Applicable Writing Advice?

Great writing tips abound. If you've been writing more than ten minutes, you've probably heard these two:  

"Write what you know."

"Show, don't tell."

While these contain great advice, there are certain words of wisdom I've found more applicable and helpful than others.

For example, years ago I came across this quote in The Elements of Style by Strunk and White:  

“Omit needless words. Vigorous writing is concise. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts.”


This was something I practiced immediately. It dovetailed perfectly with the courses I'd just completed at the Institute of Children's Literature, where they taught us the value of word economy. 

Here's another favorite from the same book:

“Do not overstate. When you overstate, the reader will be instantly on guard, and everything that has preceded your overstatement as well as everything that follows it will be suspect in his mind because he has lost confidence in your judgment or your poise.

Overstatement is one of the common faults. A single overstatement, wherever or however it occurs, diminishes the whole, and a single carefree superlative has the power to destroy, for the reader, the object of the writer’s enthusiasm.” 

 

 

This quote brings to mind the exclamation mark and its generous use everywhere. And it makes me wonder if we are a society of people who shout all the time. Or are we guilty of overstating? Or maybe both. :)

 

One veteran writer's opinion on this advised counting the number of exclamation marks in a piece. He recommended eliminating all but one, and to carefully consider even the lone remainder. Ask, he said, "Is such emphasis necessary?"  

 

Ever since reading those wisdom filled words, my use of such in formal writing is deliberate and sparse.

While some advice seems more applicable or timely than others, I'm grateful for the wealth of info at our fingertips. Always something to learn, always something to improve upon, right? 

What advice did you find most applicable when you began writing? What have you found most useful lately? 

 

Happy writing,

Karen

Photo credit: Pexels

New Writers: 5 Tips for Answering Their Questions

Every so often I get the "Questions". You've probably gotten them too. You know, when someone asks,

"How do I get started in writing?" 

or, 

"How can I get my writing published?"

So us writers, we're thinking, this isn't a question that can be answered in 5 minutes. Or even 5 hours. These are "tip of the iceberg" questions. There is no brief answer, and the response is multi-faceted. There's always something to learn, and just about the time we think we've got a grasp on things, the market changes.

And since we're busy with writing and life, we don't always have the time necessary to share all of this with the wide eyed newbie asking the question. Since I've been asked these questions many times, I decided to compile a list of 5 basic tips.


1) Take writing courses.

From webinars, workshops, and seminars, to correspondence and online classes, free and paid options abound. Just because we like to write doesn't mean we have all the necessary knowledge and skills. Good courses teach things like how and where to submit our work, how to approach an editor, and so on.

I experienced this firsthand, learning valuable skills and information from the Institute of Children's Literature courses I took years ago. They were comprehensive, lending direction and cutting the learning curve down in regard to how to write what publications want.

Here are a few recommended sites that offer great courses.

Coffeehouse for Writers
Faith Writers
Poynter's News University
Institute for Writers
Institute of Children's Writers
Writer's Digest


2) Join a writer's group.

Groups offer fellowship, support, resources, courses, workshops, conferences, and more. Find local ones through friends and colleagues, regional papers, or an online search. Organizations such as the ones above also offer online support and/or critique groups.

Other groups include The Insecure Writer's Support Group, which addresses writers of all genres, the American Christian Fiction Writers, and the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators.


3) Attend a writer's conference.

Conventions, conferences, and workshops are offered year round. National, state, and local groups sponsor ones of all sizes. Don't discount smaller offerings; just because the keynote speaker's name isn't a household word doesn't mean they don't have much to share.


4) Take advantage of great resources. 

Books, magazines, newsletters, websites, blogs - there are great resources everywhere. A few favorites include Funds for Writers, Pen and Prosper, Writer's Digest, and Writers Weekly. These types of resources  offer links, articles, forums, contests, and other great features.


5) Keep learning.

Educate yourself. It's hard work, but keep at it, learning the craft and sharpening skills. There's always something to learn. Always.


While these tips are helpful for newbies, they're also a reminder of the wonderful tools available to all writers, no matter where we are on the journey.

What do you think? Did I miss anything? What advice would you offer? What was the most helpful advice you had when starting out?

Happy writing,
Karen



Photo image: Free Images

Thursday's This & That

I can't resist sharing a few links every so often. Hope you don't mind. :)

Is children's poetry your thing? The Institute for Children's Literature is offering a Children's Poetry Contest. Hurry, deadline to enter is November 10, 2011.

If not poetry, then how about fiction for kids and young adults? Sue Bradford Edwards gives pointers on How to Avoid Parenting Your Characters at the Writer's Digest site in this article.

Jessica Bell's book, String Bridge, is making its debut this month. For info on this women's contemporary fiction novel, visit the String Bridge website, or stop by Jessica's blog. I am sure she would love to see you!

Never discount humble beginnings. Why? The proof is in this article - Before They Were Famous - The Oddest Jobs of 10 Literary Greats.

November/December 2011 classes at the Coffeehouse for Writers begin Monday, November 14. Most of you know that I am the instructor for Basic Boot Camp for Writers there. FYI: writers at any level are welcome to join Boot Camp, which is a refresher of the basics, the in between stuff, and a whole lot more, with interesting and fun prompts and assignments. Check out the other great Coffeehouse offerings, too. Classes are reasonably priced and there's something for everyone!

I am taking a break next week. Will be back on or about November 14. 

What are you doing this weekend? 

Thanks for coming by,

Karen

Photo Credit: Stock Exchange

Writing Resources

I often get questions about how to get into freelance or other writing, so thought I'd share some of my favorite writing resources. There are so many great sites, blogs, newsletters, classes, and other treasures available for all genres.

Here's a small sampling.

Funds for Writers is the brainchild of Hope Clark, and features newsletters, books, markets, contests, and grants for writers. FFW has been voted as one of Writer's Digest 101 Best Web Sites for Writers since 2001.

Writing for Dollars  is another stop chock full of articles, markets, books, a newsletter, and even a daily cartoon.

Long Ridge Writer's Group offers courses for writers, articles, chat rooms, forums, and helpful links.

LRWG is the sister school of The Institute of Children's Literature, where I took several courses (which were excellent, btw). ICL's site also has great links, chat rooms, markets, a bookstore, contests, and more.

Writing, Etc., where Beth Ann Erickson is in charge, has articles, e-courses, books, advice, and a newsletter.

Writer's Digest not only has a great magazine, their website boasts articles, tips and info, courses, and a weekly newsletter.

Coffeehouse for Writers offers t-shirts, mugs, and other gifts for writers, as well as online courses, critique groups, newsletters, links, and a blog.

This list barely scratches the surface of the resources at our fingertips, but perhaps a link or two will inspire or help on your writing journey. You know me, I'll share more links in the future. :)

What are some of your favorite writing resources or tips? What advice would you give to someone just jumping into this writing life?

Have a wonderful weekend!
Blessings,
Karen

Writing for Free?

I came across a great article by Jan Fields in a recent Institute for Children's Literature enewsletter. Jan's article, entitled Can You Profit From Writing for Free? made some great points about writing for free markets. Most of us, of course, prefer to get paid to write. Jan agrees, but she offers a few good reasons why writing for free can be a plus.

We all may have favorite places where we write for free - for a ministry or charity, or a low budget or friend's publication, among others. And of course, these and others are the places where we sometimes write to gain clips and get our name out there. Some places swap advertising for articles, not actual money perhaps, but not a terrible deal, either.

Pardon me while I step up onto the soapbox for just a second or two...

I agree with Jan, and am happy to gain more writing credits, but I still have to work to overcome my attitude about those markets that could, but just don't, pay. My thought is this: if it weren't for the writers, they would have no publication. I know, we make the choice to submit to these markets, but the injustice to writers still gets to me a bit. My husband, who is a self-employed finish carpenter, puts it this way, "What if I decided not to pay my subcontractors?"

Well, it's food for thought, but there's no use getting worked up about it. Either I trust the Lord to prosper me in my writing or I do not. How about you?

(Note that I've stepped down off of the soapbox:)

If you'd like to take a peek at Jan's article, here is the link.

http://www.institutechildrenslit.com/rx/ws06/writ4free.shtml

As always, my friends, have a wonderful and blessed day.
Happy writing!

Writing for Children?

Are you interested in writing for children? The Institute of Children's Literature has a free newsletter full of great articles, links, and other goodies. One recent issue contained market info and an article about cover letters. It also included details about an upcoming open forum, their Q & A sessions where writers can ask ICL experts questions, or participate in an interview with published authors.

To sign up for the ICL e-newsletter, visit:

http://www.institutechildrenslit.com/

ICL also offers several writing courses. These are correspondence courses, so they can be done at your convenience around your schedule. I am a happy graduate of two of their courses, and I highly recommend them. When I first enrolled, I was a bit skeptical. The brochures looked good, but I wondered how good a correspondence course could be. What a pleasant surprise it was to find comprehensive materials that covered everything from A to Z that pertained to writing for children. Their staff was friendly, professional, and helpful, and my instructors were knowledgeable, published authors who were truly interested in my success. It was a great experience, and a great springboard into my freelance writing endeavors.

Hope you have a wonderful and blessed day.
Happy writing!