Why You Don't Write Your Book by Suzanne Falter-Barns In the ten years that I've taught people how to get on with their books and creative projects, I've noticed a phenomenon that I'll call Author's Block. Would-be writers can, indeed, sit down and work when pressed to it. The problem is that they're not so sure they want the pressure of being an author. But they do want it. But they don't. And so on. Ah, the agony of getting on with your book. Well, I'm here to diffuse that situation with a list of the key reasons we have trouble sticking to our ... Making Better Word Choices - 4 Examples by David J. Clapham Writers face many decisions when working on a project. Choosing the correct word for a certain situation is one choice that writers often either struggle with or make an incorrect choice. This article will give some basic guidance to writers on four of the more common word choices that authors face. Choosing the wrong words can have a poor effect on your writing and on you. Whether you are writing a cover letter for a job, a business proposal, or an application essay for graduate school using wo ... How To Use Punctuation by Rumki Sen The most common mistake people tend to make while writing is in the use of Punctuation. Wrong punctuation can damage the flow of ideas and change meaning, but properly used punctuation not only helps readers understand your meaning but also makes them engrossed in your writing. The following discussion is about some of the frequently misused punctuation marks and what actually their correct application should be. Use of Apostrophe - Use an apostrophe to show possession, but never put apostrophe ... The Secret to Good Writing by Marie-Claire Ross Skilful business writing involves getting your message across simply and quickly. This often means writing in a style that is easily read and understood by a broad audience. Yet, writing simply is often difficult for most of us. Why? The answer lies in our school education. We learnt that if we used big words and complex sentences, we were more likely to get an ‘A’ by our English teacher or University lecturer. The education system taught us that people who use a broad range of vocabulary are mo ... It's A Miracle by Lynn Colwell I read and walked for miles at night along the beach, writing bad blank verse and searching endlessly for someone wonderful who would step out of the darkness and change my life. It never crossed my mind that that person could be me. -- Anna Quindlen, Living Out Loud. When aspiring writers tell me they lack time to write, I pose “The Miracle Question”: Let’s say you go to sleep tonight and during the wee hours, a miracle occurs. When you wake up, everything that has been sucking time from your d ... The Recipe for Getting Published by Mridu Khullar Got talent but no clips? Here's the recipe for getting published... * Procrastinating When you've finally decided you have to put into writing the fabulous idea that just struck, you enter the first phase of the writing process. I'll start tomorrow, I'm not inspired yet and I just don't have the time are some of the phrases that will form a part of your vocabulary. When you've incorporated them into your daily lifestyle, you're ready to enter the second phase. * The Blank Screen You sit in front ... Negotiating Right: Get What you Deserve by Mridu Khullar If magazine publishing worked like any other business, writers would fix their rates, and magazines would run around trying to hire the best writer in the lowest possible cost. Sadly, that’s not the case. In this bizarre business, writers trying to compete with each other not only have to prove their worth once, but again and again, and each time they want an assignment. You’ve got clips. You’ve written the perfect query. You’ll even deliver the best assignment. But then again, you’ll have to as ... Getting Started in Column Writing by Mridu Khullar You’ve written many articles for Websites, newsletters and now you’ve even conquered the territory of getting published in a magazine. What’s the next step, you ask? How to I make the editor ask for my work weekly or monthly? Enter: the column. Before you march up to an editor’s office or send her unsolicited mail asking to write regularly for a publication, learn all there is to know. A column is written weekly, monthly or bi-monthly, and must be focused on one particular topic. You have to be ... 5 Questions to Ask About Every Article Idea by Mridu Khullar I know a good idea when I see one. So should you. Dump those time-tested ideas you’re sending off to editors every other day, and find ideas that will get you the assignment each time, every time. How do you know whether your brilliant idea will strike a chord and get you the assignment or land your neatly crafted query in the slush pile? Use the following checklist to find out whether you have a winner or another stale idea that the editor’s been rejecting since she set foot in her editorial o ... Freelance Writing on the Internet by Mridu Khullar So, you’ve decided to take up a career in freelance writing. You’ve hooked up the computer, installed the printer, and learnt the nitty-gritty of your word processor. You’ve maybe even been published a couple of times. You’re all set to conquer the world of publishing. But wait. Do you know all the options available to you? We’ve compiled a list of all the jobs a freelance writer can find on the Internet to keep the cash inflow steady: Magazines Most of the freelance writing industry focuses on ... The Language of Freelance Marketing by Mridu Khullar For freelancers, knowing the basic terminology “before” they begin can be a valuable lesson in earning a few extra dollars in that initial stage. When I started my freelancing career, I knew nothing of rights, simultaneous submissions, querying or varying payment rates. All I knew was-- I could write. Everything else, I learnt on the job. You will too. But just to make your stay a little less frustrating, and a lot more enjoyable, I’ve listed a few concepts that will help you immensely as you co ... Why the Editor is NOT the Enemy by Mridu Khullar They can be mean, unethical and downright unprofessional. But not all editors fit that bill. In fact, most editors would rather give you money that take it, make no changes than rewrite whole pieces two hours before deadline, and accept every piece of crap than start their mornings sending out rejection slips. But step into an editor’s shoes, and you’ll know why that’s not only hard, it’s just plain impossible! Here are the most common complaints writers have, and why editors aren’t always guil ... Writing for Teen Magazines by Mridu Khullar I would look at the magazines my teenage neighbor and her friends stashed away in their cupboards and think, “Heck, I could do that!” So one day, while she was away at school, I broke into her room and “borrowed” the magazines. Teenage magazines have changed since we were teens, I can tell you that. No longer do they advocate sex after marriage and accepting everything for what it is. Teenage magazines today are a whole different gamut. So, if you go into shock mode quickly, this market may not ... 7 Deadly Mistakes that Cost You Money and Assignments by Mridu Khullar Sometimes, you just don’t get second chances. Freelance writing works a little that way. If you’ve offended an editor, it’s quite unlikely that she’s going to work with you again. If you don’t muster up the courage and ask for a higher payment rate, you won’t get that chance till the next acceptance. And if you sell all rights for less, you write away all future income from the sale of that piece. These seemingly small mistakes can cost you big money when done repeatedly. Avoid these common pitf ... The Facts of a Writer's Life by Mridu Khullar So, you dream of becoming a famous writer? You want to get that article on paper as soon as possible and see it published. You've got great ideas for a book that you'll be starting any day now. But do you know what it's really like to lead a writer's life? Read on to find out. 1. Rejection is a part of life. Face it. You will be rejected. No matter how good you are, how well versed with the techniques, how intricately detailed. One fine day, you'll wake up and find a rejection in the mail. Don't ... The Stuff E-mail Query Letters are Made of by Mridu Khullar Your mother always told you how first impressions were extremely important. That’s why whenever you go to meet an editor, you dress impeccably, walk confidently and talk as if you just got out of training with Oprah Winfrey. But as you sit down to write that email query, you forget everything your mother told you and send editors a query that couldn’t have lacked any more even if you wanted it to. The subject line reads “Query” or something in close proximity with the language spammers use—“Beco ... Beat the Block with a Journal by Mridu Khullar It’s nearing the end of summer, and I have no credentials to my benefit these holidays. As the end of the holidays approach, I keep wondering what I have to show for the summer other than the noticeable tan, and the load of incomplete articles adorning my computer. Having nothing to write about can be exasperating. But having plentiful to do, and not doing it out of sheer laziness or lack of interest is a whole other story. I have articles months old that haven’t seen the light of day. Ah, if o ... How to Be an Editor's First Choice by Mridu Khullar There are writers who editors like, and those they’d bet their careers on. How can you be that writer who the editor will call on every time she needs an important assignment to be done? Are you a hot favorite or a pass-on-for-another-freelancer who keeps querying but receives no response? Here are the qualities that will endear you to an editor. 1. Giving more than you promise When an editor asks for two samples, give her three. If she trusts you with an assignment, don’t wait for the final de ... The Crusades Of Writing by Tushar Jain This article does not discuss what to write or how to write, but merely a favorite – why to write. The world appears in its dissatisfactions. Potential lies in the prospect that desires to change it, and prosperity lies in the chaotic chase that has already begun. Writing is barely a provision of the many to choose from. Any man can breathe. Any man can disembowel liquid. Any man can write. Writing becomes a necessity when the worthier elements of life like love and joy, become pursuits inste ... Give Your Readers A Sample by Jean Fritz Manufacturers of food products are masters at marketing. When they launch a new product, they hire crews of merchandisers to pass out samples and coupons during peak grocery shopping times. The result – a large percentage of shoppers become first-time buyers after receiving their free sample and an incentive to buy. Many of those buyers will end up loyal customers. Self-publishers need to think like Frito-Lay. Realize that you, as a self-publishing and (probably) relatively unknown author, need ... Cooking with Annie Dote by Barbara Carr Phillips The submission deadline to an anthology is looming and I want to write an essay for it. I take a seat at my kitchen table, and begin flipping through my journals for inspiration. What are you looking for, my husband asks. An innocent enough question. An anecdote, I reply. An Annie who? he says, raising his eyebrows and casting a sideways glance at our teenage son. Our son grins and chuckles softly, knowing his dad likes to tease me about writers and their mysterious words and ways. I should ha ... You Don't Have To Be A Genius To Write A Love Poem by Marguerite Bonneville Love poems are a wonderfully romantic gesture and can often express your thoughts far more eloquently than verbal communication. If you have some talent with words, why not take a few moments and try your hand at writing a poem for your lover? Just sit down and list all the reasons why you think they're special. Then put them into some kind of free verse format: a wide column of lines, roughly the same length, which may rhyme but don't need to. Even if your poem won't win any literary prizes, th ... Bad Book Review Blues by Laura Hickey When you get a bad book review You've just been notified a review of your book has been posted. You're all excited and can't wait to see what has been written. You're clicking onto your book's page when...Oh no! They hated your book! This bad review is going to turn away customers from buying your book. Wait! This isn't the end of the world. Here's 3 tips to deal when you get a bad review. 1. You can't please everyone! Example: One of my favorite authors is a bestseller but the author didn't re ... 3 Ways to Find Your Niche as a Freelance Writer by Nick Usborne To make a six-figure income as a freelance writer, to need to be an expert. You need your name to jump to people's lips when a particular job or challenge comes up. Direct mail for software? You should get in touch with Bob. That's what he does. Insert your own name and specialty where appropriate. You can't get that kind of awareness or referral if you're someone who just writes about anything in any medium. Nobody is going to believe that you are a trusted expert in absolutely everything. So h ... The Lure Of The Limerick by Jae Taylor No-one knows for certain how the name of an Irish Mid-Western city came to be associated with the short, irreverent, often bawdy verses of the limerick. Some people believe that it came from the school of poets who lived in Croom, Co. Limerick in the nineteenth century; their specialisation was short satiric verses. The genre became a fixture in Victorian times, due in no small part to the author of nonsense verse, Edward Lear. In the history of Irish literature the town of Croom, in Co. Limer ... | ||||||
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