Fellow scribes, check out this enlightening “Q & A” with author and writing teacher Mark David Gerson. He wrote The Voice of the Muse: Answering the Call to Write - and here, he shares a few writing tips.

First, here’s one of Gerson’s favorite life and writing quips:

“It is good to have an end to journey toward, but it is the journey that matters in the end.” - Ursula K. Le Guin

Click on the image of The Voice of the Muse: Answering the Call to Write to learn more about this book filled with tools, tips and inspiration for writers at all levels. Here’s what he has to say about everything from the best holiday gifts for writers to the worst parts of a writing career.

The Voice of the Muse: Interview With Author Mark David Gerson

What would surprise people to know about your writing process or habits?

When I’m writing fiction, I’m clueless about the story. It unfolds for me as surprisingly and in-the-moment as it does for the reader.

What’s the best holiday gift someone could give you?

Tickets to the gala premier showing of the movie version of The MoonQuest (which exists in screenplay form but has not yet been optioned for film).

What question do you think all writers should be asked? 

“Why do you write?”

Is there anything that you have published that you wish you could take back or re-do?

Not really. Nothing is ever perfect when it goes to press and, frankly, nothing is ever perfectible…other than that it’s the perfect expression of the writer in the moment of its completion. It’s important to release for me to recognize that, to do my best with each work and to then release the finished (imperfect) work into the world so I can move on to whatever’s next.

Having said that, I do wish I had included something in The Voice of the Muse about how important it is for writers to be reading - anything in any genre, as long as it’s good writing.

What advice would you give aspiring writers?

Recognize that writing is an art not a science. There are no hard-and-fast rules that work every day for every project. Be flexible. Listen to the voice of your Muse. Listen to the story. Trust the story. Trust your story. The story is smarter than you are. The story always knows best. (When I speak of “story,” by the way, I’m referring to pretty much any kind of writing - poetry or prose, fiction or nonfiction.)

What prior writing experience did you have, before getting published for the first time?

Fifteen years of freelance writing (and editing), most of it full-time.

Have you taken writing courses or attended workshops?  Were they helpful?

Quite a few years back, before I was writing fiction or teaching, I took a continuing education class on writing and creativity at the University of Toronto. It was powerfully transformative, opening me up to my creative self. It was the catalyst for many things in my life, including the kind of writing I do now and the way I teach. I don’t often attend classes or workshops anymore as I learn so much from the ones I teach!

Are you a member of a writers’ group?

Not any kind of critiquing or support group or writers’ circle. But I do attend meetings of (and have spoken at) Albuquerque’s Southwest Writers.

Do you keep a journal?

Not at this time. I have kept personal journals, dream journals and writing journals at various times in the past - and they’ve all been helpful. Sometimes, though, as I discovered during a hiatus from writing The MoonQuest, they can soak up all my writing energy. I found, at that time, that I needed to stop journaling cold turkey (ouch!) and channel all my dreams, emotional upheavals, life challenges and writing time into The MoonQuest and its characters.

Did you always want to be a writer?

Not at all! All through school I hated (read: feared) writing and anything related to creativity, gravitating instead toward math, where there was always only one right answer. Quite unconsciously, I slowly found myself easing into a writing life - first by working in public relations, later by working as a freelance writer and editor. It was that University of Toronto class I mentioned earlier that changed everything. Now, I can’t imagine not writing!

How has your writing style changed during your writing career?

When you consider that my earliest writing consisted of press releases, journalistic articles and institutional writing, I’ve traveled galaxies from those days to today, where my work is more lyrical and inspirational…not to mention fictional!

What qualities make you successful as a writer?

• The same qualities, I suppose, that I encourage my readers and workshop participants to adopt: humility, surrender, courage, trust and faith. 
• Humility before the superior knowledge of the story and its characters and imperative. Surrender to that knowledge
  Courage in the face of all that emerges through the writing that makes me uncomfortable about myself.
• Trust that one word will lead to the next and, ultimately, to the end of the story.
• Faith in myself that I can do it.

What are some of the best things about writing as a career?  What’s the downside?

• Pros: Freedom, ability to create new worlds at will, what writing teaches me about myself
• Cons: Insecurity, others’ judgments, the need to abandon all control to let the story birth through me!

Do you have a particular writing routine?

It can vary from day to day and project to project. I prefer to write first thing in the day, which insures that I get to it. Having said that, though, first thing isn’t always my most creative time. I try to be flexible where possible.

When do you get your best ideas?

When I’m quiet, open and undistracted, when I’m doing something meditative: walking in nature, soaking in the bath, driving long distances on the highway, meditating in silence or by listening to one of the tracks of The Voice of the Muse Companion.

Do you write entirely on computer or do you do any by hand?

I wrote the first two drafts of The MoonQuest longhand (and the second draft was a massive rewrite) - largely because sitting at a desk in front of a typewriter or computer brought up all the deadline pressures of my freelance life. The Voice of the Muse was written partly longhand, partly on the computer. Now, I prefer to write on the computer but will go back to pen and paper if I’m feeling stuck.

Do you experience writers’ block?

You’ll have to read the section of The Voice of the Muse titled “The Myth of Writer’s Block”! Yes, I get stuck. But I also believe that no one ever needs to be blocked, including me. I have various things I do and look at to get a clearer idea of why I’m feeling stuck and to see what, if anything, is appropriate to get me unstuck. 

Do you consider yourself primarily a writer or do you have another career, as well?

I lead writing/creativity workshops, coach writers and guide authors through the self-publishing process and give talks about writing and creativity. I also coach non-writers as a life/spiritual coach and do inspirational/motivational/spiritual speaking. As I wrote earlier, all these various tracks have a single goal: to help people awaken, acknowledge and express their highest potential, however that shows up for them. In addition to all that, I do some art on the side and, am pleased to say, have sold prints of many of my drawings over the years.

How do the skills you’ve developed in one field (eg, your current career, or a former job, or volunteer work, etc) help in your writing career?

I would say the reverse, that what I’ve learned about writing (humility, surrender, courage, trust and faith) have helped me in every other part of my life.

What is your educational background? Work experience?

I have no formal writing (or artistic) training. In fact, little that I’ve been successful at over the years is credentialed in any way! I have an undergraduate business degree from Concordia University in Montreal and have worked, as I said, in public relations and as a freelance publicist, writer and editor. Over the years, I’ve also driven a taxi on Maui, done food demos at Costco, worked in time share, sold art, fossils, minerals and crystals in a gallery and been an energy healer doing vocal sound healing (which I still occasionally do). 

Mark David Gerson’s bio: I’ve taught writing as a creative and spiritual pursuit for more than 15 years in the U.S. and my native Canada, helping both novice and seasoned writers to deepen their creativity, move through creative blocks and answer their call to write. I’ve also worked with non-writers as an inspirational speaker and life/spiritual coach. Whoever I’m working with, whatever I’m writing, my goal is to help people connect with their innate wisdom, move more easily through life’s challenges and awaken to their highest potential.

I’m the author of two books and creator of a 2-CD set of guided meditations for writers: 

• The MoonQuest: A True Fantasy, winner of two regional and three national awards; 
• The Voice of the Muse: Answering the Call to Write, a book filled with tools, tips and inspiration for writers at all levels; and 
• The Voice of the Muse Companion: Guided Meditations for Writers, a 2-CD set that works alongside or independently from The Voice of the Muse book.

At present, I’m working on a sequel to The MoonQuest.

Gerson’s websites:

• Personal site: www.markdavidgerson.com
• Blog about writing: www.thevoiceofyourmuse.com
• Inspirational blog: www.newearthchronicles.com
• Books’ site: www.lightlinesmedia.com
• Upcoming events: www.booktour.com/author/mark_david_gerson

I just signed on with the Irene Goodman Literary Agency in NYC, and though nobody knows what the future holds, I’m thrilled to reach this milestone in my writing career! It took me three weeks to find an agent - and here are the steps I took.

First, though, I gotta share a quip I found from Irene Goodman herself:

“Writing is your job, just like your postman has a job,” says Goodman. “He delivers the mail every day, rain or shine. Successful authors sit down and face that blank screen every day. You don’t actually have to do it every day, but you do have to do it on a firm schedule…If you write only when the muse strikes or when you feel like it, you will have a very hard time finishing a book.”

These are unverified words - I found them on the internet - but boy do I love them! At a writer’s conference recently, bestselling author Bob Mayer said he can’t afford writer’s block. He’s got bills to pay and a family to feed…no time to wait around for the muse.

Regarding agents: click on the 2009 Guide to Literary Agents for oceans of info, and read on to learn how I found special agent Jon Sternfeld.

12 Steps to Finding a Literary Agent

I’m (currently) a nonfiction writer, but the following tips are also applicable to novelists, poets, children’s writers, etc. The major difference is that, unless they’re Stephen King, fiction writers need to write the book first. Nonfiction writers can get an agent with just a well-written book proposal and 2-3 sample chapters…

1. Hammer out your idea. It should go without saying that you need a great hook, a well-thought-out idea, and strong writing skills to catch an agent’s attention…but I have to say it anyway. I know that writers rush in where fools fear to go (no offense, fellow scribes! I’m one of the quickest writers out of the starting gate, which often backfires). Also important - make sure you’re building your writer’s platform.

2. Prepare an airtight book proposal. My favorite resource is Elizabeth Lyon’s Nonfiction Book Proposals Anybody can Write (Revised and Updated). However, I see that Stephen Blake Mettee recently released The Fast Track Course on How to Write a Nonfiction Book Proposal, which might be worth a peek. There are lots of book on the market about book proposals; read as many as you can stomach, then trust your gut when you’re actually writing your book proposal.

3. Polish your proposal until it sparkles. The first agent I talked to (not Sternfeld at Irene Goodman) said he can’t believe how unprepared and unprofessional writers can be! Don’t just edit your book proposal (or novel) until it’s finished…edit it until there’s absolutely no way you can make it better.

4. Research agents. Use the 2009 Guide to Literary Agents, explore Predators & Editors, or Google ”literary agents in America/Canada.” I also asked a colleague for her agent’s name, she emailed him, he emailed me, we spoke later that day, and he sent me a contract a couple days later. I didn’t sign on with him - I’ll tell you why soon.

5. Follow the submission guidelines. The websites I visited had clear submission guidelines. Take them seriously - you’ll stand out.

6. Query far and wide. I don’t know if all agents and writers are on the same page here, but agent Janet Reid recommends sending your query to as many agents as possible. I e-mailed 14 of the “highly recommended” ones on Predators & Editors.

7. Chill. Move on to something else while you’re waiting - pitch a few magazine article ideas, play around with a new book idea, catch up on your blog. It took Sternfeld less than a week to contact me - but it can take longer. Sometimes years.

8. Respond. Sternfeld emailed a request for a phone conversation less than a week after I sent my book proposal, and I emailed him back a few minutes later. We talked within half an hour - I think we both wanted to strike while the iron was hot!

9. Make sure he’s riding your wave. It can be tempting to sign on with the first agent you talk to, but hold up a second. The first one I spoke with (my colleague’s agent) suggested a fairly significant change to my book. That didn’t light my fire, but I’m open to thinking about stuff. He sent the contract and left the ball in my court…and I decided not to play with him. Sternfeld, however, was thrilled with my book proposal! “Even if you don’t sign with me,” he said, “don’t change anything about your book. It’s great the way it is.” Finer words were never spoken.

10. Read the contract. Maybe it’s necessary to have a lawyer review an agent’s contract before you sign it…and maybe not. I signed on with Irene Goodman without a lawyer’s rubber stamp (but I did compare it to my other contract - which was 5 pages long. Goodman’s was a page).

11. Do a “background check” on the agency. I did this step twice: first when I researched literary agents, and then again when I was offered a contract. It was easy with Irene Goodman, as they’ve been around for 30 years, are highly recommended on Predators & Editors, and are reverred on the Absolute Write forums. But, do make sure you research your agent’s name and the agency’s name - you may not be able to look under every rock, but it’s worth a shuffle through the forest.

12. Sign, and celebrate! As I said, who know what the future holds - but signing with an agent is definitely a milestone to celebrate. But don’t party too hard tonight, fellow scribes, because tomorrow morning you gotta get back to work.

Visit the Irene Goodman Literary Agency for more info - plus they have links to some good articles about writing…

In this guest post, writer William Meikle describes how to write a “killer opening line” and keep your readers hooked.

But first, I have to share a quip from Annie Dillard on how to be a successful writer:

“One of the few things I know about writing is this: spend it all, shoot it, play it, lose it, all, right away, every time,” says Dillard. “Do not hoard what seems good for a later place in the book, or for another book: give it, give it all, give it now. The impulse to save something good for a better place later is the signal to spend it now. Something more will arise for later, something better. These things fill from behind, from beneath, like well water.”

Take Annie Dillard’s advice and shmoosh it in with William Meikle’s writing tips below, and you’ll be a writer of leads that hook readers before you know it!  To get a feel for Meikle’s writing (he’s the author of 9 books and several screenplays), click on his scary book cover.

 A Published Novelist Explains How to Write a Killer Opening Line

Starting writing is like casting a hook into a river. The opening line is probably the single most important sentence you are going to write in your piece. Over the years writers have spent large chunks of their creative time getting the “right” start, the one that will draw readers in and make them move on to the second sentence, then the third, until they are hooked. Then the writer can relax a bit and reel the readers in at a more leisurely pace.

Have a look at these four examples. You don’t need to know where they came from… just read them for now.

“It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.”

“All children, except one, grow.”

“Call me Ishmael.”

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was an age of wisdom, it was an age of foolishness, it was an epoch of belief, it was an epoch of incredulity, it was a season of light, it was a season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair …”

Note that they are all declarative, but they also all set questions running in the reader’s mind. “Who is this single man with a good fortune?”, “Which child does not grow?”, “Why should we call you Ishmael?”, “When is this book set, and where would all these opposites apply at the same time?”

These four sentences, from books considered to be classics, all set up the story with an opening that carries an echo of the content of the rest of the book, and an implied question that creates a desire in the reader to move on and find out more. And all four carry enough resonance that you can probably have a guess at the books they came from. more than 100 years after they were written.

Not bad for a single sentence.

One trick I’ve practised is to take an opening sentence from another writers book, and construct a possible plot from it. You too could try using other authors opening sentences as a springboard to unlocking your own creations.

Just remember to hook your reader first, otherwise they’ll just be another one that got away.

About Guest Author William Meikle: “I’m a Scottish writer with nine novels published in the genre press, and short story credits in thirteen countries and six languages,” says Meikle. “My most recent sales are to the current Wrongworld DVD anthologies “Halloween” and “Teachers.”  I have also had four short films produced from my scripts, with four more currently in production.” For more info about this successful writer, visit Meikle’s blog.

Okay, this list of the best holiday and other gifts for writers does not include books! Instead, it’s a round up of ideas for the writer in your life - whether you’re married to an unpublished poet or celebrating her 52^nd week on the New York Times bestseller list!

First, a quip from William Zinsser:

“There’s not much to be said about the period,” wrote William Zinsser, “except that most writers don’t reach it soon enough.”

Don’t write in long, complicated sentences, k? Read Zinsser’s On Writing Well to for more crucial writing tips - or click on the cover to explore whether you think the book is the right gift for the writer in your life.

And, read on for some really great gifts for writers…

The Best Birthday, Anniversary, and Holiday Gifts for Writers

Tickets to see a “real” writer. Last year, Elizabeth Gilbert (author of Eat, Pray, Love) spoke at a huge theatre in North Vancouver, BC - and it was sold out months in advance! Something like this - tickets to see a writer in action - would be a great holiday gift for writers.

A writing conference. Boy, if you can swing a complete gift package to a writer’s conference for three or four nights, you’ll be in your writer’s best books for life! This is probably the #1 holiday gift my hubby could ever give me (are you reading this, Bruce?). A writing conference in Mexico, Hawaii, Costa Rica, or California…

A subscription to a writing magazine. There aren’t that many to choose from, but Writer’s Digest, The Writer, and Writing Magazine are popular. If the writer you know already subscribes to a writing magazine, then you can simply extend the subscription! Or, subscribe to something different, to take your writer out of her comfort zone.

Gift cards to Chapters, Indigo, Amazon, etc. Even a $20 gift card can buy several items at these stores - and the writer isn’t limited to books!

New writing tools & software. Okay, I’m not up on the cool new writing gadgets on the market, but I know stuff is out there. I’m thinking about writing software programs, such as Scrivener (Macs only) or a similar thing for PC’s. Writing tools are always high on a scribe’s list.

Journals & notebooks. A writer can never have too many pretty or manly journals or notebooks for jotting ideas, writing quips and tips, or random thoughts.

“Pampers.” I get regular full body massages, so it’s not a good gift for this writer, but last year Bruce gave me a pedicure/manicure/facial at a day spa. It was relaxing and pampering - and almost as good as a massage! A great holiday gift for writers is something that pampers and relaxes them.

Unique gifts for artists. Google “unique gifts for artists”, and websites like Gifts for Artists bubble to the service. They have a great page called “Gift Ideas for Writers” - and feature stuff like a way cool motivational clock for writers (it says “keep writing”!).

Time. If the writer in your life has kids or other responsibilities that take time and energy (like housecleaning, cleaning the car, gardening, etc), then give the gift of time. Offer to take care of the kids, or hire a cleaner for a couple cleaning sessions. Garden, mow the lawn, or clean the car.

Fellow scribes, if you have more ideas for great gifts for writers, please share them here..or send the gifts directly to me at Box 686, Bowen Island, British Columbia… :-)  just kidding - that’s not my real address, and if you sent them there, they’d get lost.

I didn’t do a great job my first time out of the gate. Why? Because I tried to write copy as if I were the person in question. This resulted in a very stilted, stuffy prose that didn’t do anything for my writing. I reevaluated my methods for ghostwriting and did something else the next time I was on deck. I wrote the copy in the same way that I always like to write and then attributed it to the person in question.

And it was so, so much better than before.

Ghostwriting Tips: When Clients Have Changes to Ghostwritten Copy and Content

Now when you’re ghostwriting for someone else, inevitably, they’re going to have some changes. Because it’s their project and they want to feel like they are a part of the process. I don’t get upset by this. That’s the nature of being a copywriter. And the client is well within their rights to offer suggestions and to provide input into a finished project.

If I feel strongly about something that I have written or if I am concerned that content written by the client could hurt the way that they’re perceived by customers or clients, I’ll explain this to them. Part of why they hire me is so that I can give them that all-important outsider’s perspective. If you can rationally explain why changes are needed, and back up your input with fact, it’s usually welcomed. In fact, I don’t remember ever having an issue with a client over content changes and suggestions. Usually, they welcome new ideas and a fresh perspective.

If you’re looking to bust into ghostwriting, or if you write press releases or content that’s attributed to others, just remember: don’t try to be something that you’re not.

Copywriting Tips: Copywriters. Do It. With Creativity

I’m a copywriter at heart, so I often think about how words on paper will “sound” to the reader. And I like to think about how to make the most of their appearance, too. I’d argue that some of the most interesting- and eye-catching- copy written took some liberties using the English language.

I’m pretty Freewheelin’ with My Capitalization. And I really like. Using periods. For emphasis. I even have the upfrontery to make up words, because I like the way they look- and sound.

If you’re a writer and you’re trying to make a point, consider manipulating the English language in a way that suits you. You’ll stand out. The Word Police of the world may not like it, but they’re not the ones getting paid to write for a living- you are.

You don’t have to throw away your AP Style Guide. Just put it on a shelf. As a reminder that someone, somewhere, made up all of those rules, too.

About Guest Author Lisa Nichols: Lisa is a Portland, Oregon-based freelance writer and the creator of the Rose City Journal Blog. She’s also the Business Travel Feature Writer at Suite101.

As a writer, it’s all too easy to concentrate on the mechanics of submitting work to editors and to forget that the writing itself is of primary importance. We should all be constantly seeking to improve. If we do that, editorial approval will become that much easier.

To that end, here are five things you can start doing today that will immediately improve your writing - and with it your chances of getting published.

5 Ways to Immediately Improve Your Writing

1. Improve your vocabulary. Buy a good dictionary, and learn a word every day. Play around with it, using it in sentences, in dialogue and description. As you go along, make a list of the words you’ve learned. At the end of the month, try to write down a definition beside each word. If you can’t remember what the word means, look it up again, play with it again, and leave it on the list for another month. I guarantee your vocabulary will grow in leaps and bounds.

2. Read more. You can’t come up with an original idea unless you know what isn’t original.. So read as widely as you can, both within your chosen area and beyond. I write, and read, horror fiction, but I also read the classics, crime fiction, science-fiction, fantasy and the occasional airport blockbuster. I also read non-fiction, in the fields of astronomy, biology, parapsychology, archaeology, religious history and mythology. Everything is grist to the mill, and little is ever wasted. If nothing else, it allows you to feel superior while watching “The Weakest Link”.

3. Deconstruct writing that works. When you read something that strikes you as a fine piece of writing, or something that has had success in your chosen area, go back and read it again. This time take notes:

• What caught your attention about the writing?
• What does the writer do that you don’t?
• Would you have done it differently? If so, what makes what you’ve just read better?

You can also do this when you see bad writing. After a while, you’ll find yourself doing it automatically with almost everything you read. From the notes you can make up a list of writing tips for yourself. Add to it as you go along, read it often, and follow your own guidance. Improvements will follow.

4. Edit yourself. You have to develop a thick skin, and an ability to look at your work dispassionately. After you’ve written something, put it away for a few days, then come back and look at it critically.

• Cheque yure speling
• Grammar your check
• Remove any superfluous unnecessary adjectives
• Remove any repeating repetitious repetition
• Are your verbs will use the right tense?
• If you are writing about a man, is she the right gender?
• Never use a long word when a short individual will do

Hone your work until it is as good as you can make it. If you don’t respect your writing, how can you expect anyone else to do so?

5. Read your work out loud. Reading aloud enables you to check the rhythm of your work. Check that your writing flows. If it feels uncomfortable to say it, it’s time to rewrite.

At the same time, check your sentence lengths. If you need to take a breath in mid-sentence, then it probably needs editing. You might feel self-conscious at first, but stick with it. I’ve found this to be one of the best ways to find your writer’s voice.

Go on. Start now. You’ll feel the benefits immediately, and you’ll be a better writer for it. And that’s what we all want, isn’t it?

About Guest Author William Meikle: “I’m a Scottish writer with nine novels published in the genre press, and short story credits in thirteen countries and six languages,” says Meikle. “My most recent sales are to the current Wrongworld DVD anthologies “Halloween” and “Teachers.”  I have also had four short films produced from my scripts, with four more currently in production.” For more info about this successful writer, visit Meikle’s blog.

A Writer’s Bonus! Here’s the link to Missy Frye’s Just Write Blog Carnival - an informative compendium of encouragement for writers, freelance writing tips, info on the writing life, and a whole host of writing tips.

In Writer’s Market 2009, there’s a great “Query Letter Clinic” (an article) that describes how to write a query letter for a magazine. I’ve summarized the main points below, and included a sample of a good nonfiction magazine query.

But first, fellow scribes:

“Write while the heat is in you. The writer who postpones the recording of his thoughts uses an iron which has cooled to burn a hole with. He cannot inflame the minds of his audience.” - Henry David Thoreau

It’s the same with writing query letters! I’ve realized dozens of fabulous ideas for articles while I’m running through the forest, listening to CBC…and then I let them get cold because I don’t write them down. Then they’re dead. Useless.

Don’t “postpone the recording of your thoughts”, fellow scribes. Doing it now is the first step to writing a query letter! It’s later than you think…

How to Write Query Letters for Magazine Articles

“The query letter is often the most important piece of the publishing puzzle,” say the experts in Writer’s Market 2009. “In many cases, it determines whether an editor or agent will even read your manuscript. 

1. Be convincing. Since your goal is to sell your article or manuscript, you need to be enthusiastic (but don’t use too many exclamation marks!!!!!).

2. Get specific immediately. “The most effective query letters get into the specifics from the very first line,” say the experts in Writer’s Market 2009. “It’s important to remember that the query letter is a call to action, not a listing of features and benefits.”

3. Include some biographical information. Here’s what I say at the end of my query letters to magazines I’ve never written for before: “I’m a published writer; visit theAdventurousWriter.com  for links to my most recent articles. My credits include MSN Health, Woman’s Day, Health, Reader’s Digest, Glow, alive and sometimes More. I’m the Feature Writer for Psychology Suite101; my degrees are in Psychology and Education.”

4. Don’t mention money. Your goal is to get paid at least $1 per word (okay, that’s my goal) - but don’t mention money in your query letter. The experts in Writer’s Market 2009 say, “This step comes after an editor has agreed to take on your article or book. Besides making an unprofessional impression on an editor, it can also work to your disadvantage in negotiating your fee. If you ask for too much, an editor may not even contact you to see if a lower rate might work. If you ask for too little, you may start an editorial relationship where you are making far less than the normal rate.”

5. Follow the rules. Use a normal font and typeface (such as Times New Roman, 12 point), address a specific editor (such as the managing editor or assigning editor), and limit your query letter to one page. Include your name, address, phone number, e-mail address, and website.

6. Follow up. Okay, I’m the worst writer in the world for following up. I never contact an editor after emailing a query letter - though I have heard that writers get assignments when they do! The experts who wrote Writer’s Market 2009 recommend following up after the magazine’s response time has lapsed. “Then, you should send a short and polite e-mail describing the original query sent, the date it was sent, and asking if they received it or made a decision regarding its fate.”

“The importance of remaining polite and businesslike when following up cannot be stressed enough,” say these writers. “Making a bad impression on an editor can often have a ripple effect - as that editor may share his or her bad experience with other editors at the magazine or publishing company.”

Ouch.

Now, here’s a “Good Nonfiction Magazine Query” from Writer’s Digest 2009:

Editor’s Name

Editor’s Address

Dear Editor (insert real name here),

There are 87 varieties of organic crops grown in the United States, but there’s only one farm producing 12 of these - the Morganic Corporation.

Located in the heart of Arkansas, this company spent the past decade providing great organic crops at a competitive price helping them grow into the ninth leading organic farming operation in the country. Along the way, they developed the most unique organic offering in North America.

As a seasoned writer with access to Richard Banks, the founder and president of Morganic, I propose writing a profile piece on Banks for your Organic Shakers department. After years of reading this riveting column, I believe the time has come to cover Morganic’s rise in the organic farming industry.

The piece would run in the normal 800-1,200 word range with photographs available of Banks and Morganic’s operation.

I’ve been published in Arkansas Farmer’s Deluxe, Organic Farming Today, and in several newspapers.

Thank you for your consideration of this article. I hope to hear from you soon.

Sincerely,

Your Name, Address, E-Mail

And you, fellow scribes? Do you have any advice on writing query letters for magazine articles?

Stephen King’s book On Writing was really difficult for him to write - and the first half was difficult for me to read. Nevertheless, I’ve pulled seven writing quips and tips from his book - and I know there’s more!

First, a quip from the King of Horror:

“If you want to be a writer, you must do two things about all others: read a lot and write a lot,” says King. “Reading is the creative center of a writer’s life. I take a book with me everywhere I go, and find there are all sorts of opportunities to dip in.”

I’ve heard oceans of praise about Stephen King’s On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, but I couldn’t get into it. I started reading it, but it was all about his life and early experiences as a writer…where were the writing tips and quips? It turns out they’re there…but they don’t appear until midway through the book. Luckily, some kind reader and fellow library borrower indicated King’s best writing advice with light pencil marks and earmarked pages. 

And these, I share with you. 

Writing Tips and Quips From Stephen King

1. Read bad writing. “One learns most clearly what not to do by reading bad prose - one novel like Asteroid Miners (or Valley of the Dolls, Flowers in the Attic, and The Bridges of Madison County, to name just a few) is worth a semester at a good writing school, even with the superstar guest lecturers thrown in,” writes King. I think it’s also important to learn why it’s bad writing, because knowing it doesn’t work but not knowing why isn’t very helpful.

2. Read good writing. “Good writing teaches the learning writer about style, graceful narration, plot development, the creation of believable characters, and truth-telling,” writes King. “A novel like The Grapes of Wrath [by John Steinbeck] may fill a new writer with feelings of despair and good old-fashioned jealousy - ‘I’ll never be able to write anything that good, not if I live to be a thousand’ - but such feelings can also serve as a spur, goading the writer to work harder and aim higher.” The trick is not letting good writing paralyze you or kill the muse.

3. Set your writing schedule. “My own schedule is pretty clear-cut,” writes King. “Mornings belong to whatever is new - the current composition. Afternoons are for naps and letters. Evenings are for reading, family, Red Sox games on TV, and any revisions that just cannot wait. Basically, mornings are my prime writing time.” Me too! But then I spend my mornings blogging…which I really must stop doing. I’ve got 5 articles to work on, and here I am writing about Stephen King’s writing quips and tips…it’s just another form of procrastination.

4. Use the key to good description. “The key to good description begins with clear seeing and ends with clear writing, the kind of writing that employs fresh images and simple vocabulary,” writes King. “I began learning my lessons in this regard by reading Chandler, Hammett, and Ross MacDonald; I gained perhaps even more respect for the power of compact, descriptive language from reading T.S. Eliot and William Carlos Williams.”

5. Take six weeks off. “If you’ve never done it before, you’ll find reading your book over after a six-week layoff to be a strange, often exhilarating experience,” writes King. “For me, the most glaring errors I find on the re-read have to do with character motivation (related to character development but not the same).”

6. Edit yourself. “During that reading [after the six week layoff], the top part of my mind is concentrating on story and toolbox concerns: knocking out pronouns with unclear antecedents, adding clarifying phrases where they seem necessary, and of course, deleting all the adverbs I can bear to part with,” writes King.

7. Build a coherent story. “Underneath, however, I’m asking myself the Big Questions. The biggest: Is this story coherent? And if it is, what will turn coherence into a song? What are the recurring elements? Do they entwine and make a theme? What I want most of all is resonance, something that will linger for a little while in the Constant Reader’s mind (and heart) after he or she has closed the book and put it up on the shelf.” Resonance isn’t just in fiction writing - fellow scribes, you know you’ve resonated with a great article or nonfiction book before.

Fellow scribes, there are more valuable writing quips and tips in On Writing, but you’ll have to dig them out yourselves!  Me, I have five articles to work on…and the morning is half over…

In this guest post, author and psychologist Dr. Paulette Kouffman Sherman, Ph.D., describes how to stay in the zone and succeed as a writer. 

First, a quip from Arthur Hailey on how to be a successful writer:

“I set myself 600 words a day as a minimum output, regardless of the weather, my state of mind or if I’m sick or well,” says Hailey. “There must be 600 finished words - not almost right words. Before you ask, I’ll tell you that yes, I do write 600 at the top of my pad every day, and I keep track of the word count to insure I reach my quota daily - without fail.”

Combine Arthur Hailey’s advice with Dr Sherman’s writing tips below, and you’ll be a happily published author before you know it!  Click on the book cover - Dating from the Inside Out: How to Use the Law of Attraction in Matters of the Heart - for more information about Dr Sherman’s most recent book, and read on for her tips on staying in the zone as a writer…

How to Stay in “The Zone” & Succeed as a Writer

1. Remember your role models. For the many writer horror stories, there are many successes.  So pick a few writers who inspire you and think about what they went through to get where they are.  If they could do it, you can too!

2. Visualize your own success. It is hard to remain positive when you get those rejection letters but your state of mind is imperative.  Take some time each day when walking or before going to sleep to visualize your success.  See yourself on Oprah sharing the message of your book and changing lives.  Picture your book on the shelf at Barnes and Noble.  You get the idea.

3. Concentrate. Set aside time where you do not answer the phone, watch television or think about anything else.  Just write!  You may need a big chunk of quiet time to get on a roll and achieve ‘writers mind.’  Create that space and time for yourself so the magic can happen.

4. Prioritize. Sometimes this means giving up most of your television shows or taking half of Saturday just to write.  If you really want to be a writer than you need to walk your talk and put it towards the top of your list of priorities.  Think about what you are willing to give up in order to do what you love.

5. Persist. You will probably get many rejections but do not let this stop you.  You need to keep believing in yourself no matter what and keep trying.  Make a commitment to sending a certain number of things a week and do this no matter what the results.

6. Educate yourself. Look up blogs (like this one), books, take classes and do informational interviews with agents, publishers and editors to discover what you need to know to succeed.  Empower yourself with expert knowledge.

7. Develop a dream team. If you want to be a writer, surround yourself with people who believe in you and can help.  This may be great teacher, other writers, an agent or publicist.  See what is possible for you now and take a step to add to your team.  This will only make you stronger.

8. Create a platform. Develop an audience and a number of pursuits that support your expertise will strengthen your position.  This can include speaking, teaching, being an expert in the media, developing your credentials and expertise in your niche area etc.

9. Learn from mistakes. We all make them so why not let it improve our skill.  If you get feedback with your rejections, think it over and improve this going forward.  You just got free feedback from an expert teacher that you can use.  Consider if it is useful and work on it.  It will make you a better writer in the end.

10. Keep your day job. Stability is a great thing when you are going after your dream.  Find a way to pay your bills that is reliable and separate from your writing (at first).  This way when you do write, you will be able to write what you love and direct your own course. 

Dr. Paulette Kouffman Sherman’s bio: She’s the author of Dating from the Inside Out: How to Use the Law of Attraction in Matters of the Heart, an award winner of the National ‘Best Books Award 2008′, in the category of Self-Help: Relationships.  Dr. Sherman is a psychologist and director of My Dating School in Manhattan. She’s also a dating expert on television, radio and magazines.

And you, fellow scribes? What are your quips and tips for freelance writers?

A logical, satisfying ending is always required in a short story, but how do you ensure that yours is fresh and new? One of the ways is to avoid the obvious. Here are some common endings seen by editors: use them at your peril.

People have been writing stories for a very long time. If you’ve read a similar ending in a story or seen it in a film, you can bet the editor will be aware of it, too. There are only so many original endings to go around - and here’s how to make sure yours is one of them!

(Note from Laurie: William Meikle has written nine novels and numerous scripts - so listen up, fellow scribes! This is good advice, from Meikle as a guest author. He also wrote How Did JK Rowling Do It? At the end of this article is a link to his blog)…

10 Short Story Endings to Avoid

1. And then I woke up.
The ‘Dallas’ gambit. This approach is nothing more than a cop-out for people with no imagination. Stories should reach a logical conclusion that satisfies the reader and resolves any conflicts. This method does neither.

2. And then I died.
The ‘Weird Tales’ gambit. This one turned up regularly in horror tales during the early part of last century, until it was overplayed by HP Lovecraft, among others. A diary which ends in a string of nonsense words as a crawling terror from beyond comes for the author was fine the first time out, but most editors have seen it too many times.

3. And I found out I’d been dead all along.
The ‘Sixth Sense’ gambit. This is an old one, which is why people who were well read in the genre spotted the twist very early in M Night Shyamalan’s film. An overused variation is to have someone breaking out of a coffin after a supposedly premature burial. Don’t do it; the editor will see it coming from a mile away.

4. And they called them Adam and Eve.
The ‘Bible’ gambit or, as Michael Moorcock puts it, Shaggy God stories. If you start with a nuclear holocaust or human colonists on a new planet, make sure you don’t use this ending or the story will be bounced back to you straight away. The other trap to avoid is having a computer become a god. That avenue was new in the ’40s, but these days an editor will laugh himself out of his chair.

5. And then I saw the fangs, just before he bit me
The ’singles bar pick-up’ gambit. With this worn-out ending, a person visits a bar and is seduced by a pale, interesting stranger who turns out to be a vampire, a ghost, a werewolf or an alien. There are several variations seen nowadays, such as same-gender meetings and graphic sex scenes before the revelation, but the stories are all the same and editors know it.

6. And then I caught up with the ‘@!* who’d done me wrong and shot the @’!** out of them.
The ‘Death Wish’ gambit is the beloved technique of Michael Winner fanatics and gun-nuts. It makes for a very dull story unless you can bring style, energy and a unique vision to it, in which case you’d probably be better off trying to sell it as a film treatment. There’s a long tradition of revenge movies, but in the written word they all come across as being very similar.. A variant on this handling is the Charles Atlas gambit, where the weedy nerd becomes a kung-fu expert to wreak revenge on his tormentors. Don’t be tempted to use this angle. Editors will know what’s coming.

7. And the next day I read in the paper that he’d died.
The ‘I talked to a ghost’ gambit. This practice turned up frequently in Victorian literature. It’s usually no more than an anecdote turned into a story. Variations include talking to someone who is later discovered to be the victim of a plane crash, an automobile wreck or a major catastrophe. Editors see a slew of these after a natural disaster, but whatever caused the person’s death, the stories are all the same.

8. And it was a man in a mask all along.
The ‘Scooby-Doo’ gambit. Pretend spooks are a cliché. The whole story builds up a sense of supernatural menace, only to reveal a human agency behind it all. It won’t usually get past an editor but if it does, readers will feel disappointed and let down.

9. And it was my evil twin; we were separated at birth.
The ‘doppelganger’ gambit. Stephen King got away with this in The Dark Half and Dean Koontz pulled off a variation by making both twins evil in Shivers, but unless you have their style and wit, you shouldn’t attempt it. Another variation, beloved of the romantics among us, is to have the protagonist find out they’re really the son, daughter or sibling of a rich family. This mode is really just wishful thinking on behalf of the writer. You shouldn’t be sharing your daydreams with editors.

10. I’m really a dog/cat/demon/alien.
The ‘non-human storyteller’ gambit is tried and tested. That’s the problem. If you don’t leave any clues to the fact, the reader will feel the ending is a cop-out. If you do leave clues, the reader and your editor will spot the ending coming unless you’re very good at disguising the fact.

About Guest Author William Meikle: “I’m a Scottish writer with nine novels published in the genre press, and short story credits in thirteen countries and six languages,” says Meikle. “My most recent sales are to the current Wrongworld DVD anthologies “Halloween” and “Teachers.”  I have also had four short films produced from my scripts, with four more currently in production.” For more info about this successful writer, visit Meikle’s blog.