Merry Christmas

I hope this Christmas is super special for you. Don't forget to hug your family and count your 2007 blessings. If you didn't accomplish all your goals this year, you have another chance starting January 1, 2008.

Don't forget to check out our Spring Classes.
~jess

Books for Writers

I've said that writers must be readers but what should writers read? There are a list of standards and of course you should read in the genre you want to publish in. So here's my list of suggested titles you might want to put on your personal Christmas shopping list -- a little present for yourself this year.

• Story by Robert McKee
• The Plot Thickens: Noah Lukeman
• Rotten Rejections: Andre Bernard. The Letters That Publishers Wish They'd Never Sent. These are stories about famous writers overcoming setbacks.
• How to Write Irresistable Query Letters: Lisa Cool
• Stein on Writing: Sol Stein
• How to Grow a Novel: Sol Stein

Carol R. Thomas, Write Magazine Articles That Sell!

Evergreens

With the Christmas season approaching you might think an "evergreen" is a beautiful tree, decked with ornaments and colored lights. Authors of magazine articles know that evergreens are also topics that are published year after year and seldom, if ever, go out of date.

Look at the cover of any popular newsstand magazine and you'll see what I mean. "Lose Ten Pounds Before the Holidays," "The Best Gifts for Mom and Dad," "What Not to do at a Holiday Party." All of these articles are evergreens.

If you have an idea for a evergreen article there are two main things to keep in mind. First, you need a new, refreshing twist on the recurring theme. Articles rehasing the same old, worn information will receive a quick rejection. Second, since magazine editors schedule their issues many months in advance, you should query six months in advance of the issue your article would likely appear.

So, although you might have just thought of a wonderful idea for a Christmas or Hanukkah article you're too late for this year. You should query now for summer evergreens and write yourself a reminder to send out the holdiay query next June.

Carol Thomas, Write Magazine Articles That Sell!

Gifts for Writers

This is the time of year you find out if you're a real writer. Your Christmas list will let you know: Everything I want comes from the office supply store or the book store. When husband, daughter or stepson asks what I want, I always say, "Just give me an Office Depot gift certificate." I've yet to get it. They just can't understand how I can walk into an office supply place and feel as if I'm in heaven. :-)

Here are some suggestions for you to pass on to your family:

A subscription to Writers Digest

A subscription to The Writer. For some reason I can't link to them so go to http://www.writermag.com/wrt/

If you're a poet, Poets and Writers is a must.

Writer Mamas are usually busy transporting kids to soccer games, basketball and football games and have nothing to do except sit on the bench. Check out the AlphaSmart. This little gizmo is fantastic. Mama can just toss it in her oversized purse and pull it out while she's waiting for the doctor, lawyer or dentist. No cords, light as a feather and it runs on batteries. The batteries in my AlphaSmart lasted for more than a year. Too, too cool!

Here's something neat. A writer friend owns the website, Writer Interrupted and she's designed t-shirts bookbags and other products with Writer Interrupted on them. Check it out. And you can even design your own at Zazzle.

I don’t know any writer who wouldn’t appreciate a gift certificate to a local or online bookstore. And of course there are literally hundreds of books for writers, depending on their area of interest. Make your list and give it to your significant other.

For your writer friends, create a personalized “Writer’s Survival Kit“, with fun pens & pencils, notepads, a coffee mug and some packs of cocoa or a gift card to Starbucks. And wouldn't printer cartridges be a great gift?

Of course, the greatest gift of all very well could be a Lamar WriteSite class taught by one of our instructors. Our spring classes will be posted soon.

Merry Christmas, writers!
Jess

Just Trying to Help

Nothing, not love, not greed, not passion or hatred, is stronger than a writer's need to change another writer's copy. - Arthur Evans

Add Spice to Dry Topics

Your editor assigns you a 1000-word article on leaks in commercial aircraft lavatory waste tanks. What a snoozer! But, by utilizing some simple techniques, you can turn the piece into an enjoyable, as well as educational, read.

"A chunk of blue ice fell right through our bedroom roof," Suzie Smith said, pointing to the gaping ten-foot hole in the ceiling of her double-wide mobile home. "Landed right in the center of the bed!"

Now few people may want to read about leaking waste tanks but most folks love to read about people. Inserting people into your stories adds spice and interest.

In my course, Write Magazine Articles That Sell! we'll look at different categories of people you should consider adding to your articles : experts, witnesses, 'faces', and others.

Can you tell what category Suzie Smith falls under? She is a witness and her close encounter should pull the reader into the story and along the way learn about leaking lavatories and blue ice.

Carol Thomas - Write Magazine Artiles That Sell!

A Safe Prescription for Writing

If you're like me, you're always looking for shortcuts. Believe me when I tell you there aren't many, if any. The only thing we can do to get our book written is sit butt in chair and write. We can make writing a little easier by educating ourselves by taking writing classes and reading how-to books. We can also go to the bookstore and study what's on the shelves. What was the last book you read? If you don't read, you won't be too successful at creating your romance, mystery or action novel. We learn to write by reading. We learn to write by writing.

I'm not a pill-popper, but I'll admit if there was a pill for creativity or plotting or even effective brainstorming, I'd probably be the first to ask for a prescription. I wouldn't even ask about side-effects! :)

Let us be the pill you pop. Our Professional Writer's Center is working on the Spring schedule now. If there's a particular class you'd like to see offered, leave a comment, please, and we'll try to make it happen just for you.

Now get back to your computer and write 500 words before midnight. :)
Jess

Backup your Work!

I just returned home after a five-day evacuation from the Southern California wildfires. So many of my writing friends have told me stories about how their computers don't work now (smoke, fire, water damage) and they haven't backed up their work for weeks, months and some for years.

I have a simple backup method that works great; I keep a flash drive plugged in all the time and the software backs up any modified files on a regular basis. Unfortunately, in my rush to evacuate 3 daughters, 3 dogs, 3 horses, 2 cats and a bird, I forgot to grab the flash drive.

Fortunately for me my computer was undamaged and I didn't lose any work. But please remember to back up your work on a regular basis and, if at all possible, keep a backup copy in a different physical location whenever possible.

Carol R. Thomas - Write Magazine Articles That Sell!

The Power of Writers’ Conferences

I’ve recently returned from the Glorieta Christian Writers Conference, near Santa Fe, NM, where I was able to get face to face with editors and agents. In addition to the many classes on topics of interest to writers, attendees had the opportunity to meet one-on-one with those in the industry. Somewhat like speed dating, I guess, we had fifteen minutes to pitch our stuff to an editor or agent before the whistle blew, indicating that our time was up. Nine appointments back-to-back gave me whiplash, but was a wonderful opportunity to see what editors and agents are looking for.

This was my third time to this conference, and it was great to reconnect with those I had met before or people I’ve chatted with in online writers groups. Now the hard work begins as I send my book proposal to editors and agents who asked to see it, and as I write articles to send to editors I met. However, instead of sending my writings unsolicited, I can now add the coveted “Requested Materials” to the outside of the envelope or in the subject line of email submissions.

If you’re serious about writing, I urge you to attend writers’ conferences. The contacts you make and the information you gain can be just what it takes to put your writing career into high gear.

Anita C. Lee, instructor for “Your Life, Your Story”
Personal Life Coach, Speaker, and Writer
"Helping You Become the Person You Were Created to Be"
www.AnitaCLee.com

The Writer's Almanac

I don’t know how many of you are aware of The Writer's Almanac. It is a daily audio piece on writing that Garrison Keillor does for public radio, but you can also subscribe either through email or podcasts (i.e., iTunes). The email edition has a link to the audio and also provides a text transcript, which is nice.

It is always good and sometimes quite special (like this one for last Sunday).

The format is simple. There is always a poem of the day (the project is sponsored by the Poetry Foundation), then there are brief bios/descriptions of writers born on that day (e.g., today has Anne Tyler, John Berryman, and Pablo Picasso, and last Sunday was the English Romantic Poet, Samuel Taylor Coleridge).

It will sometimes mark days of significance as well (e.g., last Sunday was the day Edison discovered how to make electric light).

To subscribe for the daily email newsletter (which is what I do), click here. To subscribe to the podcast, click here. Currently, it doesn’t have an RSS feed.

Enjoy!

I've Got Rhythm!

I've never been a read-your-manuscript-out-loud advocate, but today, I've done just that. (In spite of what the pros say, I've always figured a great voice can make even a lousy manuscript sound good.) Well, today I decided to see if it really works. It does. I've spotted clumsy sentences, bad transitions, holes, and a lot of repetition. I mean, how many times can a hero run his fingers through his hair before he goes bald? How many times can a heroine laugh before she starts to come across just a little deranged? Reading aloud has been a tremendous help so I take back every negative snarl.

I've also learned a little about myself. Mainly that I don't know as much as I think I do. In my defense, let's say I've forgotten much of what I've learned over the years. I know that dialogue can show the reader a lot about a character's personality. I know that dialogue shows action instead of telling about it. I wouldn't have a problem writing a novel using all dialogue since that's what I like to write and read. What I don't understand is just how much narrative is too much narrative? And who made up this rule of too much or too little? I've seen books that have barely any dialogue. Those are the ones I put back on the shelf.

I can't help but think that writing is somewhat instinctive. Yes, we have to know structure and yeah, gotta know the rules before we're allowed to break 'em, but we each have our own style of dress, our own quirky sense of humor (or not), our own likes and dislikes. We each have our very own rhythm in the way we talk and walk, and all of that bleeds into our writing, creates our voice, our style. We should listen to that rhythm in our soul. Our instinct. Our intuition. That gut feeling. We need to listen to that basic deep-down beat and we'll know if we have too much narrative.
Right?
Right!
Sure there are people who have absolutely no rhythm, no beat at all in their talk, walk or soul. When we read their writing--published or unpublished--we recognize their loss.

As much as I dislike the word organic, I guess that's what it comes down to. How much narrative? That's up to me. I plan to listen to that rhythm in my head, and in my heart. And I might even label it passion.

Check out our classes. We've all got rhythm...and passion. :)
~jess

Quotes

Getting and including the right quotes is key to a well-written article. Even the dullest material can be brought to life when sprinkled with interesting and well placed quotes.

"One must be a wise reader to quote wisely and well," Amos Bronson Alcott said. I would add that one must also be a wise interviewer.

Brendan Francis also understood the value of a good quotation. "A quotation in a speech, article or book is like a rifle in the hands of an infantryman. It speaks with authority," he said.

Beginning writers sometimes struggle with deciding on what quotes to use, if any, and getting quotes that will add interest to their article. Fortunately, this important skill isn't one you need to be born with -- it is easily taught and can be easily applied to all types of article writing.

Carol R. Thomas -- Write Magazine Articles That Sell!

What’s the point of writing anyway?

What’s the point of writing if all it does is sit in your notebook or on your hard drive? I have been writing poems for almost twenty years and have never tried to have anything published. There are many reasons for that (mostly that I have a dissertation that desperately am trying to finish, and time spent looking for publication outlets is time that should be spent on that dissertation).

However, at the same time, I have an email distribution list of over 200 people that I send new poems to when they are written, and I have always figured that more people read my poems that way than would if I actually did publish them. Also, as my dissertation approaches the finish line, I am starting to think more seriously about publication.

That being said, I had a very interesting experience last Wednesday. I was invited by Sue Walker, the Poet Laureate of Alabama, to be a featured poet at a Poetry Theatre event at the University of South Alabama. There were over fifty people crammed into a smallish room, and everything went wonderfully.

No one threw anything. There weren’t even any boos. I didn’t fall down. And even though there were a couple of words that I stumbled on (which isn’t too bad considering I was on stage for close to 25 minutes), I didn’t drop any expletives out of disgust with myself when it happened. So, all indications suggest it was a pretty successful evening…

I have always thought my poetry was good, and everyone on my distribution list would seem to agree, but I was never terribly confident that people who knew poetry but didn’t know me would feel the same way. Well, of those 50+ people at the reading, I only knew about ten of them, and all seemed very pleased. I was even asked to do an encore at the end of the evening.

The point is that if you are going to go to the trouble to write something, go to the trouble to share with others.

Capturing Your Story

Where are you in life right now? Sometimes we’re so focused on the past (which we cannot change) or the future (worrying about what might never take place) that we fail to fully experience the present.

Keep a list for a week or so of all the things that come your way that bring unexpected pleasure. Look for the good things—the little things. Celebrate the joys. And yes, make note, also, of the unexpected struggles you encounter. If at some point you are able to see how the difficulties helped you to grow in some way, include that information, too.

Some people keep regular journals, recording every detail of their lives, and enjoy looking back after awhile to remember their past experiences. But even if you’re not a journaler, taking the time to record events and feelings from time to time can help you later to see how you’ve grown over the years.

Happy writing—
Anita C. Lee, instructor for “Your Life, Your Story”
Speaker, Writer, Personal Life Coach
Helping you Become the person You Were Created to Be
www.AnitaCLee.com

Wise Words

I write for a couple of hours every day, even if I only get a couple of sentences. I put in that time. You do that every day, and inspiration will come along. I don't allow myself not to keep trying. It's not fun, but if you wait until you want to write, you'll never do it. ~ Dave Barry

The way a long work is completed is by daily tapping the first imaginative impulse. That's got to be so strong that it never dies in the course of the whole performance.
~Paul Horgan

We work in the dark--we do what we can--we give what we have. Our doubt is our passion, and our passion is our task. The rest is the madness of art. ~Henry James

Do not think of your faults; still less of others' faults; look for what is good and strong; and try to imitate it. Your faults will drop off, like dead leaves, when their time comes. ~John Ruskin

We have no need to dwell on the negative. ~ Susan Shaughnessy

~Jess

Double and Triple Check your Manuscript

In my last post I included a cute snippet showing how what our eye sees on the paper is translated by our mind into what should have been written. Another thing to check before submitting a manuscript is all the facts: names, dates and contact information that will appear in your article.

Even after twenty years of writing for magazines, I still faithfully follow this advice. For the article with the cute camel lead that I blogged about I double and triple checked everything, especially the difficult spelling of the subject's last name. So, when I recevied an email from the people on the day the article came out, I eagerly opened it and expected to read the usual accolades for a job well done.

For the first time in my writing career the person was very upset -- I'd spelled her name wrong. Not the complex last name... I'd triple checked that. I'd spelled her first name wrong. Actually, it was worse than that. The name was spelled correctly. I'd just used the wrong name!

So, another lesson learned... the hard way. In my course, I'll teach you other ways to proof read your manuscripts so you can avoid embarassing mistakes when you submit your work.

Carol R. Thomas - Write Magazine Articles That Sell!

Getting into arguments...

I have always believed that everything that is worth writing (or worth reading) has an argument, a main purpose for having been written, a main point that it strives to communicate.

I am sure that you probably learned in high school, or even a freshman composition course, that an essay must have a thesis, which should be a statement of its argument, but you’ve probably never thought how that rule should also apply to other forms of writing as well.

Yet it does. All good writing must have an argument, and therefore a thesis of some kind.

That being said, poems and novels, of course, go about constructing their arguments differently than a five paragraph essay (and it's a good thing, because if poems were anything like five paragraph essays, I would not have any interest in reading or writing them), but it's primarily a difference of form, not content.

The thesis of a literary work isn’t going to be as explicit as an English 101 essay, but rather will be implied. Nevertheless, literary works need theses as much as any other kind of writing.

You might consider thinking of a poem's argument as analogous to its meaning (although there's nothing deep and hidden about it—the only thing between the lines is empty space, and perhaps the reason we're so afraid of poetry is that it's been mystified to death by a bunch of meaningless clichés).

In any case, if you practice reading poems (and novels) for their argument, you'll start to get pretty good at it. You'll also get pretty good at reading most everything else.

Adding Color to Your Memoirs

As the leaves begin to change and autumn is in the air, I’m reminded of how important it is to tap into the senses, adding color, sounds, and feelings to our memoirs. Make your story come alive and jump off the page for your readers.

To add life to your writing, start by making lists of all the things that come to mind when you think about the event you’re writing about. At the top of a page write sight, sound, touch, and taste, then under each write down as many words as you can that relate to your story. You probably won’t use all the words in your final piece, but it will give you some ideas to choose from. Select the best, most descriptive words to tell your story. Nouns will be stronger than adjectives, so try to be specific—the “Cottonwoods,” rather than “the yellow trees.” Use adjectives sparingly but pointedly when needed. If you think your reader wouldn’t know that cottonwoods turn yellow in autumn, add the adjective and make it the best, most colorful it can be. “Golden” instead of “yellow” might more aptly describe your tree. “Cottonwoods the color of a sun-drenched hayfield” can give a richer experience for the reader. Try different descriptions on for size. Don’t stop at the first one you think of. Write and re-write until it sings.

Happy creating—
Anita C. Lee, Personal Life Coach, Speaker, Writer
Instructor for “Your Life, Your Story—writing memoirs that bring the past to life”
www.AnitaCLee.com – “Encouraging You to Be the Person You Were Created to Be”

A Word on Reading Poetry

I’ve always believed that there is something poetic in all good writing. I have also always believed that reading and writing are intimately related activities, and to do one well, you must be equally able to do the other. With that being said, my post for this week is going to focus on reading poetry.

Most of you have been taught, probably by your high school English teacher(s), that you cannot understand poetry. I'm not saying that they stood up there in front of the class and told you how stupid you are or anything like that. The process is much more subtle and sinister.

I have a theory that this is all a conspiracy to make English teachers look like the smartest people in the world. They've invented what I like to call the "DHM" (Deep Hidden Meaning) that only brilliant people (i.e., English teachers) can decipher. Well, I'm gonna tell you a secret: the only thing "deep" about Deep Hidden Meaning is that it's something you'll need to save your watch from.

The real tragedy of all of this is that most of us enter into the poetry reading process already defeated, convinced from the start that we'll never understand it, when most of it is pretty darn simple. The only really hard things in poetry are allusions (i.e., references to other literary works or historical events), and the important ones are usually footnoted.

The real thing that scares us, however, is symbolism. Don't worry about symbolism. There just aren’t that many poems that are utterly dependent on your knowing a particular symbol to understand it. That is not to say that symbolism is not important, quite the contrary, but it is not vital to accessing or enjoying the work. It merely adds to that access and enjoyment.

Also, don't worry too much about rhyme scheme and meter. These too are important, but worrying about them tends to just get in the way most of the time. When people start talking about things like that, it reminds me of a saying on those old Murphy's Law posters that were popular when I was in college:

A pipe gives a wise man time to think, and a fool something to put in his
mouth.

A lot of people hide behind rhyme and meter when they don't have anything else to say, which is unfortunate. There are a lot of things you can say about sonnets without ever getting around to talking about the sonnet at hand, and sometimes what you say will have some bearing on the sonnet at hand, but most of it is usually just bluster (i.e., something to put in a fool's mouth).

Just approach poetry like it intends to be approached: Enjoy it, take pleasure from it, and perhaps learn something about yourself and your world in the process. Mostly, though, don't be afraid of it. Sure, you're not going to understand everything about it; no one will. There are reasons that people are still writing books and articles on old literary works that should've been figured out centuries ago: they demand investigation. And they're worth it.

Tips from Book Editors

Last week I attended the American Christian Fiction Writers Conference in Dallas, TX. There were almost 500 attendees and many editors and agents. I'm still recuperating. Have you ever wondered how to go about pleasing an editor? Basically, they want the same things: good stories, good openings, passionate writing and beginnings (hooks) that won't let them put the story down. Here are a few tips to put you on the right path. They're shared by all editors, no matter whether they work in the Christian arena or the general market.

1) Write passionately.

2) Study the guidelines.

3) Read and write.

4) It's all about the story.

5) It's important for writers to know who they are and what their brand will be. Have a sense of who you are.

6) Don't just think out of the box, blow it up.

7) Your proposal is a story.

8) WOW us with a great opening.

9) Write the whole book.

10)Good story, good characters. Let your characters tell me what they want to tell me.

11)The industry has a very long memory.

12)Find a hook.

Take a look at your WIP (work-in-progress). Is your hook strong? Will it WOW a reaer? Are your characters three-dimensional? Don't be afraid to rewrite. Don't be afraid to start over from scratch. Finish your book, then start at the beginning and examine each word, each sentence, each paragraph. Flesh it out again.

Are you still passionate about your story now that you've reached the end?

I hope so.

Jess

Not to Be Forgotten

Into the Arms of Strangers: Stories of the Kindertransport, by Mark Jonathan Harris and Deborah Oppenheimer tells the story behind the British rescue of over 10,000 children from the Holocaust. Oppenheimer’s mother was one of those children. After a summary of the events leading up to and during this massive rescue, witnesses tell their own heart-rending stories. These personal stories grip us in ways that reporting it second-hand could never do.

You may be compelled to tell your own story, so that important events will not be forgotten by those who come after you. If the account is about something that affected a wide area or many people, or if it resonates with enough people (and if it is superbly written), a publisher might be interested in it.

Stories about 9/11 and stories by victims of Hurricane Katrina or other disasters help us understand the human condition and the resiliency of spirit. There are even organizations that gather stories of veterans, such as the Veterans History Project (http://www.loc.gov/vets).

Everyone has a story to tell. What’s yours?

Anita C. Lee, instructor for “Your Life, Your Story”
www.AnitaCLee.com
Personal Life Coach, Speaker, Writer
“Encouraging You to Be the Person You Were Created to Be”

Important Steps To Publishing Success

An important step to getting your work published is accuracy. As the writer of an article you know what you want to say. Therefore, when you proofread your work, you may overlook many problems that a reader or an editor may detect. Need proof? Try reading this paragraph:

Can u read this?? its soo kul!!? Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn’t mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a total mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig huh?

Our minds fill in omitted words, fix logical inconsistencies, and skip over misspelled words. To catch many of these problems, take the time to set your work aside and come back to it 48 hours later. You'll be surprised at how many errors jump off the page at you after the work is no longer engraved in the forefront of your memory.

Carol R. Thomas -- Write Magazine Articles That Sell!

On the virtues of formulaic writing

When I was on the English faculty at a small University several years ago, I was talking with a student in my office one day when I overheard another instructor explaining to her class that she never really knew how to be a good writer until she had an epiphany in graduate school. That is where she discovered that there is a formula to all good writing, and that formula was the five paragraph essay.

She went on to say that she had always made A’s on her papers, but that she never felt like she knew what she was doing until she discovered "the formula."

I let out a groan that the other instructor was sure to hear, followed by a string of unflattering comments, expletives not deleted. All I can say is that she wouldn’t have made many A’s writing five-paragraph essays where I went to grad school…

Good writing is not something that can just be plugged into a template or formula. It must be organic and then painstakingly evaluated, revised, and polished. That is not to say that there are no rules or guidelines, but what rules there are should be treated more as guidelines.

Indeed, it is often said that you must know the rules before you can break them successfully, and there might be some truth to that, and if that is the case, learning how to break them is an important step in becoming a better writer.

How Much Do I Tell?

In writing memoirs, whether for publication or posterity, most people will get to a point of wondering whether or not they should “tell all.” Only you can answer that question for yourself, but here are some questions that might help you decide how much to tell.

Are my feelings about this event still raw or have I worked through them successfully?
Will I help others by sharing my story?
Will I hurt others by sharing my story?
Am I writing to “get even” with someone?
Am I writing to get sympathy from others?
What is to be gained by writing about this event?
What do I stand to lose by writing about this event?

In his book Prodigal Song, a Memoir, gifted song-writer and musician James Eugene Robinson writes about his difficult childhood and down-spiralling life with drugs as an adult. It’s not a pretty picture, but Jim writes to help others understand that there is hope, no matter how low you fall. In addition to his work as a musician, he also works as a professional Recovery Counselor. His clients know he’s already walked the road they walk.

Can your story help others move beyond their present state to where they want to be? Learning to write your own story could impact other lives as well as your own.

Anita C. LeeWriter, Speaker, Personal Life Coach
Instructor for "Your Life, Your Story"
www.AnitaCLee.com

Sell Before You Write

Once upon a time there was a girl who loved to sew. She longed to be a famous fashion designer. So one day she sat down, designed a pattern, found a piece of exquisite material and took the rest of the month cutting and sewing. Once she was done she went door-to-door, asking if anyone in her neighborhood wanted to buy the beautiful dress and launch her fashion career.

After days of wandering up and down the hills and dales of her little town, receiving rejection after rejection, our heroine threw the dress in the gutter and collapsed in tears. "I must be a horrible designer and no one will ever buy my dresses," she sobbed.

Being a wise friend you could probably give our heroine some words of encouragement and helpful advice. The people she showed her dress to may not have been in the market for dresses; maybe they're a Cowboy boots and blue jeans crowd. The dress may have been beautiful but the townsfolk might prefer short sleves instead of long sleeves this time of year.

And, just like our heroine, successful magazine writers learn how to sell before they sit down to write to increase their chances of making a sale.

Carol Thomas, Write Magazine Articles That Sell!

Writer's Conferences - A Good Investment

I'm posting early this week because I'm leaving for a writer's conference in Dallas. I'll be hobnobbing with the rich and famous: editors, authors, agents and publishers.

What fun. What pressure. What a rush! :)

If you've never attended a conference, put it at the very top of your list of things to do. You will never make a better investment in your writing future.

When choosing a conference, look carefully at the faculty. If you write nonfiction, choose a conference that leans heavily in that direction. Go to learn, to network and to make writer friends.

I can't tell you how important it is for you to take control of your writing future. You have to believe in yourself. You must invest in yourself. Classes and conferences will set you on the right path, but you must write, write, write.

Take a look at our classes. Find one that will help you work toward your goals.

Good writing!
Jess

The very fact that you have brought a story into existence for which there is no duplication, is in itself a gift to the world deserving of respect.~Elizabeth Lyon, Author of The Sell your Novel Tool Kit

The beautiful part of writing is that you don't have to get it right the first time, unlike, say, a brain surgeon. ~ Robert Cormier

The Ten Commandments of Grammar

Since I've never been one to worry about whether what I am doing here is really appropriate or not, I thought I would not worry about it now and post something that I ran across tonight. It is something that I used long ago in a class (and in fact, I am not even sure if I wrote it myself or if it is borrowed/stolen—so if it is stolen, please forgive me).

The Ten Commandments of Grammar
(Thou shall not commit the sins below when writing!)

1. Subject-verb agreement are problematic.


2. Avoid run-on sentences they are hard to read.


3. Comma splices are likewise troublesome, however, they can be corrected easily.


4. Just like sentence fragments.


5. Being bad grammar, a writer should not use dangling modifiers.


6. If your verb tenses agreed, you are writing a good sentence.


7. To mix metaphors is to tread lightly on dangerous waters. Also, avoid cliches like the plague.


8. Eschew obfuscation.


9. Proofreading is important to spot misspellings, and to ensure that did not leave any out.


10. It don’t make no difference where you put your prepositions at.
    

Novel Writing - No Shortcuts

"To fall in love with a first draft to the point where one cannot change it is to greatly enhance the prospects of never publishing." ~Richard North Patterson

I recently read in Alice Orr's No More Rejections that Philip Roth wrote more than 180 pages before he got his opening paragraph of his memoir Patrimony. And that Ann Beattie gave a friend her Chilly Scenes of Winter and he discarded the first 59 pages of the manuscript. Can you imagine what we would do if our crit groups discarded our first 59 pages? I know what I would do. Not a pretty picture.

Barbara Kingsolver once stated that she writes at least 100 pages to trash before she finally begins to work.

Most writing books tell us we should look at each sentence carefully and discard everything that doesn't strengthen our story. That makes perfect sense, but how do we know what strengthens and what doesn't? Five writers can look at the same paragraph and come away with five different suggestions, much like the American Idol judges respond to their contestants.

1)The song is too big for you.
2)That was pretty boring.
3)When you sing a song by Whitney, it better be good, baby.
4)You are a mediocre singer.
5)I don't like your dress.
6)Pitchy.
and then there's the judge who says:
7)You're a beautiful sweet girl/a handsome guy. You have talent. I love you.

Isn't this similar to our critiques or feedback from contests?

1) You have too much story here for a novice. Quite an undertaking.
2) Boring.
3) Mary Higgins Clark wrote a similar book. Hers worked.
4) Face it, you're a hum-drum writer.
5) I don't like this kind of story.
6) You haven't found your voice yet.
And then there's that bone of hope they toss us:
7) I see a lot of potential here. I love your plot and your characters, you just need to . . .

Experienced writers tell us that revising becomes easier the longer we write and the more we engage in the process. That could be an old wive's (writer's) tale. I do believe our first words can be just warm-up words. And sometimes our first pages and chapters are warm-up pages and chapters. We're getting to know our story and our characters. So, with that in mind, I challenge each of us to take a close look at our first 59 pages. And remember - whether we cut them or hang on to them. . .

"Success is a finished book, a stack of pages each of which is filled with words. If you reach that point, you have won a victory over yourself no less impressive than sailing single-handed around the world." ~Tom Clancy

Come on, let's write. Complete the book and bask in the victory.

Jess - Lamar Novel Writing Month

The Power to Write

Lamar WriteSite Blog for 9/14/07

In her book, The Power to Write: Seven Keys to Discover Your Writer Within, Caroline Joy Adams encourages her readers to press beyond fear and write what is in their hearts.
“…whenever you know that you have something important to say that may change, illumine or enhance even one other life—make the brave choice to share it,” she says.

Telling your own story—a memoir—is a great way to start writing. You may choose to share it with others or keep it to yourself at first. However, whether or not others will see it, you want it to be the best you can do. But that won’t happen the first time through. Re-writing is crucial to good writing. Writers learn how to write better by writing a lot and learning a lot. Books, writing classes, and critique groups can help you get your story told.

Caroline Adams points out that stories are about people, “…people who are involved in a conflict which usually revolves around their longings, dreams or desires, and their great attempts, successful or not, to satisfy those desires.”

Look at your own experiences and pull ideas that show your own longings. How did you attempt to satisfy those desires? Telling your story could change another life. Be brave. Write!

Anita C. Lee
Writer, Speaker, Personal Life Coach
Instructor for "Your Life, Your Story"
www.AnitaCLee.com

Reverse Engineering

Besides reading, homeschooling my daughters, and watching re-runs of Law and Order, I spend my free time playing a new high-tech game called geocaching. Players use handheld GPS devices to find hidden treasure boxes all over the world.

The location of the boxes is usually posted on the geocaching.com web site; but some require seekers to solve a puzzle to obtain the location.

Although one puzzle was beyond my ability to solve, I noticed that someone who had found the box had posted a photo of themselves with the treasure in hand. I printed the photo and hiked up a nearby mountain. When I found the spot on the trail that matched the photo's background I started poking around in the chaparral. After a few probes I was rewarded by the sound of my hiking stick hitting the metal box. Sweet success!

In the same way I reverse engineered the location of the geocache, successful writers reverse engineer the types of articles that a magazine editor will jump to publish. In my course Write Magazine Articles That Sell! we'll investigate methods you can use to dissect and analyse the magazine you'd like to write for -- methods that will dramatically increase your chances to see your article in print.

Carol Thomas -- Write Magazine Articles That Sell!

WRITE TRAVEL FROM HOME

Many people don’t attempt to write travel because they can’t afford to travel. Or, their family needs them at home.

Sorry, those excuses are not acceptable. You can write and sell articles where you are—Southeast Texas.

You don’t think there is anything here to excite an editor.

Well, go to the new Ben J. Rogers Regional Visitors Center and discover the hundreds of things you don’t know about Southeast Texas.

You went and found a lot you didn’t know. But how do you decide what to try to write?

What made you think, Wow! What would you like to know more about-- the Steamboat Museum in Beaumont honoring Texas Heroes; the Buddhist Lotus Blossom Garden in Port Arthur or the renovated Shangri La Park to open in 2008 in Orange? If you are impressed and curious, chances are an editor would be—provided you choose the right magazine.

“Writing Travel for Fun and Profit” will teach you how to find the magazine and write the article.

See you in class.

Rogayle Franklin

To write, or not to write: okay, let's just cut to the chase--why we must write because the alternative is just too dang scary...

A few nights ago, I was at a poetry reading at a nearby liberal arts college, where several local poets read from a new book of poems about Alabama.

One of the readers, a creative writing teacher at the college, made a comment about how he teaches his students that writing should be approached as work, that you have to write every day and can’t sit around and wait for inspiration to hit.

That reminded me of a conversation I’ve been having with my assistant at my day job, who has been telling me the same thing lately about my own poetry writing patterns, and while, like most people, I don’t always practice what I preach, I can say that the act of writing is the best way I know of to generate ideas.

When you approach a blank page or screen, the best way to put something on it is to simply write something on it, anything, simply freewrite with no regard to what you’re writing, just your pen or keyboard silently babbling until your thoughts and words begin to take shape.

Yet, as I was pondering all of this, and how my own thinking-out-loud will affect my writing process from here on out, for some reason I just can’t get an old Monty Python sketch on this same subject out of my mind. So, please enjoy this MP3 of Monty Python’s brilliant application of sports casting to Thomas Hardy’s writing of Return of the Native: Novel Writing (Live from Wessex). (For a transcript, click here.)

Novel Writing - Made Easier

I always wanted to be a novelist. Even when I was a kid, I dreamed of writing books that would make readers think, laugh, and have a feel-good feeling by the time they reached the end. I never received a lot of encouragement. I think back then, we all held novelists up to be really smart people who had some special unequaled talent. Not so. I know a lot of novelists. I've never met one who was over-the-top smart. Unequaled talent? We all have different levels of talent. I believe it can be developed--to a certain extent.

There's an old saying that it's just as difficult to write a bad novel as it is a good one. Oh, how true! The thing is, a bad novel can usually be made better and better and better until it's a good novel. (All those betters symbolize rewrites. )

In my class, Lamar Novel Writing Month (for lack of a better title) we'll write together. We'll chat and outline, and work on our characterization and we'll plot and brainstorm. And we'll write. Every day during the month of October, we'll write. There won't be any homework assignments. We're on the honor system here. :) You can share your writing if you want, but you don't have to. Participation in class will help you have a completely outlined book and hopefully, a good portion written by the end of the month. You'll know where you're going from beginning to end. I'll be your encourager, your mentor, your accountability partner, your writing coach--whatever you need during the month of October.

Don't know where to start? Here's a tip for you: take your favorite book, preferably a recent commercial novel, and read the first chapter with pen in hand. Make notes while you read. List the characters. What do you learn about them from that first chapter? Do you get a hint at the conflict? How many characters are introduced in that first chapter? Pay attention to the description used. What's the setting? Highlight every use of the senses. Got another favorite novel? Do the same thing. Look at that first chapter only. Now compare those two first chapters. What have you learned?

I hope to see you in October for Lamar Novel Writing Month.
Jess

First we write, then we perfect

I wish I had known a long time ago that it is common for writers to fear a blank page. Flannery O'Connor is quoted as saying, "I suppose half of writing is overcoming the revulsion you feel when you sit down to it." And another of my favorite quotes concerning writing comes from John Steinbeck: "When I face the desolate impossibility of writing 500 pages, a sick sense of failure falls on me, and I know I can never do it. Then gradually, I write one page and then another. One day's work is all I can permit myself to contemplate."

If you want to write, don't let anything hold you back--especially not the fear that it won't be good enough. Let go of perfectionism and plop words onto a page. You can always clean them up later, but if they're not there to start with, there's nothing to clean up.

Many creative types have been helped by Julia Cameron's book, The Artist's Way. It's time for me to read it again and refresh my memory of her helpful, freeing suggestions. I love the subtitle to the second chapter, "Recovering a Sense of Identity: Going Sane."

I hope this week will be a week of "going sane" for you, as you open yourself to your own brand of creativity. Perhaps this is the week you begin your list of "Things I've Done In Life That I Don't Want Forgotten." This could be the beginning of a time of deep reflection.

Happy creating--
Anita Lee
"Your Life, Your Story"-- writing memoirs that bring the past to life

Reach Millions of Readers

You, like many aspiring writers, may dream of seeing your name in print. You may fantasize about your book hitting the NY Times bestseller’s list or long lines of adoring fans lining up for your first book signing.

You want to get your message across to millions of readers. So naturally you should write a book, right?

Wrong. According to Harper’s Index, of the 1,446,000 books published last year, only 483 sold more than 100,000 copies. Compare this to the number top selling magazine which had a verified circulation of over 2 ¼ million readers.

So, when you want to reach a large audience with your message, think magazines. Magazine articles can establish you as an authority in a field which may evolve into the name recognition necessary to pave the way to a best selling book. Or, they can simply provide a platform to reach millions of readers with your message.

And, if you want to learn how to write great articles, check out my course.

Carol Thomas, Write Magazine Articles That Sell!

Selfish Reasons for Teaching

It took me a while to realize why I had agreed to teach, Travel Writing for Fun and Profit. It surprised friends that know me well because I’m prolific and, if not traveling, write in a state of tunnel vision that temporarily excludes people and time—children may interrupt in case of blood or fire.

It’s not that I haven’t enjoyed workshops and writer’s conferences. But, frankly, they were all to advance my career in some way. So, my fellow writers are a bit curious when I talk about preparing to teach a course that interferes with my work for six weeks. But I have selfish reasons.

I want anyone interested in writing travel to know they can do it—but, nobody just sits under a palm tree on an sunny island with a laptop computer making $100,000 per year. To write travel, you must leave the comforts of home, or the island, and that can be a grueling . . . out of bed at four a.m. back in at midnight. Yes, sleeping in airports. But you do it to take a three-day camel trek across the desert, or float along the canals of France or walk on the Great Wall of China.

Also, it’s a fascinating life writing magazine articles—stand before the magazine racks and pick your interest. From there, I can show you how to write for publications that could, sooner than you might expect, have you meeting celebrities or traveling the world on assignments.

My main reason for teaching is I want the pleasure of seeing you smile in class when you realize, “Wow! I really can do this.” I want to bask in your new excitement and enthusiasm, take you to lunch to celebrate your first sale.

Travel writers can bloom where they are planted too. My next post will show how.

See you in class,
Rogayle Franklin

A writer's job

I'm having a hard time believing it's September already. Summer is gone, but it probably wasn't a break for many writers. Like many writers I know, I only took off a few days during the summer months and will work right up until the day before Thanksgiving. Why do I work so much? Because I make writing a priority--every day.

Writing isn't a traditional job. You've got to be able to work on the fly, motivate yourself and be your own tough-as-nails boss. I write because I don't want a boss. Being my own boss is the best reward for the work I do all year long. I never longed for office gossip, New Years parties or sitting in a cubicle. The view of squirrels in my backyard and the tunes from my iPod are the way I love to work.

So, what about you? Why are you motivated to be a writer?

Making Meaning

There is more to writing than simply writing, and part of becoming a better writer is becoming a better reader and thinker. This is because reading, writing, and thinking are intimately related activities that all involve the making of meaning, and the better you can process and organize new information, the better you will be able to integrate it with your own accumulated experience, and thus produce better, more expressive, and, frankly, more “meaningful” writing.

Therefore, the only way to become a better writer is to become a better finder and maker of meaning, and then to become more comfortable and proficient at translating that meaning onto the written page (or screen). The payoff in all of this is that in addition to becoming a better writer, you will also become a better reader, not only of your books, but of all manifestations of the language that shapes the world around you.

What Are You Waiting For . . . and Why?

I'm a firm believer that writers should hang out with other writers. Online and off. I belong to a number of online writer's groups and I learn something from all of them. I get tips on everything from outlining my novels to creating blogs and getting them noticed by the masses. Everything I learn from other writers encourages me and makes my writing life easier.

This week I scanned a discussion on one of my favorite loops and came across this wise advice by Montana author Wanda Rosseland. It spoke to my heart. I wrote Wanda for permission to share because honestly, people, you'll never read better advice than this.

ADVICE
Don't Wait.
Don't wait to get to be a better writer.
Don't wait for the kids to grow up.
Don't wait to approach that (big, important) magazine you want to write for.
Don't wait for your mother's/husband's/sister's/brother's/boss'/wife's/YOUR OWN approval. Especially don't wait for anyone's approval.
Don't wait until you have the money.
Don't wait until there is time.
Don't wait for accolades.
If you want to write, ask permission of no man.
Just do it.

Wanda Rosseland became a published writer by not waiting. Frustrated at the lack of material for women in a farm magazine, she wrote the editor and suggested a column expressly for women, written by her. To her astonishment, he accepted and “Up My Country Road” was born, 800 words describing life on her family’s farm. Since then, Wanda has had work in many publications, and contributes regularly to Guideposts and Angels on Earth magazines, where she still relates stories about nature and country living under the Big Sky. Inspiration, encouragement, and positive and helpful critiques all come from members of her online writer’s group, The Marble Shapers.

Wanda says, “These writers are the gold in the mountains for me. Fantastic writers, best friends, and women whose hearts are close to God. After writing for years in solitude, it is a gift to be a part of this group.”

Wanda writes non-fiction and is working on a book of people who have seen angels. She can be reached at: wjross@midrivers.com

I'm introducing Wanda to you because she's a great example of someone who didn't wait to achieve her dreams. What are you waiting for . . . and why? Whatever excuse you have, it's not good enough.

Don't wait.
Don't wait.
Don't wait.

~Jess

Writing What You Know

If you've studied anything about writing for publication, you've no doubt seen the admonition to "write what you know." What better place to do that than with your own memoirs. Publishing houses may not beat a path to your door for the rights to your story (although there have been some great memoirs to hit the shelves recently), but what a gift to yourself and your descendents for generations to come when you share who you are, what you’ve done and how you got to your present situation.

Give those future readers a treat by writing in story form rather than stream of consciousness—“I did this, then I did this, then…”—and have them turning pages wanting to know more. What was it like the night you danced the “chopstick dance” with the locals in a yurt on the grasslands of Inner Mongolia? How did you manage to get interviewed on “The Today Show” as you sat in the courtyard of Vilnius University in Lithuania?

Bring the sounds, sights and smells alive with your take on your surroundings, as you relive your adventures or the everyday life you’ve been privileged to experience.

Happy writing,
Anita Lee
“Your Life, Your Story”—writing memoirs whether or not you’ve had writing experience in the past!

Powerful Leads

I’ve been writing for newspapers and magazines for over 15 years. I’ll never forget a painful lesson I learned on leads – the first paragraph whose main job is to entice the reader to read on.

Early in my career I used this lead: “Have you ever thought about homeschooling your child?”

Pleased with the lead and the article I sent it off and then sat down to review the writer’s guidelines from that same publication that had just arrived in the mail. I turned seven shades of purple when I got to the section on leads. “Question leads are weak. Never use them when writing for our publication.”

Fortunately I had enough good articles under my belt with this editor that my mistake was forgiven and I still write for her today. In fact, she sent me an email after my last submission with the glowing accolade, “I loved the lead!”

What was the lead that drew such praise? “Joe Clahassey wanted two things in life: to serve God and a camel.”

Would that sentence pique your curiosity enough to read on? If so, it did its job.

The moral of the story? Good writers not only know the different types of leads for articles that sell – they also know which leads to use for which publication.

You can learn about leads, as well as many other topics you’ll need to get and stay published in my course, Write Magazine Articles That Sell! I hope you’ll check it out! ~Carol

Strategy, Not Magic

"How did you get in?"
That’s the number one question published and unpublished freelance writers ask each other—we all do it.
The question doesn’t imply they were just lucky or not excellent writers. Successful freelancers know it takes more than writing ability and good fortune to be published anywhere. “How did you get in?” translates to “What sales strategy works?”
People that enjoy writing about their travels can write personal journals and have wonderful times reading and reminiscing. Selling travel articles goes a few steps further; you plan to publish your trip in as many publications as possible and reap the rewards.

Rogayle Franklin, Writing Travel for Fun and Profit

Reading Habits

About a week ago, the Associated Press reported that 27 percent of American adults didn't read a single book last year. Not one. Where do you fall? Are you one of those 27 percent, or do you read perhaps a little or frequently?

One of the most common pieces of advice to a writer is to read. Read every day, vary your reading and read books in the genre you are writing.

I'm writing tween and young adult literature, so most of the books on my list are from YA and tween authors. Usually, I read 10-15 books per month and read several hours each day. It helps me to keep in the know about what's being published and it's a nice way to support your fellow writer.

What are your reading habits? Share them! If you're curious about my reading list, you'll find it on my blog. I'll be back next Tuesday.

Do you have to write?

As I sit down to write my first entry on the Write Site blog, I am flooded with contradictory thoughts and impulses. My first thought is to discuss a line from Rainer Maria Rilke’s Letters to a Young Poet (1903-1908), where he tells the poet that he should only write if he cannot not write, that if you are able to resist the urge to write, you probably shouldn’t bother.

However, when I read some of the other posts by my colleagues, I started to have some reservations, since their posts have been so encouraging to the reluctant writer. I then thought of how the courses I teach for the Center are called “The Reluctant Writers Series,” and it just didn’t seem right to set such a high bar.

On the other hand, if you are reading this blog, or if you are taking (or thinking about taking) courses at the Center, then chances are that you might well fit into the category of not being able not to write. At the very least, there is most likely a low-level hum in your head that is nagging you to write, constantly demanding attention and time from your daily activities, and while that might not meet the letter of Rilke’s standard, it certainly meets mine.

In other words, if you are spending time resisting the urge to write, you might as well repurpose that time and spend it writing. It doesn’t take long to indulge your muse, but the more you indulge it, the more it will speak to you.

There is definitely something to Rilke’s statement, but at the same time, as an aspiring writer, you should think of it not as discouraging, but rather as validating, even inspiring.

So, if you have that urge, that little voice telling you to write, who are you to resist?

Start your writing journey here

Remember when you got your first job? Were you nervous? Afraid you’d deep-fry the wrong vegetable or lock yourself in a storage closet?

Even if you weren’t nervous about your first job in the working world, perhaps you’re nervous about your new job—writing. After all, it takes a lot to stand in front of one’s peers and announce bravely, “Yes, I’m a writer!” You may get strange looks, comments about how you’ve never taken an English class in your life and hordes of people wondering why you want to become a writer.

Ignore all of that. Join a writing community, enroll in a workshop, pester your librarians by checking out every writing book your library offers. And then…write. Write something every day whether it be a journal entry, a grocery list arranged as a poem or a short story. Write something. Repeat. Do this every day and before you know it, you won’t be a wannabe writer—you’ll be a real writer.

For a while, I was that wannbe writer. I read every writing book, proclaimed my love of writing, but I didn’t write. Then, I took a writing class and boom! A writer emerged from the reader. I started with magazine articles for tiny publications that paid in copies, moved up to magazines that paid a few dollars and finally reached the glossy mags that paid and provided copies. Was I insanely talented? Nope. Did I study with famous writers in residence? No, again. I worked hard and wrote often. I’ve been writing full time for five years and magazines trickled into books and the journey never stops for a writer. The options truly are endless!

Need help getting started? Join us and start your writing journey today! We’re only a click away.

Are You Writing?

Today could be the first day of your writing life. :) Here in my neck of the woods, kids are starting school so there are moms who have writing time on their hands. What about you dads? No matter if you're a guy or gal, we all wrestle with managing our time.

My first novel was written for an independent studies class at Stephen F. Austin University. I was supposed to meet with my instructor periodically so he could gage my progress, but being the procrastinator that I was (and still am) I put it off. The day before my project was due, I sat in my one room apartment writing like crazy. To be considered a full size novel, my manuscript had to be no less than 200 pages. I stayed up all night pulling my book together, and made a B+. I don't advise writing that way. Needless to say, What's A Girl Like You. . .? was never published.

My second book--the one I sold to Silhouette Romance-- was planned out and written daily during the wee hours of the morning. I'd get up at 5 am, get my husband off to work, sit down and write awhile, then get my daughter up for school, then I'd sit down and write some more.

If there's one lesson I've learned well, it's that we all do what's important to us. We make time for things we truly care about. How important is your writing? It shouldn't be more important than your loved ones, but it should be important. If you say you want to write more than anything in this world, then I'll have to say - prove it. Write!. Meet with other writers. Read writing books and join us here . Let us help and encourage you along the way.

Soon many of our instructors will begin posting their thoughts and tips, sharing how they got into this writing business. All your questions and suggestions are welcome.

Oh yeah, and those of you within driving distance of Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas, watch for more information regarding our Writer's Lunch Bunch.

Thanks Richard! :) What fun. ~jess

Hello and Welcome!

I'd like to welcome you to the Lamar Write Site where several professional writers will share their thoughts with you. Whether you're writing a novel, memoir or non-fiction or just wanting to write, the Write Site Gang can help you on that journey. As long as you have a desire--why don't we call it passion?--we can set you on the right path. Let's start right now. This is what you should be doing:

Reading in the genre you want to write
Reading The Writer magazine
Reading Writer's Digest magazine
Joining and participating in writer's organizations
Hanging out with writers
Taking writing classes online or on campus
Actually writing

I hope you'll save us to your favs and check back often. The Write Site Gang will share many tips and thoughts you'll find beneficial and inspiring. We'll be happy to answer your questions too. Hey, we're all struggling to achieve our dreams so why don't we do it together?

Until we talk again, check out our website: http://www.lulearn.net/writesite to see what we're all about.

Good writing!
Jess