Categories
Dear Young Scribes

Tips for Surviving the 6 Seasons of a Writer’s Life

If you’ve been in the industry long enough then you probably know by now that the writer’s life is unpredictable, and your path will never look identical to that of another writer’s.

 

Writing is like no other profession. There doesn’t seem to be a typical day’s work because our daily work shifts as the seasons change.

 

Although there are surprises—both good and bad—along the path to publication, the writer’s life can be categorized into 6 seasons…

 

  1. Writing Season. 

 

Tips for survival:

 

Stock up on writing fuel! This may include chocolate, herbal tea, sunflower seeds, trail mix, coffee, etc. Also, when you’re deep into writing, it can often become easy to ignore the outside world. Yet if you want to lead a healthy lifestyle then it’s important to stay balanced. Prioritize your responsibilities. Join a writer’s group for feedback and fellowship. Keep God and family first. Make time for socialization and relaxation. Most importantly, seek God before every writing session and watch to see how the Holy Spirit helps you churn out those words.

 

  1. Submission Season.

 

Tips for survival:

 

Prepare yourself for rejection. Keep a strong backbone for criticism, and allow the criticism to make you into a better writer. Seek support from friends and family members when you start to have writing doubts and are tempted to give up. Write down your writing career vision and greatest dream on a post-it note and stick it on your desk. Keep a running list of encouragement you receive on your writing, whether it’s from those you love, members of your writer’s group, or a writing professional. Take this list out every time you feel beaten down by rejections and critiques.

 

  1. Waiting Season.

 

Tips for survival:

 

Prayer! Waiting seasons are the best opportunity to seek God’s will for your writing career, to ask Him to open the doors that need to be open and close the doors that need to be closed. Only He knows the paths you should take. Pray that others will be touched by your words and that you’ll have the patience to wait on His timing. Trust that He’s in control of your writing dream. Meanwhile, don’t hesitate to start working on your next project!

 

  1. Celebration Season.

 

Tips for survival:

 

Of course, it’s not difficult to survive during a time of celebration! 😉 This is the high point of the writing career—when you receive a contract from an agent or publisher. Take advantage of it! When you reach this season, reward yourself for your hard work. You deserve it! Go to your favorite coffee shop or restaurant. Take time to relax and watch your favorite movie. Meanwhile, keep a good head on your shoulders by staying humble. Make sure God receives the glory He deserves for opening this door. Involve Him in on the process; He wants to celebrate with you, too!

 

  1. Editing Season.

 

Tips for survival:

 

It can be tough to overhaul your manuscript to meet the needs of an agent or publisher. However, it’s important to remember that they’re the professionals in this industry. They ultimately know what sells. During this editing process, keep the big picture in mind: Your book isn’t getting ruined during surgery; instead, it’s getting better and stronger. It’ll improve. During this process, detach your heart from the project—as hard as it might be—and try to view it under a critical eye. Sure, it might seem a bit messy during the surgery. But what surgery isn’t messy? It may seem like it’s been ripped to shreds, but rest assured, it will be put back together again. The end result will be worth the pain and torture, and ultimately the manuscript will look much better than it did before the procedure.

 

  1. Promotion Season.

 

Tips for survival: 

 

Keep a good head on your shoulders during the promotion. For many introverts, it might be hard to promote yourself. But keep in mind that it’s vital if you want to make a living from writing and if you want the book to sell. Remember: You aren’t promoting yourself; you’re promoting your product and the message you stand for. What is it that you stand for? How can you get others involved to help you share this same message? God gave you this message for a reason, and it can’t get into the hands of other people unless you promote! Yet promotion can often become draining, especially for us introverts. Make sure to carve out time to feed your creativity as well—whether that comes through brainstorming your next book, reading, working on a craft, going to an art museum, etc.

 

  1. Repeat!

 

Tips for survival: 

 

There is no destination in the writing journey. It’s a cycle of the above steps—so once you receive your dream-come-true, it’ll be time to dream another dream and create another goal (for example: “hit the best-seller list”) and so on.

 

The journey is exciting, though, don’t you think? The anticipation, the development of original idea to final product and then the dream-come-true stages that evolve. Even the difficult seasons—such as rejection and waiting—are worth it, because it’s through this process that we become pruned and prepared for what awaits us on the horizon.

 

Yet it’s during those peak moments of the writers’ life that makes all of those rough seasons worth it in the end.

 

[bctt tweet=”Tips for Surviving the 6 Seasons of a Writer’s Life #writerslife #amwriting @TessaEmilyHall” username=””]

 

What’s your favorite season of the writer’s life? What season are you currently in? What tips would you like to add?

Categories
Fantasy-Sci-Fi

The Many Worlds of Sci-fi and Fantasy

 

In what world does your story live?

Sounds like a strange question, doesn’t it? After all, most bookstores are stocked with tales where the action takes place somewhere on Earth, either in present day, or in a historical setting. Most fiction is based on real-life, so it makes sense that we have no other world in which to experience life, right?

Not for sci-fi and fantasy authors! We are the blessed lot that can choose in which world we want our story to come alive. Chances are, this is one of the main reasons we were drawn to the genre in the first place.

What “worlds” are available to such authors? The most obvious would be the one in which we live. However, just because it’s Earth, doesn’t mean it needs to remain ordinary. Futuristic sci-fi takes place right here on Earth, but much further in the future. Yes, the author is confined to the laws of science regarding our planet, but the world would be greatly different than what we know today. The tale may also take place in the past or present. This kind of story can be found in the “Harry Potter” series, written by J.K. Rowling.

Other “worlds” available to fantasy authors are the ones on planets similar to Earth. The physical characteristics of the land, and many of the setting descriptions may sound analogous to that of a country with which we are familiar, but the location is definitely not Earth itself. An example of this would be “The Lord of the Rings” series that encompasses Middle Earth, written by J.R.R. Tolkien. This kind of fiction would also include stories that may begin in our true “real-world” experience, but where the character travels through a passageway leading them to an imagined world of impossible things. Lucy Pevensie experienced this when she walked through the door of her wardrobe in C.S. Lewis’ “The Chronicles of Narnia” series and ended up in the land of Narnia.

Finally, there are the places that are very much unlike our planet Earth—those that are inter-galactic or clearly defy all matters of nature to which we are accustomed. This would cover a good portion of the sci-fi genre and space opera. In these worlds, “the sky is the limit” when it comes to imagination. Not only can the magic or force behind these worlds be varied, but the creatures and abilities of humans can take a far greater leap than the average story. These would include novels such as the “Star Wars” Expanded Universe books, written by various authors.

What worlds have your characters visited recently? Whether you like to keep them close to home, or send them to galaxies “far far away”, within the genre of sci-fi and fantasy, the possibilities of where you can take them, are endless.

Laura L. Zimmerman is a homeschooling mom to three daughters, and a doting wife to one husband. Besides writing, she is passionate about loving Jesus, singing, drinking coffee and anything Star Wars. You can connect with her through Facebook and Twitter and at her website, www.lauralzimmerman.com

Categories
A Lighter Look at the Writer's Life

There’s Chocolate in My Bucket

The other day, a post came through my social media feed from Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference, which I attend regularly. It was a graphic with a question: “What’s on your Blue Ridge Conference Bucket List?”

Most people would answer that question, obviously, with things related to a writing career: signing a book contract, getting an agent, landing a challenging writing assignment. We all have dreams we carry with us to such an event. Those things are well and good, but there’s something different at the top of my Blue Ridge Bucket List.

I just want some Blue Ridge chocolate macaroons.

If you’ve ever been to the conference, you know what I’m talking about. Once during the week, when you least expect it, there are little bits of Heaven in the dessert line. They’re like a cross between a fudgy brownie, a cookie, a Mounds bar, and manna. My mouth is watering as I write this post. We “macaroon veterans” stalk the food line at every meal, every day, in anticipation of scoring some of these tasty treats, and we will stop at nothing to get what we want.

Last year we made it to lunch on Wednesday (the next-to-last-day) with no macaroons in sight. Honestly, I was getting nervous. That day I sat down to eat with my friends Cynthia and Dwayne Lovely and a new friend, Connie Clyburn. The conversation was easy and fun as we chatted and laughed about anything and everything. Then it happened.

Toward the end of the allotted meal time, a lady approached our table, lunch tray in tow. She had been delayed at an appointment and asked if she could sit with us. We were happy to oblige, and imagine our surprise when we looked at her tray and saw . . . BLUE RIDGE CHOCOLATE MACAROONS!

“Where did you get those?” The intensity in our eyes was evident.

“They just put them out on the dessert line.” She looked a bit bewildered at our obvious passion for the cookies.

(Notice those dialogue beats. Yes, I actually pay attention in class between meal times.)

Connie, Cynthia, and I took off like we were on fire; it’s been years since I have moved that fast. We entered the food service area—through the exit, no less—and spotted one of the workers.

“Where are the MACAROONS?”

The lady looked a bit scared as she pointed them out. We each filled our plates with a generous serving and returned to our table, proud of our conquest. We are hip, modern writers, so we pulled out our phones and took pictures of our macaroon bounty.

You can take this post as a cautionary tale—if you attend the Blue Ridge conference, stay out of our way when you see the macaroons on the dessert line, and no one will get hurt.

Or you can take this story as a lesson about writers conferences—these events are about more than writing. The friends, fun, and fellowship are just as, if not more, important.

And the food. The glorious food.

Categories
Guest post archive

Write For Enjoyment-by Danele J. Rotharmel

There are many reasons why people write books, but I’ve come to believe the best reason of all is writing for one’s own enjoyment. You see, my writing journey has been different than most. I wrote Time Tsunami, Time Trap, Time Search, and the other books in The Time Counselor Chronicles while I was extremely ill and undergoing seven years of quarantine. Quarantine was lonely, and writing became a literal window to the outside world.

When I wrote The Time Counselor Chronicles, I wasn’t trying to please a specific publisher or a certain group of people. In fact, publication wasn’t my goal at all. I was in extreme pain, and I needed a way to distract myself. Because I wasn’t focusing on guidelines or expectations, my imagination had free rein. Because I wasn’t worried about anyone reading my work, I was able to express myself completely. There’s nothing so hampering as worrying about what other people think. When you’re writing simply to please yourself, the chains fall away.

Since I wasn’t worried about people looking over my shoulder, I relaxed and had a blast. I became caught up with my characters, and soon, they became more real to me than actual people. I was so wrapped up in my stories that I’d laugh as I wrote funny scenes and cry at sad ones. I kept antacids by my keyboard and used them while I wrote the scary parts of my novels. I didn’t just write my novels—I lived them with my characters. And when I was through, my books were unfettered creations that made me proud.

Although I didn’t write with publication as my goal, by the time I was finished, I thought my books might be publication-worthy. And by that time, I was so in love with my characters that I didn’t care what other people thought. My stories were mine, and I was proud of them. I think that’s the ultimate key to successful writing—write for yourself. Write what you love, and write with the goal of entertaining only one person—you. If you love your book—chances are that others will too. Be proud of who you are and what you create. You are unique, wonderful, and inspirational—don’t let the fear of others dampen your voice.

On January 13, 2017, my third book, Time Search, was published by Prism Book Group. My life has taken many unexpected turns. When I was ill and in quarantine, I never would have believed that I’d be a published author—but I am. I suppose that’s one of the best things about life—the twists and turns of our journey take us to wonderful, unexpected places. Never forget to let your own voice be heard, and never forget

that[bctt tweet=”A twist in the road may lead you to your destiny” username=””]

Time Search:

Amazon Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MY7RGFJ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1484259046&sr=8-1&keywords=danele+rotharmel+time+search

Time Search’s 20-Stop Blog Tour: https://dragonflydanele.wordpress.com/2017/01/12/time-search-book-launch-20-stop-blog-tour/

Danele Rotharmel’s life took an unexpected turn when a mysterious illness brought her close to death. Eventually, she learned that a carbon monoxide leak from a faulty furnace was poisoning her. This poisoning triggered Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, causing her to be put in quarantine. For seven years, she could only talk to friends and extended family through a windowpane. During this time, she wrote the first six books in The Time Counselor Chronicles.  Although her journey back to health was difficult, it provided her the opportunity to grow closer to God and write her books. For that, she’s forever thankful. To learn more about Danele, visit her blog.

Social Media Links,

Blog: https://dragonflydanele.wordpress.com/

Danele J. Rotharmel’s Testimony: https://dragonflydanele.wordpress.com/welcome/

Danele J. Rotharmel’s Books: https://dragonflydanele.wordpress.com/my-books/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14782632.Danele_J_Rotharmel

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/danele.rotharmel

 

 

 

Categories
Have Words, Will Travel....Travel Writing 101

10 Favorite Sites // Travel Writing Opportunities {Just in Time for Spring}

Have Words Will Travel
Upon returning from a writer's conference earlier this year, Cathy found a 1963 Shasta Airflyte Camper sitting in her driveway. Since then, she has taken quite the fancy to travel writing. She hopes you'll join her on this adventurous journey!

Travel WritingThe month of March offers a plethora of activity – nature buzzing, days staying lighter a little longer, and roadways calling our name. There’s no better time to pack up and hit the road. And why not make a little money on the side while building your resume? The lists below obviously caters to full-time travel writers but there’s something for everyone, including bloggers. The best part? These sites are updated and ready to go for your convenience.

So take time now to peruse the sites, jot down what sparks your interest and plan your trip. Don’t forget your camera!

10 Sites Offering Paid Work to Travel Writers

I hope you find this list helpful and beneficial for fulfilling your travel writing desires.

Categories
Free Your Mind LifeStyle

Back For Good

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The steamer which crossed the Pacific from Yokohama to San Francisco made a direct connection with that from Hong Kong, and it could not sail until the latter reached Yokohama; and if Mr. Fogg was twenty-four hours late on reaching Yokohama, this time would no doubt be easily regained in the voyage of twenty-two days across the Pacific. He found himself, then, about twenty-four hours behind-hand, thirty-five days after leaving London.

The Carnatic was announced to leave Hong Kong at five the next morning. Mr. Fogg had sixteen hours in which to attend to his business there, which was to deposit Aouda safely with her wealthy relative.

On landing, he conducted her to a palanquin, in which they repaired to the Club Hotel. A room was engaged for the young woman, and Mr. Fogg, after seeing that she wanted for nothing, set out in search of her cousin Jeejeeh. He instructed Passepartout to remain at the hotel until his return, that Aouda might not be left entirely alone.

Mr. Fogg repaired to the Exchange, where, he did not doubt, every one would know so wealthy and considerable a personage as the Parsee merchant. Meeting a broker, he made the inquiry, to learn that Jeejeeh had left China two years before, and, retiring from business with an immense fortune, had taken up his residence in Europe—in Holland the broker thought, with the merchants of which country he had principally traded. Phileas Fogg returned to the hotel, begged a moment’s conversation with Aouda, and without more ado, apprised her that Jeejeeh was no longer at Hong Kong, but probably in Holland.

[/vc_column_text][bquote type=”tagline” prk_in=”I have given no small attention to that not unvexed subject, the skin of the whale. I have had controversies about it with experienced whalemen afloat, and learned naturalists ashore. My original opinion remains unchanged.”][vc_column_text]The steamer which crossed the Pacific from Yokohama to San Francisco made a direct connection with that from Hong Kong, and it could not sail until the latter reached Yokohama; and if Mr. Fogg was twenty-four hours late on reaching Yokohama, this time would no doubt be easily regained in the voyage of twenty-two days across the Pacific. He found himself, then, about twenty-four hours behind-hand, thirty-five days after leaving London.

The Carnatic was announced to leave Hong Kong at five the next morning. Mr. Fogg had sixteen hours in which to attend to his business there, which was to deposit Aouda safely with her wealthy relative.

On landing, he conducted her to a palanquin, in which they repaired to the Club Hotel. A room was engaged for the young woman, and Mr. Fogg, after seeing that she wanted for nothing, set out in search of her cousin Jeejeeh. He instructed Passepartout to remain at the hotel until his return, that Aouda might not be left entirely alone.

Mr. Fogg repaired to the Exchange, where, he did not doubt, every one would know so wealthy and considerable a personage as the Parsee merchant. Meeting a broker, he made the inquiry, to learn that Jeejeeh had left China two years before, and, retiring from business with an immense fortune, had taken up his residence in Europe—in Holland the broker thought, with the merchants of which country he had principally traded. Phileas Fogg returned to the hotel, begged a moment’s conversation with Aouda, and without more ado, apprised her that Jeejeeh was no longer at Hong Kong, but probably in Holland.

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Categories
Bestsellers

Best Selling Author- Dan Walsh

a3danwalsh

Can you share a little about your recent book –It’s called, Finding Riley, and just released on October 1. It’s the second book in an inspirational series that includes a shelter dog as a main character. Of course, there are plenty of humans in the story and even a nice romantic thread. The first book, Rescuing Finley, came out 11 months ago and is doing very well in both sales and reviews (276 Amazon reviews, Avg 4.8 stars).

This is kind of my bread-and-butter genre (Nicholas Sparks-type books). Thirteen of my 17 novels are in this genre. I also have 2 stand-alone suspense novels, and last year I began the Jack Turner suspense series. It has really taken off. I’m researching the third book in that series now and hope to start writing it on November 1. It will release in the spring.

Why do you write? Do you have a theme, message, or goal for your books? In a sense, I write because I have to. Like a lot of writers, I feel something of an inner compulsion to do this. But I also love writing. I’ve had the good fortune of being totally unfamiliar with “writer’s block.” Since I began writing novels in 2007, the story ideas just keep coming. As for a theme or goal, I write character-driven novels, both contemporary and historical. Several of my books are love stories and family-life dramas…But I also love to write suspense novels. Even when writing inspirational books, I want to keep the pages turning.  My goal, whether writing contemporary or historical, inspirational or suspense, is for my readers to feel satisfied and thoroughly entertained. In short, to feel a strong inner compulsion to go right out and pick up another one of my books.

How long have you been writing? And how long did it take you to get your first major book contract? I began writing novels in earnest during the summer of 2007. After finishing and polishing up that manuscript, a Christmas novel called The Unfinished Gift, I made a list of A-List literary agents to submit a package to (query letter, synopsis and first 50 pages). I sent it off to the first 3 agents on the list. Two of them loved what I sent and got back with me quickly, asking to read the whole book. I signed with one of them a week later. She had a contract with a major publisher two months after that. Things kind of took off pretty quickly after that. I used to hate answering this question, because other writers would tend to hate me since their experience was so much harder.

How long does it take you to write a book? I’ve been writing full-time now since 2010. On average, it takes me about 4-5 months. I was still working full-time during the publishing process for my first 3 novels. Back then, it took more like 9-10 months per book.

What’s your writing work schedule like? I write at least 5 days a week. I do all of my non-creative writing tasks in the morning (social media, marketing, etc.). Then after a short lunch break, I shift gears and work on my current novel for the rest of the afternoon. My goal is to write one keeper-chapter per day.

Do you have an interesting writing quirk? If so, what is it? I’m not sure if this qualifies as a quirk, but I don’t actually “write” my books any longer. About 3 years ago, I suffered some significant nerve damage in my forearms and hands, mainly from writing so many novels with poor posture. Since then, I’ve had to use a voice recognition program to write my books (used it for the last 6). I’m using it now to answer these questions. It works very well. I only have to use my hands to correct the 2-3 percent of words it gets wrong.

What has been your greatest joy(s) in your writing career?

  • When a top-shelf literary agent from New York said yes she would represent me.
  • When I signed that first book contract and cashed my first advance check.
  • When I held my first published novel in my hands, and then saw this book on the store shelves for the first time.
  • When I won my first 2 writing awards from a national Fiction Writing organization (for debut novel and also in my genre category).
  • When I signed a multi-book contract worth 6 figures.
  • When, after leaving my traditional publisher, my first indie novel (When Night Comes) came out and began selling just as well as my traditionally published books. It was my first true suspense novel and signaled a new season in my writing (allowed me to write both types of novels from now on, inspirational and suspense).

What has been your darkest moment(s)? During the first 6 months of 2015. It was the first time I was writing without a contract and a generous advance. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to continue writing full-time.

Which of your books is your favorite? Very hard to pick 1 when you have 17 out. Each of them involved a major investment of time and energy. But I suppose I could pick 3:

  1. The Unfinished Gift (because it was my first and launched my writing career).
  2. The Reunion (probably my highest-reviewed book on Amazon and the first one to be adapted for a movie).
  3. When Night Comes (because it was my first indie suspense novel and open the door for me to write more books like this.

 Who is your favorite author to read? Probably the suspense writing duo of Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child (the Pendergast series).

What advice can you give aspiring writers that you wished you had gotten, or that you wished you would have listened too? I don’t mind sharing this, but it actually is advice I took to heart from the very beginning. It comes from a quote by the late NT Times best-selling author, Elmore Leonard. He said, “In your writing, try to leave out the parts readers skip.” That became a guideline for my writing. I want the pages to keep turning for my readers; for them to have the hardest time putting my books down. In some measure, I have succeeded in this. My novels have received over 4,000 reviews on Amazon (avg 4.6 Stars) and this is the #1 remark readers make about my books (even with the inspirational ones).

How many times in your career have you experienced rejection? How did they shape you? I only have one rejection letter, which I received at the very beginning. Since then, things have been going relatively well for me in this regard. The only other type of rejection I’ve received is when my publisher turned down some of the book ideas I pitched to them, because they were too suspenseful and not “in my brand.” Now that I’m an indie, I have proved them wrong. I’ve begun to write those books they rejected, and they are doing very well.

Do you have a favorite character or scene in one of your books? As I read this question, 17 different characters come to mind and too many scenes to pick out a favorite (one that stands above the rest).

Where do you get your ideas? I’ve been asked this many times before. It’s a hard question to answer, because the stories have come from so many different directions. But it’s fair to say, I’m always on the lookout for new story ideas. Whenever one comes to me, from whatever direction it comes, I usually sit down and write it out so I don’t forget it. I keep a folder for future book ideas.

What are common mistakes you see aspiring writer’s make? The biggest mistake I see is spending way too much time on things like marketing and social media. These things matter, but writing a great book matters 10 times more.

Where/How do you recommend writers try to break into the market? Unfortunately, following the path I took has become an increasingly narrow path in the last few years. The traditional publishing world is in a major upheaval, which has dramatically reduced the total number of slots publishers have available for accepting new authors. At the same time, taking the indie route has never been more promising. I’ve become friends with a good number of now-successful indie authors whose books were constantly being rejected by traditional publishers. They are making more now than I ever did during my traditionally-published years. Of course, the one central theme to their success is that they’re great writers writing novels and readers can’t stop reading their books once they start.

a3findingriely

Dan Walsh is the bestselling author of 17 novels including The Unfinished Gift, The Discovery and When Night Comes. He has won 3 Carol Awards (finalist 6 times), 3 Selah Awards and 3 of his books have been finalists for RT Review’s Inspirational Book of the Year. A member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and Word Weavers International, Dan writes fulltime in the Daytona Beach area. He and his wife Cindi have been married 40 years. You can find out more about his books or follow him on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads or Pinterest from his website at http://www.danwalshbooks.com.

Finding Riley – Available Now!

Rescuing Finley – 254 Amazon Reviews, 4.8 Star Avg.
Remembering Dresden – Already 168 Reviews, 4.7 Star Avg.
When Night Comes – 383 Amazon Reviews, 4.5 Star Avg.

Categories
Copywrite/Advertising

Say It Like Sayers- How the Queen of Copywriting Introduced the King of Kings to a Nation at War

December 1941. London. The worst of the blitz just ended. A nation at war faced Christmas. The BBC’s charge? Uplift the spirits and strengthen the spines of Britain with a radio drama about Jesus. The whole nation will tune in. Needed: One writer who can tell history’s most powerful story to a people facing unprecedented evil.

Who did the BBC choose to write the play The Man Born to Be King?

A genius.

Was it C.S. Lewis? Nope. It was Dorothy Sayers. And you know how Sayers got her start as a wordsmith?  If you guessed “advertising copywriter,” you nailed it in one. Give yourself a chocolate.

Sayers spent the years 1922-1931 writing ad copy. Her clients included a mustard company and the producers of Guinness beer. She is credited with coining the phrase, “It pays to advertise.”

Dorothy Sayers wasn’t just any old copy hack, and I don’t mean to give the impression that she was. She was one of the first women to attend Oxford University. Her scholarship of Dante is legendary. She was an acclaimed novelist and poet. Her works on theology, feminism, and creativity are cited regularly by writers today. But with all that talent, she spent nine years writing about such riveting topics as mustard and beer. In fact, her first novel was entitled Murder Must Advertise and is about the death of a copywriter in his office at an ad agency.

Some folks might argue that it was Sayers’ theological scholarship or skill as a novelist that earned her the privilege of writing The Man Born to Be King. She was a heavyweight theologian and novelist, for sure, but I believe Sayers alone could write the BBC’s most important religious and political work because she was an ad copywriter at heart. That means everything she wrote, she wrote with her audience in mind. She wrote with a creative eye on those people who would turn on their radios, shush their children and enter into a story world that lit their homes with hope in a time of deep darkness.

            The radio drama, The Man Born to Be King, proved to be among the BBC’s most controversial productions ever. One religious group even claimed the fall of Singapore was proof of God’s disapproval of the program.

Why such a fuss? A passion play is pretty dry fare for church folks these days. Not in 1940s England though! The BBC even had to garner special governmental permission to include Jesus as a character in the production. And what a Jesus he was!

Sayers made her characters speak in the everyday slang, jargon and accents of 1940s Britain. The Biblical characters were just like the hearers’ neighbors, full of conflicting motivations and common human feelings. It was dramatic. Thrilling. Immediate.

Mailboxes at the BBC soon swelled with letters from people telling how the drama had indeed uplifted their spirits, strengthened their resolve, and in many cases, reintroduced them to a life lived in the Spirit of the Man born to be king. C.S. Lewis read the play every Holy Week. In his letter to Sayers, Lewis wrote, “I shed real tears (hot ones) in places.”

Dear Aspiring Novelist, do you want to write a narrative that can bring tears to the eyes of C.S. Lewis and inspire a nation to live its faith in the face of evil’s onslaught?

Start by writing advertising copy.

All the time that Dorothy Sayers wrote about beer and mustard, she was learning how to communicate with the average British buyer of her day. She knew what he spent his money on, so she knew his heart and imagination. Better than any other scholar or novelist, she knew those folks had no time or emotional space for a scholarly, erudite, and high-sounding Jesus. If He was to matter to them, He had to talk like them. His friends and neighbors had to sound like their friends and neighbors.

Where did Sayers learn that? At Oxford? Hardly. She learned it staring at a blank piece of paper, wracking her brain for a way to make mustard meaningful.

I write ad copy for hotel chains, and we call that “guest-centered copy.” When I worked in non-profit communications, we called it “donor-centered copy.”

What does it mean to write with your audience in mind? Three quick things:

  1. Tell them exactly what they want to know. Avoid pure marketing speak. Since the time readers spend on websites can now be measured in nanoseconds, every word has to be informative as well as interesting. As my editor told me, “Don’t just say the hotel is an oasis of comfort. Say what makes it an oasis of comfort.”
  2. Use everyday language. Unless you are writing advertising copy for a swanky brand, stick with plain language. Someone recently said to me, “It’s Dollywood, not Hollywood.”
  3. Imagine the scene from the reader’s or buyer’s perspective. What feeling do they get when they imagine themselves swimming in your hotel’s pool, spreading your mustard on their sandwich, or pouring out a glass of your brand of beverage? Evoke that feeling.

Of Jesus’s passion, Sayers’ wrote, “God was executed by people painfully like us, in a society very similar to our own.”[1] Because she was an advertising copywriter, Sayers got – really got – people “painfully like us.”

Want to write a write a story that’s powerful enough to bring C.S. Lewis to tears? Learn to write buyer-centered ad copy first. You’ll be amazed what it does for your storytelling prowess. Oh, and did I mention that writing ad copy pays?  Yep, it pays to advertise.

About Holland Webb

I love telling the stories that people put down so they go take action. I’m an advertising copywriter by day, an aspiring novelist by night, a parent, a dog-lover, a prison volunteer and a follower of Jesus.

[1] Read more:http://www.touchstonemag.com/archives/article.php?id=26-02-018-v#ixzz4WJX3Txy8

Categories
5 For Writing

Waltzing With Potatoes: Brainstorming for VeggieTales

By Doug Peterson

The voice on the other end of the line was Bob the Tomato.

It was a Sunday night, and Phil Vischer, the voice of Bob and founder of VeggieTales, was calling to invite me to brainstorm ideas for their next video. If I recall correctly, I had about a week to 10 days to submit ideas for the next Larry-Boy video, so I aimed at submitting at least one per day. I was competing with about a dozen other freelance writers, so I wanted to fire off as many ideas as possible—a shotgun approach.

Little did I know that they would choose the very first idea that I submitted—an idea that became the video, Larry-Boy and the Rumor Weed.

I bring this up because I want to talk about brainstorming—a process that is pretty much the same for me, whether I’m coming up with ideas for books or ideas for a Larry-Boy video. It’s a process that I like to think of as a dance of sorts, especially when it comes to brainstorming for singing vegetables. As the VeggieTales theme song famously says, “If you like to waltz with potatoes…”

My wife and I have taken ballroom dancing a few different times, despite my penchant for stepping on toes. So I can see some similarities between dancing and writing, because there is inevitably going to be some stumbling around in both processes.

When done properly, dancing looks easy and flows seamlessly, but it takes a lot of practice to get to that point, going over the steps again and again and again. In the same way, a good story flow gracefully off the page, but it takes a lot of hard work to get to that point, going over the steps again and again and again.

For me, the first step in the brainstorming process is…

Step 1. Find the rhythm. Get in the mood.

VeggieTales characters have their own rhythm and feel. So when I was writing books for VeggieTales, I would start my brainstorming sessions by getting in touch with my inner vegetable and immersing my entire being (or bean) in the VeggieTales world. I found that the best way to get into a Silly Songs state of mind was to sit down and watch a VeggieTales video or two or three or four. (Writing is such a hard life.)

VeggieTales has a distinctive, quirky sense of humor, so watching the videos would help me find the VeggieTales rhythm.

I have used this same strategy when brainstorming for other types of stories, and it still works. For example, when I used to write a humor column for a Christian magazine, I would start each brainstorming session by sitting down and reading Dave Barry books, just put myself in a very silly state of mind. So whatever genre you’re writing for, read something you like in that genre to get in the mood. However, be careful you don’t wind up imitating the other writer’s style. The purpose of this step is to get in the right frame of mind, not to copy another person’s style.

In the case of VeggieTales, I should note that I did want to consciously imitate their style because, after all, the editors were looking for writers who could match the distinctive feel of a VeggieTales story.

But if you’re writing in your own voice, make sure you keep that voice.

Once I got in the right mood, it was on to…

Step 2: Find a theme.

As any faithful fan knows, each VeggieTales episode centers on a particular value. King George and the Ducky was a lesson about selfishness, Rack, Shack and Benny was a lesson in handling peer pressure, Madame Blueberry was a lesson in thankfulness, and so on.

As I continued to do more writing for VeggieTales (primarily picture books), I created a master list of close to a hundred different themes, from which I regularly drew. My VeggieTales editor usually gave me the freedom to choose a theme, so when I brainstormed an idea, I tried to come up with ideas that matched a half dozen or so different themes.

Once I selected several potential themes, it was on to…

Step 3: Write down any idea that pops in my head.

I then went to work, jotting down any crazy idea that came to mind. But there was still a method to the madness.

When I was asked to brainstorm ideas for the new Larry-Boy video, I knew that Larry-Boy always battled villains that personified various sins. For instance, the villain in the first Larry-Boy episode was the Fib from Outer Space—a monster that grew and grew, just as lies do. Therefore, I made a list of different sins, and one of them was “spreading rumors.” I then latched onto the key word “spreading” and asked myself, “What are other things that spread?”

I began to jot down ideas, anything that popped into my head. One of the words I wrote down was “fire” because fire spreads, but that seemed too violent for a VeggieTales story. Pimples spread, but that was too gross. Viruses spread, but that seemed too difficult to visualize. And then I found it. I wrote down the word “weeds” because there’s nothing peskier than weeds that take over your field or lawn.

The result was the Rumor Weed, a weed creature that spreads all across town, spreading rumors about Larry-Boy’s butler, Alfred.

Brainstorming was typically the most difficult part of the process, because once I had a good idea, writing a 1,000-word children’s book was a piece of cake in comparison.

In sum, brainstorming can be tough, but my process was quite simple: (1) Get into the rhythm or the right mood; (2) select a theme; and (3) jot down whatever comes to mind.

I continue to use this process for whatever kind of writing I’m doing, which lately has been historical novels. However, instead of waltzing with potatoes, these days I’m doing the foxtrot with Abraham Lincoln and other historical figures.

But either way, the dance goes on.

* * *

5 for Writing

  1. Get writing. Find the time to write. Then do it.
  2. Learn by listening—and doing. Solicit feedback, discern what helps you.
  3. Finish your story. Edit and rewrite, but don’t tinker forever. Reach the finish line.
  4. Thrive on rejection. Get your story out there. Be fearless. Accept rejection.
  5. Become a juggler. After one story is finished, be ready to start another. Consider writing two at once.

 

 

 

Categories
Writing with Humor

The Difference Between Comedy and Humor

The Difference Between Comedy & Humor via www.AlmostAnAuthor.com

I read a statement once that stuck with me:

All comedy has humor, but not all humor is comedy.

I liked that. Partly because, ironically, it made me laugh. But also because I had never stopped to think about the differences.

Let’s do that now.

Comedy vs. Humor

Humor is whatever makes us laugh in any situation.

Comedy is planned entertainment. Every word and action is chosen for its ability to produce a laugh.

If comedy doesn’t get a laugh, it’s not really comedy. It’s just painful.

Humor pops up out of nowhere. It’s born the moment we laugh. Before that, it was just life.

If you’re walking along a riverbank with your sweetheart, that’s life. It’s a wonderful life, but it’s still just life—until one of you trips and falls into the river. Suddenly it’s humor.

Comedy is attempted. Humor happens.

In the following Carol Burnett Show sketch featuring Tim Conway and Harvey Korman, we see both comedy and humor.

The writers of the comedy sketch carefully planned each line and action to draw the most laughter from the audience. Because of Tim Conway’s brilliant acting, they succeeded. Their attempt at comedy worked.

The humor comes in when actor Harvey Korman is incapable of staying in character and starts chuckling at Tim Conway.

Now the audience is laughing at both the comedy sketch and the humor of Harvey Korman uncontrollably cracking up during the sketch.

Comedy and Humor in Writing

Comedy writers write for the sole purpose of getting a laugh—for the reader’s sheer entertainment. Laughter is their objective.

Writers who use humor will include funny anecdotes, stories, or phrases, but their true goal is to deliver a message. Laughter is merely one of their tools.

Both the comedy writer and the writer who uses humor may write about war — not typically a funny topic — but their goals will be different.

The comedy writer writes about war to get a laugh, as with this military joke:

 The sergeant-major growled at the young soldier, “I didn’t see you at camouflage training this morning.”

“Thank you very much, sir.”

A writer who uses humor is more likely to write about war to reinforce a point. Suppose he’s writing about the world’s increasing dependence on GPS over paper maps. He might choose to share the humorous, but true, story of when Nicaragua claimed it invaded Costa Rica by accident because of a Google Maps mistake.

For the comedy writer, laughter is the point. For the writer who uses humor, laughter reinforces the point.

Which Should You Write? Comedy or Humor?

If you choose to become a comedy writer, be funny. Always be funny. There’s little room for anything less than hilarious from a comedy writer.

And don’t trust your mama or your sweetheart to tell you if you’re funny enough for comedy. Instead, perform at a comedy club or before an objective audience. If they don’t laugh, pick a different profession. Or go to comedy school. They actually exist.

If you choose to be a writer who uses humor, your humor can fall flat and you may get away with it, depending on how flat it fell. The reader may not even realize you were trying to be funny. Whew.

Whether you choose to write humor or comedy, getting your readers to laugh is a sure way to keep them reading—at least for another line or two.

Categories
Writing with a Disability (Different Ability)

Interview with Ann Pietrangelo-Writing with Multiple Sclerosis

Overcoming a disability concept with a man writing the word Disability on a virtual interface and then crossing through the - Dis - with a red marker pen as a motivational call to overcome adversity.

Ann Pietrangelo is the author of No More Secs! Living, Laughing,  Loving Despite Multiple Sclerosis, and Catch That Look: Living, Laughing & Loving Despite Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.

Tell us about Multiple Sclerosis. What it is, what it does or can do. 

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic neurological condition in which the immune system attacks myelin, the substance that protects nerve fibers in the central nervous system. There are progressive types and relapsing types, but long story short: it causes a communication gap between the brain and other parts of the body.

What makes MS so exasperating and difficult to comprehend is that it’s quite different for each person who has it. Not only that, but symptoms can change dramatically from one day to the next.

Some common symptoms are balance and coordination issues, vision problems, and numbness and tingling. Fatigue associated with MS can be debilitating, but these symptoms are just the tip of the potential iceberg.

You could go hiking one week but be unable to walk across the room the next. One person with MS might be a star athlete while another can’t stand up, but most of us are somewhere in between.

We don’t know the exact cause and there’s no cure for MS. Disease-modifying medications are exorbitantly priced and just one of the reasons people with MS shoulder a lifelong financial burden.

Despite all that, most people with MS manage to lead long, fulfilling lives.

How does having MS affect your writing? Or did you have to change anything about your routine due to MS?

I don’t know if I’d be a writer today if I didn’t have MS. In those first years, my symptoms were severe and disabling. My husband and I had to change everything about our lives. I transitioned to part-time work, which is when I turned to writing.

What started out as a blog experiment quickly morphed into paid writing. I learned how to work around symptoms and adapt to the ups and downs of MS.

A cancer diagnosis in 2010, followed by aggressive treatment, blew things up again. That’s when I decided to ditch the part-time job and devote my days to writing. While I’m not thrilled with how I got here, I’ve never been happier in my work.

 What motivates you to write despite the challenges you face?

Pardon the double negative, but I can’t not write. I rarely turn down assignments because deadlines keep me motivated. There might be a certain element of fear involved, too. You have to do what you can, while you can – or face a world of regret.

My two health-related memoirs (one about MS, one about triple-negative breast cancer) share what it’s like to face major health problems. When readers tell me it mirrors their own experience and helps them feel less alone, I get an indescribable high. To know my words, touch someone else’s life…well, that’s good medicine.

Can you tell us about your current writing project? What are you working on?

I’m writing for several online publications and may soon be ghostwriting a nonfiction book.

Also, I’m pouring my heart into a book of short stories about the fleeting moments of our lives that make us who we are.

How do you write? Where do you write? What is your writing schedule like? What advice can you give to other writers who are facing a disability?

Writing is my full-time job, so I’m at it all day. I share a home office with my husband, Jim, a freelance web developer. I guess you could say our cat is the company mascot.

If I need a change of scenery or positioning, all I have to do is grab the laptop and find a new place to land. Work doesn’t get more convenient and comfy than that.

We work hard, but we also take advantage of the freelance life. That’s what I’d recommend to any freelance writer with a chronic illness or disability. Put your health first. Take off when you need to. Take the nap. Adjust your workload. Keep the house stocked with healthy snacks. Be mindful of your physical needs.

Take control, but be flexible. Sometimes plan A simply won’t work, so be ready with a plan B and a plan C, if that’s what it takes.

If writing is part of who you are, make it a priority. You don’t need a famous name or a fat paycheck or a best-selling novel to call yourself a writer. You can’t be too young or too old or have too many rejection slips. Chronic illness or disability may make it more challenging, but it doesn’t have to stop you.

If you want to be a writer, be one. Pull out your laptop or notepad and pen or voice recorder and get writing.

Do you use any special tools or programs for writing?

Most clients prefer documents in Word, so I use that a lot. Otherwise, I use MacJournal. For a full-length book, I highly recommend Scrivener. It has just about every feature you can imagine, including compiling your manuscript into any format you need. It’s like having your own personal assistant.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with us? 

Thank you for addressing the topic of writing with disabilities and for the opportunity to contribute my thoughts.

Whatever your disability or illness, it’s only part of who you are. Let the writer within find a voice.

 Kathryn M. B. Johnson

“I write from the beautiful Shenandoah Valley in Virginia. I feel as if I’ve been writing forever. Making squiggles at age three on pieces of paper I kept in one of my grandma’s black snap-top pocketbooks, chubby fingers holding a big fat pencil, I moved to writing stories in second grade for my teacher to read at rest time. I’ve been scribbling ever since.”

Categories
LifeStyle Untold Stories

Staying Somehow Patient

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The steamer which crossed the Pacific from Yokohama to San Francisco made a direct connection with that from Hong Kong, and it could not sail until the latter reached Yokohama; and if Mr. Fogg was twenty-four hours late on reaching Yokohama, this time would no doubt be easily regained in the voyage of twenty-two days across the Pacific. He found himself, then, about twenty-four hours behind-hand, thirty-five days after leaving London.

The Carnatic was announced to leave Hong Kong at five the next morning. Mr. Fogg had sixteen hours in which to attend to his business there, which was to deposit Aouda safely with her wealthy relative.

On landing, he conducted her to a palanquin, in which they repaired to the Club Hotel. A room was engaged for the young woman, and Mr. Fogg, after seeing that she wanted for nothing, set out in search of her cousin Jeejeeh. He instructed Passepartout to remain at the hotel until his return, that Aouda might not be left entirely alone.

Mr. Fogg repaired to the Exchange, where, he did not doubt, every one would know so wealthy and considerable a personage as the Parsee merchant. Meeting a broker, he made the inquiry, to learn that Jeejeeh had left China two years before, and, retiring from business with an immense fortune, had taken up his residence in Europe—in Holland the broker thought, with the merchants of which country he had principally traded. Phileas Fogg returned to the hotel, begged a moment’s conversation with Aouda, and without more ado, apprised her that Jeejeeh was no longer at Hong Kong, but probably in Holland.

[/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/6″][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”2/3″][vc_single_image image=”38″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes”][prkwp_spacer size=”12″][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/6″][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_column_text]The steamer which crossed the Pacific from Yokohama to San Francisco made a direct connection with that from Hong Kong, and it could not sail until the latter reached Yokohama; and if Mr. Fogg was twenty-four hours late on reaching Yokohama, this time would no doubt be easily regained in the voyage of twenty-two days across the Pacific. He found himself, then, about twenty-four hours behind-hand, thirty-five days after leaving London.

The Carnatic was announced to leave Hong Kong at five the next morning. Mr. Fogg had sixteen hours in which to attend to his business there, which was to deposit Aouda safely with her wealthy relative.

On landing, he conducted her to a palanquin, in which they repaired to the Club Hotel. A room was engaged for the young woman, and Mr. Fogg, after seeing that she wanted for nothing, set out in search of her cousin Jeejeeh. He instructed Passepartout to remain at the hotel until his return, that Aouda might not be left entirely alone.

Mr. Fogg repaired to the Exchange, where, he did not doubt, every one would know so wealthy and considerable a personage as the Parsee merchant. Meeting a broker, he made the inquiry, to learn that Jeejeeh had left China two years before, and, retiring from business with an immense fortune, had taken up his residence in Europe—in Holland the broker thought, with the merchants of which country he had principally traded. Phileas Fogg returned to the hotel, begged a moment’s conversation with Aouda, and without more ado, apprised her that Jeejeeh was no longer at Hong Kong, but probably in Holland.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Categories
History in the Making

Combatting the Noise Issue

By Sandra Merville Hart

 

A few family members came over to watch a movie this weekend. The dramatic story prompted a lot of discussion. I asked my nephew what he thought. His surprising answer was that the movie had a “noise” issue. He mentioned that an important scene beside the pool had no sounds of kids splashing or folks walking by engaged in conservation. Even a maintenance man watering a flower bed would have added authenticity. The only thing happening in the scene was vital dialogue.

His insightful comment sparked my writerly reflections. The same mistake happens in novels. Historical fiction writers who ignore all important news events surrounding their story create a “noise” issue.[bctt tweet=”His surprising answer was that the movie had a noise issue. #Histfic #writing” username=”@Sandra_M_Hart”]

We can’t live in today’s world without being affected by news. Local events can affect us directly, perhaps something like a nearby business burning down. Not only do we know and sympathize with the owner’s family, we have to find another store to fill our needs until it is rebuilt. Our town, the nearest city, and state happenings affect us. And even though we may not live in close proximity with national/international scene, these happenings can still crush our spirits.

Though news didn’t travel as quickly in earlier eras, folks were just as upset by troubling events as we are today. Perhaps they grew more distressed than us because we are accustomed to hearing bad news on television around the clock.

Even if the novel being written is more about the attitudes, fashions, and morals of a particular era, consider adding one or two newsworthy items of the day. A few hours or days of research may be enough to add gems of authenticity to the story.

That sounds like extra work if you’re already in the midst of writing but it doesn’t have to be a time hog.

Say, for example, that your novel is set in 1832. You don’t have a clue about what’s happening in the United States or even how many states there are. The Internet has greatly simplified our work.

Google “1832 American History.” This search gives options for Wikipedia sites for “1832 in the United States” and “Timeline of United States (1820-59).” Onthisday.com lists “1832—Historical Events—on this day.” Another site, America’s Best History, has a post for “U.S. History Timeline: the 1830s.”

Wikipedia’s timeline shows that the 1830s saw the Second Great Awakening, a religious revival movement. A bit of research about this may reveal that it is something that fits easily into your novel.

The Oregon Trail started being used by folks determined to settle in the Pacific Northwest in the 1830s. Maybe a character in your novel has a family member already on the trail.

The Black Hawk War occurred in 1832. Did it happen near your novel’s setting?

This was a presidential election year. Andrew Jackson was reelected as our nation’s president in 1832. I found some fun traditions that folks used to follow on election day and wrote about them on my blog. Depending on the timing, election celebrations could be a festive event in your novel.

The sites referenced above are a springboard for ideas. Research further on details that snag your interest. You never know what you will find when opening the pages of history.

Allowing our characters to interact with actual historical events opens up a fascinating world and adds authenticity. Readers find it easier to “step back in time” with you.

It is one more way to add scene “noise” that many readers crave.

 

Sources

“1832 in the United States,” Wikipedia, 2017/01/22, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1832_in_the_United_States.

“Historical Events in 1832,” On This Day, 2017/01/23, http://www.onthisday.com/events/date/1832.

“Timeline of United States history (1820-59),” Wikipedia, 2017/01/22, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_United_States_history_(1820%E2%80%9359).

“U.S. Timeline: The 1830s, Conquering the West,” Americasbesthistory.com, 2017/01/23, http://americasbesthistory.com/abhtimeline1830.html.

 

 

Categories
Create. Motivate. Inspire.

After Submission: 3 Vital Steps

We’ve submitted that article, devotion, or book proposal, and the feelings of euphoria have begun to fade. Questions ping through our minds like rogue fireworks. When will I hear something? Will they like it? How will my submission stand out against so many? What do I do now?

The next steps are critical to our writing health. Will we flounder, unsure of the next project to tackle, or will we soar on a wave of momentum?

Here are 3 steps to help with perspective and focus after a submission:

  1. Pray, leaving your work in God’s hands. Thank Him for the opportunity to write and submit your work. Praise Him for the gift of words and for being the Source of all creativity. Ask Him for strength and wisdom to be patient in waiting and to trust His purposes.
  1. Rest and restore both mind and body. Whether a few minutes, hours, or days, take a break from work. Take a walk, read, or enjoy another creative or artistic activity. Make a short-list of future writing projects and pray over them, seeking God’s heart. (For a fresh perspective, try to do this away from your normal work location.)
  1. Get busy! Resist procrastination. Eagerly delve into the next project. Remember—you have accomplished something most writers haven’t—you have completed and submitted your work. Use this momentum as fuel for your next ideas. Ensure that what you’ve learned in this writing journey translates to the new work.

Pray, rest, and get busy. Are we ready?

Fire the laptop. Prime the pen. Let’s get to work!

[bctt tweet=”After Submission–3 Vital Steps @lthomaswrites #amwriting #writertips” username=”@A3forMe”]

How have you maintained focus and perspective after a submission?

Categories
Child's Craft

Changing your Course

Back in my carpool driving days, I discovered that if I arrived early for afternoon pickup, I’d get a close up spot in line, I’d go for a run, then the kids would pop out and we’d be off. I began running in the neighborhood behind the school for mere convenience. It appeared to be low income housing with broken down chain link fences in some front yards and lots of guard dogs chained to trees in the other yards. Scary dogs, I might add. I soon discovered that not all those dogs were chained. I ran past a house one day, with a pit bull-looking mutt lounging in the front yard that jumped up barking at me and ran towards me, chasing me down the street. I tore off at high speed, as if I thought I could outrun this four legged creature. After a couple houses, he turned around and ran home. Thankfully.

I ran in this neighborhood several more times. Thinking surely, this dog wasn’t out there every day. Well, he usually was and so were many of his friends at various houses. But, it just worked well for me to get my run in during carpool. One afternoon I heard barking from a yard as I passed by. That stinkin’ dog took off after me and actually nipped my heels. I yelled at the dog, and picked up my heels and swore I was done running in this ‘hood.

That weekend I attended a gathering with friends. One of my friends there happened to be the mayor of this town. I asked her as politely as I could if they had leash laws in that town and explained my terrifying dog chases and nipping. She told me if I thought that was bad I should hear her story. She lives further out of town and when she was running one day, she found herself face to face with a Billy goat charging towards her ready to gore her with his horns. She did the only logical thing she could think of and grabbed him by the horns. He did the only thing that Billy goats do when they are grabbed by the horns – He stood up and began projectile urinating as she dodged the stream coming towards her.

I laughed and agreed a few nipping dogs weren’t as bad. Then she suggested I run on the running trails at the park across the street from the school.  Umm. There’s a park there? I found it on my next carpool day and ran safely on the jogging trail without fear of nipping dogs or charging Billy goats.

All that to say, if you’ve hit a wall with writing, if things aren’t falling into place as they once were, maybe it’s time to change your course. Are you feeling the nipping at your heels to change direction? Are contracts not coming your way? Are you hitting a wall? There’s no leash law keeping you restrained to your genre. Is there a way you can change your course, even for a little while? If you write children’s books, maybe try an article and submit to children’s magazine publications, write devotionals, try your hand at writing that novel that’s been lurking in your mind. How about greeting cards, a blog, an article for your local newspaper. We writers tend to stick within our genre but it’s perfectly fine to explore other genres. Try different paths, look for new horizons, discover new worlds of writing. But if you come face to face with a charging Billy goat on your adventures maybe avoid grabbing him by the horns…

Categories
The Writer's PenCase Uncategorized

Seamless Self–Editing––Part VIII

The Writer's PenCase

As this series draws to a close, here are a couple practical exercises you can do at home to learn and practice your own seamless self-editing. Cutting word usage in half, and a proofreading exercise will assist you in learning more about how to edit your own manuscript. Because our object is to become “publish-ready.” #amwriting #publishready #seamlessediting

Continue reading “Seamless Self–Editing––Part VIII”
Categories
Uncategorized

Platform vs. Writing Ability

As a literary agent, I routinely get asked which is more important platform or the quality of the writing?

For writers who are looking to get published, this is an important question to debate. It may be the most important question.

The correct answer is not as easy as it may seem. The winner of this important debate between platform and writing ability can change more frequently than the tide. For the purposes of this post, I will look at this great debate from a traditional publishing perspective as it pertains to unpublished authors. For self-publishers, a third-party candidate weighs into the equation—marketing/networking.

Unpublished Authors

I have looked at a great number of submissions from first-time/unpublished authors and wanted to scream because their work was sooo good, but they had zero platform. Zilch, nada, nothing.

No website. No Twitter. Not even Facebook.

Sure these are extreme examples, but I can’t sell books written by authors who have no platform. It’s very difficult to sell books by authors with a small platform—many times near impossible.

If you have an excellent book and no platform, some agent may be able to sell your book, but your success rate will be low and that path will be paved with a lot of rejection.

Writing is a Business

You have to remember, your book is your business. It’s a marketable and sellable product. To sell your book you need to have influence enough to convince potential buyers to purchase your product. And you have to understand that a real-world business with no influence doesn’t get sales, because it has no platform.

If you owned a small business with no buyer influence, would you risk going on the television show Shark Tank and attempting to get billionaire investors?

No of course not.

Those billionaires would tell you that you had no proof of concept. No sales potential.

It’s the same way with most publishers. They want to see that the book has sales potential to an audience or fan base that you are already connected with. Maybe through speaking, YouTube, instructional classes, blogging, etc. and at the bare minimum they want to see that you understand platform and you are actively working on growing your writer’s platform.

As an unpublished writer, if you want to sell your manuscript to a traditional publisher, you need to spend 60%+ of your time and effort building your platform. If it’s not your passion, learn to love it. Learn to make platform-building part of your passion.

There is only one winner in the debate between platform and writing ability as it pertains to an unpublished author—platform.

What percentage of your writing time do you spend working on platform? How can you make platform your passion?

Categories
Talking Character

Do You Know What Your Character Is Doing?

What is your main character’s goal? The thing that drives her through the story, no matter how many obstacles you throw at her. You know what it is, right?

And you also know your bad guy’s goal—the one that tries to thwart your heroine at every turn.

No?

If you can’t state your protagonists’ and antagonists’ goals in a few words, your story is probably floundering, because those goals are critical pieces of your plot’s foundation.

I recently watched an action movie. Big name actors. Good special effects. A bomb that was going to explode in Times Square unless the heroine stopped it. Should have been a good movie, but halfway through I grew bored, because: A) Nowhere in the movie was it made clear what the bad guys were trying to achieve, and B) I was never clear on what the heroine’s primary goal was. I didn’t know what was driving her, so eventually I stopped caring what happened.

Instead of her goal pushing the plot toward the final showdown where she faced her inner demons and succeeded (or failed), she was merely reacting to stuff that happened, racing from one high octane moment to the next.

Ho hum.

In a similar vein, you heroine’s goal is the reason your readers care about her and want to cheer her on to success.

To write a good story, you MUST know your character’s story goal. If you aren’t sure, try one of the following:

  • Sit down with your main character and ask hard questions about her relationships, her fears, her dreams, and her inner demons. Deep, deep down, what drives her? Her story goal should stem from some inner need. (Even if she’s not aware of it.)
  • Consider what your story is about—the Theme. What are the protagonistic and antagonistic ideals that will clash to portray this theme? What character goals might portray those ideals?
  • Start with the climax. What will happen in the final confrontation? What final obstacle must your hero overcome in order to finally defeat his nemesis? Now think back to who your hero was at the start of the story. What goal will bridge that gap, forcing the action and the change necessary to get him to the climax moment?

As you write and rewrite your story, you may tweak your goal as the plot and characters evolve, but never lose sight of it or your story will go astray. And don’t be afraid to remind your character’s if they show signs of getting off track. If they yearn for another goal, tell them it will have to wait until the next story. Stay on track.

[bctt tweet=”If you don’t know what your character is doing, neither will the reader. #goals #writetip” username=””]

Categories
Grammar and Grace

Introducing the Eight Parts of Speech

For 2017, let’s understand the basics of English grammar by learning the eight parts of speech. They are the following:

Verb

Noun

Pronoun

Adjective

Adverb

Preposition

Conjunction

Interjection

All words are classified by the role they play in a sentence, or the work they do. Some words may be classified as two or three different parts of speech, but no word can be all eight. Some words will be classified as only one.

Here’s an example of one word in three different parts of speech. Brown can be an adjective, a noun, and a verb.

*The brown four-wheeler slid into the snow-covered ditch. (adjective)

*The brown in the painting overwhelmed the mood of the composition. (noun)

*Before placing the roast in the crock pot, brown the meat on all sides. (verb)

The word brown is used differently in all three sentences.

In the upcoming posts, we’ll learn about all the different parts of speech. Understanding the parts of speech will help in understanding future grammar and punctuation problems.

Happy writing!

Categories
Flash Fiction-Splickety

Gotcha: Remembering the Resolution After the Twist-Andrew Winch

My favorite thing about flash fiction is the artistic freedom it allows. Within its rigidity, skilled writers can find inspiration to experiment and create that would never be possible in less defined mediums. It has a unique ability to blur the lines between prose and poetry, crafting worlds and emotions not elsewhere possible. But with all this potential, beginning writers (and even accomplished veterans) are often intimidated, wondering where to start.

Splickety prides itself as a community that nourishes the art of flash fiction, not only by publishing exquisite stories, but also by instructing and mentoring talented authors in this rapidly growing genre of storytelling. And one foundational principle we encourage all beginning flashers (no, not that kind) to remember is that, even though you’re writing a story that can fit on a single page, it is still a story—one with a beginning, middle, and end. It doesn’t need to use a traditional three-act structure, but it does have to complete an arc in order to leave a reader satisfied. That arc is much quicker than with short stories or novel-length, but it’s still there.

The principles contained within this all-important fact could (and do) fill entire craft books, but I’m going to focus on one specific pitfall I’ve seen lately: the resolution. I’ve spoken many times on the importance of a satisfying climax. The easiest way to accomplish this is with some sort of big reveal or twist (NOT a deus ex machina, for the love of Deus) that ties into the beginning and subtle clues/nuances throughout the story. Of course, that’s not the only way (thank Deus), but it tends to be a great place to start.

The thing is, this type of climax has a major pitfall in flash fiction because authors seldom know where to put the final punctuation mark. Most of the time, they are afraid of writing too much, and thus diluting the impact of their climax (not to mention going over the word limit). So instead, they clip the story off right at the apex. BOOM. The End. Consider the following line:

“Good thing he chambered a single live round with all those treacherous blanks.”

Not bad, huh? But if it was the last line you read after going on a literary journey (no matter how short), it would leave you with a raised eyebrow, like seeing a magician disappearing in a cloud of smoke. It’s a great one-liner, but it leaves the reader feeling a bit cheated. Compare that with the following:

“Good thing he chambered a single live round with all those treacherous blanks.

As he squeezed the trigger, he couldn’t help noticing a pair of red squirrels flitting around in the trees over Sam’s shoulder.”

Take a second to really dissect the structure. In the first example, the fact that there was a live round in the chamber is the huge reveal. It really doesn’t matter what else the story is about. The lethal bullet is the punch line. In the second example, the line about the squirrels could be significant, or not. It could reveal some minor foreshadowing earlier in the story, it could reinforce a theme, or it could be completely ambiguous. It really doesn’t matter, because its job is to give us a half second to digest the climax without taking away from it.

In some ways, this final line may actually be more important than the climax because it gives us a chance to appreciate the big reveal before turning the page. And more importantly, it actually enhances the climax by giving us a poignant scene to weigh it against.

Striking that balance between, “Gotcha!” and, “Blah, blah, blah,” can be a challenging one. Just remember, flash fiction is founded on this principle: give the reader everything they need, and not a word more. It takes practice and patience, but we’re writers. If it were easy, everyone would do it.

 

AUTHOR BIO: Andrew Winch, Splickety’s executive editor, writes backyard adventures with an otherworldly twist. Check out his weekly adventures at raisingsupergirl.com, follow him on Twitter @andrewjwinch, and like him on facebook.com/andrewjameswinch.

Categories
Tour

Blog Tour- Jennifer Anne F. Messing

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 Please tell us about your most Recent Book-My latest book, Everlasting Love: Romantic Vignettes for a Woman’s Heart, is a collection of short fiction, original romantic poetry and inspired quotes. I wrote this book to speak about the incredible beauty, sacredness, enduring romance and joy there is to be found in the life-long commitment between a man and woman in marriage. I’m honored that it’s been awarded a Top Finalist status in three competitions in 2016: the National Indie Excellence Book Awards and Virtue Christian Book Awards ‘Short Stories’ category, and the Beverly Hills Book Awards ‘Romance’ category.  I’m also thankful that it has received numerous five-star reviews and continues to encourage women of all ages, single or married, that faithful, wedded love is truly a gift from God to treasure all of our lives. Author and reviewer Camille Eide wrote, “Whether it’s about the rush of finding new love, or the stirring words and actions shared by a couple whose love has grown over time, the stories in Everlasting Love remind us that no matter our circumstances, there is always hope for love, and that true love is unfailing. What a precious gift!” 

Why do you write what you do?-I write inspirational romantic fiction and poetry because I’ve been touched and transformed forever by God’s everlasting love for me. Through my heartfelt short stories and vignettes, I desire to uplift and encourage women, wives and mothers; remind them of the sacred beauty and blessings God brings into our lives daily through our spouse’s love for us and vice-versa, and the deep contentment and strength we gain from the the abiding commitment of marriage. I also write what I do because there is a need for more uplifting and wholesome romantic short stories and poetry to be circulated in print and on the internet. I believe I can share my Christian worldview and values through the words and actions of the characters in my stories. I desire to entertain readers and whet their appetite, make them long for the kind of peaceful, joy-filled and purpose-filled lives we can have when our faith and trust is in God.

What are you currently working on?-I am presently working on my next book, another collection of short fiction and romantic poetry, entitled, Love’s Faithful Promise: Timeless Romantic Short Stories. I am halfway done with the book and it is tentatively scheduled for publication in print and e-book formats by the fall of 2017.

How does your work differ from other work in its genre?-Every author brings their own unique set of life experiences to their writing. I believe my cross-cultural experiences: being born in the Philippines and having lived half of my childhood years there, and then having resided for the last twenty-five years in Oregon, USA, has given me a unique voice and style that differs from the writing style and diction of an author with a different ethnic background. In addition, the short story collections I write are different than those of other authors because I pen an original poem to enhance and give added insight into the message of each story. There are not a lot of authors who write both short fiction and poetry. Many write either fiction only or poetry only, but usually not both genres and not in the same book. My short story collections are also set apart from ones by other authors in that my books have a “gift book” and “keepsake” feel, because the poetry, love quotes, and Bible verses added to each chapter are ones that readers often desire to re-visit time and again.

How does your writing process work?-With short stories, I usually begin with the lead character in mind and a specific situation they are in, or problem they are facing. My story quickly develops from there as I write out the first scene with description and dialogue. After writing the first scene, other things become more clear and I determine things such as: other biographical facts about my main characters, the city where the story takes place, names of minor characters, names of schools and restaurants, etc. Although I may not know the “end” of my story when I start writing it, I soon figure it out as I write out the next scene, then the next, then the next. The lead characters’ interactions with each other ultimately determine how the story ends.

Poetry, however, is a totally different genre and art form than short fiction, and the way I am inspired and moved to write it is much different. When I write poetry it most often begins with a time of solitude and reflection, and journaling. Many times I have written poems after reading my Bible in the morning and after quieting my heart in God’s presence and listening for His still, small voice. I may sit quietly for fifteen minutes or more, and once an idea comes for a new poem then the ideas usually flow quickly. I start writing them down ― and I do mean WRITE, not type. All of my poems are first written on paper and then later placed on the computer.

After writing a first draft of a story or poem, I return to it several days later to polish and re-write. Sometimes I revise a piece two or three times, reading it aloud, line by line, until I am happy with the way it sounds. Then I present my work to my critique group at our monthly meeting, and I make a few other edits or changes after receiving their critiques, with comments and suggestions.

And lastly, after editing and polishing my work, I always market my short stories and poems. I regularly submit them to editors of print and online magazines, and book compilations. If an editor declines to use my story, I submit it to another editor. By God’s grace, my perseverance in marketing has helped me earn over 200 publishing credits in various magazines.

Jennifer Anne Fabregas Messing is an author, poet, and creative writing teacher who has a bachelor’s degree in Religious Education and Journalism. A past president of the Oregon Christian Writers, she has over 200 articles, short stories, and poems published in 60 magazines, including: Christian Fiction Online, Bible Advocate, Standard, The Wesleyan Advocate, Mocha Memoirs, Flurries of Words, and Oregon Report Online. Her latest books: Everlasting Love: Romantic Vignettes for a Woman’s Heart and Morning’s Promise: Poetic Moments in His Presence (print and e-book formats) are available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble online, and Smashwords.

Originally from the Philippines, Jennifer Anne has been married to the love of her life, Michael Messing, for 25 years. They are the parents of three young adult children and reside in Oregon, USA. More information is on her website:www.JenniferAnneMessing.com.

Facebook: Jennifer Anne F. Messing

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Twitter: @JennyAnnMessing

www.twitter.com/JennyAnnMessing

Amazon: Jennifer Anne F. Messing

https://www.amazon.com/Jennifer-Anne-F.-Messing/e/B007AKAM6U/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1 

 

Categories
Free Your Mind LifeStyle

Going With The Flow

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The steamer which crossed the Pacific from Yokohama to San Francisco made a direct connection with that from Hong Kong, and it could not sail until the latter reached Yokohama; and if Mr. Fogg was twenty-four hours late on reaching Yokohama, this time would no doubt be easily regained in the voyage of twenty-two days across the Pacific. He found himself, then, about twenty-four hours behind-hand, thirty-five days after leaving London.

The Carnatic was announced to leave Hong Kong at five the next morning. Mr. Fogg had sixteen hours in which to attend to his business there, which was to deposit Aouda safely with her wealthy relative.

On landing, he conducted her to a palanquin, in which they repaired to the Club Hotel. A room was engaged for the young woman, and Mr. Fogg, after seeing that she wanted for nothing, set out in search of her cousin Jeejeeh. He instructed Passepartout to remain at the hotel until his return, that Aouda might not be left entirely alone.

Mr. Fogg repaired to the Exchange, where, he did not doubt, every one would know so wealthy and considerable a personage as the Parsee merchant. Meeting a broker, he made the inquiry, to learn that Jeejeeh had left China two years before, and, retiring from business with an immense fortune, had taken up his residence in Europe—in Holland the broker thought, with the merchants of which country he had principally traded. Phileas Fogg returned to the hotel, begged a moment’s conversation with Aouda, and without more ado, apprised her that Jeejeeh was no longer at Hong Kong, but probably in Holland.

[/vc_column_text][bquote type=”tagline” prk_in=”I have given no small attention to that not unvexed subject, the skin of the whale. I have had controversies about it with experienced whalemen afloat, and learned naturalists ashore. My original opinion remains unchanged.”][vc_column_text]The steamer which crossed the Pacific from Yokohama to San Francisco made a direct connection with that from Hong Kong, and it could not sail until the latter reached Yokohama; and if Mr. Fogg was twenty-four hours late on reaching Yokohama, this time would no doubt be easily regained in the voyage of twenty-two days across the Pacific. He found himself, then, about twenty-four hours behind-hand, thirty-five days after leaving London.

The Carnatic was announced to leave Hong Kong at five the next morning. Mr. Fogg had sixteen hours in which to attend to his business there, which was to deposit Aouda safely with her wealthy relative.

On landing, he conducted her to a palanquin, in which they repaired to the Club Hotel. A room was engaged for the young woman, and Mr. Fogg, after seeing that she wanted for nothing, set out in search of her cousin Jeejeeh. He instructed Passepartout to remain at the hotel until his return, that Aouda might not be left entirely alone.

Mr. Fogg repaired to the Exchange, where, he did not doubt, every one would know so wealthy and considerable a personage as the Parsee merchant. Meeting a broker, he made the inquiry, to learn that Jeejeeh had left China two years before, and, retiring from business with an immense fortune, had taken up his residence in Europe—in Holland the broker thought, with the merchants of which country he had principally traded. Phileas Fogg returned to the hotel, begged a moment’s conversation with Aouda, and without more ado, apprised her that Jeejeeh was no longer at Hong Kong, but probably in Holland.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Categories
Storyworld

Anatomy of Grays: Sex

AnatomyGraysSex

Jim held a gray spheroid up to the light. “So Doc, you’re saying the sex of this alien was actually female?”

“That is perhaps an overstatement. This is clearly an egg we retrieved from the deceased Sharalla pilot. While this may indicate a female of the species, their biology is unlike anything we’ve encountered. For all we know, the males carry the fertilized eggs, as in some of Earth’s aquatic wildlife.”

Jim lowered the egg, which had the size, heft, and texture of a softball. “You’re not saying this thing is fertilized are you?”

The doctor shook his head. “Our scientific team has concluded it most certainly is not. We wouldn’t let you handle it otherwise.”

The little rock wiggled itself in Jim’s hand, producing a breathless stare from Doctor Stein.

“Ahh,” Jim sighed in mock contentment, “ the certainty of science.”

 

What better way to spend the day before Valentine’s than talking about alien sex and reproduction? Seriously though, the method of reproduction in an alien species dictates much of its culture, so it bears at least some consideration in your storyworld.

Assuming your creatures have some form of sex to reproduce (and don’t just materialize or breed asexually), you’ll need to figure out how they do it. Generally, it will involve some form of fertilization, the method in which sex cells, containing half the genetic composition of each parent, unite to form a new, unique member of the species. This is broadly separated into two categories: external fertilization and internal fertilization.

External Fertilization

External fertilization is a form of sex that is mostly reserved to earth’s fish. While from our view, this seems impersonal, it doesn’t have to be. Granted, there doesn’t seem to be much intimacy between two fish, but there is sometimes a loyalty to the young. The male Siamese Fighting Fish will tirelessly guard over its eggs, ensuring they remain in a nest of bubbles until they hatch. Male seahorses will care for their fertilized eggs in a special pouch. Cichlids are fish that keep their eggs in their mouths, and continued to do so until they’ve not only hatched, but are old enough to fend for themselves.

If you introduce a sentient (and somewhat relatable) alien species with external fertilization, it would probably be best to model it after one of these more maternal or paternal species on earth. That is, unless you’re trying to create a heartless society of extraterrestrials. In that case, spawning massive numbers of progeny at random might fit better.

Internal Fertilization

This is the section that might get me fired from my position at A3. I’m kidding, I’m kidding – you can’t fire someone who works for free … I think. Anyway, internal fertilization is when male sex cells enter the female’s body and find the female sex cell(s). They combine and form a new life, starting as a zygote and eventually either hatching into the world, or emerging via the birth canal.

Which brings up the next distinction, whether or not the animal lays an egg or cares for the embryo in an internal placenta. Some examples of egg-laying creatures on earth are reptiles and birds. If your alien species lays an egg, you’ll have to decide the level of involvement you want the parents to have in guarding that egg. Some birds like the hornbill are very protective of their eggs. So much so that the female blocks herself off in a tree hole and entirely depends on her mate to bring her food. Others, like sea turtles, bury their eggs in the sand and then leave, hoping for the best (there may be a reason they’re so endangered). Rattlesnakes are odd egg layers though, since they don’t really lay eggs, but keep the eggs internally until they hatch. While that may sound like a live birth, the eggs are still self-sustaining, meaning no nutrients pass from mother to child.

And that’s actually one of the distinguishing features of sex and reproduction in a mammal – the placenta. When a mammal baby develops in the womb, it receives nutrients from its mother until ready for birth. Even then, female mammals provide milk for their young with their mammary glands (breasts in humans, udders in cows and pigs, etc.).

Sex Between Species

While forbidden in Leviticus 19, sex between two different species occasionally produces a hybrid creature. Probably most well known is the mule, a cross between a donkey and a horse. Additionally, ligers are crosses between tigers and lions, and according to liger scholar and artist Napoleon Dynamite, they’re bred for their skills in magic. There are a lot of different hybrids out there, including zonkeys , dzos, and other strange creatures. Usually the two parents need a similar number of chromosomes, and even then the result is typically a sterile creature. Sometimes though, intentionally breeding two species results in a very, very bad hybrid, such as the killer bee. Yes, thank science for producing a species of insect capable of killing thousands of humans and livestock … and then accidentally releasing them from quarantine -whoops.

Sometimes in sci-fi and fantasy literature you’ll see a hybrid race. The most obvious that comes to my mind is the Half-Elf. Born of human and elven parentage, these half-races display characteristics of each. But in a sci-fi or fantasy world, you can’t assume that every alien species can intermingle with every other. In Michael A. Stackpole’s X-Wing series, one of his protagonists humorously recounts a bad memory of having sex with an alien. The two hadn’t considered the delicate pH balance in that… region. And as a result, both partners developed severe rashes and some other, ahem, unpleasant side effects.

Sex and Culture

As I said in my intro, sex (and marriage) is a huge factor that dictates how a culture operates. How do two individuals in a species find a mate? How do they produce offspring? How do they care for their offspring? Is there sexual deviancy and abuse? While these are all major questions that deserve an entire column this column has mostly addressed biology. Fear not though, I will address them in the future. So if this article interests you, be on the watch for my sex and worldbuilding article in the next few months.

There, I made it through an entire column dedicated to sex without once mentioning the words vagina or penis. Oh! Darn. Well, almost.

Next month we’ll continue our anatomy series and tackle the neuroendocrine system! Yeah, that’s basically just a fancy word for evaluating how an alien thinks and feels.

 

Photo Credits:

Birds and Bees Photo: http://www.evilenglish.net/the-birds-and-the-bees/

 

Siamese Fighting Fish Photo (Also great resource regarding these cool fish): http://dkphoto.photoshelter.com/gallery-image/Siamese-Fighting-Fish-Life-Cycle/G0000_kRdp2qXrtk/I0000qlzVaRnV4Qw/C0000NHUtq8T1jVw

 

Napoleon Dynamite Inspired Liger Drawing: https://www.flickr.com/photos/51035597721@N01/5266903

Categories
Magazine and Freelance

Ideas for Magazine Articles are Everwhere

Over the last twenty-five years, books have been my passion and the bulk of my writing life. It’s not where I began and I write much more than books.  Please don’t misunderstand. I love books but I continue to believe many writers are missing golden opportunities by not practicing the short form—magazine writing.

In the article format, I’m able to practice many of the techniques I use in my books, yet in a more compressed form.  It’s a sharpening process for my writing life and important. If you’ve strayed into only writing books, then I recommend you return to writing magazine articles. It will build something into your books.

Ideas are one of the most fluid and free-wheeling part of the writing process. I love to have new ideas—and they come constantly. Sometimes the waves of what I want to write spring into my mind so fast, it’s like standing under a waterfall. You can’t possibly catch everything—and like a waterfall,  you can only stand the spray for a tiny bit—before you get washed away.

Conversations with people can stir ideas. You may be taking a break at work and listening to someone’s story and decide a much-changed version of the story could be part of a novel. Or possibly from the conversation, you see your friend struggling with a personal crisis and discovering a unique solution to this crisis or handling it in a different way. You decide that experience could be the beginnings of a how-to article.  I’ve given only two examples of how we can find ideas from our conversations with others.

Other times we read the newspaper and learn about a new product. Because we read magazines and other types of print or internet publications, the idea comes to write about this product. You take this idea and pitch a magazine (more about this aspect for another article) and you snag an assignment to write about the product. Reading stimulates your idea process.  Can you take the idea and twist it in a different fashion and reveal the product or service to a new audience and a different publication?

Years ago, I was reading the Orange County Register and living in Southern California. In the business section, a small news item announced Disney was printing Disney Dollars. I was fascinated with this bit of news and wanted to learn more.  As a part of the experience of being in Disneyland, they have Disney Dollars which are the same quality of regular currency. I pitched a numismatic magazine with the article idea and received an assignment.  In a matter of weeks, I was on the back lot of Disney — where no “guests” are allowed and interviewing one of the Vice Presidents about this new currency.  For me the process began with a small news item in the newspaper. You can find ideas in the same way.

Almost anything can stir ideas—family activities, walking through the mall, visiting a historic monument or _____ (you name it).  I’ve learned to always carry a piece of paper because ideas will strike me at odd times. I have to write it down or it will pass through my mind and be forgotten. (In general, I ignore the ones that come in the middle of the night).

OK, now you have an idea. What do you do with the idea? It will be key to whether you get it published or it disappears.

 

  1. Terry Whalin, a writer and acquisitions editor at Morgan James Publishing, lives in Colorado. A former magazine editor, Whalin has written for more than 50 publications including Christianity Today and Writer’s Digest. He has written more than 60 nonfiction books including Jumpstart Your Publishing Dreams. His latest book is Billy Graham, A Biography of America’s Greatest Evangelist and the book website is at: http://BillyGrahamBio.com Watch the short book trailer for Billy Graham at: http://bit.ly/BillyGrahamBT His website is located at: www.terrywhalin.com. Follow him on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/terrywhalin

 

 

Categories
Guest post archive

Guest Post-6 Common Writing Issues Authors Overlook By Pam Lagomarsino

 

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If you are reading this, you are either writing a book or considering the possibility. Writing a book can seem like a tremendous challenge as you try to create a perfect manuscript. I would like to share common writing mistakes to avoid as you write your story or message. I am excited for you as you continue your journey to publishing your book.

You might be wondering when your manuscript is ready to submit to an editor or publisher. Only you can determine when that is. Have you asked beta-readers or critique partners to preview it? Do you have more you wish to say? Did you do a spelling and grammar check? Your book doesn’t have to be perfect when you submit it to your editor. But just in case you prefer to make everything as close to perfect as possible, here are a few tips for you:

1. Avoid as many unnecessary words as possible when you are telling the story. Now, wouldn’t it have been much easier if I had written “Avoid Wordiness” instead? A quick Google search for “lists of wordy phrases” will result in several, but here are a few for you to find and replace:

  • That. Will the sentence make sense without it? Often, when a sentence has “that are” in it, you can eliminate both words. While we are on the subject of “that” – people should be referred to as who as in the boy who…
  • Off of – delete “of”
  • Very ________ … What stronger adjective could you use?
  • In order to. You should delete the “in order”
  • Really can be substituted with truly or genuinely. Better yet, can you delete it?

2. Be consistent with spelling and spacing. Ensure you spelled all your character names and places correctly—especially if you didn’t mention them frequently. One quick way to catch some errors would be to run a spelling/grammar check in Microsoft Word. As you come across the first occurrence of a character’s name or a unique word, click “add to dictionary.” Then if you misspelled that word later, Word will flag it for you. Is your sentence spacing consistent? Many publishers now prefer a single space between sentences. To correct spacing in Microsoft Word: tap the space bar twice in the Navigation search box. If you find several, then click the Home tab on the ribbon, choose Replace to open a new box, then type in one space in the “Replace with” box. Click ok. With one quick click, you have just replaced all the double spacing. Finally, are your quotation marks and apostrophes straight or curly? Are they all the same? If you find the occasional straight quotation marks, you can copy one set into your search bar and replace all of them. You will have to fix apostrophes individually.

3. Confusing word usage issues (check the dictionary if you are unsure). Take the time to search and correct these examples which Word will not always catch:

  • Were, where, we’re
  • There, their, they’re
  • Affect, effect
  • Than, then
  • To, too, two
  • 4. Give credit where credit is due. When do you need to cite a reference? The nutshell answer is if you are quoting a person, website, or book, you need to get permission and note the source. This requirement also includes Bible verses and things considered to be in the Public Domain. If your quote is from a book, provide the title, author’s name, publisher, page number, and copyright date. For a website, give the article title, author, date of the article (if available), and date you found it. You can copy and paste the web address into the document. When quoting a person, provide their name, date, and any title they use. If you have included factual information you found from a website or book, you will need to make a notation. Many authors are surprised to learn they also must provide the specific verse and version when quoting the Bible. You can find proper permission and copyright wording at https://www.biblegateway.com. Creating proper citations or a bibliography can seem overwhelming. But even if you don’t get the periods and commas in the proper place for an endnote, footnote, or reference page, you still need to make a reasonable effort to identify the source. Your editor or publisher can put the material in the correct format. If you are doing everything yourself, you can research proper citation formatting on the internet when you are ready.

 5. Are you noticing words or phrases used repeatedly? Can you find synonyms? It is easy to use the same words frequently. Try this quick spot check: select three random paragraphs in consecutive order. Read through them carefully and see if any one word or phrase comes up often—especially more than once in a paragraph. If so, try to find an appropriate synonym when it is feasible. In nonfiction, it is not always realistic to change words, but you can reduce the frequency. Likewise, in fiction, if a particular character is fond of a phrase, you can’t always remove it.

 6. Marketing begins before you publish your book. Many successful authors will tell you their sales improved because of self-promotion on social media before, during, and after they published their book. Both aspiring authors and well-known authors with a huge following will benefit by joining numerous online writing groups on Facebook, LinkedIn, or Google+. These groups share writing tips and information, cheer one another on, and promote one another’s books. You can tell others about the book you are writing. As you get closer to publication, you can post small teasers on social media to stir excitement.

I would love to be a part of your writing journey to equip you to touch the lives of your readers. For editorial quotes or editing needs, please visit my website at http://www.abovethepages.com/  or email me at abovethepages@gmail.com.