Good Start for 2011 #5

Clean up your Desktop

Ever notice how things pile up and when you really want something, you can't find it with out a lot of searching, moving piles, or checking in several files? If this happens to you it's time to clean up your desktop. Your computer's Desktop!

Every new computer has a desktop filled with little icons of Internet sites the manufacturer assumed you would want to be involved in. Many people never use these—and they never take them off the desktop. These are only shortcuts, and if you delete them, you aren't deleting the program, those are still in the Program or App file, but now you more easily see the icons you do use.

Now think of what you need to get to quickly: you WIP, your research, your household accounts...and so on. These are what should be on your desktop in their own little shortcut folders. No scrolling through the "My Documents" to find your WIP (was it in My Page Manager?) or checking the desktop/documents and settings/administrator/, no clicking through many lists to find that last research note you gathered online that might be buried in that hard-to-find Temporary download file.

Right click on the desktop, hit "new" and make a folder. Or go to your WIP folder, right click it and make a shortcut you can then move to your desktop. To be certain you don't lose track of documents, start them in the folder you want to keep them in. Open the folder, THEN click "new." That way when you save it, it automatically stays in that folder. If you download afrom the Internet, save the item to your desktop, and then file it later in the folder or your choice.

What programs do you use the most? I have two graphics programs that I use at least three or four times each day. I've added shortcuts to them in the "Start" bar so I don't have to click start and scroll along the program files to find them. I have a desktop folder named "work" that isn't a shortcut. But the shortcuts are within it. I open "Work" and then have instant access to my current projects, which are in other locations and folders (such as Kindle books, Nook books, Covers, or Blog Articles). Once I've completed a project, I delete the shortcut from the WORK file.

These same principles can be applied to your Internet browser. Be certain your "home page" is something you really use, and not just the generic Yahoo, Google or MSN start page. It could be your local newspaper, a weather channel or the social networking site you maintain or frequent most often. Cleaning up the folders in the bookmark or favorite tab can be helpful, and again, get rid of those generic links you don't use. They waste space and your time.

These might seem like nitpicky considerations, but when you do them, your priorities become more evident, and the organization will carry over into your writing life.

Good Start for 2011 #3

Exercise Your Brain

It's all well and good to have plans and ideas for your 2011 writing projects, but if you aren't really in shape, they won't come off too well. Physical exercise is proven to stimulate brain activity—the increased oxygen firing synapses and so on—but even that isn't enough. Your brain needs exercise, too.

Suppose you decide to knit a sweater for your favorite pooch; you even have a pattern. But if you haven't done any knitting in a while, taking up yarn and long plastic needles won't produce satisfactory results. As with any discipline, exercise is critical, whether it's knitting or playing golf, or writing. An idea will be in your head, but getting it to even a first draft can be a struggle if your brain is at a loss of how to go about it.

A good initial brain exercise is to read with a purpose. Read a portion of a piece, by an author whose writing you appreciate, and take notice of how this author has used words and sentence structure, developed pace and characters. Now try your hand at it. Create a scene that has the same type of flow. It might take several tries, but that's what exercise is all about.

Using a "What if" is also a good exercise. "What if Joanne Fosbeck, a happily married conscientious first-time mom, believes her 6-year-old daughter Shawna has become a chef extraordinaire from watching the FOOD Network." Or "What if Barry Cranston, 46-yr-old rancher, has to hunt down the cause of his stock getting killed in order to keep his newly established genetics program from going under." Develop the characters for these, write the paragraph that is Joanne's moment of revelation, or Barry's acute consternation. These particular what ifs might really seem off the mark for what you like to write. That makes it all the better. Work your brain beyond its comfort zone.

These examples can be augmented with many brain teasers, including vocabulary building and even jigsaw puzzles, which make the brain think about the logic and structure of things. Exercising your brain a few times each week will increase your writing ability, and result in more comfort when you work on your project.

All right, Alright

According to Webster's 11th Collegiate Dictionary, the phrase ALL RIGHT predates ALRIGHT by sixty-some years (1819 vs. 1887).ALL RIGHT, as an adverb to express agreement, began usage in 1837.

Today, more than 100 years from ALRIGHT's beginning, the single word is often considered poor style. But the use of ALRIGHT persists, most often found in journalistic and business writing, as well as in fiction dialogue.

Find answers to other word dilemmas at Confusing Words.

Good Start for 2011 #1

With the coming change in the calendar year, it might be a good time to think about a few changes in your writing life. Making New Year's Resolutions appeals to some people, but it's a proven fact that fewer than ten percent of resolutions are fulfilled, and most people drop away from them before January has ended. Here are suggestions to start the New Year to set up a productive 2011. Ideas coming in the next two weeks: Freshen your Library, Clean up your Desktop, Plan Marketing, Internet Info, and Exercise Your Brain.

Let's start with Freshen Your Library

The new Writers Market directories have been out for a few months. If you don't have the one appropriate for your writing agenda, you should look into it. Novels and Short Stories, Children's Markets, Photographer's markets are all good additions to your library. Editors and publications needs have changed in the six to eight months it took to compile and publish these books. Always check the masthead of a current magazine to be certain you're addressing your queries and articles to the proper person. Many magazines have online sites that will list their current needs.

How old is your dictionary? If it's more than three years old, you might want to upgrade. The eleventh edition of the Concise Oxford English Dictionary was published in 2004, revised in 2006, and again in 2008 (it's available on CD, and is automatically on all Kindles) with hundreds of new words added. Websters is also in it's eleventh edition. Do you have Chicago Manual of Style, or Strunks The Elements of Style? Recommended for serious writers.

Remember, your library can be virtual—with the myriad ebooks and downloads for you computer, you can have volumes at your fingertips.

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Dos and Don'ts of an E-query

Although e-mail has generally been used for casual communication, an increasing numbers of editors, agents and publishers are now accepting queries by e-mail. Treat the opportunity in much the same way you would a query sent by snail mail.

• DO Address the appropriate editor formally and format the query in the e-mail as you would in a regular letter.
• DON'T send multiple submissions. E-mail is too easy to create. Personalize each query.
• DO proof your letter and use the spellchecker.
• DON'T send attachments unless the listed requirement encourages that.
• DO use the word "query" in the SUBJECT line, e.g., "Query for your How-To section."
• DO provide adequate contact information (under your signature): Along with your name, list your e-mail, and any land-line numbers you have, as well as your ground mail address. If you have a personal web site, that could also be listed.
• DON'T expect an immediate answer. As with any type communication, your query will be put in a stack, maybe even ignored or deleted.
• DO save a copy of your e-queries. Not only will this give you a list of contacts you've attempted, but it allows you to update an old query for a new market and send it again.

Compound Words

© 2008 Kae Cheatham (Previous published on a Goodreads Blog)

When I proofread or copyedit, I am always on the lookout for those compound and combined words (such as lookout, copyedit and proofread) that can be so troublesome. Improper forms of these English language anomalies occur even in published books. When do you use the hyphen? When are the words combined or separated? There are no reliable rules.

Single-word combinations and compound words can have different meanings, such as workout (n) or work out (v); freehand or free hand, wind bag or windbag. It is important to use the proper spelling to be certain readers know what you're talking about.

Here are examples that show the variations:
• You can go to the courthouse, but not to the highschool;
• use a coffeemaker, but not a coffeecup;
• Drink from a wineglass, but for the plain stuff, use a water glass;
• Houses can have a backyard (adj. & n.), and courtyard (n), yet front yard is never compound.
• Then there is bedroom, while livingroom and diningroom are incorrect (space between words, no hyphen), yet bathroom is okay and so is mudroom and workroom.
• Spell the word teenage, yes; but middle age is not compound, while middle-aged (adj.) has a hyphen.
• Snow plus another word is almost always compound: snowfall, snowshoe, snowplow, snowmobile, snowblower. Same with foot and door.
• But take special care with words beginning with half, variations are abundant.

If you type a word as compound, and the spellchecker (not spell checker, although spell check (v) is correct) gives it a red line (not to be confused with redline, which refers to the upper limit of acceptability), go to the real traditionally-bound, turn-the-page dictionary to see which spelling gives the meaning you want. Check, then double-check those pesky words to get your manuscript in the best possible form.

The following are correctly spelled, although they are often misspelled in publications. Do you see a pattern?
(Not)

airship, air force, airhead, air conditioner (n), air-conditioning (n), breakeven (n), break-even (adj), cutback, doorjamb, dark-haired, shorthaired, fair-haired, longhaired, long-sleeved, long johns, chuck wagon, street-smart (the same meaning as streetwise), longtime (adj.), long-term (adj.), long-standing (adj.), anklebone, cheekbone, hip bone, wellborn, well-bred, well built, cross-legged, crossover, crosscut, cross section, nerve-racking (also spelled nerve-wracking), landgrab (n), land-grabber (n), windowsill, windowpane, window shade, workday, pent-up, streetlight, majordomo, major general, searchlight, shoreline, workpeople, townspeople, firsthand, neckband, make-believe, make-do, makeover, make way, pinprick, wingspan, midday, midyear, mid-afternoon, day-to-day, show-and-tell, short-circuit (v), short circuit (n), wide-eyed, openmouthed.

And that's just the tip of the iceberg (not ice berg).

Writing Groups

Ernst Hemingway said, “Writing is, at best, a lonely life.” But it doesn’t have to be. In this modern age, many writers organizations exist to address all areas of the profession, from getting started to understanding a contract and even book promotion. Check your local library, bookstores and colleges to find out the organizations in your area. Post notes on bulletin boards indicating your interest in starting a writers group. Attend conferences and workshops; not only will you broaden your knowledge, but you might also meet writers from your community.

Here are a few national organizations of interest.
• Authors Guild
• National Writers Union
• Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers
• Historical Novel Society
• Travel Writers

A more extensive list can be found at Books and Writers.

Paint with Words

Paint With Words, © 2003. 2010 Get It Together Productions, All rights reserved

Writers are artists, and keeping that in mind will really improve what you write. When developing scenes, the image of the environment is evoked by the writing. The manuscript (soon to be book) is the canvas, sentences and phrasing are the brushes; your words give color. All this creates Sense of Place; Sense of Place is vital to fact and fiction; it's an element of writing most readers appreciate, even if not consciously. Readers want to feel as if they are in the scene.

Some writers overuse adjectives with the mistaken belief that this will offer sense of place. But saying "the elegant house" isn't enough. That abstraction has little substance. "The well-landscaped house set on a knoll overseeing the valley" might paint a better picture. Another attempt to set a scene is to list things.

Brenda looked around. The room had a brass coffee table, and a bright sofa flanked by two Queen Anne chairs. Three prints were on one wall, with the sheer curtains hanging at the wide window. Two ornate candlesticks set on the fireplace mantle.

Brenda has become a camera, with no emotion attached to the description. The above paragraph might work better:

Brenda liked cozy look of the bright sofa, flanked by Queen Anne chairs. She admired the three Monet prints, and fingered an ornate candlestick on the mantle. Scents of lilac wafted through the wide window, as a breeze billowed the curtains. The books on the brass coffee table caught her eye.

This second paragraph uses only nine more words than the first, yet inserts the character into the description of the room; hence, the reader learns about the room and the character.

Painting with words is not just a fiction element. Creating sense of place is important in nonfiction, too. A manual might read:

When managing a large office setting, it's important to develop good interaction between employees.

Large office setting is rather vague, and so is good interaction. To give this sentence sense of place, it could be written:

When faced with multiple workstations, harsh lighting and the continual background noises of telephones and copy machines, it's important to encourage dialogue with all employees.

* * *

But fiction is where this element of writing is most useful, and the sense of place in any scene becomes stronger when it is reinforced throughout a paragraph or section to enhance the story. Take a look at a scene of a man whose car has broken down on a stretch of Kansas back road; here are the basics: Robert stood in the July sun beside his useless car. He looked around, but didn't see any houses.

Not terribly interesting, is it? Perk it up a bit: The hot July sun bore down on Robert.
The time of year has been added! Now this must carry through the scene....beside his useless car.... can be painted: Robert wiped sweat from his forehead and squinted toward his useless car. Wiped sweat (it's hot) squinted (it's bright). He looked around, but didn't see any houses... would work better as: The surrounding fields of ripening wheat seemed unending, without a single roofline or driveway in sight.

Good sense of place also engages all five senses. Include colors, smells and textures in descriptions. Here is Robert revised:

The hot July sun bore down as Robert backed from his vehicle. Why now? he wondered. He wiped sweat from his forehead and squinted at his useless car. He could smell hot metal from the engine. A puddle of radiator fluid stained the gray asphalt a sickly green. His sigh was barely audible in the dry wind, and the surrounding fields of ripening wheat seemed unending, without a single roofline or driveway in sight.

* * *

Weather and nature also establish a sense of place. A story based in the tropics could be rife with descriptions of humidity, vivid sunsets, blown sand, myriad scents and colors from vegetation; on the negative, these areas also have hurricanes, riptides, mosquitoes, sink holes and sharks.

With a few well-placed phrases, a writer can provide a definite picture and sense of place. Doing this will strengthen characterizations and greatly add to a reader's enjoyment of the final product.

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A version of this article was first published online in 2004, and in 2005 was purchased by the Ontario [Canada] Knowledge Network for Learning for use in their online classes.

Metaphor vs. Simile

These two writing elements can be useful if used carefully.

• A SIMILE compares an event or object and usually provides a visual image: "It's like looking for a needle in a haystack." This example shows a simile that has become cliché. Best to avoid clichés.
  Here is a more original simile from a book I recently read: "maybe, like a dazzling supernova, I'll do something awesome one day."
• A METAPHOR replaces an occurrence or description with a figure of speech for which it is not literally applicable: e.g. nose to the grindstone, a cold fish feeling.

Problems can arise with both of these elements if they are overused or encompass too much of the text. The above-mentioned supernova simile was set up several paragraphs before the phrase with several space references intervening; by the time the "special" phrase arrived, the analogy seemed tired.

Help for Indy Bookstores

The decline of bookstores is an escalating situation, and the Indy bookstores are just as vulnerable (or more so) as the big guys. But here's an effort to do something to reverse the situation--at least for indies. Schools, book groups, and individuals are encouraged to visit independent bookstores as a Cultural Heritage project. It's called Bookstore Tourism.

The brainchild of Larry Portzline, this unique approach has been written up in Kirkus Review, Publishers Weekly, USA Today and other national venues. I first read about this in 2005, and the program is still going. That's hopeful.

A Word on Words

This article, © Kae Cheatham, was first published in The Roundup, (Western Writers of America) December, 2003

Are your characters killing your history with their words? That could be happening if you aren't careful with your vernacular. Vernacular refers to those words that are native to a region, a people, or an era. The meanings of some words change, and some words used today didn't even exist in the 19th century.

I had always been aware of this, but until a few years ago I never realized how jarring a wrong-era word could be in text. At that time I took an assignment as rewrite editor for a children's historical fiction book. The setting was the Revolutionary War, and I carefully reworked the story and characters for that era. The company had wanted 15,000 - 17,000 words, and although my revised manuscript met that criterion, the story was shortened. An in-house editor assumed that task, and I didn't see the book until months later when a copy of the finished product arrived at my door. I gave it a read and came across the phrase in dialogue "You'll be joining too if Major Ward okays you."

Okays you? Surely I hadn't written that. I was certain that the word OK or okay wasn't in use until the 19th century.

At my computer, I pulled up the manuscript file I had sent to the publisher. Okays you was not there. Neither were other words of dialogue, such as impressive (used as an exclamatory) and protective barrier rather than redoubt. But okays you bothered me the most. I grabbed my dictionary. Sure enough, this word (and all its derivatives) was of 19th century coinage---not something an 18th century character would say.

I'm certain fourth or fifth grade readers will not be bothered by this glitch, but a misused word in historical fiction can garner negative responses from knowledgeable readers and reviewers. Mistakes are easy to make. In the last century, we have been bombarded by a variety of frontier stories and historical works in all forms: books, documentaries, movies, television shows both serious and snide, well researched and sloppy. Misinformation abounds. Just as an elementary school reader will process 'okays you' without blinking an eye, so have fiction writers of history often used words without thinking--without checking.

The "cowboy" era (1867-1900) has always been a favorite of readers and writers alike, and words associated with that time have permeated writing about times prior to that period. Is what we read always right, and is what we write correct? Here are some words to test your knowledge of often-used vernacular. chaps (as clothing), cowboy boots, cowboy hat, cowpoke, dogies, double-dealing, giddap (giddyap), hoopla, jeans, lariat, latigo, shill, shootout, sidekick, tarp, tomfoolery, waddies (referring to cowboys), yahoo.

The words in use prior to 1870 are: chaps, cowpoke, double-dealing, jeans, lariat, tomfoolery and yahoo. Yahoo goes back to the 18th century, and jeans is from two centuries before that. Of the remaining words, only dogies, hoopla, and latigo were in use prior to 1890. The terms cowboy hat (and boots) and shootout that today give an instant western image, are of recent vintage, with shootout popping up in the 20th century.

Therefore, an 1872 rider should not say "Giddyap [c. 1897], horse; we have be there for the shootout!" Also incorrect would be a California forty-niner reporting, "My sidekick [c. 1906] and me found gold at our first dig." Nor would someone before 1887 refer to his sideburns, or speak of an angry person as blowing a gasket (c. 1889). [Other words to check: glassies (marbles), long johns, mystique, potbelly stove, six-shooter (as opposed to six-gun), pushy, underdog.]

This does not mean that a writer whose backdrop is the 1870s should feel restricted to using words only available at that time. An author's narrative voice does not have to ascribe to the language of the era. As long as narration is consistent in tone and language, it will be effective (A narration that has the tone of a pensive philosopher should not veer off into down-home storyteller language). But correct vernacular is necessary in dialogue. Characters must adhere to the language, be it proper English or slang, of the day.

For instance, the reasoning of an 1860s character may be described in narration using these words: The whole wonderful affair enticed Barthelia to study the mores of her benefactors. But do not use that 1890s word, mores, in dialogue. Barthelia wouldn't know to say "It was wonderful! That's when I began studying their mores."

Definitions of some words have changed over the decades, too. The term cowpoke, for example, had its beginnings in the 1840 East and referred to a person who took the menial job of riding in railroad cattle cars to jab the steers so they wouldn't lie down. Yet since the 1870s that word has been attributed to someone working cattle from horseback and is the basis for the word cowpuncher (c. 1875). But beware of referring to "early cowpokes" in 1863 Colorado Territory; that would be incorrect because the railroad hadn't yet extended that far West.

Okay! Let's look at okay. As an adjective or adverb, usage began in 1839; OK or okay as a noun, in 1841; as a verb form, okay (okays, okayed), in 1888, and okey doke in 1932. This information was found in Webster's Collegiate 11th Edition (In Webster's, the earliest date of the word's usage is in parenthesis following the etymology of the entry.) Other lexicology books are A Dictionary of the Old West by Peter Watts, Random House Dictionary of the English Language, Dictionary of American Slang, and The Writer's Guide to Everyday Life in the 1800s; glossaries of many nonfiction books are also helpful. Because I often write stories set prior to 1850, I refer to Chambers 20th Century Dictionary to get the British slant on definitions. Historical journals and folk songs also contain rich phrases from other eras. By using these sources to double-check (c. 1944) your characters' language, you can avoid anachronisms. This will keep your history honest, and prevent picky folks (such as I) from frowning through your book.

Linda Sandifer on Platform

Thanks to Linda Sandifer for providing this Guest Post.
Linda Sandifer is author of thirteen novels in various genres, mostly western romance. She is a member of Western Writers of America, Women Writing the West, and Idaho's Blue Sage Writers. Her latest release, The Last Rodeo (contemporary fiction) is available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble online. It is also available in the Kindle Store. Learn more about Linda's books at her Web site.

Build Your Platform Today © 2010 Linda Sandifer

We writers continually face the challenge to keep our writing fresh for today's readers and also to be knowledgeable about new technology and marketing trends. We are expected to be able to describe our book and its concept in one line and to state our platform right up front. The platform has, in fact, become increasingly important to agents and editors before they will consider a contract. They want a ready-made audience and a way to create a buzz for your book. In this tough market, it isn't sufficient anymore to assume the publisher will handle the marketing so you can sit back and write your next book. They want you involved.

So what is a platform for a writer? According to Merriam Webster, a platform is simply "a plan, a design." It is: (1) "a declaration of the principles on which a group of persons stands," (2) a "device or structure incorporating or providing a platform," and (3) a "place or opportunity for public discussion."

We spend months, sometimes years, plotting our books. When the book is finished, it's time to take a good hard look at ourselves. What have you got going for you--other than having written a marvelous book--with which to get readers' attention? If you look through Writer's Digest Magazine, you'll see some of the "Breaking In" writers state their platforms as social networking; i.e., a blog and an audience on Twitter and Facebook. This might also include doing guest blogs and having a website. Some writers write articles for magazines, ensuring a byline. Other writers speak at conferences and talk to writers' and readers' groups, or they teach writing classes. It's always smart to join a writer's organization that reflects your genre. This will open more doors with which to reach readers. If you have special expertise pertaining to your book it will give you more credibility. For example, you're a doctor and you've written a medical thriller.

What if you feel you don't have any particular expertise with which to build your platform? No title behind your name. No Masters or PhD. Does it doom you and your book? No, just dig deeper. Be creative. Perhaps you did an incredible amount of research for your book. Perhaps you spent a year talking to locals and exploring the Australian outback where your book is set. Is there a way you can "brand" yourself? To identify yourself in some unique way?

A platform boils down to any means you have to get your name and your book out there. Start building your platform early on, even before your book is finished. A solid platform will help you get published and maybe even become a "name brand" writer. But, first and foremost, write the best darned book you can! Everything else aside, your book will stand on its own legs. It will be the foundation for your platform.

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Here are two of Linda's platforms: her blog and her Web site

Research Online

A good online information site is not hard to find for any topic. By typing a few key words into most Internet search engines, you will find pages of related sites, and each of those will probably have links, too. When you find an interesting article, be certain the material isn't copyrighted to the site or a certain author. Once you're certain the material is public domain, what is the best way to catalog the information?

Here are four ideas about taking "notes" from Internet sources.
1. MARK - First, bookmark (Favorites) the page. You should start a new folder for your subject so it doesn't get lost in a long list.
2. FIND - Use commands in your browser's menu bar to search for specific information in a site. On most browsers, "Ctrl+F" will get you there in Firefox and many other browsers, or you can pick out "Find" in the "edit" tab. By doing this, you can type in the name or phrase you're looking for and go right to that section of the page without having to read all the text.
3. SAVE - If you haven't already done so, make a folder on your hard drive for your subject. Then download the cyber page and read when you aren't online (Be advised, the consecutive pages and links won't always be accessible unless you're online).
4. PRINT - Don't forget to print what you need, especially for bibliographies and statistics. Some pages have a "Print Friendly" button to get material in the right format for your printer. If you don't find one, simply highlight the text you want and copy it (Control+C), then open a new document in your desk top and paste (Control+V). Now you can print it out at your leisure. When you copy and paste from a page, be certain to also copy and paste the page's URL. Put that in bold at the beginning of the material for documentation.

Always double-check any information you find online in Urban Legend sites and hoax listings. The Internet offers so many opinions and perspectives, you need to be certain you are reading a true fact and not someone's speculation.

Learn About the WEB

Although we all use it, not many of us know much about the World Wide Web and what makes it work.

This month, Google published an online resource to acquaint people with the various aspects of the WEB. It's a clever, illustrated book, that tells some of the nuts and bolts or this take-it-for-granted part of our lives.

It's worth checking out

Redundancies

A redundancy is a profuseness that exceeds necessity. In writing, this is an overflow of words that leads to lengthy and sometimes silly sentences. To an editor and many readers, redundancies mark a writer as amateur.

Adjectives often lead to redundancies, as with, "Not now!" he yelled loudly. The verb yelled means to speak loudly, so the use of the adjective is superfluous. The use of the exclamation point reinforces the redundancy.

Here's another redundancy: She ran at a quick jog, which is probably intended to mean she jogged; but the use of JOG as a noun implies she ran at something--in this case, at a...jog (whatever that might be).

Reporters and business people seem fond of saying and writing, "He has a great future ahead of him." Where else would the future be? Another common redundancy is tuna fish. This will probably be in our language forever, but think about it. Does anyone ever say they had trout fish for dinner?

By eliminating redundancies your writing will be tighter and much more professional.

Where to Start

© 2010 Kae Cheatham/Get It Together Productions

I once belonged to a writers group that endearingly referred to itself as Rough Beginnings. Nearly every member, at one time or another, experienced the stunning realization that what they thought of as a great start for their novel, was either superfluous or would work better as Chapter Five.

Gauging where your story might begin is often difficult. It is tempting to set the scene with detail about the surroundings, about how people look or talk, or a reflection on what brought the protagonist to this point. But these days, that is not guaranteed to hold a reader. With the mega tasking and instant contact that makes up today's lifestyle, people expect to get "hooked" at the get go.

Certain genres have characteristic styles that shouldn't be ignored, but all beginnings are a matter focus. Home in on the important action that delineates your characters and sets up the story. Meandering too long through flashbacks or hectic urban lifestyle, or daily tedium won't get it done.

Here's an example: a story involves a woman returning home to help out with the family business that is being threatened by takeover from supposed friends. One beginning could tell from where the woman was returning and how she felt about the move as she took in the changed surroundings. But it would be better if action involving the main story was forefront:

She arrives to find the head of the sales department has just quit after a stormy argument with her brother. How she handles this will tell a lot about her character. Once the crisis is dealt with, she and her family subside into a bit of chitchat that will give the nuts and bolts of her situation. "How was the flight from Cleveland?", "Have you decided to sell your condo?", etc.

When starting a new manuscript, it is useful to develop a timeline for the story. This timeline should include the background story as well as the elements of action. The sequence of events, and how and why your protagonist reacts can be critical. Some events might be better if they take place "off the page," with the characters discussing what happened; this would give an opportunity to show reactions and emotions of more than one person. Other events might not be needed in any kind of detail, and are merely your personal reference for story development. Often, this detailed list making reveals clues on where to start.

Once the timeline is completed, start writing--without dawdling over "is this the best opening?". Complete the entire first draft; try not to look back and second guess your efforts. After the entire story has been written, go back and assess its development. Characters and the story line usually change during the course of actual writing, and those changes will affect where the story starts.

No formula or plan will present a foolproof way to start your fiction manuscript, but a bit of organization and list making can get you closer to a dynamic beginning that will grab an editor, agent and reader.

Ebook Sales

Many reports have come out about the rise in eBook sales, especially in this 3Q of 2010--a jump of more than $30 million wholesale since 2Q!

Interesting fact: the $119.4 million reported is probably only a third of actual sales. The report by Association of American Publishers (AAP) and International Digital Publishing Forum (IDPF); are compiled from data from "approx. 12 to 15 trade publishers", and only in the US. These figures do not include indy authors, who are retailing their eBooks independently, nor the many small presses that produce eBooks.

That’s a lot of $ flowing on Internet sales.

Overuse of Words

Some authors have a propensity for repeating certain words throughout their work. At times this is done intentionally to enhance a visual impact, but often it is merely a bad habit.

A manuscript I recently read had an overuse of the word flew. "She flew to the door...", "The papers flew across the room...", "Ideas flew through his mind...". It was quite distracting.

In nonfiction a tendency is to overuse so as a transition word, or to give declaratives such as It is obvious. It's not so much that these writing tendencies are wrong, but they make a piece seem unprofessional.

Do a global search for sentences beginning with So. Other words and phrases to cull are there was, and then, and Soon. These weaken a piece, fiction or nonfiction, and would be better served with more descriptive and creative words.

Flaws Okay? NOT!

I was visiting another writer's site a few days ago, and in his "Writing Tips" he suggests "when writing popular fiction: the stuff that ordinary people buy. Write a wonderful story and editors will probably want to buy it even if it's got some flaws. Poor grammar or the odd writing flaw can be fixed, but if there's a lousy story beneath your scintillating prose, no editor will touch it."

An interesting concept; and I agree that a smashing story is essential to grab the reader (and the first true reader will probably be at a magazine or book publishing house). But poor grammar and writing flaws will usually have even the unique story quickly in the reject pile. Even this writer site hinted this when later was written, "More than 90% [of manuscripts] are rejected on the first page, and 99% by the end of the first chapter, so your absolute best writing has got to be up front, just to get the book read."

I see way too many manuscripts that read like they went from the author's brain to the keyboard through the printer and then to my desk. No rewrites, some with no spell check. "absolute best writing" can't be achieved that way.

Oh, did you noticed the infelicity in the quoted material? :-)

IPPY Awards

Independent Publisher, part of the Jenkins Group, has run award programs for more than a decade. Each year, these awards have increased in prestige and credibility.

IPPY: for the best indie-published books of the year, in 69 categories., 11 regions, and 12 Outstanding Books of the Year. Axiom: for business books Living Now: to honor the year's best "lifestyle" books that help readers attain healthier, more fulfilling, and productive lives. Moonbeam: designed to honor the best children’s books, authors and illustrators, and to support childhood literacy and life-long reading.

Entry guidelines and information are always available on the site. IPPY, AXIOM and LIVING NOW are currently seeking submissions. Moonbeam will be early next year.

Infelicities

When proofreading your manuscript, be on the lookout for infelicities. Often these are misplaced modifiers, or phrases that were hastily written. You might know precisely what you're describing, but a reader will have to struggle.

For instance, it would be awkward to write, "He walked the hill up"; so why say, "He turned the light off". It should be, "He turned off the light."

Here are more examples: -o- "His hand reached for the glass." His hand...as opposed to his foot or elbow or nose? It should be "He reached for the glass." -o- "She dropped her eyes from his face." Too physical! The action is more correctly given with, "She lowered her gaze," or "She looked away." Let's keep those eyes in her head where they belong. -o- "He hurried through the fence to the house." We need a gate in this fence. "He hurried through the fence gate…"

Most editors are on the lookout for infelicities, but you'll help your publishing chances if you catch them before sending out your manuscript.

Proper Word Usage

A tendency to over explain is found in all types of writing. Often checking definitions in a dictionary will improve your text. Some words stand alone and need no embellishment. Here are a few. In each of these examples, the phrase becomes shorter, while imparting precise information.

-o- TIRADE means harsh and censorious language. Therefore, it’s overkill to write, "She couldn't endure the tirade of abuse." "She couldn't endure the tirade" is enough. -o- BEST means "exceeding all others". There can be no degrees. "It was the best thing to do", not "It was the very best thing to do." -o- ELUDE means to evade or escape. Hence, "The dog eluded them and escaped into the forest" would be better written: "The dog escaped into the forest."

In a first draft, these extra words are typical, but don't let them show up in your final piece.

Richard S. Wheeler - Book 8

Richard S. Wheeler's The Fields of Eden will go live on Kindle this weekend. This is the eighth OOP title Wheeler has republished in Kindle format. His publishers have Kindled many of his titles, too; if you visit his Amazon page and wonder which are his efforts, just look for the ones with the smallest price tag.

GITP formatted the conversion. Wheeler didn't have an original, final text copy of the manuscript so he had a company scan a copy of the print book and put it in .doc format. Problems with this technique include missing chapter breaks, odd rendering of non-standard fonts, several letters that will indiscriminately show up as something else: f becomes t, ie becomes n, and so on.

But close scrutiny by Wheeler and GITP resolved the issues.

The cover is a blend of graphic design and a couple of clip art pieces. It was fun to do.

About the book:

In the 1840s, Americans rushed to the new Eden--Oregon Territory--a lush land claimed by both Great Britain and the United States. Here is the epic story of those who struggled across the little-known continent, and the one man who could help them settle in Oregon, the White Eagle, Dr. John McLoughlin, chief factor of the Hudson’s Bay Company.

Check out Wheeler's Web site for a list of his 50+ published titles.

Book Promotion

© 2008 Get It Together Productions

The book has been published, and marketing is key. You've had a major autographing at the bookstores, so you figure that's it. But not!

Book stores aren't the only places interested in having authors visit.

Other places to have an author event and book signing include:
• Banks – especially if your books ties to regional history; Many banks have luncheons for seniors, and investment meetings; they would also be interested in a festive holiday approach, such as a romance book at Valentine's Day;
• Churches - Many churches have groups and meetings, and are often looking for speakers and events. Develop a short program and contact the church secretaries;
• Libraries - In small communities, an author event is very welcome by the local library. Offer an incentive for them to advertise for you. I give back fifteen percent of book sales to the Friends of the Library, or similar local organization;
• Senior Centers - Here are people who grew up with reading as a main entertainment. Take your book to them; an excellent approach for anyone with books for young readers--chances are the center will have quite a few grandparents;
• Specialty shops - Be certain your book relates in some way to their products: Children's clothing and accessories would be interested in a children's story or a book on parenting; an outdoor store might be receptive to nonfiction about living off the land or even a mystery that takes place in the wilds.

Walk your yellow pages and see what you come up with.

CONS--Are You Involved?

In North America, November seems to be a month of many CONS. SFCons, that is.

Here's the granddaddy of them all, PHILCON: 19 - 21 November Philcon 2010 Crowne Plaza Hotel, Cherry Hill, New Jersey. Philcon is hosted by The Philadelphia Science Fiction Society, and is the oldest Science Fiction convention in the U.S, with the first held in 1935.

The Philadelphia Science Fiction Society has been around since then, too. In 2009, psfs ran a news release, saying they were changing the organization name, but it doesn’t seem to have happened. One of the early "instigators" way back when—Ray Bradbury.

One of the Newest CONS is SFContario. Coming up 19 – 21 November, this is the first year for this gathering at the Ramada Plaza Hotel in Toronto.

Other November CONS

ICON 35, 5 – 7 November, Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Tucson 37 12 – 14, November, Tucson, Arizona
OryCon32, 12 – 14, November, Portland, Oregon.
LOSCON37 (A celebration of Urban fantasy , Steampunk and SF Noir), 26 – 28 November, Los Angeles

A worldwide list of most CONS can be found at Wikipedia.

A Bit About Pronouns

The pronouns that and which are often interchanged, and sometimes used incorrectly. That is a demonstrative pronoun. It defines and stands for the noun it replaces:

The blue chair in the corner--that one is most comfortable.

Which is considered a relative pronoun. It highlights attributes, but not necessarily the object:

The blue chair, which is most comfortable, is in the corner.

Which will usually indicate a clause and be offset with commas.

The spoken language used by most people is quite informal and doesn't always distinguish between that and which. When writing dialogue, not using the proper pronoun would be acceptable for realistic speech patterns. In narration, however, be careful. Switch out those misplaced whiches to make a more polished work.

Credibility Extras

© 2009 Get It Together Productions

For many of us, marketing our titles is one of the most tedious tasks of being an author. Even authors who published with large New York houses are expected to take part in marketing and promotion. Many articles and several books have been written to give us guidelines. One thing all marketing experts stress is the importance of being professional.

Here are several extras that other industries use, and we authors should too, to boost our professional credibility. Remember consumers are your clients. Treat them as such.

LOGO: What kind of logo for an author? Pens, stacked books, computer keyboards? Think more of your product and develop something that reflects the subject of your books. This is not something to use when you query for publication or representation, but AFTER you have a finished, marketable product.

PAPER GOODS

• Invest in professional letterhead. Use your logo and give concise contact information, including e-mail and web sites. It should be 24# paper with matching envelopes. Use this for regular letters, and for any invoices you send out.
• Along with this letterhead, you should have attractive or matching business cards--again using your logo. Do not put your address on the business cards. Telephone, e-mail and web site is enough. Hand out these cards to anyone who glances your way.
• Do you have bookmarks? Many printing companies and copy centers have templates to make these, or you can do you own: using colorful card stock. In eitiher case, one side put your logo, list your contact information (P O Box is recommended) and perhaps a friendly comment; on the reverse side, list your titles and a short (25 words max.) review by a third party. Use them for handouts, and include them with every book you sell.

It's also important to make certain your books are in the public eye. An easy way to do this is with fliers. Keep at least two varieties in your car (along with a tin of push pins): A flier for your local region should advertise your book, your web site and you as a commodity (speaker, workshop leader, et cetera). It should list the places your books can be purchased. AND A flier for when you travel away from home will highlight your titles and where they can be found online.

Design the fliers with thoughts to the time of year, the region or some other feature that will make them stand out. On both fliers, be certain all the contact information is in large non-frilly type. Mention any specials you can think up. FREE GIFT could mean an inexpensive bookmark thrown in, and you can encourage buyers to your site by featuring autographed books.

Put these fliers on bulletin boards in libraries, churches, supermarkets, colleges--any facilities that relates to your subject matter. Drop them off with local radio and TV stations, especially if you're available for interviews. Send copies to your regional newspapers.

Developing fliers isn't difficult with today's basic computer software. The best size is 5"x7". You can enhance a simple, white-paper printout by mounting it on a larger sheet of colored construction paper.

Fifty of each flier is a good start, and shouldn't cost more than $5.00 (for black and white)—a bit more if you use commercial facilities.

FOLLOW UP: If you have negotiated for your titles to be carried in independent bookstores and gift shops, it is a nice touch to send a thank-you note right after the books are placed. Also send thank-you notes to the coordinators of any book festivals or bazaars you attend. And don't forget these helpful people during the holidays. Send a greeting card—and tuck in your business card.

These professional touches will keep your name fresh in the minds your the public and help build a larger clientele—your fan base. The cost is slight, and if you're persistent with these easily done extras, your returns will be considerably higher.

National Book Awards

Finalists for the National Book Awards were posted a few weeks ago. Categories are Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, and Young People's Literature. Visit the Web site to see if your favorite author is involved.

Genre Writers: Don't Get Suckered

I've noticed an abundance of writers producing horror and thriller novellas, short stories and novels. If you are one of them, this is a notice you should read and heed.

Writer Beware® Blogs!: Cold Iron: David Boyer, Plagiarist

New Nook

A recent e-mail from Barnes & Noble indicated their new Nook has been released and it has full color capabilities! Great for magazines and nonfiction eBooks that have maps, graphics and photos; and for perusing the BN bookstore and seeing the cover thumbs in color.

It's been hinted that the addition of color will probably be included in the next generation of Kindle--a K4, I guess that would be. But no news on when that might be coming.

Here's the link: NOOKcolor