“To be misunderstood can be the writer’s punishment for having disturbed the reader’s peace. The greater the disturbance, the greater the possibility of misunderstanding.”
— Anatole Broyard
Tag: authors
Bound by Fear
Guest Blog by H. Squires
I am a writer, an author, and storyteller. It took me a long time before I could utter those words either on paper or in conversation. I was bound by fear—afraid of being judged, ridiculed, laughed at, or simply disregarded. My voice climbed only as high as the paper stacked.
From the time I was a child, I enjoyed writing. Rarely, did I share my work with others—or even let people know my love of words. I only allowed family members to read my stories.
After I wrote my first novel, I fantasized about being published—which actor(s) could star in the movie, and the potential revenue it could generate—but I didn’t spend too much time in “La-la-land”. Instead, I got busy writing the second novel, and by the third, I felt my work should be published. I was ready to share it with the world. However, I wasn’t sure if it was good enough to move forward.
I knew my husband and daughters enjoyed the stories, but I felt their opinions were biased. After all, they were my family. I needed others to give me their honest opinions. I had many unanswered questions pertaining to grammar, continuity, and the lack of clarity when it came to editing. Even though I considered myself [somewhat] good at grammar, I wasn’t sure if I remembered everything from school. Does the story make sense, flow right, and keep the reader engaged? You can do only so much research from the privacy of your home. I needed help—actual, human, face-to-face support.
One of the first things I did was join a writing group. It was an all-women’s group, so the tension seemed less nerve-racking. The group meets three times a month—one of which is a teaching class on grammar and other helpful tips. The second meeting, we are instructed to read our latest work out loud to the others. This was the most difficult thing I’ve had to do in a long while. Reading to a bunch of strangers—a story that I concocted—sent me into a shaking-fit, so much so that I decided to hand my pages to another lady to read for me. I was astonished by all the positive feedback, something I hadn’t expected. They helped, reassured, and gave me honest advice. It propelled me farther.
Last year, I accomplished my goal. My third novel was published, and, for the first time, people were reading my work. It made me realize that others struggle with the very same issues as I did—not willing to share their stories. Some people are satisfied letting close friends and family read their work. For example, Emily Dickinson—a world-renowned poet—wasn’t discovered until after her death. Her younger sister found a lifetime of collective poems in Emily’s attic. Later, she sought the publication for her sister’s work. Imagine how different Emily’s life could have been if she had become published?
If you are a writer and have written poetry, short stories, or novels that serve as dust-bunny habitats, it’s time to consider sharing beyond family. Trust me, I know how hard it is, like bearing your soul to the world. Research local writing groups or go to online writer’s forums. You will get a lot of advice, constructiveness, and learn a lot. Who knows, you could be considered as the next Hemingway, Rowling, or Dickens?
Take care, my friends.
How to Find a Writer’s Group
Online Writer’s Community
Meet our Guest Blogger, H. Squires:
Heather Squires’ life calling to be an author began in 1989 in Phoenix, Arizona. As an editorial writer on staff at the Utopian Newspaper, she decided to seek further review and publishing. The first project to be completed outside of the journaling world was To Desecrate Man, an action novel; completed in 2005, it became over shadowed by the second project: Rogue, a young adult fiction-adventure novel.
Upon completion of Rogue in 2009, Squires’ place in the young adult fiction world became clear. The Sphere of Archimedes began to take shape, and was finished in 2011. Currently working on the sequel, The Omphalos of Delphi, she continues to create anticipation for the future of young adult fiction.
| Amazon | Barnes & Noble | HSquiresNovels | Blog |
| Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Email |
[See what H. Squires had to say about our editor!]
Share this:
A Professional Writer’s Five Top Tips to Getting Published
Guest Blog by Julie Gorges
The question all aspiring writers are desperate to know: How can I get published?
When I first dreamed of becoming a published writer decades ago, that’s the first question I always asked at author lectures. No one had any magical answers for me, so I foraged my own path.
As a result, I’ve been working as a professional writer for more than 20 years. During that time, I’ve had a non-fiction book I co-wrote published by one of the big-time publishers, McGraw Hill, started my own publishing company with a partner, published two young adult novels, and lived out my dream of having book signings at Barnes and Noble bookstores.
In addition, I’ve had thousands of articles published in magazines, newspapers, and websites. This past year, I’ve added blogger to my list of achievements and am working on my fourth book.
So what’s the secret to getting published? I don’t have a college degree and I didn’t know anyone in the publishing business to help get me started. So, don’t give up, there’s hope for all of you out there like me.
To help you out, here are my top five tips. However, be forewarned, there’s no magic involved.
Learn Your Craft
Before you begin sending manuscripts out, take the time to learn the craft of writing if you haven’t already done so. I’m always surprised how many people don’t take this essential step. No, you don’t need an English degree at a fancy college to become a writer. But you do have to learn the basics – whether that means taking writing classes at a local college, reading every book on writing you can get your hands on at the library, taking advantage of all the information on the Internet, or attending writer’s conferences. This is a simple tip, but a crucial one – be sure and learn basic grammar, spelling, and writing techniques before submitting your work for publication.
Start Small and Earn Writing Credits
Many aspiring writers want to start out by tackling the great American novel their first time out to bat. Why not start small and work your way up instead? Believe me; you’ll learn invaluable lessons along the way and become a better writer. In addition, rejections for short stories and articles are much easier to take than rejections for a book that you’ve spent months or years pouring your heart and soul into writing.
How did I break into the publishing world? Six long years after I took my first writing class at a local college and after countless submissions, my first short story was finally accepted for publication in a small literary magazine. Later that year, I sold an article I had written for one my college classes to a regional parenting magazine. These days, earning writing credits is much easier than it was 20 years ago with all the freelance writing sites like oDesk, Elance, Freelancer, along with dozens of others. You’ll have to work dirt cheap at first, but you can earn some writing credits. Hey, my first check for my short story was $22 and I was ecstatic. Just don’t give up your day job too soon.
Find an Agent
An agent is required for many of the larger publishing companies (but not all, as you can see in the section below, “Find a Publisher”) so it pays to try and find an agent to represent your work. If you take my advice in the previous section and earn some writing credits, you’ll be one step ahead in the game and have an easier time finding an agent.
How did I find an agent for my first novel? Like I said before, I didn’t know anyone in the business, so I bought a copy of Writer’s Market, made a list of agents that specialized in young adult fiction, and sent out query letters. I learned how to write a good book proposal and when a few agents expressed interest, I sent them exactly what they asked for, which varied slightly.
If you want to find an agent, edit and re-edit you manuscript, and make sure your query letter, book proposal, and/or sample chapters are free from any grammar or spelling errors. Don’t give up easily. Do your homework and make sure the agents you’re querying accept the kind of book you’re writing. And finally, don’t pay reading fees – generally it’s a rip off.
One more tip: This is a good time to develop a thick skin. Pay attention when an editor or an agent takes time to point out flaws instead of sending a standard rejection letter. Editors aren’t always right, but don’t automatically assume they’re wrong either, especially if more than one notes a particular weakness.
Be Unique
If you’re trying to get published, I don’t have to tell you, there’s SO much competition out there, so you MUST find your own unique voice and perspective. Just about every subject under the sun has already been covered, so it’s really important to find a different angle.
For example, when I approached publishers regarding a book on building steel-frame homes, there were already quite a few books on the subject. But I couldn’t find any that focused on building energy efficient steel-framed homes. When it came time to find a publisher, having a distinct angle is what made my proposal stand out from the rest.
Find a Publisher
Of course, this is easier said than done, but not impossible. By the way, I found a well-known publisher for my non-fiction book without an agent. My Writer’s Market was gold once again, and I simply sent out query letters and followed up with my book proposal if publishers were interested.
My tip: Be sure and have a detailed marketing plan in place before you begin this process. This book was co-written with my father, a civil engineer, and our plans included seminars, speaking events, as well as other promotional efforts. Remember that even the big time publishers expect you to get out there and promote your book like crazy. Of course, now publishers also want you to have a social media presence and build an author’s platform. The latest Writer’s Market suggests you need about 5,000 followers to get a decent advance. So, now that I have an idea for a fourth book, guess what I’ve been busy doing?
So there you go, my top five tips I have used to become a published, professional writer. While it’s true that the publishing world is constantly evolving, one thing hasn’t changed over the years – and it’s my most important tip of all if you want to be a successful writer – don’t give up! You’ll definitely need the three P’s of writing: patience, persistence, and perseverance.
As Richard Bach said, “A professional writer is an amateur who didn’t quit.”
In the meantime, try and enjoy the journey. Writing is certainly a roller-coaster ride with plenty of ups and downs, but it’s also an adventure.
Meet our Guest Blogger, Julie Gorges:
Julie Gorges is the author of three books, has had hundreds of articles and short stories published in national and regional magazines, and won three journalism awards while working as a newspaper reporter.
Follow her for amazing posts, and check out her blog, books, and social media!
| Facebook | Blog | Twitter | Email |
| Goodreads | LinkedIn | Amazon | Barnes & Noble |
Share this:
Foundational Dreams
” . . . if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours. He will put some things behind, will pass an invisible boundary . . . and solitude will not be solitude, nor poverty poverty, nor weakness weakness. If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them.”
— Henry David Thoreau
Share this:
Urban Perfection
Be Thou Funny; Nay, Hilarious!
[found on thewritepractice.com; by Joe Bunting]
Joe Bunting’s Commandments to Writing Funny”
“1. Thou Shalt Not Worry About Offending
First and most important, if you’re overly concerned about what others will think, don’t try your hand at funny . . . . stay true to your voice and integrity.
2. Thou Shalt Pay Attention to the Mundane
Jerry Seinfield wasn’t funny because he could do impersonations, or was overly animated or creative. He was funny because he told the truth about the mundane….
3. Thou Shalt Take Clichés to Extremes
…when there was report after report about the Occupy Movement marching on streets all over the nation, I wrote Occupy Marches on Sesame Street—twentysomething angst taking on the puppets who lied to them first.
Taking cliches to the extreme is the bedrock to satire.
4. Thou Shalt Use Metaphors and Similes Like the Bubonic Plague
(First, see Commandments 1 and 3.) Metaphors and similes are to funny as Hugh Grant is to romantic comedy.”
To read the entire article by Joe Bunting, click here.
[found on http://thewritepractice.com/four-commandments-to-writing-funny/]
Share this:
Research How-To…and Why
[found on copyblogger.com; by RYAN HOLIDAY]
“I’m going to talk about research. No, research is not very fun, and it’s never glamorous, but it matters. A lot.
If you want to be able to make compelling case for something — whether it’s in a book, on a blog, or in a multi-million dollar VC pitch — you need stories that frame your arguments, rich anecdotes to compliment tangible examples, and impressive data so you can empirically crush counter arguments.
But good research doesn’t just magically appear. Stories, anecdotes and data have to be found before you can use them.
You have to hunt them down like a shark, chasing the scent of blood across the vast ocean of information. The bad news is that this is an unenviable task … but the good news is that it’s not impossible.
It’s not even that hard … once you learn what you’re doing — and I’m going to teach you those skills.
By the time I was 21, my research had been used by #1 New York Times Bestselling authors like Robert Greene, Tim Ferriss, and Tucker Max. Was I a slave to study? Did I have to become a library hermit to accomplish this? No, I did it all in my spare time–on the side, with just a few hours of work a week.
Here’s how I did it …
Step 1: Prepare long before gameday [sic]
…This is the mark you must aim for as a researcher, to not only have enough material — and to know where the rest of what you haven’t read will be located — on hand to do your work….
Step 2: Learn to search (Google) like a pro
…How do you find a needle in haystack? Get rid of the extra hay….
Step 3: Go down the rabbit hole (embrace serendipity)
…One of my rules as a reader is to read one book mentioned in or cited in every book that I read. It not only solves the problem of ‘what to read next’ but it sends you on a journey down the rabbit hole….
Step 4: When in doubt, turn to the classics
…The Classics are “classic” for a reason. They’ve survived the test of time….
Step 5: Keep a commonplace book
…a book of quotes, sentences, metaphors and miscellany that he could use at a moment’s notice….”
To read the entire article from RYAN HOLIDAY, click here.
[found on http://www.copyblogger.com/content-marketing-research/]
Share this:
Sinking Ships
“Literature is strewn with the wreckage of men who have minded beyond reason the opinions of others.”
—Virginia Woolf
Share this:
Children’s Books—Authors Speak
[found on parents.com; by Jaclyn A. Zinn]
“If you ask a hundred different authors how they got published, you’ll get a hundred different stories,” says Pam Mu?oz Ryan, author of Mice and Beans, one of Child’s 50 Best Books of 2001. But aspiring writers — and fans — can learn and be inspired by the tales of those who’ve flourished in the field….
“The hardest thing to learn is how to communicate with your audience,” says Hoeye. “You can’t lose your voice. You must have a distinct sense of who you are and who you’re trying to talk to.” One way he honed his skills was by writing letters. “My first book, Time Stops for No Mouse, started as a series of letters to my wife who was traveling in Africa,” says Hoeye. “I didn’t know I was writing a book. It was just a way of entertaining her, but it kept growing and growing. To write a book straight through can be bewildering and intimidating.”
“Ideas come to me from everywhere-my own life, sometimes folktales,” says dePaola. “Strega Nonacame to me out of the blue, but I often get ideas from kids. The Quicksand Book is a good example of that. Children will come up to me and say, `Why don’t you write a story about….'”
“Rejection can be devastating,” says Janet Stevens, author of And the Dish Ran Away with the Spoon, a Child Best Book of 2001. “You can get your heart broken. The main thing to realize is that there are so many different editors with different tastes. You have to remove yourself from it emotionally and just keep trying. You don’t have to be the best author and win all the awards; you just have to appeal to kids — that’s what’s most important.”
To read more from the authors of children’s books on parents.com, click here.
[found on http://www.parents.com/fun/entertainment/books/secrets-of-successful-childrens-book-authors/]
Share this:
A Writer’s Time Management
[found on wrwdc.com; By Joan Whetzel]
“Many writers find time management at least a minor issue, while for others it may be a major issue, especially those who can never seem to find the time to write. The following tips may not completely get rid of all writing time management issues, but hopefully they will reduce the time management problems to a minimum.
1. Track Your Time. If you find you simply have no idea where the time went on a consistent basis, then it’s time to start tracking your time. Take a week or two to record how you spend your time from the time you get up in the morning until you go to bed. Use a spiral notebook, split into columns: left hand column for the start and end time, middle column for a brief description of each activity, and the right hand column for the amount of time to complete that activity. Record the day and date at the top of each page. Then go through the journal to determine where you can shave time off activities (or remove them from your routine) in order to create more time for writing.
2. Set Goals. Goals give writers something to aim for. It could be a minimum word or paragraph count per day, a minimum word or page count per week, or a minimum article count per month. Meeting your goals will keep your writing progress moving forward.
3. Set Aside Time Just for Research. Having to keep stopping to research facts that you don’t know disrupts any writing schedule, cuts down on the available writing time, and distracts writers from their writing goals. Set aside a regular time to research the information you need to do your writing for the week. Then your writing time will be available for writing only….”
To read the complete article by Joan Whetzel, click here.
Editing Addict, LLC 