Writing Advice from the Trenches Part 3

            “The most valuable of all talents is that of never using two words when one will do.” Thomas Jefferson   There’s a guy who practiced what he preached. Think about the Declaration of Independence.  Jefferson, the principal author, succinctly summarized our unalienable rights as “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” then went on to paint word pictures of King George’s disreputable actions in such concise sentences as, “He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burnt our towns and destroyed the lives of our people.” Attention new writers: find an encyclopedia and read the entire Declaration of Independence. Look closely at Jefferson’s precision, eloquence and passion. Just as young musicians play louder rather than better, inexperienced writers write more words with less purpose.  Words are powerful. Use their power like laser beams instead of shot gun blasts.       

            And finally, from Richard Bach. . . “a professional writer is an amateur who didn’t quit.”   Enough said, write on!

Writing Advice from the Trenches Part 2

“I write to teach myself what I already know”. Duane Alan Hahn  Faster than a speeding search engine, more powerful than a Ph.D. . . .look up on the screen, it’s an idea, it’s a feeling, it’s real life.” That’s right. When it comes to digging deep into the wellspring of life experiences from which good writing emerges, it is all about you. The things you hear, see, feel, touch, smell and taste offer magnificent material for writing anything from personal essays to poetry and short stories to novels. Research yourself. For a month, make a list of memories that come to mind or stories that you enjoy telling family and friends. Choose two or three that are particularly vivid. What is in those memories that represents “teachable moments” for you and a potential reader?  Draw the reader into your world, demonstrate the lesson, then gently return the reader to the present.

            “I love being a writer. What I can’t stand is the paperwork”. Peter De Vries

Successful writers are also good business managers. They learn early about the importance of researching markets, acquiring guidelines, checking for comparable works, keeping interview notes, organizing queries, tracking submissions and recording payments. This is the “paperwork” of the writing business. Writers who master these tasks with simple, orderly systems maximize their income. An expensive software program is not necessary. All that’s needed is a ledger page or tabbed index cards. Set aside one day a week to update the organizational paperwork that sustains a productive writer.

Writing Advice from the Trenches Part 1

John Steinbeck was feeling the wrath when he lamented, “No one wants advice, only corroboration.” As every writer knows, all we really need is a great idea, an uninterrupted week, a flawless grammar checker, a monster contract with a huge advance and plenty of  media interviews after the book is published. In the meantime, would you settle for a little good advice from others who have “made it”.

                        “I think I did pretty well, considering I started out with nothing but a bunch of blank paper.”  Steve Martin.   That’s funny, Steve, because it’s universal.       All writers start with a blank paper on which to pour out words. Even those computer programs promising pre-fab plot pointers are useless if the idea never gels in the writer’s brain and bursts from a heart full of excitement.

            “Writing is a combination of ditch-digging, mountain-climbing, treadmill running and childbirth. Writing may be absorbing, exhilarating, racking and relieving. But amusing? Never.”  Edna Ferber    Writing is the most exasperating job you’ll ever love. Yes, Edna, it’s plot labor. Once the work is published and the check arrives, writers easily diminish the time spent conceiving the idea, carrying the concept to delivery and surviving those cruel cuts (edits) to bring forth the finished product. Working writers work at their craft daily. Some days are a drudge. Some days are a delight. A combination of those days is how writing is refined into some thing worth reading.