writRteachR

Edwina

2012-02-25T22:35:00.000-08:00

There’s another person floating around in my psyche that I want to tell you about. Her name is Edwina. Edwina is my inner editor, and someone I need to listen to. She asks pertinent questions to improve my writing. She is nothing like my worthless inner critic Lucille, who I wrote about earlier this month.

Edwina helps me look at my characters, plotlines and dialogue from a new perspective. She helps me get some distance from my writing, and examine whether or not everything I’ve written is necessary.

For instance, I had a character in a short story that I loved. She was a favorite of mine, and I spend a lot of time describing her past, where she worked and what she looked like. Finally, though, I had to cut her out after Edwina began asking too many questions.

Edwina: Is she necessary?

Me: I believe she is.

Edwina: Why

Me: Because she shows a contrast between love interests.

Edwina: What does she do to move the plot forward?

Me: Again, the contrast thing, and I love the description of her workplace.

Edwina: If you didn’t have that contrast and workplace description, what would that do to the story?

Me: I dunno.

Edwina: Why is her existence necessary to the story?

Me: Because I want her to be. I really like her, she reminds me of someone I went to school with, who played an essential role in my social development, so I want to honor her.

Edwina: If you want to honor her, why put her in a story where she is second banana?

Me: Because I like her, that contrast thing and workplace description.

Edwina: If you like her so much, why don’t you marry her? (My inner editor can be a little childish at times.)

Me: Because I’m already married. And if there were an episode of Sister Wives, my argument wouldn’t hold water, but it’s not, so my argument stands! So there! (I can be a little childish right back.)

OK, so as you can see, the dialogue between Edwina and me can be frustrating and silly. But in the end, I realize my inner editor asks me pertinent questions that I can’t ignore. Yours probably does the same thing. You must listen closely to hear what he or she says.

I removed my character from this story without affecting the plot at all, and now I realize I can put her in another story where she will be top banana. (I swear that this is the only time I have ever referred to characters as bananas, and I don’t know why, nor do I know where that phrase comes from!)

Now I have a free, likeable character floating around in my head, and I need to put her in a story where she will have the proper honor and placement. And she will probably live happily ever after, wherever that may be. Unless, of course, she dies a tragic death. Don’t tell her I said that. I don’t want her to worry. But either way, I’ll let you know where she ends up!

Write soon,

Mary

And the winner is ...

2012-02-18T20:31:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to Sylvia Ney, whose name was selected to win the 2012 issue of Bylines, the writer’s desk calendar created by Sylvia Forbes to help writers stay organized, inspired and focused. Sylvia, if you will email me with your address at MaryHorner@charter.net, I will put that in the mail ASAP.

Thanks to everyone who left comments on my blog, I appreciate your support and interesting comments!

And don’t forget, Bylines is currently accepting submissions for the 2013 edition. The deadline is March 1 for succinct, personal stories about the writing life, including success, rejection, motivation, tough lessons and freelancing. Humor is welcomed. Complete guidelines are available at www.bylinescalendar.com.

Write soon,

Mary

Bylines comment difficulties

2012-02-10T20:37:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone!

Some readers are having problems leaving comments on my blog. If you would like to leave a comment to qualify to win a copy of the Bylines Desk Calendar but can't, please send your comment to my email address at MaryHorner@charter.net and I will enter you into the random drawing. You must leave the comment by Sunday at midnight. I will select the winner next week.

Thank you for your continued support, and sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused.

Write soon,

Mary

Author interview

2012-02-06T21:33:00.000-08:00

Ron Nichols, author of “Where The Sky Doesn’t End” a terrific YA novel published last year by Mudfoot Books, a division of Martin Sisters Publishing, LLC, graciously took time out of his busy schedule to answer a few questions. I’ve attached a link to the first chapter, which will hook you right away. (Disclaimer: we went to high school together.)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/1937273121/ref=sr_1_1?p=random&ie=UTF8&qid=1328591787

Why did you want to write this book?

There were really a couple of reasons. The first is my 10-year-old daughter (at the time) was somewhat negative about her writing homework assignments so I began writing “Where the Sky Doesn’t End” as an exercise to show her how “magical” writing could be. The second reason was to prove to myself that I could string enough sentences together to actually do a book-length work. (Honestly, I had no idea I could actually do it.)

How long did it take you to write it?

Once I envisioned the main characters (and what made them tick) and once I mapped out a general storyline in my mind, it took about three months (at an hour or two most nights) to write. But it took about six or seven years to find a publisher for it!

What was the easiest part to write, and what was the most difficult?

The hardest part for me was writing the part of Aria. Though it was a long time ago, I still remember being an adolescent boy, so relating to Brendan and writing his part was easy – and somewhat autobiographical. And as an older guy, it was pretty easy to relate to all of the male characters. But I’ve never been a girl – so I had to imagine her experiences, frustrations and perspectives. That was tough.

Whose writing style do you think is similar to yours?

(To avoid insulting any other authors out there, I’ll chicken out and avoid naming names.) But someday I’d like to be able to write as well as Gary Paulsen. Regrettably, I know I”ll never be in Paulsen’s league. But the fun for me is trying to improve my game – to get better with every sentence, every paragraph I write from here on out.

Maybe this is just an attempt to justify my lack of literary style, but to me writing an interesting story isn’t as much about style as it is about heart – understanding and empathizing with your characters – and then simply getting out of the way and letting them channel their story through you. Because if you think about it, none of us read Twain to read Twain. We read Twain to find out if Huck and Jim will succeed in their quest or if Tom and Becky make it out of the cave. At the end of the day, it’s all about the characters – created by talented authors.

Where can we buy the book?

Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble.com and it can be ordered by other retail outlets through Martin Sisters Publishing.

What’s your next project?

I have another YA adventure manuscript completed that I’m currently shopping around. It’s a geologically plausible novel about discovering diamonds in central Arkansas. And I’m about half-way through a political satire manuscript – that will surely raise a few eyebrows if ever finds ink.

Is there anything you would like to add?

To anyone who reads my book, let me say “thank you.” As mortal beings the most precious commodity we have is time. I am honored by anyone who would spend some of that precious commodity reading my story. My hope is that readers will conclude after reading “Where the Sky Doesn’t End,” that is was time well spent.

Write soon,

Mary

Bylines submission opportunity

2012-01-26T20:14:00.000-08:00

Bylines, the writer’s desk calendar created by Sylvia Forbes to help writers stay organized, inspired and focused, is currently accepting submissions for the 2013 edition. The deadline is March 1 for succinct, personal stories about the writing life, including success, rejection, motivation, tough lessons learned and freelancing. Humor is welcomed. Complete guidelines are available at www.bylinescalendar.com.

Each year, Bylines features the desk of a famous writer on the cover. Bylines 2013 will feature the desk of Ralph Waldo Emerson of Concord, Mass. Emerson was one of the most well-known writers of his day, and gave over 1500 talks in addition to authoring books on his philosophies of man, religion and nature. He is said to have inspired both Henry Thoreau and Walt Whitman.

Forbes recently created a Facebook page for Bylines with links to reviews, comments, and other information. Bylines is available for purchase at www.bylinescalendar.com and on Amazon.com.

Leave a comment here by Feb. 12, and you will be entered to win a copy of the 2012 edition of Bylines!

Write soon,

Mary

Lucille

2012-01-22T20:57:00.000-08:00

Have you ever wondered what you could accomplish if you didn’t have any negative thoughts in your head? You know what I’m talking about, that inner voice that asks “Why do you think you can write?” “Why are you wasting your time writing bad prose, when you should be doing something more productive?” “Who told you you’re a writer?”

I have an inner critic that I try not to listen to, but sometimes I can’t help it. I get caught up in everything I’m not, and she finds out and moves in for a while to lead the parade of negativity.

I have good news, though. There’s a way to lessen her impact. Step one to banishing your inner critic is to name it. I’ve decided to name mine “Lucille.” Lucille often tells me that what I’ve written isn’t quite good enough. She thinks I ought to be doing the laundry and cleaning the bathrooms instead of working on character development. Lucille isn’t a fan of anything that’s new and different. She thinks my writing should sound like everyone else’s.

Now that I’ve named her, I can see her. She is an older woman wearing a floral dress that is tragically out of date, along with pink ankle socks under black sandals with thick straps. She sometimes forgets to take the curlers out of her dyed-black hair before she goes outside, and drinks generic cola while watching reruns of game shows. Her too-dark lipstick is usually smeared around the outside of her lips from the cigarettes she smokes while trying to figure out the puzzles from “Wheel of Fortune.”

She’s a mess, so I’m not going to listen to her anymore.

Does anyone else have an inner critic? Tell me about your “Lucille.”

Write soon,

Mary

"It" just keeps happening!

2012-01-16T20:24:00.000-08:00

While browsing in the reference/writing section of Barnes & Noble the other day, I flipped through a book that opened to a page about dummy subjects, featuring the word “it.” Talk about the interconnectedness of all things, I wrote about the word “it,” in a recent blog post, so I began reading.

The author introduced the concept of a “dummy subject.” I had never encountered that term before, so was interested to read on. After much confusion from trying to read many complex definitions and examples, I finally gave up and went home. The next day I Googled the term and came up with a couple of simple explanations, which you will find below.

According to About.com, a dummy word is a word that has a grammatical function but no specific lexical meaning.

· "[T]he verb do, used as an auxiliary, is often called the dummy operator because it has no meaning of its own but exists simply to fill the 'slot' of operator when an operator is needed to form (for example) negative or interrogative sentences. In a similar way, it can be called a dummy subject when it fills the subject slot in sentences like: It's a pity that they wasted so much time."
(Geoffrey N. Leech, A Glossary of English Grammar. Edinburgh Univ. Press, 2006)

· "There are also pronouns that don't mean anything at all. Dummy pronouns, they're called, and we come across them all the time (you read one in the previous sentence). They're those pronouns that exist only because the English language demands that each sentence contain a subject: the it in 'It's raining' or the there in 'There is a shed in my back yard.' (Note: the there only works as an example of a dummy pronoun if I am not pointing to a shed, and am nowhere near my back yard.)"
(Jessica Love, "They Get to Me." The American Scholar, Spring 2010)

What do you think? Is the concept of a dummy subject new to you, too?

Write soon,

Mary

January Writers

2012-01-07T21:39:00.000-08:00

I recently interviewed Sylvia Forbes via email about her January Writers project. It’s a great way to help all of us start the new year by writing!

MH: Why did you decide to do this project?

SF: Winter is often a time when people don't get out much, and there's a big letdown after the rush and excitement of the holidays. So, what better time to daydream, reflect and write, than in January?

I started the January Challenge on a smaller scale last January, when I invited writers from my local writing group, the Columbia Chapter of the Missouri Writers' Guild, to participate through email. However, Facebook seems like a more ideal way for everyone to communicate, so this year I've opened it up to ALL writers who want to participate. Any writer can search for January Writers, and “like” the page. Then they can start posting their daily totals, or comments about how they are doing on the challenge.

MH: How many writers are participating?

SF: Right now, we have about 53 participating. Others are welcome to join any time. The month is not over!

MH: What is the goal of this project?

SF: The January Challenge is to write something every day in January. It can be as short as a Haiku, or as long as a novel. It can be fiction or non-fiction. It can be journaling - the words don't have to be for publication, unless the writer wants to work toward that goal.

The overall idea is that by writing daily in January, it helps writers develop that great habit of writing daily, and not procrastinating. So if anyone wants to get started on developing that habit, come join in!

MH: Do you have a personal goal?

SF: I have many personal writing goals, from learning to write better essays, to writing non-fiction books, children's fiction, writing more nature articles, and much more. For this January Challenge, however, I hope to catch up on writing some non-fiction feature articles. These files have been waiting patiently on my desk for a long time, waiting for me to get to them.

MH: Do you think a writing community is important for writers?

SF: Yes. For me, a writing community is important. I know some writers don't need them, but I enjoy meeting others, even if just virtually, and getting enthused and inspired by the interaction. I feel that I learn much from other writers, both in the craft of writing and in the business of writing. I live in a small town, with few other writers, so it's nice to have a writing group nearby, whether online or in another town, where I can go and be with other creative people who "get" what I do. Sometimes, writing groups can demand too much of your time, or there can be a few irritating personalities, but for the most part, writing groups have been invaluable to me.

Thank you, Sylvia, for your time, and for this great project!

Write soon,

Mary

Hey, I just learned something!

2011-12-26T17:47:00.000-08:00

In my previous post about the word “it,” I mentioned the first line of A Tale of Two Cities – “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, … “. I just learned that there is a name for this type of repetition – anaphora, (pronounced uh-naf-er-uh). When a word or phrase is repeated at the beginning of two or more successive sentences, verses or clauses – the result is an anaphora.

In oral communications class, we discuss Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I have a Dream” speech, and the repetition of that same phrase within the speech. When used correctly, repeating a phrase can emphasize an important idea and help people remember what was said. I would argue that Dickens and King used anaphora correctly.

When used incorrectly, however, repetition can become monotonous and annoying. When used incorrectly, however, repetition can become monotonous and annoying. When used incorrectly, however, repetition can become monotonous and annoying.

Like many other style and grammar rules, there aren’t hard and fast rules for exceptions. Great writers break rules, and the writing works. Not-so-great-writers also break rules, and the writing may not work. Sometimes we just know it when we read it.

Write soon,

Mary

(For those of you who are following along, I just realized that I added the word “just” to the headline today, and I also used it in this sentence. See, I wasn’t just (uh oh, there it goes again!) kidding about using the word “just.”)

Writer, edit thyself

2011-12-14T21:07:00.000-08:00

Why can’t we write well the first time? There must be some sort of disconnect between what we want to write, and what we actually write, because what sounds good in our brains often shows up on the page as something not-quite-as-wonderful. Last month I gave a presentation on editing at the Ozarks Writers League. I don’t have the space here to include everything I covered, but will concentrate on deleting unnecessary words to strengthen your writing.

Intensifiers

Delete words placed before adjectives and adverbs that attempt to intensify an effect, but accomplish just the opposite. Words like very, so, quite, extremely, really, and absolutely. We're very hungry. Thank you so much. The spaghetti was extremely good, etc. (I used the word “so” four times in the last paragraph before editing. Even as I’m writing about what not to do, I’m still making those errors!)

Qualifiers

According to Ask.com, a qualifier is a word or phrase that precedes an adjective or adverb, increasing or decreasing the quality signified by the word it modifies (adverbs of degree). Common qualifiers include (though some of these words have other functions as well, and overlap into the intensifiers category): completely, quite, rather, somewhat, more, most, less, least, too, so, just, enough, indeed, still, almost, fairly, really, pretty, even, a bit, a little, a (whole) lot, a good deal, a great deal, kind of, sort of.

I “just” like it

If there were a competition, I would win the “Most Use of the word ‘Just’ in Writing” award. I don’t know what it is about that word, but I just like it. I just can’t help myself. I wish it were easy, but I just can’t stop using it. It’s just a bad habit, and I just wish it would go away.

If you have favorite words like “just,” and “so,” that you overuse, “search” for those words when you’re editing, and delete them.

Things

There is always a more specific word for "thing" or "things." Dr. Seuss is the only one who can get away with it.

“Cousin It”

Be specific. Name the "it." One of the professors on my thesis committee hated sentences that began with the word “it.” I look for them in my writing, and can’t say I delete of all of them, but I can rewrite most of the sentences to make them stronger.

Like all writing there are exceptions to every rule. This last one, especially, because of the power of the first sentence in A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, … “. I’m glad my professor didn’t get a hold of that sentence because she probably would have ruined it!

Write soon,

Mary

St. Louis Writers Guild Last-Minute Holiday Book Fair

2011-12-12T19:10:00.000-08:00

Author T.W. Fendley will sign copies of her book Zero Time at the St. Louis Writers Guild Last-Minute Holiday Book Fair Tuesday, Dec. 13 at 7 p.m. at the Kirkwood Train Station, 101 W. Argonne Dr., Kirkwood.

Contributors of St. Louis Reflections, an anthology to honor St. Louis Writers Guild's 90th Anniversary, will read selections and sign the anthology. Books by other Guild members also will be available, along with wine, cheese, and trains as authors reflect on the city.

Write soon,

Mary

More on procrastination -- the big picture

2011-12-11T11:09:00.000-08:00

Remember the “But, first … phenomenon” I wrote about last time? I want to follow up and remind everyone, including me, that we all have many things keeping us from doing what we want or need to do. The key to accomplishing anything is to focus on what is important. Don’t let what is in front of you keep you from getting what you want. Keep your eye on the big picture.

When I was writing my book, “Strengthen Your Nonfiction Writing,” I wrote for a very long time before it looked like a book. And every day there was something right in front of me that I wanted or needed to do instead of writing. But I also really wanted to write a book. So if I hadn’t kept that big goal in mind, it would have been easy to do millions of other things instead of writing the book. As it was, I usually wrote late at night because I was doing all that other stuff during the day, and by the time it was finished, everyone else was in bed. That’s when I was able to write, so that’s when I wrote.

I hear excuses from students every day. They tell me they can’t do an assignment because their printers/cars/computers/jump drives/insert any other items here/ broke. Or they have other obligations. I am amazed at how many people rely solely on my students to get medical care. They tell me they had to take their moms/dads/brothers/sisters/aunts/uncles/grandmas/grandpas/cousins/nieces/nephews/neighbors/neighbors’ cats (yes, I heard that excuse) to the doctor or vet (in the case of the cat).

Something came up. I get that. But when that something is finished, why not do it then? Most of them didn’t leave the doctor’s or vet’s office to come to class. They went home, went to bed, took a shower, ate breakfast, and probably a few other things (maybe watched a little TV to relax?) before they drove to school.

My friend, Robin, told me we all have the same 24 hours in the day, and we get to decide how to use them. Use the time you have to do what you need to do. I’ve graded many papers sitting on bleachers watching my kids practice sports, in the waiting room of a doctor’s office and in the very early or late hours of a day.

Make a daily schedule for writing, and stick to it. If you plug away for an hour, or two pages, or 100 words, or 500 words, then every day you will be closer to your goal. It’s the people who keep the big goals in mind that accomplish big things.

Write soon,

Mary

If it weren't for the last minute, I wouldn't get anything done

2011-12-04T13:17:00.000-08:00

When I was in college, my dorm room was cleaned when my roommate and I both had homework or other class projects to work on. We realized this pattern about halfway through our first semester, but we never changed. I called it the “But, first … “ phenomenon.

When you aren’t doing what you should be doing, what are you doing? Nothing? Probably not. If you’re like me, you’re probably doing something else. So let’s stop beating ourselves up about procrastination. Maybe we just need to reorganize our thoughts about it. (I know, I know, isn’t that just one more thing to put on our to-do list?)

It’s not that I’m not the not best at focus and determination. It’s that I always have one little thing to do first before I can begin to do what I should be doing. For instance, I needed to create this blog post, but first, I had to throw in a load of laundry, write out a grocery list, run to the store for just a few things, and grade some papers.

Before I can do that big project that requires creative energy, I will do these little things, but somehow, those little things end up taking a lot of time, and as the deadline nears, I haven’t finished the project that I need to finish.

But those little things that keep life running smoothly have been finished. We have clothes to wear, food in the pantry, and a schedule that we can follow. What can we do? I’ve developed a list of four items to keep in mind when you are overwhelmed with projects.

1) 1) Delegate

2) 2) Keep a list

3) 3) Limit your to-do list

4) 4) Don’t give up

First, give others the opportunity to be responsible. Everyone wins, especially kids because they learn valuable life skills.

Second, don’t forget the importance of keeping a list. The simple process of writing it down and then crossing it off gives everyone a sense of accomplishment.

Third, I worked with a woman who told me to never put more than three items on your to-do list for any given day. She said there is an unwritten law of the universe that says you can’t accomplish more than three items in a day. (She was correct.)

Fourth, don’t give up, ever. Keep plugging away, and some day, it will all come together. And if it doesn’t, keep working on it anyway. Because there’s always tomorrow, and we all know what a difference a day makes.

Write soon,

Mary

The halo effect

2011-11-12T09:38:00.001-08:00

First impressions matter. This idea is relevant to the people we write about, regardless of whether or not they are real. When you first introduce a character, the words you use to describe him or her affect the way the reader perceives that character. If a character is “good,” then it is hard for readers to undo that goodness. Readers assume that characters that are good at one task, job or responsibility, are good at other tasks, jobs or responsibilities.

According to Wikipedia, the halo effect is a cognitive bias whereby the perception of one trait (i.e. a characteristic of a person or object) is influenced by the perception of another trait (or several traits) of that person or object. Judging an attractive person as smart would be an example of the halo effect. A study by Solomon Asch suggests that attractiveness is a central trait, so we presume all the other traits of an attractive person are just as attractive and sought after.

Is this the reason many protagonists are good looking? If he or she isn’t good looking, which positive qualities do you assign to that person? If you want readers to support the protagonist in your book or story, then he or she needs to have positive qualities that readers find attractive.

Writing about protagonists as outsiders can be difficult. We need to identify with their plight, and understand their inability to fit in while making them heroic in some way. Did the feature character in your novel find homes for stray kittens, or make hysterical comments about the evil boss that have readers laughing out loud? Humor may explain the success of some iconic sad sacks in books and movies.

When characters don’t have looks or humor, assigning traits like drive, empathy and perseverance may get readers to support your protagonist in his or her quest. Readers respond positively to characters who work late into the night because of a need to find a cure for a disease or fix a modern problem that plagues us.

Consider the halo effect when writing your characters. The hope is that readers will READ late into the night when they identify with those characters.

Write soon,

Mary

Adverbs

2011-10-29T22:39:00.000-07:00

Adjectives modify nouns.

The dress is red. “Red” is an adjective.

Adverbs modify verbs, or other parts of speech that aren’t nouns. Many end in “ly.”

He ran quickly. “Quickly” is an adverb.

Syntax

Language has rules, and syntax is the ordered placement of words in a sentence. In English, the order is generally Subject Verb Object (SVO). Adverbs, like all modifiers, should be placed as closely as possible to the words they modify to clarify meaning. But, like ice cream, too much of a good thing can be bad. When writers depend on adverbs to explain character traits or show emotion, their sentences sound weak.

“Hi, honey,” James sweetly intoned. “How was your day?”

Many “ly” verbs also modify the verb “said” because writers want to spice it up. I don’t have a problem with “said,” but some writers do. Read the publication you want to write for, and follow its style guidelines. As a former staff writer for a magazine that used the word “says,” (which I hated) I can tell you that after a while I just read past those “says,” which is also what we do with the word “said.”

Read the following examples, and then rewrite them to make the sentences stronger. Can you show the reader that Laura is tired, and Susan is cold?

“I am so tired,” Laura said, weakly.

“Where are my gloves?” Susan said, coldly.

Cut back on “ly” words, especially those that assist weak verbs. Don’t let adverbs suck the life out of your content. Rewrite those sentences with “ly” words to strengthen your writing.

Rewrites

Before she opened the door, James had Sheila’s martini on the table next to her favorite chair. (James is sweet, and/or thoughtful.)

Laura yawned more than a dozen times during the seven-minute presentation. (Laura is tired.)

Susan rubbed her hands together, and cupped them in front of her mouth to warm them with her breath. (Susan is cold.)

Write soon,

Mary

2 Rivers Communications & Design

2011-10-26T19:31:00.000-07:00

Dianna Graveman has recently opened 2 Rivers Communications & Design. She provides quality business communications and editorial services for a wide range of projects and clients.

Graveman is a Missouri writer, editor, speaker, and educator who has written for CBS-St. Louis, Suburban Journals, AOL/Patch, St. Anthony Messenger, Teachers of Vision Magazine, and dozens of other publications. She provides workshops on writing, publishing, and social media marketing, and is the current managing editor of the Missouri Writers' Guild newsletter.

A talented writer who gives more than 110 percent to every project, Graveman can help any business meet its communications goals. For more information, contact her through:

Blog: http://diannagraveman.wordpress.com

Website: http://www.2riverscommunications.net

Twitter: http://twitter.com/DiannaGraveman

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/2RiversCommunications

Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/diannagraveman

Bio: http://about.me/DiannaGraveman

Write soon,

Mary

Inspiring interview

2011-10-04T18:03:00.000-07:00

Claire Cook, the author of Must Love Dogs and luncheon keynote speaker for the 2012 Missouri Writers Guild Conference, was interviewed recently on the MWG blog http://mwgconference.blogspot.com/

She offers inspiration to writers who struggle with finding time to write and/or finish what they start (I think that covers everyone). You can also enter a drawing to win a copy of her book, Best Staged Plans, by leaving a comment.

Write soon,

Mary

Rejection

2011-09-27T20:24:00.000-07:00

My friend and unpublished (for now, but not for long) author just suffered through a devastating rejection from an agent at a writing conference. He compared her book (that he hasn’t read) to a book from a Canadian author that was well written, but with a story so bad no one would read or buy it. I gave her some advice I want to share here, because every writer has felt that pain.

Good news, the worst is over. Rejection has stared you in the face and you survived.

Be sad and feel bad and eat ice cream and then get mad and prove him wrong! I’ve seen so many students and writers devastated by BAD criticism that they gave up. Don’t give up.

Have you watched Randy Pausch’s “The Last Lecture” online? You can Google/Youtube it. His best piece of advice is “The walls are there to stop the OTHER people.” I love that. You just encountered a wall. Are you going to let it stop you, or are you going to find a way over or around it? He may stop many people this weekend. You are not one of them. Don’t let his negative world affect your world for one more minute. He may even get off on crushing dreams, and sleep with a teddy bear and call it Mommy because he didn’t get enough love as a child.

How the heck can he compare your situation with a Canadian writer with a bad book. A) You are not Canadian and why does that even matter? And B) Your book is GOOD. Apples and oranges, baby. Fallacious argument. Doesn’t make sense, no logic. Doesn’t follow.

Think about how many bad/uninspired books you’ve read. Somebody published them. Yours is good, so it shouldn’t be hard to get published, but it is. I don’t understand it, either. But the world works in a crazy way sometimes.

You now have a specific goal, to imagine his face when he gets a copy of your published book.

You have work to do, get that book out there.

Write soon,

Mary

Outliners vs. pantsers

2011-09-18T12:34:00.000-07:00

The author Kelly O’Connor McNees (The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott) mentioned in her presentation earlier this summer at Saturday Writers the difference between writers who are outliners (those who plan) and pantsers (those who fly by the seat of their pants).

As a writer, I can honestly say that I love outlines. For nonfiction, I use comprehensive outlines. For fiction, I use a variety of methods that run from not much except an idea I have in my brain, to some sort of weird, abbreviated version of a list or plan of how I want to get characters from Point A to Point B.

As a speech teacher, I require students to turn in an outline form that I give them. The top of the sheet requires the student to state the topic and thesis. These items are followed by a standard outline format that lists main points, sub points, introduction, conclusions and transitions. I do this for a couple of reasons – one is that they have an appropriate speech topic with sufficient support for their thesis and main points, and the other is that they don’t wait to the last minute to begin working on the presentation.

Let me tell you about Andrew, a fictional student I just made up who represents several students I have every semester. Andrew usually approaches me right before class begins, or during our break to tell me his outline isn’t finished. He hems and haws around a bit, and sheepishly admits that he can’t seem to settle on a topic.

“I have some ideas,” he says. “But I haven’t written anything.”

I tell Andrew to pick any topic, and go with it. I tell him that I don’t care if it isn’t good. I tell him he doesn’t have to give his speech using that exact topic and main points, and I tell him that something is better than nothing.

What I don’t tell him is that by writing anything, it forces him to develop his ideas. I also don’t tell him that there is power and strength in beginnings, and outlines help us get rid of the fear of not being able to do it.

And Andrew always writes something. And it’s always good.

Write soon,

Mary

Book jackets

2011-09-11T19:17:00.000-07:00

Writers appreciate interesting visuals, and when the visuals are book covers, well, even better! Grab a cup of coffee and follow the link. http://thejacketmuseum.wordpress.com/

Let me know which ones you like!

Write soon,

Mary

Self-fulfilling prophecy

2011-08-31T21:42:00.000-07:00

A self-fulfilling prophecy is a prediction or statement about ourselves that may or may not be true, but causes us to behave as if the prediction or statement were actually true.

When I was a kid, I struggled with math. It didn’t take me long to go from not understanding certain algebraic concepts to believing that I wasn’t good at math. That’s what I told myself, and I believed it. And because I believed that I wasn’t good at math, I behaved as if it were true, turning it into a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Maybe if I had worked a little harder or longer, I would have been able to understand algebra. But I didn't give myself the opportunity to improve. I gave up because I believed I couldn't do it.

What is the little voice in your head telling you? Are you sending yourself positive messages, or negative ones? Are you taking a small setback and letting it turn you into someone who is afraid to proceed because the outcome may not be as great as you think? Or do you give yourself the message that you can do more than you think you can?

Don’t let the negative thoughts in your head determine your reality. We all have disappointments and failures. Look at them for what they are: opportunities to improve.

Write soon,

Mary

Success and failure

2011-08-21T00:33:00.000-07:00

Success is never final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts

Winston Churchill

Recently, I haven’t started any new projects, and haven’t finished any old ones. I’m not writing much, and don’t have a routine. I do have a few ideas in the hopper, but nothing is rising to the top. Does that make me a failure? Maybe, but I’m not giving up. I’m just going to start again.

This week the fall semester begins. One thing I like about school is that we get to start over a few times a year, so we have more chances to get it right. I love that. A student or teacher can have the worst semester ever, and in a few months, it doesn’t matter because everything ends, and then we get a chance to begin again. Sounds kinda like life, eh?

At the beginning of every semester, I ask my oral communications students to write down their fears and goals for the class. I stress the part about CLASS, but I get a variety of students who write about other fears like spiders, bugs and heights. (I can relate to the one about heights.)

I save these sheets in my class folder, and return them on the last day of class. On that day, I announce to them that they can see how they have conquered their fears and met their goals. Every time I put a sheet on a desk, I watch the student read it and smile. I love that.

Write down your goals. Write down your fears. Every day, try to do one thing to accomplish your goals, and one thing to eliminate your fears. By the end of the week, or month, or season or year, you will have something – and it may be good. Work toward something bigger than yourself, and you will be able to realize who you are, hiding in plain sight underneath who you think you are. And don’t give up. Ever.

Write soon,

Mary

What I want the truth to be vs. the actual truth

2011-08-08T21:38:00.000-07:00

I WANT to say that I haven’t posted content lately because I became engrossed in the movie Moby Dick, which turned into an obsession with the book, with which I am almost finished. But, it wouldn’t be true. I tried to watch the movie, I really did, but it just wasn’t for me.

I couldn’t get past William Hurt as Captain Ahab. I like William Hurt, but I kept seeing and hearing him as his character in The Accidental Tourist, and the peg leg just made it more unbelievable. I believed Gary Sinise as Lt. Dan who lost his legs in Forrest Gump, but couldn’t make the same leap with William Hurt in Moby Dick.

And to be completely honest, I had issues with his coat being buttoned/unbuttoned in a scene in which I’m sure they had many takes, and was hard to make it exactly the same every time, and it bugged me. And when I find myself looking for things like buttons on a coat in a movie, then I know the spell is broken. My only reasoning is that sometimes the magic works, and sometimes it doesn’t.

I CAN honestly say I finished my summer semester, turned in my grades and began preparing for the next semester. Plus we have house guests! Like all writing, blogs take thought, time and effort to produce content, and while most of us have one or two of those things going for us at any one time, it’s hard to have all three at once!

So tell me, how do you motivate yourself to write? Do you have a certain amount of time you set aside, or is it a word count goal every day, or week, or month?

Write soon,

Mary

An interview with author Kelly O'Connor McNees

2011-07-27T22:02:00.000-07:00

Last month, Kelly O’Connor McNees spoke at Saturday Writers about her book titled The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott. The debut novel presents a fictional account of what might have happened to Louisa May Alcott one summer. In this interview, O’Connor McNees gives some insight into the book, her inspiration and writing process.

Can you give a brief summary, and tell why you decided to write the book?

Millions of readers have fallen in love with Little Women. But how could Louisa May Alcott-who never had a romance-write so convincingly of love and heart-break without experiencing it herself?

I had always loved Little Women but never knew much about Louisa May Alcott herself until I picked up a biography of her a few years ago. I learned that her life was big and complex, and that she had burned some of her letters and journals before she died. I thought those spaces in the historical record offered a great opportunity for fiction.

What was the most surprising piece of information you found out about Alcott?

That she didn't want to write Little Women at all! She thought her own life was very boring.

How did you research the material for the book?

I read most of Louisa's novels and stories, many different biographies of her and some of her family members, as well as her own words in her remaining letters and journals. I spent time too learning about what life was like in 1855, how domestic tasks were performed, what people wore and ate. It was such a pleasure hunting for the perfect details.

You write first, and then revise later. Why does this system work for you?

I think you need to get something on the page to work with. You can't fix what isn't there!

You also outline before you write. Do you have any particular tips, or an outline style that works best for you?

I try to think in scenes rather than chapters. What interactions need to take place between the characters to keep the story moving forward?

What was the most difficult part of writing/publishing this book?

Coming back to the manuscript every day when something is not working. That doesn't change one bit after getting published.

Read more about Kelly and the novel at http://kellyoconnormcnees.com/

Write soon,

Mary

A couple of thoughts that are somewhat related

2011-07-23T10:30:00.000-07:00

Remember the episode of Leave it to Beaver when Beaver was supposed to read The Three Musketeers for school, and he saw it at the movies instead? OK, so I was watching television the other day with my son, and I think I may be off the hook (pun intended) about reading Moby Dick this summer because THE MOVIE* is scheduled to be shown on TV Aug 1 and 2!

I’m thinking that if I watch the movie, I can gain insight into the characters, their motivation and goals, and will be inspired to read the book. Wish me luck, and I’ll let you know how it goes.

Hey, how about you, did you ever watch the movie (or Wishbone! Hi Melissa!) instead of reading the book?

Write soon,

Mary

* This version stars Academy award-nominee Ethan Hawke, Academy award-winner William Hurt and Donald Sutherland. That’s how they said their names in the commercial, in that order. Shouldn’t they start small, and then move up the academy award chain? Do you think Donald Sutherland feels kinda left out? Maybe they could have said “ … and father of Emmy award-winner Keifer Sutherland.” Or something like “humanitarian and all-around good guy.” But no, the sentence just seems to end. He needs a title, or some sort of recognition. I’ll Google him and see if there’s anything there. Hold on a minute, I’ll be right back ...

OK, so I typed in his name, and a bunch of sites came up, but this one http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000661/

had a preview that make me think there is a Donald Sutherland conspiracy or something, because this is what it said:

The towering presence of this Canadian character actor is not often noticed, but his contributions are legendary. He has been in almost a hundred and fifty different shows and films. He is also the father of renowned actor Kiefer Sutherland.

Do you think there’s someone out there holding a grudge against Donald Sutherland? Why isn’t he noticed, and why is his work played down on a site devoted to him? Why ISN”T he recognized when he’s been in so many great films? Hmmmmm. Makes you wonder, eh? Couldn’t they have said “legendary actor” in the commercial. That would’ve worked.

I wish they would check with me first.

Egads! E-ads!

2011-07-17T20:13:00.000-07:00

A recent op-ed piece in the Wall Street Journal explored the potential of advertising in ebooks to offset sagging sales. Is this the future of book publishing?

The practice of selling advertising space in books is not new. I remember seeing ads inserted in paperback books in the 1970s. After the federal government banned tobacco ads on TV and radio in 1969, book and magazine advertising sales increased. At the time, some people argued that ads were aimed at kids, an issue that is still pertinent today

In the late 1950s, Dr. Benjamin Spock’s Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care ran ads, including those from Carnation and Proctor & Gamble. Approximately 100 years earlier, advertisements were placed in a serialized edition of Charles Dickens’ “David Copperfield.”

Do you think advertising will show up in ebooks? Or will product placement become the norm like it is in the movies, where the hero drives a certain type of car or drinks a particular brand of beer? Tell me what you think.

Write soon,

Mary

Did you read it, really?

2011-07-08T22:54:00.000-07:00

I was thinking about picking up a copy of Moby Dick this summer, and trying to read it … again. I read a little of it in college, and a little more of it in a bookstore one day, but have never come close to finishing it. There, I said it.

I’ve always felt that admitting that I haven’t read all the classics could lead to my English degree being revoked at any moment. But I didn’t feel so bad after attending my book club meeting last month, and discovering that a couple of English teachers also had never read it!

Their admission freed me! I realized I wasn't the only one who hadn't read it. I no longer feel the need to change the subject when the book comes up in conversation, pretend to know what everyone is talking about when discussing the massive tome, or excusing myself to go to the bathroom in case someone asks me a difficult question about the novel that I can’t answer.

The Huffington Post last year listed the top 13 books people lie about having read. They include the aforementioned Moby Dick, Nineteen Eighty-Four, Ulysses, As I Lay Dying, War and Peace, The Canterbury Tales, Democracy in America, The Satanic Verses, A Christmas Carol, A Brief History of Time, Remembrance of Things Past or In Search of Lost Time.

Do you have a list of books you think you should read, but haven’t? Have you ever lied about it? What are you willing to admit? Leave a comment and let me know. Let’s see if our list looks like the one above.

Write soon,

Mary

Storm Country anthology accepting submissions

2011-07-04T18:24:00.000-07:00

The Joplin (MO) Writers’ Guild, in coordination with the Missouri Writers’ Guild, is seeking fiction, non-fiction and poetry to be included in an anthology, Storm Country, to be published near the end of the summer. All proceeds from book sales will go to the purchase of books for school libraries damaged or destroyed by the May 22 tornado. Midwest writers are encouraged to submit their original work through July 15th.

Submit work with the theme of storms and severe weather in the Midwest. All forms of stormy weather should be considered: ice, floods, tornadoes, wind, and snow. Include name, address, phone number, and email address on first page of submission.

Poetry of any form and up to 30 lines may be submitted. A maximum of three poems from any author will be considered.

Short fiction in any genre, 1,500 words or less, will be considered.

Nonfiction (features, essays, memoirs, etc.) of 1,500 words or less may also be submitted. A maximum of three pieces of prose will be accepted per author.

All submissions must be typed in 12-point Times New Roman. Prose should use three-space paragraph indention and double-spacing. Poetry should be single-spaced. Pages should be numbered. Spelling and grammar must be as the author intends. Author retains all rights. Please include third-person author bios up to 75 words.

Submit your Word documents by July 15th to joplinwritersguild@yahoo.com or mail to Claudia Mundell, 1815 River Street, Carthage, Missouri 64836.

"Where'd you go to high school?"

2011-06-29T19:40:00.000-07:00

The high school question is popular in St. Louis because it reveals quite a bit of information. You can tell a lot about a person when you learn where he or she went to high school. High schools reveal information about geographical location, income level and religion. It’s so popular that I read that said St. Louisan and John Burroughs-alum John Hamm (star of Mad Men) slipped the question into a SNL skit when he hosted the show!

So, where’d YOU go to high school? What does that tell us about you?

Write a list of three-five things your high school says about you. You can also add the year if you like.

OK, here's my list:

Ft. Zumwalt class of 1977 (How cool was it to go to high school in the 70s? Very!)

1) Rural (at the time, more cows than people)

2) Public school, no religious affiliation, (although the population was predominantly Catholic, my family wasn’t)

3) Mostly blue collar working class (although my father had an MBA from Washington University)

4) Majority of graduates didn’t go to college (I did, although I recognized many types of intelligence among my friends who didn’t, and most of them make more money than I do!)

So you can see that I wasn’t quite typical. Many kids feel like outsiders, a common theme in coming-of-age stories, but I never did. I had wonderful friends and a great place to grow up that felt safe. So if I were a character, what would I be like? Why?

You can use this question to strengthen your writing. Think about that question next time you are creating a character, or writing about a real person. What was he or she like in high school, and what did that school say about the people who went there?

Write Soon,

Mary

Nonverbal communication

2011-06-22T22:12:00.000-07:00

We are always communicating, as are the people we write about. Much of the information we receive comes from nonverbal communication, so writers should use it to help readers identify with and understand who their characters/subjects are.

Nonverbal communication is the ability to send and receive messages without using words. This can include facial expressions, body language, artifacts and paralanguage, which includes the WAY we say something. Paying attention to nonverbal communication can give insight to your readers, and strengthen your writing.

Every gesture, facial expression, detail of clothing and jewelry can bring a character or subject to life. These details can help define our characters or subjects, explain what makes them tick and let us know what’s important to them.

What artifacts does your character or subject have around him or her? What’s on the kitchen counter? Is mail stacked up? Are the canned goods in the pantry alphabetized? What about the car? Is it messy, or does it look like it just rolled off the dealer’s lot? Does she fumble in her purse for her keys? Are clothes neatly pressed, or rumpled? Does he look like John Hamm from Mad Men, or Peter Falk as Columbo?

Writers can set a scene with nonverbal cues. Does the main character silently roll up to the mansion in a silver Mercedes? Or does the missing muffler announce his presence half a mile away? Does the three-carat diamond reflect the light across the room, or does the plain gold band need a good polishing?

How do your characters talk? Does someone shriek, or are words spoken softly and gently? Imagine a doctor using these tones. What would each of these types of paralanguage imply? Did someone whisper your name? Speak with an accent or a lisp? Each of these attributes gives us information.

Some nonverbal cues match the messages they accompany. Smiling while talking about a spouse, or frowning while trying to figure out computer problems are examples of nonverbal and verbal messages matching each other. Other nonverbal cues don’t match the verbal message. When they don’t, we receive mixed messages, and we are more likely to believe the nonverbal cue.

“I’m fine,” she said, between sobs.

Do you really think she’s fine because she says she is fine? Or do you believe the nonverbal cue – sobbing. Blushing would be another example of a nonverbal cue that gives true insight into emotions.

So, the next time you write about someone, think about nonverbal communication to help bring him or her to life.

Talk to you soon,

Mary

"Make Every Word Count," by Gary Provost Book Review, Continued

2011-06-16T22:18:00.000-07:00

Part 4 of 4

To go where no one has gone before

In a new twist to understanding writing, the author takes a bold step into the unknown and tries to describe how the reader needs to feel when reading your words. He recognizes the immense responsibility of writing and putting you in the reader’s shoes.

Provost compares the process to casting a spell. Said spell must be durable enough to hold the attention of readers regardless of when it is cast or upon whom. Those black lines of print on white paper may be read by someone who is so unlike the writer that in any other situation the two would probably be at each other’s throats. Therein lies the challenge. Words must transcend time and distance and culture and learned hatred and gender and even death, i.e., that of the writer, naturally. For the most part, the reader is usually alive.

When a successful spell is cast then the reader does not remember to do the dishes or water the lawn or if he or she is married. The reader enters a world the writer created, but proceeds to alter it to fit his or her own experience and needs. It’s a world only the two of you share in your brains, but neither will know or be able to understand the other’s. It’s a connection that can never be seen or felt by an outsider, but it is strong and as powerful as any great work of art. The spell opens a door to a place no one else can go. It is the writer’s job to make that place come alive for the reader.

Words typed on a page can create magic. Suddenly a voice is present as the words are read, as are images and people. When you think about characters in literature who have moved you, it’s difficult to realize that they were never anything other than words on a page. Between you and author, you come up with an image that fit, and it stuck. Fantasy is such a short distance from reality that the two of them may overlap. That explains why television actors often are confused for the characters they play.

It’s a writer’s job to create that magic and hold the reader under the spell for as long as it takes to finish the work. This is the place where style and words work together to capture the reader. If not, then you have lost your reader forever.

Successful writers must learn how to take their readers on a journey. It’s a journey that can’t keep starting and stopping like a cross-town bus. Readers will get off at the first stop and never get back on. Take them instead on a long leisurely drive to the country. Build their interest slowly but surely in the place you are headed. You can always go back to the city later, but first take them to a place they want to discover with you. How will you know where to go? Ask yourself if you want to go there as well.

Trouble with posting comments

2011-06-10T22:05:00.000-07:00

I interrupt the four-part book review of “Make Every Word Count” by Gary Provost to bring you the following message.

I’ve heard that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over while expecting different results. I guess it’s true, because I’ve had a computer problem that has been slowly driving me crazy.

I’ve recently had difficulty posting comments on blogs, and would do the same thing over and over and hope it would finally “take.” For instance, I would write a comment, try to post it, and would be “sent” to the log in. I would log in, then it would take me back to the post and have me type in a word in a font that only a human could recognize. When I typed in the word, it would take me back to the log in, which I would do again, then send me back to the word in a weird font. I would try several times, thinking I was doing something wrong.

My computer-savvy husband, Randy, told me that when I log in to Blogspot by entering my email address and password, I need to uncheck the box underneath that says “Stay signed in.” I did that, and I was able to post comments on my blog and the blogs of others immediately! Thank you, honey.

I hope this helps anyone else who is having trouble with posting comments.

Talk to you soon,

Mary

Book Review "Make Every Word Count" Continued

2011-06-09T18:03:00.000-07:00

“Make Every Word Count” By Gary Provost Book Review, Continued (Part 3 of 4)

Find your own voice, be your own person and listen to your heart

While Provost describes example after example of good writing styles, descriptive writing, scenes, settings, tone and dialogue interspersed with lots of useful hints, one of the most telling passages came in chapter three under the heading “If the Writer is Seen at Work, then the Writing Won’t Work.” Here he takes a step back from the writing process to explain that if the writer works too hard, then he or she may leave too many fingerprints that clouds the meaning and ruins the effect. In other words, don’t try too hard.

The second most important piece of advice (second only because it’s been said many times, many ways) is to find your voice. This usually only happens when a writer begins to relax and enjoy the writing process. The problem is, a lot of writing is strained and complicated and just has too many big words. These problems occur when a writer thinks no one will find him or her the authority necessary to write about migratory birds, or art, or whatever.

Your reader is not an idiot

Readers can usually tell when a thesaurus was consulted, or if you are in “impress the reader” mode. These two situations are recognizable by large, unfamiliar words, and series of long, unfamiliar words. Don’t do it. Don’t get in the way of telling your story. That’s why movies don’t show the cast and crew behind the scenes. Oh sure, sometimes writers/actors will address the camera directly, (can you say postmodernism?) but these must be handled with care. If a writer isn’t sure how to proceed, then it isn’t wise to attempt this type of interpretation.

When a writer starts doubting, then the effort to impress begins. It’s like a white lie that grows all out of proportion because you were ashamed to admit that you didn’t graduate from college, or insanity runs in your family or you are about four years behind on student loan payments.

So instead of admitting you are human you make up this whole story about testifying against an unsavory character and are in the witness protection program. Well, of course no one is supposed to know, so please keep it between us, and the next thing you know your neighbors want to know what you saw and how you came to be here and what is it “really” like being in hiding. You get whispered comments from people in line at the grocery telling you “Your secret is safe with me.”

Well now the whole darn thing is so complicated and the only outcome is for it to explode in your face. The only other option is to move out of town, which isn’t a bad idea because people will just naturally think your cover was blown and you had to leave. Then later they can tell each other they were glad you left because they didn’t really want someone in the witness protection program living next door anyway.

This is how writing works, too. Instead of just admitting you know nothing about migratory birds, as do many readers, you start to fake it with the Conservation Department agent who will start using conservation jargon. When he asks if you are familiar with these types of birds, you don’t want to look stupid so you lie, which is really stupid. So he is talking in language you don’t understand, wasting both his time and yours. What a way to spend the day.

This can lead to a case of the writing working against the writer. No one wins and then your editor thinks the story doesn’t make sense. It’s best to stay true to yourself and your readers. Remember, they have no expectations. If you try to fake them out in the first paragraph, they will stop reading for reasons they may not truly understand, but they will stop reading nonetheless.

To be continued …

Book Review "Make Every Word Count" Continued

2011-06-05T09:31:00.000-07:00

Part 2 of 4

I don’t know anything about writing, but I know what I like

Provost believes every word has a job to do, and it’s up to the writer to find out what that job is, even though it may change from story to story. He wants the writer to think about what he or she is doing and why. By close examination some learning is bound to take place along the way. His book focuses on the words of working writers to exemplify successful writing. His definition of successful writing means only that someone sold a piece and it was published, which is probably a goal of anyone reading the book.

Although he does a great job of explaining the workings of good sentence structure and choosing words wisely, he also digs a little further into the way words work and their interaction with our brains. I haven’t read anything like this before in any of the “why writing works or doesn’t series,” and found his perception insightful.

He mentions only in passing, unfortunately, the difficulty in understanding and interpreting the way the brain perceives letters and words on a page. This also may explain some of the mystery behind successful writing and why there are no certain formulas for success. Psycholinguistics is the science of studying this phenomenon we call language, and apparently there are still quite a few large gaps in the research as to why and how we learn to read, talk and recognize the written word.

I wish he had devoted more time and space to this subject, but alas, he decided to go the route of practicality. And although this is the case, for now we will have to leave it at knowing there are scientists working around the clock to further our knowledge in studying the way our eyes send messages to our brain. Some day we may understand why we recognize and enjoy great phrases like “It was a dark and stormy night.”

It can be useful just to know that psycholinguistics exists because it can explain why our latest novel or story hasn’t sold. No one will quite know what you are talking about, and although I don’t usually advocate trying to deceive (see my example of the witness protection program later in this review) sometimes it just sounds better than “Oh, my publisher just isn’t as trend-conscious as I am.” Yeah, right.

Actually, a psycholinguist sounds like one of those crazy people standing on the corner downtown shouting random words viciously at anyone who will listen. Although we may not know why or how, we can learn which words to use by practice. Maybe that is what our friends on street corners are doing.

Provost referred to this as the job words do, and he likes to consider them as his employees. They all have jobs to do and can vary by looks and meanings. Each word should be chosen with care to ensure it’s pulling its own weight. Deadbeats should be dismissed so the others don’t have to try harder to work around them.

Form and content naturally work together to create a symphony of words that are (preferably) perfect together. There are no rules to follow regarding which style goes with which words, so experimenting is necessary. When it is right, you and your readers will know. The hidden talents of the words will rise to the top when everything comes together. Because once you release them by publishing them, they have to work hard to keep their meanings intact. Readers won’t know what you meant if they can’t understand what you are saying.

To be continued …

Book Review "Make Every Word Count"

2011-05-30T20:31:00.000-07:00

“Make Every Word Count” Book Review (Part 1 of 3)

Spreading confidence is one of the main purposes of a good teacher, no matter the subject. “Make every word count,” by Gary Provost, (available on Amazon.com)certainly does that. It’s not a new book, but it offers timeless advice in a friendly tone in an attempt to guide writers in their craft.

The book doesn’t preach, but offers information and practical examples designed to make the reader/writer think seriously about the process while demystifying story/article development. The process of writing is described in a way I could follow, but offered some surprises that made the book fun to read.

Although there are dozens of good examples of writing styles, I’m going to focus on three areas that were only briefly covered. They each have less to do with good sentences and more to do with thinking about writing and its possibilities. Each one offers guidance on why we do what we do and how we can do it better.

In the beginning

Provost begins by asking the question “Can writing be taught?” His answer is “No. Throw this book away.” He is kidding, of course. I know this because the book in my hand has about 200 more pages of printed information not designed to be tossed in the garbage can. He changes his answer in the next line and says that writing can be taught indeed, and laments that fact that that question keeps popping up and no one ever asks his wife, who plays the guitar, if playing the guitar can be taught. Obviously he’s a bitter, cynical man, and I liked him right away.

He explains that writing is not like learning auto mechanics, in that each part in a car has only one purpose and those purposes are not interchangeable. He does, however, break down the parts of writing into categories in order to explain them. These parts will not fit into the molds other writers may have, but it’s a working description that meets our needs here. We learn that words and sentences and stories all have meanings that can be altered depending on the circumstance.

For instance, he cites two sentences that convey the fact that a man died in a work-related accident. But, by using different words, one makes a reader sad and one makes the reader smile. The first states that a 27-year-old man died in an accident at work, leaving behind three little boys. The second states that “Hubie Humwicker” (a funny name) died from drowning in a 300-gallon vat of chocolate syrup.

Both sentences tell us what happened, but each has a different tone and purpose. Same general information--different means of expressing it. He forces us to look closer at the written word and why some words work more efficiently than others. This also explains why writers should know a story’s purpose before deciding what and how to write.

To be continued …

Mindfulness

2011-05-28T20:53:00.000-07:00

In my book “Strengthen Your Nonfiction Writing” I wrote about mindfulness, or paying attention to your surroundings. Writers who pay attention to their environment learn a lot just by looking around. But there is another step to mindfulness that writers must embrace for it to be beneficial. Writers need to examine their environment in new ways to make connections and draw conclusions from the information gleaned.

Artists must open up and look at things from another point of view. Good artists usually collect ideas, and instead of just taking the first good one and running with it, mull it over and compare it to others and turn it around and upside down before putting it into action. That way, the idea has had a chance to develop and mature and become something solid and useful.

Using this method, quality (idea, or communication or method) is derived from quantity, or honed from a variety of ideas. Some great thinkers got their best ideas after developing many good ones. The best part about this way of thinking is that the more ideas we seek out and think about, the more creative we become. Ideas can come from anywhere, and should be taken seriously.

In a receptive phase of problem solving, when ideas may come and go, it is important to keep your mind from forming negative thoughts and concerning yourself with specifics and details. Let them go and encourage your mind to consider every aspect of a possibility. Let these ideas be the seeds that may or may not grow flowers

Artists should not hesitate to use the resources of others. Keep your mind open and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Talk to people who are doing something similar to what you are doing, and then talk to those who are doing something completely different. Even the most successful artists must still learn in order to stay fresh and in control of his or her craft. Businesses and governments spend time and money on research and consults, which can provide unexpected benefits through the process of looking at a problem from a different viewpoint.

The reason this is so successful is that people on the inside often forget to take a new look at what is going on in their own space. Looking at the same thing in the same way day after day does dull your sense and sensibility to a problem. What’s really fun is to try to find someone with absolutely no experience in your business or with your problem, and find out what that person has to say. Ask a child, or an older relative. The ideas may not be presented in finished form and ready to implement, but some solutions may be found by listening and combining and connecting or prompting other ideas.

Edison believed that “Ideas are in the air,” and if he hadn’t thought of a particular solution to a problem, someone else would have. But in order to catch these airborne ideas we do need to observe and be open to them. Kids go to major league baseball games with their gloves in hopes of catching a fly ball. They are ready and prepared to do just that. They look for them and seek them out. Sometimes they catch one. Often they don’t. But if they do catch one, they hold on to it much more successfully than if they had forgotten to be prepared. If we go to work prepared to challenge old ways of thinking by looking at our environment with fresh eyes, then we are prepared when an idea presents itself.

Searching for Search Engines

2011-05-22T14:24:00.000-07:00

Search engines are online services that allow users to scan the contents of the Internet to find Web sites or specific information of interest to them. A user inputs a search term, and the search engine attempts to match this term to categories or keywords in its catalog of World Wide Web sites. The search engine then generates a list of sites that match the search criteria, ranked in order of relevance. Search engines help organize the more than two billion pages of information on the World Wide Web and make them accessible to Internet users.*

I wasn’t sure what to blog about today, but the answer came when I clicked on the Internet Explorer icon, and I was directed to the Bing Search Engine homepage. I use Google on my laptop, but we have Bing on our home computer. I use both computers and search engines frequently, but I must say, I like the layout of the Bing Homepage. Bing always features a wonderful photograph that allows users to get more information by scrolling over the photo. Usually, there are several pieces of information about the photo, along with links to read more. (It’s especially effective for procrastinating.)

In its defense, Google is also very creative in its logo design to reflect a news story. When you scroll over the word “Google,” more information pops up there, as well. I loved the recent Google animation that celebrated the work of Martha Graham.

Finding information on the internet is easy. Finding exactly what you want from credible sources can be more challenging. When you are researching, which search engines do you use? Do you try more than one? If so, which ones? When I have trouble finding what I’m looking for, I’ll try Bing, Google, Yahoo, AltaVista or Dogpile.

Which one do you use?

Talk to you soon,

Mary

*From the Gale Encyclopedia of Small Business accessed 5-22-11

The winners!

2011-05-15T20:16:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Pat W. and Alice M., who each won a copy of my book "Strengthen Your Nonfiction Writing." I'll get those out this week, and I hope you both enjoy them!

Last Chance

2011-05-13T10:19:00.000-07:00

Don't forget!

Today is the last day to enter to win a copy of my book "Strengthen Your Nonfiction Writing." Just become a follower, or leave a comment and you will be entered to win.

Good Luck! I'll let you know who won next week!

Mary

Strengthen Your Nonfiction Writing Giveaway

2011-05-07T21:54:00.000-07:00

Don't forget to leave a comment to be entered to win a copy of Strengthen Your Nonfiction Writing by next Friday (the 13th)!

Happy Mother's Day!

Mary

Branding

2011-05-06T20:00:00.000-07:00

Last night at dinner with some of my favorite writer friends, (Lou http://www.highhillpress.com/, Dianna http://diannagraveman.wordpress.com/ and Donna http://donnasbookpub.blogspot.com/) the concept of branding came up. Most writers don’t think of their writing as a product, but it may be beneficial for writers to think like marketers with a product to sell.

Branding is the practice of identifying products while differentiating them from others. According to Wikipedia (I know, I know, I don’t even let my students use it as a source, but I’m going to allow it to make my point here because the definition was clear and concise) a brand identifies a product, service or business. The word “branding” came from the practice of branding cattle so ranchers could identify their own livestock. Without the brands to identify them, the cattle would be indistinguishable from each other. No one would know which cow belonged to which rancher.

When we apply that idea to products in the marketplace, consumers wouldn’t be able to distinguish cars, soap or books from one another without brands (or titles). Early in the 20th century, soap came in big blocks, and when a customer wanted soap, a store clerk would cut off a piece. Once companies began to market their brand of soap to distinguish it from other soap, customers would ask for a particular brand, which increased sales.

“Brand is the personality that identifies a product, service or company (name, term, sign, symbol, or design, or combination of them) and how it relates to key constituencies: customers, staff, partners, investors etc.

“Some people distinguish the psychological aspect, brand associations like thoughts, feelings, perceptions, images, experiences, beliefs, attitudes, and so on that become linked to the brand, of a brand from the experiential aspect.”

“Harry Potter,” “Stephanie Meyer” and “Stephen King”

What did you think when you read each of these names?

“Wizards,” “Twilight” and “horror?”

Those are the words I came up with. Successful marketers know how to brand their products so consumers/readers associate their product with certain words or feelings. If they can get us all to think the same thing, then the brand is strong with a clear identity.

When the actor Vincent Price was once asked if he was tired of being typecast as a villain (his “brand”), he said he wasn’t because it made him a very rich man.”

What do you think?

Mary

"Strengthen Your Nonfiction Writing" Giveaway

2011-04-30T19:07:00.000-07:00

To celebrate the publication of my new book, Strengthen Your Nonfiction Writing, I'm giving away a copy to one lucky blog follower or visitor who leaves a comment.

To enter:

1. If you are a follower, just leave a comment or question by Friday, May 13.

2. If you not a follower, become a follower and leave a comment or question by Friday, May 13.

3. Any of my followers who post a link about the contest on their blog will have their name entered a second time.

4. Along with your comment be sure to leave an e-mail so I can contact you if you are the lucky winner.

5. I will pick one name at random.

6. Winner's name will be announced by May 15.

Good luck!

Talk to you soon,

Mary

Awards

2011-04-29T20:36:00.000-07:00

An award is something given to a person or a group of people to recognize excellence in a certain field; a certificate of excellence. Awards are often signified by trophies, titles, certificates, commemorative plaques, medals, badges, pins, or ribbons. ...

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Award

I’m pleased to announce that I won the Arts & Humanities Division “Adjunct of the Year” award at St. Charles Community College for 2011! I’m not one to win many awards, so this was a pleasant surprise.

I have won a few writing awards, and am proud of all of them. But I want to tell you a story about one award in particular that I will never forget. I wrote articles for a national organization many years ago, and one of my articles won the “Most Informative Article” award from the National Safety Council. To this day, I still don’t know which article won. My boss wouldn’t tell me, said he didn’t know. I called someone else on the committee, who said my boss WAS on the committee that selected the winner. I asked again, he said he didn’t know anything about it.

To say my boss didn’t like me would be an understatement. I was upset and actually cried because he completely denied every aspect of the award. What I remember most from that experience was that he was able to negate every good feeling I had about winning. I would like to tell you I learned a valuable lesson. I didn’t. I would really like to tell you that he learned a valuable lesson. He didn’t.

Some authors win big awards, others don’t. I’ve been introduced to a few books because they’ve won awards, and sometimes I agree with them, and other times I don’t. But for me, I just keep plugging away, hopeful that people will read my work and respond. An award is a response, and that’s a good thing.

The “Adjunct of the Year” award doesn’t have any monetary benefits, but I’m proud of it, and no one can take that feeling away from me.

What awards are you most proud of?

Talk to you soon,

Mary

The Samaritan -- a review

2011-04-23T20:54:00.000-07:00

I wasn’t expecting philosophy when I opened Fred Venturini’s book, The Samaritan, (Blank Slate Press) http://www.blankslatepress.com/ but philosophy is what I got.

“To age is to embrace a slow hurt inside and out, to collect scars like rings on a tree, dark and weathered and sometimes only visible if someone cuts deep enough. Scars keep the past just close enough to touch, but healing is forgetting. Healing invites another cut. Healing is the tide that smoothes away our line in the sand.

For life to begin, the damage must be permanent.”

Pain and healing can add layers of meaning to life, but for two poor school boys from a small town in Illinois, the process takes years to complete, and leaves a few scars. Dale Sampson is the anti-hero, an interesting but unlikeable young man who discovers he has a special gift – the ability to regenerate limbs and organs. Like many people who are blessed with a particular talent or gift, he struggles with how to use it. He examines its positive and negative implications throughout the book, pushing himself and readers to the edge of what they believe to be possible within the human spirit.

As a kid, Dale’s best friend Mack saves him from the kind of social damage that can wreak havoc on self-esteem. Mack opens the door to a world that Dale never would have been able to enter on his own. For Dale, life is a series of cuts and bruises waiting to heal. For Mack, life is a series of conquests, for which there is a winner and a loser. In school, at least, Mack is a winner.

After high school, Dale falls into a deep depression following the violent death of the woman he loves. He spends years sitting on his couch watching Matlock reruns, waiting to be whole again. Everything changes, though, during a trip to Wal-mart for Ramen Noodles. The cashier whose lane he chooses is the twin of the deceased woman. During the encounter, she tries unsuccessfully to hide a black eye. Something stirs in Dale, who now has a reason to live – to punish the man who did this to her because he cannot avenge the death of her sister.

The book takes us on a wild ride of hurting and healing in a plot full of twists, surprises and connections that will stay with readers for a long time. Add some reality television, religious ideas and a few fires, and you have one man’s quest to find meaning while nursing the invisible damage of sorrow and longing for something he may never understand.

The Samaritan is one of the first releases from Blank Slate Press, a St. Louis publishing company that makes me optimistic about the future of publishing. The Samaritan is a story well told – a fast read that I didn’t want to put down, but when I did (only because I had to go to work!) the characters stayed with me. The strength of the narrative combined with the emotional impact of the story left a lasting impression that will not fade.

Talk to you soon,

Mary

Does truth exist?

2011-04-20T22:04:00.000-07:00

Here we go again.

Greg Mortenson, author of Three Cups of Tea and Stones into Schools, is accused of fabricating much of his autobiographical work that details his experiences building schools in Afghanistan and Pakistan. He also may be sued by the Pakistani tribesmen that Mortenson said kidnapped him. “It’s lies from A-Z,” said Mansur Khan Mahsud.

I understand that memory (and perception) are subjective. Three people can witness the same incident and come up with three different explanations of what happened. In addition, everyone comes to the party with a different set of events and memories that are filtered through our minds and perceptions.

In addition, memories are flawed, and can fade. In some circumstances, the storyteller in us might be tempted to add a little drama. Or in viewing an experience in hindsight, we may add a layer of philosophy and wisdom to explain our actions or motives.

So it’s true that when we write a memoir, we share our perspectives. But, we owe it to our readers to fact-check through other participants from those events, especially when those participants may be portrayed negatively. Does truth exist? Maybe – maybe not. But we can always check that those memories are at least factual.

Let me pose this question. Have you ever exaggerated some aspect of your past to make a point, or make it more dramatic? I think we all have. But most of us didn’t put it in writing and call it autobiography. Most writers call it fiction.

Talk to you soon,

Mary

Target Marketing

2011-04-15T11:31:00.000-07:00

It’s been a week since Lou Turner, publisher of High Hill Press, placed ten copies of my book, Strengthen Your Nonfiction Writing, in my hands. I sold about eight last week at the Missouri Writers Guild Conference, and to be honest, I’m still trying to figure out the best way to market them.

In my last post, I mentioned literary agent Kathleen Ortiz http://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/40-20questions-KathleenOrtiz.html. She gave a wonderful presentation about creating an online presence. I’m not unfamiliar with websites, Facebook or blogging, but I’m still working on my marketing mix to maximize my time and my reach. The goal is to have my book working for me online while I’m teaching in the classroom, or researching, or doing laundry (hey, clothes don’t wash themselves, ya know!).

In the meantime, I wanted to share something about marketing and advertising for anyone who is trying to sell their work. I’m teaching an Introduction to Advertising class this semester at STLCC – Wildwood campus, and have learned a few basics that apply to both high- and low-tech markets.

The most effective way to sell your product is to target your market. Select an audience that will benefit from your work. Do you write for kids? Then target publishers and agents who deal with kids. Don’t waste your time marketing to YA publishers when you write middle grade stories, articles or books. If you send 100 queries to 100 agents who don’t deal with your area of expertise, then you are wasting your time. A few targeted queries have a much higher rate of success than dozens sent to the wrong people.

This type of research is time-consuming, but will save time in the long-run by determining your target market. Let me know how you have applied this strategy in the past.

Talk to you soon,
Mary

Coming soon: the four Ps of marketing!

Best Advice

2011-04-13T21:24:00.000-07:00

What is the best advice you ever received? Do you have one piece of advice that has served you well for years and years? Or did you hear something special at the Missouri Writers Guild Conference last weekend?

I heard so many excellent pieces of advice at the conference that it’s hard to decide. I liked what Kathleen Ortiz had to say about creating an online presence. Linking a web page to your blog, Facebook and Twitter is essential. She also recommended searching your name on Google or a different search engine to see how you present to the world.

Be proactive by commenting on other blogs and message boards. Signing up for Google alerts will allow you to know what information is being shared with, or without, your knowledge. Start shaping your online identity now, and begin on a positive note before someone does it for you in an unflattering manner.

What advice have you heard that struck a chord?

Community

2011-04-09T20:24:00.000-07:00

This is my last night at the Missouri Writers Guild Conference, and I’m exhausted. I didn’t sleep well due to a loud, early morning storm. I’ve also had other challenges. My phone didn’t work, and last night my computer wouldn't connect to the internet. But after a day filled with several frustrations, I find myself focusing on one word that sums up the experience – community.

Although I’m going to cringe a little when I tell you this, I found the most comprehensive definition of the word on, um, Wikipedia. “In biological terms, a community is a group of interacting organisms sharing a populated environment. In human communities, intent, belief, resources, preferences, needs, risks, and a number of other conditions may be present and common, affecting the identity of the participants and their degree of cohesiveness.”

This definition describes perfectly the way writers have come together at the conference to share information, and help each other achieve our goals. Yes, we debate the way we use words, and the best way to write a short story, or article or novel, but we take away dozens of ideas we can use immediately to improve our writing.

Regardless of whether it’s a formal classroom setting, an intimate conversation at the bar or an impromptu meeting in the lobby, we are there for each other, building networks that strengthen our connections. The talk is lively, and often intense. We are serious, and we are happy. We are a community.

"Community." Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 22 July 2004. Web. 09 Apr. 2011

What's the point of a thesis statement?

2011-04-05T21:16:00.000-07:00

I teach one of the most dreaded classes on any college campus – oral communications, better known as speech class. (Almost) everyone hates giving speeches. They hate writing them, and they hate giving them. I try to make it fun, I really do, but organizing information and presenting it to their peers continues to cause sleeplessness and excessive anxiety in students.

The correlation between speaking and writing is obvious. They are different forms of communication that use words to convey meaning and emotion. After 10 years of fielding questions and listening to students explain their thought processes, I‘ve accidentally learned a little bit about organizing and delivering information. As a result, I‘ve come up with some simple ways to develop a clear thesis statement.

Writers spend a lot of time ensuring the message matches their intent. They want to make it easy for the reader to follow. You know how the ideas in your head sound better than they do when you put them on paper? OK, well, maybe that‘s just me. But if that has ever happened to you, then the process of developing a strong thesis statement may eliminate the disconnect that occurs between the brilliant thoughts and the not quite-as-brilliant words that end up on the paper or computer screen.

One of the most common mistakes writers make is to try to complicate the issue. My first rule is that simple is good. You don‘t have to talk down to someone to be understood, but understanding is an essential component of effective communication.

To begin, decide what you want to say about your topic. Develop a strong thesis statement to focus your writing.

A thesis is a declarative statement that identifies your opinion, or the general message you want to convey. One of my favorite definitions of a thesis statement came from Jordan Starkey, English Dept. Instructor at St. Charles Community College. He said topic plus opinion equals thesis statement.

A declarative statement makes a claim. Unfortunately, when I think about a declarative statement, I hear Scarlet O‘Hara in my head saying ―I declare, it‘s hot in he-ah, and she‘s fanning herself. She/me/the voice in my head makes a declaration of what she/me/the voice in my head believes to be true (it‘s hot in here).

So my thesis statement might be "Cats make great pets," because this is something I believe to be true. I support that thesis with reasons why I believe it, or the main points.
I. Cats require little care
II. Cats love to snuggle

Once you‘ve determined the thesis, every word of that piece of writing supports the thesis statement. I like to keep thesis statements to one idea or thought, but some writers will use two or more sentences. It‘s up to you to decide the format of your thesis, because ultimately it‘s your article or book or essay, and you know what works best for you.

I also like using one idea or thought because it also forces me to narrow the topic, and focus on the important information. The thesis may also be the answer to the question ―What‘s your book/article/essay about? By using a thesis statement and supporting it, every sentence that follows is more likely to be clear and concise.

Talk to you soon,

Mary

(This post is an edited excerpt from my book Strengthen Your Nonfiction Writing.)

Writing tips from Joe Holleman

2011-04-02T21:47:00.000-07:00

Have I mentioned the great speakers we attract at Saturday Writers? Joe Holleman, “Life Sherpa” columnist for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, shared his unique vision for writing at the St. Peters Cultural and Arts Center last Saturday.

Holleman has been writing professionally for 28 years at newspapers, with more than 20 at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. He offered dozens of tips writers can use immediately to improve their work, including what to do when staring at a blank screen.

Starting any article is difficult, but daily newspapers usually have short deadlines. He has often had less than an hour to turn in a story, so he begins by using outlines, and writing the lede first.

Outlines
Holleman uses outlines because he said writers need some kind of plan. He uses the standard, “Catholic-school Roman numeral version” for long stories, or some abbreviated version of that for shorter pieces. Outlines help him focus his thoughts, which allow him to focus on creativity instead of worrying about forgetting basic points.

Outlines also help by laying out four or five things to include in an article. “It just kind of makes your mind work,” he said. “It also makes your mind clear, which makes it easier.”

Write the lede first
The other technique he uses to get started is to write the lede to his stories immediately, which prevents him from staring at the screen for inspiration. “Boredom and distraction strike before inspiration,” he said. “Just put something on that blank, merciless screen. Sometimes I change my lede, but it gets my mind in that mode of typing, which leads to a story.”

Holleman said he has always taken pride in his ability to write a good lede. When asked about a favorite, he said it would be hard to pick just one, but he did recall a particular lede he wrote for a story about an old delicatessen going out of business: “Dunie’s is done, but it will be remembered with relish.”

Don’t bury the lede
One downfall to writing fast is that there may be a tendency to bury the lede, which means beginning a story with details that aren’t important, while pushing important facts or details to the middle. He believes that getting something down (on paper or the screen) is important to begin the process. Holleman said when writers inadvertently bury the lede, they always can go back and change it later.

Editing
Sometimes, good writing is about good editing. He told the group to read their stories out loud from beginning to end. “Don’t just read it in your head,” he said, “because in your head you are reading what you want it to be.”

He claims that reading out loud will catch all those silly mistakes that every writer makes. “When you read it out loud, you are now the reader and no longer the writer,” he said. “You are reading it as a reader would read it.” He then recommended reading it again.

The first problem he notices during the reading process is clumsy sentences. This process helps identify those sentences that bring everything to a grinding halt. “If you read it out loud, you can find out the rhythm of a sentence,” he said. “It can be long and flowing, or short and staccato. The only way you find that is by reading it out loud.”

Every writer writes too much
Holleman said writers need to force themselves to edit their work. “Writers love what they write, and every word is a masterpiece,” he said. “We fall in love with our stories and think every sentence needs to be in there, but it’s not true. Somewhere in your story you have unnecessary modifiers and awkward phrases. Force yourself to cut.”

Holleman always cuts twenty-five percent. For starters, he recommends cutting the words “very,” and “that.” “The more you write, the quicker you write, and the more you can cut,” he said. “Just like reading out loud, cutting becomes a game.”

After a writer has deleted twenty-five percent, he or she should read it out loud again. “I bet it is better,” he said. “Try to cut so much you find yourself putting words back in. That’s when you are done.”

Thanks, Joe for sharing your helpful advice. You make it look and sound easy.

A few quick tips for writers from Joe Holleman:

Use Active voice
Use Outlines
Read your story out loud
As long as we are writing, we are improving (He said he has made every mistake he discussed)
Use strong quotes
There are exceptions to the rules (but just because Faulkner or Fitzgerald did it, doesn’t mean you can do it)
Read Elmore Leonard for dialogue

The wrong word

2011-03-31T08:26:00.000-07:00

Have you ever used the wrong word? In her book “Reading Like a Writer,” (Harper Perennial, 2006) Francine Prose made an interesting comment about word choice.

“I have heard a number of writers say that they would rather choose the slightly wrong word that made their sentence more musical than the precisely right one that made it more awkward and clumsy.”

I had a difficult time relating to that sentence because it didn’t ring true to me. Don’t get me wrong, I love the thesaurus, and use it to help explain my ideas. I enjoy scanning the list of synonyms that pop up on my screen, just waiting to be picked like the kids in gym class lined up against the wall. But if a word changes the meaning, writers have a responsibility so support that change throughout the entire piece. If they don’t, the writing can confuse readers.

I’ve found different, cooler words that I wanted to use more times than I can say. When I did use them, I needed to ensure that the change continued to reflect what I wanted to say. If I didn’t use them, I would keep them in mind for the next time I wrote something similar, so I could put it out there for everyone to see how cool I really was, (oh, if only that were true!). But I don’t think I ever changed a sentence to make the meaning fit the word.

Writing helps me clarify my thoughts. Sometimes I don’t know what I think about a topic until I write about it, which forces me to organize my ideas. When I’m writing, I’m also thinking about what I think, and how I want to say it. It’s all so intertwined that I don’t always know which comes first, the idea or the correct words to express it.

Word choice can clarify meaning, or obscure it. Changing a word because it sounds prettier can have a negative impact on the entire piece of writing, and possibly confuse the readers. Every word is meaningful, and every word counts. Choose your words carefully. And if you can’t fit that really cool word into the piece you’re working on, there’s always next time.

Talk to you soon,

Mary

Thanks!

2011-03-24T20:57:00.000-07:00

A big thanks to Dianna Graveman for letting me speak to her Lindenwood University MFA class earlier this week – a great group of women who were fun and interesting! Good luck to all of you in your writing and publishing careers.

Dianna also took the time to write a wonderful article on her blog, to which I’ve included a link:
http://diannagraveman.wordpress.com/2011/03/23/writrteachr-has-advice-for-mfa-students/

There is a strong community of writers in and around St. Louis, and I am always impressed by the willingness of that group to share information and support each other. Writing can be a lonely process, and we all face similar issues in our struggle to publish our work. I am thankful to be involved in a group that celebrates success, and encourages each other when we suffer from the lows of rejections.

Talk to you soon,

Mary

One True Sentence

2011-03-21T22:11:00.000-07:00

But sometimes when I was started on a new story and I could not get going, I would sit in front of the fire and squeeze the peel of the little oranges into the edge of the flame and watch the sputter of blue that they made. I would stand and look out over the roofs of Paris and think, "Do not worry. You have always written before and you will write now. All you have to do is write one true sentence. Write the truest sentence you know." So finally I would write one true sentence, and then go on from there. It was easy then because there was always one true sentence that I knew or had seen or had heard someone say. If I started to write elaborately, or like someone introducing or presenting something, I found that I could cut the scrollwork or ornament out and throw it away and start with the first true simple declarative sentence I had written. - Ernest Hemingway,
A Moveable Feast

Every writer struggles with writer’s block, and I love Hemingway’s idea of “one true sentence” to help him overcome it. I can’t compare myself to Hemingway, and was never so eloquent as to name my strategy, but I do have a solution that works for me.

When I’m having difficulty deciding where to begin, I look at all the information in my computer file, or in my notebook or some combination of both, and the words and sentences and paragraphs are jumbled together and I don’t know where to begin, and I can’t see how it will all come together, I ask myself a simple question. “What would I tell my best friend about this story?”

That question forces me to focus on the big picture. From there, I might start with a sentence to summarize the main idea or thought. The sentence I write isn’t necessarily great, but once I get something on the screen, I know I have begun, and knowing I have begun puts me in the middle of it, and not on the outside looking in, wondering where to begin.

My sentences may not be as “true” as Hemingway’s, but if I let them do the work, before long I have a finished piece of writing.

Talk to you soon,

Mary

Stories are essential

2011-03-18T22:36:00.000-07:00

Can you remember the first story you ever heard? How about some of your favorite stories from your childhood? Were they fairy tales? Did they come from a book, or did your parents or grandparents tell you? Most children love to hear stories, as do many adults. In addition to the fact that stories connect us, there a deeper, psychological reason.

There are many theories, but an article titled “The Inside Story” by Peter Guber in the March/April issue of Psychology Today summed it up nicely. He said we respond to stories on a basic human level. Because we are social creatures, stories give us an opportunity to experience events that fall outside the realm of our possibility.

Human beings also are able empathize with characters, which allows us to put ourselves in that position. Empathizing with someone else allows us to create an opportunity for problem solving, or at least the opportunity to ask ourselves how we would react in the same situation. It teaches us about who we are and how we act in the world.

I’ve heard that our brains can’t distinguish fiction from reality, which is why we “feel” the emotions of others on the screen on in a book. I (finally) saw “The King’s Speech,” and became completely uncomfortable watching Colin Firth struggle through the first few minutes of the movie. I felt his pain, and watched other people in the theater squirm in their seats, as well.

Stories enrich our lives by offering us the opportunity to learn about ourselves and the world we live in. Don’t sell yourself short. Mastering the craft is a noble endeavor.

Talk to you soon,

Mary

Checking out books

2011-03-11T09:56:00.000-08:00

I was checking out a book at my school library last week, and saw the librarian do something I hadn’t seen in a while. He date stamped the “DATE DUE” sheet glued to the first page of the book with “March 24, 2011.” Above that date were four others “May 15, 2006,” Jul 16, 2003,” “Mar 19, 2003,” and “Feb 19, 2003.”

I LOVE seeing those dates. I can’t explain it, but knowing the “history” of the book’s lending experience brings me joy. It doesn’t make sense because I don’t know who had it, but knowing that others read the same book gives me a sense of satisfaction. It’s almost like a secret we share, even though I don’t know who I share it with.

In today’s information age driven by computer technology, (which I fully embrace) I still like this old-fashioned ink-on-paper record-keeping system. Maybe this comes from my experience growing up in the public school system. Every September we would be assigned a textbook that did have the names of those who used it in the previous few years.

I always wondered about those students, and for some reason, looked for names that were familiar to me. The older brother or sister of a classmate of mine would bring secret joy. I guess it all comes back to connections, and that we had a shared experience that brought me closer to understanding what someone else had been through. Or maybe I was just reassured that someone else survived the class and lived to talk about it!

Talk to you soon,

Mary

The other "F" word

2011-03-06T15:56:00.001-08:00

When you miss the deadline for a contest you wanted to enter, do you say &*$#@!! Do you swear to yourself under your breath, or do you let them fly and land where they may? Do you believe these are “bad” words, or do you consider them opinion enhancers?

Regardless of where you stand on the great swear-word debate, you’ve probably heard them from those around you, your own mouth, or the mouths of the characters you read or create. What makes them work? Context.

All communication takes place within a context, and what is appropriate for some characters in certain settings will not work in others. A story meant for elementary school children would not be the appropriate place for swear words. A thriller based on a man or woman accused of a crime he or she didn’t commit probably would warrant a few expletives. When used properly, the use of swear words can lend to the feeling of helplessness, frustration, exasperation and/or anger. Within those contexts, the words sound more natural.

Consider all aspects of language when developing your characters. You can distinguish each one through the words they use to express themselves. So even if you’ve never said a curse word in your life, the salty old cowboy you created to save a town from good-for-nuthin’ horse thieves might use a few.

Context is the key.

The "F" word

2011-02-28T21:19:00.000-08:00

OK, it's probably not the one you're thinking of. The one I'm thinking of is "FREE." Do you write for free?

Why is writing so undervalued? Is it a supply and demand issue? Too many writers, an endless supply of cool stuff to write about? Maybe that’s part of it. Or a business model that places a premium on advertising, and fills in the empty space around the ads with, oh yeah, information.

Early in my career, I did freelance work for a local publication and earned $25 per article. I would usually do two or three articles a week, normally covering evening school board or city council meetings after working a full-time day job.

Since I had Saturday deadlines, every Friday night, usually while watching “Miami Vice,” on the little TV in the bedroom, I would put my notes and my portable Smith-Corona typewriter on a card table and write until I was finished. On Saturday, I would turn in my articles and get my check from the previous week. Some checks were for $50, and some for $75. I would take those checks to the grocery store and buy my groceries for the week.

A couple of years ago I asked someone what that same publication paid for freelance articles. The answer was “$25.” I was surprised, to say the least. I think both Sonny Crockett and I can attest to the fact that $25 went a lot further then than it does today. I question why writers are making less, when everything else in the world costs more.

I don’t understand why it happened, but the business model for most information comes from an inexpensive distribution of information that sold advertising to cover costs. So the advertising covers the cost of the information, which in turn, can devalue the information.

As writers, we need to value our work. If we don’t value it, then who will?

What I would do if I were Oprah

2011-02-21T22:15:00.000-08:00

If I were Oprah, I would buy Borders (but change it to "bOrders") and then I would save the Admiral from the scrap heap and combine the two. The world's first (maybe?) floating bookstore!

Competition is good, and change isn't easy

2011-02-20T14:19:00.000-08:00

I’m sure most of you know Borders is closing many stores, including the one by my house. I had noticed that the stock seemed to be dwindling during the past year, and was hoping that Christmas sales would put them back on track.

When I typed that first line, I accidentally typed “stories” instead of “stores.” Talk about a Freudian slip, because that’s what it feels like. Our stories will be limited. Where will we get our stories? How will we survive? I love Borders, along with all the other bookstores I frequent. What will happen to books? Are they on their way to becoming obsolete? I don’t think so.

Television didn’t kill the movies, albums and CDs didn’t kill radio, the internet didn’t kill newspapers (although that struggle continues) and electronic readers haven’t killed books made from paper. Maybe they will, eventually.

Do you think bookstores will go the way of full-service gas stations? Will we tell our children and grandchildren about bookstores that will seem as foreign to them as rationing food did to us when we heard stories about WWII from our parents and grandparents?

Maybe bookstores will take the movie rental route and there will be kiosks at fast food restaurants and grocery stores. I admit, it just won’t be the same. I loved going to Blockbuster, and I loved going to Borders. (The Blockbuster by my house is now an AT&T Store and a Jimmy Johns.)

But has the closing of my local Blockbuster limited my access to movies? No. Can you say “Netflix?” I get movies delivered to my house, and am able to access them online. Only the technology has changed. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not made of stone. I will definitely miss being able to sit and read in Borders, surrounded by others who love books as much as I do.

But it’s not about the medium. It’s about the information. Where will we get our information? Maybe in 10 or 20 years we won’t even use computers. Maybe a new technology is being developed right now that will make the PC and Mac obsolete. It doesn’t matter where we get our information, as long as we are able to get it. I’m glad we live in a society where most people have access to the variety of ideas offered in books and magazines. We just may have to access those ideas somewhere we can’t even conceive of right now.

Obviously, the book industry has changed. If everyone felt the way I do, then Borders wouldn’t close. But be honest. How many books have you ordered from Amazon.com vs. going to the Borders, or Barnes & Noble, or your local independent bookstore and buying it there?

Competition is good. Change isn’t always easy. I don’t know when it will close, but the Borders by my house will be missed. Let’s look to the future and ask ourselves, what’s next?

Bookmarks, revisited

2011-02-17T20:45:00.000-08:00

I got a few great responses from my last blog post about bookmarks. It’s amazing how much writers have in common.

I mentioned in my response to Becky Povich’s (Becky Povich.blogspot.com) comment from Feb. 11 that I had used junk mail as a bookmark and written notes to myself on the back regarding beautiful phrases or language that I discovered, or just words that I wanted to look up for meaning.

I wanted to share something I saw today in the latest issue of Writer’s Digest (March/April 2011). The “Top Shelf” column features literary items, and one happens to be a bookmark. A company called Levenger, with a tagline “Tools for the serious reader” http://www.levenger.com/ is selling a leather bookmark with replacement note cards so writers can annotate while preserving the pages of the book. They also sell plain bookmarks that can double as grocery list pads.

Maybe someone read my blog and took note (or notes). Hey, it could happen.

Talk to you later,

Mary

Bookmarks

2011-02-11T21:05:00.000-08:00

QUESTION: What do a Poke’mon sticker, a subscription card to National Geographic, a piece of yarn, and a dollar bill all have in common?

ANSWER: I have used all of these items as bookmarks.

It’s true. The funny thing is, I don’t remember ever using a bookmark as a bookmark. I have a few bookmarks in my pencil holder on my desk, but I never seem to use them in the way there were intended.

This realization came to me a couple of weeks ago, and I happened to read Linda O’Connell’s blog http://lindaoconnell.blogspot.com/ that featured a wonderful story titled "A Present from the Past" from Tuesday, Feb. 8 about finding an Selective Service card in an old book. Linda called the phone number listed at the bottom, got in touch with the person’s granddaughter, and was able to return the Selective Service card to the rightful owner (or granddaughter of the rightful owner).

The story struck a chord with me on a couple of levels. Not only did she return a forgotten treasure left in a book, but the card was lost because someone had used it as a bookmark. So here are my questions: Have you ever found anything interesting in an old book? Do you check your books before you return them to the library or donate them? What have you used as a bookmark?

I bet the library has some interesting stories!

Let me know about your experiences, and I’ll talk to you later.

Mary

Can't see the forest for the trees

2011-02-08T05:59:00.000-08:00

Goals

Is it too late in the year to talk about goals? I should have written about this topic in January, when everyone takes the opportunity to leave the old bad habits from the previous year, and take only those characteristics that will serve us well in the next.

OK, I’m not the greatest goal setter in the world. Let me amend that. I am a good goal setter, but not a good goal accomplisher. I would like to blame it on kids, or my job, or something else upon which I have no control, but I can’t. I’m easily distracted. There’s just so much going on in the world that it’s hard to stay focused.

I do keep lists to keep track of what I need to accomplish, but I don’t consider “Review Chapter 3 Power Point slides, drop my Netflix DVD into the mail and pay the mortgage” worthy goals.

To me, goals imply something significant – maybe even noble. Building houses for Habitat for Humanity, mission trips to the Appalachian Mountains to build accessibility ramps for wheelchairs, and learning Latin all seem like worthy goals.

I am the opposite of a woman I worked with named JoBeth. JoBeth was so efficient that not only did she accomplish her goals, she then Tweeted them, filled out a form and filed them under the letter “G.” For many years, I wanted to be like JoBeth. Then I spent some time with her and changed my mind. She is focused, yes, but sometimes that focus was so narrow that she missed everything else, including the big picture. She scheduled every minute of every day with no room left for anything fun that might pop up.

I am all about the impromptu cup of coffee with a friend, or taking a new path when I walk the dog just because I’ve never gone that way before. It’s good to have goals, but it’s also good to have kids who know you will play a game with them. Don’t let your goals get in the way of enjoying your life.

My friend Yvonne told me her five year plan went out the window 10 years ago. That’s the kind of goal strategy that I can relate to. Maybe I’ll call her to see if she wants to go get a cup of coffee.

Talk to you soon,

Mary

A couple of contests from The Write Helper

2011-02-03T17:45:00.000-08:00

Haven't posted contests before, but these are a couple that will appeal to many writers. The odds are good, the fees are low, and the time is short (one week, so hurry!)

Entries must be original and unpublished. Good luck!

Winter Flash Fiction Contest: Short fiction, open theme (no porn or gore) 500 words or fewer. Free critique upon request. Enter online or by mail. Fee: $7 per entry or 3 for $20 (limit 3 entries). Prizes: First - $100, second - $50, and third - $25. Winning entry posted, winner profiled on website. Deadline: postmarked Feb. 10. Info at: www.thewritehelper.com.

Dead of Winter Nonfiction Contest: Memoir, essays, articles, prose. Must be nonfiction of 2,500 words or fewer. Free critique upon request. Enter online or by mail. Fee: $10 per entry, limit 3 entries. Prizes: First - $150, second - $75, and third - $50. Winning entry posted, winner profiled on website. Deadline: postmarked Feb. 10. Info at: http://www.thewritehelper.com/.

Talk to you soon,

Mary

The work of art

2011-02-02T13:04:00.001-08:00

“Art is anything you can get away with."

Andy Warhol

Where does art come from? Art comes from ideas, emotions and experiences. Is writing art? I believe it is. Writing is also a craft with rules, and a creative process that can't be duplicated from one writer to the next.

One of the interesting aspects of art and writing is that sometimes the work happens when you aren’t focusing on it. Sometimes it happens when we open our minds to the world and other forms of art. When was the last time you visited a museum, went to a concert, or made something with your hands? Someone else’s creative work can help expand your own creativity.

Art isn’t limited to a man-made objects. Nature is art. Lately, I’ve been walking with my husband and dog in a nearby park. I find interesting patterns across the fields where the black stalks of dormant plants rise from the snow. I love the beauty I find in the silent winter.

Take a walk, go for a drive. Spend time with your writing, but don’t forget to spend time with the world. Artists can’t spin ideas into stories without doing the work. But sometimes the work doesn’t look anything like work. Sometimes it looks like walking the dog.

Talk to you soon,

Mary

Be open to the lessons you learn accidentally

2011-01-28T21:31:00.000-08:00

I am somewhat backwards, and maybe a little slow when it comes to learning the English language. On one hand, I have a bachelor’s degree in English, and a master’s degree in communications. On the other hand, I learned as much (or more) about English grammar and structure in Spanish class, and punctuation and style from the Associated Press (AP) Style Book than I remember learning in my English classes.

In my defense, I’ve had students also tell me they were able to understand the structure of English and its grammar rules more easily by learning a foreign language. I was glad to hear this so I didn’t feel so alone (and ignorant), and gave them an “A” for agreeing with me. (Not really, I don't want to get emails!)

I don’t know why this was true (perhaps you should refer back to the first line of paragraph one), but maybe it’s also that we are trying to dissect the language as an outsider. We view the situation in such as way as to have no preconceived notions about what is right and wrong. We see it differently from the language we grew up with and think we understand.

Sometimes we can learn a lot from the world when we are not trying to learn. As a writer, being open to these lessons is essential. Don’t question them, just be happy and take that lesson and write about it. If I had limited myself to applying what I learned in Spanish class to Spanish class, then I might not have had a career I loved.

Apples and oranges

2011-01-23T15:31:00.000-08:00

Do you ever compare your writing to someone else’s? I do. Sometimes I come out on top, and sometimes I don’t.

Logically, I know that jealousy is a wasted emotion. I need to take the advice that I give my speech students when I tell them not to compare their speeches with others in the class. They are all different. Yes, some are more organized, and some have cooler visuals, and some are presented more effectively. But they all have something positive to offer. Focus on the ones you like, and learn from them.

Overall, a speech about suicide isn’t going to be as fun as one about a crazy pet Chihuahua that thinks it’s a cat. That’s OK. Having fun while enjoying a pet is just as important as learning how to lose someone you love. One is a heck of a lot more pleasurable than the other, but both are a part of life.

The value of our work doesn’t come from impressing others. Value and meaning are present when writers or speakers connect with their audiences and share the feelings that come from these experiences. When we can provide insight or empathy into a situation, especially those that seem ordinary, then we’ve done our job correctly.

We shouldn’t compare our writing to someone else’s, just as we shouldn’t compare speeches, or friends, or houses, etc. It’s a lose-lose situation. So if you don’t like what you're writing, then read the authors whose work you admire. And learn from them.

Talk to you soon,

Mary

Scheduling time to write

2011-01-20T13:56:00.000-08:00

Because I teach oral communications at St. Louis and St. Charles Community Colleges, my husband sent me a link to TED Talks, sponsored by a nonprofit organization that brings together ideas from technology, entertainment and design. Speakers from diverse backgrounds present their innovative ideas during short speeches available for viewing online. (Google “Ted Talks.”)

Earlier today I watched software entrepreneur Jason Fried present a talk on why work doesn’t get done at work. http://bigthink.com/ideas/18522 Besides being an effective speaker and presenting his ideas clearly and with passion, his topic was applicable to writers. One of his basic ideas, and I’m paraphrasing here, is that there are so many interruptions at work that by the end of the day, most people don’t do the work they had intended to do. I am living proof of that theory.

When I was managing editor of the Journal of the American Optometric Association, I had so many other issues/meetings/phone calls thrown my way during the course of a day that I often found myself beginning “my real work” late in the afternoon. The hours between 4 and 6 p.m. were my most productive, when other people were winding down/leaving for the day. Some of my colleagues found the early morning hours most productive for the same reason – few interruptions.

Fried suggested that everyone set aside a few hours each week for uninterrupted work. During this time, writers would be able to concentrate, which allows for deep thinking and problem-solving. I’m not saying it’s easy for any of us to set aside long stretches of time in our busy lives, but even an uninterrupted hour can help.

For example, because my kids are outside playing in the snow right now, I was able to write this blog post. I had been working on it off and on while they were here, but between making sandwiches, finding gloves and zipping up snowsuits, boots, jackets and anything else that needed to be zipped, I just couldn’t gather my thoughts clearly.

Once they left, I was able to develop and write this essay in short order. I just needed a little peace and quiet to finish the job. Thanks for reminding me, Mr. Fried, of the fact that work (and writing) doesn’t just happen. We need to devote time to accomplish our goals. Scheduling time to write is the only way many of us can carve it into our busy lives.

Talk to you soon,

Mary

Who are you?

2011-01-17T21:05:00.000-08:00

We all bring our own perspective to writing. Who we are, or who we think we are, determines what we do and how we do it. A lot of this information has to do with words, labels and self-fulfilling prophecy.

Have you ever had your identity shaken? Have you ever had a revelation that changed the way you looked at the world? If so, you are lucky. Because then you can bring two perspectives to a piece of writing, and chances are, you will discover something new and exciting, as will your readers.

I bring up this topic today after hearing about the changes in the astrological calendar. There is a new sign, which changes the dates of a lot of the other signs. My birthday is coming up, and I am (or was) an Aquarius. I don't think about that a lot, but I find some aspects of the sign comforting, and I use them to my advantage. My first thought when I heard about the change was, Oh no, I can't be a Capricorn, that's just not me. I don't care what they say, I'm not changing.

But later in the day I decided that the way I see myself, or think about myself, really only exists only in my head. It doesn't matter what sign I am, and a change may help me see myself in a new light. Maybe it will open some horizons that I didn't even think existed, or uncover aspects of my personality that I had played down because they didn't "fit."

When we are told we are one thing, and then find out we are something else, it can shake up our world a little bit. That's a good thing. Use a new perspective in your writing. See where it takes you.

See you later,

Mary

Edits and errors

2011-01-09T21:53:00.000-08:00

New year, new schedule. Posting two or three times a week. Sorry about the break last fall while finishing my book “Strengthen your nonfiction writing.” Hopefully it will be out this spring! I’m still copy editing, Lou Turner, publisher, said we will have about three more passes between us to get all the changes. I drove myself crazy trying to get all the “prairie dogs” that crop up, those little details that need to be checked that make you sit up in the middle of the night and say “Oh no, how could I have forgotten that!”

For example, I emailed my niece, Melissa Bauer, to ask if I could use her name for a story of hers from the Fourth of July about a friend’s cat. When she responded, she told me it wasn’t a cat, but a dog. I was sure it was a cat! So now I’m worried about other things that I didn’t remember correctly, or mixed up with something else. Writing is hard!

My friend Barb said someone she had worked with referred to publishing as a series of time bombs just waiting to go off. The only way to minimize the errors is to develop a system that works for you. Keep a list of questions, and then check them off when they have been confirmed.

The worst error I ever made happened years ago when I referred to a lady, which was part of her official title, without the “d.” I know, isn’t that awful? In my own defense, I had three other people review it for errors. No one caught it. We were horrified, but everyone knew it had gone through all the channels correctly. It was just one of those things. Writers should work hard to keep those errors at a minimum, but don’t dwell on them too much! When they happen, correct them and move on.

Talk to you soon,

Mary

Can you find the common themes?

2010-12-28T12:39:00.000-08:00

Saw two movies beginning with the letter "E." "Elf," and "Easy Rider." I know, weird combo. Wouln't recommend it, but had never seen either one. Common themes, yes, both were about journeys of discovery, and Will Ferrell was on a sugar high while Peter Fonda, Jack Nicholson and Dennis Hopper were just high. Different endings, though, one a tragedy and one a comedy. I think you know which is which.

Name game

2010-10-31T10:15:00.000-07:00

Let’s talk about names again. Names, like titles, are important. Who are the most memorable characters you’ve encountered in literature? Do their names say something about the characters? I wanted to name a geologist “Rockford,” and call him Rocky. Too much? Too coincidental?

Psychologists say that some people are attracted to professions because of their names. Dr. Cleaver is a surgeon. Dr. See is an ophthalmologist, Dr. Fish is an oceanographer. Using literal character names can “say” something about someone, although the connotations of names can be a hit or miss.

I like V names. Evelyn, Sylvia, Victoria. Strong names for strong women. Do initials spell anything? Does the spelling of a name mean anything. Does Sylvia Bragg brag about her children incessantly? You can play around with names for a while to see what you can come up with. Jennifer Lutz sounds different from Jenny Masterson.

Do you have a baby name book? Or do you look up the meaning of a name when you name a character? If I have a name in mind, then there’s no problem because sometimes the name just jumps out at me. But when I have difficulty naming a character, then I go to lists that help me with meanings, popularity and unique names for unique characters. By the way, a student recently told me he knew someone named “Unique.”

Quiz time!

Can you tell the approximate ages of these characters just by their names?
Ethel, Esther, Dorothy vs. Shannon, Tiffany, Brittany. Which of these two groups of women carry AARP cards in their wallets?

Loretta, Lorraine, Louise vs. Katie, Caitlin, Kristin. Which of these two groups of women run track in high school or college? Who would have had a hip replacement?

Jack, Bob and Bill vs. Aiden, Connor and Ethan. Which of these two groups are entered in a diaper derby? Which group knows how to repair your lawn mower?

Remember, popular names come and go. Names, like all language can date a piece of writing, or tell something about a character. Don’t overlook the implications and connotations of names.

More on words

2010-10-12T20:23:00.001-07:00

Oct. 12, 2010

More on words and language. I love talking about words and language, and am fortunate that I get to talk about it in class tomorrow. Words define us, words scare us and words stir emotions in us. “Woman,” “cancer,” “fallen soldier.”

The denotative meaning of a word is its dictionary meaning, or the “official” meaning, and the connotative meaning is the emotional meaning attached to a word. Think about the words “mother,” “death,” “love” and “patriotism.” They all mean different things to different people. I once asked my class to define “feminism,” and got as many different answers as I had students in the class.

Words are symbols, and meanings are in people, not the words themselves. Even a simple word like “cat,” has a denotative meaning and a connotative meaning. A cat is a furry, four-legged domestic feline that meows and purrs. Most people would agree with that statement. But how we feel about cats, well, that’s another story. Maybe you love cats, and have seven or eight of them waiting for us when we get home from work each day. Or maybe someone you know and love has a cat that terrorizes you whenever you visit.

Enrich your writing with words that strengthen your characters and plots. Define your terms, and explain their importance to help us understand your characters and what makes them tick.

Word of the year

2010-10-05T20:50:00.000-07:00

According to the American Dialect Society, http://www.american dialectsociety.org/Word of the year, the 2010 word of the year is “tweet,” and the word of the decade is “google.” Both terms come from computer terminology, and refer to aspects of communication, which I appreciate, and sometimes struggle to understand!

The 2009 word of the year was “bailout,” and 2007 featured “subprime.” I don’t know the exact criteria for selecting the word of the year, but members of the society can nominate and vote. According to a 2006 press release, members are instructed to select a word or phrase that is “newly prominent or notable in the past year.” They also note that the group is not acting in any official capacity of a governing body.

The ADS website states “Founded in 1889, the American Dialect Society is dedicated to the study of the English language in North America, and of other languages, or dialects of other languages, influencing it or influenced by it. Members include academics and amateurs, professionals and dilettantes, teachers and writers.”

After reading the article, I tried to come up with some great words of my own, but nothing seemed important enough to warrant such an honor as “word of the year.” There are so many great words that it’s hard to choose. I’m glad someone is doing it, though. The question is, what do you wear to the awards ceremony?

Talk to you soon,

Mary

Flash fiction

2010-09-30T19:16:00.000-07:00

I just mailed my entry to the Missouri Writer's Guild Flash Fiction contest. I have become a fan of flash fiction for a couple of reasons. The first reason is that I like short stories, which means that I also like really short, short stories. The second reason is that writing a really short, short story is a good exercise for any writer who struggles with words (which is every writer I know).

For this contest, I wasn’t sure what to send, and had been going through my archives/computer files for the past couple of weeks looking for something. At first I tried working with a dark short story but didn’t think it would work as flash fiction. I would have to cut too much to maintain the level of “darkness” I desired.

Later, I found a short romantic story that had been rejected by a magazine editor who took the time to tell me what worked. I knew I had something, but the piece was 900 words. I had to cut almost half to submit it.

I got to work right away. While I cut, I kept asking myself the same question. “What can I take out while keeping the story intact?” The answer was “A lot.” I was able to cut dialogue, description and (a little) action.

I only needed one line of dialogue instead of two or three to show someone was a jerk. Easy cut, the reader still knows this character’s a jerk. Description was easy. The right descriptive word can take the place of a couple of sentences. I also picked one item in a scene to focus on and describe instead of two or more. And finally, I was able to cut some of the action. That was a little more difficult, but I think I made the story tighter and simpler, which is good.

So I challenge you to write a flash fiction story, or take one of your existing stories and turn it into flash fiction. Make every word count, and watch your writing improve.

Talk to you soon,

Mary

Does spelling matter?

2010-09-26T14:26:00.000-07:00

If u cn rad thws thpn I gess spillebg dusn't mzter.

I read an article last week about some schools in the area eliminating spelling tests. With computer programs that spell for you, does it matter if students can spell?

It matters to me, but I love words and always did well on spelling tests when I was a kid. I think those "100s" on spelling tests helped balance the "70s" I earned on math tests, which may have kept my self esteem on a somewhat even keel.

I really want to think that it matters, but I'm not sure if it makes a difference. If we can communicate, then what role does the technique have? I'm a stickler for spelling, but even when there's a mistake, I still (usually) understand the meaning. I've had a couple of papers lately that featured "texting" language in a sentence or two. I understood, and corrected them. But isn't the fact that I understood the most important aspect?

Right now, I'm having trouble justifying both sides of the argument. One side of me (the writer, teacher, English major side) is screaming out ARE YOU INSANE? DO YOU HEAR YOURSELF? OF COURSE IT MATTERS!

But the other side says laws change, language changes, spelling can change, too. Dictionaries are written/printed with ink, not stone. What do you think?

My friend, Donna Volkenannt, recently posted something on Donnasbookpub.blogspot.com about the death of the English language. Why isn't the issue ever the death of math?

Talk to you soon,

Mary

Outlines

2010-09-18T21:10:00.000-07:00

Some writers love them, some writers hate them, but most have an opinion about outlines. My opinion is that although I may not love them, I find them very helpful. I use them, in varying formats, for many reasons.

My students will present their first speeches in about a week, so I’m trying to help them find topics and organize their thoughts. Most students aren’t as passionate about writing as I am, and that’s OK. But if I can help them get through their speeches more easily, I’m pleased. I spend a couple hours every semester going over what outlines are, how to use them and why any writer can benefit from them. I have three main reasons why I believe outlines are useful.

Outlines are useful tools to help writers figure out what they think about a topic, organize those thoughts into an understandable format, and help remember what they wanted to say without going off on unrelated tangents. That’s really all there is. Sounds simple, and it is.

Last semester, in one of the best classes I’ve ever taught, (confirmed by my husband who said “I didn’t hear you complain about anyone all semester!”) one of my students told me that he used to hate outlines, but came to realize that they are useful tools to help him organize his thoughts. YES! I felt like I made a little difference, and I was happy.

Talk to you soon,

Mary

Have faith, and a plan

2010-09-02T19:06:00.000-07:00

Writers need to have faith: faith in themselves, faith in their work and faith that someone will appreciate their work. It’s not easy to send a story or article or book into the abyss and wait for a response that may or may not come. Some writers hear from an editor or publisher months or years after a piece was sent. That’s a wonderful surprise down the road, but many writers give up while they wait..

Don’t view writing as a linear process. The odds are not in your favor when you put one piece in the (e)mail, then wait for it to come back before you send it out again.

If you’re like me, you probably have something “almost” ready to go out. This holiday weekend, spend a couple hours polishing your work. When you’re sure it’s as good as it can be, go to the bookstore or library to find magazines, newspapers, publishers, editors or agents who might be interested, and send it out. (You can also go to your Writer’s Market and look it up, but it’s not as fun!) Send it to more than one editor that accepts multiple submissions.

If you send one piece to two editors, you’ve doubled your odds of success. If you send two pieces to three editors, you’ve increased your likelihood of success by a factor of six. You need faith when you send out your writing, but you also need to increase your odds of success by increasing the number of submissions. Have faith in yourself, and a plan.

Talk to you soon,

Mary

Don't quit when you're behind

2010-08-29T19:03:00.000-07:00

My favorite definition of success is "the enthusiasm with which one moves from one failure to the next." This definition implies resilience and perseverence. I like that implication.
We've all been discouraged by our writing careers, or lack thereof, at one time or another. But when you think about the writing careers of many famous writers, those roads weren't always smooth, either. We see those careers at the end of the road, at the finish line. Many of us are still at the beginning, or maybe a little farther. But we just aren't there, yet.
We didn't see the hours of solitary writing at a sad little desk, or the marked-up galleys that bleed red, or the edits and fact-checking that made your favorite writer want to pull out his or her hair. We missed all that. We came in at the end, where everything came together and the writer received the payoff for months or years of hard work.
So the next time you are a little discouraged about the progress of your career, count those rejection letters with pride, and savor those criticisms as badges of honor that pave the road of success. Maybe next year at this time, you will be recognized as one of the up-and-coming writers you've read about so many times.

What if the following people had quit when they were behind?

Tina Brown was expelled from school, as were swimming champion Diana Nyad and Roger Daltry, composer, musician and lead singer of The Who.
Dr. Robert Jarvick, inventor of the artificial heart, was rejected by 15 medical schools.
Sally Jesse Raphael was fired 19 times before becoming a famous host of her own radio and television shows.
Walt Disney was fired by an editor for having "no good ideas."

Contests

2010-08-22T20:09:00.000-07:00

Do you enter contests? I do at times, but have limited my contest entries during the past few years. Instead of sending out my work to any contest, I pay attention to the judge, his or her work and the entry fee.

If the judge has written something similar to my style, I may have a better chance of having him or her respond positively to my work. If I write fantasy poetry, and the judge has published books on fantasy poetry, then I think my work may be a good "fit."

A couple of years ago I entered a contest that featured a judge whose work wasn't similar to mine, but I submitted a piece I thought he would respond to. My strategy worked. I won second place.

I also make sure my entry fees go to contests where I get the most for my money. For instance, I check the entry fee, the prize awards, and whether or not a critique is provided. I wouldn't spend $25 on a contest that features a $50 prize. I might, however, be willing to spend a little more if I get a critique from someone whose work I admire.

Some writers vary the amount they spend every month, others have a strict budget they adhere to, and others just send out whatever they want, whenever they want. Whichever type of writer you are, try to get the most for your hard-earned dollars. And remember, if nothing else, you may be able to deduct this expense from your taxes!

All the rules, all the time

2010-08-17T22:08:00.000-07:00

Have you ever stopped writing because you don’t know all the rules? If you think about it too much, the rules can be overwhelming. Trying to remember all the rules of grammar, spelling and fiction or nonfiction can conjure up a big bad case of writer’s block.

A few years ago at a Saturday Writers meeting, we had a magazine editor who was pretty laid back and honest about the whole process of writing. He acknowledged how difficult it is, but like many other forms of art, realized that there are times when rules can hinder writers. Sometimes, the whole is greater than its parts, and writers can drive themselves crazy trying to follow every rule, especially while trying to break new ground.

Someone asked him about the story arc in one of his stories. He hesitated while he thought for a moment, and then said something like, (and I’m paraphrasing here) I don’t even know if I really know what that is. Everyone laughed, and breathed a sigh of relief. Obviously, he hadn’t thought about following a story arc when he wrote his story. But the story was wonderful regardless of a story arc, or lack thereof.

I’m not saying you can disregard all the rules. I’m saying you need to know the rules, but realize that sometimes the writing takes you to a place “outside” the rules, where creativity takes precedence over everything else.

This man is a good writer who doesn’t always follow all the rules. In this case, wasn’t even sure what the exact rule was. I appreciated his honesty, and he helped many writers in the group who struggle with following all the rules, all the time.

Five-minute fiction

2010-08-13T13:59:00.000-07:00

Hi again

I wanted to talk about marketing today, after a meeting this morning with some writers looking for ideas to market their work, but I'll save that for next time. Today I have a fun challenge.

My daughter challenged me this afternoon to write a story in five minutes! Sounds hard, and it was! I couldn't do it, but what I did was start a story that I finished within the hour.

Now I want to challenge you to do the same! Keep stories to a maximum of 500 words, and finish within the hour. I wrote about 150 words in five minutes, so let me know how far you get in five minutes, and then how long it took to finish. (The funky lines mark how far I got in five minutes.)

Send in those you finish within the hour. I'm counting on honesty! And also that you keep the stories PG-13 rated, please. No erotica or gore or horror.

Since my daughter is in high school, I wrote a story about a couple of high school girls shopping for dresses. It's light and fun and I hope you enjoy it. Maybe it will inspire you to write one.

Send your five-minute fiction and let's see how creative we can be in five minutes, and an hour!

Here's my five-minute fiction:

The perfect dress

After searching all day for the perfect Homecoming dress, Laurie Taylor knew exactly what she didn’t want. The ones she had tried on. Each one was wrong in a different way. The hems were too short, too long or too weird. The necks didn’t fit right, or hung awkwardly from her shoulders. The colors were too bright, too pale or the pattern was awful. Nothing worked. She and her friend Claudia were ready to give up.

“Let’s go get a cappuccino,” Claudia said. “We can think about what you want, and where to go next.”

“I don’t think anything will help,” Laurie said.

“Well, at least we can get off our feet for a while and regroup,” Claudia said. “Maybe the cappuccino will have all the answers.”

Before they reached the counter of the Coffee Klatch, the clerk asked “What’ll you have?”

Laurie didn’t answer. She just stared at him. He didn’t bother to look up.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

This was no ordinary coffee clerk. This was Jake. Jake Phillips, the coolest kid on campus. Even in his white apron, he managed to look like the most interesting person in the coffee shop. His dark hair was pulled back in a casual ponytail that curved under slightly, just brushing the place where his neck and shoulders met.

The sleeves of his white, button-down shirt were rolled up, exposing his tanned, muscular forearms. He rolled the pencil between his fingers and focused on his order pad while waiting for a response. He didn’t get one. Laurie just stared, mouth open.

When he finally looked up, he smiled. He recognized her from chemistry class.

“Hey, I know you.”

She smiled, still unable to speak. She couldn’t stop staring at this beautiful boy who was actually talking to her.

“What’s your poison?”

Laurie laughed too loudly at the comment.

Claudia jumped in, and ordered a cappuccino for her friend.

When they got to the table, Laurie said she wanted to leave.

“We are not leaving,” Claudia said. “We need to figure out our next move.”

“My next move is to change my mind about going to this stupid dance,” Laurie said. “You and Janice and Cynthia and Katie will have a better time without me, anyway. I don’t belong there. My people just don’t do that kind of thing.”

“Your people?” Claudia asked. “What people are those?”

“My family. We aren’t dancers. We don’t do parties well. One time, my uncle accidentally fell into the pool underneath the dance floor.”

“Nice try, George Bailey. That was a scene from “A Wonderful Life.”

“Well, maybe it wasn’t a pool, but he fell off something, somewhere, I’m sure.”

Jake came out from behind the counter and walked over to their table. Laurie sank in her chair.

“My people aren’t dancers, either,” he said to Laurie. “That’s why I play the guitar. My band’s playing at Homecoming, you’re going, aren’t you?”

“Yeah,” she said. “Of course I’m going.”

Laurie turned to Claudia. “C’mon Claudia, let’s go look for dresses. I think I saw one that might work.”

Acknowledgments

2010-08-10T13:16:00.000-07:00

Hi again.

Back from vacation, ready to tie up a few loose ends for my book Strengthen your Nonfiction Writing. I haven’t talked to Lou Turner, publisher of High Hill Press, since I’ve been back, but am working on the “Acknowledgements” page. Now I know why the speeches go on so long at the Oscars. There are many people to thank whenever a large creative endeavor is undertaken, regardless of how many people contributed directly.

I’ve been thinking about how many people have touched my life, and offered a word of encouragement or praise when I needed it most. Kind words, a few laughs, and the feeling that you aren’t completely alone on this planet go a long way. There are several people in my “Acknowledgments” that I haven’t spoken to in years. But when I think about the type of person I am, and why, I realize these people contributed something positive that helped shape my world.

In the book I mention connections, and the importance of words to connect people and their emotions. Words connect us when we feel like the only one who wasn’t invited to the party, or dumped by a boy- or girlfriend, husband, wife or lover. Words allow us to feel what someone else has experienced. Words allow us to share the wonderful moments of being crowned queen of anything, along with the humiliating memory of falling down the stairs in high school. Powerful stuff, words. Hope you love them as much as I do.

See ya later this week.

Mary

Beginnings

2010-08-04T14:11:00.000-07:00

The good news is my book "Strengthen your Nonfiction Writing" will be published soon by High Hill Press. The writing is finished, but there's still a lot of work to do. I hadn't thought about type or the cover, so Lou Turner and I will hammer out the details during the next few weeks, and I'll share with you the highs and lows of the publishing process. Stay tuned.