Writing a Novel

Why I Write Horror

2008-10-26T08:58:00.000-07:00

Why I Write Horror
by: David Silva

These are some of the snapshots I carry with me:

My father coming up to visit me after first being diagnosed with leukemia. The visit was a surprise, and he brought a new computer with him. As he carried it into the house, he said, "This isn't yours, but I'm going to let you use it." Later that afternoon, he told me he was dying. We spent the entire weekend playing with the computer, trying to write crude DOS programs and get it to do what we wanted. It was as close to him as I ever felt.

Carrying my dog Seth into the veterinarian's office and placing her on the cold stainless steel table. Her so well behaved, as always. Me fighting back the tears in front of the doctor. She had been diagnosed with bone cancer and her limp was so dramatic that every step had to be excruciating. I couldn't stay to watch him put to her to sleep. It just hurt too much.

Answering the knock on the door at three-thirty in the morning and stepping outside, where ashes were floating down out of the sky like giant snow flakes. The Fountain Fire, which had started nearby and had burned some 65,000 acres while moving away from the house, had turned back during the night. I remember the acrid smell of smoke in the air. The sense of urgency and danger, mixed with utter silence and an odd, surreal beauty I don't think I'll ever be able to describe. The house, fortunately, was spared.

Standing in my father's hospital room, watching him as each breath gradually grew a little shallower. Some so faint I wasn't sure if he had taken a breath at all. Finding myself counting the seconds after his last breath, time stretching out further and further, and then the realization … the moment's passed. It's over. He's dead. He's never going to take another breath. He's never going to smile again, to laugh. A piece of the foundation of my life has just disappeared.

My mother giving me a copy of Ray Bradbury's The Toynbee Convector for Christmas. It was her last Christmas, and we both knew it would be her last. The smile on her face, because she knew I was a Bradbury fan. I asked her to sign it for me. After she died, I bought another copy for reading. I keep the copy she gave me safely tucked away, where I can pull it out whenever I need and remind myself how lucky I am.

Believing in Santa Claus until I was ten years old. Every Christmas we would go for a long drive through the surrounding neighborhoods on Christmas Eve to see the decorations. When we returned home, there would be a fire in the fireplace and presents under the tree. I like believing in Santa Claus. And the Grinch, too. Oh, and it was my grandparents who put the presents out each year.

My father dropping my sister and I and a friend off at the State movie theater to see a cartoon festival one Saturday morning when I was eight. It ended up being the wrong theater. Instead of cartoons, we watched a movie called Terror From The Year 2000. It was the first movie that ever scared me. For years, I was haunted by visions of a purple woman mysteriously materializing behind me.

Reading Edgar Allen Poe stories at my grandmother's house at night in bed when I was a young boy, and how wonderful they were.

The Book Mobile that came by the house once a week when I was a boy. Looking back on it now, it was a tiny little thing. But it seemed cavernous at the time. I remember the excitement of climbing up the steps, the smell that was somehow ancient and new all at once, the plastic covers, the tall shelves.

My sister sneaking out of the house in the middle of the night as a teenager to go hang out with her biker boyfriend. She got caught. Her bedroom window got nailed shut. She was the bad seed. I was the good son. Of course, as adults, she's far more responsible and level-headed than myself.

My best friend when I was eleven, sneaking into our house while we were away and stealing all my marbles. He left a perfect path of footprints leading directly back to his house. I asked him to return the marbles and he did. We remained friends, but it was never quite the same after that. I had something over him and neither of us like that.

Spending the night alone in the Community Center in preparation for a huge arts and crafts sale the next day. I was there to make sure nothing was stolen during the night. It was cold and dark and eerie. There were Christmas ornaments everywhere. Little gingerbread houses with gum drop roofs. Miniature rocking chairs with Mrs. Santa in place. Ceramic statues of little elves. Reindeer made of wood and felt and pine needles. Nightmarish. Absolutely nightmarish.

Walking down a path in the mountains late at night, following what little moonlight there was, and having someone jump out behind a tree, completely unexpected, and scream. On the outside, I barely flinched. Inside, I thought my legs were going to give out and I couldn't stop my heart from pounding.

Me and three friends being pulled over by cops because they were looking for someone and we apparently fit the bill. The ordered us out of the car, had us put our arms on the vehicle and spread 'em, then frisked us and asked for I.D. It was as guilty as I ever felt for having done nothing.

Becky, who was an excellent diver, trying a dive off the diving board at summer camp and coming down on her face. For weeks after, she walked around looking something like the Elephant Man, her nose swollen and twisted to one side, huge black-and-blue stripes beneath each eye. I wish I had a camera.

A boy in sixth grade running out into the street to get a baseball and getting clobbered by a car. We all gathered around to watch as he walked in circles, his eyes glassy, repeating over and over, "I just wanted to get the ball. I just wanted to get the ball."

Old Airport Road, where one night two young teenage lovers went barreling down the dead end until they slammed into the embankment and totaled their car. I was ten. My sister was nine. My father heard the sirens. He scooped us up, put us in the car and followed the ambulance to the accident. I remember there were shards of broken glass everywhere. The air was sharp with the smell of oil and gasoline. We watched as the two teenagers were strapped into gurneys and each stuffed into an ambulance. Their faces were a bloody mess. The girl was groaning nonstop. I don't know if they made it or not.

The night I left the front yard when I wasn't supposed to, so I could show a visiting neighbor where my school was. Most particularly, I remember the whipping I got when my father finally tracked us down several hours later.

The first time I ever shoplifted something. I was eight or nine, and I had gone to the store to pick up some bread for my mother. While I was there, I slipped a candy bar into my pocket. Not being terribly proficient at it, I think a bit of the candy bar was sticking out. When I went to the check out counter, the cashier suggested we get some "fresher" bread. I followed him back to the bread shelves, where he casually asked what was in my pocket, and before I knew it, I was in his office and he was calling the police. I don't think he actually called them. I think he was just trying to scare me, which believe me, he did. He ended up giving me a lecture and telling me to have my mother come see him next time we came to the store. I never told my mother. And I hated it every time I had to go anywhere near that store again.

The dogs barking one night, and me blindly following them out into the woods to see what the fuss was all about. We stopped in front of a stand of manzanita, maybe two or three feet away, and suddenly a coyote let out a howl from the other side. The dogs started barking again, and there was some rustling around in the dark. I didn't stay to see what it was all about.

The babysitter, an older woman who cared for us during the day while our parents worked, washing my mouth out with soap. I don't remember what I said, but I do remember that it was the only time I had ever had my mouth washed out with soap.

Taking a walk down the long driveway out to my mail box one afternoon, and finding a cow's heart and intestines dumped in a pool of blood in the middle of the road. Apparently, someone had stolen a local cow during the night and slaughtered it in my driveway, which was hidden just off the main road. Or aliens had visited the area. I guess I'll never know for sure.

Working on the roof of a house with my father and grandfather. This was a new house, the family's "dream house," that would eventually take two full years to build. We were cutting and laying wood shakes. Off to the side, I caught a glimpse of my father climbing down the ladder. I peered over the edge and asked him what was up. "I'm going to the hospital," he said. "I cut my finger off." He hadn't said anything when it had happened. He hadn't yelled or screamed or cried. He had picked up his finger, and climbed down the ladder, fully prepared to drive himself to the hospital. My grandfather ended up doing the driving. I stayed behind and continued working on the roof, absolutely amazed at my father's calm reaction to such a horrifying event. I was fifteen. I still got excited about slivers.

Cutting wood for winter one August afternoon. Pacific Gas & Electric had come through last summer and leveled a number of pines while installing an electrical line into the back of the property. I had taken the chain saw to one of the piles, unaware that nearby a nest of yellow jackets had built a hive in the ground. Apparently, they didn't care much for all the racket. Before I realized what was happening, I found myself under attack. It was a long, long run before the last of the persistent fellows finally gave up the chase. I was fortunate to come away with only five or six stings.

Going up for a rebound while playing basketball when I was in my early twenties and coming down wrong on my foot. I ended up on my back, and when I raised my head to see what had happened, I discovered my right foot pointing the wrong direction. I had dislocated it. On the way to the hospital, I couldn't remember where I lived. Once I got to the emergency room, they had to put me under because they couldn't get my foot back into place and every time they tried, I screamed. Even in my twenties, I couldn't find the composure under adversity of my father.

I carry these snapshots with me wherever I go. Some were taken at the most significant moments of my life. Others were taken for reason I cannot fathom. All I know is they are always with me. Yet each, in its own way, has contributed to my fascination with horror.

I write horror not because I've lived it, but because it charms me, because I see its place in my live and the lives of others around me, and I want to understand it.

About The Author

David Silva
The Successful Writer
http://thesuccessfulwriter.com
dbsilva@earthlink.net

Book Marketing 101

2008-10-25T08:57:00.000-07:00

Book Marketing 101
by: Jeremy M. Hoover

Francine Silverman. Book Marketing from A-Z (InfinityPublishing.com, 2005). Trade paperback. 400 pages. $18.95 US.

For beginning authors, book promotion is the key to success. Whether an author self-publishes or is published by a major house, most often that author needs to market her book herself if she wants there to be any chance at all of it being successful. Large publishing houses are too concerned with promoting the next blockbuster to focus even on mid-list titles, and smaller publishing houses usually don’t have the resources to commit to marketing their titles. Even worse off are those who self-publish, because when they receive their books, they are on their own. Any marketing that happens, happens because of their efforts, and their efforts alone.

What is a new author to do? He can sit back and hope that his book sells somehow, or he can put money into a marketing plan and hope that plan is successful. But without a marketing background, that money can be wasted quickly. As a result, many authors don’t market out of fear of loss and uncertainty, and sell far fewer books than they should.

Into this void comes a wonderful book – Book Marketing from A-Z by Francine Silverman. The sub-title explains it all: “More than 300 authors share the peaks and pitfalls in promoting their books.”

Silverman hasn’t so much written this book as she has edited it. She is the successful author of two books, as well as the owner of a very influential book promotion newsletter (http://bookpromotionnewsletter.com). Over a couple years of publishing her newsletter, she has collected marketing success stories from many authors, and, combined with her own expertise, has put it all together into an excellent resource.

This book contains everything a new (or even experienced) author needs to begin marketing. Authors might be surprised to learn that there are many free things they can do to market their books! For example, I was surprised at how many authors related that something as simple as handing out bookmarks or pens stamped with their website and book name resulted in much publicity and many sales.

The book is comprehensive—arranged alphabetically, Silverman covers such topics as the importance of good reviews, what to do (or not do) at book signings, how to brand yourself, how to tie-in with holidays or movies, how speaking engagements can help a career blossom, and how to send out press kits. There are two huge sections on using Internet technology (web sites, ezines, e-groups, etc.) and newsletters to build a following. In my view, these two sections are the most informative sections of the book.

Silverman has produced a timely, comprehensive, and very helpful book that new and expert authors will return to time and again as they build their writing careers.

About The Author

Jeremy Hoover is a proofreader and book reviewer. He proofreads and reviews religion books, poetry, and most fiction. Contact him at jeremyhoover@gmail.com or Hoover Reviews (http://hooverreviews.blogspot.com) for proofreading rates or to request a review.

Post Colonial Studies

2008-10-24T08:56:00.000-07:00

Post Colonial Studies
by: Samir K. Dash

Postcolonialism has been defined as:

* A description of institutional conditions in formerly colonial societies.

* An abstract condition of the global condition after the colonial period.

* A description of discourses informed by psychological and epistemological orientations.

* the social, political, economic, and cultural practices which arise in response and resistance to colonialism.

* This corresponds ' definition of postcolonial literature as, "an always present tendency in any literature of subjugation marked by a systematic process of cultural domination through the imposition of imperial structures of power," which as they point out implies that postcolonialism is "already implicit in the discourses of colonialism".

Postcolonialism, like other post-isms, does not signal a closing off of that which it contains (colonialism), or even a rejection (which would not be possible in any case), but rather an opening of a field of inquiry and understanding following a period of relative closure. Colonialism is an event which can be identified, given an historical definition, through its effects and characteristics as they reveal themselves in a given nation, among different cultural and social groupings.

Such writings as Edward Said's Culture and Imperialism (1993) discuss discourse analysis and postcolonial theory as tools for rethinking forms of knowledge and the social identities of colonial systems. As a result these tools can be applied to the recognition of modernism and modernity as part of may be called the colonial project of domination.

Debates on Postcolonialism are unresolved, yet issues raised in Said's book Orientalism (1978) critique Western descriptions which produce essential representations of Non-Euro-American others, because colonialism as a discourse is based on the ability of Western to enter, examine another culture, produce knowledge, and use that power against those countries.

Post colonial studies , over the last decade has been emerged both as

* A meeting point

* A background for verity of disciplines.

Post colonialism has been seen as a 'decisive, temporal marker of the decolonizing process'. But the fundamental to it is the concept that Gayatri Chakrabarty Spivak had rised in 1985. in that year she threw a challenge to the race and blindness of the Western academy, asking "Can the subaltern speak?" her question was followed by the work by a collective intellectuals of 1980, now known as subaltern Studies group. Spivak raised the question to highlight that there exists a complicated relationship between the historian and the unknowing subjects of subaltern histories – which is very much fundamental to post-colonial studies as well as all subaltern and feministic studies.

After 1970's and 1980's , the new literature that emerged from the Commonwealth, has shattered the notions of 'centre' and 'periphery' on which post-colonial studies is (mistakenly) founded. If all nations at some point come under the sway of British E\imperialism are seen as post-colonial, then this term no longer does much useful distinguishing work.

After 1980's , the literary and cultural relativitism has shattered the "logo centric concept" of British or Western literature. Thus, there is no "centre" that can sustain post colonial studies, hence3 post colonialism has lost its meaning.

However the major points of the post colonial studies can be summarized roughly as under:

* Post colonial aftermath: the post colonial aftermath is marked by the range of ambivalent cultural moods. This is what described by Albert Memi, Tunisian anti-colonial revolutionary and intellectual as a vision of a new world that will "magically emerge from the ruins of the colonialism". To this he adds that the aftermath is inevitably underestimates the psychological hold of the colonial past. For Edward said, this aftermath is the "dreadful secondariness".

* Homi K. Bhabha and the role of memory: Bhabha believes that memory is necessary bridge between colonialism and question of one's cultural identity. Hence remembering is more than retrospection and is a painful 're-membering' of the 'dismembered past' of colonial history and this is a part of the identity that one bears in a post colonial era.

* Culture and post colonial literature: The understanding of post-colonialism as a means largely for the descendents of the settler groups in the colonial-imperial process to claim authenticity and autonomy and purge the guilt of empire as a process which altered pre-modern civilization. This is attempted by firstly, separating themselves from the 'original' culture; and secondly, by increasing understanding their empire as a muted and ambiguous legacy among nations, ethnic groups and selves engaged in the culture of imperialism. Given this reading, post-colonial literature can be seen as a transitory phase of the wider cultural condition of the legacy of imperialism.

© Samir K. Dash, 2004

About The Author

Samir K. Dash is a UGC-NET qualified, MA (English) from Ravenshaw (auto) College, Cuttack, Orissa (India).

You can contact the author at : samirk_dash@yahoo.com

Home page: www.samirshomepage.zzn.com

Orientalism

2008-10-23T08:55:00.000-07:00

Orientalism
by: Samir K. Dash

Edward Said's Orientalism can be summed up in three following points: first he talks of the distinction between pure and political knowledge, shows the power relation of any text to political, cultural, intellectual and moral domain; secondly he shows how the methodology used by the West to define and interpreting the Orient is just a part of the process that Orientalises the Orient and how his methodology of "historical generalization" is different from all these previous methodologies; and thirdly he clarifies his position by explaining his ethnic background, scholarly interests, and social circumstances he has experienced as an oriental.

Following Derrida it can be assumed the concept of "Orientalism" or "orient' a part of a binary oppositions pair, where the occidental forms the other side of this binary oppositional coin. Levis Strauss' Methodology , if applied to this binary opposition, we reach at the same conclusion as Edward Said, that these two (i.e. the concepts of Orient and Occident; or East and West ) are the two 'entities' that 'support and to an extent reflect each other'(p.5). To make it more clear, 'Orient' has come to be a part of our consciousness due to the process of categorization by the 'West' – i.e. Westerners' view or presupposition about their identity, made the idea of 'Orient' possible. As in a binary pair, one's presence is defined in terms of the absence of 'the other' (i.e. the opposition to it).In case of the Orientalism , (i.e. the discipline that came to front after the completion of this process or the 'event', the sense in which Derrida had used the term in his essay Structure, Sign and play in the Discourse of Human sciences) the 'East' is defined in terms of the qualifications of the 'West'. In Said's words:"European culture gained in strength and identity by setting itself off against the Orient as a sort of surrogate and even under grounded self".

And this process of establishing the identity of 'the other' by creating the identity of the self , is part of the process which said terms in this particular case as being "Orientalized" which means the moment one tries to understand which means the moment one tries to understand culture, history and ideas, one from that moment comes under their direct force. That means when one expresses his interpretation, (which is essentially an work of art) can no longer be external as croce has remarked: 'A work of art is always internal; and what is called external is no longer a work of art' (quoted in Rene Wellek's essay The Fall of Literary history).

That's why Said has avoided presenting any notion or definition of his subject in his book (i.e. Orientalism) rather he chooses a the path of indirectness, by placing in to the pages the various ideas related to the Orientalism that exist 'spatially and complexly interlinked' in his mind and are a part of his consciousness which ultimately he refers to as his subject i.e. the "Orientalism" – the "transdental signified". He is aware that this "transcendental signified" has been a part of the "collective unconscious' of the west and has been growing since the very time the west is conscious about the 'other sidedness' of his existence, on various levels – physical, as well as psychological. This has been since that time of its evolution, has been expressed in various manners making reference to different geographical cultural and ideological difference that exist between the west and the east. To avoid complexity of our interpretation we can simply put this as the fact that due to the ethno-centric attitude of the west there came the relative measurement of various dimensions in the different cultural values, belief systems and this ultimately formed the concept of the "Orient".

Said also makes this point clear in his introduction : "The orient was Orientalised not only because it was discovered to be oriental in all those ways considered common place by an average nineteenth century European, but also because it could be – that is submitted to being – made oriental".

This indicates that the very process of distinguishing orient from the occident is itself a process of Orientalising the orient. Said's use of "historical generalizations" (p.4) – which he announces in his introduction as a different 'methodological alternative' also could not able to escape from being taking part in the process of Orientalization.

This haunts Said as in the last lines of the third chapter he confesses that the study of orient involves a continuous process of degredation in knowledge,"If the knowledge of the Orientalism has any meaning, it is in being a reminder of this seductive degradation of knowledge".And perhaps writing of Orientalism by Said can be seen as the very next added part of this process which he himself indicates in the following line:"Orientalism failed to identify with human experience, failed also to see it as human experience […] if this book has any future use it will be as a modest contribution to that challenge, […] that system of thought like Orientalism , discourse of power , ideological fictions – mind-forg'd manacles – are too easily made, applied , and guarded". And to which he concludes that the accompanied degradation to this is 'Now perhaps more than before' .

That means he himself studies the process of which he is a part of . We need to understand how Said has attempted to describe the process of 'Orientalising the orient' by men in the past before him ( of which he becomes a part of , by writing his book , by doing explanations on Orientalism – which is now the aim of our experiment, to understand how the process of his explanation (on Orientalism) has the similarities to the this above mentioned process.

Said uses a new kind of methodology to bring the whole matter related to Orientalism to light. He does so as explains that :

* 'Orientalism is not an inert fact of nature'– i.e. it is not only related to geographical reality .

* it would be [also] wrong to conclude that the orient was essentially an idea or a creation with no corresponding reality,

He says so because he knows that the geographical sectors as orient and occident are man made, but along with that there is 'a brute reality' which is exerted by the idea of orient if they are at all any orient exists in ideas .

The fact that Said's belief system when comes to front has a centre which alters its meaning and deconstructs it as no particular opposition of the binary pair 'idea / thing' or 'mental dimension/ physical dimension is valid for more than an instance, so the moment he makes a reference to idea associated with the orient he discards the physicality of the orient and vise versa. From such reason we can assume that when an expression on the orient is made it either lies about orient or discard it it is because by 'lying' or creating myth about it, one can contribute to its existence, and the moment some expression is made to explain it, it is no more 'that' and hence it blows out its existence. Said points to this complexity in his introduction: "One ought never to assume that the structure of Orientalism is nothing more than a structure of lies or myths which, were the truth about them to be told, or simply blow away"!

* What Said has done to solve this problem is that he coined a new methodology which he termed as "representation".

That means he stresses through his book Orientalism on the aspect of how than whatof Orientalism. He tries to explain how orient is created than what it really is .

He through his historical generalization, moves from Flaubert to Sacy then to Renan and other Orientalists who build their own structures of Orientalism which forms a stack of structures, where no particular structure has while trying to understand the the 'what' aspects of Orientalism unconsciously created it .

Thus what the West did in the past to learn on orient created orient. and thus orient became an western invention.

That means that we are , by following Said , in fact starting a process of unlearning about the Orientalism , in order to let orient exist as it is . but the moment we attempt to learn about orient we are in fact from that moment starts off another chain reaction of changes in its existence—which ultimately leads us to no truth as the moment he we understand it , our understanding itself becomes a part of the invention of the orient.

He explains the epistemological aspect and historical aspect of the Orientalism which can be summarized in the following points:

* the first phase of Orientalists were those who saw the rise of the Muslims in the Asian region as a threat to Christianity – during this period the Orient was defined as the geographical regions that was under the control of the so called pagan , barbarous non-Christian races , especially Muslims. They were considered as threats to the West , i.e. the Christian occupied European geography. This can be traced in Chaucer's writings, Mendellive's stories.

* the next phase of the Orientalists were those who depending upon the first phase description began to explore these areas. During renaissance the spirit started and this continued for centuries. During this phase many militaristic adventures were made especially by that of Napoleon who planned to conquer the Egypt on both military and cultural ground. This phase continued till the creation of Suez canal and Orientalists like Renan, Sacy and Flaubert gave shape to the idea of Orientalism on the basis of their either experiences in the Orient or the views that they had possessed from their predecessors, which was shaped by the western attempt to define its supremacy over the concept that was termed as the Orient by the first phase definitions.

* the third or the latest phase was brought forward by the process of de-colonization where the modern west men began to emphasize the differences of the Orient from the Occident; east from the West.

After this categorization Said put forward the theory of the 'power relationship of knowladge'—how all these Orientalists of the three phase while defining the Orient have contributed to the process of the Orientalisation.

This is the power relationship of knowledge in the context of the orient.

* The west tried to find his identity through an opposition to it and named it orient.

* The ethenocentricism of the west made the distinguistions of other cultures from it and labeled all oppositional charactered cultures as oriental cultures.

Different parts of the west thus had diffeent views on orient due to their different geographical locations , which has created their own taste , own customs etc. thus "culectiveconciousness" of one part of the west saw its opposition in a manner , which was perhaps had subordinate place in the list of oppositions made by another part of the west. Thus their own definition of the orient differs .

This is exemplified by Said in the 4th section of the 2nd chapter tiltled as "Pilgrims and pilgrimages, British and French"

Well one may arise the question that if the ethenic values shaped by geographical locations in the west vary from each other , how can it be possible that they did not see each other as oppositions .

To this explanation can be found in the fact which Levis Strauss as well as Derrida terms as scandals . to put it plainly scandals are the characters that belong to the both oppositional sides.

And there in every culture there exists scandals. Due to the most common properties in between them (for instance Christanity) each part of west never saw each other as oppositional representation of it.

Now this makes it clear that there are as many number orients created as the western groups.

And thus orient is a set of imagination, values, ideas, customs, geographical locations which can be seen as the result of many attempts to explain self identity in terms of the other . thus orient was created out of the process of making an orient.

The next phase of Orientalists are those who, following the preconceived orient in their western mind tried to learn about it . Thus they became the part of the creators of the orient. Such phase includes Baudelaine and Sacy etc.

Thus the supposed to be 'discoverers' are themselves the inventers of the orient.

And the modern Orientalists who tried to categorise the diffent aspect of the orient became themselves another addition to such inventers.

Thus what we see in above that the process of learning is it self the mode of creation of Orientalism.

This is what Said explains as power relation ship of knowledge i.e. here knowledge exerts its power to build what it is about.

And this is the part of various degree of complex hegemony, which also includes the military and political hegemony f the orient ( in their general accepted meanings).

Another part to understand here is that the power relationship is essentially political here. It is so, because if the creation of orient as a subordinated field or structure can be considered as one of the political dimension of hegemony, then the learning about orient also owns this political dimension.

To make it more clear the moment the concept of Orientalism came to mind of the first westerner, it came as an opposition to his own existence. That makes it clear that we see orient in terms of its oppositional values of the west, i.e. Orient has been explained in terms of west and never the opposite. This ethenocentrism in knowledge about orient can be seen as a political hegemony. And we have no solution to it as we can explain the other of us in terms of what we are not. After that moment any reference made to us will be made only when we believe that the other exists . so , after that even if we are defined in the other's terms still the underlying causes of the existence of the other is in our terms. So, if one will say that if orient starts to define west as its opposition then also , the existence of the orient is made from in the terms of the west. And hence the knowledge of the orient has its political hegemony intact.

© Samir K. Dash, 2004

About The Author

Samir K. Dash is a UGC-NET qualified, MA (English) from Ravenshaw (auto) College, Cuttack, Orissa (India).

You can contact the author at : samirk_dash@yahoo.com

Home page: www.samirshomepage.zzn.com

Modern Science Fiction

2008-10-22T08:55:00.000-07:00

Modern Science Fiction
by: Samir K. Dash

Science fiction is a narrative (usually in prose) or a short story, 'novella' or novel length. As to what it is about, is not easily classificable. Such stories are about an amazing variety of things, topics and ideas. But in general these ideas are related to the field of science.

The premodern science fiction were about journey to new lands, and some are also related to industrial revolution --- to the new developed machines --- which were to be more specific were not related to the electronics and quantum physics phase. This branch of science can be also called 'empirical science fiction', as imagination were based on the empirical science that was just able to develop some mechanical machines and complex bio-chemical drugs.

This phase of science fiction includes, Mary Shelly's Frankenstein (1818), Joules Verne's Journey to the centre of the Earth (1864) and 2000 Leagues Under the Sea (1869).

But after towards the end part Victorian phase the scientific imagination developed to a new height. More complex theories of scientific causes were beginning to be used in writing science fiction. This phase is the Modern Period of science fiction. This phase include more technical details of science and used concepts of time and outer space. This phase lasted till the end of Second world war(i.e. 1945).

This phase of science fictions include mostly H.G.Well's Time Machine(1895), Island of Dr. Moreu(1896), The War of the Worlds(1898) and First Men in Moon(1901).

Upto this phase , science was thought to be some kind of saviour of mankind --- more like a passage to a better future. But in 1945, with the explosion of Atomic Bomb in Hiroshima of Japan, this view was shattered. The creator of the bomb commented that the "world would never be the same". This gave way to the 'Dysotopian view' of modern man's life that was shaped by science, otherwise which in some case may result in destruction of human race and civilization. From this the Post Modern phase of science fiction began.

In 1949, George Orwell published Nineteen Hundred Eighty Four . Then it was followed by Issac Assimov's Foundation (1951), Foundation and empire (1952), The Second foundation (1953) and Ray Bradbury's Farenhit 451

But the dystopian vision was more painted dark with the use of hi-tech technological information of science by the "New Wave Science Fiction".

In this New Wave Science Fiction, the naturalism was used to present the scientific growth in the fiction as a very probable process to real development of science. Among such works are Arthur C. Clarke's I, Robot(1951), 2001: A Space Odyssey (1967), 2010: A Space Odyssey Two (1982). There came a flood of new generation science fiction writers like J.G.Ballard (Grey Beard), Michel Crichton (Jurassic Park, Congo) , Kurt Vonnegut (Slaughter house 5).

During the 1980s, due to revolution in Computer Science and Internet, the "cyber world" revolution paved the way for "Cyber-punk" --- a new genre of science fiction, that dealt with Hypertyext, multiple identity and identity murder in the virtual world. The first of this kind was written in 1982 by William Gibson under the title Necromancer.

Thus the science fiction has turned into a major genre.

© Samir K. Dash, 2004

About The Author

Samir K. Dash is a UGC-NET qualified, MA (English) from Ravenshaw (auto) College, Cuttack, Orissa (India).

You can contact the author at : samirk_dash@yahoo.com

Home page: www.samirshomepage.zzn.com

Subtle Writing Techniques of the Mystery Writer

2008-10-21T08:54:00.000-07:00

Subtle Writing Techniques of the Mystery Writer
by: Gerard F Bianco

Here is the first of five articles taken from my lecture series, "Subtle Writing Techniques Used in Creating a Successful Mystery Novel." This series is designed to explain the working methods of the mystery/suspense writer, offering insight and understanding into the technical process of writing.

Reading a good mystery novel is a lot like horseback riding. At times you’re cautiously slow walking; sometimes you’re head-bobbling-wobbling trotting; while other times you’re whooshing along on a take-your-breath-away gallop. This variety of pace is a key element that contributes to the thrill and excitement of the ride. Another is fear. (What if I fall off the damn horse?)

In keeping with this same image, mystery writing becomes somewhat like laying out a course for the rider. The author must include an array of terrains to make the ride interesting and somewhat challenging. There has to be grassy hills to climb and soft, sloping landscapes to descend. There must be twists and turns and tree laden paths as well as long, smooth straight-aways for blazing gallops.

To accomplish all this, writers use an assortment of subtle and not-so-subtle techniques that will enhance their story-telling and add the necessary oomph required for a successful mystery/suspense yarn. From the many subtle techniques available, I consider these five to be amongst the highest on the importance scale.

1) Characters Speak to the Reader: This is easy when the story is written in the first person, but what about novels written in the third person? Can a protagonist speak directly to the reader if the tale is narrated? You bet they can. How? By using what I call, peripheral speech.

In the same way as it’s possible for us to see objects within a 90 degree radius when staring straight ahead, so too can a character in a novel speak to the reader while speaking to other characters. Let me illustrate. In Dying For Deception, my protagonist, Detective William Gillette, heads up a task force assigned to thwart a serial killer who’s been murdering women with red hair. On page 23, he addresses a group of officers on his team who he’s meeting for the first time. Pay special attention to the technique I’ve just described.

“You don’t know me—not yet anyway— but I expect we’ll get to know each other pretty well while this investigation is going on. For starters, I’d like to let you in on a little secret and tell you a little something about myself. You see, I’m a persistent bastard when it comes to murderers. I won’t let this guy continue for very long. In fact, I’m prepared to do just about anything to bring him in. Anything! I will not rest, I will not compromise and I will not concede until our end has been accomplished.”

I hope, with this small illustration, you can get a sense of what I mean. Gillette is talking to his team, but he’s also revealing himself to you, the reader, so that you’ll want to follow him and help solve the crime. There are other examples of this technique employed in Dying For Deception. Why not try looking for them.

About The Author

Gerard Bianco is the author of the mystery novel, Dying For Deception. He was born and raised in Broolyn, New York. Smoky pool halls, Irish bars, and Italian social clubs are some of the local hangouts that have influenced his writing. In addition to being an author, he is also an accomplished artist, jewelry designer and manufacturer. Visit his website, http://www.dyingfordeception.com.

Sign up for his free Mystery Newsletter.

mainemystery@aol.com

'Your Instinct is Your Life-blood,' says author.

2008-10-20T08:54:00.000-07:00

'Your Instinct is Your Life-blood,' says author.
by: Neil Millar

Fourteen thousand civilised people died when the tsunami hit Andaman Islands – five percent of the population – meanwhile a cannibal tribe, inhabiting the same island, hardly lost a life. And do you know what saved them – the earliest early-warning system known to man.

When the Jarawa tribe saw jungle creatures performing a speedy mass exodus they decided they should peg it too. Meanwhile civilised men may have noticed the lack of birds singing in the trees or their dog straining the leash and did nothing. Clearly something separates tribal man from civilised man.

While they run for the hills we stand around believing it will be nothing but a storm in a tea cup and that everything will be fine. The fact that they act while we suppress clearly shows that life and death comes down not just to instinct, but the way we use it, if we use it at all.

You and I could be as instinctive as any tribesman if we practiced it, but everyday, in our daily actions, we choose to ignore our instincts. We go to a work-place that depresses us; do work we hate and take pills to dull the pain and make it more bearable. We eat food that is addictive until our legs rub together and our underwear causes chaffing, fail to exercise and then take more pills, have our stomach sewn up or inject ourselves with insulin. All this…just to survive.

And that is exactly what it is for most of us – survival – hanging in there, doing the job that kills our soul, taking on contracts that turn our gut because we believe there is no other option, doing food that causes our major organs to breakdown, living at a financial level just above subsistence level, with just about enough money left at the end of the week to buy a tin of food for that dog.

Will you wake up, please? Will you see how your instincts are telling you about your work? Will you find work that gives you life instead of sapping every living cell out of you? Will you notice that ill health is a hint that you need to eat better and exercise more? Will you take the hint that there is something you can do to save your marriage or relationship?

Instinct is only about feeling something and acting. It could save your career, your finances, your relationship and you life.

Mike Edwards is a soldier who ignored all instinct. His life is in a mess and he has been sent to find and free an environmentalist, held on a group of islands in the Bay of Bengal on a group of islands where the cannibal tribe, the Jarawa, exist. Now Edwards must face the demons of his own mind and the demons on his mission. Follows his story and find out how he reclaims his life. Find out more visit www.neilmillar.net.

About The Author

Neil Millar is the novelist behind the potent SAS adventure Black Water, personal development writer and author of Simple Steps to Greater Happiness and Be the Hero in your Own Life. Neil’s words inspire people to find greater reward in their work and more fun in their personal relationships and life. Read the New York Times Best-selling author review www.neilmillar.net.

Five Secrets of Winning Book Proposals

2008-10-19T08:53:00.000-07:00

Five Secrets of Winning Book Proposals
by: Melissa A Rosati

Working in the publishing industry comes with a high expectation, especially from complete strangers. After the causal ‘hello’ progresses to ‘what do you do,’ and my answer is ‘I am a publisher,’ the words, like fairy dust, work magic; and in the eyes of my conversation partner, I’m transformed into a glamorous Advice Goddess—would I mind reading this stranger’s book proposal?

Cornered in frozen foods at the grocery, black-tie events or at the bus stop, I’ve been ‘pitched’ as we say in the business, with such book proposals as: A Cat’s Tale of Christmas; Old Testament Aphrodisiacs; Break Out (after being committed to a mental institution by jealous relatives, the story of one man’s quest for revenge); and Suck it and See: A Guide to Tropical Fruits.

Admittedly, I chose to share with you the more colorful examples. My point being that the purpose of a proposal pitch is not to motivate the publisher to love the idea as much as you do. That’s the misconception. The publisher is listening for signals that you understand the process of transforming a book concept into a business plan. It’s not just about your passion for the topic: it’s how well you filter your passion through the publisher’s prism of marketing and distribution. That’s the difference between a contract and a polite rejection letter.

Let’s take a look at five typical questions that an agent or a publisher will ask in their submission guidelines.

Question #1: Please provide the title that best captures and conveys the essence of your book and briefly explain why you chose it.

What the publisher is really thinking:

* Will the book buyer for Barnes & Noble recognize the section to shelve the book by its title alone?
* Is the title’s message succinct and snappy so the publisher’s sales representative will remember it easily?
* How does the rest of proposal support what the title says?

Question #2: Briefly describe the primary audience for your book and how they will benefit from reading it.

What the publisher is really thinking:

* The book cannot be all things to all people. Do you demonstrate focus?
* Are you confident about who the customer is and the primary (most appropriate) category where the book should be placed in the bookstore?
* Do you provide three distinct benefits that relate to the book’s core premise?

Question #3: List competing books that you are aware of on this topic and explain how your book differs.

What the publisher is really thinking:

* How do you demonstrate that your premise is solid in relation to existing books?
* Will the publisher’s sales representatives understand where your book fits among five other books in the same category?
* Do you contradict what the book is or is not elsewhere in the proposal?

Question #4: What are your expectations for the project?

What the publisher is really thinking:

* Do you sound like you expect to make a million dollars and plan to retire on your royalty earnings?
* Is your goal to raise the level of topic discussion and to advance your profile as a thought leader?
* How realistic are you about the work involved to write the book from start to finish?

Question #5: Describe your qualifications for writing this book and include your latest curriculum vitae or other relevant factors.

What the publisher is really thinking:

* Several proposals are discussed during a publisher’s editorial board meeting. Why say ‘yes’ to yours?
* What is your media platform? How are you going to be an asset in marketing and promoting the book?
* What’s your track record?

If you are now thinking about you book concept as a business plan, bravo! This is the foundation for a solid beginning; and, I encourage you to continue forward. High-quality books written by people who are committed to excellence (in any sphere of living) are in short supply. Adopt the publisher’s perspective—how will it sell and to whom—and you will not only become a published author. You will make a difference in the world.

About The Author

Melissa A. Rosati is a co-active coach, whose clients are writers, authors and creative artists. Prior to her coaching career, she was the Director, Editorial & Production for McGraw-Hill International (UK). She now resides in New York City. Her forthcoming book, The Essential Publisher’s Handbook shows readers how to publish profitably. Register for a complimentary subscription to her newsletter, The Essential Publisher at http://www.melissarosati.com.

© 2005 Melissa A. Rosati. All rights reserved.

melissa@melissarosati.com

Someday Dead Writers Need To Worry!

2008-10-18T08:52:00.000-07:00

Someday Dead Writers Need To Worry!
by: Ed Williams

Do ya’ll ever notice that the older you get, the more attention you pay to the obituaries section in the newspaper?

I hate to admit it, but it’s true. When I was a young man, I never even bothered looking at the obituaries. The concept of death seemed so far removed that it really didn’t have much impact on me as to who might be dying out there. Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t wish death on them or anything, but the truth is I didn’t know them, had no ties to them, and for me death, dying, and obits were concepts eons away from my day-to-day realities. Consequently, I totally ignored reading them.

You can get by with that for awhile, but a funny thing eventually happens to all of us - we get older. And, as I’ve gotten older, I’ve found that I’ve begun looking at the obits much more closely now because I know more people who have passed away. First it’s one person, then another, and yet another. Pretty soon, you find that you’re reading the obits each day, hoping that you don’t find someone you know or like in there, and most of all being glad that you’re not among those listed.

From that, you begin realizing that these obits are what a lot of people are going to remember you by. Think about it - most of the time when someone dies that we know or care about, we cut out their obits and store them someplace. Typically they go into a family scrapbook. Then, over the years, the obit is occasionally dusted off and looked at by relatives, and a conversation typically ensues about the departed family member. And that’s what really scares me, because one day I’ll die and my own potential obit will be out there for any and all to see.

I imagine some of ya’ll might be thinking, “Geez, Ed, why would that bother you?” Well, I’ll go right ahead and tell you. You see, a few weeks ago I was scanning the obits, and I noticed this gentleman down in south Georgia who had just died. The obit discussed his funeral arrangements, and then pointed out that he’d written a book about the history of his county. In fact, they noted it right out there in italics, like this,

”...and Mr. Berryhill was the author of “The History of Blah-Blah County,” first published in 1986.”

Right then it hit me - one day my own obit is gonna go in the paper. And somewhere in it, right after they tell all the necessary stuff, they’re gonna say,

“...and Mr. Williams was the author of the books, “Sex, Dead Dogs, and Me,” “Rough As A Cob,” and others.”

Frankly, that makes me wince more than a picture of Amy Carter in a bikini. I can visualize a great grandchild of mine pulling out the family scrapbook and noticing a yellowed old newspaper article. Out of curiosity, he/she begins reading it. And, as they read it, they’re gonna find it’s about their great granddad, so they’ll keep reading it as they might want to know a little about me. Finally, they’ll come to the part about my books, read their titles, and say, “Ewwwwwwwwwww! Why did great granddad choose these titles for his books? Was he weird?”

Brrrrrrrrr - now ya’ll can understand why all this bothers me. I really think these book titles are gonna follow me on out into the great beyond, so I’ve got to start thinking up a strategy now. A strategy that’ll make me look as good as possible to my future great grandkids. I think my best hope is the chance that some of my current relatives might be horse thieves, gamblers, or even worse yet, vegetarians. If they are, and they die before I do, I can cut out their obit and make sure that it makes its way into our family scrapbook. Then, I’ll make my son Will swear to me that when I die he’ll make sure that my obit gets put right next to the vegetarian’s. That way, at least a little of the heat will be taken off whenever my future great grandchild sits down and reads my obit. In comparison to the vegetarian I might not come off too bad - at least I can hope for that.

Well, I’d write more, but I’ve got to run, as I have a whole lot of work to do. I need to start doing some research on my relatives, and then determine what kind of health a few of them are in....

About The Author

Ed’s latest book, “Rough As A Cob,“ can be ordered by calling River City Publishing toll-free at: 877-408-7078. He’s also a popular after dinner speaker, and his column runs in a number of Southeastern publications. You can contact him via email at: ed3@ed-williams.com, or through his web site address at: www.ed-williams.com.

Being the "Butt" of an Article

2008-10-17T08:52:00.000-07:00

Being the "Butt" of an Article
by: Ed Williams

A writer friend of mine just forwarded me an email that someone has just sent her. She’s a brand new writer, has a column going in her local paper, and really enjoys writing. The email she was sent is as follows, only the name of the person sending it has been changed:

“Dear Columnist,

Recently the word ‘butt’ was used in one of your columns. That word is inappropriate, in poor taste, crude, and offensive. The fact that it is used on tv does not change a thing. I appreciate your being able and interested in writing and would like for it to be above reproach.

Best to you.

Ward Cleaver”

She wants to know what I think of it, and what would be the most appropriate way to respond.

As I sit here pondering her request, the full range of potential responses seems to be these:

1. The immature response. This is the one you’d go with if you fired back an immediate, gut check-like response. You’d tell the guy that he should find some “Barney” reruns to spend his time watching and then imply that he must be a real firecracker in most other aspects of his personal life. You’d then close it out with a reminder that this is a free country and that he was free (and encouraged) to read something other than your column in the future.

2. The sarcastic approach. Tell the reader that you’ll try to do better in the future, and that the slip up in the column is easily explainable. Then, go into how you and your friends went out drinking the night before, entered a “Who Can Cuss The Best” contest at a local bar, and that the carry over from that slipped into your column when you wrote it the next day. Promise your reader that it’ll never happen again, as you definitely want to live your life “above reproach,” and then swear to watch twenty episodes of “The Brady Bunch” as penance.

3. The politician’s approach. Take no responsibility for your wording by telling the reader that you actually wanted to use the term “heiny,” “tookus”, or “twin pink apples,” but were prevented from doing so by your editor. Then, go into great detail about your “poor as Job’s turkey” upbringing, adding that it was hard for you to learn proper language usage skills because you grew up in a shack with seventeen brothers and sisters. Close by offering to let the offended reader write a guest column in place of yours the next week, recommend to them some web sites offering free government programs and money, and each Arbor Day from here on out faithfully send them a pine tree seedling.

4. The avoidance approach. Email back a terse two-liner, telling them that you appreciate the feedback but that your schedule is so hectic that you can’t possibly respond to it. Wish them eternal peace and happiness in the closing line.

5. The mature approach. Email your reader back, let them know you appreciated them giving you feedback, and never comment on what you personally thought of their message. Then thank them and close it out. Sweet, simple, and very mature.

It looks like my friend is going to choose the last option, which is certainly the best one to take. But a thought now occurs to me - maybe, instead of these approaches, her good writer friend should just tell her that she’s doing fine, and not to let stuff like this bother her too much. He should also take the time to remind her that not everyone is going to like everything that you write or say, and all you can do is your best and gracefully accept whatever comes along as a result. Finally, maybe her writer friend will simply remind her that her stuff is good, much better than some of the writing being done today by columnists that’s so lame that a South Georgia tree buzzard could do better...

On second thought, I might better leave that last one out...she might start looking at me sort of quizzically after she reads it...

About The Author

Ed’s latest book, “Rough As A Cob,“ can be ordered by calling River City Publishing toll-free at: 877-408-7078. He’s also a popular after dinner speaker, and his column runs in a number of Southeastern publications. You can contact him via email at: ed3@ed-williams.com, or through his web site address at: www.ed-williams.com.

The Secret to Good Writing

2008-10-16T10:38:00.000-07:00

The Secret to Good Writing
by: Marie-Claire Ross

Skilful business writing involves getting your message across simply and quickly. This often means writing in a style that is easily read and understood by a broad audience.

Yet, writing simply is often difficult for most of us.

Why? The answer lies in our school education. We learnt that if we used big words and complex sentences, we were more likely to get an ‘A’ by our English teacher or University lecturer. The education system taught us that people who use a broad range of vocabulary are more intelligent that the rest of us.

There is nothing wrong with writing beautifully pieces of prose that feature a stunning range of vocabulary knowledge. However, such writing is unsuitable for a business market.

No business manager has the time to wade through material that meanders and weaves before a point is made. They are even less likely to have time to grab a dictionary to work out what the writer is trying to say.

When I used to work as a market research consultant, I had the impossible task of trying to write market research reports that seemed interesting. My immediate response was to write a report that would make my University lecturer’s proud. Sadly, my colleagues all felt the same way.

It wasn’t until we had a business writing consultant come in to train us about how to write at the level of a Year 8 student that we realised the folly of our ways.

Using my newly found skills of writing a report using simple English, I proudly produced my ‘easy on the brain’ report to my manager (who missed the writing class). He told me ‘You write like you talk’. To this day, I still don’t know if he was criticising my talking or writing ability, but I gathered either way he wasn’t happy.

However, from a communication point of view, this style of writing is perfect for getting your message across quickly.

Later on in my career, I worked at a company that prided itself on its easy to read reports. While this was true (to some degree), one of the directors loved to throw in a difficult word in every report he wrote to make the marketing manager reach for his dictionary. He thought this was really clever and that his clients would be in awe of his knowledge. I’m guessing his clients thought he was a tosser (interestingly, I met an ex-client years later who told me that when their company received one of his reports they would quickly scan it to find the unusual word and then erupt into hysterical laughter).

Articles that are written to impress your audience about how clever you are, do nothing more than distance them. No matter how learned your market is, they still prefer to read information that is easy to digest.

A great way to test whether your writing is easy to comprehend is to read it out loud. If someone spoke to you, using those words, could you instantly understand what they were getting at or would you have to really concentrate?

Scripts for marketing videos are no different. In fact, they need to be extremely simple in order to quickly grab the attention of people walking past at a trade show, for example.

Writing that is heavy on technical terms and jargon can be a real turn off. The beauty of a marketing video is that it uses both pictures and words. The saying “A picture tells a thousand words” is a powerful concept with corporate movies. It means you can actually get away with saying less, but easily get your message across, because the pictures do all of the talking.

Surprisingly, clear writing can be quite a difficult writing style to master, but the effort is well rewarded. And look at the bright side, at least people won’t burst into fits of laughter when they read your masterpiece.

(c) Marie-Claire Ross 2005. All rights reserved.

About The Author

Marie-Claire Ross is one of the partners of Digicast. Digicast works with organisations who are not satisfied that their marketing and training materials are helping their business grow. She can be contacted on 0500 800 234 (Australia wide) or at mc@digicast.com.au. The website is at www.digicast.com.au.

How To Use Punctuation

2008-10-15T10:37:00.000-07:00

How To Use Punctuation
by: Rumki Sen

The most common mistake people tend to make while writing is in the use of Punctuation. Wrong punctuation can damage the flow of ideas and change meaning, but properly used punctuation not only helps readers understand your meaning but also makes them engrossed in your writing. The following discussion is about some of the frequently misused punctuation marks and what actually their correct application should be.

Use of Apostrophe - Use an apostrophe to show possession, but never put apostrophe in case of possessive pronouns. Always remember that when the word "it's" is used, it is actually for the contraction for the two words: "it has" or "it is". On the other hand, "its" is a possessive pronoun, and the word being already possessive should not contain an apostrophe in it.

Example

It's the same thing happening over and over again.
(Contraction of It and is: It is the same thing happening over and over again).

Wrong: That car is your's.

Right: That car is yours.

Note: Rewriting is sometimes the solution for an awkward possessive.

Awkward: A friend of mine's cap.

Better: A friend's cap (or the cap of a friend of mine).

To show possession in the case of singular nouns, add 's, and for plural words that end in s, add only an apostrophe. Don't forget to put 's with plural words not ending in s.

Example

Singular: nurse's uniform

Plural: nurses' uniforms (plural word ending in s)

Plural: children's uniforms (plural word not ending in s)

Use of Comma - Use commas to separate three or more items in a list. Though journalists most of the times omit the final comma before the word "and", but retaining the final comma avoids confusion.

Example

Poor: In this website, you can read articles about how to do business online, the woman who daily eats 45 eggs and Tom Cruise.

Better: In this website, you can read articles about how to do business online, the woman who daily eats 45 eggs, and Tom Cruise.

Use a comma to separate two independent clauses joined by coordinating conjunctions.

Example

Wrong: I am not good in writing but I love writing.

Wrong: I am not good in writing, but, I love writing.

Right: I am not good in writing, but I love writing.

Note: If the clauses are long and already contain commas, separate them with a semicolon rather than a comma.

Wrong: If a man begins with certainties, he shall end in doubts, but if he will be content to begin with doubts, he shall end in certainties. - Francis Bacon

Right: If a man begins with certainties, he shall end in doubts; but if he will be content to begin with doubts, he shall end in certainties. - Francis Bacon

Run-on sentences - Where Run-on sentences are concerned (in case you don't know what it is, a run-on occurs when two independent clauses are not separated by punctuation or conjunction), add a period, or a semi colon, or a comma in places of separation.

Example

Wrong: A good student can score full marks in Mathematics it's his analytical ability that will help him achieve that.

Right: A good student can score full marks in Mathematics. It's his analytical ability that will help him achieve that.

Use of Quotation Marks - Use quotation marks to indicate direct quotation.

Example

"That guy knows me," Mr. Wong said, "very well."

Note: Never use it for indirect quotation (a restatement of someone’s words).

According to Mr. Wong, that guy knows him very well.

Use single quotation marks to indicate a quote within a quote.

Example

Wrong: Richard wrote, "When Berkeley said, "esse est percipii", he meant that the existence of a thing consists in its being perceived."

Right: Richard wrote, "When Berkeley said, 'esse est percipii,' he meant that the existence of a thing consists in its being perceived."

Note: Always put the comma and final period inside the quotation marks, and put other punctuation marks outside unless they are part of the thing being quoted.

There are many other frequently used punctuation errors, but the above-discussed ones are those I have mostly encountered in several writings. Before putting punctuation marks in your sentences, always ask yourself what meaning you want to convey to the readers. Accordingly, put the marks. In case the sentence becomes difficult to punctuate, consider rewriting it, because when a sentence is well written, it almost punctuates itself.

About The Author

Rumki Sen is the founder of Perfect Editing Solutions (www.perfectediting.com), a professional firm providing a Proofreading and Copyediting service to websites and online documents. She corrects and edits English grammar, punctuation, spelling, links and a lot more for mainly websites, letters, applications, CVs / resumes, advertisements, manuals, brochures, e-newsletters, articles and e-mail messages. Her company also offers resume-writing services. Whether you're a student, webmaster, or business owner, your written work will be improved immediately after you get her company's service. Contact Rumki Sen at rumki@perfectediting.com.

Making Better Word Choices - 4 Examples

2008-10-14T10:36:00.000-07:00

Making Better Word Choices - 4 Examples
by: David J. Clapham

Writers face many decisions when working on a project. Choosing the correct word for a certain situation is one choice that writers often either struggle with or make an incorrect choice. This article will give some basic guidance to writers on four of the more common word choices that authors face.

Choosing the wrong words can have a poor effect on your writing and on you. Whether you are writing a cover letter for a job, a business proposal, or an application essay for graduate school using words poorly can result in negative feedback. One could find entire books regarding word choices for writers, this article will touch on some fundamental, but important ways to choose the correct word for your situation.

Our starting point will be the use of "There are" or "There is" to begin sentences. Consider this; the word "there" indicates "not here" (in other words, some other place). Now look at the sentence below and think about what the meaning is and what might be intended.

There are four dogs playing with a ball.

If the writer meant that four dogs are over there and they are playing with a ball, then this would be technically correct. If the intention was merely that four dogs are playing with a ball, here, there, or anywhere, then the sentence could be worded better. The following sentence would show better wording on the writer's part.

Four dogs are playing with a ball.

The next two words that writers often confuse are "which" and "that." If the goal of your writing is to describe something and you have used commas to separate the phrase from the rest of the sentence you want to use "which." When a writer wants a word to define and the reference is restricted then you want to use "that." The first sentence below shows the correct use of "that" and the second sentence shows correct use of "which."

The Yodo is the river that runs through Osaka.

The Yodo, which is a major waterway, runs though Osaka.

Our next word choice is between "while" and "although." Another way of thinking about the word "although" is to look at its meaning, as found on Merriam-Webster Online dictionary the meaning is, "in spite of the fact that : even though."(1) The definition of "while" indicates a relation to time, such as during a period when something else is happening. Two correctly worded sentences are below.

Although he is not tall, he is a good basketball player.

While he listened to the radio, he finished his homework.

A writer's choice between "since" and "because" also involves the possibility of a reference to time. Many people use "since" when they really mean "because," this is rarely a correct use of the word "since." When choosing a word to suggest "from a definite past time until now"(1) use "since." If you are not referring to time, "because" should be the word you choose. Try using "because," if your sentence does not make sense then you probably want to use "since." In the examples below the two incorrect sentences do not sound correct, while the correct sentences actually sound better.

Incorrect: He had few friends since he was too annoying.

Correct: He had few friends because he was too annoying.

Incorrect: He has not ridden a bicycle because 1990.

Correct: He has not ridden a bicycle since 1990.

Whether you are writing an essay for school or you are writing a speech for your CEO, choose your words carefully because what people hear or read from you can make a big difference in their opinion about you and your intelligence. For anyone writing, regardless of topic, length, or purpose, ask for assistance if you need it, not doing so can have serious repercussions on your reputation.

About The Author

David Clapham is the owner of Blue Arch Consulting, a proofreading and editing business helping clients worldwide to generate English documents of all types. Their website is at http://www.blue-arch.net.

Who Says You Are Not A Writer?

2008-10-13T10:35:00.000-07:00

Who Says You Are Not A Writer?
by: Lynn Colwell

The other day, a client told me, “I’ve been talking to a lot of other aspiring writers and I can’t believe how unsupportive they are. I had an editor interested in something I’d written and two other writers were unbelievably negative. One said my writing wasn’t good enough for publication. Another told me that this particular magazine never publishes new writers. I was so depressed after I heard these remarks that I haven’t had the heart to send the editor anything.”

The need for support and affirmation can squeeze the joy and life from writing. It can paralyze us. We agonize over the opinions of others. Caught between the insatiable desire to write and the terror of failure, we require validation the way a hungry child cries for milk. I find this ironic since the act of writing is almost always a solitary passion.

Even if we write for our own pleasure, we cannot escape the feeling that we are doing something slightly illicit or at the very least, unworthy of praise. The paradox for those who want to sell is that we have little choice. We cannot both keep our work to ourselves and publish it. Yet in deciding to make the attempt, we must face the tiger. Sometimes the tiger is an editor with venom in her veins. Other times, it’s a friend who, in the most loving this-is-for-your-own-good tone, assures us that we are bound to fail. (It is the pleasure we sense in her voice that is most disquieting.) It can be a fellow writer who feels better about his own work when he claims power over ours. The tiger can be anyone who has an agenda that even unintentionally or subconsciously, collides with our own.

Exposing our words to an editor (or to anyone else for that matter), brings us back to childhood when all-powerful teachers brazenly defaced papers with blood red marks, leaving our carefully crafted sentences in ruins (and us in tears). Even now that we are older, our stories remain our children. And if our children are taunted or attacked, we are naturally overwhelmed with rage and defensiveness. But the reality is that our stories are not our children. They are only words. They do not give us value. Neither should our self worth or belief in our abilities be colored so absolutely or our hearts be broken, by others’ response to them.

Admittedly not everyone who aspires to be a published writer can shape words into clear, inviting prose. Personally, I believe that writing is not brain surgery and that most people with the desire can be taught to write passably well. Take a look at the vast majority of articles and books published today and you will see that being a writer on the level of Hemmingway or Dostoyevsky isn’t required. What is required is to learn your craft, to put in hours, perhaps years, soaking up the essentials so that the best in you emerges. Then you might want to armor your heart against the cold reality that faces every aspiring writer: The world is not awaiting your words.

One of the truths that many of us find it difficult to accept is that we create our own reality. Words are only words. We attach meaning to them depending on who we are and how we are in our lives. The words “You can write,” might fire us to great heights as they did Erma Bombeck. The very same words could feel like ridicule to those who can only see the worst in themselves.

If we depend on others’ opinions to fuel our desires, to keep us going through the storms, to believe in dreams, we may find ourselves mired in despair. But if we believe our inner voice, if we are lit by a purpose that springs from somewhere deeper than words, then it does not matter what others say. We simply know that we were meant to write as surely as we were meant to breathe. “You are,” we can safely and confidently say to the pessimistic friend, “entitled to your own opinion.”

So ask yourself, in the deepest part of your soul, are you a writer? If the answer you hear is, “yes,” then you are. And no one, not an acquaintance, not a teacher, not an editor, can take that away from you.

What happens then when someone stomps on your dream? You simply smile and start writing.

That is all.

About The Author

Lynn Colwell is a life/personal coach and writer. After a career including public relations and corporate communications with hospitals and high tech companies, she decided to devote herself to making a difference in people’s lives. Her complimentary online newsletter has been called, “An inspiring, exciting, fun, pick-me-up.” Sign up for the newsletter or contact Lynn at www.bloomngrow.net.

You may freely distribute the articles in this newsletter as long as they are carry the following notice: Copyright 2004 Lynn Colwell www.bloomngrow.net.

Lynn@bloomngrow.net

Why You Don't Write Your Book

2008-10-12T10:34:00.000-07:00

Why You Don't Write Your Book
by: Suzanne Falter-Barns

In the ten years that I've taught people how to get on with their books and creative projects, I've noticed a phenomenon that I'll call "Author's Block." Would-be writers can, indeed, sit down and work when pressed to it. The problem is that they're not so sure they want the pressure of being an author. But they do want it. But they don't. And so on.

Ah, the agony of getting on with your book.

Well, I'm here to diffuse that situation with a list of the key reasons we have trouble sticking to our writing or other creative projects. Perhaps this will help the next time you find yourself polishing doorknobs instead of sitting down to work.

Check all that apply to you:

You Lie To Yourself About Why You Can't Write The Book

You think your stalling is about lack of time, or too much pressure at work, or not enough solitude in the evening. But guess what? Chances are a deeper, darker reason may be at play, like 'I'm not supposed to be bigger than Mom' or 'What if this thing really takes off?'

You Fear The Impact Your Book Could Have

Sometimes when I coach writers in my Self-Help Author's Crash Course I'll ask them what's impeding their progress. And after some probing, it will come out that they're afraid of the big exposure a book can have if it takes off. I'm here to assure you that should that happen, (and chances are your book will not unleash wild mobs of millions) you will be able to handle it. How do I know? On that deep level where psyche meets karma, you won't create a single reader more than you're ready to receive.

You Think Your Book Doesn't Matter, So Why Bother?

One writer I know put this succinctly: "I've tried getting up at 5AM to write, or staying up late, or even leaving my home, but none of it works. I have this tired feeling that none of my effort is going to amount to a hill of beans." In fact, writing and publication can be an entirely self-determined activity these days. If the publishing pundits don't go for your book, there's always the option of self-publishing paperback editions or e-books and selling them on online booksellers or your website. In other words, your book DOES matter, and you really have no excuse. (Acid test: if the book keeps on patiently urging you to sit down and write it for months and even years, chances are you'd better do it.)

You Think You Don't Know How To Write A Book

Guess what? Neither does any other first time writer. And that may be a wonderful thing. As a beginner, you don't approach your book project with a carload of professional expectations and demands from your process. You can just be open, like… well, a nice blank book. All you really need is your intuition to guide you, and the will to write your book as honestly as you can.

You Have No Support

You need someone in your corner, cheering you on, to get through the long and somewhat tiring process of birthing a book. Because writers need a way to show up and be accountable for their progress. They need someone to keep saying, 'Yes, you really can do this," or even "How's it going?" Minds can be tricky and difficult when fully challenged by something like a book. And steady external support is the best way around that.

You're Afraid You'll Run Out Of Material

There isn't a writer out there who hasn't had this fear. And I'm here to say that if you just stay loose and open, and willing to receive the ideas, they will show up. All you have to do is commit - really sit down, and begin to bring that book into being - and the work will magically appear. Sometimes it won't flow that easily, and sometimes it will scare you with its speed and power. But it will, indeed, show up.

You Think 'Who Am I to Write a Book?'

And yet, you are the perfect person to write your book, because you're the one chosen to receive this material. (You don't have to be spiritually inclined to believe this.) I personally believe that books are given to us when we're ready to receive them… and when we do, our lives are changed by that process.

You Fear Uncomfortable Moments

Ah, but that's the most exciting thing about writing your book. You will be given challenges and lessons that just seem untenable along the way. And if you're committed enough, you'll rise above them and so become stronger in the process. This is especially true for self-help books: we naturally write what we need to learn.

Got a few categories checked off from the list above? Good! Awareness is the first step to diffusing your fears. Meanwhile, PLEASE do get on with your book … despite your misgivings. Not only do you deserve this work - so do we.

About The Author

Suzanne Falter-Barns co-leads The Writer's Spa, a week-long, nurturing retreat for anyone with a book on their mind. Taos, NM, August, 2005. Learn more at http://www.howmuchjoy.com/writerspa.html.

© 2005 Suzanne Falter-Barns LLC.

You may reprint this, but it must be complete and include all contact information above.

info@howmuchjoy.com

5 Keys to Unlock the Waitlist Lock

2008-10-11T10:34:00.000-07:00

5 Keys to Unlock the Waitlist Lock
by: Linda Abraham

Being wait-listed is tough, and you need the right set of keys to open the door to your dream program. The truth is that even with these keys, it's still not guaranteed that the lock will work. But this keychain has the critical pieces of metal you'll need to turn that lock.

First, a word of introduction: Realize that receiving a wait-list letter means you qualify for admission. You pass. You are probably on the wait-list (and not admitted) because they have already admitted applicants with your profile and want diversity in the class. Or they find your qualifications impressive, but find someone else's even more so.

Now let's examine that keychain.

Key 1: Read the letter for any hints of deficiency in your profile and attempt to improve that element in your profile.

Key 2: Give them more reasons to admit you. If the school encouraged contact, inform it of new achievements, initiatives, promotions, and developments in your life. This suggestion implies developing a proactive campaign for contact roughly every 2-3 weeks. The exact particulars will vary depending on your school, specialty, and exactly when you are put on the wait list, but it can include letters, additional visit(s) to the school, an offer to interview, letters of support from others, and occasional phone calls.

Letters should be 1-2 pages. For tips on the letters' content, please see "Wait-list Purgatory."

Key 3: Reinforce the idea of a fit between you and the school. Demonstrate how a visit confirmed and deepened your interest in the program. Show how recent activities reveal that your values and the school's are a match made in heaven.

Key 4: Enlist your fan club. Seek additional letters of recommendation from supervisors on and off the job and professors (if applying to an academic program). Current students and recent alumni who know you can also write letters of support and emphasize your fit with the program.

Key 5: Ask if there is anything you can do to improve your candidacy. There usually isn't, but if there is you want to know about it and do it. If you have already demonstrated improvement in that aspect of your profile, let them know how you have improved since you applied.

It is much harder to wave the flag when the school doesn't want contact. But even in these cases, you can be proactive, just more indirect. If feasible, visit the school and take a tour. If you know alumni or faculty members, ask them to put in a good word for you at the school. You can't be responsible if your fan club thinks you belong at School X and wants to inform the admissions committee. You will have to be a little more indirect, but you still want someone to show fit and that "new and improved" you. For must-have information on the wait-list process, read "Nine Mistakes You Don't Want to Make on an MBA Waitlist." Accepted.com's editors are available to help you evaluate your application, advise you on your wait-list strategy, and edit wait-list letters. For more information, please visit our catalog.

About The Author

Linda Abraham, Accepted.com's founder and president, has helped thousands of applicants develop successful admissions strategies and craft distinctive essays. In addition to advising clients and managing Accepted.com, she has written and lectured extensively on admissions. The Wall St. Journal, The New York Times, and BusinessWeek are among the publications that have sought Linda's expertise.

Reprint of this article is only permitted when reprinted in its entirety with the above bio.

onlinesupport@accepted.com

The Devil is in the Details: The Heavenly Benefits of Specificity in Writing

2008-10-10T10:33:00.000-07:00

The Devil is in the Details: The Heavenly Benefits of Specificity in Writing
by: Linda Abraham

You can argue about the devil, but certainly the substance, distinctiveness, and success of your essays depends on the details.

Many applicants tend to bury their uniqueness and success under vague assertions. You don't want to hide your achievements; you want to trumpet them loudly and clearly. For instance, if you led a team working on a software development project, was it a three-member team or a thirty-member, cross-functional team with representatives from five different divisions and two continents? Was the potential market for the product $5 million or $200 million? Did you launch the product on time and in budget? Did it zoom to the top of the market-share charts? The details reveal the level of your responsibility, the confidence others have in your abilities based on their prior experience with you, and the significance of your accomplishment.

What about your volunteer work? Do you simply "volunteer"? If you do, you aren't saying anything distinctive or substantive. Are you an EMT working five hours per week? Do you volunteer at a legal aid clinic? What have you seen or experienced? What have you learned? Have you launched a bereavement group in a country where such services were previously unheard of? What were the challenges you overcame to establish that group? What did you learn from the experience? How has it influenced you?

You may ask, "How can I fit all these details into a short essay?" Good question. Include many of the specifics in the work history sections — the boxes — of the application or in an attached resume if allowed. Then in the essay, provide enough detail to provide context and create interest. Balance your profound insight and reflection with devilishly dazzling detail. Liked this tip? The above tip and many, many more can be found in Submit a Stellar Application: 42 Terrific Tips to Help You Get Accepted.

About The Author

Linda Abraham, Accepted.com's founder and president, has helped thousands of applicants develop successful admissions strategies and craft distinctive essays. In addition to advising clients and managing Accepted.com, she has written and lectured extensively on admissions. The Wall St. Journal, The New York Times, and BusinessWeek are among the publications that have sought Linda's expertise.

Reprint of this article is only permitted when reprinted in its entirety with the above bio.

onlinesupport@accepted.com

Why the Editor is NOT the Enemy

2008-10-09T10:32:00.000-07:00

Why the Editor is NOT the Enemy
by: Mridu Khullar

They can be mean, unethical and downright unprofessional. But not all editors fit that bill. In fact, most editors would rather give you money that take it, make no changes than rewrite whole pieces two hours before deadline, and accept every piece of crap than start their mornings sending out rejection slips. But step into an editor’s shoes, and you’ll know why that’s not only hard, it’s just plain impossible!

Here are the most common complaints writers have, and why editors aren’t always guilty of them.

Completely Changing your Work

An editor I frequently work with was in distress. One of her regulars had just written to complain about his perfectly brilliant beginning being chopped off. “They sometimes don’t get our style,” she told me over lunch. “We need more quotes, we put them in. We need a stronger beginning; we change it. There’s nothing much I can do about it. It’s the way we work.” But while this editor was very forthcoming about her reasons, and gave the writer an explanation, you’ll usually get no further correspondence. That doesn’t mean that they don’t understand the anguish you go through. But they’ve got word limits, voice and style limitations and a dozen other factors to keep in mind. And they simply don’t have the time to offer explanations to each writer.

Paying Less or not Paying at all

Most writers believe (or are led to believe) that editors just don’t want to dish out the cash. Sure, if they’re running a small business from home and can hardly pay their bills, they probably won’t. But editors in big offices don’t really care whether you earn $100 or $1,000. After all, they’re not the ones paying from their pockets!

I was in a publisher-editor meeting the other day, and one common concern was raised—why weren’t suppliers (including freelancers) paid on time? A complaint unanimously raised by… editors!

An important thing to remember is that while it may appear so to us, editors aren’t really the ones calling the shots all the time. That’s the publisher’s job. So hating the editor’s guts won’t get you anywhere. While some editors may be creeps, most of them are on your side! So, if you want more money, just ask for it. Chances are the editor is the only one who can help you get it.

Not Responding

They’d love to, you know. But there’s only so much they can do. And while each e-mail you send will determine where your next paycheck comes from, an editor will get paid regardless of the number of queries rejected. Their job is putting together quality content. No one’s going to promote them for being nice to freelancers. It’s a simple matter of priorities. And when the choice is between finishing up the issue and answering yet another freelancer’s query, get real—the editor will finish up and go home.

Killing Articles

We tossed a coin. The losing editor would have to tell the freelance writer that his article had been killed. That too after we asked him to send us a dozen writing samples, come up with a dozen off-beat ideas, get a feel of our style and send us a 600-word piece. We’d even negotiated the price. It would have taken him at least a day’s work, if not more. We felt cruel, but decided that the guy had potential for future assignments.

I lost the toss and sat down to draft the e-mail. I explained at length how our policies had changed, told him that we’d be willing to give more assignments and even added a touch of humor. But the writer was obviously blinded. He thought of me as the devil. And by doing so, he’d just lost a perfectly good opportunity for more assignments.

Editors aren’t out to take advantage of freelancers or make their lives miserable. In fact, if you get to know them a little, you’ll find that they’re often a very friendly bunch. Stop looking at your editor as the enemy, and you might just find a friend.

About The Author

Mridu Khullar is the editor-in-chief of www.WritersCrossing.com, a free online magazine for writers. Sign up for the free weekly newsletter to get a complimentary e-book with 400+ paying markets. Also check out her e-book, "Knock Their Socks Off! A Freelance Writer's Guide to Query Letters That Sell," available at http://www.writerscrossing.com/queries.html

The Recipe for Getting Published

2008-10-08T10:30:00.000-07:00

Really interesting :D

The Recipe for Getting Published
by: Mridu Khullar

Got talent but no clips? Here's the recipe for getting published...

* Procrastinating

When you've finally decided you have to put into writing the fabulous idea that just struck, you enter the first phase of the writing process. "I'll start tomorrow," "I'm not inspired yet" and "I just don't have the time" are some of the phrases that will form a part of your vocabulary. When you've incorporated them into your daily lifestyle, you're ready to enter the second phase.

* The Blank Screen

You sit in front of your computer, usually without a clue to what you're supposed to be doing. You stare at the blank screen constantly without blinking. You may take short coffee breaks or a walk, but you still make it back to where you started. Type a few lines of crap, then erase. Repeat this process a number of times, and proceed.

* Feeling Guilty

Now you begin to wonder what kind of a writer you actually are. Your love for writing suddenly disappears and you make futile efforts to convince yourself that this was what you were meant to do. You know you're in this phase when you start considering other job options. When you've finally decided to quit writing, the next phase begins.

* Getting Over it

You inform your family and friends that won’t be writing any more and they do everything in their power to convince you otherwise. Sooner or later, you give in to the pressure and decide to write again. The time taken in this step can vary according to the intensity of your denial and the inability to land another job.

* Writing

In this stage, you finally manage to prepare your first draft. This may take several days, and in some cases, several years. But after this stage, you'll be back on track and the fears and anxieties of the earlier steps will slowly die out. Pat yourself on the back (if you can) or get somebody else to do it for you.

* Editing and rewriting

Read and reread your work so many times that you're totally sick of it, as you correct mistakes, improve the style and add important things. Now your writing is almost in its completion stages. But before you start flying again, you might want to come back on earth to complete the remaining steps.

* Showing off

You show your manuscript or article to your friends, family and neighbors asking for opinions on it. Try not to think about the check you'll be getting while they voice their thoughts. Some of you may want to hire professional help. In that case, opinions from friends and family don't count.

* Submission

Convinced that you have a winner, you approach the editors or publishers you're planning to submit to. Arm yourself with a good query and convince them to ask you to send in your work.

Caution: Editors have an uncanny habit of throwing things out the window. So, read the submission guidelines before making any moves!

* Desperately Waiting

A long process, but can vary depending on the cruelty of the editor. This phase could last from as little as a week, to more than a few months. Try to stay patient, and don't lose your cool. DO NOT send inquiries about your submitted work (at least for the first few weeks).

* Rejection

If you're new to writing, this stage will almost always have to be dealt with. If you're lucky enough to get accepted right away, you may skip the next step. This stage could lead to excessive drinking and spells of depression.

* Repeat

Repeat the submission and waiting steps as per requirement.

* Acceptance

You should be flinging your arms in the air and screaming at the top of your voice. Try not to scare the neighbors though. This stage is marked by a temporary spell of insanity.

* Getting published

When your work is published and you're carrying your work all over the place to tell people about it, you can be sure you've reached the final stage. This marks the final line. Now just sit back and enjoy!

About The Author

Mridu Khullar is the editor-in-chief of www.WritersCrossing.com, a free online magazine for writers. Sign up for the free weekly newsletter to get a complimentary e-book with 400+ paying markets. Also check out her e-book, "Knock Their Socks Off! A Freelance Writer's Guide to Query Letters That Sell," available at http://www.writerscrossing.com/queries.html

The Facts of a Writer's Life

2008-10-07T10:29:00.000-07:00

The Facts of a Writer's Life
by: Mridu Khullar

So, you dream of becoming a famous writer? You want to get that article on paper as soon as possible and see it published. You've got great ideas for a book that you'll be starting any day now. But do you know what it's really like to lead a writer's life? Read on to find out.

1. Rejection is a part of life.

Face it. You will be rejected. No matter how good you are, how well versed with the techniques, how intricately detailed. One fine day, you'll wake up and find a rejection in the mail. Don't get disheartened. It happens to all of us.

2. Rewriting will have to be done

No matter how good your vocabulary, or how well-written your material, there will come a time, when one editor will ask you to rewrite your work. Take this as an encouraging sign. It just means that the editor likes your work, but needs you to work out a few details to suit his needs.

3. Deadlines have to be met

Meeting deadlines is an important part of your career. Miss one deadline, and you can be sure you'll never be writing for that publication again. Be careful not to take on so much that you cannot complete in time. It will ruin your reputation and make you seem unprofessional.

4. Writer's block is not a myth

Regardless of what you may have heard, writer's block is a reality. You will wake up one day to find that somehow you can't seem to write any more. Relax. It's just a phase. Keep your motivation high, and you'll be back in no time.

5. Distractions, Distractions, Distractions

If you work at home, you're even more prone to these distractions. Your child needs food, clothes need washing, you need a cup of coffee. And when all that is taken care of, the phone will ring. It'll be your hubby calling just in time, to remind you of an errand that you almost forgot to do.

6. Can't do without a thesaurus

No matter how good your vocabulary or how witty your writing style, the fact of life is that you will need a thesaurus. There will be times when you can do without an overused word, or a better expression. It's times like these when you absolutely must make use of a thesaurus.

7. You can't please everyone

Everyone is different. Where there'll be dozens of people to appreciate your work, there will be many others who will tear it apart with their criticism. You have to learn to take the good with the bad.

8. Have extraordinary patience

Editors are a strange lot. They need their time, and we need our patience. Don't go checking your mail the day after you've sent your query. Chances are you'll be waiting a long time, before word comes in on that one.

9. Money doesn't come easy

In the writing world, money doesn't come as easily as it appears to from the outside. You may write dozens of articles each week, and expect lots of cash to come in from their sale. Or you may expect your book to outdo the target that you'd set for it. You never know - it just might, but every one cannot be Stephen King. And you’ll probably have to learn to live with the fact that no movie will be made from your first novel.

10. The road is long and hard

The road is bumpy, and there'll be times when you'll want to give up. But the destination is just as rewarding. Don't let the long road ahead, deter you from your dreams. And don’t ever give up.

About The Author

Mridu Khullar is the editor-in-chief of www.WritersCrossing.com, a free online magazine for writers. Sign up for the free weekly newsletter to get a complimentary e-book with 400+ paying markets. Also check out her e-book, "Knock Their Socks Off! A Freelance Writer's Guide to Query Letters That Sell," available at http://www.writerscrossing.com/queries.html

Negotiating Right: Get What you Deserve

2008-10-06T09:21:00.000-07:00

Negotiating Right: Get What you Deserve
by: Mridu Khullar

If magazine publishing worked like any other business, writers would fix their rates, and magazines would run around trying to hire the best writer in the lowest possible cost. Sadly, that’s not the case. In this bizarre business, writers trying to compete with each other not only have to prove their worth once, but again and again, and each time they want an assignment. You’ve got clips. You’ve written the perfect query. You’ll even deliver the best assignment. But then again, you’ll have to ask for more money and negotiate your way into getting what you deserve.

If you’re a writer whose only source of income is writing, then you have to negotiate. It’s the whole lifeblood of your business. Don’t get paid less simply because you didn’t ask. Don’t worry. You’re not going to sound greedy. You work hard, and you deserve to be paid for it.

When a magazine puts “pays $50-$700” in their guidelines, what can you do to be the writer that is paid in the higher range? If you’re a beginner, you probably won’t even think of getting into the high-paying slot. You’d think those places were reserved for the regular and the more experienced writers, right?

Wrong!

Admitted, regular writers are preferred, and their pay rates will usually be much higher than yours. But you don’t fall into that lower category because you’re a beginner; you fall into it because you fail to negotiate.

If you’ve got a sparkling query, an article proposal that the editor simply loves, and good writing skills that leave the editor craving for more, she’s not going to bail out on you simply because you asked for more money. In fact, she’ll be glad to arrange it for you. Not having a dozen clips on your resume does not entitle you to less pay. In fact, if you act like a professional, and give the editor what she wants, money won’t even be an issue.

Spot the Loopholes

Whenever you find a magazine that has a variable pay rate, be sure there’s room for negotiation. Why else would they have such a broad category? A very well known magazine mentions in their guidelines that they pay their writers anywhere from $50-$1000 based on experience and length of article. What I also noticed was that they’ve specified the length of pieces in their columns and departments. So, reading between the lines, I’m thinking—negotiation!

What about all those magazines that pay fixed rates? Do you just settle for what they have to give or is there room for something more? If you’re looking to be paid more, there’s a very remote possibility. However, there are other things that you can ask for. For one, there are rights. If you could use one piece in more than one publication, it would get you more money, though indirectly. Even so, another publication means another name added to your list of growing credits. Wouldn’t you much rather sell one piece to ten different magazines, than get paid only once? Other than increased pay, you’ve also added to your list of credits. That’s bound to bring in more money in the future.

Other than that, kill fees are a definite must. You don’t want to spend hours on your research, only to have your article removed off the publication list. You deserve payment for the time you put in. Talk to the editor about this before you’ve actually started the writing process. Normally, kill fees are around 20-50%. It’s very unlikely that you’ll get more even if you have a working relationship with the editor.

Another issue is payment on acceptance versus payment on publication. Magazines have very long lead times. In simple words, this means that there you could have to wait as long as six to eight months after acceptance to see your article in print. If you’re an international writer, the delay is even longer, sometimes leading to getting payments months after you’ve written the article. Do you really want to wait that long? Can you?

What else? Bios. Short blurbs after our names that could point to a website, have contact information or simply mark us as experts. A few magazines give them, but if they don’t, you could ask for one. Or you could ask for a bigger bio or a photo alongside. This is much easier to do if your article is appearing online. If the editor is unwilling to pay you more, this is your best bet.

If your article required a lot of traveling, phone calls, lunches or other expenses, ask the publication to reimburse it. There will usually be a limit to how much a publication will pay, but it should cover your total expenditure on writing the article. Send in the bills, appropriately marked, and you’ll be paid. If this clause isn’t mentioned in your contract, be sure to bring it up.

Finally, you want copies of the magazines. As many as you can get, actually. Most publications will give you two-three copies of the magazine or publication in which your work appears. If possible, ask for more. This is especially important for international writers who can’t buy copies of the magazine themselves.

Get it Right

If you’re like most writers, you’re a pro at writing emails with demands no editor dare refuse, but when it comes to negotiation in person or over the phone, you give in a little too soon. You know you could have got more, but you caved in before you could gather yourself to say, “I was expecting more.”

Negotiating is a whole other job in itself. (That’s why we have agents right?). But as a freelancer, an agent would do you more harm than good, so you’ll have to take up this profession as well. (You’re already a writer, marketer, promotion expert, website developer and accountant …what’s one more job?)

When an editor sends over a contract in which you can see the need for negotiation, don’t hesitate to pick up the phone and talk to her. It’s easier than you think. Editors expect writers to negotiate. Professionals do it all the time. So, it doesn’t come as a surprise to her when a writer asks for a bigger paycheck. She’s probably even prepared for it. And this is the sole reason why she’ll give in more easily than you thought. Stand your ground, and be confident. If you believe you deserve to be paid more for your words, she will too.

So, let’s imagine you’ve got an acceptance letter (or phone call) from the editor. Yippee! Do the victory dance, run around and tell everyone you know and then come back to planet Earth for a reality check.

Before talking to the editor, you should have a fair idea of what you’re expecting from the publication. Don’t keep your demands too high. At the same time, don’t keep your expectations too low either. The publication’s guidelines should give a rough idea of the upper and lower limits and depending on your article length and research, you should be able to determine a rough amount.

A few pointers on the actual process of negotiating:

* Don’t be the first to state the figure. Sometimes you just have to, but try to get the editor to propose the amount and you can work your way up from there.

* Use phrases such as “I was expecting more” and “That sounds a little low” or even “I was thinking more in the range of …”

* Don’t argue with the editor. After all, you do want the assignment. Reach a figure that you’re both comfortable with.

* If the editor doesn’t budge on the money front, ask for a better rights agreement or a bigger byline. Payment on acceptance is always a big plus.

* Finally, never be unprofessional. If you don’t like the terms of the agreement and decide not to write for the publication after all, be polite. Demeaning the editor or the publication will get you nowhere but in the black list.

Get it in Writing

Nothing is final (or legal) until you get it on paper. If your old contract didn’t state the terms correctly, ask for a new one. Check and recheck the terms and only then sign the contract.

Writers are often deprived of their hard-earned money simply because they were too nervous to ask. Looking back, I see many times when I knew I could have asked for more, but didn’t. And there are many other writers who don’t either, because they don’t want to risk a relationship with an editor before it’s even begun. Whether you’re a novice, or a seasoned pro, the truth is – you won’t get something unless you ask for it. So next time, give it a try and you might end up making more than you thought.

About The Author

Mridu Khullar is the editor-in-chief of www.WritersCrossing.com, a free online magazine for writers. Sign up for the free weekly newsletter to get a complimentary e-book with 400+ paying markets. Also check out her e-book, "Knock Their Socks Off! A Freelance Writer's Guide to Query Letters That Sell," available at http://www.writerscrossing.com/queries.html

Beat the Block with a Journal

2008-10-05T09:20:00.000-07:00

Beat the Block with a Journal
by: Mridu Khullar

It’s nearing the end of summer, and I have no credentials to my benefit these holidays. As the end of the holidays approach, I keep wondering what I have to show for the summer other than the noticeable tan, and the load of incomplete articles adorning my computer.

Having nothing to write about can be exasperating. But having plentiful to do, and not doing it out of sheer laziness or lack of interest is a whole other story. I have articles months old that haven’t seen the light of day. Ah, if only I could complete them. But procrastination and laziness stand in the way. I’ve been telling myself that it’s the heat, but with the temperatures going down again, I'm not even left with that excuse.

I have seemingly divorced myself from the half-written articles that sit there waiting on some remote folder in my computer. Somehow, I never get to completing something if I leave it midway. And this time is no different. I ended up opening the files, reading their contents, closing them with a mental note that they needed to be finished and went back to my Need for Speed racing adventure.

After an endless round of mindless car racing, I decided it was time to get back to work. Having nothing to write about, I thought I’d try my hand at a journal. Writers are always saying that keeping journals spark up your creativity, but somehow I never thought I’d be writing in one. I’d always wondered why a writer would waste her precious time writing in a journal, when she could be earning money, writing those words in an article or story.

So, I began Mission Journal by simply opening up my word processor and writing the first thing that came into my mind. Incidentally, I started rambling about how much I had wanted to achieve but with a drastic case of writer’s block having swept over me the last few days, my ambitions had been reduced to dust. Before I knew it, I had written two thousand words, simply on why I couldn’t write and how it was playing havoc with my spirit.

I hate to admit it, but the truth is – I was wrong. A journal is not a waste of a writer’s time. It’s a learning process. When a computer professional sits down to learn a new programming language, he’s not wasting his time. He’s preparing himself for situations in which his programming skills could come in handy. Similarly, a journal can be the resource a writer digs into when she’s at a loss of ideas and can’t find anything to write about. It gives the writer practice she needs every single day, and enables her to create a much desired momentum in her writing.

The day I started writing in my journal, was the day my month-long block finally came to an end. And as I wrote, I found my mind racing faster than my fingers could type. Soon, I was writing not only about my day, but also my holidays, my last semester and the last time the family went on a holiday together. Incidents kept springing to my mind and I was caught in the adrenalin rush. I was writing!

I had needed a spark for my creativity, and the journal had done just that. It had made given me the push that I needed to start, and once I was writing, the ideas and the words came to me like they had never left my side.

Journals give the writer the three things she needs most: Practice, Motivation and Ideas.

Now, everyday before I begin writing my articles or stories, I simply pen down a page in my journal. If I don’t feel like writing on paper, I’ve maintained a journal on my computer too. Not only do I get a jumpstart on my day, I also feel more energized and ready to write pages and pages of prose.

Journals can also be a great storehouse of ideas. When you think that you’ve suddenly become unresponsive to the ideas around you or can’t find a character to fit into your stories, peek into your journal, and you’ll find something priceless there. The trip to the lake last summer or the fight with your neighbor might just become incidents in your next best seller.

Journals are not necessarily diaries in which you record your personal thoughts and feelings. They can be lists of goals, pet care tips, or simply freewriting that you do everyday before you get to work. They needn’t even be focused on one topic – you can introduce random thoughts whenever and wherever you like. In writing a journal, there are no rules; you simply write what you want.

As of writing this, I maintain four journals to suit my different moods. I don’t write in all of them everyday, but do try to write in at least one each day. On days that I don’t have too much work to do, I spark my creativity by writing in all four. Who knew, that a journal would become my best friend?

About The Author

Mridu Khullar is the editor-in-chief of www.WritersCrossing.com, a free online magazine for writers. Sign up for the free weekly newsletter to get a complimentary e-book with 400+ paying markets. Also check out her e-book, "Knock Their Socks Off! A Freelance Writer's Guide to Query Letters That Sell," available at http://www.writerscrossing.com/queries.html

It's A Miracle

2008-10-04T09:19:00.000-07:00

It's A Miracle
by: Lynn Colwell

"I read and walked for miles at night along the beach, writing bad blank verse and searching endlessly for someone wonderful who would step out of the darkness and change my life. It never crossed my mind that that person could be me." -- Anna Quindlen, Living Out Loud.

When aspiring writers tell me they lack time to write, I pose “The Miracle Question”:

Let’s say you go to sleep tonight and during the wee hours, a miracle occurs. When you wake up, everything that has been sucking time from your day and driving you crazy has miraculously evaporated and you have as much time as you want to write. How much time would that be?

What has fascinated me as I’ve asked this of a dozen people, is how little time they ultimately realize it will take to satisfy what they claim to be their heart’s desire.

“Ah,” most muse quietly, not believing, but wanting to, that a miracle could really take place, “enough time to write.” I can hear the smile in their voices. (I mostly coach over the phone). They usually begin by enthusing how, given the chance, they’d start writing and never stop. I question them. “Assuming you’re awake 16 hours a day, you’re saying you want to spend every moment writing?” That usually stops them. “Hmmm, well, now that I think about it, I guess not.”

A little more probing generally leads to the realization that an hour or two a day, perhaps a morning, would feel like enough. If they could devote only sixty minutes out of 1,440 to writing, it would satisfy the itch, make them feel as though they are accomplishing something, give them some control, bring a bit of peace and satisfaction or any number of other benefits. It might not generate a thriving career, but it could certainly jump start one.

My next question, and one I suggest you ask yourself if you’re in this situation, is “On a scale of 1-100, how badly do you want this time? Do you crave it? Is it a hunger? Is it worth sacrificing for?” If it’s a yearning, not a passion, you may need to accept that it is not important enough to fight for. That’s why it’s critical to ask yourself the question and be honest with the answer.

What many of us long for of course, is a real life miracle—preferably one for which we need do nothing more than open our arms and rejoice when it comes to us. But in a world powered by myriad demands, how is it possible to achieve our dreams if we are not absolutely sold on them? If gaining time to write is not as important to you as eating, spending time with friends or loved ones, doing for others; if it is not a healthy obsession, a fire in your belly, an overpowering urge, then you are unlikely to make the necessary commitment, much less stick with it. If writing feels like a preference, rather than a burning, hot blooded craving, it can be all but impossible to find the time, much less justify it to ourselves.

So may I suggest that if you want to write, but haven’t been able to consistently work the time into your life, that you take a few minutes to address these questions:

1. How much time would I need to devote to writing to make me happy?

2. How committed am I to taking this time? (Scales work well for this, try 1-100, 1 being “not at all” and 100 being “I am fully committed.")

3. If I am committed, how will I make time for writing?

4. What will I do if I do not live up to my commitment; who or what can I call on to keep me accountable?

It is as simple as this: If you want to find the time, you will. If not, it is best to accept that this is where you are right now in your life. You can always ask the questions again another day. Who knows, maybe then, you’ll come up with different answers. But at the very least you will act on your true beliefs and will relieve yourself of the burden of pretending that you can’t get what you truly want.

About The Author

Lynn Colwell is a life/personal coach and writer. After a career including public relations and corporate communications with hospitals and high tech companies, she decided to devote herself to making a difference in people’s lives. Her complimentary online newsletter has been called, “An inspiring, exciting, fun, pick-me-up.” Sign up for the newsletter or contact Lynn at www.bloomngrow.net.

You may freely distribute the articles as long as it are carry the following notice: Copyright 2004 Lynn Colwell www.bloomngrow.net.

Lynn@bloomngrow.net

How to Jumpstart your Next Writing Session

2008-10-03T09:18:00.000-07:00

How to Jumpstart your Next Writing Session
by: David Parton

I have always enjoyed writing. Sometimes it’s a problem for me to just sit down and write something. There are days when I choose “procrastinating” over “proactive.” Putting things off is common with everyone. I am very gifted in this area. ;)

Here are 4 areas to focus on to jumpstart your next writing session.

* Concentration
* Preparation
* The First Word
* Use your notebook

Concentration:

There are way too many distractions. Cell phones ringing, blaring car alarms and unexpected visitors are just a few things that can disrupt your concentration. It then becomes easier to justify not writing today.

The best thing to do to encourage creative writing is to make it a ritual. Find a nice spot to write, maybe, in a quiet room in your home where you will be left undisturbed for a period of time. Set a time to work; a scheduled time to write. Stick to it.

Keep reference books and materials close to hand.

Focus on one idea at a time.

View your next writing session as an opportunity; an opportunity to do something you enjoy. It can be fun. And when you are having fun nobody ever has to tell you to “concentrate!”

Preparation

Once you have your topic: Google it. Read everything you can online and offline related to your idea. Search the net for testimonials, reviews and articles about your topic. Brainstorm related sub-topics.

Give it a rest. Let your subconscious mind percolate and play with the information you provided. Get some exercise. Some of my best ideas come to me while I am out walking around in the evening.

Getting Started

Where to begin? That blank page staring back can be intimidating.

Just dive right in there!

Type the word “The.”

Type the next word (the first thing that pops into your mind) and the next word.

At this point, quality is not important. You just want to create a “flow” where the words come easily.

Don’t stop to edit. Save all your corrections for the second draft. Resist the impulse to rewrite. That will only interrupt the flow and is another way to avoid the task at hand.

If you are like me you will have a 2nd, third and fourth draft. You have to get your first draft completed before your have anything to rewrite! Stay focused.

Carry a Notebook

As a creative writer, you will be “hit” by odd ideas and notions in the oddest of places.

Maybe you are stuck in traffic or brushing your teeth when inspiration strikes.

You could wake from a dream and have a killer idea.

“ I’ll remember that.” We say to ourselves, but when next we write there is no access to that memory file.

Just use a notebook. Jot those things down as they come to you. It only takes a moment.

Capture all your of your ideas as they transpire. Who knows? One of them may be the “Next Big Thing!”

- David Parton

About The Author

David Parton
Now You can Expand your Opportunities with FREE Tips & Resources about Affiliate Marketing, Making Money from Home, Website Development & Self-improvement for Both Sides of Your Brain! Discover... http://ExpandingMind.com

david@expandingmind.com

How Does Spellchecker make you Lazy?

2008-10-02T09:17:00.000-07:00

How Does Spellchecker make you Lazy?
by: David Parton

It’s a crime what laziness can do. That’s the downside of automation and software tools. People get lazy.

Don’t get me wrong, I love technology and I depend on Spell-checking software to help with my writing. It finds the typos but it does not find all the spelling mistakes.It does not find the contextual mistakes. What do I mean by that?

Here’s an example: “The kid’s got heat.”

Maybe, the “kid” is a pitcher with a really wicked fastball. Or maybe, I meant to type “heart” as in:

“The kid’s got heart.”

The absence of one letter can give you two wildly different interpretations. Ol’ Robodunce, spellchecker won’t spot gaffs like that.

Remember, in school how you used to struggle over the proper usage of “there, they’re, and their?” Some people still struggle with those. Grammar can be pretty tricky, so tricky that a computer designed solely to correct grammatical mistakes would have to be the size of a Pontiac, or even a cruise ship. It would take a truckload of Einsteins to program it.

That leaves you, my friend, You, the author- the last line of defense.

For the sake of your readers, for the sake of clarity and for the sake of personal pride…Proofread it! Read it out loud. Read it again and again just to be sure. Do you want potentially millions of people to think you are a bonehead?

Every day surfing the web I encounter site after site with so many errors; obvious stuff that a 3rd Grader could pick up on. These people are just too darned busy building pop-ups to proofread their copy. Rush, rush, rush.

And these are people trying to sell me things! Do I want to buy from a Bonehead? Not bloody likely.

You may have noticed this is a pet peeve of mine. That being said, a person that does not pay attention to the little details of publishing online may not pay attention to all the little details of good service. I can’t imagine that I am the only one that jumps to that conclusion.

It could cost you a lot in sales and/or credibility.

Proofread. Take the time before you upload. Don’t be a Bonehead.

About The Author

David Parton
Now You can Expand your Opportunities with FREE Tips & Resources about Affiliate Marketing, Making Money from Home, Website Development & Self-improvement for Both Sides of Your Brain! Discover... http://ExpandingMind.com

david@expandingmind.com

Bad Book Review Blues

2008-10-01T09:16:00.000-07:00

Bad Book Review Blues
by: Laura Hickey

When you get a bad book review

You've just been notified a review of your book has been posted. You're all excited and can't wait to see what has been written. You're clicking onto your book's page when...Oh no! They hated your book! This bad review is going to turn away customers from buying your book. Wait! This isn't the end of the world. Here's 3 tips to deal when you get a bad review.

1. You can't please everyone!

Example: One of my favorite authors is a bestseller but the author didn't receive such hot customer reviews.

Another example: I was reading some book reviews and one of the books had one of the worst ratings ever. I clicked the link with curiosity to find over 20 customers had reviewed the book and loved it. In life, you can't please everyone. Will a bad review discourage future customers? On to my next tip.

2. A bad review doesn't have to mean bad profit.

Not all customers look at a bad review as their only guide to buying. In fact, if your review is so awful, they may even buy the book to see if it's really as bad as the reviewer rated it. There's the saying that curiosity killed the cat, curiosity in this case could help you. Customers also realize that everyone has different tastes. Maybe the reviewer didn't like your book, but who's to say someone different won't? It may be bad publicity, but none the less it may help you. In fact, sometimes a customer may have read the bad review but only remembers your name and or the book's title.

3. If you're getting more than one bad review.

It's understandable if you're disappointed. It's expected, but do not allow yourself to become discouraged. If you've published an e-book and can easily edit your work, bad reviews can actually help your writing. Now don't go crazy and change everything! But if reviews are constantly pin pointing on one certain area, review your work and see if and how you could improve it. I know reviewing repeatedly can be hurtful but if it can help your e-book, isn't it worth considerings? Also, don't start picking apart reviews right away, give yourself time to go over them. Picking apart your reviews the moment you receive them could prove fatal to your self esteem.

About The Author

Laura Hickey is author of Mysterious Chills and Thrills for Kids.
Ten Short Stories to Tickle the Imagination.
"Spooky" "Awesome" "Unpredictable" Read book reviews for Mysterious Chills and Thrills
Isn't it time you entered the world where shadows lurk and each page turn could be your doom...
http://www.laurahickey.com

You Don't Have To Be A Genius To Write A Love Poem

2008-09-30T09:14:00.000-07:00

Love cannot be written but we can write some love :D

Let's see what Marguerite Bonneville told us what to do about love!

You Don't Have To Be A Genius To Write A Love Poem
by: Marguerite Bonneville

Love poems are a wonderfully romantic gesture and can often express your thoughts far more eloquently than verbal communication.

If you have some talent with words, why not take a few moments and try your hand at writing a poem for your lover? Just sit down and list all the reasons why you think they're special. Then put them into some kind of free verse format: a wide column of lines, roughly the same length, which may rhyme but don't need to.

Even if your poem won't win any literary prizes, the person you present it to will most likely treasure it as if it were composed by one of the great Romantic poets. People tend to value a personalized gift far more than one that's purchased. What they're really appreciating is the time and effort invested on their behalf.

I'd like to share a story of the first time I received a love poem.

When I was twelve years old I had a crush on Robert, the new boy in my class at school, and he had very generously decided that I was "cute". One afternoon we were waiting with some classmates at the bus stop when he announced that he didn't like me anymore. He was now in love with my best friend, Julie.

I was so incensed by this betrayal that I lunged at him and chased him down the street. He swerved into the gutter and I bolted after him just as the bus pulled in. It hit me from behind and I went down. The bus then ran over my right foot.

A short time later, the ambulance arrived and the paramedic driver examined me. He decided that I didn't need hospitalization so he drove me home with instructions to spend the next six weeks in bed. Meanwhile, a distraught Robert was blaming himself for the accident. He asked the other children at the bus stop where I lived, and walked the two miles to my house. Then he sat across the street on the pavement, wondering if my father would strangle him if he knocked at the front door.

A couple of hours later he worked up the courage to confront my father, which turned out to be something of an anti-climax because my father had no idea about Robert's part in the drama. When Robert tiptoed into my room he handed me a sheet of paper; he had written a poem for me as he sat across the street from my house. I remember how thrilled I was that someone would do such a thing. It was like something out of a novel or a movie.

I kept that poem, which ran to one and a half legal pages, for a number of years, until it disappeared when we moved house a decade later. But I still remember the first four lines:

Her name is Marguerite
I very much like that girl
She means much more to me
Than any gem or pearl

That was a lifetime ago and yet those words remain in my memory.

As for the boy himself, by the time I got back to school Robert had moved on to greener pastures (he now liked my best friend's new best friend). But that hardly mattered as I was now a minor celebrity because I got hit by a bus while chasing a boy. The nuns had a field day praying for my soul, which was not the last time they'd engage in that futile exercise.

My right foot is still a little flatter than my left but it was worth it for the notoriety. And hey, Robert, wherever you are, thanks for the memory.

Using Other People's Love Poems

If you don't have Robert's literary talent, there is another option. Find an existing poem that best expresses how you feel and present it to your lover inside a greeting card or gift.

There are a number of sites online that offer love poems. You can find a list on our web site or do a keyword search.

About The Author

© Marguerite Bonneville

Marguerite Bonneville is a Master Practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) whose passion is publishing information online. She is a contributing writer for http://www.romantic-gift-ideas-online.com, a resource site dedicated to helping visitors find the perfect romantic gift.

The Crusades Of Writing

2008-09-30T09:13:00.000-07:00

The Crusades Of Writing
by: Tushar Jain

This article does not discuss what to write or how to write, but merely a favorite – why to write.

The world appears in its dissatisfactions. Potential lies in the prospect that desires to change it, and prosperity lies in the chaotic chase that has already begun. Writing is barely a provision of the many to choose from.

Any man can breathe. Any man can disembowel liquid. Any man can write.

Writing becomes a necessity when the worthier elements of life like love and joy, become pursuits instead of possessions. Those who like to mouth ‘I love to write’ might as well have ‘loved to bungee jump’. So often, writing is an escape rather than a commitment, an alternative rather than a motive, a hobby rather than an involvement.

The difference between writing, when writing is the object of a desire, and writing, when it is the dearth of one, is similar to the difference between consuming food through your mouth or your nostrils. One is precise; the other is either foolhardy or deliberate.

A failure in one’s life is an achievement in one’s vanities. A hurt pride resorts to dissimilar paths of self-absorption eluding the one that confronts its vulnerabilities. Those who fail as intellectuals, rise as diplomats, but never cede to be individuals – because compliance with circumstances defeats the purport of the indomitable convictions of man, so likely, we forge more humane opportunities. Opportunities that are severely consistent, ripe and simple. Opportunities like writing.

Once again, take notice – Any man can breathe. Any man can disembowel liquid. Any man can write.

The object of scrutiny when two things are placed in contrasting contest is not spurious triumph, but progress through aptitude. Sometimes, it is essential to lose, and sometimes it is downright pivotal; it is forever substantial to remember that neither is success a construct of victories, nor is it a servant of one. Success lies deep in the path of experience and often, unknowingly, people who disembowel liquid, bungee jumpers, writers - pass it demurely. It is a fervent moment writhing within several unnamed others; it cannot be achieved, it has to be a yielding harvest.

In writing, there are no discoveries, only inventions – those, that either concoct interest or intrigue. If anything in the written connotation is a function of the former, it is languid and specious. If anything, at all, as it has been a rarity for so long, compromises with the latter, it is grand, unique, most welcome, and most awaited.

Uselessness is an innate, inherent part of writing anything. Futility, you see, is perfect and the only thing that is so. Those who master it are legends, those who come across it accidentally are writers, and those who tend towards it are fools. Those who come closest are renowned as professionals.

Precision in any sort of writing is a triviality and a widowed cliché. There is no ‘bull’s eye’ in perspectives, in predilection or in opinion; it is consequential to generalize. A thing that is meant to socialize with more than a single existent word should never focus or centralize acutely. It’ll fail to stand ground, and eventually fail to impress.

The diversity one writer inures to delineate himself from another is only in an unrealized, imperfect conformity of perseverance. Hard work is an unknown realm, a world within a world, a most secret horizon of each written syllable – when we expand these realms and horizons, when we free our worlds, we can hope towards hope… to be writers. A just and lively hope to be good writers, and if not, efficient in the least.

There is still a last truth to reckon with, again and again, until it is defunct and old and as gray as cement stripping off naked walls –

Any man can breathe. Any man can disembowel liquid. Any man can write.

Learn to survive it.

About The Author

Tushar Jain
Any queries - shoot them at mosaics12@rediffmail.com

The Stuff E-mail Query Letters are Made of

2008-09-29T09:12:00.000-07:00

The Stuff E-mail Query Letters are Made of
by: Mridu Khullar

Your mother always told you how first impressions were extremely important. That’s why whenever you go to meet an editor, you dress impeccably, walk confidently and talk as if you just got out of training with Oprah Winfrey.

But as you sit down to write that email query, you forget everything your mother told you and send editors a query that couldn’t have lacked any more even if you wanted it to. The subject line reads “Query” or something in close proximity with the language spammers use—“Become Debt Free Today”. You write your email address and Web address, but leave out other information such as your address and phone number. And of course, since it’s an email query, you don’t include clips. After all, the editor explicitly mentioned no attachments, right?

After sending out a dozen queries of this sort, you sit in front of your computer, reading rejections and crib about the state of the publishing world.

But you know what, there’s a better way. You don’t have to be rejected all the time. You can write queries that can melt the toughest of editors and have them begging you to write for them.

For starters, get the subject line right. You’re a writer—so be creative. Instead of writing query or submission or even the name of the magazine, how about using the title of your article? And I don’t have to tell you that the title you choose should be informative, witty and creative. It doesn’t always have to be funny, but it has to be interesting. Here’s the format I usually follow for my subject lines:

Query: Creative Article Title

Try to avoid titles that read like spam. “Lose Weight Easily” can be rephrased as “10 Ways to Keep Fit”. Similarly, “Discover Singles in Your Area” is a line spammers love to use, so you could use something more attention-grabbing and less spam-seeming such as “The Top 10 Places to Find your Soul Mate.” Notice the difference?

Write your email query as if you were writing a normal query. Induce in it, the same passion, the same commitment and the same confidence that you would like to project in a query sent by snail mail. Forget the mantra that editors will delete long queries. Not a chance. If you’ve sparked the interest of an editor, do you think she’s going to stop reading simply because it’s too long? Nope.

Like in a mailed query, take the time and space you need to get the editor’s attention. But refrain from rambling. Generally, your query (email or otherwise) should fit into two pages or less. More than that, and you’re giving away too much. One page queries are even better. They’re succinct, to-the-point, and if you’ve done your job well, you’ll have the editor asking for more. Always include your address and phone number should the editor feel like calling and giving you the assignment.

Remember how editors are busy people? That’s why, instead of sending them hyperlinks of all the articles you’ve ever written, send in three or four relevant clips of your best work. And yes, attachments are strictly prohibited. Instead, include your article as text in your email. But what about the pretty pictures and the beautiful fonts, you wail. Well, that’s why, above the article, include the link to the article. If the editor has the time or the inclination, she can go online and view it in its full glory. If not, you’re sending the material in the email so she doesn’t have to wander around cyberspace looking for your great creations.

Email queries aren’t much different from snail mail ones. If your query is professional, presented in an original style and makes the editor sit on the edge of her seat, you’ve got a winner. And always remember what mom preached—first impressions do count.

About The Author

Mridu Khullar is the editor-in-chief of www.WritersCrossing.com, a free online magazine for writers. Sign up for the free weekly newsletter to get a complimentary e-book with 400+ paying markets. Also check out her e-book, "Knock Their Socks Off! A Freelance Writer's Guide to Query Letters That Sell," available at http://www.writerscrossing.com/queries.html

How to Be an Editor's First Choice

2008-09-28T09:11:00.000-07:00

How to Be an Editor's First Choice
by: Mridu Khullar

There are writers who editors like, and those they’d bet their careers on. How can you be that writer who the editor will call on every time she needs an important assignment to be done? Are you a hot favorite or a pass-on-for-another-freelancer who keeps querying but receives no response? Here are the qualities that will endear you to an editor.

1. Giving more than you promise

When an editor asks for two samples, give her three. If she trusts you with an assignment, don’t wait for the final deadline, but send it in a day in advance. If she’s asked you to provide notes, make sure you give her everything she needs so that she doesn’t have to ask for anything more. If you make an editor’s job easier, she’ll love you for it. And she’ll be willing to trust you again with more assignments.

2. Constantly coming up with fresh slants

There may not be too many new topics (unless you’re writing about technology; then you just can’t complain), but there can always be new slants. An editor likes writers who can reduce her brainwork, and make her look good in front of her superiors by coming up consistently with great ideas.

3. Having all the answers

It’s important to know about your subject. That’s why so many well-paid writers advise you to specialize. So, if an editor calls you to discuss your query, and poses follow-up questions, you better have the answers. Because an editor’s never going to trust you with an assignment unless she’s sure you know what you’re doing. And not having answers to her questions is a sure-shot sign that you don’t.

4. Coming up with clever titles, and great sidebars

The most important thing I’ve learnt so far is to visualize your article. See how it appears on the page. Granted, it’s usually not going to come out like you’d imagined it, but for a minute forget that you’re a writer, and think like a designer. See the beautiful fonts and the shaded box on the side? That’s how the editor sees your article. Now it’s your job to bring that visual to life with your words.

5. Understanding the core audience of the magazine

If you’re writing for a magazine for home PC users, your editor’s not going to appreciate ideas on network security, however wonderful they may be. Similarly, when writing for a small business owner, you’d want to treat that person as a little smarter, even if he might have the same knowledge base as that of a home user. His computing decisions are more important. That’s why you should always be familiar with the reader’s knowledge level. That’ll help you make the distinction between good ideas, and great ones.

6. Making boring subjects come alive

Editors love writers with a dash of style, attitude and chutzpah. If you can give even a serious subject a touch of humor, you’ll soon be a hot favorite. This is especially true with technical, business and trade magazines. Their subject matter tends to be boring. It’s your job to not only inform the reader, but also to entertain him.

7. Having the whole package

If you can write great prose, but not meet deadlines, you’re replaceable. If you can get great interviews and dig up little-known statistics, but make the fact-checker’s life hell, you might not be seen as a great catch. If you come up with the best ideas, but can’t provide equally interesting sidebars, there’s probably someone who can. But if you give the editor all those things and more, she has no reason to look beyond you.

8. Knowing the magazine

I wouldn’t go as far as to say that will never sell something to a magazine you haven’t read (I have), but I will say that you’re not going to get rich doing it. If you don’t want to go broke buying all the prospective magazines, get yourself a reliable Internet connection and visit the magazine’s Website. No editor will stand a query that looks like it’s been sent to a million others.

Editors often like to work with a select group of freelance writers, who’ve earned the editor’s trust over time. By following the tips above, you’ll soon ensure an impressed editor, but many lucrative assignments as well.

About The Author

Mridu Khullar is the editor-in-chief of www.WritersCrossing.com, a free online magazine for writers. Sign up for the free weekly newsletter to get a complimentary e-book with 400+ paying markets. Also check out her e-book, "Knock Their Socks Off! A Freelance Writer's Guide to Query Letters That Sell," available at http://www.writerscrossing.com/queries.html

The Subject And Object Theory

2008-09-27T10:30:00.000-07:00

The Subject And Object Theory
by: Tushar Jain

I am Tushar Jain, a student of literature. This subject, literature, is one which is susceptible to every clause scripted, every letter sculpted, and is liable to get one enamored by vacuous words like ‘subjective’. To the wholesome degree of which the students believe in the language, there is but a similar degree that coerces them to refute and impugn its likewise liabilities.

Recently, in a class, I had all the inconvenience of a teacher’s dilatory eyes boring into mine, and an arbitrary buffed nail earmarking my attendance in the room; eventually she flicked a question at me,

“How are the characters in the novel connected?”

The sludge of pacing words in a soporific room, filled with irascible impatience and derivative petulance. I couldn’t connect to what she said until a later second and replied in a baritone, ensemble of an answer most suited, “by freedom and perspective.”

“No, by imagination and memory,” she snapped back. This is the kind of strain you’ll see ostensible in a class where an accretion of both, enslaved and free minds saunter. Concisely put, we need to hope fairly for the convictions an authority lays down for us, or else, we are forsaken to the roads less traveled.

On my way home, my way across a flight of stairs, my way about the sun-lit sidewalk – I literally dreamt of what had passed, whether I had been wrong or had the authority misjudged to the convenience of our simpleton mindsets, yet bourgeoning. I came to a conclusion and that is what this article is pretty much about – the subject and object theory.

In life, in books, in writing and in reading, i.e., any form of self-indulging, whenever factual, fictional or prejudiced relations are meant to be taxed, there stands an exclusive ground that gauges each to each without exceptions – the dogged tolerance of a subject and an object.

The subject, by characteristic, is more substantial; this is what obligates two things to be related. The object is the antithesis, the infraction of the above said; it is the juncture by which the same two things are naturally related, are invariably kindred. Subject, more often than not, is consequential of the two while the object is the feeling that is mutual to any two strangers that can be deemed to exist. Both of them subsist at counters, at contention and at contrary moments to each other. While the subject encompasses more substance than the object, only the object is the foundation where the subject is either incipient or deadened.

That is the theory and if it sets in limberly, trying to construe any kind of liaison between members, people, characters, etc. becomes profligately simple and exact. You see, whenever we talk of connecting things in certain, we must pamper merely the sheerness of reality and not obnoxious pigheadedness.

Now, as a paradigm of analysis via the subject and object theory, lets take into account and beckon the above-held circumstance.

The distinction between ‘freedom and perspective’ and ‘imagination and memory’ is appositely what the subject and object theory jostles or throws into place. ‘Freedom and perspective’ are pragmatically correct – where freedom is the subject and perspective is the object, i.e., through dissimilar perspectives of myriad characters or people, one can view the one general reflections on freedom. This is what places them in a common nexus, this is how they connect. Conversely, in the case of ‘imagination and memory’, both of them are barely subjects, vilely innate ones at that.

Now, for a more authentic opus of the theory, we choose human guinea pigs – myself and the teacher, let us suppose. In the class, the teacher and I confronted with deferential, cogent relations of a teacher and a student. However, if we were to encounter histrionically on the street, there is nevertheless another kind of relation – a universal, middling boy and girl kinship that is bound to imply. The former is the subject and the latter is the object. The neutrality and average of either is the relation we bear.

Relations are constructs, moral and social. Their hypothesis is need, and their motive is a circumstance of need. We must constantly be at fault when we endeavor to discern them, for perfect relations like perfect morality or perfect sociality, remain but in gaping, rife spaces of books.

About The Author

Tushar Jain
Hello, any queries? Please feel free to contact - mosaics12@rediffmail.com

Write Right for the Right Reasons

2008-09-26T10:30:00.000-07:00

Write Right for the Right Reasons
by: Scott Foreman

It seems that I must get dozens of newsletters and ezines in my email box every day. That does not include, of course, all the Internet Marketing groups that I belong to that send me a listing of all articles posted each day. It seems like thousands of new articles are published every week just on home business ideas alone. The pure volume of written material can be intimidating.

Why are there so many articles out there? Surely most of them go unread, right? I think you’d be surprised. The simple truth is, marketers write articles because they work. Let’s take a look at what original articles do for you, the writer. First, you’ve worked hard for the knowledge you have. If you could share some pearls of wisdom and help someone out, wouldn’t you? Not only that, but the more people that find your knowledge helpful, the more you establish credibility and name-recognition. Second, articles are a way of keeping your subscribers in touch with you. The more compelling your subject matter, the more likely you will re-visit the site that originated the material. Third, and probably most important, is the wildfire effect that articles have. As you write more original material, more people are bound to publish what you’ve written. That creates exposure as well as linking to your site.

When my business partner and I started writing original articles, we watched our websites’ page rankings soar and the Alexa number drop (which is good). Not only that, we started seeing our names and articles in the search engines too. Slowly, the keywords that are most pertinent to our site are starting to be associated with our site (as far as the search engines are concerned) and that is never bad.

I know what you’re saying. I can’t write and I don’t have anything to write about. Hogwash. Even if today is your first day in the Internet Marketing field, you bring with you a lifetime full of knowledge. Even if you don’t know the first thing about affiliate programs, pay per click advertising, or viral marketing, write about something that you know about. What do you know more about than most people around you? Parenting? Accounting? Tulips? Write about that. You never know who’s reading.

You say that you can’t write. That’s okay. Just make your first article a paragraph or two. Answer these questions: Why would the average reader be interested in your subject? What questions might a person want answered on your subject? What information can you provide that will address those questions? Where can the reader go to get more information on your subject? What will cause the reader to think about your subject even after they close the article?

If you don’t know where to start, begin at http://groups.yahoo.com and I can almost guarantee you’ll find a group that interests you. Not only will your market niche probably be represented there, you’ll also find general business groups that can be helpful and educational. Now I don’t want to make any wild claims. I’m not saying, “Write articles and make $10,000 a month with no other work.” You laugh, but I’ve seen it. What I’m saying is that articles are a great way to create exposure for your website, your product, and your presence as an expert in your field. Try your hand at writing a few and pretty soon you’ll not only get the hang of it, you’ll start seeing some amazing results come from your efforts.

Most everyone likes giving their opinion. Give yours to help out the next guy/gal and expose the world to what you and your business have to offer.

Remember, be good to yourself and never underestimate the power associated with the intensity of your passion.

Wishing you Success,

Scott Foreman
scott@build-passive-income.com

Copyright 2004 Foreman Enterprises
by Scott Foreman Build-Passive-Income.com

This article may be reprinted for use in newsletters and websites provided that the information box is kept intact. Email notice of intent to publish is appreciated but not required: newsgroups@build-passive-income.com

Publishers! We'll pay you to run this article. Sign up for our Affiliate program and we'll pay you up to $24.98 for every person who converts on our site. Change the link in the bio box to your affiliate link: http://www.build-passive-income.com/affiliate

About The Author

Wayne and Scott Foreman are co-owners of www.build-passive-income.com

This Secret Book Made Terry Dean Rich! You Can Get it Free IF you click below now (you won't believe the simple techniques it reveals that ANYONE can use)

http://www.Build-Passive-Income.com/secret

scott@build-passive-income.com

You Need To Write-Write Now!

2008-09-25T10:30:00.000-07:00

You Need To Write-Write Now!
by: Timothy Ward

I've been shouting it for years, and I will probably keep shouting for many years to come. If you want to get some quality, free visitors to your website-You Need To Write An Ezine Article!

You can go ahead and admit that secretly you been toying with the idea anyway. You've fantasized about one day checking your email and seeing your name in the table of contents of your favorite ezine. You've imagine what it's like to know that hundreds, maybe even thousands, of people are reading YOUR words. And then there's the glorious payoff: Some of these people will visit your website. People who through reading your article have already established a relationship with you and are therefore more likely to pay real attention to what your website has to offer. Ahh, what a lovely dream...

But I'm telling you today to STOP DREAMING. Open your eyes, open up a new Word document and get started writing!

Of course, you need something to write about. I suggest one of two choices:

(1) Write about whatever subject your website covers. If your website is about Internet marketing, write about some of the ways your website suggests marketing online. If your website sells chocolate brownies, write about chocolate brownie recipes. If your website is a Drew Barrymoore fan site, please send me the URL immediately. Just kidding! Actually you could write and article about Drew's latest movie or her fight with alcoholism. The point is, if you have website-you have a topic.

(2) Write about something you know. We all have areas where we excel, as well as subjects that interest us. For instance, I know a lot about ezine articles so I write about them. One of the benefits of writing about something you know is what I like to call the 'Expert Factor'. If you write enough articles about a certain subject you will eventually get known as an expert in that field online. People will then trust what you say and will be even more inclined check out any websites or offers you endorse. In a nutshell-you gain credibility. And online that's a GOOOOD thing!

I'll just go ahead and blurt this one out because I know it's on your mind: Don't worry about being an expert writer. Don't shy away from writing ezine articles because you think you might misplace a few commas, semicolons or dashes. This is the Internet, not the Oxford Journal of Medicine. You're not trying to win a Pulitzer Prize. Just write your article the best you can, re-read it several times, run spellcheck, and then go from there. I also recommend waiting at least half a day and then coming back and re-reading your article. This allows your brain to basically re-boot and you may find some errors you overlooked before. But don't stress; You should see some of the typos I have made.

I'm not going to bombard you with everything there is to know about ezine article writing today. This article was designed to just wet your whistle a little bit. To get you in the mood so to speak. To get you wanting to write and to give you ideas on what to write about. I assure you there will be other article in the future that touch on all the other aspects of ezine article writing. For now, though, I'll leave you to your writing; Me, I've suddenly got a taste for some chocolate brownies...

About The Author

Timothy Ward is a webmaster and ezine publisher. For more of his tips on ezine articles and free promotion sign up for the new Ward Wide Webzine.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Ward_Wide_Webzine

wailinward@yahoo.com

Everyone's a Critic or At Least They Could Be

2008-09-24T10:30:00.000-07:00

Everyone's a Critic or At Least They Could Be
by: Heather Wallace

Imagine a job that is tons of fun and, if you follow the advice outlined below, is probably one of the easier routes to becoming a household name. It is the job of Movie Reviewer. Just think about how wonderful it would be to get paid to munch on popcorn and watch films.

This is one job that every single one of us has been training for our entire lives. Your willingness to tell anyone who will listen that a particular movie was overrated or that a certain movie star's last performance was Oscar-worthy already makes you a movie critic. The only difference between you and the pros is that they get paid for their opinions and their names are known the world over.

Becoming a movie critic is easily accessible to everyone. All you need is a love of the cinema, the ability to write and share your opinions, and the drive to parley your reviews into fame and fortune.

Stop The Presses

The fact of the matter is that the majority of newspapers aren't going to give you the time of day without some previous experience. That is where the Internet comes in. Your first step to becoming a critic is creating a web destination. Set-up a web site and post reviews to it on a regular basis. By doing this you will be able to hone your skills, discipline yourself to write regularly, and another added bonus is that you will gain a following of loyal readers. This is a must if you want to become a famous critic.

Spread the Word

To really get your name out there you absolutely must syndicate your reviews. You can get your reviews on other web sites in a number of ways, but the two best and easiest are to:

1. Sign-up as a content provider at freesticky.com and sites similar in nature.

2. Join and submit reviews to the following sites:

* http://www.rottontomatoes.com
* http://www.movie-gurus.com/content/join/
* http://www.movietome.com/about/writer.shtml

Ya Gotta Have a Gimmick

If you plan on writing reviews it would be a good idea to come up with a gimmick. A straight forward review just isn't going to garner you much attention or be that memorable. A review with a twist, on the other hand, will keep people coming back to read what you have to say and it will cement your name in the minds of the masses.

Whenever you hear "Two Thumbs Up" who do you immediately think of? That is a perfect example of a gimmick.

Who are the worst dressed celebrities? Just ask Mr. Blackwell. He may not be a movie critic, but he does us a gimmick to make himself memorable. His variety of gimmick is known as "throwing a brick". No, not literally, but saying something negative about a celebrity will certainly garner attention. Joan Rivers is another person who uses this type of gimmick to gain attention for herself. After all, who could forget her scathing remarks on the red carpet?

The rating system at Rotten Tomatoes that was created for their compendium of reviews is another fine example of a gimmick.

You should avoid closely copying the gimmick of another well-known critic as you will merely be viewed as a pale imitation. Although, if you can come up with an inventive and original twist on one of their gimmicks, then by all means give it a shot.

Show Me The Money

In the beginning your main goal should be to make your name well-known and synonymous with movie reviews. Once you have achieved a modicum of fame then you can parley that into a paycheck. There are a of couple ways that you can turn the experience and celebrity that you have achieve online into cash and recognition offline.

1. Contact newspapers in your area. Find the email address for these newspapers and write to them asking if they would be interested in having you write reviews for their publication. Be sure to write to the appropriate editor. In most cases this will be the entertainment editor.

When writing for a newspaper it is vital that you don't sign a work-for-hire contract. If you were to do this then the publication would own the copyright to all of your work, which means that you would not be able to publish your reviews on your web site or anywhere else as the newspaper is now the copyright holder.

2. Another offline venue that you should explore is radio. Public radio is probably your best bet, but you should approach mainstream radio stations as well. You could suggest doing reviews on the morning show of a Top 40 station or, perhaps, bite-size reviews that could be played all through-out the day.

About The Author

Heather Wallace is a writer whose work has been published in national, regional, and online publications. Additionally, she has written articles as a newspaper correspondent. Visit http://www.fetchingsites.com/MovieReviewer.html for more information on becoming the next Roger Ebert or Leonard Maltin.

6 Tips For Your Writing Journey

2008-09-23T10:30:00.000-07:00

6 Tips For Your Writing Journey
by: Laura Hickey

So, you'd like to be a writer? Congrats! Writing not only is a great way to express yourself, but can provide an income. Keep in mind not all writers make a fortune, some still cant quit their day job. Below are some tips to start your writing journey.

1. Start Writing

Okay, so this tip is obvious. For some, it's a question of what to write about, for others how to write. Write how and what you want. What kind of books do you like to read? Fiction, Mystery, science fiction, how to books? How about articles, reports, maybe you're interested in journalism. Whatever the case may be, to get your creative juices flowing, start writing! Don't worry about how it sounds, grammar or other mistakes, you can go back to fix these.

2. Join online and offline groups/message boards and chats

If you already know what you want to write about, consider joining writer groups at your local library, or online groups, along with message boards and chats. It's a great way to network with other writers and published authors. It's also a good place to share your work and receive feedback. Many places online are free to join, some require a membership which usually consist of a user name, e-mail address and password for your user name. Some request more information such as a name, address and sometimes phone number.

3. The Library

You've probably heard about some books that writers refer to, this could be writer markets, e-book publishing, self publishing and generally how to improve your writing. Bu what do you do when you can't afford to buy these books from your local bookstore or online? A trip to your library is the key. Many libraries carry writer resource books, which if you have a library card, are free. If you're living out of the area, the library may require a fee for membership. The book you're looking for may not always be at your local library, however libraries borrow from other libraries in and out of state. The method of receiving outside books is called Inter-Library Loan. Later on, if you find the book to be a great resource, you may be able to purchase a used copy online.

4. Researching

The Internet is also another good resource for information. Keep in mind that not every resource you find online is going to be an honest good resource. It will take time to sort out which websites are useful. Most information is free, so you can sit back and research in the comfort of your home. If you don't have a computer with Internet access, check your local library and see if you can use one of theirs.

5. Workshops

Workshops taught by experts is a great way to learn from the professionals, but only if you can afford it! Make sure the topic of the workshop is based around your interest. For instance, if you love fiction..it wouldn't be a good idea to go to a workshop based only on non-fiction. It's a good idea to register early to ensure a spot at the event. Bring a new legal pad, plus a few writing tools to take notes.

6. Contents

After writing a while, you may want to enter contents. Some require an entry fee. I suggest staying away from the entry fee contents until you've entered some other free ones. That way you can get a feel for how contests work. Spend some time writing and re-writing your entries. If you've written your entry in 5 or so minutes, th judges will notice it immediately. You wouldn't want a reputation for sloppy work.

There you are, 6 tips to get you started on your journey to writing. Good Luck!

About The Author

Laura Hickey is the author of the children's book Mysterious Chills and Thrills- 10 short stories to tickle the imagination. It may be purchased at http://www.laurahickey.com. Access Laura's press kit...interviews, book reviews, PR's and more.

Memoir Writing Help, Memoir Writing Ideas

2008-09-22T10:30:00.000-07:00

Memoir Writing Help, Memoir Writing Ideas
by: Roxanne McDonald

You might not need any memoir writing help, per se, as you know your past and you know quite well how to write, thank you. You might instead just need someone to inspire you, motivate you, give you a nudge--with some memoir writing ideas.

Here are a few prompts to stimulate your memory and to encourage your creativity...of which you have plenty to work with and to share. So do the activities (or at least one), and share them (or it) with loved ones...or with me if you wish. I love reading your memoirs and responding.

Prompt:

Starting on June 17, 1976, Diego and Susy Goldberg, of Buenos Ares, Argentina, photographed head shots of each member of the family...one day every year. Of course, they started as a family of two--Diego and Susy--and have over the years created a photo essay that captures their physical growth (and more) over time.

Visit the website and study the photo essay, "Time" (at www.zonezero.com/ magazine/essays/diegotime/time.html).

In words instead of photos, choose one day of your family's life (starting with your parents or guardians and adding you as a child) and describe what you each look like. Do this for one day every year for as many years as you can.

Prompt:

All art is a response to something--other art, an event in our culture, a moment in history. Look at the photos (on roxannewrites.com or anywhere on the web, and write a page or two of your immediate associations with that picture.

For example, look at the photo of the old 50’s drive-in. What is the first memory that comes up for you? Who was involved? Who was absent and why? What sounds do you recall as predominant that day? What smells were there? What colors do you recall? How did you feel on that day?

Prompt:

At the bottom of the page of my site are two pictures. One is clearly related to the movie theatre, as it features a crowd of men and women (of the 40’s?) standing outside The Dixie Theatre, all facing the camera; and the other has to do with the stage (and movies...later), as it is an artistic rendering of Othello pulling back the bedchamber curtains and peering in at a sleeping Desdemona. Decide what one play or movie influenced you the earliest.

What was the name of the play or film? When did you first see it? What impact did it have on you? For instance, if you and your family were poor and you only saw one movie when you were a kid, maybe you grew up to love movies or work in the movie industry.

Maybe, instead, you saw a play every year with your since deceased uncle, and were inspired to go into theatre or to study literature. Write whatever you want about one movie or play, and then email me with the draft(s) for a response and more encouragement if you wish.

Finished with these prompts?

There are more lessons in Memoir Writing for Our Elders.

Note: The black and white photo below may remind you of something other than your first movie experience. Go for that draft, too!

And stop in every month for new prompts and/or a response to your creative memoir writing if you’d like. I know I’d love it if you did.

About The Author

N.H.-born prize-winning poet, creative nonfiction writer, memoirist, and award-winning Assoc. Prof. of English, Roxanne is also web content and freelance writer/founder of www.roxannewrites.com, a support site for academic, memoir, mental disability, and creative writers who need a nudge, a nod, or just ideas…of which Roxanne has 1,000s, so do stop in for a visit, as this sentence can’t possibly get any longer….

admin@roxannewrites.com

Gaining Exposure Within Writing.Com

2008-09-21T10:30:00.000-07:00

Gaining Exposure Within Writing.Com
by: The StoryMaster

Dear Writing Reader,

One of the most popular questions from Authors on Writing.Com is: How do I gain exposure on Writing.Com?

In this letter, I will provide numerous tips for increasing the amount of exposure you receive on Writing.Com.

Tip #1: Utilize Our Newsletters!

Every week Writing.Com sends out over 140,000 issues of its 13 various newsletters. Each week, Newsletter Editors ask for questions and feedback from their readers. Each week we see many of the newsletters "Ask & Answer" sections go blank! Get easy, quick exposure by emailing Writing.Com Newsletter Editors and asking them questions to be included in their next issue.

Subscribe to newsletters that cover your favorite genres. Email the editors with questions pertaining to the genre, writing style or topic that Editor chose that week. In most cases, you will find your name, your question and a response in that Editor's newsletter the following week. Readers of that newsletter will, more than likely, check out your portfolio!

Tip #2: Review, Review, Review!

Reading and rating are very important for writers, but when it comes to garnering eyeballs for your own work - nothing beats reviewing. When you review another author's item, invite that Author to your own portfolio. Most of our Authors will be more than happy to check out your portfolio, since you were so kind to take a look first!

Review, review and then review some more. Correspond with other Authors on the site and you'll be surprised how many more views your items get!

Tip #3: Plug Yourself In!

There are many In & Outs and Message Forums that are geared toward giving Writing.Com Authors exposure. Most of these are run by Authors themselves and receive heavy traffic. Writing.Com itself provides one that is linked from the "Item Jumps" pulldown menu.

Plug yourself without shame; utilize The Shameless "Plug" Page. Don't be shy; start posting in message forums asking people to visit your portfolio. Tell readers a little about yourself, your portfolio and your writing style; you're sure to gain new readers!

Tip #4: Win Exposure With Contests!

There are many contests run by Writing.Com members, as well! Participating in contests does not only give you the opportunity to win Gift Points, but also provides a free stage for you to flaunt your writing to others who are entering or judging that contest. Contests are easy to enter, give a wide variety of assignment and provide GREAT exposure whether you win or not!

Participate in contests! To start, you will find some by visiting Writing Contests @ Writing.Com!. You can also visit the "Contest" sub-type link from within the Static Item listing page.

Tip #5: Get BidClicking!

Now take the Gift Points you just won in the contests and Sponsor your items with the Writing.Com BidClick System!

My recommendation is to use the Genre and Item Type sponsorship opportunities. Extremely popular genres like Romance/Love, Action/Adventure, and Fantasy can be sponsored for under 25 Gift Points (or 1/4 of a penny)!

Placing items within applicable genres will generate highly targeted readers who are more likely to read, rate AND review your item; and it costs FAR FEWER Gift Points than the main Sponsored Items column!

If you want instant exposure to all of our visitors, you can bid a higher Gift Point price for the Sponsored Items listing. This listing is shown on the right-hand side of every page and is seen by every visitor to Writing.Com. We've seen items gain over 100 ratings in less than 24 hours when sponsored there!

Sponsor items within the Genre or Item Type listing pages. For even more exposure, try out the Sponsored Items area. For even more information on this, read The Writing.Com BidClick System!

I hope you found useful information within my letter; good luck and have fun!

~~ The StoryMaster (19)

About The Author

The StoryMaster is WebMaster of Writing.Com ( http://www.Writing.Com/ ). Established in 2000, Writing.Com is the online community for readers and writers of all ages and interests.

Whether you're a casual reader searching for a good story or a creative writer looking for the perfect place to improve your skills, Writing.Com is the site for you! Over 293,848 members have joined and posted over 819,680 literary items.

A Few Brief Tips for Dealing with Rejection

2008-09-20T10:30:00.000-07:00

A Few Brief Tips for Dealing with Rejection
by: Laura Hickey

What to do when you get rejected.

You've just finished your book, sent out query letters and was rejected. What's left to do? You could give up, but I wouldn't suggest this. Here's some brief tips on how to deal with rejection.

1.Take a breather

You've probably been wondering and rattling your brain as to why you got rejected. Take a break, not a long one...some time for a breather. If you continue to constantly analyze why you were rejected, you'll drive yourself crazy. Plus...if you decide after rejections to continue sending out new query letters, they may not be your best work. Why you ask? Because you may not produce your best work under all the stress you've put yourself under over the rejections. You wouldn't want more rejections because you didn't have the energy to send out your best sales pitch.

2.Self-esteem- Failure is not an option

You might be down in the dumps...this is understandable, but don't allow yourself to be in the mood for too long. Have you had others read your work? Did they like it, love it? It's a good idea to remember all the positives, rather than negatives. If everyone who didn't get what they wanted the first time quit, do you know what we'd have? A bunch of failures. They aren't failures though for not getting it for the first time, rather they are if they quit.

Motivation-

Think about your favorite movie, song or book. Now, what if they stopped trying? That favorite song, book or movie wouldn't exist. If you give up, someone out there won't have a chance to have your work as a favorite. Think about it.

Remember that rejection doesn't have to be the end of your journey unless you let it be. Good Luck!

About The Author

Laura Hickey is the author of the children's book "Mysterious Chills and Thrills" which has gotten 5 star ratings.

Along with writing children's books, she also wrote for the sitcom pilot + episodes for a project called "Officially Lush" You can read her whole bio plus access her press kit at http://www.laurahickey.com.

Tips for First Time Authors : 2 Easy Steps to Make Your First Book a Success

2008-09-19T10:30:00.000-07:00

Tips for First Time Authors : 2 Easy Steps to Make Your First Book a Success
by: Kim Dushinski

Congratulations on writing your first book. That is quite an accomplishment. Many people dream of writing a book, but you actually did it. Way to go.

At this point you are probably wondering where to get started, who to contact, how to even take the first step. Don’t worry, that is very common. And now you’ve found a great resource to help you.

Step #1

Create a map for yourself.

If you want to get somewhere you need to know where you are and where you want to be. Then you figure out how you are going to get there. Yet many first time authors jump in with the how to get there specifics – getting reviews, making it onto bookstore shelves, creating a website.

Instead, start by figuring out your goals. What do you want to happen with your book? Be very specific. Try writing down at least 10 goals for your book. If that was easy, write down 25.

Next, figure out what you have to bring to the project. How much money are you able to invest? How much time can you spend doing marketing? Be realistic. You can make your marketing work with whatever budget you have and time you can allocate.

Then you can start finding specific marketing actions that match your goals and resources. By knowing your goals and resources you can find the exact marketing tools to make your goals a reality within your time and money budget.

Step # 2

Avoid the common mistakes.

Hundreds of thousands of people write books every year. Tens of thousands of these authors are doing it for the first time. It is only natural that some of the same mistakes are made over and over. Once you know what they are you can avoid making them and get ahead with your book faster.

The single most common mistake we see is authors who fail to clearly define their target market. They believe that “everyone” will buy their book.

They waste their valuable resources trying to market to an audience that is too broad. Let me give you an example from the TV show The Apprentice.

Two teams are in New York trying to sell wedding dresses. One team goes to Grand Central Station where there are tons of people and hands out flyers to everyone walking by. The other team stays in the office, goes online and buys an email list from a popular wedding site (theknot.com) of couples getting married who live in the New York area.

The first team trying to sell to “everyone” is reaching tons of people who simply do not care about what they are selling for one very simple reason - they are not getting married.

Will any amount of marketing on the team’s part convince them that they need a wedding dress? NO.

Does it even matter how great the wedding dresses are made?

NO.

The other team however, has found the perfect target market – people who live in New York who are getting married.

Do you see the difference? Marketing to people who ALREADY CARE about your book’s subject and forgetting the rest of the people who don’t care is the ONLY smart way to do marketing.

About The Author

Kim Dushinski is a partner at MarketAbility, a book publicity firm located in Colorado that specializes in cost-effective, results-driven PR Campaigns. You can find more tips, strategies and techniques specifically designed for first time authors in our First Time Author Toolkit at http://www.marketability.com/first-time-author-info15.html.

You Can Be An Author

2008-09-18T10:30:00.000-07:00

You Can Be An Author
by: Crystal Paine

“You should write a book.” For years, I had been hearing this comment. Writing an entire book seemed completely overwhelming, and so, for a long time, I contented myself with writing short articles. One day, inspiration for an article hit me and, as I started writing, paragraphs began flowing out at an enormous rate. Before I knew it, a rather lengthy piece was developing. It was too long to be an article, so, I decided it would not hurt to try self-publishing a little booklet. Was I ever surprised! The first printing of this 32-page black and white booklet sold out within a week.

All of us have an area which we have more knowledge and experience than the person next to us. What many do not realize is that there is often a hungry market out there ready and willing to pay for the information we have to offer. Yes, it takes a tremendous amount of effort to see a book to completion and printing, but it is well worth it.

Some things I have learned through the experience:

1. Start small. Don’t attempt to tackle a 400-page work for your first publication. You will also save yourself a bundle on printing if you keep it small. I recommend a booklet under 50-pages to launch your career as an author.

2. Enlist the help of others who are more experienced. If you know someone who has published anything, ask their advice and help. You will gain invaluable information from them and save yourself many headaches. In addition, request assistance from others for editing and proofreading. No matter how meticulous you are, it is always good to have other eyes review the final draft before it goes to the printer.

3. Be prepared to deal with disappointment. When you put your heart into something only to hear, "We're not interested," it is easy to take it personally. But, you must continually remind yourself that this is part of the package deal in self-publishing. For every "yes" you receive at least five "no's" (or so it seems). Learning to humbly and graciously accept rejection, not let it get you down, and keep pressing forward is an absolute must in self-publishing, especially at the beginning.

4. The more you market, the more you sell. You can publish an excellent book, but unless people know it is available, you cannot expect many buyers. The possibilities for marketing are endless. Check out all the books on marketing your local library offers. These will give you some great starter ideas. Send out an e-mail to friends, family, and business associates announcing your book’s publication date and offer a limited-time pre-publication special. Join self-publishing groups and let them know about your book. Ask others to promote your book. Be pro-active and do not be afraid to try novel ideas!

About The Author

Crystal Paine is a 23-year-old homeschool graduate and the owner of Covenant Wedding Source, LLC (an online retail bridal business). She writes articles on a variety of topics and is the author of The Merchant Maiden: Earning an Income Without Compromising Convictions. She lives with her husband in Kansas. For more information on her business and booklet, visit her website: http://www.covenantweddingsource.com.

contact@covenantweddingsource.com

Spoken and Written English

2008-09-15T07:45:00.000-07:00

Spoken and Written English
by: Samir K. Dash

The English of speech tends to be different from the English of writing some fairly obvious ways. For instance:

* We have time to plan our message in writing, but that is not possible while using the spoken form of English.

* We often use words like Well, You see etc in speech. But in writing we tend to avoid these. These kind of words and phrases add little facts , but tell us something about the attitude of the speaker towards the context and audience.

* We often use Hesitate fillers, i.e. some speech forms like um / /, err/ / while we think of what next to say.

* More over in spoken form, we may fail to complete the sentence and mix up one grammatical construction with another. These do not occur in writing.

* In spoken form a sentence has a less strict construction than the sentence in a writing form. It is also difficult to divide a spoken conversation into separate sentences and the relationships between one clause to another is less clear in this case as the speaker relies more on hearer’s understanding of the context. The speaker also depends upon the ability of the listener to interpret if he fails to provide the exact sound representation to his expression.

More over the speaker is able to rely on features of intonation which tell us a great deal, which can’t be given in written punctuation.

Even, as far as the sound or the phonetic aspect of the analysis is concerned, there are some important point to note which makes spoken form some what special. Though the sound system of our spoken language serves us primarily as a medium of communication, its efficiency as such an instrument of communication does not depend upon the perfect production and reception of every single element of speech.

The speaker will , in almost any utterance, provide the listener with far more cues than he needs for easy comprehension. The situation or the context of which both the speaker and the listener are aware of , limit the purport of an utterance. A.C. Gimson, in his book An Introduction to Pronounciation in English gives an example as follows:

Thus, in any discussion about a zoo, involving a statement such as ‘We saw the lions and the tigers’, we are predisposed by the context to understand lions, even if the n is omitted and the word actually said is liars . or again , we are conditioned by grammatical probabilities, so that a particular sound may lose much of its significance, e. g. in the phrase ‘The men are working’, the quality of the vowel in men is not as vitally important for deciding whether it is a question of men or man .as it would be if the word were said in isolation , since here plurality is determined in addition by the demonstrative adjective preceding men and the verb form following.

This kind of appropriation of sound is called redundancy.

About The Author

Samir K. Dash is a MA in English (UGC-NET qulaified) from Ravenshaw College, Cuttack (INDIA). Currently he is working as senior content developer at AniGraphs.com

He can be contacted at his homepage: www.samirshomepage.zzn.com

E-Mail: samirkdash@yahoo.com

Use of Special Words/Phrases in Spoken English

2008-09-14T07:43:00.000-07:00

Use of Special Words/Phrases in Spoken English
by: Samir K. Dash

Responses to statements

In most speech sessions we use some special response words, though they are not demanded by the speaker of the statements to which these are made.

These type of responses include:

* Oh!
* Mm
* Good
* Oh dear!
* I see.

These are made to represent an interest, surprise, pleasure, regret etc.

Even most of the cases we frequently use these to express that we are attending to our speaker’s statements. With the growth of telephone service, these kind of use have increased, as the response maker has to show his interest or reactions to the man at the other side, whom he can’t show it through his physical expressions. Hence he may use the words like Hmm, Errr, Hmm, Errr, Yeah just to compensate the visual expression needed to carry on a good conversation.

In use of modern communication techniques such as internet Chat, the use of emoticons, and smiley also represent such activity in the part of the listener.

Questions as responses to statements

These have the similar kind of function like the general responses to statements as we discussed above. Among such are:

* Why?
* What?
* How?
* Why not?
* Who for?
* Where?

Hesitant Fillers

We often use Hesitate fillers, i.e. some speech forms like um / /, err/ / while we think of what next to say. These are never appear in writing as , while writing we have plenty of time to plan and re-arrange our expressions. But as in the act of speech, there is virtually no time for that we use such words, phrases and sounds to gain time , while we plan for next expressions.

Linking signals in connected discourse

These are in fact a set of words and phrases which we use to link one context to another. Most of such are sentence adverbials, and they generally come at the beginning of a sentence, which is to be connected to the context.Though we use such kind of signals in writing, the vast use of such expressions comes from the act of speaking in any connected discourse.

Such linkers can be grouped into three sections in reference to there occurrence and use:

· Starting Linkers:

To start a new train of thought we use well and now at the front of the sentence.

Example:

Ram: How was your experience in Puri?
Gopal: It was fine.
Ram: Well, I have also planned to visit that place.

· Changing Linkers:

By the way and incidentally are used to change the topic or subject.

Example:

Ram: How was your experience in Puri?
Gopal: It was fine.
Ram: By the way, I am planning for a new car.

· Listing Linkers:

These include firstly, secondly, thirdly etc. also, to begin with, in the second place and to conclude.

Example:

To begin with the cause of unemployment in India can be traced to existing curroption.

· Reinforcing Linkers:

In any case, furthermore, besides and anyway are used to reinforce a point in the discourse.

Example:

I have never seen him, besides I don’t talk to any strangers.

About The Author

Samir K. Dash is a MA in English (UGC-NET qulaified) from Ravenshaw College, Cuttack (INDIA). Currently he is working as senior content developer at AniGraphs.com

He can be contacted at his homepage: www.samirshomepage.zzn.com

E-Mail: samirkdash@yahoo.com

A Good Book Cover Design is Key

2008-09-13T07:39:00.000-07:00

A Good Book Cover Design is Key
by: Laura Hickey

Marketing your Book cover, Spine and Information.

Whether you've written your book or are just starting out, having an eye catching cover is a must. Did you know that customers may be looking over your book for 10 seconds or less? A good book cover entices the customer to want to read more information and to result in a purchase. To accomplish this, you need to know what catches a customers eyes. A good place to start is your friends and family. Ones that you trust. Ask their opinions. If you're uncomfortable with asking your inner circle or would like your book's cover to be a surprise, look to the net. You can post your book's cover idea and receive feedback. Only post your idea on the net if you trust it won't be stolen. When deciding to create my book cover for Mysterious Chills and Thrills for Kids, I looked at many other ones in the children's field. I kept in mind which book covers attracted me and for the ones that didn't, why it didn't. Keep in mind that not everyone is going to agree with your taste.

The same applies to your back cover information about your book. If the book is fiction, you'll need to ensure the customer that their entertainment dollars are worth purchasing your book. If your book is non-fiction, show the customer the benefits of purchasing. Can it help solve a problem? Many customers want to know that they are buying something that in some form can benefit them. You'll also need to show how your book is better than then next one in it's category.

Don't forget the spine and price. If your book is spine out, it'll need to attract the customer's eyes. When they pull out your book, the price can turn a purchase away. Look at other books in the field and price accordingly. Much lower prices than your competition may appear to sell more but may give the idea that your work isn't as good.

Self publishing, Small Press or a Large Publishing company, either way your book is competing against others out there. Make it count!

About The Author

Read more free reprintable articles on writing written by Ms. Laura Hickey in English, Italiano and Espanol. Read book reviews and interviews for her children's book, Mysterious Chills and Thrills for Kids.

http://www.laurahickey.com

I'm All Storied Out!

2008-09-12T07:41:00.000-07:00

I'm All Storied Out!
by: Ed Williams

One of the nicest and most frustrating parts of being a writer of stories is that when you’re out somewhere, people will come up and tell you stories - lots of them. I’ve actually been at book signings where people have come up and stood there for ten to fifteen minutes telling me some story of theirs. For them, it's fun, for me, it’s sometimes fun (dependent on the quality of the story itself), but for the poor person standing behind them in line it’s probably not much fun at all. And that’s me being polite about it.

The only problem I run into sometimes when this happens is that the person will tell me a story, finish it, and then ask, “Ed, how would you like to use that for one of your future books or columns?” I never know what to say in response, because if the story is good I feel like I’m ripping them off, and if it’s bad you hate to tell them that. And if y’all don’t think I haven’t heard some really bad ones along the way, here are a few shortened examples of some that have actually been told to me:

>From a lady that I talked to recently at a literary festival:

“Ed, when I was a young girl over in Alabama, my daddy grew us a watermelon patch every year. We ate lots of melons, you see. One day I walked over to where one of the biggest melons in the patch was, and you know, it was really, really green. Then I noticed somethin’ move, and there was a big green grass snake right next to that melon! Why, I got so beside myself that I flinched and kicked the devil out of that melon. The good news was that it rolled over and flattened the snake. The bad news was that none of us were brave enough to go and try and pick that melon up after that, so it was left there to rot. Rotten snake, rotten melon, rotten luck, life sure is funny sometimes, ain’t it?

From a guy who has some close friends he wanted to tell me about:

“My buddies are like yer Brotherhood, except we are even wilder and crazier than you three boys have ever thought about bein.’ Why one time Alfred, one of my three best friends along with Bert, Terry, Ken, Fred, and Rabbit, burped right out loud at Mawdie Jones’ funeral. I mean, right out loud in front of the preacher, Mawdie’s family, and everybody. I guess when the preacher talked about makin’ a joyful noise that Alfred took him pretty serious. That Alfred, he’s out there on the edge, ain’t he? I’ll bet if you call him and talk it over that he’ll let you write this story, especially if you give him some of those royalties that all you writers get.”

From a very old man who told this story right out loud in front of about ten or so people at a recent speaking engagement:

“I have this huntin’ dog, Spanky, that I’ve owned for years. Best huntin’ dog I’ve ever seen, he’ll point and tree just about anything – birds, rabbits, squirrels, you just name it, he’ll tree it. Why just a few weeks ago Spanky loped down into the woods one morning, he likes to get out and stretch his paws sometimes, and the woods is where he goes. Anyway, he stayed down there a right good while, and then came out with a pair of ladies’ drawers in his mouth. I’m serious, ladies’ drawers. Thing is, they were big, ole ladies drawers, I promise they were about three feet wide across the beam, you coulda hung them up in a sailboat and gone to China on them. When I saw that, I realized that it only coulda been one of about three old gals from around here that could fit into them drawers. And then I wondered how she lost them down in the woods like that in the first place. It caused me to tell this little rhyme up in my head,

“Lost drawers’
In the woods,
Should I tell this?
Yes I should!”

Man, man, man, y’all see what I mean? Bad thing is, I could’ve told another twenty or so just like these. I guess, in the end, that everyone has stories that they think are interesting, but some really do need to stay close to the vest – in fact, they need to stay very, very close to the vest. And I would say even more, but Ray and Hugh have just walked in, and we’re talkin’ about seein’ if we can get a pair of those three foot wide drawers and use ‘em to sail the S.S. Pippin across Lake Sinclair – after all:

Three foot drawers, they won’t float,
But mebbe they can move our boat!

About The Author

Ed’s latest book, “Rough As A Cob,“ can be ordered by calling River City Publishing toll-free at: 877-408-7078. He’s also a popular after dinner speaker, and his column runs in a number of Southeastern publications. You can contact him via email at: ed3@ed-williams.com, or through his web site address at: www.ed-williams.com.

7 Devastating Writing Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

2008-09-11T07:38:00.000-07:00

7 Devastating Writing Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
by: Jason A. Martin

Writing engaging articles and energizing ad copy takes more than just typing out what you want to say. By correcting these major mistakes, your copy will soar to newfound heights. While there are many common mistakes made by copywriters, seven in particular are deadly.

Mistake One: Don’t take that tone with me!

Many writers fail to write to their intended audience by writing in a general or wrong tone. Either way is costly. It is important to identify and write to the intended audience. Review the following two statements to see how the same information differs based on the intended audience.

Audience One is comprised of computer neophytes.

Move your mouse pointer over to the START icon, which is located in the lower left area of your computer screen. Next, click your left mouse button one time. Your start menu should now be displayed.

Audience Two is comprised of knowledgeable computer users.

Open up your START menu.

Notice the stark contrast between the two examples. If we continued with the examples, “Audience Two” would be spoken to in more technical terms whereas “Audience One” would be spoken to in very simple terms with every action described in full detail.

Mistake Two: Welcome to the claims department.

Most non-fiction writing, especially ad copy, makes a claim of some sort. Hard to believe claims destroy credibility. The golden rule of claims: Always support your claims fully.

I can’t believe it!

When a claim sounds too good to be true, credibility is lost. Perhaps the ad copy is claiming that a person can lose up to 300 pounds in 30 days on a certain type of program. The more substantial the claim, the more support required. Still, if the claim is hard to believe, all the support in the world won’t help much.

4 out of 5 dentists agree.

A claim made must be supported. An article reporting that 4 out of 5 dentists agree about using a certain product must include the supporting evidence. Never expect people to take your word for it, because they won’t.

Mistake Three: So enough about you, what about me?

Have you ever visited a website or heard an ad that chimed in with “we here at [insert company name] believe…?” The majority of people will react by simply ignoring the copy all together. It is important to build up a rapport with the reader before talking about yourself—if possible. The reader must first be given a reason as to why he or she should care. This mistake is most common in ad copy. Focus on the reader first and foremost.

Mistake Four: Could you repeat that?

Repetitious wording occurs when a word is used that was previously written in close proximity. Try to keep sentences fresh and flowing with new words. This is a great reason to pick up a thesaurus and learn some word alternatives. In ad copy it is sometimes necessary to use a word more than once for effect. An example of this would be: Excellent service. Excellent selection. Excellent prices.

Don’t do this

I really like the quality of the shoes and the overall quality of the store. Store X is an all around high-quality establishment.

Notice the word “quality” was used three times quickly. These two sentences should be rewritten with the world quality being used only once.

Mistake Five: At this present time, the fact of the matter is, you are reading this article.

This mistake plagues us all because our normal speech is full of redundancies. Some redundancies are simply two words that say the same thing, while others are phrases that repeat something previously mentioned in the sentence. Fluffing up text does not make for good writing or reading. Let’s look at some examples.

“It is a true fact.”

Is there a false fact? Revised: “It is a fact.”

“I found a total of 927 websites with my name on them.”

Eliminate “total of”. Revised: “I found 927 websites with my name on them.”

“The future to come is full of surprises.”

The future is something to come, which is why it is called the future and not the present or past. Stating “future to come” is wordy and does nothing to enhance the reading experience. Revised: “The future is full of surprises.”

To find out more, visit your favorite search engine, and look for results under these terms:

Pleonasm

Redundant writing

Mistake Six: You’re its owner therefore it’s yours.

It is amazing how four simple words can become a virtual wrecking ball to the prose of so many. The four words are: its, it’s, your, and you’re

Its

This is possessive and has no apostrophe. Example: Put your hand on its mouth.

It’s

This version has the apostrophe and means “it is.” Example: It’s mine.

Your

Again, this is the possessive and has no apostrophe. Example: Your car is stalled.

You’re

With the apostrophe, it means “you are.” Example: You’re smiling at me.

Many writers make this mistake because it’s simple to do. Writing fast will increase the possibility of making this mistake, which is why rereading your copy many times is crucial.

Mistake Seven: I think I can. Well, maybe I can try.

It is important that the reader feels secure about the author, which is why writing in a passive voice will render the prose helpless. It is very easy to use passive writing without knowing it because everyday speech is filled with passivity. Recognizing passive writing and replacing it will make a tremendous difference in your copy.

Passive: The final exam was failed by over half of the students.

Active: Half of the students failed the exam.

Notice the difference between the two sentences. Overcoming this mistake takes practice—as does learning to write well.

Ad copy should be dripping in confidence. Word selection and order are extremely important. Using words like “try” should be omitted when possible.

Common Example: “We work to make our clients happy.”

Rewrite: “We have satisfied clients.” or “We will make you happy.”

In the “Common Example”, it implies that you might not be happy. The company will “work” to make you happy, but there is no guarantee they can. In the rewrite, the implication is removed by altering the text.

Crafting solid prose takes practice. By running this checklist against your copy and correcting mistakes, it will become more effective. Every printed word is priceless. A single word or sentence can cause decent copy to fail. Should you require a copywriter, visit my website.

©2005 Jason Andrew Martin LLC

About The Author

Jason A. Martin has been conducting business on the Internet for 11 years. He is a copywriter and entrepreneur. Mr. Martin is currently working on obtaining a degree in Journalism and Law. He runs the Internet business site: Internet Business Entrepreneur.

His official web site, which contains articles you can use for your web site, can be viewed at: Jason A Martin

jasonamartin.com

Checking for Mismatched Quotation Marks

2008-09-10T07:37:00.000-07:00

Checking for Mismatched Quotation Marks
by: Jan Kovarik

—or—

How To Make Sure that Every Opening Quotation Mark Has an Ending Quotation Mark

When writing a term paper, research paper, or post-graduate thesis, one of the most common errors is "mismatched" quotation marks. That is, an opening (beginning) quotation mark will not have a closing (ending) quotation mark, or vice versa. It is a hard error to spot while proofreading, and your computer's spellchecker will not find this type of error.

There is a very simple way to verify that a document has “matching” quotation marks.

After you have completed your document, position the cursor at the very beginning of the text (that is, move the cursor in front of the first word on the first page and click to “position” it).

1. Open Find/Replace (or Search/Replace, whatever is applicable to your Word software).

2. In the “Find” field, key in a double quote mark (shift key and the "/' key).

3. In the “Replace” field, key in the same thing (so that both fields show ").

4. Hit “Replace All” (or whatever selection you have for making a global correction to a document). You should then see the number of replacements that were made.

5. If an odd number shows up after all the replacements are made, then somewhere in the transcript there is an “unmatched” quotation mark.

If you do get an odd number of replacements, then switch to “Find” only, and begin to hit “Find Next” repeatedly so that the computer stops on each opening or closing quote mark. As the computer highlights each quotation mark, verify that it is matched, i.e., that every opening quotation mark has a corresponding closing quotation mark (and vice versa).

You need to pay close attention to this process, otherwise, you are likely to “Find Next” before you realize that the computer found a closing quote mark before it found an opening quote mark.

Eventually, as you review the document, you will either come across an opening quote mark for which there is no closing quote mark (that is, the computer will find an opening quote mark, and then the very next one that it finds will also be an opening quote mark), or vice versa.

Once you have inserted the missing quote mark, you should do the “Find/Replace” steps again, to verify that the computer now shows an even number of replacements.

Please note that this is not a fail-safe procedure because it is possible that you have two unmatched pairs of quote marks, but it is a tool that you can use to help prevent an easy mistake.

About The Author

Jan K., The Proofer is freelance proofreader and copyeditor. Visit http://www.janktheproofer.com/ for more information about Jan’s services; http://work-at-home.janktheproofer.com/ for work at home articles and free printables; and for work at home moms, visit Jan’s sister site http://work-at-home.momsbreak.com/ for articles, free printables, and work at home T-shirts and other fun products.

© Copyright 2005 All rights reserved.

jkproof@bellsouth.net

How To Re-Set Spellchecker to Recheck Document

2008-09-09T07:32:00.000-07:00

How To Re-Set Spellchecker to Recheck Document
by: Jan Kovarik

After you have written a text and run spellcheck, you might find it necessary to go back and revise the document. You might also have found that you have been running spellcheck, your brain has gotten a little numb, and you can't remember if you actually fixed the last error or just "Ignore" automatically. You'll need to re-set your spellchecker so that it will recheck the entire document, not just new text that is added. Here’s an easy way to re-run spellcheck:

Block highlight the ENTIRE text (that is, click at the very beginning of the document, before the first word on the first page, and drag to the bottom of the text; or click the cursor before the first word on the first page, and then hold down the Shift key and click behind the last word on the last page).

Go to Tools, Language, Set Language, U.S. English (or other language being used), OK.

Then click at the beginning of the document to remove the highlighting.

The spellchecker has now been re-set. You can run it again, and the entire document will be spellchecked.

You can also do this just for sections of text, by block-highlighting the section you want to re-spellcheck.

You can also recheck your spelling using this alternative method:

With your document open, click Tools, Options, Spelling & Grammar. At the bottom of the window under “Proofing Tools” is a button for “Recheck Document.” Click on the button. When you do, you will get the following window:

This operation resets spell checker and grammar checker. Do you want to continue?

Click Yes. Then, re-run spellcheck on your document.

It is easy to re-check a document that has already been spellchecked. Please be sure to remember to run a final spellcheck when you are completely finished with your document!

About The Author

Jan K., The Proofer is freelance proofreader and copyeditor. Visit http://www.janktheproofer.com for more information. Visit Jan K., the Proofer’s sister sites: Mom’s Break at http://www.MomsBreak.com for free printable projects and crafts. Jan’s Dough at http://www.jansdough.com for free printable recipes for Sourdough Bread and more. For more articles by Jan K., The Proofer, visit http://freecontent.janktheproofer.com. Article © Copyright 2005. All rights reserved.

jkproof@bellsouth.net

Your Spellchecker Can Catch Punctuation Mistakes

2008-09-08T07:35:00.000-07:00

Your Spellchecker Can Catch Punctuation Mistakes
by: Jan Kovarik

Even though you should never only rely on your spellchecker to find mistakes in your document, you can make the most of your spellchecker by changing the settings. It isn't as scary as it sounds and once you learn where these settings are, you can change them as often as you need to for whatever guidelines you have to use for a particular document that you are writing.

These punctuation settings are consistent with the American publishing industry. If you are writing for Great Britain (the United Kingdom) or writing in English for any other country, be sure to learn what punctuation rules are used in that country's publishing industry. You can reset the spellchecker options at any time so that when you run spellcheck, it will automatically check for the right punctuation placement.

Here’s the easy 1-2-3 instructions for changing and checking your spellchecker settings:

1. Open Word.

2. On the toolbar, click on Tools. In the drop-down window, click on Options.

3. Click on the Spelling & Grammar tab, hit the Settings button. A new window will appear. Set the first three requirements:

Comma required before last list item (always)
Punctuation required with quotes (inside)
Spaces required between sentences (1)

Click OK.

Now, close all the windows that are open. Your spellchecker has now been re-set and these option settings will be in place for all Word documents that you create from now on. You only need to go through this procedure again is if you need to change these settings to comply with a specific publishing requirement. If you do change the settings, remember to change them back to these settings once you have finished that document.

Be sure to always run a final spellcheck of your document, after you have made your final corrections!

About The Author

Jan K., The Proofer is freelance proofreader and copyeditor. Visit http://www.janktheproofer.com for more information. Visit Jan K., the Proofer’s sister sites: Mom’s Break at http://www.MomsBreak.com for free printable projects and crafts. Jan’s Dough at http://www.jansdough.com for free printable recipes for Sourdough Bread and more. For more articles by Jan K., The Proofer, visit http://freecontent.janktheproofer.com. Article © Copyright 2005. All rights reserved.

jkproof@bellsouth.net

In Spellchecker We Trust... Right?

2008-09-07T07:42:00.000-07:00

In Spellchecker We Trust... Right?
by: Jan Kovarik

This article could have easily been titled "We Don't Need a Proofreader...right?" Businesses today are transforming printed text into computer-based documents and, well, all you have to do is run the computer's spellchecker to make sure there aren't any mistakes...right?

Spellcheckers are wonderful things, but the truth is that if the document that you just received and/or are about to send out to your client was checked only by a computer spellchecker, then it could contain some very embarrassing errors. The English language (especially Americanized English) is a multi-layered honeycomb of word usages and nuances that can confound a computerized spellchecker’s ability to produce a document that is 100% error-free. Although spellcheckers will stop at and highlight “sound alikes” (homonyms) such as their and there, will it know that the word you actually need is the contraction they’re. Most spellcheckers will point out you’re and your, but what if you really want yore? What spellchecker will alert you to the possible misuse of boost for boast? And what about horror words like lose and loose, allude and elude, and those favorites pique, peak, and peek? A spellchecker can blithely sail over typographical faux pas such as this (or possibly worse) without so much as a beep.

Today, the world is becoming increasingly more dependent on the written word. Texts of every length and topic and produced in the shortest amount of time possible are being sped along the Information Highway as email attachments, FTP files, and as pages posted to a website. Often, you are merely an intermediary; you receive a document, possibly to massage it to suit some end-purpose, and then send on to the next stop. Maybe you don’t even stop to read it; maybe you just attach your name to it and send it to its final destination. When you do so, you’ve made the presumption (or worse, the assumption) that when the document was originated, someone made sure it was right.

Proofreading, a word that may connote a skill whose time is past, is still a vital part of the preparation of text that is meant for broad dissemination, whether in hard copy or electronic form. A proofreader checks for word misspellings and incorrect word form usages. A copyeditor, on the other hand, reads not only for content, but also for context and provides corrections as needed. Combining these two skills creates a “Quality Assurance Editor” who can do all those things in one combined process. Performing quality assurance editing (QA) for a document means that unusual terms and terminologies have been reviewed for accuracy (spelling, usage, and topic relevancy) and that there is overall consistency within a single document or across several related documents. This process provides the end-user with a document that is as error-free as the combined talents of the human brain and the computer chip can achieve.

Proofreading, copyediting, or QA…don’t let the document go without it! If you produce or utilize documents of any type for your personal end-use or for that of your clients or customers, then those documents need to be reviewed by someone whose sole purpose is to read that document for accuracy, grammar, word usage, and otherwise. For documents that come to you from an outside source, you should ask about the level of proofreading or QA that was provided. For documents that you produce in-house, QA can be provided by knowledgeable staff or by an outsourced service. Either way, don’t send that document along its way on the Information Highway until someone has made sure it is right!

Three Questions to Ask to That Ensure Quality Controls Are In Place

1. Do you regularly do Quality Assurance reviews (proofreading and/or copyediting) of texts before you finalize them?

2. Is the QA Editor/Proofreader someone other than the author of the text or transcript and is that person knowledgeable about the topic of the text?

3. Does the QA Editor/Proofreader have access to the original manuscript and/or audio, as well as any resources necessary, to verify text-specific terms and terminologies?

The services of a reliable QA Editor/Proofreader/Copyeditor is a value-added investment. All it takes is one error to slip through in a document to create a cascade-failure-type debacle. Next time you think you've produced an error-free document that is going to be used for an important business project or as a presentation to a client, and that document hasn't been subjected to QA proofreading...think again.

About The Author

Jan K., The Proofer is freelance copyeditor and proofreader and provides QA editing/proofreading for a variety of clients. Visit http://www.janktheproofer.com for more information. Written in conjunction with Domenichelli Business Services---Transcription with the Power of E. Nancy Domenichelli: http://www.ModernDayScribe.com. For more articles by Jan K., The Proofer, visit http://freecontent.janktheproofer.com Article © Copyright 2005. All rights reserved.

jkproof@bellsouth.net

Harnessing The Wisdom of Procrastination

2008-09-06T07:36:00.000-07:00

Harnessing The Wisdom of Procrastination
by: Jill Nagle

The Heart of The Delay: Harnessing the Wisdom of Procrastination, AKA Writer’s Block

I am sure that at in some era, at some desk, with some kind of paper (and perhaps some very special ink), some writer has breezed through a lengthy and challenging project from beginning to end with no delays. No one in her household has suffered, she’s felt pleased at each step of the process, and her shoulders have never cried out for massage. I’m sure of this.

I am equally certain that for most people, writing projects have at least some period of delay. Sometimes, it takes the form of distraction, and a bit of discipline works just fine to bring us back. Other times, our life’s work or inspiration of the moment sits there, waiting for us to get back to it, and every incomplete we’ve ever taken in school, every shaming message we’ve ever heard, or self-doubt we’ve ever felt encrusts the project like so many barnacles.

Worse still, “procrastination” and “writer’s block” pop up in writer’s tracts like names of diseases that need “cures,” the right sledgehammer, or perhaps simply to be ignored. While some writers may find it helpful to have a name for what gets in the way of what they’re trying to achieve, “writer’s block” or “procrastination” can falsely universalize very different phenomena. My obstacles, yours, and hers may be different animals, different species or even perhaps silicon-based non-organic entities. Framing them as negative blocks the opportunity to learn something about ourselves or our writing.

For example, my reluctance to finish my novel may reflect a correct hunch about a major flaw in the story structure I’m loathe to face, while yours may stem from guilt about being the first in your family to succeed at an intellectual task. Each of us has an opportunity to notice and deal directly with the heart of the delay, rather than its limbs which trip us. Dealing with the heart of the delay could lead us down a more effective and sustainable path than the one we’d forge by simply steamrolling over the delay, or walking around it. I might need to bring in a book doctor to raise the quality of my work, while you might need to have a heart-to-heart with a family member, neutral third party, or both about what it means for you to succeed as a writer.

I humbly suggest the following: When next you find your mind meandering anywhere but to your work, don’t beat yourself up. Instead, give a listen to what’s guiding you astray. The answer may surprise you—and give you some clues about how to proceed with your project on the clearest path possible. Here are some questions to help you determine what’s tripping you up, as well as some responses to each.

1) Do you have in mind an ideal way of doing things, and then get paralyzed when you start to do things in your own natural quirky way?

Here’s permission, then. Write out of order.

If ideas for the middle or end of your book come before the beginning, go with it. You can always move things later.

Multitask—use one project to procrastinate from doing another.

If you’ve done your emotional homework and find that you still procrastinate (and many great writers do), have other projects in the pipeline so that when you find yourself drifting from the one big project, you’ve got others to work on to fill your time until you can get back to that one. If you’re stopped in your tracks because you think you have to work in a certain way, get back to the drawing board! Work on the pieces that compel you when you feel like working on them.

2) Is it possible that you lose the big picture of what you’re doing in the daily details?

Connect your deepest desires and visions to each moment of your work.

Distill your longings into a sentence or paragraph such as “I am a published writer who gets great reviews and makes my entire living through my writing,” and post this in a visible place. Say it out loud to your mirror each time you begin your work. It might seem hokey, but many writers find that it actually helps to keep the big picture in mind.

3) Do you have a realistic image of the quality of your work?

Find out what if any kind of help you need, then get it.

A society of journalists was asked how many writers were in the room. Nearly all the hands went up. Then the speaker asked how many of the writers considered themselves “good writers.” Nearly half the hands went down.

While even the best writers doubt their skill, others suffer from overconfidence. Well, maybe overconfident writers don’t experience suffering themselves, but their careers (and perhaps their peers) can suffer for their lack of help getting their writing to a publishable place. If you find yourself putting off work because you don’t know if it’s any good, find out. Get a professional in the field with obvious credentials to help you make that determination, or do it yourself.

If you find out your work stands up content-wise, you may still need an outside eye to tell you whether your writing is okay on its own, or you need professional assistance to make it publishable. An editor experienced in your type of manuscript will be able to help you polish your prose to a high sheen.

Another option is ghostwriting, or hiring a professional writer to pen some or all of your manuscript. Many of the most famous authors hire ghostwriters to help them get their message across. Sometimes they’re credited on the cover with an “and” or “with,” but often they’re silent partners, hence the term “ghost.”

Having marketable ideas is one thing—finding the language to best articulate them is another entirely. Don’t kill yourself trying to develop a skill that takes years to hone when you’ve got other more compelling plans, and when there are plenty of people already prepped for that task. We live in a specialized society expressly for not having to kill ourselves trying to deliver garbage, make contact lenses, paint all the artwork on our walls, and yes, craft and polish all our own prose.

4) Who is in your immediate environment?

Take a look, give a listen. Is what you observe conducive to writing?

On one end of the solitude-contact continuum is the person who works best alone. On the other end is someone who needs a partner to check in and collaborate with at each stage of the process. What are your needs around other people’s involvement in your work? For the solitary type, the solution could be finding a “room of one’s own,” or at least a borrowed space with peace and quiet enough to think and write.

At the other end it could be finding a buddy, coach or collaborator to check in with regularly. In the middle, where lots of people find themselves, are authors who attend local writers groups or participate in online communities. Take the time to notice and get to know your own needs, and to create the space and/or support you need to move forward.

5) Is some healing in order?

At the deepest level of your awareness, what do you feel and believe about yourself and your writing?

On another plane entirely from practical concerns are wounds of the soul that need healing. It’s difficult to allow our excellence to shine when we truly believe we’re not worthy, or that to succeed would betray some unspoken agreement about staying small.

If everything within you wants to move forward into the world with your writing, and something inside you is holding you back, realize that only you can make the decision to find the therapist, spiritual counselor, coach or practice to move you through that place. Procrastination could be a signal to finally heal an old wound.

6) Is this project the best expression of what you love and want to put out into the world right now?

Ascertain or revisit what made you put your energy behind this project.

Whether it’s money, prestige, self-expression, career advancement or something else, ask yourself if your original reasons are congruent with your current needs. If not, give yourself permission to do something else.

7) Are you afraid of the impact you’ll make on the world, whether positive or negative?

You should be—if you’ve never been published before, you’re about to lose your anonymity.

Consider using a pen name, at least for the time you’re writing. You can always change it back later. I did this for the very first essay I ever published, because at the time, I felt shy about writing about sex, and also wanted to protect those whom I discussed in the essay.

guerilla tip: Most writers will not become all that famous, and the feedback most of us receive is damned scant. So—consider using your real name before going to press. If you go on to build your career around related material, you’ll be grateful you did.

8) Do You Need to Reassess your Pace?

Maybe the goals you’ve set aren’t realistic for you.

Procrastination can be an utterly human attempt to create a sustainable work pace. If you expect eight hours of writing a day from yourself six days a week, no wonder your body’s rebelling. If your goals more clearly meet your known capabilities, and you’re still having difficulty meeting them, ask yourself honestly whether your timetable makes sense for you today.

Your life may have changed since you last set the pace of your writing treadmill. If so, change your expectations to ones you’re more likely to achieve—then reward yourself when you do. If you still have trouble, consider structural supports, like a writing buddy, group, or some form of coaching.

9) Do you think your first drafts have to be perfect?

Come on. You’re slinging mud on a wall. Or, if you prefer, as one of my clients put it, “I just put one word in front of the other.”

You’re going to go through so many revisions from the time you put those first few words down to the time you’re polished, that you might as well bulk up the page now. There will be plenty of time for trimming later.

10) Do you hate the idea of rewriting yet one more time?

Of course you do. People in other fields get to be finished with their tasks when they stop working, and enjoy the fruits of their labors. But nooooo, not writers! There’s always another draft in the wings.

Face it—endless rewriting sucks. You know and I know it needs doing, but isn’t there a better way? The bad news is, the only way around is through. The good news is, you can reward yourself for each phase, and I encourage you to do so.

11) When was the last time you saw the sky?

Get outside, for crying out loud. Humans were never meant to spend all day immersed in words.

Some days, your procrastination may be telling you to Get A Life. If so, listen. Enjoy yourself. However talented you are and however important your work, you aren’t your writing. At least not entirely. Breaking up your day with physical activities, or anything very different from writing will give you a fresh perspective on your text. Plus, when this project is all over, you’ll want to have had a bit of sunshine from time to time, maybe a friendship or two.

Remember, not all bouts of delay are alike. Yours might carry a message. Take the time to listen, heed and respond to that message. Your writing—and your life—will be better for it.

About The Author

You are welcome to reprint this article any time, anywhere with no further permission, and no payment, provided the following is included at the end or beginning:

Author Jill Nagle is founder and principal of GetPublished, http://www.GetPublished.com, which provides coaching, consulting, ghostwriting, classes and do-it-yourself products to emerging and published authors. Her most recent book is How to Find An Agent Who Can Sell Your Book for Top Dollar http://www.FindTheRightAgent.com.

Jill@getpublished.com

For Beginners: 10 Ways To Prepare To Get Published

2008-09-05T07:35:00.000-07:00

For Beginners: 10 Ways To Prepare To Get Published
by: Jill Nagle

(Skip directly to ten for the fastest shortcut!)

Like any field, excellent writing requires study, practice and mentorship. Very few successful authors ever published their first draft of their first work. Nearly all had to expend considerable effort to improve their craft. Here are some ways to prepare for that moment of publication. These tips also help keep you on your toes after publication for better and better writing results as your career develops.

1) Read, read, read in your field. You can never read too much when you’re trying to excel as a writer. Reading in your field helps you develop a discerning eye. You need this discerning eye for when you step back and look at your own work.

2) Cultivate role models. Know who the top-selling authors are in your field. Find out more about them. How did they get to where they are? Do searches in the Internet (available in most libraries-ask your librarian how to use a search engine) for information about particular authors whose careers you admire. Let your role models inspire rather than daunt you. There is no competition, only inspiration, potential teachers and opportunities for cooperation. That author you envy this year may be writing a blurb for your first novel next year.

3) Research your markets. If you want to publish in periodicals, whether literary fiction, journalistic writing, or anything else, realize publication standards serve a purpose other than to frustrate new authors.

4) Take classes. Many cities offer writing classes through community colleges or local writing groups. Online writing classes are popping up everywhere. If possible, choose a writing teacher who has published in a field you’d like to enter. Even better, find someone you already consider a mentor. Not every published author has what it takes to offer beginning writers what they need, but many do.

5) Join or start a writer’s group in your area. We teach best what we most need to learn. There is no better way to improve your own writing than to help others with theirs.

6) Find a writing buddy with whom to check in on a regular basis. The two of you can be each others’ inspiration, accountability market, guidepost and reality check. Having structure and someone to check in with may help you look forward to your otherwise lonely writing sessions.

7) Play with changing voices. Copy other writers you admire. How does that feel? Pretend you suddenly got an injection of creativity serum or I.Q. booster, then write like mad for ten minutes. What happens to the quality of your words? Is this a possible new direction for you? As creative and intelligent beings, we have so much more within us than we could ever dream.

8) Accept the reality of rewriting. Unlike other professions who get to rest on their milestones, for writers, a completed manuscript often represents a beginning. The best writing comes after lots of rewriting, even for seasoned authors. You needn’t throw any of it away, but not every sentence belongs in every work. Save the scraps, but don’t get attached to where they go, or the integrity of your project will suffer.

9) Get clear on what you want out of getting published. Many writers move forward without knowing where they want to wind up. As a teacher once told me, “If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will take you there.” The answer to what you want out of getting published will help you determine the best route to take. And in publishing, those routes are many and varied. You can use our Twenty Questions as a self-help guide.

10) If what you want is to get published in the least amount of time, considering hiring a ghostwriter. An extremely common but rarely discussed practice, many successful authors talk to ghostwriters, who put their skills to work on an author’s behalf. Although some such ghostwriters get a cover credit, many do not, hence the “ghost” terminology. If you have more money than time or inclination to toil, ghostwriting may be the option for you. To learn more about ghostwriting, send an email to information@getpublished.com.

About The Author

You are welcome to reprint this article any time, anywhere with no further permission, and no payment, provided the following is included at the end or beginning:

Author Jill Nagle is founder and principal of GetPublished, http://www.GetPublished.com, which provides coaching, consulting, ghostwriting, classes and do-it-yourself products to emerging and published authors. Her most recent book is How to Find An Agent Who Can Sell Your Book for Top Dollar http://www.FindTheRightAgent.com.

Jill@getpublished.com

The Arrogant Writer: Five Ways to Nurture and Defend your Muse

2008-09-04T07:33:00.000-07:00

The Arrogant Writer: Five Ways to Nurture and Defend your Muse
by: Jill Nagle

Arrogance has a bad rap. We think of arrogant people as unpleasant to be around, full of themselves, and incapable of taking an interest in anyone else. However, when applied to one’s own writing, a certain measure of well-placed arrogance can be a useful tool.

Writing can be a scary enterprise. The writer puts herself out for public scrutiny in a way most other artists and professionals do not. When the writer publishes, she commits herself to the words she’s written for the rest of her life. Even if she changes her mind about what she’s said, others may still react to the piece decades after it first appears in print. This can make even the act of putting pen to paper (or more likely, fingers to keyboard) an anxiety-producing ordeal.

Then there is the schooling most of us received, which treated writing as a chore rewarded when well done or punished when poorly done, as opposed to a pleasurable activity for ourselves and our readers. Very few of us had any audience for any the writing we did in classrooms, other than the teachers who instructed, criticized and graded us. It’s no wonder most writers suffer from self-doubt rather than overconfidence. We tend to underestimate ourselves and our words, even when they come from the most powerful places inside us, even when we get accolades from the outside world, and even long after we finally get published.

Practicing selective arrogance can help disarm these nasty doubts. And, not to worry: If you are not arrogant to begin with, practicing the type of arrogance I suggest will not transform you into an insufferable braggart. Rather, it will help uplift you from the gutters of self-doubt onto the clean, dry road to getting published. Even if you do not feel in the least arrogant about your writing, you can still follow my simple instructions to act as if you do, with the same results: to get published, or to get published again.

Selective arrogance does not mean thinking of yourself as any better than anyone else, or as having reached the pinnacle of your skills. Rather, it means treating every word you write as a precious baby worthy of the greatest care and nurturance. Here’s how to do that:

Never, ever throw anything away, period.

Carry with you at all times a means to record your creative thoughts.

Record your creative bursts, even if other voices inside you are dismissing them with negative judgments.

Trust your impulses and passions: if you feel drawn to write about something, write about it!

Eschew impatience-give your babies the time they need to gestate.

If you’ve read between the lines, you see that these instructions have you do nothing more than treat yourself and your writing with respect. However, because many people have a hard time doing even that, I counsel my clients to behave arrogantly. It gets them giggling and releasing the feelings they have about their writing, and makes it easier to find that respect.

Although you may have read elsewhere to be prepared to throw away your first writing attempts, to release attachment to your early work and the like, nuggets of wisdom and creativity appear throughout a writer’s life from childhood through seniority. I advocate collecting and these and treating them with care, perhaps polishing them now and again. There is no magical moment when one suddenly becomes “a good writer.” Thus, your most novice scribblings become diamond mines.

The one time I disobeyed my own advice and discarded what was I believed was possibly the most poorly written sentence in history (or at least my own history), I rejoiced. Five minutes later, I needed the gem in a new sentence, and struggled to reconstruct the one I’d discarded. May you never make that mistake-do as I say, not as I’ve done.

These gems also shine through at unexpected times. This is why I advise my clients to carry at least some scrap paper and a pencil nub if not an electronic recording device. The times at night and in the mornings between wake and sleep often yield good raw material, so keep your recording device of choice bedside.

The idea behind saving every little scrap, writing everything down and cultivating the arrogance to believe these activities matter is that finished pieces often assert themselves over time, forming a coherent whole from little scraps, like a Rorschach, or getting that crucial letter right in the Wheel of Fortune. The key is to keep feeding the collage and trusting that something or things will emerge over time.

Not every sentence will necessarily lead to an essay, book or screenplay of its own. But some might add that missing piece to make a good piece great. Even tidbits that go nowhere for now still give your brain a chance to exercise itself and keep your creative pathways well-hacked.

When it comes to choosing which pathway you’ll write your way down, trust your wild and wooly impulses. If you’re drawn to something, chances are you will make the subject come alive. You’ll seduce your readers by the very fact of your relationship to the material.

Finally, give your pieces the time they need to develop. Being an arrogant writer means honoring the gestation period your writings must pass through to be born into the world healthy and ready to engage readers. Honoring this gestation period may mean asking for help. Just as the dedicated gardener finds the right soil, fertilizer, seeds, watering schedule and equipment, so the arrogant writer finds her coach, buddy, copyeditor, ghostwriter, or colleague’s expert eye. I have seen writers move from stagnation to publication with the right combination of assistance. I love being part of that process.

About The Author

You are welcome to reprint this article any time, anywhere with no further permission, and no payment, provided the following is included at the end or beginning:

Author Jill Nagle is founder and principal of GetPublished, http://www.GetPublished.com, which provides coaching, consulting, ghostwriting, classes and do-it-yourself products to emerging and published authors. Her most recent book is How to Find An Agent Who Can Sell Your Book for Top Dollar http://www.FindTheRightAgent.com.

Jill@getpublished.com

Taming The Book Proposal

2008-09-03T07:27:00.000-07:00

Taming The Book Proposal
by: Jill Nagle

Oh, that most maddening of documents! For so many of us eager to move forward with our nonfiction projects, it looms large like a guard at the queen’s castle, blocking the path to publication. Its perfection eludes us yet it stands there teasing, “Complete me, or your manuscript will never see the light of day, mwahahahaha!”

In truth, that’s a lie. Every author has the option of self-publishing. However, there are advantages to writing a book proposal instead of a whole book.

One advantage is that it usually takes less time than writing a whole book. Two, it creates the possibility of getting paid to write your book, perhaps just a few thousand dollars, perhaps tens or even hundreds of thousands. Three, it forces you to get clear about what you’re doing with your book, on a number of levels.

Even if you want to self-publish, a book proposal serves as a sort of business plan for your book. The time and energy spent on research, evaluation and comparison of your ideas at the outset pays off down the line many times over. After all, wouldn’t you rather find out now that someone else has said similar things more eloquently and have a chance to amend your manuscript, than publish the darn thing only to read terrible—or worse—no reviews?

The process of polishing your book proposal is also an exercise in discipline and focus. It brings the purpose of your book, its scope, depth and message into sharp relief. It will get your thinking muscles into the best shape ever to produce the most marketable book of which you are capable. However, you must dedicate the necessary time and energy to educate yourself, move through multiple drafts and polish this behemoth of a document to perfection, or else hire someone who knows how to do just that.

Here are some answers to questions you may be asking right now:

What is a book proposal?

A book proposal is a document intended to sell a publishing staff on publishing a particular nonfiction book. It is the way most nonfiction books get published by major publishers. It reads very much like a business plan about the book proposed. It can be anywhere from 10-100 double-spaced, 12-point 8 1/2 X 11 pages—most are 20-60 pages, including sample chapters. It generally uses a very specific format and specialized language to make its case.

What does the book proposal do?

It answers a series of typical questions that different departments of book publishing companies need answered when deciding which tiny handful of proposals, out of hundreds, to take a chance on. It acts on your and your book’s behalf to answer questions like, Why this book over all the others in its class? Why now? Why this author?

Who sees my book proposal first, an agent or a publisher?

It depends on whether you choose to have an agent represent you, or go directly to publishers. Many publishers will not accept unagented material, so make sure you check a given publisher’s guidelines first.

What does the book proposal contain?

Generally, a book proposal contains a cover sheet, table of contents, along with the following sections: overview, author bio, author’s marketing plan, market analysis of buyers, comparative and/or competing books, outline, sample chapters.

The overview contains a hook, or means of enticement, draws the editor in, and gives a general summary of the book’s purpose. It’s sort of like an article about the book. It should make you want to read the whole thing!

The author bio puts any and all of your experience related to writing the book, in its best light. It’s different from a resume or CV. It looks a lot like the “about the author” blurbs you see in the back of published books, below the author’s photo.

The author’s marketing plan, or “what the author will do to promote the book,” shows the publisher that you know what it takes to sell your book, and details how you plan to do it. These days, ironically, publishers don’t put much money into publicity, unless you’re already famous. An author with a well-thought-out marketing plan will stand out from most of the others who pay far less attention to this section, thinking instead that the publisher will take care of it.

The complementary and competing books section identifies and describes books that both directly compete with and also that complement the proposed book. The purpose of this section is to show the editors what has been done before, and how your book fits in. The reason for this section is twofold: One, many editors are too busy to keep up-to-the-minute records of what’s being done in every field, and so rely on the author to educate them about what else is out there. Two, just as many editors know exactly what’s out there, and want to know how your work purports to compare.

There’s a paradox here: On the one hand, you want to point to X, Y and Z books as evidence that this topic you’re writing on is really hot. On the other hand, you want to make a strong case that yet another book—namely yours—is still necessary, and why. So you have to point out strongly yet tactfully—you never know what relationship the person reading your proposal bears to your competition— what yours will do that others haven’t.

The market analysis makes the case for the size of the book's audience. It usually covers a broad view of current interests and buying patterns in the larger culture that bode favorably for the book. It may include recent movies, documentaries on television, facts about memberships in organizations or clubs, social or ethnic groups whose constituents would be likely buyers of the book. For example, a book with an exercise theme might cite the circulation of major fitness magazines, membership in health clubs or recent TV shows on related topics. This approach can be adapted to whatever the subject: parenting, cancer, gardening, dogs, mental illness, business, or entrepreneurship.

The chapter outline tells chapter by chapter what your book contains, and the sample chapters, usually about 30 pages worth, represent the best samples of your writing.

Why are so many book proposals rejected?

Most book proposals are rejected because the ideas presented in them fail to convince the publisher that the author has a worthwhile (read: marketable) project. Making a project appealing to a publisher is a specialized skill, very different from creating the project itself.

In my experience, authors, whether of fiction or nonfiction are by nature creative people. If you’re reading this, chances are at some point in your life, you became enamored of an idea or ideas, and felt the urge to move your thoughts into the world in book form. Your mind is alive. You have something to say.

A successful book proposal, on the other hand, is a specialized marketing document that follows a particular form, and answers very specific questions in a way that gets a “Yes!” from publishers. Unless your field is marketing, and in particular, the marketing of books to publishers, chances are you don’t have expertise in creating a book proposal. And why should you? It’s nowhere near as much fun for most authors as working and playing with their own ideas.

The majority of my clients who give me book proposals to review, even those who have read books I’ve recommended and claim to have followed them, give me proposals almost certainly slated for rejection. An excellent book proposal is a tough document for most authors to produce on their own. However, help abounds!

If you are determined to write your book proposal on your own, can really, truly follow directions, and have the patience it takes to polish your work with dozens or hundreds of revisions, I recommend Michael Larsen’s book, How to Write a Book Proposal, and Jeff Herman’s Write the Perfect Book Proposal. Read them, study them, write your proposal, rewrite it several dozen times (no, I’m not joking) and have it professionally reviewed by someone who really knows what they are doing. Polish it to perfection—in this business, in which 99% of all proposals will get rejected, good enough simply isn’t.

Then, if you want an agent, make sure you find one with a successful track record of selling work like yours, otherwise your polished proposal may gleam, twinkle and shimmer for unappreciative and unqualified eyes. Unless the agent has specified otherwise, query them first via a one- to one-and-a-half page letter. For the query, read and study John Wood’s How to Write Attention-Grabbing Query and Cover Letters. Then have at it. Spend at least three weeks on this query letter, and get feedback from at least three people, at least one of whom truly knows the field.

Want to get started (or move further along) on your book proposal RIGHT NOW? Check out our classes at http://www.getpublished.com.

All the best to you in your journey, and keep me posted!

About The Author

You are welcome to reprint this article any time, anywhere with no further permission, and no payment, provided the following is included at the end or beginning:

Author Jill Nagle is founder and principal of GetPublished, http://www.GetPublished.com, which provides coaching, consulting, ghostwriting, classes and do-it-yourself products to emerging and published authors. Her most recent book is How to Find An Agent Who Can Sell Your Book for Top Dollar http://www.FindTheRightAgent.com.

Jill@getpublished.com

Writing From The Edge: Trembling Your Way to Publication

2008-09-02T07:26:00.000-07:00

Writing From The Edge: Trembling Your Way to Publication
by: Jill Nagle

A few nights ago in the final class of the third incarnation of the Book Proposal Boot Camp, we reviewed parts of one author’s proposal and all concurred: Though her author bio and marketing analysis sections sparkled, her overview rambled and failed to clearly convey the power of her book’s message. This was not due to her content! Dr. Loraine Hutchins’ book is about sacred sexual healers, quite a juicy topic. I was a bit surprised to read the rather flaccid Overview. This was Dr. Hutchins’ second Boot Camp (all Boot Camp attendees get free repetition of the Camp for the life of the project they began with), and I had seen much tighter prose from her in prior classes.

Finally, Loraine (as she is known to us) admitted she was scared to put herself—that is, her unique ideas—out into the world. I validated her fear—revealing oneself on paper can bring up one’s worst demons. I said something like, “Overwriting can serve as a way of padding yourself against the vulnerability of exposure.” We wondered if that’s what academics did all the time. Since this particular writer was adapting an academic work for a larger audience, she was struggling to filter out the jargon and polish her message to clarity.

Loraine’s book, Harlots and Healers, reveals the history, contribution and culture of modern day sacred sexual healers. Because her book deals with a controversial topic, people who perform sexual services for others as a profession or vocation, her fear has some basis in realistic perceptions of how others might react to her material.

Loraine is no stranger to controversial, or for that matter, groundbreaking work. Her first book, an anthology co-edited with Lani Ka’ahumanu (who will be coming out with new works of her own in the near future) was called Bi Any Other Name: Bisexual People Speak Out. An anthology of writing by bisexual authors, it still earns royalties ten years later, a rare achievement for any book. The Advocate magazine also lauded Bi Any Other Name as one of the top 100 most influential Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) books of the last century. Because it involves selecting, editing and organizing works by large numbers of other authors, getting an anthology published poses unique challenges. But a book, written oneself from beginning to end calls forth a whole other level of trepidation. Loraine voiced a determination to not let “my own or other people’s fear shut me down.”

At the time she began the Boot Camp, her dissertation had already sold 70 copies as a self-published document, and she had received excellent feedback from many readers. But now this cutting-edge author seeks a larger audience. She won’t tell the commercial publishers that Harlots and Healers is based on a dissertation, because too many of them might moan, groan and glaze over, as they are wont to do in response to work they know originated in academia. So we’re being extra careful to help Loraine craft her message for a popular audience.

So how did Loraine juice up her Overview? As many of you already know, the Overview is the section of the book proposal that summarizes the book’s contents. It often begins with a “hook,” or especially interesting lead-in. At the class’s urging, Loraine rewrote her Overview to begin with different scenarios of sexual healers in action—something an editor might find much more difficult to put down than the dry historical facts with which she had previously begun. We all cheered to read about the…well, I’m blushing, so you’ll just have to wait for Harlots and Healers to hit the bookstores. Stay tuned!

If writing from the edge of social and sexual norms fed Loraine’s fear, writing from the edge of personal trauma fed Delicia Hegwood’s, another student in the class. Penning a memoir entitled “This Torture is A Luxury” about how her adventures in the Peace Corps brought her face-to-face with some of her own inner demons, Delicia had been playing it safe by skirting around some of the most horrific and personally revealing elements of her story.

In the gentle-yet-honest way we aim for in the Boot Camps, the class let Delicia know that she was jumping over the best parts. We wanted to hear more of the nitty gritty: her search for identity, the struggle for approval of the women she admired, the physical dangers and how they paralleled her childhood terror.

At one point, Delicia casually recounted a journey to Africa prior to the Peace Corps stint. In that first journey, she described how she survived an assault and attempted rape. We all wanted to know immediately whether and how that experience impacted the story she presented in her memoir. She asked us tentatively, “Do you think I should include that part?” We all practically screamed, “Yes!”

The class went on to tease out the “hero’s journey” elements of Delicia’s storyline, and help her structure the piece for maximum impact and reader engagement. We helped her tie in early scenarios of being left home alone terrified, to the dangers she encountered in remote parts of Africa under the auspices of the Peace Corps, whose leaders failed to help her cope. Her story now uses the passages of childhood recollections to help flesh out the nuances of the narrator’s motives, actions and emotions in the Peace Corps setting. Said Delicia,

“I felt as if I was flailing in all directions before Jill’s class. I still have a mountain of work to do, but now I'm doing it with focus and honesty, and I am certain that I have a much better chance of getting it published.”

I admire both Loraine and Delicia for their courage in standing on difficult social and emotional edges, each author writing a book only she can write. In my experience, the most interesting writing pushes some kind of edge, be it personal, social, or simply the edge of what we think we or the world knows. The best writing takes us out of the ordinary and expands our view of the possible. Yet standing on that edge alone can be scary.

One of the things that has surprised and moved me about all three of the Book Proposal Camps so far is how the writers have come forward to support one other as they stand on their respective edges. In each case, the students got deeply involved with each other’s work, supported the variety of personal struggles that usually accompany writing on the edge, and offered wisdom and feedback to keep one another on track. This gave each student a way to help cope with and harness the fear usually inherent in the process of getting published. Said Loraine,

“Where there’s fear there is power. As Dorothy Allison, Audre Lorde, Marianne Williamson and many other courageous women have taught me, writing through the fear, not giving it power, keeping one’s eye on the vision is what makes me a writer and a survivor.”

Even when we do have our eye on a vision, executing it alone can prove difficult. Working in a vacuum, without any feedback can leave an author poorly prepared for publication. Delicia said,

“Before Jill’s course, I had unsuccessfully written a proposal for my book. The feedback I received from both the agent who agreed to read it and my friends was that the elements of my story were fascinating...but not the way I had presented it. Working with Jill and the other students, I realized that I was avoiding telling the ugly parts of my story, and in essence had avoided telling my story truthfully. My book was a series of anecdotes without a theme, and now I have much more focus on what I intend to 'say' in my book and how to do it.”

The truth isn’t always pretty, and it certainly isn’t always comfortable to put forth. And yet, the journey of getting published often involves doing just that, despite one’s fears. If Loraine and Delicia could work with their fear, what about you? What do you think you need to move forward to publish the book inside you?

About The Author

You are welcome to reprint this article any time, anywhere with no further permission, and no payment, provided the following is included at the end or beginning:

Author Jill Nagle is founder and principal of GetPublished, http://www.GetPublished.com, which provides coaching, consulting, ghostwriting, classes and do-it-yourself products to emerging and published authors. Her most recent book is How to Find An Agent Who Can Sell Your Book for Top Dollar http://www.FindTheRightAgent.com.

Jill@getpublished.com

Do You Really Want to Get Published? Write for Trade Magazines!

2008-09-01T07:10:00.000-07:00

Do You Really Want to Get Published? Write for Trade Magazines!
by: Mary Anne Hahn

Have you been repeatedly snubbed by consumer magazines? Do you have little to show for your research and querying efforts other than a folder of form rejection letters? If your writing dream includes earning a halfway decent to excellent income writing magazine articles, there are editors at thousands and thousands of publications worldwide who would open their doors (and their wallets) to work with you. You've probably never heard of most of them, but they have loyal readerships. They're called "trade magazines."

Trade magazines are periodicals that are published for and read by members of specific trade groups, occupations, and/or persons involved in particular types of business. From nurses to building contractors, electrical engineers to restaurant owners, there's a magazine (and sometimes several) that is produced with their interests, needs and issues in mind. Most are available by subscription only, or as a premium for membership in an organization or association. They range from award-winning glossies to modest, staple-bound publications.

And many of them would love to hear from, and work with, reliable writers. Moreover, most of them pay--some of them, very well.

But how do you get started writing for trade magazines? What qualifications do you need to write for them, what types of articles do they need, and where do you find them? Let's look at each of these questions separately.

1. Getting Started

My personal experience in writing for trade magazines came after examining my own career background. What did I know about, what jobs had I held, with what industries was I familiar? I listed everything, from my high school and college job as a supermarket cashier to my experiences as a trainer and supervisor. I then decided to focus initially on the occupation that most interested me, supervision, and began to brainstorm article ideas and search for potential markets revolved around that.

This isn't the only way to break into writing for trades, however. Are there occupations or businesses you would love to learn and write about, but have no work experience in? Do you know people who do them, or could you go through a local Chamber of Commerce or trade association chapter to meet such people? You can also conduct a search for professionals in nearly every field online, via such sites as http://www2.profnet.com or http://www.experts.com (typing "find an expert" into the Google search box will provide you with a plethora of similar sites).

Once you find your "experts," ask questions and listen. What are their work days like? What tools and skills do they use to do their job? What challenges do they face? What would make their jobs easier, faster, of higher quality, and/or more cost effective? What kinds of information, products or services would make them more successful? The answers to these questions will lead you to all sorts of possible article ideas.

2. What qualifications do you need to write for trade magazines?

While it may help immensely to have an education or background in a particular trade or industry to break into writing for its trade magazines, it's not essential. As with querying consumer magazines, showing that you have done, or can do, research on the topic, and mentioning the sources you'll tap when writing the actual article, will go a long way in piquing an editor's interest.

3. What types of articles do trade magazines carry?

Except for the fact that trade publications have a narrower focus than their consumer cousins, the types of articles they carry fall into familiar categories:

* news items specific to the magazine's occupation or industry focus

* products and trends

* how-to articles

* personal/professional experience articles (e.g., case histories, company and professional profiles, etc.)

As stated above, use your own experience as a springboard or your interviews with people in the field to generate article ideas appropriate to the magazine's readership that you are targeting.

4. Where can you find or learn about available trade magazines?

You can obtain fre^e one-year subscriptions to hundreds of different trade magazines at TradePub (http://i.nl03.net/ltr0/? _m=01.009i.2f.mfm.2f ). From "Today's Chemist at Work" to "Poultry International," from "Beverage World" to "Diesel Progress," you'll find a bountiful garden of potential markets that can keep you in writing business for years to come.

You'll also find Kendall Hanson's book, "Writing for Trade Magazines" (http://tinyurl.com/yqher) enormously helpful. In it, he includes information on many of the major publishers in the trade magazine industry, as well as many additional tips on breaking in.

Finally, just keep your eyes and ears open--trade magazines lie in waiting rooms everywhere, from doctor's offices to automobile repair shops. And don't hesitate to ask your friendly neighborhood plumber, hair stylist, CEO, salesperson or pet shop owner if they receive any magazines specific to their industries, and whether or not they have back copies they could lend to you.

While writing for "Aqua" (the pool and spa trade magazine), "Equipment Today" or "Sign Builder Illustrated" may not sound as glamorous as getting published in, say, "Glamour," you'll find these markets immensely more accommodating, their editors more accessible, and the bylines and paychecks satisfying. Plus, you can always use your clips to make the leap into better known magazines, or re-slant your trade articles for consumer publications.

No matter how you look at it, writing for trade magazines is an excellent way to get published, and get paid for your writing.

About The Author

Mary Anne Hahn publishes WriteSuccess, the free biweekly ezine that helps writers pursue *successful* writing careers. Subscribe today by visiting http://writesuccess.com.

hahnmah@aol.com

Take My Publisher, Please!

2008-08-31T11:07:00.000-07:00

Take My Publisher, Please!
by: Ed Williams

An actual phone conversation I had earlier today....

“Hello, is this Ed?”

“Uh, yes it is.”

“Ed Williams, the writer guy?”

“Uh, yeah, Ed Williams the writer guy.”

“How are you? My name is Sam Filbert, and I’m a big fan.”

“Hey Sam, it’s nice to meet you, what can I do for you?”

“It’s really you, isn’t it?”

“Yeah Sam, last time me and my mirror met, it was me.”

“What? Oh, okay! I see what you’re meaning. That could even be funny, you know. Did you mean for it to be?”

“Just horsin‘ around. What can I do for you?”

“I was given your name and number by your dad, Fred Williams, Jr. He seems like a really nice guy. We talked for a long time, and then he gave me your phone number so that I could call you. What a great guy!”

“Great isn‘t even close to how I‘d describe him right now, Sam. Old Fred is quite a guy, and then some. Now look, I have some work I have to get done, and I know you didn’t call just to tell me just how much you like sweet old Fred. What can I do for you?”

“Ed, I wanted to know if you’d like to help America’s next humor writing superstar!”

“Well, tell me the name of the person and what they’ve done, and then we can talk more.”

“Ed, with all due respect, I’m talkin’ about myself!”

“Sam, you write?”

“I sure do, Ed. Let me tell you a little about what I’ve written. For the last six months I’ve written something every day, in fact, I write at least two pages each day no matter what!”

“Sam, that’s very impressive. What kind of stuff do you write?”

“Well, I love to write stories about growing up in a small Southern town. I grew up in Shady Dale, Georgia, so my manuscript is a bunch of funny stories about all the crazy things we did when I was growing up there.”

“That’s great, Sam, I give you a lot of credit for being persistent enough to complete an entire manuscript. That’s quite an accomplishment. What’s next for you?”

“That’s where you come in, Ed.”

“That’s where I come in? What’re you talking about?”

“Ed, look. I know getting a book published is hard. Real hard. And I’m sitting here with all these great stories about growing up in Shady Dale - I have no doubt that they’ll be popular and sell tons of books. That’s where you come in, and that’s where you can help me. You can get me in front of a publisher in no time, and then I’ll convince them that they need to publish my book!”

“I can do that? How?”

“Just introduce me to the people over at River City Publishing, your publisher. I’ll take it from there. Once they see my stories, I guarantee you they’ll want to do a book.”

“Ummmmm, Sam, I don’t quite know quite how to say this, but my own stuff happens to be “growing up in the country” stories set in Juliette. If I bring River City your stories, which also seem to be “growing up in the country” stories set in Shady Dale, then I’m competing with myself. And that’s a not a very smart thing for me to do.”

“Ed, you’re being a little selfish here, aren’t you? I know my stories are better, but I’ll bet you could still find someone to continue publishing yours. River City is just one publisher, I’ll sure you could find another one.”

“Exactly, Sam, which is why you should take the initiative and go out and find your own publisher. I wish you the best in your search.”

“You’re not gonna help me? Don’t you think you’re being a little selfish here, Ed?”

“No, Sam, I don‘t. I wish you the best of luck.”

“Man, this isn’t how your dad Fred said it would go. I trusted him, especially after reading so much about him. Mr. Fred said you like helping new writers, and here I am asking you for help, and you don’t wanna help me.”

“Sam, tell you what, I’ll make a deal with you. I’ll help you out with River City if you’ll go out first and find me another publisher. Then we’d be even, you’ll have a publisher and I’ll have a publisher. Whatcha think?”

“I gotta run, Ed. The wife is hollering for me. Tell Fred hello!”

*click*........................

About The Author

Ed’s latest book, “Rough As A Cob,“ can be ordered by calling River City Publishing toll-free at: 877-408-7078. He’s also a popular after dinner speaker, and his column runs in a number of Southeastern publications. You can contact him via email at: ed3@ed-williams.com, or through his web site address at: www.ed-williams.com.

12 Ways to Research a Historical Novel

2008-08-31T07:06:00.000-07:00

12 Ways to Research a Historical Novel
by: Ann Roscopf Allen

Whether you are fictionalizing historical events or making up your own story, attention to detail can determine whether your novel is credible to history buffs or if they’ll give it a pass.

1. Read about the general history of the locale where your story is set, so you have some context for your story.

2. If at all possible, visit the locale. Carefully observe details: types of foliage, local seasonal changes, weather conditions, architecture, perspectives. You may see interesting and important details that you wouldn’t know to make up. Also, make note of what’s not there; sometimes this is as important as what is there.

3. Visit local museums. They can be a wealth of information about the daily life of an era.

4. Explore old cemeteries, especially those where the models for your characters are buried. Take note of common names used in that area and era.

5. Research old newspapers. If you don’t live in the area, you can usually hire a researcher through the local public library or use inter-library loan. In addition to basic information about your story, you can get a sense of the language used at the time, other contemporaneous events, even products that were available.

6. Seek out and talk to knowledgeable people. The local librarian can help you find historical societies or amateur historians. Networking can be an essential part of your research strategy since not everything is written down somewhere, especially legends, myths, anecdotes, even the location of other written sources, such as letters and diaries.

7. Consider searching for any legal documents related to your story. Old deeds, contracts, and wills are likely to be filled with more unusual information than current boilerplate legal forms. Legal research can be tricky, but historically minded lawyers may be willing to help you out.

8. Take a look at the fiction written at the time your story is set. Often this proves to be a good source of details about the time period and even the locale.

9. Don’t ignore the footnotes. If you find a book related to your subject, don’t limit your reading to the body of the book. Endnotes, epilogues, indexes, and other appendices can contain a great deal of useful information.

10. Consider specialized data bases and sources. War records, genealogical information, and the census can reveal worthwhile information. This type of resource is often available through university libraries or research centers.

11. Buy some good reference books: a dictionary of slang or phrase origins to make sure you don’t use anachronistic language; a writer’s encyclopedia or other general reference of historical lists, dates of inventions, timelines; an unabridged dictionary; a thesaurus. Building your own reference library is a smart idea for any writer.

12. Use the Internet to its full advantage. Although reference books are often a quicker way to find information, the Internet can be more thorough, if you have the time to search. If you need to know something truly esoteric, place a post on the message board of a relevant website. But if you limit your research to the Internet alone, you are truly limiting yourself. Old newspaper archives, photographs, details of a particular locale may not be readily available online.

Because you’ll use probably only a fraction of the information you uncover in your research, you have to decide which details are worth the time to research and which are not. Regardless, the more you know, the more comfortable you’ll feel writing about a different time. Your novel will be more engaging and credible with artfully placed and historically accurate information.

About The Author

Ann Roscopf Allen is a college writing instructor and the author of the historical novel A Serpent Cherished, based on the true story of an 1891 Memphis murder. Visit her website at http://www.aserpentcherished.com/pages/1/index.htm.

info@aserpentcherished.com

Wake Up Your Writing Spirit

2008-08-30T11:05:00.000-07:00

Wake Up Your Writing Spirit
by: Shelley Wake

The Blogfest 2005 Writing Contest has only been running for two weeks and already the results are overwhelming. And not because we’re getting far more entries than we expected. It’s because along with entries, we’re also getting heartfelt messages from writers all over the world. I’ve run a few contests before and received quite a few entries, but I’ve never been personally emailed and thanked by so many writers.

What’s the difference with this contest? I think the main reason is that the idea actually came from writers. Even though the writers at our company work in publishing, they find it a little sad that there’s so much focus on writing what can sell instead of writing what truly matters to you. They wanted a contest that would allow people to write whatever they wanted to write.

From that idea came Blogfest, a contest designed to encourage all writers to get the project of their dreams done. Unlike most contests, we decided not to offer publication and not to pay the prize for a completed work. Instead, we decided to offer the prizes based on how much the writing project means to the writer. This is one contest that isn’t about whether or not your work can sell or about what your writing will mean to someone else. It’s about what it means to you.

To enter, we asked writers to tell us about the one thing they’ve always wanted to write and to tell us what it would mean to them to write it. Now, after only two weeks, we have an inbox full of emails from people. Entries so far have included grandparents wanting to write their life story for their grandchildren, aspiring novelists, professional writers looking for the chance to write something for themselves and not for money, and a young woman wanting to capture and preserve her mother’s family recipes.

These people have entered and then sent us an extra email just to thank us for the opportunity. They’ve told us how just writing about the project has made them so excited and full of joy. They have enthusiasm and feel delight just for thinking about finally writing. And we’ve started reading the entries and the joy is there too. As a publisher, I’m used to reading submissions and contest entries. It’s often a joy but there’s rarely as much life as there is in these submissions. Reading them, I can feel that people have that spark of excitement that is only motivated by something much greater than money or even publication. It’s the joy of doing what your heart’s always wanted to do.

There is more to writing than publication and money and this competition is bringing out the real spirit of writing.

My message to all writers is to think about what matters to them. Think about that one thing you’ve always dreamed of writing. I challenge you to write down what completing that project would mean to you. If you feel that spark, I challenge you to commit to your project and get it written. Not because you can make money from it, but because it means something to you.

This contest has made me see more clearly than ever that there is far more to writing than making money. There will only be a few winners to Blogfest, and choosing them is going to be the toughest job we do all year. But I hope this idea can reach further than that. I hope all writers will listen to their hearts and complete their projects. I hope that just thinking about actually doing it will wake up that writing spirit that is in so many people.

About The Author

Shelley Wake is one of the organizers of Blogfest 2005 and the manager and editor of Writing Stuff. http://www.writingstuff.com.

Break in with Fillers: The Best Market for New Writers

2008-08-30T07:04:00.000-07:00

Break in with Fillers: The Best Market for New Writers
by: Shelley Wake

Interested in breaking into writing or breaking into a new area? You can't go past writing fillers. Fillers are one of the most overlooked opportunities in the freelance writing world and offer one of the best opportunities for new writers.

Fillers Are In Demand

I've spoken to hundreds of editors and been told over and over again that fillers are the one thing they never get enough of. Most publications tend to publish more freelance fillers than they do freelance articles. Yet, they often receive 100 times more articles than fillers. This is a gap in the freelance market that you can take advantage of.

Fillers are a Great Place to Get Started

Many publications are careful about publishing feature articles from writers they don't know. Even if your article is good, an editor might decide not to publish you because they don't know you as a writer. This is especially true if you don't have a lot of experience or any clips. But even without experience or clips, most editors will consider a filler. In fact, many editors treat writing fillers as the testing ground to see if a writer can be relied on to write feature articles.

Here's what one editor had to say about fillers:

"One of the best ways to break in is to write fillers. It gives me a chance to start to build a relationship with a writer and see that I can trust them. Of all the freelancers I work with, over half started out writing fillers." - Margaret, Magazine Editor

So not only can writing fillers get you some clips, it also has the potential to turn into a long-term writing opportunity. Consider fillers a stepping stone to much bigger things.

The Smart Way to Write on Spec

Fillers are almost always submitted on spec. This means that you avoid the problem of having to query the publication and sell yourself as a writer, because your filler is doing the work for you and showing the editor your writing skill.

The big argument against writing on spec is that you spend your time writing pieces that might never sell. Fillers reduce this problem because they are short and take less time to write. So even if your filler doesn't sell, you haven't wasted as much time as you would have on a longer feature article. Fillers are also more flexible, with few publications having set guidelines for fillers. This means that a filler will often be suitable for more than market. So if it gets rejected once, it's not a waste of time. You can just send it to a new market, often without having to make any changes.

Fillers Rely on Information, Not Writer Qualifications

Fillers usually rely on information, not on the writer's qualifications. This means that you don't have to sell yourself when you submit fillers. Instead, the information you put in the filler sells it for you. This makes fillers a perfect option for writers lacking the experience or clips to sell themselves to an editor.

You Can Write a Lot of Them

Since fillers are short, you can write a lot of them and submit a lot of them. You could literally have hundreds of pieces out in the market for consideration in a short time. And if you write them well, you could have a lot of them published in a very short time. That means you can build a list of clips fast.

And one other benefit is that magazines don't have as limited a space for fillers as they do for feature articles. So if your filler gets accepted, it's likely to get published fast. The same isn't true for feature articles, where an accepted article will often be scheduled for an issue a year or two away. That's one more good reason why fillers are a great way to build clips fast.

Once you've got the clips, then you have a few more options. Until then, fillers are a great place to start.

And one final tip. Once you have the clips and start moving into feature articles, don't forget about fillers. As you're researching a feature, take note of interesting facts, trivia, or anecdotes you come across. These can make fillers and be an added bonus, bringing in some extra cash and some extra clips.

About The Author

Shelley Wake is the editor of "Getting Published Without Clips." Packed with inside information, proven methods, hidden markets, and more, it's successfully launched hundreds of freelance careers in record time.

http://www.writingstuff.com/fr02m.htm

Basic Writing Tips – Some Controversial, All Correct

2008-08-29T11:03:00.000-07:00

Basic Writing Tips – Some Controversial, All Correct
by: David Clapham

As a previous article (“Making Better Word Choices – 4 Examples”) explained, writers can take steps to prevent simple, and common, errors from degrading their writing. Five areas of writing that cause authors problems are discussed in this article.

Split Infinitives

First let us exam the famously frowned upon split infinitive. Maybe some readers do not know, or do not remember, what a split infinitive is exactly. To understand split infinitives, readers must first remember what constitutes an infinitive. An infinitive is a phrase that includes a verb preceded by the word “to,” such as, “to play” or “to investigate.” Now that we know what an infinitive is, maybe we now remember our English teachers lecturing us against “splitting” them. Simply put, a split infinitive is when a writer puts a word between the word “to” and the associated verb. Therefore, a split infinitive would look something like the following examples:

He was going to quickly investigate the theft.

Tommy likes to neatly color in his book.

These two examples would be re-written as shown below.

He was going to investigate the theft quickly.

OR

He was quickly going to investigate the theft.

Tommy likes to color neatly in his book.

OR

Tommy likes to color in his book neatly.

Splitting infinitives is not criticized to the degree it has been in the past. As many reputable sources explain, occasionally splitting an infinitive is acceptable. Even some progressive English teachers will agree with this idea. Compact Oxford Online Dictionary explains that the rule for not splitting infinitives was based on an analogy to Latin, a language that writes infinitives as one word, such as bibere ‘to drink.’ The decision to argue with an English teacher about the acceptance of splitting infinitives is your decision to make. As Oxford states, “…in standard English the use of split infinitives is broadly accepted as both normal and useful.1” If you do decide to argue with an English teacher, feel free to point out that people such as John Donne, William Wordsworth, and Benjamin Franklin split infinitives at will. The larger problem occurs when a writer consistently splits their infinitives. If splitting the infinitive helps with emphasis or the statem!

ent flows better go ahead and split the infinitive.

Superlatives and Comparatives

Writers should also strive to use superlatives and comparatives correctly. Some cases of incorrect use may sound okay, but if the author remembers the rules that they learned for using superlatives and comparatives they will realize that they have made the error. For example when a sentence is written as below it sounds correct, but it is not.

One of the most common mistakes a cook makes is not using fresh ingredients.

In this example, the lack of fresh ingredients is either a common mistake or it is the most common mistake; there generally cannot be two, or more, most common mistakes. A case where there can be two “mosts” is in an exact tie. For example, if 20 mistakes are made and two of them occur six times each (making up 12 of the 20 mistakes) and the remaining eight mistakes are all different, then the two mistakes that occurred six times each could be labeled as the most common mistakes.

The sentence below shows another way that a comparative can be written incorrectly.

Of the three dogs, the bulldog was the smaller.

To use a comparative there needs to be something compared to something else. The bulldog either was the smallest of the three dogs or was smaller than another dog in the group. Both sentences below are written correctly.

The bulldog was smaller than the German shepherd and the St. Bernard.

The bulldog was the smallest of the three dogs.

A third sentence, shown below would also be correct.

The bulldog was smaller than the other two dogs.

This is written correctly because the bulldog is compared to a pair. It is clear from the sentence that the other two dogs, by being grouped together, are larger than the bulldog.

Comma Use

The use of commas can be confusing for many writers. Three rules for using commas are addressed here. The first rule involves comma use when a series is given, such as in the example below.

I bought carrots, peas, and watermelons.

Some readers may consider this rule controversial; some teachers and editors may say the final comma is not necessary, in my opinion the use of the final comma is more appropriate than not. If, for some reason, your teacher or editor tells you the final comma is unnecessary then ask them to explain why, I do not have an explanation as to why some have a preference for not using the final comma.

Do not use a comma when only two items are in the series, such as in the sentence below.

I saw birds and fish at the pet store.

The second rule for use of commas is to use a comma before the “and” when a wholly correct clause is introduced. The way to determine if the clause is wholly correct is to ask if it makes sense on its own, such as having its own subject(s) and verb(s). The example below shows two clauses separated by “and,” along with a correctly used comma.

We went to the store, and Joan bought some juice.

The third rule is an extension of the second rule; do not use a comma to separate a sentence from text that could not be a complete clause on its own. The example below shows an incorrect use of a comma in this situation.

We are going home, and sleep.

The ending of the example sentence (“…and sleep”) is not a complete sentence on its own, therefore, a comma should not be used before “and.”

Acronyms and Abbreviations

Completely spell out acronyms and abbreviations the first time they are used. Once a writer decides to use an acronym or abbreviation they should be used throughout the remainder of the text, switching back and forth between the full spelling and the acronym or abbreviation should be avoided.

Using “etc.,” “i.e.,” and “e.g.”

The final rules discussed in this article involve the use of several common abbreviations. The first abbreviation is “etc.” This comes from Latin and is an abbreviation for et cetera, which means “and others.” First, make sure that a period is included at the end; second, make sure that the “others” have been specified previously. A final note on this abbreviation, if it is used put the letters in the correct order; “ect.” is not correct.

The second abbreviation often misused is “i.e.” Also from Latin, this is a shortened form of id est which means “that is.” When used correctly this abbreviation indicates an alternative way of stating something. The most common error when using “i.e.” is not following it with a comma; there should be two periods and a comma in this abbreviation.

The final abbreviation discussed in this article is “e.g.” Again, this is an abbreviation for a Latin phrase, “exempla gratia.” This is used when the writer means “for example” or “for instance.” Some people believe that “e.g.” stands for example given, this is not true, but it can be a helpful way to remember that it does have something to do with an example. Similar to the use of “i.e.” many writers forget to put a comma after the second period in “e.g.” Below are three correct examples of these abbreviations.

Bob bought a whole bunch of office supplies, pens, pencils, staples, paper, highlighters, and erasers on his way home. He purchased so many things that when he got home he realized that he had forgotten a bag at the store. He had his pens and pencils, but the staples etc. were still at the store.

John is a big person, i.e., he is over six feet tall.

The black horse is fast, e.g., it has won all of its races.

By using the rules above your writing will make more sense and will be correct. Future articles will address other writing errors and provide additional advice.

1 Compact Oxford Online Dictionary. 25 January 2005. http://www.askoxford.com/concise_oed/splitinfinitive

About The Author

David Clapham is the owner of Blue Arch Consulting, a proofreading and editing business helping clients worldwide to generate English documents of all types. Their website is at http://www.blue-arch.net.

Are You Achieving Your Writing Goals?

2008-08-29T07:02:00.000-07:00

Are You Achieving Your Writing Goals?
by: Mridu Khullar

At the start of this new year, like at the start of every other new year, I came across dozens of articles about the importance of setting achievable goals, challenging myself to do new things and fixing measurable standards and working towards them.

But what happens when you mess up the goals from last year? Where’s the real advice about missed deadlines and lost goals that all but kill the inspiration to come up with new ones? I didn’t achieve three out of the ten goals I had set for myself last year, even though I was obsessive-compulsive about looking at them each day and measuring my performance regularly. I’m tempted to say that life got in the way or blame the shift in priorities that happened mid-year. But these are things that can and will happen each year. Instead of putting your life on hold the year when the strains and stresses get too much, plan your goals accordingly right at the beginning.

If you didn’t meet some of your goals last year, here are some questions that you need to answer honestly, so that you do this time around.

Are you actively pursuing your targets?

It doesn’t work just to look at your goals each morning and then do nothing about them. Sure, that’s a good start and it means you’re conscious of where you are in your career, but if you want to move further, you need to create an action plan. Instead of just making yearly goals, make monthly, weekly, even daily ones and then try and meet them.

Also important is to work towards what you want to achieve step by step. One of my goals last year was to get published in Reader’s Digest. Guess how many query letters I sent them?

Two.

You’re laughing, aren’t you? I’m cringing. That’s because I know that two queries just doesn’t hack it if you’re targeting such a high-level publication. Two queries wasn’t even enough to get into my local newspaper; how’s it going to land me a national assignment? If I had been serious about getting into RD, I would have read every issue, sent a query each month and built a personal relationship with the editor. Yet, I did none of those things. Not surprisingly, my goal remained unfinished at the end of the year.

Are you being honest with yourself?

In my first year of freelancing, I earned over a 100 published credits. That’s because my aim was to reach this number, without caring about the money that came in. That meant that I wrote for low-paying publications, publications that paid in kind instead of cash, and on topics that I had absolutely no interest in. The next year, I shifted my focus to cracking the nationals and making a decent income from my work. But here’s where I went wrong: I assumed that since I had already proven that I could write a 100 articles in a year, I’d be able to do a repeat performance. But national magazines require much more research, very specialized queries, and a great deal of more effort per article. So while my goals of getting into national magazines and increasing my income were met, my goal of getting another 100 credits wasn’t.

Are the goals really yours?

I think almost all of us get sucked into aping the tactics of someone we admire at one point or the other. The thought process then works something like this: If she could write two children’s books, pen twenty greeting cards, author three non-fiction titles and syndicate a humor column in her third year of freelancing, why can’t I? Never mind that I’m not really that into children’s writing and I haven’t said anything remotely funny since I was 10.

I’m ashamed to admit that I’ve been guilty of doing the above. It’s easy to look at goals of other writers and think, “She’s got so many goals for the year and I’ve got only five. Let me increase mine, too.” But “she” doesn’t have your life, and you don’t have hers. So set goals that are appropriate for your career and your ambitions, not hers.

What’s your life like?

If you’re a new mom, don’t expect to be able to work 80-hour weeks like you did before you gave birth. If you have a full-time job, don’t try to take on same-day deadline assignments. You need to set goals that are suitable to your life, your speed and your talent, no matter what anyone else may do or say.

It’s also important to incorporate life changes into your goal-setting. I lost two grandparents this year, which not only forced me to take a physical vacation from work, but an emotional one as well. I needed to give myself time to heal in order to get back to work refreshed and with new vigor. If you’re going through stressful times, don’t expect yourself to be as productive as say, when you’re having a great year. Cut down on your goal list a little and be easy on yourself. Making yourself work too hard when you’re not physically or emotionally ready to, will not help you meet your goals; instead it’ll detract you from them.

Are you confusing your long-term and short-term goals?

Writing a novel is my long-term goal. A “someday.” But I’m not there yet. And I know I’m not going to be able to work on my dream novel this year, next year or maybe even the one after that. If I do, I’ll be taking time away from the non-fiction work that pays the bills and for the next couple of years, I can’t afford to do that. Putting “write a novel” on my list of goals for the year isn’t going to make me feel too good about myself, especially as this goal gets carried forward year after year. Instead, I’m putting it on my “to do before I’m 30” list. That way, it’s not too near, and it’s not so far away that it becomes a distant dream instead of reality.

Once I’ve cracked a good number of national magazines, finished and published a couple of non-fiction books and can afford to take time away from non-fiction, I can consider taking a risk with fiction.

Are you keeping track?

The biggest problem I face right now is keeping track of where all the time went. While to an outsider it may seem like I’m working almost all the time, the truth is, I waste a lot of time on e-mail, reading newsletters, networking with fellow writers and well, checking e-mail.

To counter this problem, I started keeping a daily journal to keep track of where my writing time was really going. My productivity’s almost doubled since I started doing this. Keeping an hour-to-hour or even a daily tab of what I’d achieved for that day kept me accountable and ready to tackle the next important task on my list, rather than checking e-mail one more time. And if an entry for a particular day reads, “Revised article for Wedding Dresses, conducted research on a new idea,” I’d immediately know that I needed to increase my productivity, and by how much. Sure, checking e-mail is work too, but it’s not bringing in any money. So I make it secondary work and answer incoming mails only once a day, unless they need urgent attention.

Are your priorities straight?

Which brings me to my next point. Set your priorities right and work top to bottom. A technique that works for many people is to make a daily list of things that need to be done. Then, in the order of priority, tackle them one by one, striking them off the list. At the end of the day, even if you have some work unattended to, it can easily be transferred to the next day’s list, since it’ll be at the lowest priority.

Do you have a fixed schedule?

I still struggle with this one, but each time I’m able to set a schedule for myself, I find that I’m happier, more energetic and much more productive. Getting up at six in the morning one day, not sleeping for another two days and then getting a whole lot of slumber on and off for the next three days eats into your energy and taxes your brain much more than it should. It also becomes a cause for unnecessary delays and interruptions. Instead of surrendering to your muse whenever it shows up, program your body to work for a fixed time each day. Your brain will automatically recognize that as time to work and get on the job. Make your routine consistent. When our body gets used to doing something at a particular time, we’re able to do with ease. So if you’ve decided to write five pages each morning before the kids get up, make sure to do it.

Answer these questions honestly and get to work on these techniques. You’ll find all your goals ticked off your list by the end of this year.

About The Author

Mridu Khullar is a full-time freelance writer and the editor-in-chief of www.WritersCrossing.com. Sign-up for her *free* 12-day e-course "Write Query Letters That Sell" at http://www.writerscrossing.com/ecourses.html.

Six Tips for Submitting Fiction

2008-08-28T10:58:00.000-07:00

Six Tips for Submitting Fiction
by: Amber McNaught

You can learn a lot about what it takes to place a story in an ezine by starting up one of your own.

Last month we started work on a new ezine for writers, which we intended to use to publish high-quality, contemporary fiction, from writers all over the world. We placed a few adverts asking for submissions of just that. What we got was a revelation.

As a writer myself, I know how competitive the market is. Even non-paying markets are deluged by wannabe writers desperate for a by-line and some publicity. Competition, I had thought, would surely lead to a high quality of submissions, with every writer determined to submit only their very best work. Not so.

Of the handful of submissions we received the day after the adverts went out, only around four were fiction. One was a “how to write” style article. One was an essay on “the day my gran died”. Two were stories about vampires. One guy just sent us his CV – in Arabic.

Lesson one, then: read the guidelines carefully. If the market you’re aiming at publishes fiction, then no matter how brilliant your essay or article is, it’s not going to be accepted. Neither is your CV….

Lesson two, I hardly even need mention: If the publication is in English, don’t send your submission in Arabic, on the off-chance that the poor, beleaguered publisher will understand it. Simple.

Having deleted the non-fiction submissions, I moved onto the “good stuff”. Or so I thought. Of the four remaining pieces of writing, none had been proofread too carefully. One story made reference to a businessman “clenching the deal.” One made frequent use of the word “teh" and had apparently random. Punctuation. A bit like. This. The other two were … stories about vampires.

Lesson three: Proofread. Or, ideally, get someone else to do it for you. Any writer knows that once you’ve worked on a piece of writing, you become blind to its mistakes. You can “proof” it as many times as you like, but you’ll still just see what you think is there, rather than what actually is there. In any artistic endeavour, a fresh pair of eyes is essential in providing a little bit of clarity and perspective. For this reason, I present:

Lesson four: constructive criticism is your friend. There are a lot of aspiring writers our there. Get together with one, even if it’s only by email, and swap stories with them. Chances are they’ll be able to point out something about your story that you’ve missed. They may have some knowledge about your subject matter that you lack – for example, the fact that it’s called a “bass” guitar, not a “base guitar”, as one enlightening submission had it.

Finally, a quick note about bio’s. When you send your work to an ezine, of course you want a little something in return – other than cold hard cash. You’re looking for publicity, and your author bio is the ideal way to do it. Keep it simple, though. Of all of the submissions we’ve received so far, the one that sticks out the most is the one from the author with the most impressive credentials of the lot. So impressive, in fact, that her bio ran on for four A4 pages.

The problem was, her work stood out for the wrong reasons. She had certainly been published in a lot of magazines (I know, because she’d listed every single one of them) and won a huge amount of competitions (yep, she’d listed all of those too. Every one of them.) , but by the time I’d waded through all of the story titles, publication dates and other non-essential info, I was heartily tired of her. Her bio was four pages long: her story only two. When that happens, you know you’ve gone into overkill.

Essentially, too, after such a tremendous build-up, I was expecting something utterly spectacular which her writing failed to deliver. It seemed almost as if she was trying to use her bio to persuade me to publish her – the story was just an afterthought.

Lesson five: let your writing do the talking. When it comes to biographical info, less is more. I want to read your story, not a breath-by-breath account of the last twenty years of your life. Keep it simple, keep it short.

And lesson number six? Well, if you’re thinking of submitting your writing to a publisher, consider submitting it to us, first – the Hot Igloo proofreading service, at www.hotigloo.co.uk/proofreading.htm

About The Author

Amber McNaught is a proofreader, writer and editor, as well as co-owner of website development firm Hot Igloo Productions. Read more articles like this by subscribing to the Hot Igloo Newsletter at www.hotigloo.co.uk/newsletter.htm

amber@hotigloo.co.uk

Cookbook Publishing - The Basic Ingredients and the Secrets to Success

2008-08-28T06:57:00.000-07:00

Cookbook Publishing - The Basic Ingredients and the Secrets to Success
by: Denise Hamilton

You are about to embark on the most exciting enterprise of your life -- publishing a cook book! You will soon learn that writing a cook book is truly a fun, exciting and challenging project – more than you can imagine. Like me, you can publish your own wildly successful cook book. And if you ask me if I think publishing a cook book is worth the time and effort? You bet I do!

My cook book, Fit to Cook – Why ‘Waist’ Time in the Kitchen? sold over 250,000 copies (with, I might add, less than 10% of those sales coming from book stores). However, I wasted a great deal of time, back-tracking and scrambling in order to sell all those books because in the beginning I did not have a complete grasp of the publishing industry and the process of marketing a cook book.

Before you rack your brain figuring out how to write a cook book, and more importantly, how to publish a cook book, take some time to thoroughly research the why and what you are writing about, who you are writing for and when is the best time to launch your book.

Whether you want to get published or whether you want to self publish your cook book, the same basics apply – you need a good understanding of the publishing industry. Without the basics, will you know if your contracts are in order, that your book is the best it can be and that your cook book marketing plan is actually an effective strategy? No – but, knowledge is power. It is crucial that you take enough time to educate yourself about the entire publishing industry.

Understanding publishing, and the marketing of books, will clearly help you to identify why you are writing a cook book. Perhaps you are writing a cook book just to record secret family recipes or to have all of your own favorite recipes in a book format; maybe you are writing a cook book for a community or church fundraiser; or best of all, your goal is to create a bestseller. Cook books that are written for a very small group do not require business and marketing plans because you already know how many books will be purchased and who the buyers are. However, if you are planning to publish your own cook book for the mass markets, you need to understand that you have moved beyond author to publisher. That means that you are now a business person whose primary goal is the creation of a product to sell. There is no point in printing a book that no one will want to buy.

When I began writing my own cook book, I naively thought that it would be a two or three month process, and that in no time I would have a book on every book store shelf in the country. Ha, ha, ha, chuckle chuckle… Experience is a great educator, but who says that you have to learn the hard way? Obviously I had no idea how to publish a cook book in the beginning! However, through this article and via the publishing course that I and my partners have created, I intend to help you avoid losing time and money.

How did I create such a successful cook book? The short answer is research, research, research, and then more research. Thankfully I had the wisdom to do the research before going to print. But research can, and did, take years.

In my experience, after I learned how to write a cook book I had to learn all about cook book publishing:

* copyright
* trademarks
* ISBN numbers
* cataloging in publication data
* printing terms like cover stock, bindings, signatures and bluelines
* learning how to obtain printing quotes, (crucial in knowing how many books you can afford to print)
* barcodes
* graphic design (makes the difference between great sales and no sales)
* editing (cannot, and I mean cannot, be done by yourself, friends or family)
* titles and subtitles (they can make or break a book)
* title search (avoid duplicating someone else’s title)
* distribution

Next, I had to learn about how to start a business:

* business plan
* incorporation
* toll free numbers
* corporate logos and identity
* websites
* shipping arrangements
* accounting principles

Most importantly I had to become wise about marketing:

* writing a plan
* researching competition
* understanding target markets
* going through the difficult but crucial process of choosing a book title
* discovering the importance of a book’s cover – both the front cover and the back cover – and how to design the cover
* looking outside book stores for buyers
* learning the importance of publicity
* discovering the essential need for a stellar media kit and how to create one
* approaching the media and the importance of a good publicist

I learned, and I will share with you, a key point to consider when you are discovering how to write a cook book. Before you even begin to write your cook book, you must identify your target market. Who will actually buy your cook book? It is amazing that so many authors think that “everyone” will want their book, but that is not so. Not “everyone” is a target for anything! – not even the Bible.

Know who will actually buy your book. Interviewing the owners of cook book stores and specialty cooking stores can help you to identify cook book trends so that you know what people are actually buying. It is also a good idea to think of corporations and organizations that might benefit by using your book as a promotional item. Approach them even before you go to print, offering them special discounts, opportunities to place their information in a special printing of the book, advertising chances to offer your cook book as a “freebie” with the purchase of their product – just to name a few cook book marketing ideas.

If your cook book is targeted to busy families, the recipes must be easy to prepare in a short time period; if it is targeted to gourmet cooks, the recipes must be of the quality that you would expect to find in a four or five star restaurant; if it is targeted to a specific ethnic group, the recipes must be authentic; but if it is targeted to the mass market, your cook book must have a very wide scope with recipes that make any mouth water, and the ingredients must be readily available in grocery stores.

Once you have identified who will buy your book, you can target your marketing plan and your book design with your customers in mind, such as:

* Where do they shop?
* Where do they play?
* What style of book appeals to them? - (research your competition closely).
* What price are they willing to pay?
* How many pictures do they want in a cook book? (a lack of photos can kill book sales)
* What colors attract them? (spend time in book stores and libraries, learning which books have the most appealing appearance)
* What size of book is currently popular?
* What type of book binding increases sales?
* Are they concerned about health or other issues?
* Do they appreciate little stories, jokes, cooking tips or other information in the book?

Sometimes I took two steps forward then had to take one step back, but at other times I took one step forward and two back. Don’t waste time the way that I did – use my experiences to your advantage. Once you have a grasp of the basics, you can actually begin to put your cook book publishing and marketing plans into action.

Of course, a cook book has special challenges that other books may not have. Your primary goal is to give people unique, delicious recipes that they can create successfully in their own homes. That means that you have to measure exactly and your instructions must be clear and simple. You will have to test each recipe over and over until it turns out perfectly every time, then you will have to enlist other people to prepare those recipes independently of you. No matter what their comments, you must take the critiques of your testers seriously because if they do not achieve great results the chances are very good that your customers will be unhappy with their “flops”. Finally, it is a good idea to have the recipes tested by a professional home economist or other food expert.

Depending on the focus of your cook book, you might want to include nutrition information such as calories and fat content. Fortunately, there is now computer software that will do the calculations for you. You must also provide an index at the back of the book, and thankfully, software is available for this chore also.

Food photography is a special challenge of its own, requiring many tricks to make good look appealing. A good food photographer is a vital part of your cook book publishing team. Great attention must be paid to every minute detail, down to the grains of pepper in a dish and to the bubbles on top of a cup of coffee. Each photograph can require four hours of shooting time, if not more, so plan adequate time for the photo shoot.

The services of a food stylist are very helpful, but with research you can do a great deal of the food styling yourself. Find as many books as you can on the subject and practice in advance of the photo shoot. I learned simple tricks like:

* sticking sandpaper to the plate to prevent food from slipping
* using whipped icing or shaving cream in place of ice cream or whipped cream
* placing a shot glass under a very thickly cut slice of lemon to prevent the lemon from absorbing the liquid underneath
* using beef bouillon in place of “coffee”
* using dish detergent to create bubbles in the “coffee”
* using a blow torch to make meat appear cooked
* and the list goes on…

Food styling is such fun, but it requires a great deal of time, even in advance of the photo shoot. You will need all of your “props” in place, such as dishes, cutlery, flowers, table linens, food items and backgrounds. Many companies will happily lend these items to you in exchange for a credit in the book – this can appear on the Cataloging in Publication data page at the beginning of your book.

When your book is ready to go to print, it is time to put your cook book marketing and publicity campaign into gear:

* Decide on the best time of year to launch your book. September is usually the best month for Christmas sales, but you also face steep competition. Try to think of a time that is appropriate for your book, such as January for a healthy eating book, late Spring for a barbecue book, Valentine’s Day for a romantic book, Heart and Stroke month for a heart-healthy book, etc.
* Produce galley copies.
* Send galleys to appropriate book clubs (look at their websites to learn their submission requirements).
* Research appropriate catalogs and send galleys to them.
* Have your publicist approach magazines that review cook books (magazines have long lead times).
* Stay in contact with any corporations and organizations that might use your book for promotions.
* Find a reputable distributor to have your book accepted by the book store trade, as well as other retailers.
* Contact non-book store book sellers.

When your book is ready to roll off the press, get your publicity campaign into high gear. You can have the best book in the world, but if no one knows about it, no one will buy it. The easy part is over – publicity and marketing now become your life. This part is the most fun, as you now reap the rewards of all of your efforts. Your goal now is to turn your cook book title into a household word. Go for it -- publish your own cook book!

About The Author

Denise Hamilton

© Copyright 2004 Ink Tree Ltd.

Ink Tree Ltd. helps authors publish, market and sell books. If you are considering publishing a cookbook, we will help you make it a success. http://www.inktreemarketing.com/PublishaCookbook.htm

info@inktreemarketing.com

Screenplay Slug Lines - An Important Element Of Screenwriting

2008-08-27T10:56:00.000-07:00

Screenplay Slug Lines - An Important Element Of Screenwriting
by: Lynne Pembroke

Over the years, I’ve found that new screenwriters frequently have confusions and misunderstandings on the proper way to write slug lines, also known as master scene headings. This article covers the basics of writing industry accepted screenplay slug lines.

Tips On Slug Lines

Scene headings or slug lines, as they are commonly called, are a widely accepted convention of “spec” or “master scene” screenplay form. Over the years, I’ve found that new writers frequently have confusions and misunderstandings on the subject, despite having read a basic book or two on the craft aspects of screenwriting. Hence, the reason for this article.

Every time the “where” or the “when” of your story changes, it’s expected that you’ll reorient the reader as to location and time of day with a new slug line. A slug line is composed of three parts:

1) INT. or EXT.
Is it an interior or exterior scene?

2) WHERE
The physical location or name of the set where the action of the scene takes place.

3) TIME OF DAY
Usually simply DAY or NIGHT.

Examples:
INT. JOE’S BAR AND GRILL – NIGHT
EXT. SANTA MONICA PIER – DAY

Whether a scene is INT or EXT is to some degree relative. In truth, some of your INT scenes may be shot outdoors and some of your EXT scenes shot indoors against a blue screen. For the sake of simplicity and consistency, I recommend that if the action takes place IN something (a building, a car, a spaceship, etc.) label the scene INT. If the scene takes place outdoors, and not in something, label it EXT.

It’s generally considered poor form to use INT/EXT in combination in a slug line. If the action of a scene shifts from INT to EXT, or EXT to INT, write a new slug line. If you find yourself in a situation where you’re inter-cutting rapidly between an INT and an EXT location, chances are you’re usurping the job of the director by writing HOW your story should be filmed rather than simply telling your story in a compelling fashion.

Scene locations should be specific and descriptive. “INT. RESTAURANT”, is a poor slug line in that it’s neither specific enough, nor descriptive enough. Slug line locations such as, "INT. WANG CHOW’S CHINESE JOINT” or, “INT. BIG ED’S GREASY SPOON DINER”, being both descriptive and specific, are far more visual in the impact they have on the reader.

Be consistent in your description of scene locations. Once you’ve labeled a location as JOE’S BAR AND GRILL, it should not mutate into JOE’S RESTAURANT, and then later, THE BAR AND GRILL ON 8TH STREET. After your screenplay is sold, it will be broken down by location and time (day or night) for budget and scheduling purposes. (Obviously, it’s far more efficient to shoot all scenes taking place in the same location at the same time.) Be kind to your readers by labeling scene locations in a consistent manner.

Avoid presenting extraneous information in your slug lines. (EXT. SANTA MONICA PIER – 1912 - POURING RAIN – DAY) Remember that the audience will never see your slug lines. If it’s important, and not self-evident, that it’s pouring rain and the year is 1912, find a way to present that information via action or dialogue in a filmable way.

Keep your slug line extensions simple. Ninety-nine percent of the time, “DAY” or “NIGHT” will suffice. And again I would remind writers that the audience won’t ever see your slug lines. I know of no good reason to indicate action is consecutive by using, “CONTINUOUS” as a slug line extension. If action is “continuous” it should be self-evident.

Are some very good high-priced writers non-conventional in their handling of slug lines? You bet! But keep in mind as a new writer, if you follow the generally accepted conventions of screenplay form and format, you’re far less likely to distract the reader from the tale you seek to tell.

Copyright (c) 2004 Lynne Pembroke and Jim Kalergis, Coverscript.com

Lynne Pembroke and Jim Kalergis
Coverscript.com
URL: http://www.coverscript.com

We will be pleased to have the above article published but first, please contact pemburger@aol.com informing where this article will be published.

About The Author

Lynne Pembroke is a published author, poet, screenwriter and owner of Coverscript.com, with over 18 years of experience in screenwriting and screenplay analysis helping individual writers, screenwriting competitions, agents, studios, producers and script consulting companies. Services include screenplay, TV script and treatment analysis, ghostwriting, rewriting and adaptation of novel to screenplay. Jim Kalergis is a working screenwriter. Visit http://www.coverscript.com for details.

pemburger@aol.com

Standards of English

2008-08-27T07:48:00.000-07:00

Standards of English
by: Samir K. Dash

From the history of English language it is clear that good English has the tendency to vary from time to time, from area to area and from one social group to another. And these variations can be generalized according to two types – i) Standard English ii) Non-standard English . Sometimes we also distinguish between the accepted and non-accepted form of English. But these two ways of distinctions are synonymous.

The distinction between standards and non-standard English depends upon the Cultural Status (or ambitions of the people who are using this language) as well as the Functional verities of the language.

Cultural Status

As far as the cultural cause is concerned, Standard English describes the speaking and writing of cultivate people. It is the verity of spoken and written language that enjoys cultural prestige and which is the medium of education, journalism and literature. Non-Standard English describes the written and spoken use of habits of the uncultured, uncultivated group. Such speakers generally lack formal training on the use of the language and are from the jobs scenario and backgrounds where little or no writing are involved.

Functional verities

As far as the functional causes are concerned, we refer to different function and use of the language with in standard English. The chief functional verities are Formal and Informal.

Informal

It describes the English conversation of some private correspondence of ordinary everyday writing and speaking.

Formal

It describes the language used in books and articles on serious subjects, of reports and documentations in industry, business, legal and research fields. Even many literary prose use this language.

Though in most of the spoken cases informality is given priority, still in speeches on serious subjects and occasions like lectures, seminars, the use of formal speech is preferred.

As far as strict definitions are concerned, it should be however remembered that there is no sharp distinctive line between the formal and informal use of language. At the extreme end of formality are scholarly and careful writings from research, legal and business communication fields. And at the extreme of the informality are the use of language by the educated people who use them for private and causal purpose.

Other Forms of Language use:

Colloquial

It simply means spoken, being related to eloquent and loquacious. In this sense , it may be traced to any form of spoken English, whether standard or non-standard, formal or informal.

Many times this term refers to the everyday speech of educated people and to the kind of writing that has the easy vocabulary, the loose contructions and other characterstics of that speech. An American College Dictionary sums up this term as the kind of usage of English “whose range of use is primarily that of the polite conversation of cultivated people of their familiar letters and informal speeches as distinct from those words and constructions which are common also in formal writing”.

Slang

Slang is an informal non-standard vocabulary composed typically of coinages, arbitrarily changed words and extravagant figures of speech. Some times it results from intentional mis-pronunciation of a word.

Many times slangs are considered vulgar. But, the fact is that it is a part of current usage of language. It contributes to the share of growth of language. In many cases it has been noticed that the use of slang becomes common in main stream use of language and thus the slang becomes one of the general language use (e.g. rascal, ad, gym etc.).

But slang has following two serious limitations:

* Very few of the slang used last a long period, others vanish with the flow of time.
* Slang are not always appropriate in all circumstances.

Clichés

Clichés are also called as hackneyed phrases. They worn out by constant use. For example:

Raving beauties, father Time etc. But it should be remember that words themselves are not trite. Rather the use becomes trite. As in French, Clichés means the “stereo type block”, such usage refers to such phrases that have become fixed or stereotyped in the language. Some like stock similes like “as good as gold”, “as black as coal” have a long history of their second-handness. In formal communications such use of language is avoided to maintain seriousness and exactness in meaning.

As our above discussion showed that there are verities of English usage and each usage has its separate role to play in a specific context or situation, the question may arise “Then why still follow the rules for any kinds of English usage, as there is no absolute standard at all?” Though there is no standard that can declare itself as totally absolute, still there are hypothetical ones, for each kind of usage, with their own set of rules. We follow a specific code of conduct while writing business letters, and a different one in writing a private one. Formal speech demands the use of serious grammar, while the causal talks and gossips have their own loose kinds of structures.

In fact the fact that there is no absolute standard in English usage doesn't permit us to be free of any notions of standards at all. We can't do away with the concept of standard to use language as we believe is right. This is because, by following a set of code of conduct in a given situation, both the listener and the speaker are in the same levels of understanding and interactivity of language for better communication.

For instance, can we replace the usage of spoken English in written case? No. Its because the conversational English depends for much of its force upon the physical presence of the speaker. .Personality, gesture, posture and intonation – all contribute to the success of spoken communication. Written English on the other hand , whether formal or informal, requires a structure that makes clarity without the physical presence of the writer. It must therefore communicate through the clarity of its diction, the orderliness of its sentence and paragraph structure and the relative fullness of its details.

That's why though we don't have an absolute standard of English, we still have to follow a hypothetical standard in order to get our meanings across.

About The Author

Samir K. Dash is a MA in English (UGC-NET qulaified) from Ravenshaw College, Cuttack (INDIA). Currently he is working as senior content developer at AniGraphs.com

He can be contacted at his homepage: www.samirshomepage.zzn.com

E-Mail: samirkdash@yahoo.com

The Change in Communication: the Cyber effect

2008-08-27T07:47:00.000-07:00

The Change in Communication: the Cyber effect
by: Samir K. Dash

The growing technology has become both a challenge and solution in the field of communication through language. I say this because, recent developments in the field of IT and telecom has brought a change that was never thought of by the guardians of the English language of the past. The focusing point here is that the use of internet, chat, e-mails and mobile SMS and MMS has brought us to a new dimension of communication which I would prefer to term as "cyber effect" in communication. Well, such a revolutionized concept of communication forced us to witness the disintegration of English expressions both in speech and writings. And this has made it difficult to arrange all expressions in one platform. But as this helped to globalize the language more effectively, it also brought with it wider scopes and possibility to exploit it up to its last stretchable limits.

Chat/ SMS languages versus English

Mobile in India is no more an asset of luxury now, as it was few years back. And hence the present generation (most of whom are youths) are more readily available to use expressions as the following:

"Tnks 4 ur invtn. Un42n8ly i cnt com2 ur hmm@10."

(Thanks for your invitation. Unfortunately I can't come to your home at 10 o'clock.)

And this shows that communication is certainly not a matter of longer words, rather it is the matter of how shortly you express the long. Abbreviated words like Satday (for Satur day) are accepted now a days both in written and speech.To this there are words of modern abbreviations like OIC (oh I see). And the SMS era has its own formulae to short out words. One of such is that "drop out the vowels first" and this means "Thanks" will change to "Thnks".

Another point to note here is that in such language, the priority has been given to the speech, more than the writing form of English. That's why any written expression that has a fix sound pattern can replace others with a similar sound pattern in any word. And that's why "un42n8ly" becomes the new image of the word "unfortunately"

To this you add smileys, emoticons and you get a wide range of expressions with less words.

The community decides the language, and hence the language is bound to evolve a change. English has grown due to the fact that IT and computer revolutions find English more suitable (as well as flexible ) than any other languages. And in addition to that English is now being localized. And this means this Cyber-English will certainly be a part of other localized ones like Hinglish, Chinglish and Banglish.

About The Author

Samir K. Dash is a MA in English (UGC-NET qulaified) from Ravenshaw College, Cuttack (INDIA). Currently he is working as senior content developer at AniGraphs.com

He can be contacted at his homepage: www.samirshomepage.zzn.com

E-Mail: samirkdash@yahoo.com

Why Book Writers Need A Running Mate

2008-08-27T06:55:00.000-07:00

Why Book Writers Need A Running Mate
by: Marvin D. Cloud

By far, I have found that the lack of discipline is the biggest hindrance for most people, when it comes to writing a book of any kind. Although I urge you as a would-be writer to develop a theme because once you are clear on "why" you want to write a book, your motivational level will shift into a higher gear, I also urge you to get an accountability partner. This person will be the most important asset you can have as a writer.

However, choose carefully, because the role of the accountability partner is to make sure that you are following your commitment on a daily basis. The partner is responsible for calling, e-mailing you or talking to you by phone or in person every day to check the progress of your book. This person should be gentle enough to keep you encouraged, but forceful enough to not be afraid to chastise you.

In other words, your accountability partner will "hold your feet to the fire" to make sure you keep moving forward. Believe me; this person is worth his or her weight in gold. Why?

Although I promise you that writing a manuscript is easier than you might think—you don't need to be a seasoned writer—it is not the easiest thing in the world to do. There will be plenty of times when you will want to scratch the whole idea. Your accountability partner is your cheerleader, telling you, "We have spirit, yes we do!" and exhorting you on to "V.I.C.T.O.R.Y.," even when it seems like you are in the waning minutes of the game and your team is losing 42–0.

Games are played, one at a time. If you lose today, unless something tragically happens, there will be another one tomorrow. Television's Dr. Phil said, "Everyone wants to be a hero on Saturday. The big difference between winners and losers is that the winners work hard every day to do what it takes to win."

If you fail your writing task today, you can start again tomorrow. However, losing seasons occur when in the end, you have lost more than you have won. Most new writers and seasoned ones as well, don't write as much as they can on a daily basis.

Even writing part-time, two pages per day is a good start, and more can easily be done if the effort is put forth. However, most of us need that extra push from someone who genuinely cares about us and our project, to keep us in the game. Although it is good to find a like-minded individual, in some ways, your accountability partner's character should be diametrically opposed to your character.

For example, if you know you need a lot of hand-holding, your accountability partner should definitely be a self-starter. If you are a pessimist, your partner should be an optimist. However, if you are an optimist, it is usually better for you not to pick a pessimist for your partner.

About The Author

Marvin D. Cloud, founder of mybestseller.com and author of "Get Off The Pot: How to Stop Procrastinating and Write Your Personal Bestseller in 90 Days." Visit http://www.mybestseller.com and grab a free copy of the "Get Off The Pot" newsletter, dedicated to motivating ordinary people with extraordinary stories to write, publish and sell their books faster, efficient, and cheaper.

Symbolism

2008-08-26T10:55:00.000-07:00

Symbolism
by: Samir K. Dash

I

Symbolism can have an extremely wide meaning. It can be used to describe any mode of expression to refer to something indirectly through the medium of another. But this doesn’t mean that a mere substitution of one object for another can be considered as this process. In fact symbolism can be considered as the process to express to express abstract ideas and emotions through the use of concrete images, as Milton does in his Paradise Regained, where he compares Satan’s defeated legions to ‘the autumnal leaves that strew the brooks in Vallombrosa’.

To make it more clear, T.S.Eliot puts it as “the only way of expressing emotions in the form of art ” [‘Hamlet’ by T.S.Eliot, Selected Essays of T.S. Eliot.]. But it should be noted that this expression mode is not done by just using a ‘symbol’, but an ‘objective corellative’ which means a set of objects, a situation, a chain of events which shall be formula of that particular emotion. Heneri de Re’gnier, a French poet and a disiple of Mallarme’ [Full name Ste’phane Mallarme’] defined ‘symbol’ as being a comparision between the abstract and the concrete with one of the terms of the comparision being merely suggested. Thus the symbol stands alone with the reader being given little or no indication as to what is being symbolized.

Symbolism, hence can be defined as the art of expressing ideas and emotions not by describing them directly, nor by defining them through comparisions with concrete images, but by suggesting what these ideas and emotions are by recreating them in the mind of the reader through the use of unexplained symbols or images. This is only one aspect of Symbolism which he called ‘Personal Aspect’ or ‘Human Aspect’ of symbolism.

The second aspect of symbolism is described as ‘Transcendental Symbolism’. In such type, concrete images are used as symbols, not of particular thoughts and feelings with in the poet, but of vast and general ideal world of which the real world is merely an imperfect representation. This concept of the existence of an ideal world lying beyond reality has its root sprinkled by Plato, which was popularized in 18th century by Swedenberg, and played a vital role in Christianity. In 19th century with the decline of Christian beliefs, a search for other ways to escape from the harsh reality was started. The religion was discarded for this purpose and poetry took its place. The purpose of poetry became to create for readers, a world outside reality. Stephen Mallerme’ claimed that he created in his poetry not real flower but “I’absente de tous bouquets”, the essential flower which is not to be found among any of the flowers of the world. The soul purpose of his poetry, he says was to create a pure essence, un hindered (un-disturbed) by any echo of the concrete reality which surrounds us.

Although the aim of ‘Transcendental Symbolism’ is to go beyond reality, the starting point is the ‘reality’ of this world. It is so, because this helps in transition from real world to the imaginary one. As the poem proceeds, the reality begins to be blurred and it gradually dissolves into the imaginary one.As Mallerme’ does in one of his poetry where he confuses the two images of rose and lily into one imaginary flower, to create an ideal flower. Here the essence of both is perceived in one.

II

Symbolism is in fact a developed form of Allegory. In this sense we can trace the root of Symbolism in English literary field from William Langland’s Piers the Plowman, where Piers sees the seven deadly sins in allegorical forms. Then it can be traced in chaucer’s Romance of the Rose which was in fact the English version of original French work Roman de la Rose of Guillaume de Lorris and Jean de Meun. Again in Milton’s Paradise Regained, the concept of symbolism grew more. But during all these period, poets weren’t themselves aware of this new form and therefore this form remained in its curdest form. But towards the early 18th century, the Christian beliefs began to decline. Hence people began to search for new means other than religion to escape from new means other than religion to escape from harsh reality of the world and ‘poetry’ became their favourite for this purpose. In France this escapism forced the poets to develop a new form and what discovered was the new developed version of allegory --- “Symbolism”.

In early part of 19th century, Baudelaire, a French poet created sensations by his sonnets named ‘Correspondances’. It was capable of conveying thoughts and feelings of corruption, wealth and triumph to its readers and in it the objects were not just objects, but were the symbols of Ideal Forms lying concealed behind them.

In 1857, Baudelaire published his volume of poems named Les Fleurs du Mal. In this was a poem ‘Harmonie du Sur’, which was a milestone for the literary career of symbolism. In the first reading of this poem, it might appear as a simple description of landscape, but while reading it again, one can find the clue in the last line, indicating that the repeated images of the poem such as ----- the setting sun, the fading perfume of the flowers, the dying note of a violine ----- all possessing a common factor ---- the notion of something beautiful that has passed away, are in fact object correlatives whose purpose is to re-create in the reader the emotion experienced by the poet at the memory of a past love affair.

In Baudelaire’s ‘Spleen’ a different kind of emotion is created by the same process. It is a sad and mournful scene. It may be regarded as depicting a scene from hell, ( a kind of hell that holds in some degree Jean Paul Sartre’s ‘Huis Clos’ ) as well as conveying a mood of black despair. While the recreation of emotions of ‘ Harmonie du Sur’ and ‘Spleen’ points to Human Symbolism, the existence of ideal image of the emotions points to the presence of Transcendental Symbolism.

Baudelaire’s paradise symbol was a revolutionary step and it later attracted many English and French poets to use it in theirs. In his ‘ L’Invitation au Voyage’, time is objective correlative of an immaterial world (some believed that the landscape resembles to a Dutch landscape of Holland). At the end of Les Fleurs du Mal, Baudelaire is o longer sure exactly what is the nature of the world lying beyond reality. The probability of each possible thing awaits him ---- good or bad. But this helps him to rise his poems theme to some what we can call ‘Infinity’. This style was later developed by Paul Vale’ry. But irregularity in the structure of poem was revised by another one named Paul Verlaine.

French poet named Paul Verlaine, began his career at the time Baudelaire was at the height of his fame. He was influenced by Les Fleurs du Mal. He was impressed by Baudelaire’s shift from optimism to pessimism in it. But this transition was irregular. So Verlaine used a new type of melodies to solve this problem. His melody was much more subtle and intimate kind where as the melody of Baudelaire tend to be splendidly out stretched with the different senses called in to play their parts carefully chosen moments, images amply developed. Verlaine’s work differ from Baudelaire’s in another respect that his attitude remains an emotional one without the use of ‘Trancendental symbolism’. He lacked Baudelaiure’s imagination to create a picture of the paradise awaiting.

In the early part of 19th century, the versification of poetry was popular because music was considered to be the equation between poetry and any other forms of art ( say Scupture or Painting ). The reason for this belief was due to the thinking that ‘all art aspires towards the condition of music’. Music possessed the quality of suggestiveness, but with out the element of precision which words necessarily posses and which the symbolists wished to suppress. Hence it was what symbolists were loking for. Baudelaire and Verlaine were using this versification method, but Verlaine towards the later part of his career began to use free verse which inspired Rimbaud to revolt against traditional versification. He gave poetry a new kind of strength and directness that made it more fitting vehicle for the evocation of feelings and ideas.

In Rembaud’s ‘Le Bateau’, the most celebrated poem, one can find how ideal paradise concept varies from that of Baudelaire’s. his ideal world is not quite peaceful refuge that Baudelaire longs for, but it is a world of violence and tumult and above all of total freedom. The function of image of boat plunging rudderless through countless seas, dancing like a cork on the waves, is to make the reader feel the intense excitement and almost delirious happiness that Rimbaud experienced in 1871 (when he ran away from home thrice).

Patient is what Rimbaud lacked, and for this reason a critic described him as ‘ the impatient genius’. But there was another poet who was considered to be ‘the genius of stubborn patience’ and he was Mallarme’.

The patience of Mallarme’ helped him to develop his images slowly into infinite. The previous symbolists experienced a dissatisfaction, which led them to create an ideal world, with the use of ‘Transcendental Symbolism’. Specially Baudelaire’s shift from certain reality to uncertainity in his poem Les Fleurs du Mal, provided a new clue for Mallarme’. He found an answer to the longings of the symbolists’ intellectual minds. While searching for the nature of the ideal world, he reached the conclusion that ‘ beyond this real world there is nothing but an empty void’. German philosopher, Hegel also has published his ideas, which supported his conclusion saying that ‘the ideal world lies hidden in this empty void’. In his Allegorical Sonnets about Himself, Mallarme’ described an empty room, which was symbolic of poet’s mind. Apart from the flickering candle flame there is only one thing in the room ---- a mirror, which has no existence of its own, without the objects to reflect. In the very last line there is a sudden magical change as it faces north through the open window, with the ‘Great Bear’ in the sky. But the word ‘star’ is not used, instead seven mysterious points of lights are described with the use of French transcription ‘X’, which symbolizes the unknown.

Mallarme’s ideas indeed have an effect on symbolists, but there were few who were not completely satisfied with him. One of them was Paul Vale’ry. He was fascinated by philosophy, mathmatics and physics and along with it he shared a common sense of dissatisfaction with the symbolist poets. He began to search for the hidden relationship between the knowladges. He believed that Mallerme’ had gone far in search of ideal world. Vale’ry believed that the ideal world is in reality, not beyond it. This return to reality was supported by his gained knowledge.

In 1894, Valle’ry created a character named M.Teste in his ‘ La Soire’e avec M. Teste’. M.Teste was a character who succeeds in discovering new laws that govern the working of the human mind and who is totally divorced from the realites of everyday life. Both M.Teste and his creator, Vale’ry found that this emotion of life, the contact with reality and with the world of the sense could not be presently abandoned or suppressed.

As regarding versification of Vale’ry, this can be said that, he was a conventional poet who made less attempt to break its ‘Cruel bonds’ than any of his predecessors. Vale’ry may be said despite the suggestive rather descriptive nature of his poetry with its extraordinary musicality, to mark the end of symbolism in France.

In England the true symbolism started with Yeats. In his poem ‘Sailing to Byzentium’, Yeats creates an image of ideal world in the mind of its readers. In his concept of paradise he can be considered as the ‘English baudelaire’ as it is the eternal peaceful refuge, he longs for. He dreams to be in the world far from reality. ‘Golden Bird’ term of the poem suggests how the abstract ideal art is referred through a concrete. In the very last line, he magically shifts to infinite like Mallrme’, where time is objective correlative as the lines says : “ Of what is past, or passing, or to come.”

In Yeats’ ‘The Lake isle of Innisfree’ also there is longing for a chance to escape from reality. The clue to this Transcendental symbolism can be found from the last line, “While I stand on the road way or the pavements grey, I hear it in the deep heart’s core”

There is a deep sense of missing the paradise that has been created in readers’ mind. The image of “peace comes dropping slow”, “evening full of the linnet’s wings” creates the vision of the poet. This marvelous blending of Human Symbolism to that of Transcendental one proves the richness of the poem. Readers of Eliot also found him as a Symbolist. His transcendental Symbolism can be traced in his ‘The Waste land’, where there is the pessimistic view on life, seen as a waste land.

Among other English poets, who used symbolism were T.E. Hulme and Ezra Pound, who invented the term in 1912 and this group was later grew with Eliot as one of its member. Later symbolism found its place officially as a trend in Common Wealth Literature and also in the other parts of the world.

About The Author

Samir is presently works as a director of an animation firm www.anigraphs.com

You can know more about him at : www.samirshomepage.zzn.com

You can send feedback to him at: samirk_dash@yahoo.com

Writing Help

2008-08-26T01:28:00.001-07:00

Writing Help
by: Jack Thompson

Whether you are working for a small business, large corporation, or are a student, there are numerous sources that you can turn to for help with writing. Businesses need to be able to effectively communicate with their customers, their employees and their potential customers. Effective verbal communication is equally important, but nonverbal communication in the form of copy writing, article writing, press release writing, and more requires a certain level of expertise and experience. The typical small business wants to focus their efforts on their core business activities without spending too much time on projects that can easily be outsourced to consultants or freelance professionals. Many small businesses turn to freelancers to help them save time and money. For example, a certified public accountant opened his own accounting practice after working in another accounting firm for the last ten years. One of the ways he decided to search for new clients was to embark on an advertising and promotional campaign. Although some of his previous clients followed him to his new practice, he wanted to increase the number of accounts he currently handled. These accounts included various individuals and small businesses from around the town. Rather than hire new employees or handle the projects himself, he decided to hire a consultant through a freelance web site to work on copy writing for a local newspaper ad campaign as well as to help with press releases and company news distribution. By outsourcing these non-core business activities to an independent consultant, he is able to save himself time and money and also gets the expertise of an established professional who specializes in the types of writing that he needs assistance with. He decides to list his writing projects in a freelance marketplace and receives bids from independent consultants and freelance writers. He was able to choose a service provider based on factors related to cost, the service provider’s experience, references, and previous feedback from clients. All small businesses have a decision to make about whether to outsource certain projects or to complete the work in house. Using economics as a deciding factor, it makes sense economically for businesses to outsource writing projects when the projects are non-core business activities that do not contribute to the company’s bottom line.

Small businesses also need to be able to effectively communicate with their current customers. Some of the more effective ways to get help writing effective communication for current customers involve using tools such as newsletters, email lists, and articles written by outsourced consultants. Newsletters are very effective ways to keep customers informed of current events and happenings within the company. They also offer you the opportunity to gain new clients as the newsletter gets passed around and is often seen by more than one person during its life cycle. It makes sense and is a smart move to outsource corporate communications instead of keeping it in-house. Hiring a separate professional will save your business money and time. For less than the cost of hiring a full time employee, and because it will contribute to allowing more concentration on the activities that will earn your business money, contracting with a consultant or freelancer for your corporate communications (writing of press releases to distribute company news, getting publicity through pieces in newspapers and magazines, and getting help writing newsletters or articles) simply makes sense. An expert in the field who has amassed many years of experience with business writing, persuasive writing, and copy writing in addition to having experience writing press releases, articles, essays, and possibly academic or technical research and term papers will have a lot to offer you and your business.

Large corporations use writing to effectively communicate on all levels of business. Business writing and corporate communications are essential elements that keep the public informed and give companies their corporate image. A company’s image, or its publicly perceived notion of credibility and reliability is extremely important to its bottom line. For example, upon its introduction many years ago an American car company introduced a car known as the “Nova”. After some time, it was discovered that the car was not selling well in many Spanish speaking countries. Because in Spanish, “No va” translates to “doesn’t go”, the car sales in these countries were dismal. Effective corporate communication can have far reaching effect. Ineffective corporate communication can result in lower sales as shown in the car sales example. Large corporations also need to be effective communicators with their current employees. Internal corporate communications are equally important and keep your employees abreast of company accomplishments, events and human resource issues.

Finally, students also need to be able to write effectively as well. Writing assignments can include writing essays, writing term papers, report writing, and thesis writing not to mention having to demonstrate writing ability in other subjects outside of English class. For example, law students need to be able to write not only persuasive but argumentative writing as well. Foreign language students need to be able to translate into their native language and then back again. Science and technology students need to be able to demonstrate scientific writing ability. Taking writing tips from college professors that teach correct formatting and usage, including APA style, and improving your proofreading and editing skills will result in quality writing assignments. For the student that is looking for writing help and homework assistance for their assignments, freelance marketplaces that allow you to hire a consultant or tutor could be a productive and time saving solution.

From a freelance or independent consultant’s standpoint, marketing writing skills to potential service buyers is important to keeping any consulting business thriving. Registering with freelance marketplaces will enable you to showcase your writing skills, talents and abilities. Previous experience with all kinds of writing ranging from grant writing, fiction writing and interactive writing to writing short stories, articles and ebooks or even technical pieces, in addition to all forms of business writing will enable you to prove your varied background and skills. All of which can be showcased in your freelance marketplace profile. Creating and managing a profile is important to make you stand out from the crowd of freelance writers competing for new writing projects. All in all, those looking for writing help can find a vast array of resources in the form of consultants who are more than willing to lend a helping hand.

About The Author

Jack Thompson is a freelance writer, business consultant and entrepreneur. He has helped thousands of individuals and businesses across the world realize the benefits of outsourcing. Independent consultants, freelance service providers, and companies looking to outsource service projects can post or bid on projects at www.smartylance.com.

Dance With Words: A new Writers Portal for the experienced and the amateur writer

2008-08-22T20:53:00.000-07:00

Dance With Words: A new Writers Portal for the experienced and the amateur writer
by: Margot Van Sluytman

Are you a writer looking for a great place to share stories, experiences, to communicate with other creative souls? And individual who wishes to meet new and interesting people? If so, you need to visit www.dance-with-words.com

A diverse culture of writers with a wide range of experience and savvy participate in this group. Unlike other writing groups, www.dance-with-words.com is a free writers community, where you can find affordable resources for self-publishing, printing, and on-line courses that can inspire you to tap into your creative spirit.

Description of the Group:

“In this Group we will speak about the love we have for language and how using words motivates us to write poetry, meditations, stories, dialogues, journal entries, novels, novellas, all genres and styles, in order to both create and find joy and meaning. We will share the work of those poets and writers who have and do inspire and teach.”

I am Margot Van Sluytman, Published Poet and Writer, Administrator of www.dance-with-words.com, and I am holding the First International Dance-With-Words Poetry Contest. I am a Professional Member of the Canadian Author’s Association, Peterborough Chair of the Federation of Canadian Poets. Lover of language.

I have a wonderful dream of dancing around the world with language, with words, sharing within communities and groups who value how the process of using words inspires richness, springing from soul, even souls that have been hurt – finding and creating joy. www.dance-with-words.com was create to have a place to go to talk with respect and passion, to write poetry and prose, to listen to the words of others. To dance. To dance. To dance.

It is my other dream to promote artists who would otherwise not be able to promote themselves – to create a site for the work of individuals whose work must be known. Must be shared.

The First International Dance With Words Poetry Contest, which has already drawn television and newspaper coverage, offers an opportunity to showcase your work.

Let me introduce those involved with: “First International Dance With Words Poetry Contest”

**the individual who offered $175.00 for the contest prizes, and who wishes to remain anonymous;

**Rick McKenna www.rpm-computing.com who has donated all of his time to www.dance-with-words web design and marketing and who has committed to creating the web site for the artists we will promote;

**Joan E.Cadham, National President of the Canadian Author’s Association, who believes deeply along with our members in the motto, Writers Helping Writers. www.canauthors.org She is a judge on the panel.

**Lesley Parrott, well known public speaker and media interviewee. She is particularly noted for delivering uplifting and inspiring messages, based on life experiences. She runs a successful Toronto-based consulting firm. www.lesleyparrott.ca She is a judge on the panel.

**Gerry McCarthy, publisher of the highly successful, incredibly well written e-Zine, with mind-blowing content www.thesocialedge.com He is a judge on the panel.

For more information contact: info@margotvansluytman.com or visit: www.dance-with-words.com

I look forward to sharing this amazing dance with you all, Margot.

About The Author

Margot Van Sluytman
For more information about the author visit http://www.margotvansluytman.com

info@margotvansluytman.com