Helping Writers Go from Unpublished to Published
You have a great idea for an article, and now you need to find a magazine that will buy it. But how do you do that?
You could visit your local grocery store and peruse the magazine rack.
Or visit the library and see what magazines are available there.
That’s how I did it when I first started freelancing in 2006. But I was not only attacking this task the hard way, [Read more…] about Struggling to find the best markets for your writing?
Is it possible to sell a story that is high on action and adventure, but has flat characters? Yes, though it isn’t easy.
What about a story that is flat on plot, but rich with three-dimensional characters? If your plot is flat, your reader (and that agent or publisher) has no reason to turn the pages. (Look out trash can.)
Your story stands a much better chance of being published if both the plot and characters are well developed. (Tweet this.)
I’m a writer whose strength is in [Read more…] about How to Ensure Your Characters and Plot Don’t Flat Line
Today’s interview involves a variety of writers, each involved in creating one book, A Dozen Apologies, the creative work of Write Integrity Press.
Write Integrity has published several novella collaborations. I read my first of these novellas, A Ruby Christmas, late last year. Like many readers, I skipped the table of contents and went straight to chapter 1. Later I discovered the book was the collaborative work of 9 writers.
The voice carried through very well and editor extraordinaire Tracy Ruckman of Write Integrity Press accomplished that. A Ruby Christmas was author J.A. Marx’ project. She understood her character very well, and got that across to each of the project authors.
Fay Lamb birthed the idea that became A Dozen Apologies with 12 authors writing one chapter each. Fay, how did you progress from idea to finished manuscript? [Read more…] about Friday Feature: A Dozen Apologies
Punctuation is an aspect of English with which many writers struggle. But we must face the reality: incorrect punctuation raises a red flag for editors and makes them more inclined to toss your submission into the trash.
I’m not talking about a missing comma here and there, but flagrant incorrect punctuation. As much as some might hate it, correct punctuation is critically important to your submission.
So today, let’s take a look at the ellipsis and the em dash—two punctuation marks that get misused and often over used.
With all the manuscripts I edit or proofread I’ve learned many writers don’t know how to create a proper indent to their paragraphs.
While I can’t unequivocally say that publishers prefer writers use the first line indent, I can say you’ll look like a savvy writer if you do.
The first line indent is formatting that removes the need for the TAB KEY at the beginning of every paragraph. It is the formatting the publisher will eventually use in preparing your manuscript for publication. If you self-publish, this indent is a formatting essential.
Here’s how to create the “first line indent.” [Read more…] about How to Create the Smartest Indent for a Manuscript
Have you ever been reading something and suddenly found yourself lost in pronouns, asking to which “he” is the writer referring?
Pronouns used incorrectly become pesky pronouns to editors. (At least to this editor they do.) The editor is forced to read several more sentences (or paragraphs) to figure out the “he” or “she” to whom the writer refers.
A quick grammar lesson will help. I know you cringe at the word grammar but stick with me. You want your manuscript to hit a home run, right? (Maybe you’re thinking you’d just like it to get past first base. But avoid first-base thinking; it’s a surefire way to write a mediocre story.)
[Read more…] about Don’t Confuse Your Reader with Your PronounsBack in December I took Michael Hyatt’s new Best Year Ever course. I then set 10 goals and was very excited about 2014 and the plans I’d made for the year. Almost immediately after—within a week—my mood plummeted. I spent a week or two wallowing, then began to examine why I felt depressed.
Dr. Stephen Covey in his book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People stated that Habit 2 was “to begin with the end in mind. …To begin with the end in mind means to start with a clear understanding of your destination.”
Mark 11:24 from the Bible encourages us to do something very similar. “Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.”
Yet another biblical example is the story of Peter walking on the water (see Matthew 14:22-33). While he kept his focus on Jesus, Peter walked on the water. But the second he looked at the storm raging around him, he began to sink.
What does this have to do with my foul mood?
What I focus on, or think about, affects my mood—positively or negatively.
This is the time of year when people set resolutions and work toward making some positive change(s) in their lives. There are many reasons why most don’t succeed, but focus is one of them. They’re thinking about the hard work and change (and pain) it’s going to take to reach their goal, instead of the end result.
Let’s make this personal. You read my blog because you want to be a writer. Like me, you probably want to be a famous author, right? Then believe you already are. Envision the end—I am a famous writer—from the beginning.
What does being a famous author look like? Does it mean having a best selling book (or three or four)? Does it mean traveling the States doing book signings and appearing on national TV and radio? Does it mean $$$ in the bank and no financial worries? For every writer, being famous means something different. Determine what it is for you.
Now envision what being a famous author feels like. Emotionally connect with your goal so you are positively motivated to achieve it. I learned that from Tony Robbins, but both Dr. Covey and Michael Hyatt state the same.
There’s a law of nature at work here, though like gravity, I don’t understand how it works. I only know it does. What we focus on has a direct bearing on the outcomes of our lives. Having the end in mind from the beginning helps us achieve our desired outcomes.
I’d like to blame my foul mood on the dark days of winter. That may partly be the cause, but in the midst of it I learned that when I’m feeling bummed, I need to stop and think about where my focus is. Am I thinking about the end goal or all the reasons why I may never achieve that goal?
How about you? Where’s your focus? Leave your comments below.
Debra L. Butterfield © 2014
Recommended reading: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
Writers often hear “show us, don’t tell us” in one variation or another. But what does it really mean to show rather than tell?
Merriam-Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary gives the definition of tell as “to relate in detail: narrate, recount,” and show as “to cause or permit to be seen.” As writers, we do both these things.
But as storytellers we must [Read more…] about Telling vs. Showing, what it is and how to fix it.