Quips & Tips
“Find a subject you care about and which you in your heart feel others should care about.” —Kurt Vonnegut
If you don’t care passionately about your book’s (or article’s) topic, why on earth would someone want to read what you write about it?
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Writer Uninterrupted
Sometimes we hit a point wherein the words we type taste stale – just the same ole, same ole. One way to call forth the muse is by taking our writing to different surroundings, as mentioned on Feb. 8th. Another method involves putting pen to paper for 10 or 15 uninterrupted minutes.
That’s called stream-of-consciousness writing (SOC), the purpose of which is to keep writing, nonstop, until your inner editor shuts up, at which point fresh material begins bubbling up.
Writing nonstop (and I mean moving your pen constantly) for 10 minutes feels awkward at best. You start with a “seed” phrase or sentence and just keep writing. Before long, you’ll feel you’ve said all you can. But you’ve got to keep that pen moving!
When that happens, you may have to resort to something like “This is the dumbest thing I’ve ever made myself do. Why ...” and so forth. That’s OK. Your pen is still moving. But your literary angel will quickly become disgusted with the mindless blather and leave, which is the point.
Soon thereafter, you will return to writing on a topic – maybe the one you began with, maybe not, laying down new, uncensored thoughts. Untidy sentences and phrases replace the neatly structured prose at the start of the exercise. The words may flow until the timer goes off and beyond or not. Either way, keep laying down ink until your time is up.
You may get restless and think the stupid timer will never go off! But practice helps. Try a SOC writing period once a day for a week, and chances are you’ll look forward to that moment when the Wicked Editor Within wanders off and lets you get on with creating.
~ Linda
That’s called stream-of-consciousness writing (SOC), the purpose of which is to keep writing, nonstop, until your inner editor shuts up, at which point fresh material begins bubbling up.
Writing nonstop (and I mean moving your pen constantly) for 10 minutes feels awkward at best. You start with a “seed” phrase or sentence and just keep writing. Before long, you’ll feel you’ve said all you can. But you’ve got to keep that pen moving!
When that happens, you may have to resort to something like “This is the dumbest thing I’ve ever made myself do. Why ...” and so forth. That’s OK. Your pen is still moving. But your literary angel will quickly become disgusted with the mindless blather and leave, which is the point.
Soon thereafter, you will return to writing on a topic – maybe the one you began with, maybe not, laying down new, uncensored thoughts. Untidy sentences and phrases replace the neatly structured prose at the start of the exercise. The words may flow until the timer goes off and beyond or not. Either way, keep laying down ink until your time is up.
You may get restless and think the stupid timer will never go off! But practice helps. Try a SOC writing period once a day for a week, and chances are you’ll look forward to that moment when the Wicked Editor Within wanders off and lets you get on with creating.
~ Linda
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Q/t: Talk to Your Reader
Quips & Tips
“Your audience is one single reader. I have found that sometimes it helps to pick out one real person you know, or an imagined person, and write to that one.” —John Steinbeck
To achieve the personal style that so many nonfiction books and articles need, try this: Picture one reader. Now imagine that you’re sitting together over coffee, and you’re sharing the information in your book with her (or him). This technique leads to the conversational writing style that connects you directly to your reader.
~ Linda
“Your audience is one single reader. I have found that sometimes it helps to pick out one real person you know, or an imagined person, and write to that one.” —John Steinbeck
To achieve the personal style that so many nonfiction books and articles need, try this: Picture one reader. Now imagine that you’re sitting together over coffee, and you’re sharing the information in your book with her (or him). This technique leads to the conversational writing style that connects you directly to your reader.
~ Linda
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Writers & Publishers Organizations
There’s a silly rumor among those who have never worked in the writing and publishing industries that people in those fields jealously guard their information and business practices against any and all comers. Like I said, that’s just silly – and wrong.
At the St. Louis Publishers Association http://www.stlouispublishers.org/ and St. Louis Writers Guild http://www.stlwritersguild.com/ , I’ve had ample experience to the contrary, both in receiving and giving useful professional advice. But the clincher came when I attended the Publishers Marketing Association’s Publishing University a few years ago.
That organization, http://pma-online.org/, represents small, independent U. S. publishers in many ways, including a richly informational, monthly publication and the afore mentioned publishing university, which occurs each year in May immediately before the huge Book Expo America (BEA). This year (2007) in New York, they’ll offer 70 classes on various aspects of publishing and book marketing, all taught by successful, seasoned professionals.
When I attended a Publishers University in Chicago, I was stunned at how eager all of the attendees and presenters were to share their experiences to help others. You couldn’t get on an elevator without someone asking what you were working on, and upon hearing your reply, offering suggestions for target audiences, marketing, and sales “hooks.”
Should I go with independent contracts with book wholesalers or apply to an exclusive book distributor? Ask Joe. He’s tried both methods.
What kind of back cover copy (text) is most effective for selling self-help books? How do I maximize book sales on my web site? What can I do to make my book signings really outstanding? At that event, you’ll find a dozen or more people to share information on any question you might come up with. Even the workshops often become brainstorming sessions with attendees and leaders striving to find a solution to one person’s problem.
I’ve really never experienced the like. That kind of positive energy will send you back home on your own little cloud of encouragement.
So don’t let anybody ever tell you that writers and publishers are secretive and stand-offish. That’s one more dumb rumor you can safely put to rest.
~ Linda
At the St. Louis Publishers Association http://www.stlouispublishers.org/ and St. Louis Writers Guild http://www.stlwritersguild.com/ , I’ve had ample experience to the contrary, both in receiving and giving useful professional advice. But the clincher came when I attended the Publishers Marketing Association’s Publishing University a few years ago.
That organization, http://pma-online.org/, represents small, independent U. S. publishers in many ways, including a richly informational, monthly publication and the afore mentioned publishing university, which occurs each year in May immediately before the huge Book Expo America (BEA). This year (2007) in New York, they’ll offer 70 classes on various aspects of publishing and book marketing, all taught by successful, seasoned professionals.
When I attended a Publishers University in Chicago, I was stunned at how eager all of the attendees and presenters were to share their experiences to help others. You couldn’t get on an elevator without someone asking what you were working on, and upon hearing your reply, offering suggestions for target audiences, marketing, and sales “hooks.”
Should I go with independent contracts with book wholesalers or apply to an exclusive book distributor? Ask Joe. He’s tried both methods.
What kind of back cover copy (text) is most effective for selling self-help books? How do I maximize book sales on my web site? What can I do to make my book signings really outstanding? At that event, you’ll find a dozen or more people to share information on any question you might come up with. Even the workshops often become brainstorming sessions with attendees and leaders striving to find a solution to one person’s problem.
I’ve really never experienced the like. That kind of positive energy will send you back home on your own little cloud of encouragement.
So don’t let anybody ever tell you that writers and publishers are secretive and stand-offish. That’s one more dumb rumor you can safely put to rest.
~ Linda
A Writer's Truth
One of my book coaching clients has written about her past adversities, some of which have to do with family dysfunction. She’s understandably concerned that current family members will be angry, feeling she shouldn’t have aired dirty linens in public. Some may also be in long-term denial about the events described.
Whether to be honest and therefore vulnerable to backlash or to placate her family and soften her descriptions was a worrisome decision for her. Both she and her therapist felt that her painful honesty in writing had been cathartic – no more couching the truth in pretty words. Just the facts, mam. Or hiding behind the classic “but everything is fine now,” dancing the practiced dance of the co-enabler.
We resolved the problem in a way that feels right to her. Sparks may still fly when the book comes out, but she's forestalled specific arguments by stating on the back of the title page that what she wrote is her truth as she remembers it, and that others may remember things differently.
Writing, especially when we deal with personal experience, has to be what we see as truth. It seems to me like anything else would dishonor both the readers and the author.
If we can’t do that, we should avoid controversial material and write only what is comfortable for family, friends, and the rest of the known world.
~ Linda
Whether to be honest and therefore vulnerable to backlash or to placate her family and soften her descriptions was a worrisome decision for her. Both she and her therapist felt that her painful honesty in writing had been cathartic – no more couching the truth in pretty words. Just the facts, mam. Or hiding behind the classic “but everything is fine now,” dancing the practiced dance of the co-enabler.
We resolved the problem in a way that feels right to her. Sparks may still fly when the book comes out, but she's forestalled specific arguments by stating on the back of the title page that what she wrote is her truth as she remembers it, and that others may remember things differently.
Writing, especially when we deal with personal experience, has to be what we see as truth. It seems to me like anything else would dishonor both the readers and the author.
If we can’t do that, we should avoid controversial material and write only what is comfortable for family, friends, and the rest of the known world.
~ Linda
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