The following quotes from writers were found at the “lens” site of Angela Harms at Squidoo.com. My thanks to Angela for recognizing the beauty in these words. I have asked her permission to include them here (truth be told, I couldn’t wait and hope she lets me keep them here).
“Write while the heat is in you. The writer who postpones the recording of his thoughts uses an iron which has cooled to burn a hole with. He cannot inflame the minds of his audience.”
—Henry David Thoreau
(Dr. Joe Vitale says the universe likes speed. This would seem to verify that claim.)
“Writing is easy. All you do is sit staring at a blank sheet of paper until the drops of blood form on your forehead.”
—Gene Fowler
“The faster I write the better my output. If I'm going slow I'm in trouble. It means I'm pushing the words instead of being pulled by them.”
--Raymond Chandler
(I believe in this principle totally. The faster you write, the more the vision comes to the front. Edit later. Let the separate hemispheres of the brain work alone as much as possible. This clears the mind for the processes to to work optimally.)
“It took me fifteen years to discover that I had no talent for writing, but I couldn't give it up because by that time I was too famous.”
—Robert Benchley
See Angela's personal site and read her sage advice at: http://www.angelaharms.com/
This quote, another good one (and unfortunately accurate, all too often) was posted at BCwriters.com, a federation of writers from British Columbia.
"The writer is odd from day one and in the course of pursuing this maddening profession becomes distinctly odder... It is not unusual for a successful writer -- your favourite, the one you think of as full of sunshine, wisdom and laughter -- to spend great portions of his or her life in a state of fury, hideously disappointed, or even raving mad." -- Paul Theroux
Sunday, December 10, 2006
Listen Up! Great advice for free!
Okay, let me take a moment to clarify. This advice is great. It is also free—but only if you follow it. It could cost you quite dearly, if you don’t. Read on.
While surfing the Internet, I found this wonderful article by Constance (Connie) Briscoe, a published author of over 10 years and five fiction books, some of which have hit the most prominent best sellers lists. Here, she not only discusses the ten basic steps she used to get published, but also discusses the pros and cons of seeking representation -- the age old question of “literary agent vs. publisher” (you may presently have the wrong idea which is best).
All in all, Connie is experienced, smart and willing to help you. You would do well to listen and learn, as I have. Enjoy.
How To Get Published
While surfing the Internet, I found this wonderful article by Constance (Connie) Briscoe, a published author of over 10 years and five fiction books, some of which have hit the most prominent best sellers lists. Here, she not only discusses the ten basic steps she used to get published, but also discusses the pros and cons of seeking representation -- the age old question of “literary agent vs. publisher” (you may presently have the wrong idea which is best).
All in all, Connie is experienced, smart and willing to help you. You would do well to listen and learn, as I have. Enjoy.
How To Get Published
Sunday, November 19, 2006
Screenplays and More
The old saying is that if you want advice from a butcher, you don't go to the baker or candlestick maker. The same advice holds true in screenwriting or any other facet of the authoring world. I will be the first to admit I am not an expert in screenwriting. I have never written a screenplay, although I want to learn how and do so. I do know how to find an expert, though. One with very good credentials and years of expert experience can be found here: coverscript.com.
I am quite impressed with what I read here. In addition to some extremely reasonable rates to look over your work, Lynne Pembroke has the wealth of experience and knowledge to help you make it a top quality, prize-winning effort. You may find that writing a screenplay is nowhere near the same as writing the novel you derive it from. They are, admittedly, two separate disciplines and should be respected as such. Therefore, what may have come quickly and easily in your novel may be the hardest thing in the world to put properly into screenplay format. The wise person knows and admits when he is out of his league.
I have looked at screenplays and have remarked to myself that they appeared to be stripped down so far as to be devoid of life and imagery--mere skeletal versions of the story. The expert screenplay writer sees a different side, quite obviously. What that is, I can only guess, but I do know there is an art to it and I am not in the inner circle as to what the rules of the game may be (pardon me for mixing metaphors, but you get the idea).
That is where an expert, like Lynne, comes in. Cut to the chase, as they would say in film. Do you need an expert in your corner? Only you can say. Do you have all the time in the world and you are doing this for your own enjoyment? Then you may not ever need someone to critique and mentor you to perfection. Do you want to be taken seriously by the film industry or TV industry? Then you would do well to cover all bases and get that all-important second opinion from an industry resident expert.
I have to point out that I have never met Lynne Pembroke, spoken with her in any manner and I am certainly not being paid by her to write this regarding her and her profession. To the best of my knowledge, she will never even know that I have written this article. The reason I have done it is simply to point out that there are times when we cannot rely upon our own talents and instincts to carry us through--that time is when we are out of our natural element. Have you ever written a screenplay? You may be a natural, but... why take chances when you have one opportunity to make a first impression? The same advice holds true in all areas of life. You are constantly selling something, but always selling yourself. What kind of product are you? That will determine what others think about your work ethic, your work quality and your dependability. Fail to make a good first impression and the second, no matter how favorable, will only average out.
What you decide to do is entirely up to you. Have fun writing that screenplay, but when you are ready to go to the next level with it, have a good mentor and co-pilot to get you there, okay?
I am quite impressed with what I read here. In addition to some extremely reasonable rates to look over your work, Lynne Pembroke has the wealth of experience and knowledge to help you make it a top quality, prize-winning effort. You may find that writing a screenplay is nowhere near the same as writing the novel you derive it from. They are, admittedly, two separate disciplines and should be respected as such. Therefore, what may have come quickly and easily in your novel may be the hardest thing in the world to put properly into screenplay format. The wise person knows and admits when he is out of his league.
I have looked at screenplays and have remarked to myself that they appeared to be stripped down so far as to be devoid of life and imagery--mere skeletal versions of the story. The expert screenplay writer sees a different side, quite obviously. What that is, I can only guess, but I do know there is an art to it and I am not in the inner circle as to what the rules of the game may be (pardon me for mixing metaphors, but you get the idea).
That is where an expert, like Lynne, comes in. Cut to the chase, as they would say in film. Do you need an expert in your corner? Only you can say. Do you have all the time in the world and you are doing this for your own enjoyment? Then you may not ever need someone to critique and mentor you to perfection. Do you want to be taken seriously by the film industry or TV industry? Then you would do well to cover all bases and get that all-important second opinion from an industry resident expert.
I have to point out that I have never met Lynne Pembroke, spoken with her in any manner and I am certainly not being paid by her to write this regarding her and her profession. To the best of my knowledge, she will never even know that I have written this article. The reason I have done it is simply to point out that there are times when we cannot rely upon our own talents and instincts to carry us through--that time is when we are out of our natural element. Have you ever written a screenplay? You may be a natural, but... why take chances when you have one opportunity to make a first impression? The same advice holds true in all areas of life. You are constantly selling something, but always selling yourself. What kind of product are you? That will determine what others think about your work ethic, your work quality and your dependability. Fail to make a good first impression and the second, no matter how favorable, will only average out.
What you decide to do is entirely up to you. Have fun writing that screenplay, but when you are ready to go to the next level with it, have a good mentor and co-pilot to get you there, okay?
Saturday, November 18, 2006
Peek in on these sites.
You don't always have to be in pursuit of that great American novel to be considered an accomplished writer. Today I would like to offer a short list of sites for you that concern freelance writing possibilities and advice. Other avenues of income are always welcome, are they not? And a brief look through my first suggestion will definitely expand your view of the channels through which you might make some extra income as a writer.
As nearly exhaustive as I have ever seen, this first site is definitely worth a close look and further research. You may well decide that you have the talents and qualifications to fit into many of these listed slots. Perhaps there is on this list something you have never before considered yourself capable of. Take chances and do the research. Compare your writing on a particular subject to that of a recognized expert. You may be shocked to find yourself exclaiming, "I could do that!" This is not to say that you will immediately rise to the top, like cream, of course, but the value is in seeing avenues of expansion that you never saw or considered before--if you do something about it afterward, that is.
sohoday.com/FreelanceWritingontheInternet
The next site I would like you to consider also opens up some new frontiers for you, unless you have already done a podcast or audio book. If not, perhaps you should consider doing so. Few people read a book with the same passion as the author of the work. This is your opportunity to bring to life the characters and situations you wrote about--your chance to make them real in the minds of potential readers. The word images you drew can be painted anew in more vivd colors than ever before. Everyone loves a story and it is more riveting to many when they are told the story. So, take a look and consider this--even if it is only an excerpt. Don't worry about lost revenue, as there are still many that prefer to hold a copy themselves--right there in their hot little hands.
podiobooks.com
Not to overload you, but to expand your view of what is out there and awaiting you, I add these links, also. I am not suggesting plagiarism, but you never know where the next great idea is going to come from. It may come from your boredom and surfing the sites of others. These came from entering the phrase "Freelance Writing" into my search engine (I use searchbigdaddy because it pays me points I can use to purchase advertising when I choose to do so. Check it out for yourself.)
freelancewrite.about.com
freelancewriting.com
suite101.com/freelance_writers
writerlance.com
howstuffworks.com/magazine-writing
As nearly exhaustive as I have ever seen, this first site is definitely worth a close look and further research. You may well decide that you have the talents and qualifications to fit into many of these listed slots. Perhaps there is on this list something you have never before considered yourself capable of. Take chances and do the research. Compare your writing on a particular subject to that of a recognized expert. You may be shocked to find yourself exclaiming, "I could do that!" This is not to say that you will immediately rise to the top, like cream, of course, but the value is in seeing avenues of expansion that you never saw or considered before--if you do something about it afterward, that is.
The next site I would like you to consider also opens up some new frontiers for you, unless you have already done a podcast or audio book. If not, perhaps you should consider doing so. Few people read a book with the same passion as the author of the work. This is your opportunity to bring to life the characters and situations you wrote about--your chance to make them real in the minds of potential readers. The word images you drew can be painted anew in more vivd colors than ever before. Everyone loves a story and it is more riveting to many when they are told the story. So, take a look and consider this--even if it is only an excerpt. Don't worry about lost revenue, as there are still many that prefer to hold a copy themselves--right there in their hot little hands.
Not to overload you, but to expand your view of what is out there and awaiting you, I add these links, also. I am not suggesting plagiarism, but you never know where the next great idea is going to come from. It may come from your boredom and surfing the sites of others. These came from entering the phrase "Freelance Writing" into my search engine (I use searchbigdaddy because it pays me points I can use to purchase advertising when I choose to do so. Check it out for yourself.)
Saturday, October 21, 2006
Authors, get a PDF Power-Brander at no charge!
"Okay", you are saying, "What is a PDF brander?" Well, it is very simple, my friend. If you are a writer (and I assume that either you are or you want to be, or you wouldn't be here right now), you may one day want to make a PDF (a multi-platform text that works on Mac's and PC's alike)--an E-Book of your own. You will probably want to brand it with your name or company name, to ensure that every copy that gets sent abroad on the internet will bear that identification as well. Well, here is where you can get the program that will allow you to do just that--at no charge! I got mine; you get yours.
Get your own PDF Brander
Also, get a PDF creator for free here. You need this to create the eBook to brand.
pdf995 download
I have also heard of a PDF-creating program called Gymnast, that purports to work the same way Adobe Acrobat does. Note that I have not yet had time to look these programs over, so proceed first with a copy of your work--not the ONLY copy.
Have fun and tell me what you think.
Also, get a PDF creator for free here. You need this to create the eBook to brand.
I have also heard of a PDF-creating program called Gymnast, that purports to work the same way Adobe Acrobat does. Note that I have not yet had time to look these programs over, so proceed first with a copy of your work--not the ONLY copy.
Have fun and tell me what you think.
Thursday, October 19, 2006
The Write Discoveries
When I find sites I feel will be of use to you, I like to share the discovery and list the links in the column at the righthand side of this page (as time permits), so it will always be there when you need it. My intent is to eventually make this a one-stop shop for all of your writing needs. To that end, here are more discoveries you should see. Some are fun, some are nuts-and-bolts serious. All are useful in some way.
WritingFix.com (Rather intriguing and fun)
Writing.com (See links at top of page)
Writer's Tools (A variety of interesting resources)
Please feel free to email me and add more suggestions. I will review them as time permits.
Please feel free to email me and add more suggestions. I will review them as time permits.
Monday, October 16, 2006
A VERY impressive site from the UK. -- ExploreWriting.
I received a request to look at this site and include a link to it in the column to the right. It didn't take long to see that this is a quality site and deserving of the attention. Many thanks to Alex Collins for pointing it out to me and best wishes with further development of the site, which is handsomely done and efficiently laid out (I may have to adopt some of their html code implementation, as well). I recommend you look it over thoroughly for the good advice included there. Well worth your time.
Query Letter Example
I thought it might interest to you to see a query letter. I have searched the 'net high and low for an example and come up empty handed. There were many and differing opinions regarding content, but I found none to actually study. I have concluded that even the experts cannot agree and that perhaps I should trust my instincts.
I knew that this query letter would be a calling card, a resume, an introduction and a sales letter. I had one chance and it must be professional and polished. Below is the letter, which I printed on a monogrammed letterhead--very nice indeed. And it seems to have gotten attention. I suggest that you keep to two pages maximum, but you must follow your instincts as well. Any questions? Write to me at pointedwords@gmail.com.com.
[Note that I belatedly asked for the advice of a professional writer and editor in regards to this letter. Although the original draft received a reading and a good response, it was not what I had hoped. Had I requested this friends' expert advice before I sent the letter, it may well have gotten a better response. 'Better late than never,' as they say. Although I am not at liberty to divulge the name of this good person, I certainly appreciate the kind gesture and wish her well personally. My letter has certainly become better because of her attention to it. Below is the revised and improved version.]
(To whom are you addressing it? Include the agency name and address in full.)
The Charlotte Gusay Literary Agency
10532 Blythe, Suite 211
Los Angeles, CA 90064
(What is it that you are pitching? Include this in the upper right hand corner of the letter. This saves guessing for the agent or editor you have sent it to. It may also picque their interest, if you are creative without getting bizarre or gaudy).
Thriller/Romance--modern times
circa 70,000 words
(Whom do you want to read it? Do your research and call for the name of the editor or agent, if you must. People like their name and respond to it better than to their titles.)
Attention: Charlotte Gusay
(Give an exciting and 'visually stimulating' example from the work itself. This tells them you can indeed write and engage an audience. It also tells them this could make a good film.)
The arm shot around her like a python, strangling her already bruised and protesting ribs in its relentless grip. The hand that followed closed powerfully across her mouth to prevent warning screams for the would-be rescuers that were drawing nigh. Denise felt her eyes were large as saucers as she swung the steel point swiftly and surely into the thigh she knew was behind her. Again and again she drove the screwdriver home until the hands that held her relinquished their grip and with a groan of agony, gave her the freedom she demanded. Denise screamed quickly and determinedly to let the others know where she was. There were only seconds to enjoy her sovereignty and she knew Ted stood between her and those who sought her, still too far away to help. He now bellowed like the beast he was and again prepared to charge. In bitter anguish, Denise turned away from her desired goal and fled deeper into the black, dense growth of the forest.
--Excerpt from Shining Armor—The Knight Appears
(Give a brief synopsis of the story to further generate interest. This must be in present tense. Identify characters by name and project a feel for them as people. You want the editor or agent to forget to read as a professional and read as a fan.)
In Shining Armor --The Knight Appears, Ronald Jameson is a man who has suffered the loss of his wife a year or so previously and has become a recluse, kept company in his solitude only by his pain.
While Ron sits peacefully at a diner one morning, a bully (Ted Randall) begins to openly terrorize and abuse a woman (Denise Payton) and her female friend. Concerned for their safety, Ron tries to calmly and quietly defuse the situation, but instead sets into motion a chain of events that threatens him and Denise with the loss of their lives, for Ted Randall is a psychopathic madman, delusional to the point that he will stop at nothing in order to achieve what he wants or to have revenge on those who attempt to impede his will.
The settings for the story range from a modern city to the forested mountain range nearby. Not only must the hero and heroine evade dangers in their daily surroundings, but also their inevitable flight leads them to a cabin retreat, which they hope will prove to be a refuge and safe haven. Instead, their enemy follows and attempts to murder them there. The hardships of the wilderness environment seem trivial when compared with the threat posed by this evil personified.
(Your market and the audience you plan to reach?)
As a crossover genre, shown already to appeal to both men and women, as well as to a wide base of reader interests, this should prove to be a profitable addition to your catalog. The market for suspense and thrillers is huge and, in addition, romance readers are unquestionably among the largest group of book consumers. The current market demand for realism will be advantageous, as well. Based on preliminary reader responses, I am quite confident this will adapt excellently to film, further propelling sales of the book.
(Show that you are a consummate professional in every way and that you do your homework. They also want to know you will get involved in the process before they put their money into it.)
Ms. Gusay, I have studied the techniques of master writers since my teen years and upon completion of my manuscript, I knew a market test was advisable. The best test would be with strangers who owed me nothing but the brutal truth. Logical “experts” would be avid readers of the thriller, suspense and romance genres. Additionally, those not normally fans of these genre would be the acid test. Responses to this testing have been overwhelmingly positive. I include a few samples, excerpted for brevity, but written as received:
(Prove your claims with real and viable examples and testimonials. These must be unbiased--none of the "My Mom loves it" stuff.)
(Show that you value their input and are confident of their interest. Make certain your work has been gone over with a fine-toothed comb first. There may still be faults, but you want them to be minimal in nature and few in number. Mention any other of your works they could be interested in, but be brief and remember these are busy people.)
Please note that, although this novel functions well as a stand-alone, I have also written two sequel novellas: The Evil Returns (presently ca. 28,000 words) and The Rival (presently ca. 35,000 words), with reprise appearances of characters from the original work and introducing new and interesting characters as the adventure continues. These would go well under the same cover as the original or issued together under a separate cover. They might also be expanded, if required. Preliminary response to them has been quite favorable, as well.
(Show genuine and sincere gratitude for the time and attention given you. Again, these are very busy and overworked individuals.)
Ms. Gusay, I thank you, in advance, for your time and attention. I look forward to your response and advice. Please notify me regarding format preference and whether you desire a few chapters or the complete manuscript.
(Sign and include your contact info, which may or may not repeat your letterhead info.)
Steven O’Dell
6464 E. Portia Circle
Mesa, AZ 85215
Cell: 509-855-2939
pointedwords@gmail.com (Because anything else is pointless.)
(A little humor never hurts, when appropriate. It shows you are human and approachable. Besides, there may be days these folks hate their jobs, too. If you make them laugh or smile, they might look more favorably upon you. At least they may remember you more easily the next time you approach them with a project.)
Always remain confident as you write. If you feel it, you will project it as well. Believe in your work, but be prepared for constructive critique and be ready to follow it, if it is valid. You should want your work to be perfect. Ideally, if it is perfect before you send it in, the editor or agent should read as a fan--not an agent or editor. However, should you get constructive criticism, remember this: Stephen King says that if he gets the same suggestions 2-3 times, he takes them seriously. You do the same. You will only benefit from it. The only time I suggest that you resist--and please do so politely--is when the inner muse dictates so strongly that you cannot ignore the impulse. This is not for the sake of foolish pride. It is not because you already think your work is perfect, but because you KNOW that fiddling with it will only harm the story. When you know it, you just know it, even if you cannot explain how you know it. Then, and only then, should you politely resist the critique of a publisher or agent.
It is also advisable to write a thank-you letter upon receipt of a rejection letter. This shows you are mature and can take it. It also is a perfect opportunity to ask politely why it was rejected and what you might do to improve your work. Think of it as another foot in the door. Who knows what may come of it? Best wishes and keep writing.
I knew that this query letter would be a calling card, a resume, an introduction and a sales letter. I had one chance and it must be professional and polished. Below is the letter, which I printed on a monogrammed letterhead--very nice indeed. And it seems to have gotten attention. I suggest that you keep to two pages maximum, but you must follow your instincts as well. Any questions? Write to me at pointedwords@gmail.com.com.
[Note that I belatedly asked for the advice of a professional writer and editor in regards to this letter. Although the original draft received a reading and a good response, it was not what I had hoped. Had I requested this friends' expert advice before I sent the letter, it may well have gotten a better response. 'Better late than never,' as they say. Although I am not at liberty to divulge the name of this good person, I certainly appreciate the kind gesture and wish her well personally. My letter has certainly become better because of her attention to it. Below is the revised and improved version.]
(To whom are you addressing it? Include the agency name and address in full.)
The Charlotte Gusay Literary Agency
10532 Blythe, Suite 211
Los Angeles, CA 90064
(What is it that you are pitching? Include this in the upper right hand corner of the letter. This saves guessing for the agent or editor you have sent it to. It may also picque their interest, if you are creative without getting bizarre or gaudy).
Thriller/Romance--modern times
circa 70,000 words
(Whom do you want to read it? Do your research and call for the name of the editor or agent, if you must. People like their name and respond to it better than to their titles.)
Attention: Charlotte Gusay
(Give an exciting and 'visually stimulating' example from the work itself. This tells them you can indeed write and engage an audience. It also tells them this could make a good film.)
The arm shot around her like a python, strangling her already bruised and protesting ribs in its relentless grip. The hand that followed closed powerfully across her mouth to prevent warning screams for the would-be rescuers that were drawing nigh. Denise felt her eyes were large as saucers as she swung the steel point swiftly and surely into the thigh she knew was behind her. Again and again she drove the screwdriver home until the hands that held her relinquished their grip and with a groan of agony, gave her the freedom she demanded. Denise screamed quickly and determinedly to let the others know where she was. There were only seconds to enjoy her sovereignty and she knew Ted stood between her and those who sought her, still too far away to help. He now bellowed like the beast he was and again prepared to charge. In bitter anguish, Denise turned away from her desired goal and fled deeper into the black, dense growth of the forest.
--Excerpt from Shining Armor—The Knight Appears
(Give a brief synopsis of the story to further generate interest. This must be in present tense. Identify characters by name and project a feel for them as people. You want the editor or agent to forget to read as a professional and read as a fan.)
In Shining Armor --The Knight Appears, Ronald Jameson is a man who has suffered the loss of his wife a year or so previously and has become a recluse, kept company in his solitude only by his pain.
While Ron sits peacefully at a diner one morning, a bully (Ted Randall) begins to openly terrorize and abuse a woman (Denise Payton) and her female friend. Concerned for their safety, Ron tries to calmly and quietly defuse the situation, but instead sets into motion a chain of events that threatens him and Denise with the loss of their lives, for Ted Randall is a psychopathic madman, delusional to the point that he will stop at nothing in order to achieve what he wants or to have revenge on those who attempt to impede his will.
The settings for the story range from a modern city to the forested mountain range nearby. Not only must the hero and heroine evade dangers in their daily surroundings, but also their inevitable flight leads them to a cabin retreat, which they hope will prove to be a refuge and safe haven. Instead, their enemy follows and attempts to murder them there. The hardships of the wilderness environment seem trivial when compared with the threat posed by this evil personified.
(Your market and the audience you plan to reach?)
As a crossover genre, shown already to appeal to both men and women, as well as to a wide base of reader interests, this should prove to be a profitable addition to your catalog. The market for suspense and thrillers is huge and, in addition, romance readers are unquestionably among the largest group of book consumers. The current market demand for realism will be advantageous, as well. Based on preliminary reader responses, I am quite confident this will adapt excellently to film, further propelling sales of the book.
(Show that you are a consummate professional in every way and that you do your homework. They also want to know you will get involved in the process before they put their money into it.)
Ms. Gusay, I have studied the techniques of master writers since my teen years and upon completion of my manuscript, I knew a market test was advisable. The best test would be with strangers who owed me nothing but the brutal truth. Logical “experts” would be avid readers of the thriller, suspense and romance genres. Additionally, those not normally fans of these genre would be the acid test. Responses to this testing have been overwhelmingly positive. I include a few samples, excerpted for brevity, but written as received:
(Prove your claims with real and viable examples and testimonials. These must be unbiased--none of the "My Mom loves it" stuff.)
- "I COULDN'T PUT IT DOWN. I love it...I want more…. You have a great way of capturing the reader very quickly. The characters seem so real…. The suspense had my heart racing as I was trying to read faster…"
- "Draws you right in. More like watching a movie than reading a book."
- “I’ve been enjoying it, which really surprised me, being this particular genre.”
- "I predict great things from you, Steve. ...I really like your book!...you have a great voice and a great story. "
- "wow, Wow, WOW!!! I was hooked the moment I started reading ...yours seemed more real, totally believable.... I felt as though I was right there…."
- "Usually it takes at least 10 pages to peak my interest, but I can already tell this is going to be great! Captivating from page one! Quite an accomplishment."
(Show that you value their input and are confident of their interest. Make certain your work has been gone over with a fine-toothed comb first. There may still be faults, but you want them to be minimal in nature and few in number. Mention any other of your works they could be interested in, but be brief and remember these are busy people.)
Please note that, although this novel functions well as a stand-alone, I have also written two sequel novellas: The Evil Returns (presently ca. 28,000 words) and The Rival (presently ca. 35,000 words), with reprise appearances of characters from the original work and introducing new and interesting characters as the adventure continues. These would go well under the same cover as the original or issued together under a separate cover. They might also be expanded, if required. Preliminary response to them has been quite favorable, as well.
(Show genuine and sincere gratitude for the time and attention given you. Again, these are very busy and overworked individuals.)
Ms. Gusay, I thank you, in advance, for your time and attention. I look forward to your response and advice. Please notify me regarding format preference and whether you desire a few chapters or the complete manuscript.
(Sign and include your contact info, which may or may not repeat your letterhead info.)
Steven O’Dell
6464 E. Portia Circle
Mesa, AZ 85215
Cell: 509-855-2939
pointedwords@gmail.com (Because anything else is pointless.)
(A little humor never hurts, when appropriate. It shows you are human and approachable. Besides, there may be days these folks hate their jobs, too. If you make them laugh or smile, they might look more favorably upon you. At least they may remember you more easily the next time you approach them with a project.)
Always remain confident as you write. If you feel it, you will project it as well. Believe in your work, but be prepared for constructive critique and be ready to follow it, if it is valid. You should want your work to be perfect. Ideally, if it is perfect before you send it in, the editor or agent should read as a fan--not an agent or editor. However, should you get constructive criticism, remember this: Stephen King says that if he gets the same suggestions 2-3 times, he takes them seriously. You do the same. You will only benefit from it. The only time I suggest that you resist--and please do so politely--is when the inner muse dictates so strongly that you cannot ignore the impulse. This is not for the sake of foolish pride. It is not because you already think your work is perfect, but because you KNOW that fiddling with it will only harm the story. When you know it, you just know it, even if you cannot explain how you know it. Then, and only then, should you politely resist the critique of a publisher or agent.
It is also advisable to write a thank-you letter upon receipt of a rejection letter. This shows you are mature and can take it. It also is a perfect opportunity to ask politely why it was rejected and what you might do to improve your work. Think of it as another foot in the door. Who knows what may come of it? Best wishes and keep writing.
Thursday, October 12, 2006
Finding a Book Publisher
A special thanks to Jenna Glatzer of AbsoluteWrite.com for this great article. Here is a lady with lots of experience and awesome credentials.
Finding a Book Publisher
By Jenna Glatzer
Recently, a few writer-friends on the Absolute Write message boards and I were lamenting the fact that many inexperienced writers get tricked into believing that vanity presses and borderline-vanity presses are traditional publishers. We were talking about the numbers, mostly—how did so many new writers even find these publishers?
It all became shockingly clear: search engines.
We found that new writers often type phrases like “book publisher,” “find a publisher,” “book publishing,” or “novel publishers” into search engines like Google. And what comes up when you do that? Vanity presses all over the first page, with enticing messages like “Publish fast! We want your book!” Many writers don't dig much deeper than that. They find those first few publishers, submit their manuscripts, and take the first "acceptance letter" that comes their way.
See, vanity and fringe presses caught on a lot faster than I did. They figured out what new writers were searching for and they optimized their web pages to make sure that when a writer typed in keywords like “book publisher” or “novel publisher,” their pages would come up first.
Now, I love the Internet. It’s a fabulous tool. But search engines are not the best spot to start your research when you’re a new writer in search of a book publishing contract. They’ll take you to the last-resort places first.
If you’re truly serious about building a career as an author, whether you plan to write novels or nonfiction books, you won’t skimp on the research. Aside from the time you spend actually writing the book, researching your publishing options may be your most valuable effort in the publication process. If you put your heart, your labor, your discipline into this manuscript, doesn’t it deserve the best home you can find for it?
Choosing a publisher is no simple task, and it’s not a decision that should be based on impatience. Yes, the easy way out is to find one of these “we’ll accept anything” publishers, turn in your manuscript, and have your book in your hands in a matter of just a couple of months (maybe even weeks). Unfortunately, it’s the easy way out only until you actually try to sell the darn thing—then it’s about the hardest road you could possibly have taken.
The next simplest way to find a publisher is in the Writer’s Market. I look forward to its publication every year; it helps to keep me up-to-date about thousands of markets for my work. You can search through it in hardcopy or online, and it has a genre index at the back so you can flip to book publishers that match your genre quickly. However, it shouldn’t be your only tool.
You may choose to look for an agent first, or you may choose to go it alone. Agents typically take a 15 percent commission from sale money; legitimate agents do not charge anything up-front. A good agent can help you get read faster, can help you get read in places that are typically closed to unsolicited submissions, and can help you negotiate the best possible deal.
That said, I’ve made more than half of my book deals on my own. I tend to be more proactive about my career than an agent ever could be, and I’m not afraid to negotiate. It’s all a matter of figuring out what works best for you.
If you choose to fly solo, there really are better ways of finding a publisher than doing random searches or reading books of guidelines. Here are my best tips:
1. Read Publishers Lunch (www.publisherslunch.com), which gives a run-down of book deals. It tells you which publishers are buying which types of books, and usually includes the name of the editor who acquired the book and the agent who made the deal.
2. Read Publishers Weekly (www.publishersweekly.com). It’s expensive, but you can probably find it at your local library. This will keep you up-to-date on industry happenings, trends, who’s buying what, and staff changes.
3. Read books! This may be the most obvious, yet most overlooked suggestion. The best way to target your submissions is to find books in your genre or on similar topics at a bookstore or library, then copy down the name of the publisher. Check the acknowledgments section, too, to see if the author mentioned the editor or agent. Then you can hop onto Google and type in the publishers’ name. More often than not, on any publishers’ site, you’ll find a link to submission guidelines. Barring that, there should be a mailing address or e-mail address at the very least. You can cross-reference information with Writer’s Market once you’ve found publishers that interest you, too.
4. Ask around. Let’s say you found a book in your genre that you enjoyed, but you’ve never heard of the publisher. There’s no harm in looking up the author, then sending off a polite e-mail to ask if he or she is having a positive experience with that publisher.
5. Search Amazon. Look up books you’ve read or heard of in your genre or category. Amazon lists the book publisher in each book’s entry. Then look up the publisher in a search engine or guidebook.
Assuming you want to earn a living from your writing, it’s important that your book reaches a large audience. That means it needs adequate distribution. Unfortunately, most print-on-demand publishers can’t achieve decent bookstore distribution because of a number of bookstore-unfriendly policies (no returns allowed, lower-than-average discounts to bookstores, lack of a bar code or price on the back of the book, etc.), not to mention the overall poor quality of vanity-published books due to a lack of editing and lack of editorial standards. This is not the crowd you want to be in if you plan to be a professional writer.
Above all else, you must be patient. There’s much more to book publishing than I could ever share in a short article; luckily, there are plenty of professional authors who are more than willing to share their expertise with you. Don’t rush your manuscript out until you feel secure that you understand the way the industry works. A few good clues: Do you know what a distributor does versus a wholesaler? Do you know which trade magazines’ reviews are important? Do you know why it’s preferable to get royalties on list price instead of net? Do you know why it’s important to have an “out of print” clause and what it should look like?
There’s nothing wrong with not knowing the answers. Everyone starts someplace. The only wrong thing is rushing into the publishing industry before you get those answers. The more naïve you are about the process, the easier it is for unscrupulous people to get hold of you.
A traditional publisher will never pressure you to buy your own books, to pay for editing or cover art or even your own copyright. They’ll cover the expenses. You’ll be expected to pitch in with publicity efforts, but it won’t all fall on your shoulders. With vanity and fringe presses, these standards aren’t there. Those companies make money from authors instead of from readers.
I know the road can seem long and difficult. Most authors receive many rejection letters before that first acceptance letter. But it’s a worthwhile wait. In a case like this, your first “instinct” may not be the best one. The kinds of publishers you probably want to deal with are not the ones who are screaming, “Click here! We’ll publish your book!” They’re the ones who are busy actually selling books instead of concentrating their efforts on luring in new writers.
Keep working at it until you find the right solution. Take as much care in finding a book publisher as you would a marriage partner; get to know the publisher before you commit, and understand what you’re getting into. When you begin walking into bookstores and seeing readers picking up your book, you’ll thank yourself that you took the time to get it right.
Jenna Glatzer is the editor-in-chief of www.AbsoluteWrite.com and the author of many books, including Make a Real Living as a Freelance Writer, which comes with a free editors' cheat sheet at www.jennaglatzer.com. Her latest book, Fear is No Longer My Reality, which she co-wrote with Jamie Blyth of The Bachelorette, is hot off the press.
This article may be freely reprinted in any e-zine, newsletter, website, or print publication as long as the bio remains intact.
Finding a Book Publisher
By Jenna Glatzer
Recently, a few writer-friends on the Absolute Write message boards and I were lamenting the fact that many inexperienced writers get tricked into believing that vanity presses and borderline-vanity presses are traditional publishers. We were talking about the numbers, mostly—how did so many new writers even find these publishers?
It all became shockingly clear: search engines.
We found that new writers often type phrases like “book publisher,” “find a publisher,” “book publishing,” or “novel publishers” into search engines like Google. And what comes up when you do that? Vanity presses all over the first page, with enticing messages like “Publish fast! We want your book!” Many writers don't dig much deeper than that. They find those first few publishers, submit their manuscripts, and take the first "acceptance letter" that comes their way.
See, vanity and fringe presses caught on a lot faster than I did. They figured out what new writers were searching for and they optimized their web pages to make sure that when a writer typed in keywords like “book publisher” or “novel publisher,” their pages would come up first.
Now, I love the Internet. It’s a fabulous tool. But search engines are not the best spot to start your research when you’re a new writer in search of a book publishing contract. They’ll take you to the last-resort places first.
If you’re truly serious about building a career as an author, whether you plan to write novels or nonfiction books, you won’t skimp on the research. Aside from the time you spend actually writing the book, researching your publishing options may be your most valuable effort in the publication process. If you put your heart, your labor, your discipline into this manuscript, doesn’t it deserve the best home you can find for it?
Choosing a publisher is no simple task, and it’s not a decision that should be based on impatience. Yes, the easy way out is to find one of these “we’ll accept anything” publishers, turn in your manuscript, and have your book in your hands in a matter of just a couple of months (maybe even weeks). Unfortunately, it’s the easy way out only until you actually try to sell the darn thing—then it’s about the hardest road you could possibly have taken.
The next simplest way to find a publisher is in the Writer’s Market. I look forward to its publication every year; it helps to keep me up-to-date about thousands of markets for my work. You can search through it in hardcopy or online, and it has a genre index at the back so you can flip to book publishers that match your genre quickly. However, it shouldn’t be your only tool.
You may choose to look for an agent first, or you may choose to go it alone. Agents typically take a 15 percent commission from sale money; legitimate agents do not charge anything up-front. A good agent can help you get read faster, can help you get read in places that are typically closed to unsolicited submissions, and can help you negotiate the best possible deal.
That said, I’ve made more than half of my book deals on my own. I tend to be more proactive about my career than an agent ever could be, and I’m not afraid to negotiate. It’s all a matter of figuring out what works best for you.
If you choose to fly solo, there really are better ways of finding a publisher than doing random searches or reading books of guidelines. Here are my best tips:
1. Read Publishers Lunch (www.publisherslunch.com), which gives a run-down of book deals. It tells you which publishers are buying which types of books, and usually includes the name of the editor who acquired the book and the agent who made the deal.
2. Read Publishers Weekly (www.publishersweekly.com). It’s expensive, but you can probably find it at your local library. This will keep you up-to-date on industry happenings, trends, who’s buying what, and staff changes.
3. Read books! This may be the most obvious, yet most overlooked suggestion. The best way to target your submissions is to find books in your genre or on similar topics at a bookstore or library, then copy down the name of the publisher. Check the acknowledgments section, too, to see if the author mentioned the editor or agent. Then you can hop onto Google and type in the publishers’ name. More often than not, on any publishers’ site, you’ll find a link to submission guidelines. Barring that, there should be a mailing address or e-mail address at the very least. You can cross-reference information with Writer’s Market once you’ve found publishers that interest you, too.
4. Ask around. Let’s say you found a book in your genre that you enjoyed, but you’ve never heard of the publisher. There’s no harm in looking up the author, then sending off a polite e-mail to ask if he or she is having a positive experience with that publisher.
5. Search Amazon. Look up books you’ve read or heard of in your genre or category. Amazon lists the book publisher in each book’s entry. Then look up the publisher in a search engine or guidebook.
Assuming you want to earn a living from your writing, it’s important that your book reaches a large audience. That means it needs adequate distribution. Unfortunately, most print-on-demand publishers can’t achieve decent bookstore distribution because of a number of bookstore-unfriendly policies (no returns allowed, lower-than-average discounts to bookstores, lack of a bar code or price on the back of the book, etc.), not to mention the overall poor quality of vanity-published books due to a lack of editing and lack of editorial standards. This is not the crowd you want to be in if you plan to be a professional writer.
Above all else, you must be patient. There’s much more to book publishing than I could ever share in a short article; luckily, there are plenty of professional authors who are more than willing to share their expertise with you. Don’t rush your manuscript out until you feel secure that you understand the way the industry works. A few good clues: Do you know what a distributor does versus a wholesaler? Do you know which trade magazines’ reviews are important? Do you know why it’s preferable to get royalties on list price instead of net? Do you know why it’s important to have an “out of print” clause and what it should look like?
There’s nothing wrong with not knowing the answers. Everyone starts someplace. The only wrong thing is rushing into the publishing industry before you get those answers. The more naïve you are about the process, the easier it is for unscrupulous people to get hold of you.
A traditional publisher will never pressure you to buy your own books, to pay for editing or cover art or even your own copyright. They’ll cover the expenses. You’ll be expected to pitch in with publicity efforts, but it won’t all fall on your shoulders. With vanity and fringe presses, these standards aren’t there. Those companies make money from authors instead of from readers.
I know the road can seem long and difficult. Most authors receive many rejection letters before that first acceptance letter. But it’s a worthwhile wait. In a case like this, your first “instinct” may not be the best one. The kinds of publishers you probably want to deal with are not the ones who are screaming, “Click here! We’ll publish your book!” They’re the ones who are busy actually selling books instead of concentrating their efforts on luring in new writers.
Keep working at it until you find the right solution. Take as much care in finding a book publisher as you would a marriage partner; get to know the publisher before you commit, and understand what you’re getting into. When you begin walking into bookstores and seeing readers picking up your book, you’ll thank yourself that you took the time to get it right.
Jenna Glatzer is the editor-in-chief of www.AbsoluteWrite.com and the author of many books, including Make a Real Living as a Freelance Writer, which comes with a free editors' cheat sheet at www.jennaglatzer.com. Her latest book, Fear is No Longer My Reality, which she co-wrote with Jamie Blyth of The Bachelorette, is hot off the press.
This article may be freely reprinted in any e-zine, newsletter, website, or print publication as long as the bio remains intact.
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
A Good Deal for FREE!
This is going to sound like a shameless advertisement and, in a way, it is, but please hear me out. I think you will not be disappointed--or at least you will understand what I am getting at.
Okay, I know this is a site for writers, but here is a tool for writers that only seems to deviate into left field. (Remember, I told you this site will be unconventional, but with a method to the madness.) I sincerely believe it is a great opportunity to get early positioning for your book, your poetry or your writing and editing service--even your blog--in what may become a gargantuan search engine in the not-too-distant future.
YOU GET:
Paid to search!
Paid to blog!
Paid to tell friends! (A pro site for free to do so.)
Head-of-the-list advertising guaranteed for you!
$50 in free advertising, just to start!
At NO COST to you!
BigDaddyPays
If you want to advertise your writing talents, your latest works, or just vent your feelings and opinions in your writing--and get paid to do so--here is a site you need to know about. Not only can you get paid to set up a blog (paid in Pay-Per-Click "advertising dollars"), but you can get paid (by the same means) to do searches on their search engine, with which they have boldly stated they intend to eventually rival and beat Google. That remains to be seen, but they certainly do deliver on their promise to pay and you can use the "dollars" to purchase keyword advertising that makes your webpage come to the top of the search list--as a banner ad that can be clicked for a full view of same.
BigDaddyPays
Not bad at all, for a site you can get a free subscription to. Yes, there are other premium services and they appear to be well worth it, too. I wish them well in their efforts to serve their customers and I recommend highly that you get over there, while they are in the startup phase and you benefit the most from telling your friends and family of the opportunity. Imagine if you had gotten into Yahoo or Google when they started--this may be that chance.
BigDaddyPays
Okay, I know this is a site for writers, but here is a tool for writers that only seems to deviate into left field. (Remember, I told you this site will be unconventional, but with a method to the madness.) I sincerely believe it is a great opportunity to get early positioning for your book, your poetry or your writing and editing service--even your blog--in what may become a gargantuan search engine in the not-too-distant future.
YOU GET:
Paid to search!
Paid to blog!
Paid to tell friends! (A pro site for free to do so.)
Head-of-the-list advertising guaranteed for you!
$50 in free advertising, just to start!
At NO COST to you!
BigDaddyPays
If you want to advertise your writing talents, your latest works, or just vent your feelings and opinions in your writing--and get paid to do so--here is a site you need to know about. Not only can you get paid to set up a blog (paid in Pay-Per-Click "advertising dollars"), but you can get paid (by the same means) to do searches on their search engine, with which they have boldly stated they intend to eventually rival and beat Google. That remains to be seen, but they certainly do deliver on their promise to pay and you can use the "dollars" to purchase keyword advertising that makes your webpage come to the top of the search list--as a banner ad that can be clicked for a full view of same.
BigDaddyPays
Not bad at all, for a site you can get a free subscription to. Yes, there are other premium services and they appear to be well worth it, too. I wish them well in their efforts to serve their customers and I recommend highly that you get over there, while they are in the startup phase and you benefit the most from telling your friends and family of the opportunity. Imagine if you had gotten into Yahoo or Google when they started--this may be that chance.
BigDaddyPays
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
A Showcase for Your Work
I have recently found a nice site that is a good beginning showcase for those wanting to display samples of their work. The first 25 pieces are free to list. Give it a look, as this is an easy way to send your friends to a single site that will allow you to be appreciated for your talents. The chance of being seen by other authors is there, too, but in the two weeks that I have had some of my work posted, there have been no responses, so be aware that this could happen to you, as well.
If you would like to try this, at least know that the more places your name and work appear on the internet, the more chance you have of gaining ranks in the search engines, although it is not an easy task, to be sure.
Check out my own example at editred.com/stevengodell/Uploads
If you would like to try this, at least know that the more places your name and work appear on the internet, the more chance you have of gaining ranks in the search engines, although it is not an easy task, to be sure.
Check out my own example at editred.com/stevengodell/Uploads
Sunday, September 24, 2006
You Are Immersed In Great Ideas
What if I were to tell you that you are totally surrounded, fully immersed, nearly drowning in good ideas for stories? You would probably not believe me, but that's okay--I can take it (sniff, sniff...whimper).
Literally every time we need an idea, it may already be right at our fingertips (because "at the tip of our brains" sounds so bizarre--besides, the fingers should be typing or penning anyway, right?). However....even writers get carried away with the worries of everyday life and get distracted from what they want and need to concentrate on. Perhaps it is the next plotline or the fleshing out of a character for their story. It is hard to think of that when you are driving kids to the doctor or shopping for tires or a myriad of other things that demand your attention and are yelling, "me first!" It is not, however, impossible. And, it may in fact be much easier than you think. I have the same shortsightedness quite often and find that the answer is usually close at hand. (It is making the time to actually do the writing that is the hard part.)
Often a story is more believable and interesting precisely because it is lifelike, so what you may need to do is include some things that are a lot like real life--maybe your life. Now, before you gag, just hear me out. The answer to what your characters lack in depth may be staring you right in the face. There are things you may hear of or run into everyday that could be your answer to a new plotline or a twist you need--maybe a whole new character to introduce. For example, I suddenly came up with a brainstorm recently that surprised me by the simplicity (then again, you may think it is just simple-minded). Who would think a story could be inspired by a single-term medical condition, but that is what motivated me. The term? Amnesia. Can you write a story around that concept? Sure. And I think it is a great title, too. I recall Robin Williams starring in a movie in which Robert DeNiro had a severe medical condition through much of the film. And Martin Short was in one where the girl had amnesia. (No, I am not just ripping off the idea. I just now recalled that and it was a comedy, while mine will be a thriller--cut me some slack, okay? Besides, I have about thirty more ideas for plots in mind).
The whole plot for a story could be determined by a disease (epidemic movies), by political conditions (All the Presidents' Men--the original one) or any of a number of things. I guess the whole point is that all we need do is look around us and see the "distractions" themselves as ideas that could have a story built around them. I also have an idea that I want to work on that will be focused around the 'Practical Joke' theme. I think a movie based on it would be a real hoot.
Practice the approach of taking a theme or singular idea and using it as a focal point to construct a short story around. Let's say for a moment that you were the one writing about Practical Joking--who in your story might be the most likely victim? The likely perpetrator? The enablers and the snitches? What would be an appropriate revenge? What lesson is to be learned in all of this silliness? For a change, mix up the usual expectations and stereotypical role assignments of the characters. Let the women be strong and the men cowards and fools. Let the children amaze the community with their wisdom. I recently saw the movie Taxi and listened to the director commentary about halfway through (I can see why he is the director and not the actor) and there was a lot of talk about the role assignment changes and twists to the usual expectations in films. This made it all the more interesting as a film. (Trivia Bit: Did you know that R2D2 and C3PO in the Star Wars films were patterned after Laurel and Hardy? A perfect example of the technique twisted to portray characters and make the inhuman more lifelike, Also, "R2D2" came from 'Reel 2, Dialogue 2' and it stuck).
What you want to do as a writer is to stand out from the crowd and the way you stand out is to be different, daring, bold and unique. Even your treatment of an old subject can be successful if it is fresh. I once heard someone remark that public speaking is "the same old hash--it just depends on the cook". I think the same goes with writing. After all, writing is just public speaking put into a from that lasts longer, is it not? And if you need some inspiration, go to the library and browse the index cards--you may be surprised to find yourself literally immersed in great ideas after all.
Literally every time we need an idea, it may already be right at our fingertips (because "at the tip of our brains" sounds so bizarre--besides, the fingers should be typing or penning anyway, right?). However....even writers get carried away with the worries of everyday life and get distracted from what they want and need to concentrate on. Perhaps it is the next plotline or the fleshing out of a character for their story. It is hard to think of that when you are driving kids to the doctor or shopping for tires or a myriad of other things that demand your attention and are yelling, "me first!" It is not, however, impossible. And, it may in fact be much easier than you think. I have the same shortsightedness quite often and find that the answer is usually close at hand. (It is making the time to actually do the writing that is the hard part.)
Often a story is more believable and interesting precisely because it is lifelike, so what you may need to do is include some things that are a lot like real life--maybe your life. Now, before you gag, just hear me out. The answer to what your characters lack in depth may be staring you right in the face. There are things you may hear of or run into everyday that could be your answer to a new plotline or a twist you need--maybe a whole new character to introduce. For example, I suddenly came up with a brainstorm recently that surprised me by the simplicity (then again, you may think it is just simple-minded). Who would think a story could be inspired by a single-term medical condition, but that is what motivated me. The term? Amnesia. Can you write a story around that concept? Sure. And I think it is a great title, too. I recall Robin Williams starring in a movie in which Robert DeNiro had a severe medical condition through much of the film. And Martin Short was in one where the girl had amnesia. (No, I am not just ripping off the idea. I just now recalled that and it was a comedy, while mine will be a thriller--cut me some slack, okay? Besides, I have about thirty more ideas for plots in mind).
The whole plot for a story could be determined by a disease (epidemic movies), by political conditions (All the Presidents' Men--the original one) or any of a number of things. I guess the whole point is that all we need do is look around us and see the "distractions" themselves as ideas that could have a story built around them. I also have an idea that I want to work on that will be focused around the 'Practical Joke' theme. I think a movie based on it would be a real hoot.
Practice the approach of taking a theme or singular idea and using it as a focal point to construct a short story around. Let's say for a moment that you were the one writing about Practical Joking--who in your story might be the most likely victim? The likely perpetrator? The enablers and the snitches? What would be an appropriate revenge? What lesson is to be learned in all of this silliness? For a change, mix up the usual expectations and stereotypical role assignments of the characters. Let the women be strong and the men cowards and fools. Let the children amaze the community with their wisdom. I recently saw the movie Taxi and listened to the director commentary about halfway through (I can see why he is the director and not the actor) and there was a lot of talk about the role assignment changes and twists to the usual expectations in films. This made it all the more interesting as a film. (Trivia Bit: Did you know that R2D2 and C3PO in the Star Wars films were patterned after Laurel and Hardy? A perfect example of the technique twisted to portray characters and make the inhuman more lifelike, Also, "R2D2" came from 'Reel 2, Dialogue 2' and it stuck).
What you want to do as a writer is to stand out from the crowd and the way you stand out is to be different, daring, bold and unique. Even your treatment of an old subject can be successful if it is fresh. I once heard someone remark that public speaking is "the same old hash--it just depends on the cook". I think the same goes with writing. After all, writing is just public speaking put into a from that lasts longer, is it not? And if you need some inspiration, go to the library and browse the index cards--you may be surprised to find yourself literally immersed in great ideas after all.
Writing That First Novel
Excellent article and advice from Robison Wells in his posting at latterdayauthors.com. How to approach the task...er, wonders of that first novel.
Lyric Writing
Over the years before I ventured into novels and novellas, I have been writing lyrics and poetry. My love for music in general and modern popular music specifically, has always been strong. Every now and then I start writing lyrics out of nowhere. One day it may be a country song, the next day a heavy metal rock song. I have even written a libretto for a stage play based on the Biblical book of Esther. How is that for variety? It even surprises me at times. I will try to cover a bit of that art now and then, but first an example of how bizarre my lyrical subjects can get. This one came, not because of a foul mood, as one might suspect from reading the words, but just out of nowhere, as they often do for me. A commentary on the nature of humanity in general, I guess. Feel free to comment on them yourself.
(When You) Act Your Rage--(C) 2005 Steven G. O'Dell
V.1
See--the air is turning red. I cannot got to bed. The anger lives inside of me.
Freed--the rage becomes a flood. I'm only wanting blood. Your hating cannot hide from me.
Br.
I can't tell how these feelings have come to me.
I can only know that they're crushing me.
V.2
Die--I only love myself. I cannot feel your help. Your pity cannot make me see.
Cry--There's nothing left to do. I have no use for you. The anger lives inside of me.
CH.
Nothing good can come of it, when you act your rage.
There is just no benefit and nothing's saved.
Nothing good can come of it.
You'll only reap regret from it.
Nothing good can come of it--when you act your rage.
Repeat Br.
V.3
Squeeze--my life is in your hand. Please make me understand--the anger that's consuming me.
Freeze--the coldness in my heart is where I have to start. It's killing all that's good in me.
Repeat CH.
When you act your rage!
Act your rage!
When you act your rage!
Act your rage!
When you act your ra-a-a-a-a-ge!!!
(When You) Act Your Rage--(C) 2005 Steven G. O'Dell
V.1
See--the air is turning red. I cannot got to bed. The anger lives inside of me.
Freed--the rage becomes a flood. I'm only wanting blood. Your hating cannot hide from me.
Br.
I can't tell how these feelings have come to me.
I can only know that they're crushing me.
V.2
Die--I only love myself. I cannot feel your help. Your pity cannot make me see.
Cry--There's nothing left to do. I have no use for you. The anger lives inside of me.
CH.
Nothing good can come of it, when you act your rage.
There is just no benefit and nothing's saved.
Nothing good can come of it.
You'll only reap regret from it.
Nothing good can come of it--when you act your rage.
Repeat Br.
V.3
Squeeze--my life is in your hand. Please make me understand--the anger that's consuming me.
Freeze--the coldness in my heart is where I have to start. It's killing all that's good in me.
Repeat CH.
When you act your rage!
Act your rage!
When you act your rage!
Act your rage!
When you act your ra-a-a-a-a-ge!!!
Saturday, September 23, 2006
Sage Advice for Aspiring Writers
For an excellent article on advice to aspiring writers, check this link to author Joan Hall Hovey. Very sage advice that I can recommend highly.
http://www.angelfire.com/ca3/joanhallhovey/note.html
http://www.angelfire.com/ca3/joanhallhovey/note.html
Writing Humor
Humor is a part of life for us all. It is the oil that makes the machinery move without seizing up (and you thought it was money that did that!). We all know someone or something that makes us laugh. Why does it do that? Hard to say, as every one of us is different and we all see things differently. There are people who think Will Farrell is absolutely hilarious. I personally find him annoying. Then again, I like the Marx Brothers and more than one person has lifted an eyebrow to that revelation (no, you aren't the first). The fact is that humor is entirely subjective, as is any other type of writing.
Okay, then what makes one thing funny and another not? YOU do. No, really! Or the stimulus may be a trigger to a memory that seemingly comes rushing back out of nowhere (every time I see Dr. Pepper, I laugh, as I think of my wife calling it "carbonated prune juice"). Or it is from an out-of-place event that makes you laugh because of the juxtaposition of it all (look that one up in the right hand column, under dictionaries). Example? A man on horseback in the drive-through window at the local burger joint (maybe you grew up where this was a common event, but I didn't, so I laughed the first time I saw it). Another example--irony. When I was on my mission, I was snickering aloud at the names of some of the Canadian cities in the province I was assigned to--Moose Jaw, Moose Factory, etc. My companion, from British Columbia, asked where I was from and when I told him Mishawaka, he started laughing, too. Touche'. I deserved it and never forgot. Then, too, I laugh when I think of HIM, because he seemed so prim and proper, saying that "puns are the lowest form of humor" and then he played a tape of him and a friend playing telephone pranks a few years earlier. Do you see the humor in this as I did? He missed it, which made it even funnier.
Movies can be funny. Something really funny is when my wife tells me she thought it funnier to hear her family discussing a movie and laughing over it--then when she saw it, she thought, "THIS is what they were talking about? THIS isn't funny!"
Who knows why, but passing gas is funny (only in the right environment--meaning "not where it could embarrass you and your loved ones. A quiet library or in study hall is hilarious. After relieving yourself, just don't slap a quarter on the desk of the person behind you and exclaim, "I've got to hand it to you--I didn't think you would do it"). Once, when our oldest was very small, my wife and I were discussing it and our son piped up, "That's 'gusting!" And he was right, in both ways. Enough said. This may be another entirely subjective matter, after all. Feel free to move on. (Wait, did I just make a Freudian slip, as well?)
Unintentional humor is hilarious. Context dependant comments made subliminally. Okay, let me give an example. My wife has an unusual talent. She is highly suggestible, so it makes for some interesting and roll-on-the-floor episodes. For example, when I awoke one morning I had a bit of trouble with my equilibrium and commented that I was bouncing off the walls and walking like a drunk man. Her response? "I'm inclined to agree." Priceless! And funnier yet, she doesn't know she's done it until we all start laughing. On another occasion we were discussing the music of John Denver, a favorite of hers. Because of his untimely death and her love for his music (and our kids' liking for other types of music) she felt she must defend him, so she stated that his music was really good, but " personally, he just went off the deep end". Never mind the late hour--I am sure we woke everyone in the campground that night. My sides were hurting and I was nearly helpless for several minutes. And she kept asking, "What's so funny about that?"--which only extended the moment of helplessness for me. She is so good at this, I admire her for it. When the boys were once discussing projectile vomiting (hey, it's fascinating, okay?), she came in and asked, "Who brought THAT up?" [If you aren't laughing by now, you have no sense of humor at all.]
The obvious can be funny, if told right, because it is so typical (and stereotypical), perhaps. The absolutely ridiculous can be funny--something that will never happen, but would be quite humorous if it did. You can picture it as if it did happen and you laugh. Laughing can be funny to another person. Red Skelton was famous for laughing at his own jokes, even before he could get them out. The audience sometimes never got to hear the joke, because he was laughing too hard to tell it, but they laughed, too, just because it was so infectious. And sometimes when he did manage to get the joke out, it wasn't that funny, which made you laugh because HE thought it was and had such a hard time getting it out.
And speaking of the ridiculous, parodies can be funny. I have written a few below (I was inspired by the Jeff Foxworthy redneck line of jokes). Do you see any humor in them? Write some of your own--just for laughs--**snicker**.
WARNING! This humor approaches bizarre.
YOU MAY BE ACCIDENT PRONE IF...
You've ever fallen out of a pair of shoes.
Your bruises heal up and friends ask, "What happened to you?"
You have callouses on the side of your head.
You can fall upstairs.
People have tried to attach training wheels to you.
You once got a cell phone caught in your ear.
You get personally offended at slapstick comedy.
You know people around you are taking bets, but won't tell you why.
You get hurt while climbing the wheel-chair ramp.
You've ever cut yourself with a butter knife.
Standing up makes you very nervous.
Your standing up makes others very nervous.
You won't use a pencil sharpener because "mechanical things" scare you.
Others clear a room to "wait until you are finished with it."
The hospital has a welcome mat with your name on it.
The Guiness Book people have called you "because you are famous."
You are Evel Kneivel's hero.
Scientists want to study you and are willing to pay handsomely.
You have been hit by more than three meteorites...this month alone.
You have a permanent asphalt tattoo on your forehead.
Any sudden movements, like waving, makes others cringe.
You think using a file cabinet should be "left to the experts".
If mail addressed to your house is prefaced with, "Keep out of reach of..." and bears your name.
Your closest friends have had a special walker made for you, "just like the ones toddlers use, only bigger."
You're thinking of volunteering for a cloning project.
You've ever crossed your fingers because it was less noticable that way.
You have a "permanent wave" in your skull.
Inanimate objects seek to move out of your way.
The words "I'm going to..." meet with peals of laughter.
If everything in your house is decorated in early Nerf.
Your "train of thought" has ever resulted in a wreck.
You cut your finger on a string while practicing "air guitar".
Dinner forks make you break out in hives and give you hiccups.
You've ever had a tea cup removed from your esophagus.
A new wing at the hospital may soon bear your name, though you don't recall contributing anything.
You are the poster child for any medical organization.
Paramedics thank you for making their early retirements possible.
You get Christmas cards from Johnson & Johnson.
You refer to common sewing repairs as sutures.
You've been made an honorary lab rat.
You change a tire and can't pull your hand free without removing lug nuts.
You've been named the Ninth Wonder of the World.
You've ever pursed your lips and couldn't un-purse them.
You were told to "zip your lip" and got it caught in the zipper.
The mere act of waking up causes nosebleeds.
You discover you have several new wounds upon waking up.
And last, but not least, a definite sign: If you've ever gotten hurt while changing your mind, you may indeed be accident prone.
YOU MAY BE A LOUSY COOK IF...
Your dog starts howling each time you move toward the kitchen.
Your children really believe there is such a thing as the Charcoal Lover's Pizza.
You are always the "guest of honor" at all the church potluck dinners and as such have "no need to cook".
You think of beans and franks as exotic cuisine.
You make two kinds of Jello--smooth or crunchy.
Your biscuits are heavy as lead, but they won't go down.
A food fight with your cooking causes life-threatening injuries.
If you start hearing things like, "No thanks, I ate just yesterday."
If a new meal is greeted with, "Leftovers again?"
Your guests ask you to identify which are the peas and which are the carrots.
Your children start following dinner with ipecac and epinephrine chasers.
Several neighborhood dogs have died of mysterious circumstances.
Dry heaves are just a part of your life.
You've ever bought Pepto Bismol in the handy 5 gallon size.
Your family doctor has a stomach pump with your family crest on it.
Your dinner table has ever been quarantined and you were banished from the kitchen for extended periods.
Your family invented anorexia and bulimia.
More than seven of your favorite recipes use Ramen as the main ingredient.
The Surgeon General and several FDA officials are on a first name basis with you.
The World Health Organization and the Center for Disease Control have adopted your family.
If Saddam Hussein ever asked you for your recipes.
Alka-Seltzer is considered a dessert in your home.
The makers of Raid, Black Flag and Roach-Prufe have all offered to buy you out.
Tour bus occupants drive by, slow down, point and shake heads, but never stop.
That "spontaneous picket fence" around your house is made entirely of handmade crosses, donated by anonymous caring individuals.
Your meat balls, when fired at high velocities, have been demonstrated to kill vampires.
A new and unusual syndrome has been dubbed in your honor.
If Anyone eating your home-made bread has ever broken a tooth or fractured a jaw.
Portland Cement Company has identified three new molecular structures in your biscuits.
Your dinner rolls may have newfound applications in rail gun and particle accelerator technologies.
The Department of Defense has classified your cooking as Top Secret in the interest of national security.
Your kitchen has ever been lovingly referred to as Ground Zero.
If your waste-basket or garbage disposal ever threw up.
The mere thought of "eating in" causes spontaneous diahrrea and vomiting in your family members.
If you find that cooking is the quickest and most effective threat you can make.
Your pancakes are often mistaken for the plate.
Your husband asks for more pancakes just before he goes skeet shooting.
Your children are caught skipping your pancakes across the lake and several ducks are hurt.
You discover your kids stacking your homemade cupcakes and running for cover when they begin to tilt.
The baby begins crying when you ask if anyone is hungry.
The fumes from your cooked cabbage can peel paint...at a distance of three blocks.
The FDA has asked you to attach a warning label to all your concoctions.
You've inspired Hollywood producers to consider a new approach to the Lethal Weapon series of films, but Mel Gibson and Danny Glover are afraid to star in it.
Your Peanut Butter/Tuna Noodle Surprise brought the house down--literally.
Your kitchen has been listed as a Superfund Cleanup site.
And a huge indication to consider: If shoe repairmen use your waffles because they last longer than synthetic soles, you may indeed be a lousy cook.
YOU MAY BE A HEAVY DRINKER IF...
You've ever awakened in the morning with "carpet face".
You don't recall your shoes being that color a moment ago.
Everywhere you go is uphill.
Close friends wear raincoats on sunny days.
You spend more than one minute digging for your car keys before you realize boxer shorts have no pocket.
You don't recall the door being there when you came in.
It has taken you more than 1 minute to find the door.
You've ever put your shoes on backward and it felt right.
Even the dog hides your car keys.
You're glad you drove because you were in no shape to have walked.
Your head is in the toilet more than your backside.
You ever tried to bum a dollar from a cop or a parking meter.
Just hearing the word "medicinal" makes you thirsty.
You ever answered a hiccup with, "I'll drink to that".
You've ever gone after more beer on your riding lawn mower.
You've ever tried to climb over a sidewalk.
If your idea of a balanced diet is a beer in each hand.
If you dress like the Michelin Man for safety reasons.
You conclude that you must have had a good time, because you can't remember a thing.
If you ever had more than one beer cap removed from a single body part.
If gravitational anomalies seem to focus around you in particular.
If someone burps and you holler, "Another round!"
If you've ever screamed, "Stop! Let me off!" while in a prone position.
You consider a day without alcohol to be "fasting".
You think of alcoholic drinks as 'staples'.
If you stargaze a lot during daylight hours.
You've ever tried to answer the phone and don't have one.
If you can name more local bars than Presidents.
If you don't like water because fish swim in it.
You've ever tried to put a drink coaster in your CD player.
You and your drinking buddies think you may have decoded the TV test pattern.
If you have ever had a "good conversation' with your dog.
If you have ever wondered why you can't get the fishing channel on the microwave.
If you ever hit the bottom stair and just kept going.
If the only thing on your Christmas list is beer.
You think Smith and Wesson is a new distillery.
If using the doggie door is easier than finding your keys.
If, when pulled over by a cop, you've ever said, "Oooh, look at the pretty lights...."
You've ever ordered another drink while wondering if you have a drinking problem.
And the biggest indicator of all--if you've ever set your hand on fire while blowing out a match, you may indeed be a heavy drinker.
Okay, then what makes one thing funny and another not? YOU do. No, really! Or the stimulus may be a trigger to a memory that seemingly comes rushing back out of nowhere (every time I see Dr. Pepper, I laugh, as I think of my wife calling it "carbonated prune juice"). Or it is from an out-of-place event that makes you laugh because of the juxtaposition of it all (look that one up in the right hand column, under dictionaries). Example? A man on horseback in the drive-through window at the local burger joint (maybe you grew up where this was a common event, but I didn't, so I laughed the first time I saw it). Another example--irony. When I was on my mission, I was snickering aloud at the names of some of the Canadian cities in the province I was assigned to--Moose Jaw, Moose Factory, etc. My companion, from British Columbia, asked where I was from and when I told him Mishawaka, he started laughing, too. Touche'. I deserved it and never forgot. Then, too, I laugh when I think of HIM, because he seemed so prim and proper, saying that "puns are the lowest form of humor" and then he played a tape of him and a friend playing telephone pranks a few years earlier. Do you see the humor in this as I did? He missed it, which made it even funnier.
Movies can be funny. Something really funny is when my wife tells me she thought it funnier to hear her family discussing a movie and laughing over it--then when she saw it, she thought, "THIS is what they were talking about? THIS isn't funny!"
Who knows why, but passing gas is funny (only in the right environment--meaning "not where it could embarrass you and your loved ones. A quiet library or in study hall is hilarious. After relieving yourself, just don't slap a quarter on the desk of the person behind you and exclaim, "I've got to hand it to you--I didn't think you would do it"). Once, when our oldest was very small, my wife and I were discussing it and our son piped up, "That's 'gusting!" And he was right, in both ways. Enough said. This may be another entirely subjective matter, after all. Feel free to move on. (Wait, did I just make a Freudian slip, as well?)
Unintentional humor is hilarious. Context dependant comments made subliminally. Okay, let me give an example. My wife has an unusual talent. She is highly suggestible, so it makes for some interesting and roll-on-the-floor episodes. For example, when I awoke one morning I had a bit of trouble with my equilibrium and commented that I was bouncing off the walls and walking like a drunk man. Her response? "I'm inclined to agree." Priceless! And funnier yet, she doesn't know she's done it until we all start laughing. On another occasion we were discussing the music of John Denver, a favorite of hers. Because of his untimely death and her love for his music (and our kids' liking for other types of music) she felt she must defend him, so she stated that his music was really good, but " personally, he just went off the deep end". Never mind the late hour--I am sure we woke everyone in the campground that night. My sides were hurting and I was nearly helpless for several minutes. And she kept asking, "What's so funny about that?"--which only extended the moment of helplessness for me. She is so good at this, I admire her for it. When the boys were once discussing projectile vomiting (hey, it's fascinating, okay?), she came in and asked, "Who brought THAT up?" [If you aren't laughing by now, you have no sense of humor at all.]
The obvious can be funny, if told right, because it is so typical (and stereotypical), perhaps. The absolutely ridiculous can be funny--something that will never happen, but would be quite humorous if it did. You can picture it as if it did happen and you laugh. Laughing can be funny to another person. Red Skelton was famous for laughing at his own jokes, even before he could get them out. The audience sometimes never got to hear the joke, because he was laughing too hard to tell it, but they laughed, too, just because it was so infectious. And sometimes when he did manage to get the joke out, it wasn't that funny, which made you laugh because HE thought it was and had such a hard time getting it out.
And speaking of the ridiculous, parodies can be funny. I have written a few below (I was inspired by the Jeff Foxworthy redneck line of jokes). Do you see any humor in them? Write some of your own--just for laughs--**snicker**.
WARNING! This humor approaches bizarre.
YOU MAY BE ACCIDENT PRONE IF...
You've ever fallen out of a pair of shoes.
Your bruises heal up and friends ask, "What happened to you?"
You have callouses on the side of your head.
You can fall upstairs.
People have tried to attach training wheels to you.
You once got a cell phone caught in your ear.
You get personally offended at slapstick comedy.
You know people around you are taking bets, but won't tell you why.
You get hurt while climbing the wheel-chair ramp.
You've ever cut yourself with a butter knife.
Standing up makes you very nervous.
Your standing up makes others very nervous.
You won't use a pencil sharpener because "mechanical things" scare you.
Others clear a room to "wait until you are finished with it."
The hospital has a welcome mat with your name on it.
The Guiness Book people have called you "because you are famous."
You are Evel Kneivel's hero.
Scientists want to study you and are willing to pay handsomely.
You have been hit by more than three meteorites...this month alone.
You have a permanent asphalt tattoo on your forehead.
Any sudden movements, like waving, makes others cringe.
You think using a file cabinet should be "left to the experts".
If mail addressed to your house is prefaced with, "Keep out of reach of..." and bears your name.
Your closest friends have had a special walker made for you, "just like the ones toddlers use, only bigger."
You're thinking of volunteering for a cloning project.
You've ever crossed your fingers because it was less noticable that way.
You have a "permanent wave" in your skull.
Inanimate objects seek to move out of your way.
The words "I'm going to..." meet with peals of laughter.
If everything in your house is decorated in early Nerf.
Your "train of thought" has ever resulted in a wreck.
You cut your finger on a string while practicing "air guitar".
Dinner forks make you break out in hives and give you hiccups.
You've ever had a tea cup removed from your esophagus.
A new wing at the hospital may soon bear your name, though you don't recall contributing anything.
You are the poster child for any medical organization.
Paramedics thank you for making their early retirements possible.
You get Christmas cards from Johnson & Johnson.
You refer to common sewing repairs as sutures.
You've been made an honorary lab rat.
You change a tire and can't pull your hand free without removing lug nuts.
You've been named the Ninth Wonder of the World.
You've ever pursed your lips and couldn't un-purse them.
You were told to "zip your lip" and got it caught in the zipper.
The mere act of waking up causes nosebleeds.
You discover you have several new wounds upon waking up.
And last, but not least, a definite sign: If you've ever gotten hurt while changing your mind, you may indeed be accident prone.
YOU MAY BE A LOUSY COOK IF...
Your dog starts howling each time you move toward the kitchen.
Your children really believe there is such a thing as the Charcoal Lover's Pizza.
You are always the "guest of honor" at all the church potluck dinners and as such have "no need to cook".
You think of beans and franks as exotic cuisine.
You make two kinds of Jello--smooth or crunchy.
Your biscuits are heavy as lead, but they won't go down.
A food fight with your cooking causes life-threatening injuries.
If you start hearing things like, "No thanks, I ate just yesterday."
If a new meal is greeted with, "Leftovers again?"
Your guests ask you to identify which are the peas and which are the carrots.
Your children start following dinner with ipecac and epinephrine chasers.
Several neighborhood dogs have died of mysterious circumstances.
Dry heaves are just a part of your life.
You've ever bought Pepto Bismol in the handy 5 gallon size.
Your family doctor has a stomach pump with your family crest on it.
Your dinner table has ever been quarantined and you were banished from the kitchen for extended periods.
Your family invented anorexia and bulimia.
More than seven of your favorite recipes use Ramen as the main ingredient.
The Surgeon General and several FDA officials are on a first name basis with you.
The World Health Organization and the Center for Disease Control have adopted your family.
If Saddam Hussein ever asked you for your recipes.
Alka-Seltzer is considered a dessert in your home.
The makers of Raid, Black Flag and Roach-Prufe have all offered to buy you out.
Tour bus occupants drive by, slow down, point and shake heads, but never stop.
That "spontaneous picket fence" around your house is made entirely of handmade crosses, donated by anonymous caring individuals.
Your meat balls, when fired at high velocities, have been demonstrated to kill vampires.
A new and unusual syndrome has been dubbed in your honor.
If Anyone eating your home-made bread has ever broken a tooth or fractured a jaw.
Portland Cement Company has identified three new molecular structures in your biscuits.
Your dinner rolls may have newfound applications in rail gun and particle accelerator technologies.
The Department of Defense has classified your cooking as Top Secret in the interest of national security.
Your kitchen has ever been lovingly referred to as Ground Zero.
If your waste-basket or garbage disposal ever threw up.
The mere thought of "eating in" causes spontaneous diahrrea and vomiting in your family members.
If you find that cooking is the quickest and most effective threat you can make.
Your pancakes are often mistaken for the plate.
Your husband asks for more pancakes just before he goes skeet shooting.
Your children are caught skipping your pancakes across the lake and several ducks are hurt.
You discover your kids stacking your homemade cupcakes and running for cover when they begin to tilt.
The baby begins crying when you ask if anyone is hungry.
The fumes from your cooked cabbage can peel paint...at a distance of three blocks.
The FDA has asked you to attach a warning label to all your concoctions.
You've inspired Hollywood producers to consider a new approach to the Lethal Weapon series of films, but Mel Gibson and Danny Glover are afraid to star in it.
Your Peanut Butter/Tuna Noodle Surprise brought the house down--literally.
Your kitchen has been listed as a Superfund Cleanup site.
And a huge indication to consider: If shoe repairmen use your waffles because they last longer than synthetic soles, you may indeed be a lousy cook.
YOU MAY BE A HEAVY DRINKER IF...
You've ever awakened in the morning with "carpet face".
You don't recall your shoes being that color a moment ago.
Everywhere you go is uphill.
Close friends wear raincoats on sunny days.
You spend more than one minute digging for your car keys before you realize boxer shorts have no pocket.
You don't recall the door being there when you came in.
It has taken you more than 1 minute to find the door.
You've ever put your shoes on backward and it felt right.
Even the dog hides your car keys.
You're glad you drove because you were in no shape to have walked.
Your head is in the toilet more than your backside.
You ever tried to bum a dollar from a cop or a parking meter.
Just hearing the word "medicinal" makes you thirsty.
You ever answered a hiccup with, "I'll drink to that".
You've ever gone after more beer on your riding lawn mower.
You've ever tried to climb over a sidewalk.
If your idea of a balanced diet is a beer in each hand.
If you dress like the Michelin Man for safety reasons.
You conclude that you must have had a good time, because you can't remember a thing.
If you ever had more than one beer cap removed from a single body part.
If gravitational anomalies seem to focus around you in particular.
If someone burps and you holler, "Another round!"
If you've ever screamed, "Stop! Let me off!" while in a prone position.
You consider a day without alcohol to be "fasting".
You think of alcoholic drinks as 'staples'.
If you stargaze a lot during daylight hours.
You've ever tried to answer the phone and don't have one.
If you can name more local bars than Presidents.
If you don't like water because fish swim in it.
You've ever tried to put a drink coaster in your CD player.
You and your drinking buddies think you may have decoded the TV test pattern.
If you have ever had a "good conversation' with your dog.
If you have ever wondered why you can't get the fishing channel on the microwave.
If you ever hit the bottom stair and just kept going.
If the only thing on your Christmas list is beer.
You think Smith and Wesson is a new distillery.
If using the doggie door is easier than finding your keys.
If, when pulled over by a cop, you've ever said, "Oooh, look at the pretty lights...."
You've ever ordered another drink while wondering if you have a drinking problem.
And the biggest indicator of all--if you've ever set your hand on fire while blowing out a match, you may indeed be a heavy drinker.
Evil Revisited
Regarding how to portray evil--I really think it is a balancing act to pull a reader into a story and to sufficiently stimulate the readers' imagination to 'see' the evil in a character without it becoming truly offensive.
One recent post I read elsewhere and on a different subject had to do with what the writer called the "tipping point". This is a point at which very little effort is needed to send the balance one way or another. As an author, I try to find that point (and now I have a name for it, thanks to this man) in my storyline and portrayal of events and persons. By not stepping over the edge as an author, the reader is free to choose how far and in which direction he or she wishes to carry the intended portrayal, if you understand my meaning. Just as certain types of music will paint a picture in your mind, the readers need the freedom to view their own pictures on the video screen of their minds, not have the pictures thrust upon them.
Imagination is a powerful thing and we have to remember that the reader is not just an audience, but a vital link in the effective telling of a story. As an author, I experienced that aspect firsthand in writing my Shining Armor series. I took 'dictation', if you will, and 'saw' the pictures in my own mind, experiencing them as would any of my readers. They may see slightly different surroundings than I envisioned, but that is what makes it a personal experience to them. Nevertheless, I was able to identify with the reader because I, too, was never sure what was going to happen next, until it did. The goal, to me, is to never rob the reader of participation in the story. They are not just observers, if we treat them right--they are THERE.
The actual title to this should be something more like How to Write a Villain Into Your Story Without Becoming One in the Process. Writing is often a balancing act. You must tell enough to keep the reader interested without giving away the plot line too soon. Your characters must be touchable, human and believable. At times they must seem almost superhuman or super evil, while remaining believable. That is where the tight rope walking comes into play.
What makes a good villain? (Now there is an oxymoron, if ever there was one!) What makes a villain memorable to a reader? What would make a person want to continue reading? Often the only incentive to read on may be that the reader has a sense of justice that makes him or her want a valid punishment for the trouble-maker in the story. Not that your other characters can be lackluster, but the villain, if portrayed effectively, can be a huge part of what carries the story. Tension and opposition are a part of life and add to the thrill of a good read.
While I was writing Shining Armor, the character of Ted Randall seemed to take a route all his own. He came to life in such a way that he began to "tell" me who and what he was and I wrote it down as I "watched" the play unfold. Ted was not just a jealous boyfriend. He was not just an abusive, spoiled child in a mans' body. He was the very embodiment of evil--unpredictable to the extreme, mentally unstable and capable of doing great harm while taking deep pleasure in the act. His persistence was absolutely frightening in scope, but almost admirable, in a strange sort of way. He just would not give up. Where other men would take a hint and weigh the pros and cons, Ted did not. It was all about him, all about winning, all about revenge if it came to that. He did not quit until his goal was reached--ever--and by whatever means was deemed necessary. It was this singleness of sight and his belief that he was always right that made him so formidable a threat to the safety of Ron and Denise in the story. The reader wants Ted to get his due come-uppance, without any doubt. At the same time, the reader cannot wait to see what he will do next. Ted is a fascinating character, due in great part to the fact that he is so evil. If Ted were to expire from the story too soon, the story would be anti-climactic. If he were to win totally and unquestionably, the story would be a disappointment also. Again, the balancing act. An equitable answer must be found to the dilemma.
Ted was the kind to push his weight around and bully others, something Denise Payton does not discover until she is already in a relationship with him. He is the type to be dangerously jealous, which she also determines later. He does not tolerate losing, even to a family member, as they are soon to find out. This in no way implies he is stupid, for he is very clever and insightful in his own warped way. He uses people to his own ends and says what he pleases, when he pleases. This was a point of discovery for me as a writer--how to give the impression of foul language without actually using the language that would make the book objectionable to the reader (and to the author). What I did was what many others have had to resort to--description instead of dialogue. This was followed by a stream of blue invective that shook the diner from one end to the other--or some such treatment. The reader may wonder why the invective is blue, or even what invective is, but the words seem to suggest that whatever he did was not nice and upset everyone within earshot. The implication is there and that is usually far more effective than the language itself.
Ted is not your average bully, either. He has no self-esteem problems in the normal sense of the word. If anything, he has too much self-esteem and none for his peers. He does not cower when pressure is put on him by others, though he may bide his time and wait for the appropriate opportunity to act. He sees this as a challenge to his own authority. One cannot help but wonder what miracles this man could accomplish if only he would harness this intense power for good.
Another aspect of portraying a villain is how to appropriately illustrate the violence he may do, without the description becoming too gory or objectionable to the reader. I truly believe that a major part of any authors' story has to be allowing the reader liberty to use his imagination to the maximum possible extent. An active imagination is what allows the writer to do the story in the first place. Why would not an active imagination be essential to the reader as well? It is the vital connection that the author and the audience have in common. You have no movie screen to place your cinematography on, except the readers' mind alone. You have no soundtrack that can allow the reader to hear the crush of leaves as the villain chases the woman into the dark woods. The reader supplies this and more. The reader is (and must be) an active participant in the unfolding of the tale. If you don't believe this fully and firmly, you will never get the reaction you want from your audience. The reader will always wonder where it is you are trying to go with this work. I think that is why I always had a problem with the writings of Charles Dickens. He wrote for the stage director and the manager in charge of props and costumes, but he never wrote for me. By way of comparison, Edgar Rice Burroughs fast became my favorite author at an early point in my development as a consumer of novels. He utilized all the most effective techniques, such as cliffhangers, parallel stories, etc. The difference between him and Dickens was that he was not so hung up on the peripheral and useless details that he forgot to tell the story and let me supply my own imagination. (In all fairness to Dickens, he wrote at a time when authors were paid by the word, hence the incentive to be wordy).
I think that is about all for now. Experiment in your own way with these suggestions. You may be an author and use them firsthand, or you may be a reader and have just been made aware that this is the process that was taking place in your own reading. Either way, have fun--and good imagination to you!
One recent post I read elsewhere and on a different subject had to do with what the writer called the "tipping point". This is a point at which very little effort is needed to send the balance one way or another. As an author, I try to find that point (and now I have a name for it, thanks to this man) in my storyline and portrayal of events and persons. By not stepping over the edge as an author, the reader is free to choose how far and in which direction he or she wishes to carry the intended portrayal, if you understand my meaning. Just as certain types of music will paint a picture in your mind, the readers need the freedom to view their own pictures on the video screen of their minds, not have the pictures thrust upon them.
Imagination is a powerful thing and we have to remember that the reader is not just an audience, but a vital link in the effective telling of a story. As an author, I experienced that aspect firsthand in writing my Shining Armor series. I took 'dictation', if you will, and 'saw' the pictures in my own mind, experiencing them as would any of my readers. They may see slightly different surroundings than I envisioned, but that is what makes it a personal experience to them. Nevertheless, I was able to identify with the reader because I, too, was never sure what was going to happen next, until it did. The goal, to me, is to never rob the reader of participation in the story. They are not just observers, if we treat them right--they are THERE.
The actual title to this should be something more like How to Write a Villain Into Your Story Without Becoming One in the Process. Writing is often a balancing act. You must tell enough to keep the reader interested without giving away the plot line too soon. Your characters must be touchable, human and believable. At times they must seem almost superhuman or super evil, while remaining believable. That is where the tight rope walking comes into play.
What makes a good villain? (Now there is an oxymoron, if ever there was one!) What makes a villain memorable to a reader? What would make a person want to continue reading? Often the only incentive to read on may be that the reader has a sense of justice that makes him or her want a valid punishment for the trouble-maker in the story. Not that your other characters can be lackluster, but the villain, if portrayed effectively, can be a huge part of what carries the story. Tension and opposition are a part of life and add to the thrill of a good read.
While I was writing Shining Armor, the character of Ted Randall seemed to take a route all his own. He came to life in such a way that he began to "tell" me who and what he was and I wrote it down as I "watched" the play unfold. Ted was not just a jealous boyfriend. He was not just an abusive, spoiled child in a mans' body. He was the very embodiment of evil--unpredictable to the extreme, mentally unstable and capable of doing great harm while taking deep pleasure in the act. His persistence was absolutely frightening in scope, but almost admirable, in a strange sort of way. He just would not give up. Where other men would take a hint and weigh the pros and cons, Ted did not. It was all about him, all about winning, all about revenge if it came to that. He did not quit until his goal was reached--ever--and by whatever means was deemed necessary. It was this singleness of sight and his belief that he was always right that made him so formidable a threat to the safety of Ron and Denise in the story. The reader wants Ted to get his due come-uppance, without any doubt. At the same time, the reader cannot wait to see what he will do next. Ted is a fascinating character, due in great part to the fact that he is so evil. If Ted were to expire from the story too soon, the story would be anti-climactic. If he were to win totally and unquestionably, the story would be a disappointment also. Again, the balancing act. An equitable answer must be found to the dilemma.
Ted was the kind to push his weight around and bully others, something Denise Payton does not discover until she is already in a relationship with him. He is the type to be dangerously jealous, which she also determines later. He does not tolerate losing, even to a family member, as they are soon to find out. This in no way implies he is stupid, for he is very clever and insightful in his own warped way. He uses people to his own ends and says what he pleases, when he pleases. This was a point of discovery for me as a writer--how to give the impression of foul language without actually using the language that would make the book objectionable to the reader (and to the author). What I did was what many others have had to resort to--description instead of dialogue. This was followed by a stream of blue invective that shook the diner from one end to the other--or some such treatment. The reader may wonder why the invective is blue, or even what invective is, but the words seem to suggest that whatever he did was not nice and upset everyone within earshot. The implication is there and that is usually far more effective than the language itself.
Ted is not your average bully, either. He has no self-esteem problems in the normal sense of the word. If anything, he has too much self-esteem and none for his peers. He does not cower when pressure is put on him by others, though he may bide his time and wait for the appropriate opportunity to act. He sees this as a challenge to his own authority. One cannot help but wonder what miracles this man could accomplish if only he would harness this intense power for good.
Another aspect of portraying a villain is how to appropriately illustrate the violence he may do, without the description becoming too gory or objectionable to the reader. I truly believe that a major part of any authors' story has to be allowing the reader liberty to use his imagination to the maximum possible extent. An active imagination is what allows the writer to do the story in the first place. Why would not an active imagination be essential to the reader as well? It is the vital connection that the author and the audience have in common. You have no movie screen to place your cinematography on, except the readers' mind alone. You have no soundtrack that can allow the reader to hear the crush of leaves as the villain chases the woman into the dark woods. The reader supplies this and more. The reader is (and must be) an active participant in the unfolding of the tale. If you don't believe this fully and firmly, you will never get the reaction you want from your audience. The reader will always wonder where it is you are trying to go with this work. I think that is why I always had a problem with the writings of Charles Dickens. He wrote for the stage director and the manager in charge of props and costumes, but he never wrote for me. By way of comparison, Edgar Rice Burroughs fast became my favorite author at an early point in my development as a consumer of novels. He utilized all the most effective techniques, such as cliffhangers, parallel stories, etc. The difference between him and Dickens was that he was not so hung up on the peripheral and useless details that he forgot to tell the story and let me supply my own imagination. (In all fairness to Dickens, he wrote at a time when authors were paid by the word, hence the incentive to be wordy).
I think that is about all for now. Experiment in your own way with these suggestions. You may be an author and use them firsthand, or you may be a reader and have just been made aware that this is the process that was taking place in your own reading. Either way, have fun--and good imagination to you!
Standing Out From The Crowd
Every year there are thousands of songs written (and recorded), thousands of books written (and published) and thousands upon thousands of other things that are the same as everyone else is doing, ad infinitum. It is easy to get lost in the shuffle. But it is not impossible to get to the top and be seen.
What makes you stand out from the rest of humanity? First of all, I would ask what makes YOU different from those around you? Do your friends always say things like, "I love your sense of humor" or that you are the "level-headed" one? Who are you to your peers? Find that unique thing or two about you that makes you different. Now ask yourself how to package it and capitalize on it. A comedian can't just be funny. He or she has to find a way to stand out from the crowd of peers. A niche is needed. Jeff Foxworthy has found a niche--Redneck humor. Bill Engvall has found a niche also--Texas humor. Will Rogers was unique in his time. A lot of folks spoke about politics, but he did it differently. Groucho Marx also had a niche--he was borderline insane, but in a lovable way. Don Rickles--insulting humor, from the nicest man you would ever want to know (a natural choice in order to be different, because it was NOT him). Phyllis Diller--cheap chic--she "out-Rosanne'd" Rosanne before there ever WAS a Rosanne Barr. Moms Mabley--one of the funniest and homeliest women you ever saw and you could not help but love her. Godfrey Cambridge...made a living out of saying, "Oh, YEAH!" in his own unique way. Red Skelton--couldn't help but laugh at his own jokes, especially when they went wrong. I could go on. All unique and original. No copies here.
A niche may be nothing more than your own personal little twist that you can add to it--something that makes it uniquely yours. My oldest son was wanting to learn to play guitar and has since shown a lot of talent in songwriting. While he was trying to decide what to play in front of an audience, whether to do 'cover' tunes or not, I gave him this advice: First, Don't play any song if YOU don't like it. The audience will know if you are having fun and if you are it will be infectious--they will have fun, too. Secondly, if you choose to do a cover tune, you must approach it one of two ways--either do it EXACTLY like the original, vocals and all, or put a twist in it that makes it uniquely yours and yours alone. Because of that, he has taken a hybrid approach and thrown some bits and pieces of several ethnic styles into his own truly unique works--enough to make an audience say, "Aha!" as they discover a new twist they never knew existed in todays' music.
He is also very outgoing and gregarious, so it was a natural thing for him to become a salesman--but he does it with a twist. Instead of trying to get the biggest commissions he can by sending a customer out with the most expensive thing he can, he tries to send them out with as much as he can for their money without compromising their overall quality and buying experience. For example: "Why spend that much on a top-of-the-line stereo and still not have enough to get good speakers that will do it justice, when for the same amount you could step down one--get this excellent stereo, STILL have enough to get good speakers AND have better cables to carry the signal and make it sound as it was meant to?" Then he takes them into the listening room and proves it will sound just as good. The funny thing is this: to the customer it sounds BETTER because their deal just got sweeter. Instead of one small box in their arms when they leave, they have a full cart and a total experience they never thought they could afford when they went in. And my son has never failed to be one of the top two salesmaen within a month of being hired--at several companies! He applies his own twist and it pays off in greater numbers in the long run. People he doesn't even know come in and ask for him by name. Why? Because he treated the FIRST customer so well that they told their friends. That is advertising at its best--advertising you cannot buy. I went in with him on his day off a few times, so he could show me the latest thing he was excited about--(oh..another way he stands out--he does his homework on a product so he can educate a customer or at least build confidence that he isn't giving them a snow-job)--in the first half hour, each time, there were customers AND salesmen asking for his assistance. And he was out of uniform! Now, that speaks highly of his level of service and knowledge. Armed with this technique he was actually training salesmen within his second month at one store.
Am I proud? Sure, but the moral to the story is that when you do it right it pays off for a long time to come. Do it in your own way, but do it right. All this may sound like common sense and simply the way it was meant to be--and it is. However, it is not very common for anyone to want to do their homework so they know what they are talking about (research for your book), so they can convince a reader that they know their stuff. It is uncommon to care about customer (reader) service by making the experience as good as it can be (rewrite and polish). It is uncommon to do the little value-added things that matter (neat PDF format, good cover design--even for a downloadable copy, contact information, author bio, jacket notes, etc.) These days it seems that doing things right is like breaking the rules. You get accused of making others look bad when you do. You stand out from the crowd!
Sometimes you have to bend or even break the "rules" to get noticed. I once broke the rules in order to get a job interview. (Well, actually several times...but....) The popular wisdom says never show up at lunch time and expect to get an interview. Well, that was the only time I could show up, so I made the best of it--and made myself stand out from the crowd. I told the girl at the front desk to tell ___ that if she would drive, I would buy lunch. I had done my homework and knew the name of the HR representative ahead of time. I had never met her and didn't know if this would work or not, but I had nothing to lose. The girl at the front desk looked puzzled for a moment and then went to the back and did as I suggested, assuming I knew the woman in question. Did I get an interview? Yes, for 45 minutes--during her lunch! She had a sack lunch, but she was curious as to who would be inviting her out to buy a lunch for her. The truth is that I was nearly broke, but I could have bought her lunch if I did without my own, which I was willing to do. Now, I did not get a job from it, as there were none then available, but I got in where the conventional wisdom said I could not. I did the "impossible".
Another time when I wanted to get through on the phone directly to someone who was "impossible" to reach without an appointment, my wife said, "give me the phone". She then proceeded to pull off the most simple and brilliant stunt I had ever seen. She rang the number and when the personal secretary/screener answered, my wife said, "Personal call for ____" and then waited quietly. Again, the several second pause. Again, the assumption that the caller knew the intended recipient. But this time, the secretary also assumed my wife was either an operator or another personal secretary. She would have felt foolish asking what the call was in reference to, after being told it was a personal call. She would have felt silly asking if my wife were a secretary or an operator. So, she just hesitated long enough to know there was no graceful way for her to do her assigned job and then she patched the call through like a good secretary should. Brilliant! We found a way to stand out. Call it guerilla marketing.
JK. Rowling has found her niche in writing about magic and a world that exists alongside ours, where nothing is without its surprises. The Harry Potter books are wildly popular and are spawning a series of movies (and making 'tonnes' of money for Rowling, who doesn't really have a middle initial, but don't tell her I told you). Lemony Snicket (no, I did not make that up, though it is not his real name) has found a niche in writing a series of books called A Series of Unfortunate Events, now a movie. Stan Lee was a noted comic book author and has gone on to become popular fodder lately for the movie market as well. Spiderman, the X-Men, Captain America and others attest to that. Personally, I feel my first novel would make an extremely exciting movie and I intend to work in that direction.
You must do something with your writing that makes you unique in the world of writers. You may be covering the same old subject as others have, but find a way to do it differently, through the back door or a window, so to speak. What do you know or what do you do differently that will make your writing stand out? Do you have an area of expertise that will do the trick? There are many books by Michael Crichton that are unique to his background in the chosen subject matter. W.E.B. Griffin, Tom Clancy and others have found their niches in military and espionage books. Douglas Adams has found his in the sci-fi humor field--now there is a twist! The Hitchhikers' Guide to the Galaxy is now a movie. Who would have thought?
A recent acquaintance, Melanie Hurd Goldmund, is writing a book she calls an LDS space opera. Being a Mormon, I knew what LDS was, but the space opera bit threw me and I begged an explanation. What she described was a very ambitious sci-fi project with a real twist to it--something that would definitely make her stand out from the crowd. I am not at liberty to divulge that Top Secret information at this time--she would have to kill me if I did--but suffice it to say that I am impressed and can't wait to see the manuscript when she is ready for a proof-reader. "Oh,...Pick me! Pick me!" (Waves arms furiously).
So, what is your niche? What is the twist you could add? In the sixties a lot of bands would pick a name by some very unorthodox methods. They might throw slips of paper into a hat and choose two or three and see if they went together--which actually meant to them that they should do anything BUT go together--which made it more cool and it was definitely different. That is how we ended up with band names like Bubble Puppy, Strawberry Alarm Clock, Ultimate Spinach, Moby Grape, Glass Harp and scores of other names of that ilk. Others would make a chart or a wheel-like device that would rotate in separate rings and match (or mis-match) words. Very creative, really. What will you do to find the twist you need? Maybe you like crafts and also want to write a book about white-water rafting. (Could a woman knit her own raft? Hey, it's your story--I'm just asking!) Branch out and don't be afraid to look at the world differently. Through a childs' eyes, through a bugs' eyes, through...wait, this is YOUR assignment. Get busy, be creative and have fun!
What makes you stand out from the rest of humanity? First of all, I would ask what makes YOU different from those around you? Do your friends always say things like, "I love your sense of humor" or that you are the "level-headed" one? Who are you to your peers? Find that unique thing or two about you that makes you different. Now ask yourself how to package it and capitalize on it. A comedian can't just be funny. He or she has to find a way to stand out from the crowd of peers. A niche is needed. Jeff Foxworthy has found a niche--Redneck humor. Bill Engvall has found a niche also--Texas humor. Will Rogers was unique in his time. A lot of folks spoke about politics, but he did it differently. Groucho Marx also had a niche--he was borderline insane, but in a lovable way. Don Rickles--insulting humor, from the nicest man you would ever want to know (a natural choice in order to be different, because it was NOT him). Phyllis Diller--cheap chic--she "out-Rosanne'd" Rosanne before there ever WAS a Rosanne Barr. Moms Mabley--one of the funniest and homeliest women you ever saw and you could not help but love her. Godfrey Cambridge...made a living out of saying, "Oh, YEAH!" in his own unique way. Red Skelton--couldn't help but laugh at his own jokes, especially when they went wrong. I could go on. All unique and original. No copies here.
A niche may be nothing more than your own personal little twist that you can add to it--something that makes it uniquely yours. My oldest son was wanting to learn to play guitar and has since shown a lot of talent in songwriting. While he was trying to decide what to play in front of an audience, whether to do 'cover' tunes or not, I gave him this advice: First, Don't play any song if YOU don't like it. The audience will know if you are having fun and if you are it will be infectious--they will have fun, too. Secondly, if you choose to do a cover tune, you must approach it one of two ways--either do it EXACTLY like the original, vocals and all, or put a twist in it that makes it uniquely yours and yours alone. Because of that, he has taken a hybrid approach and thrown some bits and pieces of several ethnic styles into his own truly unique works--enough to make an audience say, "Aha!" as they discover a new twist they never knew existed in todays' music.
He is also very outgoing and gregarious, so it was a natural thing for him to become a salesman--but he does it with a twist. Instead of trying to get the biggest commissions he can by sending a customer out with the most expensive thing he can, he tries to send them out with as much as he can for their money without compromising their overall quality and buying experience. For example: "Why spend that much on a top-of-the-line stereo and still not have enough to get good speakers that will do it justice, when for the same amount you could step down one--get this excellent stereo, STILL have enough to get good speakers AND have better cables to carry the signal and make it sound as it was meant to?" Then he takes them into the listening room and proves it will sound just as good. The funny thing is this: to the customer it sounds BETTER because their deal just got sweeter. Instead of one small box in their arms when they leave, they have a full cart and a total experience they never thought they could afford when they went in. And my son has never failed to be one of the top two salesmaen within a month of being hired--at several companies! He applies his own twist and it pays off in greater numbers in the long run. People he doesn't even know come in and ask for him by name. Why? Because he treated the FIRST customer so well that they told their friends. That is advertising at its best--advertising you cannot buy. I went in with him on his day off a few times, so he could show me the latest thing he was excited about--(oh..another way he stands out--he does his homework on a product so he can educate a customer or at least build confidence that he isn't giving them a snow-job)--in the first half hour, each time, there were customers AND salesmen asking for his assistance. And he was out of uniform! Now, that speaks highly of his level of service and knowledge. Armed with this technique he was actually training salesmen within his second month at one store.
Am I proud? Sure, but the moral to the story is that when you do it right it pays off for a long time to come. Do it in your own way, but do it right. All this may sound like common sense and simply the way it was meant to be--and it is. However, it is not very common for anyone to want to do their homework so they know what they are talking about (research for your book), so they can convince a reader that they know their stuff. It is uncommon to care about customer (reader) service by making the experience as good as it can be (rewrite and polish). It is uncommon to do the little value-added things that matter (neat PDF format, good cover design--even for a downloadable copy, contact information, author bio, jacket notes, etc.) These days it seems that doing things right is like breaking the rules. You get accused of making others look bad when you do. You stand out from the crowd!
Sometimes you have to bend or even break the "rules" to get noticed. I once broke the rules in order to get a job interview. (Well, actually several times...but....) The popular wisdom says never show up at lunch time and expect to get an interview. Well, that was the only time I could show up, so I made the best of it--and made myself stand out from the crowd. I told the girl at the front desk to tell ___ that if she would drive, I would buy lunch. I had done my homework and knew the name of the HR representative ahead of time. I had never met her and didn't know if this would work or not, but I had nothing to lose. The girl at the front desk looked puzzled for a moment and then went to the back and did as I suggested, assuming I knew the woman in question. Did I get an interview? Yes, for 45 minutes--during her lunch! She had a sack lunch, but she was curious as to who would be inviting her out to buy a lunch for her. The truth is that I was nearly broke, but I could have bought her lunch if I did without my own, which I was willing to do. Now, I did not get a job from it, as there were none then available, but I got in where the conventional wisdom said I could not. I did the "impossible".
Another time when I wanted to get through on the phone directly to someone who was "impossible" to reach without an appointment, my wife said, "give me the phone". She then proceeded to pull off the most simple and brilliant stunt I had ever seen. She rang the number and when the personal secretary/screener answered, my wife said, "Personal call for ____" and then waited quietly. Again, the several second pause. Again, the assumption that the caller knew the intended recipient. But this time, the secretary also assumed my wife was either an operator or another personal secretary. She would have felt foolish asking what the call was in reference to, after being told it was a personal call. She would have felt silly asking if my wife were a secretary or an operator. So, she just hesitated long enough to know there was no graceful way for her to do her assigned job and then she patched the call through like a good secretary should. Brilliant! We found a way to stand out. Call it guerilla marketing.
JK. Rowling has found her niche in writing about magic and a world that exists alongside ours, where nothing is without its surprises. The Harry Potter books are wildly popular and are spawning a series of movies (and making 'tonnes' of money for Rowling, who doesn't really have a middle initial, but don't tell her I told you). Lemony Snicket (no, I did not make that up, though it is not his real name) has found a niche in writing a series of books called A Series of Unfortunate Events, now a movie. Stan Lee was a noted comic book author and has gone on to become popular fodder lately for the movie market as well. Spiderman, the X-Men, Captain America and others attest to that. Personally, I feel my first novel would make an extremely exciting movie and I intend to work in that direction.
You must do something with your writing that makes you unique in the world of writers. You may be covering the same old subject as others have, but find a way to do it differently, through the back door or a window, so to speak. What do you know or what do you do differently that will make your writing stand out? Do you have an area of expertise that will do the trick? There are many books by Michael Crichton that are unique to his background in the chosen subject matter. W.E.B. Griffin, Tom Clancy and others have found their niches in military and espionage books. Douglas Adams has found his in the sci-fi humor field--now there is a twist! The Hitchhikers' Guide to the Galaxy is now a movie. Who would have thought?
A recent acquaintance, Melanie Hurd Goldmund, is writing a book she calls an LDS space opera. Being a Mormon, I knew what LDS was, but the space opera bit threw me and I begged an explanation. What she described was a very ambitious sci-fi project with a real twist to it--something that would definitely make her stand out from the crowd. I am not at liberty to divulge that Top Secret information at this time--she would have to kill me if I did--but suffice it to say that I am impressed and can't wait to see the manuscript when she is ready for a proof-reader. "Oh,...Pick me! Pick me!" (Waves arms furiously).
So, what is your niche? What is the twist you could add? In the sixties a lot of bands would pick a name by some very unorthodox methods. They might throw slips of paper into a hat and choose two or three and see if they went together--which actually meant to them that they should do anything BUT go together--which made it more cool and it was definitely different. That is how we ended up with band names like Bubble Puppy, Strawberry Alarm Clock, Ultimate Spinach, Moby Grape, Glass Harp and scores of other names of that ilk. Others would make a chart or a wheel-like device that would rotate in separate rings and match (or mis-match) words. Very creative, really. What will you do to find the twist you need? Maybe you like crafts and also want to write a book about white-water rafting. (Could a woman knit her own raft? Hey, it's your story--I'm just asking!) Branch out and don't be afraid to look at the world differently. Through a childs' eyes, through a bugs' eyes, through...wait, this is YOUR assignment. Get busy, be creative and have fun!
Should You Self-Publish?
lulu.com This is a great site I ran across. You can actually make money this way--even in small numbers of sales. Worth a long look and free to join. Know this, though--once you upload it, it is not changeable, so be sure it is accurate from the start and you have the cover art, title page, etc. that you REALLY want.
See also How to Get Published Free and Make Money and Power Posters' blog
Only you can decide whether you should publish it yourself. I know thtere are many non-fiction books that have first been published by the authors, then picked up later by a publishing house (after the proof of popularity was evident to all but an idiot...am I sounding cynical? Sorry.) The books went on to be wildly successful. This might be the way you want to do it.
With a fiction book, the potential for succeeding this way might be less, but nonetheless isn't impossible. You can also find sites on the 'net from which to purchase ISBN numbers (buy ten at a time, as this saves money and allows for paper and hardback versions, major revisions, compilations, etc.) You can also get publisher warehouses to catalog your work, if you have this number. Wouldn't it be nice to look more legit' and be listed in Barnes and Nobles, etc? I will try to get more info on this in the future, but feel free to research it and leave comments with me on this aspect.
See also How to Get Published Free and Make Money and Power Posters' blog
Only you can decide whether you should publish it yourself. I know thtere are many non-fiction books that have first been published by the authors, then picked up later by a publishing house (after the proof of popularity was evident to all but an idiot...am I sounding cynical? Sorry.) The books went on to be wildly successful. This might be the way you want to do it.
With a fiction book, the potential for succeeding this way might be less, but nonetheless isn't impossible. You can also find sites on the 'net from which to purchase ISBN numbers (buy ten at a time, as this saves money and allows for paper and hardback versions, major revisions, compilations, etc.) You can also get publisher warehouses to catalog your work, if you have this number. Wouldn't it be nice to look more legit' and be listed in Barnes and Nobles, etc? I will try to get more info on this in the future, but feel free to research it and leave comments with me on this aspect.
Good PR (Press Release, not Public Relations)
If you want to promote yourself, you might have to do a press release. Basically this is a sales letter (you have to sell yourself and your product--your story, your article, your song or what have you). You are sending it to someone who can give you the publicity you want and in return you must give them something they want--an interesting article or story for their own readers. This is the classic "you-scratch-my-back-and-I'll-scratch-yours" scenario. It is a trade, in essence. You make the newspaper, the magazine, the weblog, the radio or TV station look good to their readers, listeners, or viewers. They, in turn, make you look good to the same audience. Here are a few links you may want to see on the subject. I ALWAYS suggest doing further searches yourself--and if you find something really great, share it by posting a comment here, okay?
PR Hints
http://www.prfree.com/index.php?cur=index&action=member&mode=hints
PR Blunders
http://www.prfree.com/index.php?cur=index&action=member&mode=blunders
What is a Press Release?
http://www.marketingtrendz.com/mworkshop/lp/pressrelease.htm
PR Hints
http://www.prfree.com/index.php?cur=index&action=member&mode=hints
PR Blunders
http://www.prfree.com/index.php?cur=index&action=member&mode=blunders
What is a Press Release?
http://www.marketingtrendz.com/mworkshop/lp/pressrelease.htm
RE: Manuscript Building a different way
I ran across some good information in this link. If you aspire to write, take a look here: Building your manuscript layer by layer. If you are a procrastinator, look here: The world is waiting....
http://www.latterdayauthors.com/fiction/wbg+rewrites.htm
http://www.latterdayauthors.com/fiction/wbg+rewrites.htm
Advice from experts RE: Writing Contests
http://www.ult-media.com/writingcontests.htm
The judges and professionals advice section down the page is excellent and you should copy and paste it for study every now and then. Do the same with the previous recommended site, also.
Check this one, also. I heartily recommend you check out this site, with some excellent ideas for storyline and character improvement.
http://www.writing-world.com/contests/articles/judge.shtml
The judges and professionals advice section down the page is excellent and you should copy and paste it for study every now and then. Do the same with the previous recommended site, also.
Check this one, also. I heartily recommend you check out this site, with some excellent ideas for storyline and character improvement.
http://www.writing-world.com/contests/articles/judge.shtml
A Closer Look at Self-Publishing
http://www.ult-media.com/selfpublishing.htm
I am very impressed that this may be worth the nominal price and I intend to check into it myself to continue my own personal education and eventual business.
lulu.com This is a great site I ran across. You can actually make money this way, it appears--even in small numbers of sales. Worth a long look and free to join.
See also Power Posters' blog
I am very impressed that this may be worth the nominal price and I intend to check into it myself to continue my own personal education and eventual business.
lulu.com This is a great site I ran across. You can actually make money this way, it appears--even in small numbers of sales. Worth a long look and free to join.
See also Power Posters' blog
Getting Free Publicity
www.get-free-publicity.com
I highly recommend you look into this offering. Yes, it will cost a bit, but it is like hiring your own expert to help you promote yourself or your product. The time and effort saved will be tremendous. Listen to the recorded testimonials and decide for yourself if doing it as the experts would is worth your while.
I highly recommend you look into this offering. Yes, it will cost a bit, but it is like hiring your own expert to help you promote yourself or your product. The time and effort saved will be tremendous. Listen to the recorded testimonials and decide for yourself if doing it as the experts would is worth your while.
Saturday, September 16, 2006
Worth Repeating
The Write Tools is intended to be a place where writers can find not only the tools they may wish to utilize in their creative processes, but also the inspiration needed to accomplish it. For that reason you will find a variety of things here that might seem odd to you at first glance, but rest assured that their true nature and intent will eventually show itself and they could prove to be of great worth to you.
After you have become familiar with this site, feel free to recommend any and all tools or inspirational devices that you think would be appropriate here. Affiliate programs of an appropriate nature to this site will be given due consideration, as well.
Thank you for your patience, consideration and support. This is your site--help us make it better.
After you have become familiar with this site, feel free to recommend any and all tools or inspirational devices that you think would be appropriate here. Affiliate programs of an appropriate nature to this site will be given due consideration, as well.
Thank you for your patience, consideration and support. This is your site--help us make it better.
FREE Novel and 2 Novellas
ATTENTION!
For a limited time, I am offering to send you, via email, the pre-publication versions of my novel Shining Armor--The Knight Appears, plus the two follow-up novellas for the series, The Evil Returns and The Rival. Why? Because I want something from you in return, to be totally honest.
What I need is your complete and brutally honest critique of the books. I want to perfect them before they go to print. You get to read these works before the rest of the world in general and I get your honest opinions, edit suggestions, spelling and grammar corrections, if any, and whatever you might want to offer as hints for future projects. I also need the right to use your comments in a marketing campaign, whether good, bad or ugly. Anonymity can be assured by use of initials only or first name and last initial.
Write for your free copies while the offer exists--pointedwords@gmail.com
Thanks a bunch!
Steve
For a limited time, I am offering to send you, via email, the pre-publication versions of my novel Shining Armor--The Knight Appears, plus the two follow-up novellas for the series, The Evil Returns and The Rival. Why? Because I want something from you in return, to be totally honest.
What I need is your complete and brutally honest critique of the books. I want to perfect them before they go to print. You get to read these works before the rest of the world in general and I get your honest opinions, edit suggestions, spelling and grammar corrections, if any, and whatever you might want to offer as hints for future projects. I also need the right to use your comments in a marketing campaign, whether good, bad or ugly. Anonymity can be assured by use of initials only or first name and last initial.
Write for your free copies while the offer exists--pointedwords@gmail.com
Thanks a bunch!
Steve
If it seems WRITE, is it?
I think that too often we, as writers, limit our thinking as to what we can and should be writing. Maybe you care to write poetry or short stories more than anything else. It could be that you would never consider writing a sales brochure in a million years. I would like to suggest that it is a valuable exercise to stretch your authoring muscles a bit and get out of your literary easy chair every once in a while.
As an author, I have written sales letters, technical reports, short stories, vignettes, poetry, song lyrics, novels, novellas, resumes, blogs, reviews and more. I submit that the more you get away from that comfort rut, the more you will begin to blossom as a writer. I do not think you will be immediately successful at whatever you try. None of us will be. But we may be shocked to find that we do like it and in fact are rather good at this new effort. It is, after all, just more communication, via the same method you have been using all along. The same tools, applied in another way. Just painting a different picture with a similar brush, if you will. How hard can that be?
Also, if one is to be honest, is it fair to call yourself a "Writer" if you are limited in what you write? Would you call yourself an Author, if you are only a poet? A Lyricist, if you only compose limericks? Believe me, I am not casting stones at these disciplines, by any means, but only wish to suggest that it might not be intellectually honest to paint ourselves with such broad titles if we have earned only a portion of them. For that reason, I encourage my readers to stand up from that tiny, restrictive pedestal you have perched yourself on, take a few unsure and frightening steps toward a new frontier and surprise yourself most pleasantly when you realize that it hasn't killed you, but made you stronger to attempt a new feat of bravery.
The truth is that you are what you choose to be, but you become that only by some small effort on your part. In good-natured manner, then, I challenge you to dare to have that new writing adventure this day, this week or this month. Don't put off what could be the start of a new career at best and a newfound confidence, at least. This mission is yours, if you choose to accept it. And let me know what happens, will you? Best wishes and have fun, Adventurers.
As an author, I have written sales letters, technical reports, short stories, vignettes, poetry, song lyrics, novels, novellas, resumes, blogs, reviews and more. I submit that the more you get away from that comfort rut, the more you will begin to blossom as a writer. I do not think you will be immediately successful at whatever you try. None of us will be. But we may be shocked to find that we do like it and in fact are rather good at this new effort. It is, after all, just more communication, via the same method you have been using all along. The same tools, applied in another way. Just painting a different picture with a similar brush, if you will. How hard can that be?
Also, if one is to be honest, is it fair to call yourself a "Writer" if you are limited in what you write? Would you call yourself an Author, if you are only a poet? A Lyricist, if you only compose limericks? Believe me, I am not casting stones at these disciplines, by any means, but only wish to suggest that it might not be intellectually honest to paint ourselves with such broad titles if we have earned only a portion of them. For that reason, I encourage my readers to stand up from that tiny, restrictive pedestal you have perched yourself on, take a few unsure and frightening steps toward a new frontier and surprise yourself most pleasantly when you realize that it hasn't killed you, but made you stronger to attempt a new feat of bravery.
The truth is that you are what you choose to be, but you become that only by some small effort on your part. In good-natured manner, then, I challenge you to dare to have that new writing adventure this day, this week or this month. Don't put off what could be the start of a new career at best and a newfound confidence, at least. This mission is yours, if you choose to accept it. And let me know what happens, will you? Best wishes and have fun, Adventurers.
Yes, No or Maybe?
I recently queried the Charlotte Gusay Agency in L.A. They want books they can convert to film, which mine would do nicely. I spent a great deal of time making the very best query letter I could, included an excerpt, references to my test marketing, a handful of reader responses and a brief synopsis. I also noted that parts 2 and 3 are in the works to be expanded and fleshed out more fully. I sent this letter off and waited.
A few days later, I realized that with all the attention I had paid to the body of the letter, I had neglected to correct the contact info to reflect the new address and phone number for our recent move. I therefore sent off an amended query (this time on a nicely monogrammed letterhead, with corrected info and again waited. Our letters must have crossed in the mail—hers was a rejection letter. Oh, well, I thought. Many well-known writers were rejected a dozen or more times before making it into published status or film status. I am just one step closer to success, that’s all.
Not expecting another response after this, I was shocked to get a letter asking for me to send a synopsis and a sample of a few chapters. (Seems that monogram worked wonders.) I may have to start a line of clothing with it, to bring good luck to all my friends—hehe. Oh, there is a fee involved, but that was the only warning at the Preditors and Editors site. With this woman’s Rolodex list of director’s and screenwriters, I think it will be a great bargain if it pays off.
Also, if she has a sense of humor and this becomes a lasting working relationship, I may have the rejection letter matted and sent to her as a gift in the future. Ain’t I a stinker?
{NOTE: The second rejection came shortly thereafter, sounding very much like the first, although supposedly written by another woman altogether. Hmmm...an alias, maybe?]
[NOTE: I have been asked for a contract recently with Tate Publishing, but they want my $4,000 to add to the $16,000 they will be putting into the production. A published friend, plus several others, have said that an author should expect the money to flow to him, not FROM him. So. maybe another time, as they do seem to have channels of distribution, etc.]
A few days later, I realized that with all the attention I had paid to the body of the letter, I had neglected to correct the contact info to reflect the new address and phone number for our recent move. I therefore sent off an amended query (this time on a nicely monogrammed letterhead, with corrected info and again waited. Our letters must have crossed in the mail—hers was a rejection letter. Oh, well, I thought. Many well-known writers were rejected a dozen or more times before making it into published status or film status. I am just one step closer to success, that’s all.
Not expecting another response after this, I was shocked to get a letter asking for me to send a synopsis and a sample of a few chapters. (Seems that monogram worked wonders.) I may have to start a line of clothing with it, to bring good luck to all my friends—hehe. Oh, there is a fee involved, but that was the only warning at the Preditors and Editors site. With this woman’s Rolodex list of director’s and screenwriters, I think it will be a great bargain if it pays off.
Also, if she has a sense of humor and this becomes a lasting working relationship, I may have the rejection letter matted and sent to her as a gift in the future. Ain’t I a stinker?
{NOTE: The second rejection came shortly thereafter, sounding very much like the first, although supposedly written by another woman altogether. Hmmm...an alias, maybe?]
[NOTE: I have been asked for a contract recently with Tate Publishing, but they want my $4,000 to add to the $16,000 they will be putting into the production. A published friend, plus several others, have said that an author should expect the money to flow to him, not FROM him. So. maybe another time, as they do seem to have channels of distribution, etc.]
Freelance-Author.com
A site I have recently been privileged to read is Freelance-Author.com. I have found it to be a well done and beautifully put together site. Webmaster Danny Norman must be a master. I shall have to learn from him, if he will teach me.
Danny has done me the kindness of posting several of my works on his remarkable site (http://www.freelance-author.com/featured-authors.html). Thanks, Danny. I am happy to recommend your site here for the pointers and guidance you offer. It appears you have done your homework well and I commend you for it. Adding you to my recommended links table on the right.
Several good links on the site for aspiring authors and for accomplished ones, as well. Take a close look, folks. Several examples of short stories, too.
Danny has done me the kindness of posting several of my works on his remarkable site (http://www.freelance-author.com/featured-authors.html). Thanks, Danny. I am happy to recommend your site here for the pointers and guidance you offer. It appears you have done your homework well and I commend you for it. Adding you to my recommended links table on the right.
Several good links on the site for aspiring authors and for accomplished ones, as well. Take a close look, folks. Several examples of short stories, too.
Book Treasure House
I have found one site that I am rather excited about. It is called booktreasurehouse.com. I truly recommend that if you are serious about promoting your work, you look into this and listen to the interviews at this link-- http://www.booktreasurehouse.com/radio.html
The amazing number of things offered here, for $10 per month, is astounding. Everything from a website to databases of TV and radio interview sites, etc. I am not far into the audio links, but I am already impressed with what is offered. Check it out.
The amazing number of things offered here, for $10 per month, is astounding. Everything from a website to databases of TV and radio interview sites, etc. I am not far into the audio links, but I am already impressed with what is offered. Check it out.
Again--With Feeling!
One of the first things you have to accept if you are to be a writer is that you have to write in order to earn the title. You have to write a lot and about many things. The practice makes it easier for you to express yourself and do it well. View it as if you were a concert pianist. Just thinking about it would never be enough. You would have to gain hands-on experience to become truly proficient at your craft.
I have recently become a huge fan of the music of Sali Oguri, which you may hear at broadjam.com. Let me tell you, I would wag my tail over this stuff, if I had one. Because of that, I have taken to the almost addictive habit of posting comments at her weblog site. There, I find myself discussing music with her. And lyrics, style, conventions and trends. What makes a hit song or a classic? Is image important to the classifying of the music? Even discussion about the type of chords she likes to use or avoid. I find all of this quite fascinating. Sali is a very nice lady, too, so the exchange is fun.
I think it is good advice to write about many things that interest you, whether they be travel, music, art, science or any other thing that takes your fancy. You will be a better-rounded author because of it, I assure you. You may find that the exercise alone sparks the topics that make your next story or book or poem a success.
Your brain and your PC, or pencil and paper are your instruments of craft. Use them often and you will grow. If you have writer’s block, write about your frustrations with it, until you overcome it. Ironic, isn’t it, that when you have writer’s block, you can always write about that? Rather like the advice that when you don’t feel like praying, you should pray until you do. Think of this as a journal entry, if nothing else.
So, once more, with gusto!
I have recently become a huge fan of the music of Sali Oguri, which you may hear at broadjam.com. Let me tell you, I would wag my tail over this stuff, if I had one. Because of that, I have taken to the almost addictive habit of posting comments at her weblog site. There, I find myself discussing music with her. And lyrics, style, conventions and trends. What makes a hit song or a classic? Is image important to the classifying of the music? Even discussion about the type of chords she likes to use or avoid. I find all of this quite fascinating. Sali is a very nice lady, too, so the exchange is fun.
I think it is good advice to write about many things that interest you, whether they be travel, music, art, science or any other thing that takes your fancy. You will be a better-rounded author because of it, I assure you. You may find that the exercise alone sparks the topics that make your next story or book or poem a success.
Your brain and your PC, or pencil and paper are your instruments of craft. Use them often and you will grow. If you have writer’s block, write about your frustrations with it, until you overcome it. Ironic, isn’t it, that when you have writer’s block, you can always write about that? Rather like the advice that when you don’t feel like praying, you should pray until you do. Think of this as a journal entry, if nothing else.
So, once more, with gusto!
Something To Think About
This will teach you some of those terms you may have wondered about (or never knew). You may get a kick out of this one. I found it at another site (benjvm.blogspot.com) and he got it from someone else, but this is exactly where it belongs, so….
----------------------------------------------------------------
How to Write Good:
1) Always avoid alliteration.
2) Prepositions are not words to end sentences with.
3) Avoid clichés like the plague.
4) Comparisons are as bad as clichés.
5) Eschew ampersands & abbreviations, etc.
6) Parenthetical marks (however relevant) are unnecessary.
7) It is wrong to ever split an infinitive.
8) Contractions aren’t necessary.
9) Foreign words and phrases are not apropos.
10) One should never generalize.
11) As Ralph Waldo Emerson once said: “I hate quotations. Tell me what you know.”
12) Don’t be redundant and don’t use more words that necessary; it’s highly superfluous.
13) Profanity sucks.
14) Be more or less specific.
15) Exaggeration is a billion times worse than understatement.
16) One word sentences? Eliminate.
17) Analogies in writing are like feathers on a snake.
18) The passive voice is to be avoided.
19) Even if a mixed metaphor sings, it should be derailed.
20) Who needs rhetorical questions?
----------------------------------------------------------
And there you have it. Any questions?
Mary Harrison has suggested a few more she recalls from Reader's Digest a few years back.
Don't use no double negatives.
Don't verb your nouns.
----------------------------------------------------------------
How to Write Good:
1) Always avoid alliteration.
2) Prepositions are not words to end sentences with.
3) Avoid clichés like the plague.
4) Comparisons are as bad as clichés.
5) Eschew ampersands & abbreviations, etc.
6) Parenthetical marks (however relevant) are unnecessary.
7) It is wrong to ever split an infinitive.
8) Contractions aren’t necessary.
9) Foreign words and phrases are not apropos.
10) One should never generalize.
11) As Ralph Waldo Emerson once said: “I hate quotations. Tell me what you know.”
12) Don’t be redundant and don’t use more words that necessary; it’s highly superfluous.
13) Profanity sucks.
14) Be more or less specific.
15) Exaggeration is a billion times worse than understatement.
16) One word sentences? Eliminate.
17) Analogies in writing are like feathers on a snake.
18) The passive voice is to be avoided.
19) Even if a mixed metaphor sings, it should be derailed.
20) Who needs rhetorical questions?
----------------------------------------------------------
And there you have it. Any questions?
Mary Harrison has suggested a few more she recalls from Reader's Digest a few years back.
Don't use no double negatives.
Don't verb your nouns.
Parts And Processes Of A Good Story
Getting, getting…got! (You will understand that in a moment).
Algis Budrys is a genius. He is also an author, an editor, a publisher and an outstanding teacher; it is the genius part that I wish to discuss right now, however. In his amazingly valuable, though diminutive book, Writing to The Point—A Complete Guide to Selling Fiction, he lays out some of the most sensible guidelines for writing that I have ever heard. These are things that consciously escape the average person and all but the better writers, but Budrys manages to make them seem so simple and obvious that one is left in either stunned reverence for his insight or is nodding one’s head in respectful agreement, thinking these to be the most wonderful of examples of common sense. I find myself doing both. And that is after finding that I have already been following those principles either instinctively or as a result of some osmotic training gained as a youthful reader.
Budrys, in a mere 63 pages, distills the essence of good fiction writing and places it evenly and sequentially upon the pages for the receptive student to absorb with wonder and awe.
As a writer, I have often found words to be a barrier, rather than a tool. They are at times clunky and painful, lending barely a hint of the meanings that I would wish to convey to others. At times like these, I want nothing more than to be able to ‘plug into’ those I am attempting to communicate with and relay my thoughts and feelings in their purity, untainted by the less than adequate tool we call speech.
At other times, words come with such ease and so fluently that I am in awe of the process and I wonder that such things could be emanating from me! I am thankful to be the channel through which they come, nonetheless.
Algis Budrys lays out two tremendous lessons that even the advanced writer may benefit from. Such an author may not be truly aware of the process that takes place as they hone and perfect that sculpture-on-paper which they call their story and it helps to have this pointed out to him at least once. It is like a revelation that comes to him, showing that all this time he has been less than aware of the sea of air that surrounds him, allowing his very breath and life. All the while, eyes and mouth agape, he is astounded that he has never noticed this body of substance that he depends upon so fully; not until it is distinctly pointed out to him. Now, fully aware of it for the first time, there is a depth of enjoyment and a fullness that was not a part of his former experience. This is what Budrys has done for me. He has pointed out that in which I was immersed, although I was unaware of my state and condition. He has made the invisible become visible to me. I am grateful for that knowledge. It answers for me the question, “But why does it work that way?”
First, he has laid out the needful parts of a successful and properly written story. These parts are: The beginning, the middle and the end. This sounds so basic at this point—and it is. But then this master teacher goes on to subdivide these portions.
The beginning is divided further into three parts: A character, placed in a context and having a small problem. Again, this seems to be common sense. We all know that there is nothing so uncommon as common sense, however.
This brings us to the middle portion, which is comprised of: 1) an attempt to solve the problem, but meeting with unexpected failure; 2) another attempt, escalating the degree of danger and 3), only on the third attempt, now a life-threatening situation, meeting with success.
The final stage, the end, has only one element--the validation. As Budrys puts it, someone has to say, “He’s dead, Jim.” The reader may already suspect this. It might even be obvious to him, but there is necessary closure in the actual saying of it. This makes for a more satisfying read.
So, there you have the structure of a great story—the beginning in its three parts, the middle with its three and the end with its validation. That is the ‘algebraic formula,’ if you will, that Budrys uses to explain and to write by. The brilliance is in seeing it in the first place. I have no doubt that it is true. One intuitively knows it to be so—once it is pointed out. But there is still a sense of wonder that someone was observant enough to see and describe these principles, obvious though they should have been all this time.
This brings me to the second major lesson he points out. He mentions that the manuscript is not the story. It is simply a vehicle to convey the story. Neither are good grammar nor punctuation the story, but merely the tools of the secretary that transcribes the story. Budrys points out that the real magic is in the ideation, as he calls it (with some repugnance for the word, which he dubs horrid). The thought processes themselves are what make or break the story, I take him to mean. He points out that we are bombarded daily with input that we must filter, process, then file away for future consideration or wholly reject. Most of it is deemed to be mundane and is rejected as such. Some are filed for later use and still fewer are found worthy of being called ‘interesting.’ The latter class is filtered even further, cut and spliced and ultimately these, too, are either filed or rejected. We are, Budrys says, what we were. Everything that we are exposed to—our experience—is what we are, what we write, think and judge all of life against.
So,...ideas--where do they come from? Who knows, really? They may seem to come full-blown and out of nowhere, taking us by surprise. This we call inspiration. Budrys maintains that even these thoughts are first filtered through our experience, processed in accordance with what we know and then filed for our consideration. I am not certain that I agree with this, being that it would seem a subtle attempt to take God out of the equation at times, but the question of what ideas are and where they come from is fascinating, nonetheless. They are certainly more than just electrical firings and chemical conversions, Pavlovian responses to external stimuli, whether consciously noticed or not. If experience has taught me anything, it is that—if you will pardon the pun.
Budrys divides this ideation-to-story process into three parts also. Getting the idea, getting the words and getting the right words. If you have ever written and edited, you already know this to be so. Again, the brilliance is in pointing it out so lucidly. What should be obvious is not always so. Often the writing experience is a left brain/right brain experience. The creative muse takes off and leads the writer into far off lands of wonder that ends up on the paper (or PC) and then the editor takes over and cuts and polishes the rough diamond we call the first draft. It may take repeated polishings. In fact, it probably should, if it is to reach its true potential.
Budrys also offers that writer’s block is nothing more than a failure to process incoming data or the failure to draw from the “file cabinet” of experience that which we wish to record eloquently onto paper. There are many causes of this, he postulates. Though he does not mention fatigue or malnutrition, he does go into the subject of the recreational use of various drugs, traditionally used by creative minds to ‘enhance’ the process. He also throws such proclaimed ‘attributes’ into the trash bin and labels them as the rubbish they deserve to be. Budrys recognizes that such substances may seem to jog the thought processes for a time, before finally becoming a greater hindrance and stumbling block to the author who only wished in the first place to remove a much smaller version of the same.
What is the answer? Sometimes just rest and diversion. Our minds process a lot more than we give credit for. And this is done at the subliminal level most of the time. I found this to be true in the instance of my vignette The Guitar, included elsewhere in this blog. It came at about midnight when I was worn out and wanted only to go to bed. Inspiration had other ideas, however. I had been listening to the music of Jesse Cooke and talking to my son about the concert he had just attended with his wife. When the story hit, it was powerful and nearly full-blown in structure. I knew instinctively that if I let it wait until the morning, it would be all but gone. It was not the kind that y7ou make a brief note and intend to develop it later. This one was a gift from somewhere else and I needed to open it right away or lose it. Half an hour later, I had a cut and nearly polished diamond that would wait until morning for a final polishing. And I assure you, I slept much better that night, knowing I had not squandered the gift when it was given. The sacrifice of 30 minutes of sleep was gratifying in the short term and rewarding for the long term.
New diversions, new environments and different sources of stimulation may be all that we need to change our ‘input’ and as a result, the filtering and processing of what goes into the ‘files’ of our brains. ‘As a man thinketh, so is he,’ says the old adage. Now you know why. And now that you know what the essential parts and points of a great story are, do you think you can write one?
Algis Budrys is a genius. He is also an author, an editor, a publisher and an outstanding teacher; it is the genius part that I wish to discuss right now, however. In his amazingly valuable, though diminutive book, Writing to The Point—A Complete Guide to Selling Fiction, he lays out some of the most sensible guidelines for writing that I have ever heard. These are things that consciously escape the average person and all but the better writers, but Budrys manages to make them seem so simple and obvious that one is left in either stunned reverence for his insight or is nodding one’s head in respectful agreement, thinking these to be the most wonderful of examples of common sense. I find myself doing both. And that is after finding that I have already been following those principles either instinctively or as a result of some osmotic training gained as a youthful reader.
Budrys, in a mere 63 pages, distills the essence of good fiction writing and places it evenly and sequentially upon the pages for the receptive student to absorb with wonder and awe.
As a writer, I have often found words to be a barrier, rather than a tool. They are at times clunky and painful, lending barely a hint of the meanings that I would wish to convey to others. At times like these, I want nothing more than to be able to ‘plug into’ those I am attempting to communicate with and relay my thoughts and feelings in their purity, untainted by the less than adequate tool we call speech.
At other times, words come with such ease and so fluently that I am in awe of the process and I wonder that such things could be emanating from me! I am thankful to be the channel through which they come, nonetheless.
Algis Budrys lays out two tremendous lessons that even the advanced writer may benefit from. Such an author may not be truly aware of the process that takes place as they hone and perfect that sculpture-on-paper which they call their story and it helps to have this pointed out to him at least once. It is like a revelation that comes to him, showing that all this time he has been less than aware of the sea of air that surrounds him, allowing his very breath and life. All the while, eyes and mouth agape, he is astounded that he has never noticed this body of substance that he depends upon so fully; not until it is distinctly pointed out to him. Now, fully aware of it for the first time, there is a depth of enjoyment and a fullness that was not a part of his former experience. This is what Budrys has done for me. He has pointed out that in which I was immersed, although I was unaware of my state and condition. He has made the invisible become visible to me. I am grateful for that knowledge. It answers for me the question, “But why does it work that way?”
First, he has laid out the needful parts of a successful and properly written story. These parts are: The beginning, the middle and the end. This sounds so basic at this point—and it is. But then this master teacher goes on to subdivide these portions.
The beginning is divided further into three parts: A character, placed in a context and having a small problem. Again, this seems to be common sense. We all know that there is nothing so uncommon as common sense, however.
This brings us to the middle portion, which is comprised of: 1) an attempt to solve the problem, but meeting with unexpected failure; 2) another attempt, escalating the degree of danger and 3), only on the third attempt, now a life-threatening situation, meeting with success.
The final stage, the end, has only one element--the validation. As Budrys puts it, someone has to say, “He’s dead, Jim.” The reader may already suspect this. It might even be obvious to him, but there is necessary closure in the actual saying of it. This makes for a more satisfying read.
So, there you have the structure of a great story—the beginning in its three parts, the middle with its three and the end with its validation. That is the ‘algebraic formula,’ if you will, that Budrys uses to explain and to write by. The brilliance is in seeing it in the first place. I have no doubt that it is true. One intuitively knows it to be so—once it is pointed out. But there is still a sense of wonder that someone was observant enough to see and describe these principles, obvious though they should have been all this time.
This brings me to the second major lesson he points out. He mentions that the manuscript is not the story. It is simply a vehicle to convey the story. Neither are good grammar nor punctuation the story, but merely the tools of the secretary that transcribes the story. Budrys points out that the real magic is in the ideation, as he calls it (with some repugnance for the word, which he dubs horrid). The thought processes themselves are what make or break the story, I take him to mean. He points out that we are bombarded daily with input that we must filter, process, then file away for future consideration or wholly reject. Most of it is deemed to be mundane and is rejected as such. Some are filed for later use and still fewer are found worthy of being called ‘interesting.’ The latter class is filtered even further, cut and spliced and ultimately these, too, are either filed or rejected. We are, Budrys says, what we were. Everything that we are exposed to—our experience—is what we are, what we write, think and judge all of life against.
So,...ideas--where do they come from? Who knows, really? They may seem to come full-blown and out of nowhere, taking us by surprise. This we call inspiration. Budrys maintains that even these thoughts are first filtered through our experience, processed in accordance with what we know and then filed for our consideration. I am not certain that I agree with this, being that it would seem a subtle attempt to take God out of the equation at times, but the question of what ideas are and where they come from is fascinating, nonetheless. They are certainly more than just electrical firings and chemical conversions, Pavlovian responses to external stimuli, whether consciously noticed or not. If experience has taught me anything, it is that—if you will pardon the pun.
Budrys divides this ideation-to-story process into three parts also. Getting the idea, getting the words and getting the right words. If you have ever written and edited, you already know this to be so. Again, the brilliance is in pointing it out so lucidly. What should be obvious is not always so. Often the writing experience is a left brain/right brain experience. The creative muse takes off and leads the writer into far off lands of wonder that ends up on the paper (or PC) and then the editor takes over and cuts and polishes the rough diamond we call the first draft. It may take repeated polishings. In fact, it probably should, if it is to reach its true potential.
Budrys also offers that writer’s block is nothing more than a failure to process incoming data or the failure to draw from the “file cabinet” of experience that which we wish to record eloquently onto paper. There are many causes of this, he postulates. Though he does not mention fatigue or malnutrition, he does go into the subject of the recreational use of various drugs, traditionally used by creative minds to ‘enhance’ the process. He also throws such proclaimed ‘attributes’ into the trash bin and labels them as the rubbish they deserve to be. Budrys recognizes that such substances may seem to jog the thought processes for a time, before finally becoming a greater hindrance and stumbling block to the author who only wished in the first place to remove a much smaller version of the same.
What is the answer? Sometimes just rest and diversion. Our minds process a lot more than we give credit for. And this is done at the subliminal level most of the time. I found this to be true in the instance of my vignette The Guitar, included elsewhere in this blog. It came at about midnight when I was worn out and wanted only to go to bed. Inspiration had other ideas, however. I had been listening to the music of Jesse Cooke and talking to my son about the concert he had just attended with his wife. When the story hit, it was powerful and nearly full-blown in structure. I knew instinctively that if I let it wait until the morning, it would be all but gone. It was not the kind that y7ou make a brief note and intend to develop it later. This one was a gift from somewhere else and I needed to open it right away or lose it. Half an hour later, I had a cut and nearly polished diamond that would wait until morning for a final polishing. And I assure you, I slept much better that night, knowing I had not squandered the gift when it was given. The sacrifice of 30 minutes of sleep was gratifying in the short term and rewarding for the long term.
New diversions, new environments and different sources of stimulation may be all that we need to change our ‘input’ and as a result, the filtering and processing of what goes into the ‘files’ of our brains. ‘As a man thinketh, so is he,’ says the old adage. Now you know why. And now that you know what the essential parts and points of a great story are, do you think you can write one?
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