Writers' Society of Jefferson County

 Table of Contents

Insights From a Contest Judge

Daily Writing Fun

Rapid Write for Creative Stories [With Prompts]

Top Twelve Writing Books

Tips for Getting Published - Dorry Pease

 Sample of a Query Letter-Mindy Phillips Lawrence

 News for Writers

 

 Contest Insights from Jeremy Sayers, judge.

Some of the most important elements of a good story, I think, are a strong sense of voice, and a consistent through-line. In other words, the way the story is told, that it is told by a storyteller we enjoy listening to, and that the story completes itself. In most cases, though, a sign of a good storytelling "voice" is that we don’t really notice it. It's kind of an ambiance in the world of the story. And, of course, when voice is well done, it is consistent throughout the story. When a writer drops the "voice" of a particular story, it's glaringly noticeable. The same holds true for the through-line. In a well written piece of fiction, no detail, no turn of phrase, no line of dialogue, is extraneous. But, at the same time, all of the elements of a good story should seem natural, not forced...

A few examples of writers who I think are good writing teachers through their work, besides Elaine Palentia, and Frank O'Connor, are Flannery O'Connor (no relation to Frank); the collection A Good Man Is Hard to Find is breathtaking. James Joyce's Dubliners everyone should read ("The Dead" is one of my favorite stories). Katherine Mansfield's The Garden Party and Other Stories is another collection no one should miss out on...

 

Does your writing need a little tune-up? Noble's Book of Writing Blunders (And How to Avoid Them), by William Noble, identifies 29 mistakes common to every writer—beginning or advanced, fiction or nonfiction. By learning what not to do, the reader will be set free to create the kind of writing that makes fiction and nonfiction crackle with life. For more information on this title and others, go to http://www.wdeditors.com.

Writer's Digest magazine has now jumped on the MySpace bandwagon, and why not? It's turning into a great, free resource to network with other writers. So be sure to go to http://www.myspace.com/writersdigest and request the magazine as your newest friend.

And if you haven't done so yet, add these other profiles to your friends list if you want to have the coolest writing buddies online:

Writer's Digest Books http://www.myspace.com/wdbooks

Writer's Market http://www.myspace.com/writersmarket

CWIM's Alice Pope http://www.myspace.com/alice_cwim   

 Entering writing contests can be exciting, rewarding, and at times frustrating. For nearly a decade, I have been thrilled after winning writing competitions—sometimes with stories or poems I didn't consider my best efforts. At other times, I've been disappointed when pieces I believed were my finest works did not even get an honorable mention.

As a contest judge, I've gotten goose-bumps or have been moved to tears by some contest entries. Other times, I've been tempted to toss a manuscript in the trash.

As a writer, through trial and error, I've puzzled out how to enter the right piece in the right contest. As a judge, I've learned what makes one entry stand out from the rest. Here are some suggestions I hope can help other writers "crack the contest code."

Before entering - Research the contest. Ask your writing friends about contests they've entered. Search the Internet (can be overwhelming) or look in magazines such as Poets and Writers, which lists contests in each issue. Consider the following:

1. Sponsor - Local writing organizations (chapters of the Missouri Writers' Guild, such as Saturday Writers, Columbia Writers Guild and other organizations such as the Ozarks Writers League), magazines (Storyteller, Byline), or a regional presses (Missouri Review, Cave Hollow Press) are examples of reputable contest sponsors.

2. Size/Payoff- The larger the contest, e.g. Writer's Digest with thousands of entries, the less chance for winning, but the bigger the prize. The smaller the contest, e.g. Saturday Writers, the better the chance of winning, but a smaller prize. (I think it's important to support local writers' groups by entering their contests whenever possible.)

3. Judging - Many contests use 'blind judging.' Blind judging occurs when the work is submitted without any identification, except on a cover sheet. This can help ensure contest entries are judged on merit rather than on other factors, like friendship.

4. Fee - Many legitimate contests charge fees to pay the winners and cover administration costs. My limit is $15, unless the entry fee includes a copy of the contest anthology or a subscription to the magazine sponsoring the contests.

5. Rights - Read the fine print about your rights. If you win, have you agreed to give the sponsor the right to publish your work? This is an acceptable (and often welcome) practice for writers who want to get published. Reputable sponsors generally ask for one-time rights or first rights. (I never enter contests that ask for all rights as a condition of entering, whether you win or not.)

After deciding to enter, the following can improve your chances for winning:

1. Follow the Guidelines - This is the most important factor to consider. Mistakes such as exceeding the word limit, not including a cover page, stapling rather than using paper clips, not including an entry fee, etc. can get your work eliminated before it gets read.

2. Send only your best work. Use the basic rules for spelling, grammar, sentence construction, etc. If unsure about something, look it up in a reference book, such as (The Elements of Style by Strunk and White or The Chicago Style Manual). Spell check, but do not rely on spell check when proofing the final copy.

3. Make sure your work fits the category. Is your submission appropriate for the category—a poem for a poetry contest, a short story for a fiction contest?

4. Examine the content of the story.   Is the title intriguing? Does the story have a hook that will grab the reader? Does the story have a sense of time and place? Are the characters interesting? Does the main character have a goal and change by the end?

Is there conflict? No conflict—no story. Is the dialogue realistic? Do people really talk like that? (Reading the story aloud helps.)

Is your voice unique and consistent? Did you show (she tapped a foot and stared out the window) rather than tell (she was bored)? Did you use the caveman approach for my word choices and parts of speech?  Nouns and verbs - Good     Adjectives and adverbs - Bad

Have you used active voice rather than passive to give your story more life? The boy threw the stick (active). The stick was thrown by the boy (passive). Have you eliminated unnecessary words? In short stories, every word counts. Less is more. (Mark Twain: "I would've written less if I had more time.")

Is it a story? Does it have a beginning, middle, and an end? Is the ending satisfying, yet surprising? Are you consistent? If the main character's name is Velvetta on page one, have you changed it to Cheez Whiz on page ten?

5. Check, check and double-check. I try to put my work aside and read a few days later. Time permitting, I ask my critique group to read and comment. If their suggestions make sense, I use them. If not, I go with what sounds right to me. Then I revise, revise, and revise again until the finished story is polished. One hint: Proofread forward for content and backwards for spelling and typos.

Finally, make a copy of your submission, put adequate postage on the envelope and mail it to the correct address, including an SASE, if requested. Document your submission. I use a monthly submission log which includes the date entered, the title, where submitted, how much the fee and postage cost (which is good to have when April 15 rolls around), the date the results are due and space to record the results. Send a thank-you note, even if you don't win, then write something new and begin the process all over again.

The following are the top 12 Writing Books about novel writing,
marketing, pitching and getting your manuscript read by publishers
and/or Hollywood insiders, as well as other important books your
library should contain.

Writing Dialogue by Tom Chiarella
Beginning as well as more experienced fiction writers can create
engaging dialogue by listening to the world around them and to their characters. Rich, vivid dialogue moves a plot forward, presents important points of exposition, develops unique,
authentic character voices, and sharpens conflict and tension. In an upbeat, authoritative style, .

 Fiction Writing Demystified by Thomas B. Sawyer
Written in clear, direct, take-‘em-to-the-bank nuggets, Fiction Writing Demystified is the only how-to book on the subject written by a truly successful fiction writer.  Dealing with practical approaches to the craft of
writing, it explains to other writers in clear, concise language, very specific, problem-solving ways to improve the product. ..

A Writer's Guide to Fiction by Elizabeth Lyon
The second book in the Writer's Compass series from professional writing instructor Elizabeth Lyon offers both aspiring and established authors the fundamentals of writing and selling a great novel or short story. In addition to the basics of characterization, plot, pacing, and theme, A Writer's Guide to Fiction also features a plan for revising fiction, a guide to marketing, samples of cover and query letters, and methods of honing the writing craft.
 

Description by Monica Wood
Description is most powerful when it's visible, aural, tactile. Make your descriptions fresh and they'll move your story forward, imbue your work with atmosphere, create that tang of feeling that editors cry for and readers crave.

 Writing Fiction by Alexander Steele, ED.
Written by Gotham Writers' Workshop expert instructors and edited by Dean of Faculty Alexander Steele, Writing Fiction offers many of the same methods and exercises that have earned the school international acclaim.

No Plot? No Problem! Novel-Writing Kit by Chris Baty
Aspiring novelists don't need an MFA in creative writing, a book agent, an airtight plot, or a winsome cast of characters to get a novel written they don't even need to know what they're doing. All that's needed is a little determination and this high-octane kit to kick motivation into overdrive and inspiration.  

Stealing Fire From The Gods 2nd Edition: The Complete Guide
to Story for Writers & Filmmakers by James Bonnet.
Designed for screenwriters, novelists, playwrights, directors, producers, studio executives and anyone else whose livelihood depends on an understanding of what makes a story great and successful.

 The Art of Dramatic Writing by Lajos Egri
Amid the hundreds of "how-to" books that have appeared in recent years, there have been very few which attempted to analyze the mysteries of play-construction. This book does that - and its principles are so valid that they apply equally well to the short story, novel and screenplay. 
 
 The Elements of Style, 4th Edition by William Strunk & E. B. White
You know the authors' names. You recognize the title. You've probably used this book yourself. This is The Elements of Style, the classic style manual, now in a fourth edition.
A new Foreword by Roger Angell reminds readers that the advice of Strunk & White is as valuable
today as when it was first offered. This book has conveyed the principles of English style to millions of readers.

The Hero Within: Six Archetypes We Live By by Carol S. Pearson, Ph. D.
 The Hero Within has helped hundreds of thousands of people enrich their lives by revealing how to tap the power of the archetypes that exist within. Drawing from literature, anthropology, and psychology,
author Carol S. Pearson clearly defines six heroic archetypes--the Innocent, the Orphan, the Wanderer, the Warrior, the Altruist, and the Magician--and shows how we can use these powerful guides to discover our own hidden gifts, solve difficult problems, and transform our lives with rich sources of
inner strength.
 
 Writing in General and the Short Story in Particular by Rust Hills
Writing in General and the Short Story in Particular is the product of a lifetime of reflection by one of our most discriminating and brilliant literary minds. Here is a practical guide to writing short stories that explains all the essential techniques of fiction, from development of character and point
of view to methods of foreshadowing and plotting, in a way that is both understandable and useful to the aspiring writer and seasoned pro alike.
  
Writing the Breakout Novel Workbook by Donald Maass
This powerful book takes readers to the next level: improving their work with practical, hands-on lessons and exercises. With patented techniques from his popular writing workshops, Donald Maass shows fiction writers exactly how to make their work stand out from the crowd. Readers will learn how to strengthen any novel-in-progress, with sections on: building plot layers, creating inner conflict, strengthening point of view and voice, discovering larger than life character qualities, and developing the psychology of place.

  A Few Tips on How to Get Published
 
Accomplishing the art of publishing is one of those things that everyone thinks is easy until they try it.  At that time, they discover it is not easy and many people quit. So let's start with a great tip on how to be published - persistence. Don't quit. If your work is rejected ten or fifteen times, so what? It might well be accepted the eleventh or sixteenth or twenty-fifth time. Probably every writer you can name has had his or her work rejected, usually many times over.

As a for instance, nine publishers rejected Harry Potter. Aren't they kicking themselves now!

Short stories

 The secret of publication is to know the market. Choose a small number of magazines that publish stories and study them closely. Get several issues, not just one. A library is a great place to work this idea. Understand the readers of the magazines.  Who is it that buys these magazines, the elder, the young, parents or business people?  These readers will tell you who they are through the letters they send in and the questions they ask.

• Look at the advertisers - ads are targeted. What sorts of people buy these things?
• Look at the articles and features. Are they about the lives that readers lead or what readers aspire to?
• Look at the stories. You'll notice that the main character is very similar to a typical reader of that magazine. The readers can imagine themselves in that role. Do the stories help readers come to terms with events in their lives, or are they pure entertainment and escapism that allow readers to forget the real world for a few minutes?
• Every magazine's requirements are different. Study the length, the characters, the settings, the situations, the plots and themes and so on. Make your story follow the same guidelines and you're well on your way to publication. Check the guidelines, both by writing in and asking for them, or go to the website.
  
  It's generally [notice this word] not worth writing short stories in the hope of publishing a collection of them in book form. These don't sell well and even the most famous of writers have trouble. However, submit a few of your best ones for inclusion in an anthology, but don't expect huge royalty payments. Magazines are your best bet.

Novels

The next step up from writing short stories is to write a novel. Don't stop writing short stories while you work on it. There are many more short story competitions than novel competitions. When you win a short story competition and a publisher or agent calls to ask if you've ever considered writing a novel, you'll be ready and waiting.

 ·        Many publishers now only accept submissions via an agent. More will do so over the next few years, and it'll probably become the norm. In the majority of cases, approaching a publisher directly is a waste of time, so concentrate all your energies on finding a good agent instead.

·        Personal recommendation is a good way of getting a publisher or agent to read your work. Often local writer's circle will have at least one published writer who may be willing to put you in contact with their agent or publisher and give a personal recommendation. This puts you in a far stronger position than those who just send their work out cold. If your local writer's circle doesn't have any published members, try spreading your net and look for other groups in your area. You might have to travel a bit, but it'll be worth it.

·        If personal recommendation fails, turn to the Writers' and Artists' Yearbook or the Writer's Handbook and select some suitable publishers or agents. Check your local bookshop and see if you can find anything similar to your novel. Add the publishers of those books to your list.

·        It's vitally important to address your submission to an agent or publisher's editor by name. If you don't know their name, phone the company's switchboard and ask who handles the sort of books you write. In fact, editors tend to switch publishers quite frequently, so it's a good idea to phone anyway to check that they still work there. While you're on the phone, ask them how they prefer to receive submissions - the whole thing, two or three chapters, the first hundred pages - and do they want a synopsis?

·        Publishers are reluctant to consider anything that doesn't have an obvious label or genre. Romance: yes. Horror: yes. Science Fiction/Fantasy:  fine. But if you combine too many genres and come up with a thrilling gothic horror-western-crime-romance where the characters are all robot trolls... well, there aren't many publishers who will touch it no matter how well-written it is. There's no obvious shelf for it in the bookshops and therefore no obvious market.

·        Publishers generally aren't looking for a single book deal. If they decide to invest in a new writer, it's because they believe that person has potential. Their first book probably won't sell too well, but that's OK; they accept that. It takes time for a new writer to become known. The second book will sell more and the third even more. If you've written one book but have no immediate plans for another, publishers might not be quite as interested as you'd expect - unless your book is truly exceptional. You often hear of new writers offered two-book or three-book deals. Now you know why.

·        When you submit your book to a publisher, it's wise to have plans in place for a second or even third one. Mention this in your covering letter, and perhaps include a brief synopsis of them. You'll be doing yourself a big favor, both in the short term - by helping to get your first book published, and in the longer term - by guaranteeing acceptance of your future work.

 Magazine articles

As with short stories, the secret of getting articles published is to know your reader and know the magazine. Study the magazines where you plan to submit articles. Send off for their writer's guidelines.

·        The article writer's secret friend is the query letter. Write a short attention-grabbing paragraph or anecdote, then follow it up with a longer paragraph describing the article you're planning. Mention your relevant experience and expertise and previous publishing experience. Say why there's a real need for the article and the problems it will help the magazine's readers to overcome. Keep your query letter to a single page.

·        You can increase your chances of getting articles published by sending in good photographs. Magazines spend a fortune on photography and buying in the images they need. If you can supply suitable images with your article, they're far more likely to consider your article favorably.

·        Even the largest newsagent stocks only a fraction of the thousands of magazines that are available. You need to keep your eyes open wherever you go. Check doctors and dentists' surgeries, charity shops, car boot sales, libraries, the Internet. Ask friends or colleagues which they are willing to share. All of these are potential markets for your work.

·        An important point to remember is that magazines are produced several months in       advance. Get your article on the editor's desk in plenty of time. Send off a topical feature, such as one for a Christmas issue, at least six months before the publication date.

·        Don't give up on an article if it is rejected. If you do your homework, you should be able to find at least fifty markets for every single article you write. Sure, it might need a little tweaking to suit different magazines, or perhaps you'll need to attack the subject from a different angle. As soon as it's ready, send it off to the next magazine on your list and forget about it. If it is rejected fifty times then perhaps, it's time to ditch that article and concentrate on the next one!

Non-fiction books

What subjects are you an expert in? My definition of an expert is someone who knows a subject well enough that they could teach an evening class in it. Anyone can be an expert. If you don't think you could teach your subject, study it some more. Then write about it.

·        As with magazine articles, the non-fiction book writer's secret weapon is the 'proposal'. There are several good books available on writing query letters and proposals.

·        You should already be 'putting yourself about a bit' as an expert in your subject. You might be giving talks or teaching classes for example. Mention that you're writing a book when you do this. Get your audience or students to spread the word. Do everything you can to bring attention to yourself. Whenever your subject gets press coverage, stick your oar in and offer an opinion on it.

·        New angles on an old subject are usually welcomed. Many enthusiasts buy every book on their subject on which they can lay their hands. Look at us writers.

·        You can virtually guarantee that your book will be published if you include an impressive marketing plan with your proposal. Mention such things as: advertising in newsletters or magazines that you run or have close connections with; newspapers, magazines and other media who have agreed to feature you; clubs and associations whose members will be interested; speeches and presentations you give where you could sell copies; any arrangements you have with local bookshops; and so on.

·        You'll need hard evidence to get the publisher to accept your proposal. But if you can convince him that a certain number of sales are guaranteed, and that number is higher than his break-even point, and your book is good enough for publication, then published it will be.

·        And if you can't find a publisher who's interested despite your impressive marketing plan, there's always the option of publishing the book yourself. After all, selling the books is the hardest part, and you already know how to do that.

·        For all book-length projects - fiction and non-fiction - it's worth paying to have your work checked over by a professional editorial service. They'll fix all the problems with syntax, spelling, grammar and punctuation and so on. And many of them have close relationships with agents and publishers and will recommend your book to them if they think it's good enough.

Rejection

Every writer gets rejected. It's an occupational hazard. The trick is to have a positive mental attitude and not let it get to you. Have plenty of other potential publishers and markets for each piece of work. Laugh off each rejection and send your work off to the next place on your list. If it's good enough then it will find a home eventually. Don't wait for one piece of work to be accepted before starting the next. If you have several pieces of work on the go at once then it won't hurt so much if one or two of them get rejected. If you can keep ten or twenty different pieces circulating at any one time, while writing new ones to replace those that eventually find a home.

Do you remember that at the beginning of this article – that editors rejected Harry Potter nine times? Well here's a thought: those nine rejection slips are probably worth quite a bit of money now. So treasure yours.

Good luck. 

 Your query letter should be in traditional BUSINESS BLOCK STYLE.  Design simple letterhead for yourself to go at the top of your query.  Also submit the query on a good quality 81/2 X 11 sheet of paper – don’t skimp here.

LETTERHEAD

DATE

 Edward Q. Editor (Make sure to get the correct name of the proper editor)
Toot and Fly Magazine
1111 South Airport Road
Aileron, MO 63604

 Dear Mr. Editor: [Remember?  You got his/her CORRECT name, right?  It goes here]

 The First Paragraph is called “The Hook,” and for good reason.  You need to show both your writing expertise and grab the editor’s attention about your topic right here..

 The Second Paragraph – “The Pitch” – describes the idea and details of your topic.  It explains to the editor what you are offering.  If you have a working title for your piece, it goes here.

 The Third Section (2-4 paragraphs) –“ The Body” – This is the selling portion of the query letter. You break your topic into subtopics (the longer the article, the more subtopics) and describe each one, showing the editor where they will be of interest to his or her magazine’s readers.  Make it interesting!

 The Forth Section – “Your Credentials” – This is where you convince the editor that you have the background to write this article well.  List not only your writing credits, but also your education, person experiences related to the article, and your ability to interview and research the topic.  Convince the editor that the topic is in good hands.

 The Last Section – “The Close” – Thank the editor for reading your article proposal and include the estimated time to complete the article and if you are willing to edit the article on request.  Let the editor know when he/she can see the finished product.  Also include a thank you.

 Sincerely or Best Regards,  [You can also say “Thank you for your time.”]

 YOUR NAME
[If you have a title like editor, moderator, or a pertinent degree, include it after your name.  If not, just sign the query and it’s ready to go.]