What Makes a Writer?

by Roxanne Tritt Sutton

I’ve always had a hard time labeling myself as a writer. Considered writing one of my strong suits, yes. Done well on most written items in school, yes. Enjoyed expressing myself in similes, metaphors, and my preferred poetic pattern, alliteration, yes. Yet, somehow, stamping writer across my chest is hard for me.

It could be that I’ve always felt intimidated by the same people who made me feel like I could do anything. My mom is an amazing writer who has helped me on all things in the written world (and beyond). She was always there to praise, critique, and, of course, offer lots of suggestions on everything I wrote. In my mind, she’s the “true” writer. The one who can phrase something just right, tweak a few words to make a statement more powerful, and use words to paint an image that Da Vinci would have a hard time replicating. Who was I to call myself a writer?

Recently, I started a marketing/public relations internship for a shipping company. On my resume I listed “article writing” as one of my accomplishments, being that I recently published an article about George Mason University in a local paper. This still did not make me a writer. I was merely someone who had the skill to write articles. Little did I know, the first person I talked to at the career fair was looking for just that skill.

So, I’m almost two months into this internship now and things are going well. I’ve written and created an eNewsletter and am working on writing other things. As I was talking to my boss on the way out of the office yesterday, the second-in-command stopped me. “Wait. You’re the writer, right?”

As I fumbled and bumbled and wrung my hands, I took a deep breath. I looked right into her eyes, steadied myself, and said, “Yes.” I looked over my shoulder because surely the Writer Police would be on their way to arrest this imposter for calling herself a writer. But nothing happened. The second-in-command simply said, “Okay, good. I’ll send some things to you for copyediting.” I told her I’d be happy to do it and made my way out of the office.

It was such a simple exchange, and yet I find myself awake at the crack of dawn on my first day off in months writing. Not writing because it’s the end of the semester, but because something deep inside me is stirring and compelling me to put whispers into thoughts and thoughts into words. I’m writing because I am a writer.

So what makes a writer? A writer is anyone who feels the compulsion to put thoughts and emotions into words. A writer is someone who is attached to the finished product and is afraid (sometimes) to send it into the real world. A writer writes for his or herself and doesn’t worry about what others may think. Like my mom always said, “You can be anything you want to be.” And if you want to be writer, and if you write, then you are a writer.

Welcome author SARA ALWAY!

Please welcome author Sara Alway. Sara, will you please share a short bio with us?

I am originally from the Pacific Northwest where I grew up on a sheep ranch. Both my parents were creative in their own ways, my father with his garden and landscaping and my mother with her crafts and writing. From a young age I would write, illustrate and make my own books and have carried my love of books throughout my life. I studied graphic design in both undergraduate and graduate school and I now share that love of visual graphics through my teaching of design at Marietta College and running a letterpress and design business, justAjar Design Press (www.justajar.com), in Marietta, Ohio.

Tell us about your new book just released this month, “Soil Mates” and where it’s available.

“Soil Mates” is a dating guide for vegetables. Inspired by the organic form of gardening called companion planting, the book describes the ideal symbiotic relationships of certain vegetables and herbs that naturally ward off pests and disease from each other—they are each other’s ‘soil mate’. It is an informative, yet humorous and entertaining book that will entertain the new gardener, as well as the experienced.

“Soil Mates” is available at the Quirk Books website (http://irreference.com), Amazon, as well as specialty retailers like Anthropologie. Distribution is still expanding, so it just might show up in about any place that appreciates a good humorous gardening book.

How did you come about the idea for “Soil Mates”?

The book was conceptualized as a project in graduate school at the Tyler School of Art at Temple University. Many of my projects were driven by the desire to make an intimidating subject more approachable. As someone that watched her parents garden with confidence, I wasn’t necessarily a very confident gardener, myself. I was introduced to the technique of companion planting and thought it was an underrepresented way of harvesting an organic garden. In a society that is embracing everything “green,” I wanted to make sure people were reminded of this historical technique, but at the same time I didn’t want to intimidate or bore them with dry writing or content. Since companion planting is all about relationships, I thought ‘Hey–it could be a dating guide!’ It was a blast to write because there is nothing more entertaining than writing about why Celery is so flirtatious and a popular mate in the garden bed.

How long did it take from conception to publication for “Soil Mates” to become reality? Anything interesting happen along the way to publication?

It initially took three months to design, illustrate and write the original design of the book. This version only contained ten pairs of Soil Mates, as well as all the additional information about natural pesticides, fertilizers (aphrodisiacs) and planting schedules. I got a contract for the book, based on the initial project, about four months after I finished it. As I was busy finishing my graduate degree, I was asked to double the amount of content in only few weeks. It was challenging, but nice to just focus on one thing for that period of time.

After I finished, I handed it off to my editor. She is an avid gardener and took great interest in the content. She also contacted master gardener, Kelle Carter, to help review the book to check all the information to make sure it was clear and accurate.

Tell us how Quirk Publications became your publisher.

An employee of Quirk Books, a publishing firm in Philadelphia that specialized in fun and “quirky” books, saw my original version of Soil Mates at my graduate show. She asked if she could present it at her next meeting with her editor and they loved it!

Can you tell us why your book is unique in the world of gardening titles?

There is no other informative gardening book that will make you laugh. “Soil Mates” is the perfect book for a new gardener to learn how to proceed with their quest. It quickly informs the reader which Soil Mates get along, how to plant them, what finicky characteristics they might have, as well as a delicious recipe that features the pair. At the same time, it will teach an experienced gardener new things and keep them entertained in the process.

What’s next for you?

I have a great concept for a new book, but I don’t want to spill the beans until I talk with my editor. However, I will say it is not about gardening, but it will be fun to read and informative.

Anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

Any “Soil Mate” fan can check out my other projects at http://www.justajar.com/, as well as keep in touch for future news at sara@justajar.com

Thanks, SARA. Come back soon!

Joy

Self-Editing Tips

by Sherry Wilson

You can tighten your prose and make it more accurate by reducing modifiers and eliminating extraneous words. Let me show you how.

1. Start with your completed manuscript. Now delete every second adjective or adverb and re-read the story. Do you miss any of them? You can always put them back later but first, try to strengthen the noun or verb that it modifies. Is there a more active verb you can use? (eg. Strolled, sauntered, ambled, or shuffled instead of walked.) Is there a more concrete noun you can use? (eg. Runners, loafers, sandals, Nikes or army boots instead of shoes.) Think about the mental picture you are creating. Sauntered gives us a very different image than shuffled; someone wearing sandals would project a different image than someone wearing army boots. Every word you use must contribute to your story.

2. Once you are confident that you need all of the remaining modifiers, use your word processor to search for fillers such as: began to, started to, going to, etc. You can generally delete these as they dilute your verbs and contribute little to the story.

For example:
She started to walk toward the door.
He began to gather wood for the fire.

Can be rewritten as:
She walked toward the door. Or better yet: She plodded to the door.
He gathered wood for the fire. Or: He gathered wood to build a fire.

3. Finally, do a search for “it was,” “there were,” “it is,” “there are,” etc. Try to eliminate as many of these as possible by restructuring the sentence.

For example:
There were several long tables filled with salads, fresh fruit, sandwiches, pies, cakes and other rich desserts.
This can be rewritten like this:
Long tables groaned under salads, fresh fruit, sandwiches, pies, cakes and other rich desserts.
Or:
Long tables overflowed with salads, fresh fruit, sandwiches, pies, cakes and other rich desserts.

Stronger verbs and fewer modifiers tighten your writing. What's more, they reduce the number of words used, so you have extra to "spend" on important things.

Following these steps with all of your manuscripts will result in crisper, clearer and more saleable writing.
(c) 2010 Sherry Wilson

On Being Brave

by Sandy Tritt

I learned the definition of brave in 1998, when my eight-year-old daughter was hit by a truck. As doctors and nurses swarmed around the trauma room doing a multitude of tests and assessments, Pam said, “Daddy, why does everyone say I’m so brave? Don’t they know how scared I am?” And my brilliant husband answered, “Being brave doesn’t mean you’re not scared. Being brave means you do what you have to do, even though you are scared.”

This has stuck with me for many years. I grew up believing that brave and fearless were synonymous. But if someone has no fear (and, obviously, no common sense), why is it a big deal to encounter danger? The brave person is the person who has lots of fear, but who still does the necessary or honorable thing.

I’ve seen that type of bravery this past month as our long-term editor and friend, Sandi Rog, has faced an aggressive stage 4 cancer with T-cell Lymphoma. Unbelievably, she was hospitalized for a brain tumor (the secondary cancer discovered first) on the very day DeWard Publishing released The Master’s Wall, her historical fiction. Sandi faces weeks of chemo, radiation, and a bone marrow transplant. Still, this sweet and talented warrior keeps her faith--and her sense of humor. She passes out bookmarks from her hospital bed, and she’s even contemplating setting up a book-signing table there. Please keep our Sandi in your prayers. Better yet, support this mother of four by purchasing The Master’s Wall. In light of all that has transpired, her publisher has generously agreed to donate to Sandi's family an additional $1 per book above and beyond all scheduled royalties. You can order your copy—and copies to give as Christmas gifts—at Amazon.com, among other places.

Thank you.

A Slice of Writer's Life

Avoid Carpal Tunnel Syndrome With Exercise!
By Joy Held

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is a nasty pain in the hand and wrist that often radiates up the arm.

http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/carpal_tunnel/detail_carpal_tunnel.htm#115103049

It's an overuse injury commonly associated with repetitive activies such as keyboarding, and writers are prone to this condition. But some preventative actions may delay and alleviate mild symptoms. Simple exercises may help writers avoid this painful way of life. Start now!

STRESS BALL BREATHING You will need two inexpensive soft rubber stress balls.

Still tall in a chair with feet flat on the floor. Hold a stress ball in each hand and extend your arms to the sides at shoulder height.

As you slowly raise your arms overhead, inhale deeply and simultaneously squeeze the stress balls five times until both arms are straight up. Reverse the action by exhaling as you lower arms and squeeze the balls five more times. Repeat this for a total of ten repetitions. Relax and breathe normally. Do this daily at your desk adding sets of ten as long as you are comfortable (not winded) of up to five sets of ten reps.

Return to writing.

A 1998 study on yoga for carpal tunnel syndrome proved that exercises dedicated to extending, rotating, and increasing the circulation in the wrists noticeably improved the condition.

http://www.yogajournal.com/health/111

Regular exercise reduces and prevents many repetitive stress disorders and it's never too late to get started.

Coming soon! Writer Wellness, A Writer's Path to Health and Creativity, second edition in print AND digital from Who Dares Wins Publishing.

http://www.whodareswinspublishing.com/

Included are chapters on Yoga for Writers. Stay tuned for release information.

Be well, write well,
Joy

copyright Joy Held 2010

"Writing, I think, is not apart from living. Writing is a kind of double living. The writer experiences everything twice. Once in reality and once in that mirror which waits always before or behind." ~Catherine Drinker Bowen, 1897-1973, American writer

A Slice of Writer's Life

By Joy Held

JOURNAL: “I can’t think of anything to write!”

I'm really, really hooked right now on ART JOURNALING. You have got to try it. It's a no boundaries way to combine journaling and art of any kind. It's a blast. Here's a simple way to get started. It's great for spicing up any journal entries.

Check it out at http://www.stampington.com/ Click on Art Journaling magazine.

You’ve got old magazines don’t you? You’ve torn out and filed the articles you want to keep for future reference (I hope) and what’s left are inspiring words, pictures, and loads of ideas for journal writing. ANY magazine is jam packed with journal prompts and it’s a great recycling effort to use items from magazines to jumpstart your pages.

Take one or two magazines, scotch tape, scissors, your journal, and a pen and sit down with time to create. Flip through the magazine ripping out the pages with words, pictures, etc. that catch your eye. Just two days ago I ripped out a brightly colored gift, a stack of clean bath towels, several large words like ‘fun,’ ‘breathe,’ and ‘love,’ and a picture of a person sitting in a cross legged position meditating.

Now take the scissors and cut out the pictures and words that inspire you. Tape one picture somewhere on the current and blank-not-for-long journal page. Take a sip of the beverage I’m sure you have handy and look closely at the image on the page. Write about the first thing that pops into your head that is perhaps related to the photo. It doesn’t have to be, it can just be a place from which to leap into the wonder.

I wrote a whole page about how much I dislike doing laundry. Also on the page is the picture of a stack of clean towels. I seamlessly whined about how if there are disposable hand towels for the kitchen, why are there no disposable bath towels? Would save the world in water, soap, electricity, and toil! Paper bath towels could be recyclable! What do you think?

Be well, write well,

Joy

copyright 2010

"All books are either dreams of swords. You can cut or you can drug with words." ~Amy Lowell, American poet, 1874-1925

Parallel Structure

By Sherry Wilson

Parallel structure requires sentence parts of the same value to be expressed with the same grammatical structure. Doing this properly will help to make your writing clear and concise.

To find places in your manuscript where the parallelism might be strengthened, do a search for the coordinating conjunctions “and” and “or.” Then look on either side of the conjunction and determine if those words are in parallel.

Here are some examples:

1. Faulty Parallelism:
Katie likes writing, drawing, and to work with paints.

Corrected:
Katie likes writing, drawing and painting.

Or:
Katie likes to write, draw and paint.
(Ensure the actions are all the same tense.)

2. Faulty Parallelism:
She always ran quickly, deliberately and with a great deal of grace.

Corrected:
She always ran quickly, deliberately and gracefully.
(All are changed to adverbs here.)

3. Faulty Parallelism:
The coach told the players they should get a lot of sleep, they shouldn’t eat too much, and to do some warm-up exercises before the game.

Corrected:
The coach told the players they should get lots of sleep, they should not eat too much, and they should do some warm-up exercises before the game.

Or:
The coach told the players they should get lots of sleep, not eat too much and do some warm-up exercises before the game.

(The following was added by Sandy Tritt)

Note that bullet items and list items should also be parallel in construction and begin with the same part of speech.

Faulty Parallelism:
We offer many other writing tips:
- Within this blog
- Tips pages on our website
- Our Tips and Techniques Workbook has lots of tips not found elsewhere
- When we edit your manuscript.
- At our workshops

Corrected:
We offer many other writing tips:
- Within this blog
- On our website
- In our Tips and Techniques Workbook
- With an edit of your manuscript
- At our workshops

Making your sentences parallel in construction is one more way to strengthen your writing. And we can all use that.

Thanks for stopping by!
© 2010 Inspiration for Writers, Inc.

"A SLICE OF WRITER'S LIFE" by Joy Held

SEPTEMBER IS NATIONAL BE KIND TO EDITORS AND WRITERS MONTH

An editor is the captain of a ship of words. Sometimes the sailing is smooth and the captain enjoys a moment to get another cup of coffee or other source of caffeine. Most of the time, however, Captain Editor is “putting out fires” literally and figuratively.

So what does an editor do? She reads and reads and reads and reads, and then she thinks. Editors must read for work and for pleasure and to stay in touch with contemporary writing. They read manuscripts over and over. They read books on writing and works of fiction. They read the newspaper, magazines, billboards, signs, and telephone books to stay on top of the progress of the written word. This is how they guide a writer toward a concisely written story that makes good sense. And they have to know grammar. While most grammar rules are downright ancient, changes happen in the grammar world, albeit the changes happen about as fast as an iceberg melts. Editors stay current on grammatical issues by reading and studying constantly.

Editors respect the individuality and idiosyncrasies of the writer. Editors inspire writers to be the best they can be by offering honest praise and criticism. Editors help writers grow to understand that writing is a never ending attempt to get the words right. And they answer piles of emails and talk on the telephone. Somewhere they have to make time to think about how to reorganize a piece of writing to accommodate the reader and the writer while pleasing himself as an editor. Time to think is valuable to an editor.

They famous editor Max Perkins, who discovered and edited Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald among many other literary giants, was a great figure in the editing domain. He told writer Thomas Wolfe, “There could be nothing so important as a book can be.” All editors love books and writing and believe nothing else is more important than nurturing the written word even if some editing styles are a little rough around the edges. Perkins also said, “The book belongs to the author.” A model editor keeps this in mind as they work to help a writer’s words remain their own but display grammatical and literary clarity.

Like parenting, good editing sometimes requires tough love to get some writers to understand that although they wrote the words, the book is not a flesh and blood being that needs protected against all aggression. The book belongs to the author but the keen eye belongs to the editor. An editor sees beyond the emotional involvement of the writer and helps produce the best possible book while staying as true to the writer’s voice as possible. Not an easy task.

Send kindness to your editor this month with a handwritten thank you note saying you understand and you can be sure the editor will do their best to respect the writer in you. My editor cut 32,000 words from my latest novel and I didn’t need one bandage, just a drink or two, but I’m sending her a thank you card because the book ended up better for it. Thank an editor and a writer today!

Joy Held, copyright 2010

O(de) to Be a Writer

by Charlotte Firbank-King

To be a writer is common place; to be so obsessed with writing that you have to write every day is a burden, surely? But those of us plagued by this malady don’t feel burdened. We feel deprived when we can’t write. Now is that warped or what? Yet there are those out there who will be nodding in agreement and most seriously, too.
Once we have written the great tome, we look at it and edit it again and again and again.

Eventually, we are absolutely certain every comma and period is in place. There is not one tiny little typo left. What can be rephrased brilliantly has been done. We sigh and caress it once more with a confident eye.

Just a quick glance, though.

There is a comma missing!

Panic sets in, and such is the paranoia of this breed of writer that we will edit all one hundred and twenty thousand words. Again.

Although we’re pretty sure it needs nothing more than a proofread, we send it out for an edit. We wait with bated breath for its return, consoling ourselves with the knowledge that there may be one or two little typos we may have missed.

It comes back and we open the file.

The margin is riddled with comments and the text is marked with additions and deletions. First there is disbelief. An idiot surely edited this. Then anger. Our brilliant moments are labelled wordy or just too much. Then astonishment.

But as we get into the edit, we begin to feel energized. The editor was right—our character does need a hobby. Coin-collecting adds a new dimension to his persona and makes him so much more real. And the plot was slow in the middle. Adding a subplot with the brother-in-law adds appeal and gives credence to the ending. And yes, the setting does need a bit more description to take us right there, and yes, the reading is so much more interesting when we tighten the dialogue.

And so it is. If we open our minds to instruction and if we study our craft, we will become much better writers and yes, eventually, we will succeed.

Winston Churchill said:
Writing a book is an adventure. To begin with, it is a toy and an amusement; then it becomes a mistress, and then it becomes a master, and then a tyrant. The last phase is that just as you are about to be reconciled to your servitude, you kill the monster, and fling him out to the public.

(c) copyright 2010 Charlotte Firbank-King. All Rights Reserved.

How to Write a Book Proposal

by Sandy Tritt

So you have to write a book proposal. Okay, the first thing you should do is panic. That’s right. Panic. After all, writing a book proposal is akin to stepping out of a plane at 10,000 feet and praying you’ll have enough wits to pull your parachute release at the right moment. Or standing in front of 15,000 professionals to give a sixty-minute presentation—without knowing the subject you’re to have prepared. Or taking your fifteen-year-old out to drive for the first time—in rush hour traffic. In downtown Rome. Fear Factor has nothing on book professionals. Eating bugs is easy. Writing a proposal? Yikes! If that doesn’t get your heart pumping hard enough and long enough to count as your daily aerobic exercise, you just might be dead.

Assuming you’ve survived the panic step, it’s time to move to the next stage: Avoidance. This usually starts by playing computer solitaire or scrubbing the garbage disposal. It can last for weeks or even months. Once your garage is alphabetized, your basement sanitized, and every item in your closet starched, pressed, and color-coordinated, it’s time to move on to the third step: Actually Doing Something.

Now what? Sit down at your computer, sign onto your word processing program, open a new document, and save it as “manuscript name Book Proposal,” replacing manuscript name with the name of your manuscript. If you’ve already chosen the agent or publisher to whom you’ll be submitting your proposal, review the suggested proposal contents. Most will provide a list of what to include, which may or may not include a cover page, table of contents, sell sheet, biographical sketch, book description, chapter outline, sample chapters, market analysis, competitive analysis, marketing plan, and manuscript history. If you haven’t selected the recipients or if you want to create an all-purpose proposal, that’s fine; just include all the items in the above list. You’ve already panicked and you’ve already avoided, so breathe slowly into a paper bag and stay with me. In your open document, put the first requirement at the top of the page. Insert a page break and type the second requirement. Insert a page break and type the third. And so on, until you have one page for each part of the book proposal. Now, you are ready to move on to the next stage: Writing Your Proposal.

Start with the Cover Page. Type the name of your book, your name, your mailing address, your email address, and the genre and word count of your manuscript. Center it on the page and make it look nice. Insert a page break and go to the next page, Table of Contents. This means the table of contents of your book proposal, not your manuscript. List each of the remaining items in your book proposal and leave a space to fill in the page number later. Wow. You’ve already knocked off two of those empty pages. Now, take a look at the pages that are left. Which one is the easiest for you? Perhaps you know exactly which chapter or chapters you want to include for the Sample Chapters. Copy and paste them into your book proposal. Another page done. Perhaps you’ve already written a synopsis of your work. Copy and paste it into your Sell Sheet. Now, again, look at what pages you have left and pick the easiest one. If you need to write a bio, remember the agent or editor is looking for why you are the best person to write this specific book, so unless having spent six months in the hospital when you were eight directly affects your ability to write this book, don’t mention it. Likewise, don’t mention your parents or your siblings or your first grade teacher unless they directly affect your book. Instead, choose your education, professional experience, and writing history—awards, publications, and completions. Type this on the Biographical Sketch page.

Look again at your remaining pages. The Competitive Analysis. This is the part that scared me the most, but turned out to be the easiest. I’d suggest making a trip to a large bookstore or your local library. Find the place on the bookshelf where your book should appear, and look at the books that surround this space. Select the best known ones and write their title, author, publisher, and a sentence or two to describe the book. Then write another sentence or two on what your book offers that this one doesn’t. You only need four or five books. And you’re done with another blank page.

Okay, what’s left? The Book Description. Describe your book, including its purpose, its intended audience, and what the reader will take away when he or she reads the book. Include what makes your book unique or compelling. The Market Analysis. Identify your book or novel's audience—the specific type of person who will read your book, such as parents of newborns or young people who are preparing to join the military, and then describe your ability, if any, to sell books at speaking engagements, conferences, book signings, and other events. The Marketing Plan is simply reassuring the agent or editor there is a market for your book and you are able and willing to help market it. List ways in which you will assist in the marketing of your book: perhaps you will set up a website, create promotional giveaways such as bookmarks or postcards, arrange your own book signing, or attend conferences where people will be interested in this subject. If a Manuscript History is requested, list any editors or publishers who’ve reviewed your manuscript and the ensuing result.

Now, we have only one area left: Chapter Summary. Although this may take a bit more time, it shouldn’t be a difficult task. First, list your chapters by number and/or by name. Then, look over the chapter and write a paragraph that summarizes that chapter. Many times, the chapter’s opening and closing paragraphs will give you this information. If not, list the most important topics or ideas covered in this chapter. Now, go back and enter the page numbers on your table of contents. And guess what? You’re finished. Yep. Done. DO NOT bind it unless the editor or agent has requested you do so. All you have to do is proof it, send it out, and pray.

That wasn’t so hard, was it?

Oh, and if you can’t get past steps one and two (Panic and Avoidance), shoot off an email to us at IFWeditors@gmail.com. We offer a variety services to edit or write your submission package (which may include a query letter, synopsis, cover letter and/or book proposal). Do note that as a general rule, most agents or publishers will first request a query letter. For fiction, they will then often request a synopsis and the first three chapters. For nonfiction, they will often request a book proposal. Some will also request a book proposal for fiction. We do not usually recommend writing a book proposal for fiction queries unless requested by a specific agent or publisher. Regardless of what you need, we can take out the fear and add in some professionalism. Just give us a call!

For more great tips and expert advice, visit our website at www.InspirationForWriters.com.

(c)Copyright 2010 by Inspiration for Writers, Inc. All Rights Reserved.