1.) Creating
deadlines and 2.) His salary! Yes, we writers DO get paid every now and
then!
Basing my philosophies on those few lines of Kipling's "The Elephant
Child", my advice is to "Simply Ask Questions". Rummage through some old
work (whether it be poetry, nonfiction, or fiction) that you've written
and use the following techniques to enhance your skills. And, then, ask
yourself the follow questions.
WHAT is the underlying theme?
Try to come up with a single-word or phrase to describe your story.
Perhaps one reason your story has not been effective in the past is that
you have too many intertwining stories. This, in turn, can cause confusion
for the reader. So, ask yourself, "What is my story about?" And, give
yourself answers such as: Desolation, Lost Hope, Self-Confidence, Racism,
Attained Dreams, etc. If you can KISS (keep it simple stupid), then your
readers won't MISS your point.
As practice, read some of the great contemporary writers and ask yourself
the same question-"What is the underlying theme?" Describe the book in one
word or one phrase, instead of using a high school book-report technique.
WHERE does your story or poem take place?
Knowing the setting can allow you to be a bit more
descriptive with your work. Does your poem or prose take place in Alaska?
Florida? China? Yugoslavia? Hawaii? Kentucky? Each of these places is,
perhaps, equal opposites of the next. To know your setting you have two
choices-- 1.) Be a good researcher; collect pictures and read as much as
you can about the location, or 2.) Take a road trip! Nothing can be
grander than to spend your weekend visiting unknown territories.
WHEN did the events take place in which you are writing?
If you're doing factual reporting-this is especially
a MUST-DO. For instance, if you read a news article a reader wants to know
when Ms. Johnson's house was burglarized. Did it happen June 20, 2001?
June 20, 1984? Did the events take place when it was winter with ten
inches of snow? Or, better still, did the events take place at Virginia
Beach mid-August?
WHY did the events take place?
Is there a conflict within your character? A lot of
times character's (and real people too) have problems only because their
conscious is "eating them away". Is this the case? If so, why does your
character feel so guilty that he made such decisions? Perhaps the events
that take place are only cause-effect. Most always people cause their own
mental downfall and breakdown. Always know why your characters complete
every task and why the events take place.
How did the events happen?
Too often people will say, "I had a car wreck today…"
But, do they leave it at that? No, no, no. You must always tell how the
events happened. Were you driving in the incorrect lane, but still feel
it's not your fault? Did you skid uncontrollably on a patch of ice? Maybe,
you wanted to avoid the slow-moving tortoise that crossed your lane? If
other characters are involved, it's important to get their perspective in
dialogue. Maybe they feel the events happened differently.
Who did the events happen to?
Who your events happen to is one of the main focuses.
You have to choose your characters carefully. Why? Well, it would change a
story completely if you wrote of a 68-year old cheerleader. Your work
would be a different story if the character were an autistic adult. How
would the events change if, let's say, the main character was indeed the
Elephant Child, child of the deceased Elephant Man? Be creative with your
characters and allow their personalities to work well for you when
creating your piece.
Sometimes writers can use techniques that allow them to disregard some of
these steps. Oh, Really? -You question. Yes. For instance, a writer may
know the intentions of a character, a location-but you may not want to put
it in print. My suggestion is that you KNOW all the answers to the above
questions to make the work have more substance. By knowing all the answers
you can create images, people, and scenarios by using symbols and customs
of a particular area.
Stephen E. Jordan,
II is Editor/Publisher of OutStretch Publications; Financial Editor in
Manhattan; and Poet. Article is available for reprint. Please notify the
author. Copyright © 2001.
www.OutStretch.net,
Editor@OutStretch.net |
|
Submit: The Submission of a
Writer
By Misty Freeman
The day is half over and my children are playing
quietly in their rooms, I return to my half written query letter. It looms
ominously from my computer screen. Desperately I search for the perfect
words but nothing comes to me. I sigh and lean away from the terminal. I
accept the fact that sometimes, mommies lack the enthusiasm to
concentrate, or rather have the ability to do so for extended periods.
I ponder the actual percentage of my time spent
simply composing queries. I realize it is a never-ending process. Although
I am aware of its importance, it doesn't change the fact that I still find
it boring and repetitive. I assume it remains the one distasteful item on
the itinerary for a writer's day or week. Still, being aware of all the
negativity writing them brings, the query letter is a writers' foundation.
It is the link to acceptance or rejection. It presents us the opportunity
to introduce an idea, one that might go unprepared otherwise. The involved
wording has to be impeccably untarnished and the dressing must be
spotlessly correct in grammar. Why so perfect? That is a question I use to
only casually consider until the true nature concerning the preparation of
a query letter dawned on me.
It is not only a basic introduction of the article I
intend to write, it is the only chance I may have of presenting my work to
that specific editor. Once I came to that understanding I found myself
better prepared when approaching the market for that initial contact.
Realizing that, I developed a strategy to go about it. Submit is a common
word in a writer’s vocabulary I have utilized it in the following way.
Each letter of the word stands for a viewpoint to use when writing queries
or the actual article.
S: Study the publication thoroughly. Don't let
the excitement of writing misguide your initial investigative process. You
must understand the magazine layout and tone perfectly before submitting
anything
U: Understand the editorial needs at the
present time and your own article idea. Make sure you have a thorough
comprehension of what you are going to be writing about Editors like to
work with writers who are very familiar with the material they are
presenting.
B: Be bold and expressive in your wording. You
want to make a lasting impression. They want to see unique angles and
fresh ideas. Accentuate your personal style here.
M: Stay motivated. This is an obvious point in
any writer's life. You can't let rejection get you down. Rejection is
common in the writing world.
I: Intrigue the editor with the idea of
accepting your piece. Use intelligent sentencing throughout your query so
that they will interpret your writing style as one that is professional.
Make it draw a picture in their minds that would allow them to see it as
an asset to their publication.
T: Trust and have faith in your writing
ability. Don't berate yourself for past mistakes or misspellings in prior
article submissions. Stay focused. Trust that you can do it and succeed.
Inspire yourself by writing everyday and trying to write better than the
day before that.
Keep these strategies in mind every time you sit down
to compile your query. Good presentation is a plus and the more you work
on it the better you will become. The world wasn't made overnight, right?
Perseverance and dedication are what it takes to become the best writer
you can be.
Misty Freeman - I have to say my life
is a very blessed one. I am the mother to three children now, I had four
but my first baby passed away almost 11 years ago now. She is an ever
present image in our hearts and minds. Me and my husband have faced
numerous crisis and have always surpassed them all and stayed on our feet.
I am thankful to god for that. Also I am pleased that I was gifted with
the ability to write and touch peoples lives through my words. It takes
perseverance and faith in oneself to follow the path of writing but it is
very worth it. Although I know I can't change the world all on my own, I
hope with my published works; I can reach out and enhance and improve upon
what is here now. Thank you for reading my work and I hope you will visit
my website as well at: http://www.webmultirace.com |
Write Where You
Live for Local, Regional and National Sales
by Cheryl Paquin
Looking for fresh ideas? Apply the five "W's" of journalism: Who, What,
Why and When to Where you live -- you'll find topics with local, regional
and national publication potential. Before you say, "Oh, where I live is
boring," I'll take you on a tour of MY town.
WHERE?I'm in a town with a 20,000 population in southeast
Minnesota --lots of farmers and conservative opinion -- but there's plenty
to write about
WHO?
Who's unique? When I read Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer
Within by Natalie Goldberg, I was surprised to find my town mentioned.
The author wrote here - traveling from Twin Cities - specifically to write
in a coffee shop. I began visiting that restaurant, too, "doing a
Goldberg." Sitting where she sat, I discovered some interesting facts
about the store. It sold hand-made chocolates and had been owned by the
same couple for 43-years, and by the couple's uncle for some 25 years
prior - producing the chocolates in the back of the store all that time.
The result of my coffee habit? I sold an inspirational essay about writing
where Goldberg wrote to an online market and a front-page feature about
the store to the newspaper for Easter. A snippet about the chocolates for
a regional glossy made enough money to pay for the coffee AND the
chocolates.
WHAT?
Back to the tour! What's interesting? On the outskirts of town, there's
elk farms and a farmer raising highland cattle, an unusual sight in this
area. I wrote Sunday front-page features for the local newspaper on both
with photos (great clips), and there are opportunities for wider sales.
Velvet Antler is approved by the FDA as an arthritis remedy; and the meat
is lower in fat and cholesterol, as is highland beef. Possibilities for
reselling and reslanting articles include human-interest agricultural
stories and how-to; and senior and health publications. One farmer
mentioned his dog benefited from Antler, which a veterinarian verified - a
possible query for a pet magazine.
WHEN?
Local history has regional and national opportunities, when you look
at what's original in your town. Here, it's the Wells Fargo Bank designed
by Louis Sullivan. Built at the turn of the century -- it resembles a
treasure-chest. As a historical landmark, there are opportunities for
architecture and historical-society publication sales. But there's also
interest for business markets; such as doing business in today's society
in a historical building. How do you refurbish to make way for new
technology, and implement code for the handicapped?
WHY?
Who's doing what and why? The newspaper reported recently that a
manufacturing company built a lactation room to address the needs of
nursing mothers. My question was "Why?" Are there more nursing mothers in
the workforce demanding such a facility, what benefits did the company
expect to gain from providing it, and what was the costs of providing such
a facility? At the same time, the hospital board reported the hospital
would no longer distribute samples and gifts from baby formula companies
to new mothers. The answers to why are the basis for articles about the
changing needs of mothers in rural areas for a regional parenting
publication; and for a piece on costs and benefits of a lactation facility
for a manufacturing publication.
So there's a brief tour of where I live, now go for a drive or walk around
your town. You may not find chocolate, cattle or treasure chests on your
travels - but you're sure find ideas. Just remember to take a notebook!
(c) 2002, Cheryl Paquin
---------------------------------------------------------------
C.S. Paquin is a nationally published writer in both the business and
humor markets. Cheryl has a Master Of Arts in Journalism and has been
writing freelance for over five years and contributes
regularly to publications in Minnesota. She is editor of
www.WritersLounge.com, and
author of a new e-book: 101 Paying Markets for Essays, Columns & Creative
Nonfiction, available at:
http://writerslounge.com/101_markets.html |
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