Writing and Publishing News from

I’m back, but not completely. The flu bug still has a hold on me. So much for this year’s flu shot. Have any of you contracted the flu this year after having the shot? I should have known the shot was no good—my arm didn’t even hurt afterward. Usually I go around with a pretty achy arm for a few days.

I must say, however, that I’m working again. Isn’t it wonderful to be able to work at home where no one can see how you look or catch what you have?

Today’s topic involves clichés. What is a cliché? It’s a trite, predictable, overused phrase.

Frankly, I love clichés. I speak in clichés. I don’t know why. I guess because it is easier than coming up with fresh statements and you know you will be understood if you use a time-tested, familiar phrase. Sometimes I make up clichés. How do I do that? By tweaking a real cliché into something similar, but original. But then, it isn’t actually a cliché, is it?

In writing, however, we are cautioned against using clichés at all—except in dialog when your character has a habit of spewing clichés, of course; when this is part of his personality. In narrative writing all professionals recommend that you avoid clichés like the plague. (Oops, there’s a cliché.)

Instead of saying, “That night, it rained cats and dogs,” say, “The trio drove right into a Nor Easter and the fierce storm tormented them throughout the night.”

Instead of, “He took off like a bat out of hell,” try describing the details of the scene—color of car, how he slid into the seat, turned on the engine and slammed his foot down on the accelerator. Or keep it simple and say that white smoke spewed from under his back tires and everyone heard a squeal when he took off. Or say, “He was obviously in a big hurry.”

Instead of saying, “He was wasting his breath as far as I was concerned,” say, “I wasn’t interested in a lying word he said.”

Rather than “That’s something you don’t see much in this day and age,” try, “The last time anyone saw that was at a disco club in the ‘60s.”

This week, if you’re not down with the flu, take a look at your current manuscript and scan it for clichés. I’d like to know how many of them you find and how you changed them to make your writing more fresh.

I’m offering an unadvertised special on my book these next few weeks. Send me a check for $19.85 to Patricia Fry, PMB 123, 323 E. Matilija St., Ste. 110, Ojai, CA 93023 and I will ship you one copy of “The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book.” That’s $15.00 for the book and $4.85 for flat rate priority shipping. Learn more about this extremely useful book here:
http://www.matilijapress.com/rightway.html

Offer ends November 5th, 2009.

Have your favorite writing-related newsletters and magazines changed over time? Are you less inclined to read them from cover to cover? What has happened? You used to study every article, read every case history and profile, view every recommended link. And now you either simply scan them or delete them without reading. Why?

I can answer for myself. My reasons involve change. In some cases, my needs and educational/research requirements have changed and in others, the publication has changed.

This morning, I deleted the current issue of my once-upon-a-time very most all-time favorite e-newsletter. I just can’t bring myself to pour through the numerous advertisements and personal gripes and spitefulness in search of the few useful bits of info and articles that might appear.

Other newsletters I subscribe to and once enjoyed carry way too much personal promotion now.

Some have changed their focus and style to something unrecognizable. And others have become erratic in their delivery.

I’m sure that you have been affected by changes in your preferred writing/publishing-related newsletters and magazines, as well. In some cases, it is you who has changed. You are no longer writing fiction; you have decided to produce a book and are more interested in publications related to publishing than writing; you are actively seeking outlets for your short stories or articles.

And all of this is okay. We need what we need and we should spend our precious time with the material that will help us to move forward and to succeed in our chosen area of expertise or interest. But be sure that you do seek out the information that will help you on your journey.

Whatever your current project or interest, there are writing/publishing magazines and newsletters out there designed to help. If you need assistance locating those related to your needs, let me know: PLFry620@yahoo.com

I’m traveling this week, but I didn’t forget you. Before I left to see the fall colors along the east coast, I revamped some former blogs and asked someone to post them for you. You should be getting a new post every few days while I’m gone. Enjoy:

It’s common knowledge that an author must target a book toward a particular audience. Well, this is also true for freelance article writers.

As freelance writers, we need to focus on our audience/readership, first and then strive to satisfy their needs or desires. What information are they seeking? What can you bring to readers that they want to know about? And, when you are contemplating an article on a particular topic, consider, do they need this information? What do they need/want to know about this subject?

Many writers simply want to write what they want to write. They have a pet topic and sometimes they get really involved in writing an article about it without first checking to see what is needed on this topic. It’s wise to write about what you know but, if you also hope to begin a freelance career or you simply want to sell a few articles on this topic, you’re going to need a different approach.

Rather than burying your head in your work and writing the article that you want to push, you must first get acquainted with your audience. Who is interested in this topic and your slant on it? What magazines/newsletters/websites might publish the piece as you’ve written it? What else is out there on this subject? Has this article been done before many times over?

Folks, before you start thinking about what you can produce or what you want to say or, even worse, what you think others should read, consider your audience—their desires and needs. Discover magazines that this audience typically reads and then work from the inside out—not the outside in.
In other words, do your research and then write an appropriate article for an appropriate publication or site directed toward the right audience.

For more on how to establish a freelance writing career or how to promote your book through articles, read my book, “A Writer’s Guide to Magazine Articles.”
http://www.matilijapress.com

I wrote in my blog recently that everyone today, knows an author. I think this is an interesting phenomenon. But how many of you know even one full-time freelance writer/author—someone who has created a career as a writer or author? There still are not many of us. I do know a few. Most of their careers, however, stemmed from graphic design, web design or editing businesses.

It doesn’t matter how one comes into the writing/publishing profession. What I find interesting is how various career writers work it so they can stay in this profession and why they do it.

As some of you know, I’ve been writing for publication since 1973. That’s when I sent my first article to a national magazine and experienced the joy of being published. That’s when I became hooked on writing and on sharing my writing, my ideas, my knowledge, the results of my research, etc. with others. From the time I knew I wanted to write professionally, I wanted to write nonfiction articles for magazines.

My writing business has changed shape a few times over the years, as I became an author and then a publisher, a leader of an international publishers’/authors’ organization (SPAWN), a speaker on writing and publishing, a teacher, a book coach and an editor. I still marvel at how my career has evolved.

For 36 years, this is all I do (except for a brief period when I worked a full-time job alongside this career). My writing/publishing business has solely supported me for the last 25 years. While I take all of this for granted—I’m the one who created it, after all—others often marvel at the very idea of it. Not many people have the courage or the opportunity to establish a business doing what they love and to spend decades massaging that business into one that actually works.

I’m taking a break from my business this week. I’m leaving today for a fall color cruise along the East coast with a friend who encouraged me to write. I can name few people in my life who influenced, supported and/or encouraged me to pursue my dream. Some of them don’t have a clue about their role in my decisions and choices.

This friend, Kelly, and I met in junior high school. We’ve been best buds ever since—that’s a 50 year+ friendship. We continued our friendship even after we married and had children. And then her family moved to another state. We missed each other. With 3 small children to care for, she didn’t get out to meet people easily and her outlets were long letters to me. I gleefully reciprocated. For years, while she lived in Denver and I lived in CA, we wrote virtual books back and forth to one another sometimes every week. We also visited each other at least once during every year that she lived in Colorado.

How do I credit her with my career success? Those letters kept me writing—practicing my craft. Her response to my letters boosted my confidence level and helped me to establish a, “Yes I can” attitude.

So Kelly and I are off on an adventure together and I will be leaving my business behind. When I return it would be fun to hear from others who are operating full-time writing/publishing businesses and learn how they got started, what caused them to make the choices that they did and how it’s going for them. Maybe we’ll feature some guest bloggers. If you want to be on that list, speak up. Leave a comment here or email me at PLFry620@yahoo.com. I’ll be back to work on the 19th of October.

You will have a few new blogs to view while I’m gone. I wrote them and have someone else posting them for me.

Have you ever felt overwhelmed with writing work and other details related to your freelance writing or publishing business? Is it difficult to get it all done when things ramp up and become really busy? Have you ever considered hiring someone to help?

You may laugh because it’s fairly widely known that writers don’t have the money to hire people. In fact, when I presented the editor of a writing magazine with an article on this subject, she rejected it. She said it was unrealistic.

I beg to differ. There are times when we can’t afford NOT to get help. When we are overloaded with work, we’re scrambling to meet deadlines and the assignments are piling up, how effective can we be?

I’ve hired help and I’ve bartered for services over the many years that I’ve been writing for a living. In the late 1990s, when I decided to revise my local history book, I hired a friend to type it into the computer. I originally completed that book in 1983 on an electric typewriter. This same friend used to prepare query letters for me and send them to editors. Of course, I gave her the list of query letters I wanted to send and to whom. I had the templates for the letters in computer files. She simply personalized them, enclosed a self-addressed, stamped envelope and sent them off for me.

I’ve also hired book designers, webmasters, editors, proofreaders and, of course, printing companies.

Over the years, I occasionally paid my teen-age grandkids to do filing for me, type my return address on envelopes, create new file folders and help with large mailings. As they got older, my grandsons helped transport crates of books to my storage unit whenever a shipment came in. During one period, I paid a young neighbor girl to help with mailing and filing once a week. When I travel, I get someone to ship book orders that come in while I’m gone.

I know authors who hire people to help with book promotion. Some hire publicists and others simply engage the assistance of colleagues, acquaintances and friends in various promotional activities.

What kind of help could you use in your office? Obviously, things have changed over the last 30 years. You send query letters, articles, book proposals and manuscripts mainly through email. You may even have a paperless office (I met a writer once who did—impressive). You may feel you do not have enough work right now to warrant hiring someone. But imagine how much more productive you might be if you had help.

How are you spending your time, these days? Are you trying to keep up with the writing assignments while your desk and in-out baskets are overflowing? Are you concerned about having something lined up when you’ve finished the work at hand? Why not bring someone in to do the filing and, perhaps, send queries to editors and your resume and introductory letter to potential business clients?

Are you finishing up a book while trying to handle the details of establishing your publishing company? Help yourself and someone else by hiring a neighbor, friend, acquaintance, college student to handle the mundane details, to research printing companies or to send out pre-publication order forms, for example.

Maybe you are in book promotion mode. It’s a huge job, isn’t it? Have you ever considered bringing in an intern or hiring someone to help locate appropriate book reviewers, send press releases, set up speaking engagements for you and/or research venues for promoting your particular book? Just this week, I researched book promotion opportunities for a client.

It seems to me that when we try to do it all ourselves, we aren’t as effective as we might be if we had the right kind of help. Hiring someone could accomplish the following:

• Free you up to do more of the creative work.
• Possibly increase your productivity.
• Help someone else out while also helping the economy.

I’ll be leaving in a few days for a couple of weeks. I may post a few more new blogs before I go, then I’ve instructed someone to post a new one only every 3 days or so. (Yes, I wrote them and saved them up to use while I’m traveling.) Unless I have time in between photographing the fall colors along the Eastern seaboard and relaxing on shipboard, you’ll only get 3 new postings while I’m gone.
Feel free to enjoy some of the nearly 600, still pertinent, posts in the archives over the next few weeks.

This is a question people ask me all the time. My response used to be quick and easy—“I’m writing a book for authors,” or “I’m working on a book on youth mentoring,” or “I’m spending most of my time writing articles for magazines—just finished one on office politics…” Today, however, I have to think before I respond to this question.

I’m not currently working on a book. I don’t write nearly as many articles as I used to. So what am I writing? Well, I write a daily blog post. I write a lot of emails to associates, colleagues, SPAWN members, conference directors, writers/authors with questions, etc. I write an occasional speech, press release and book review. I rewrite blog posts, articles, speeches, information for the SPAWN website and my online course material. I keep up the SPAWN member list and the online Member Directory. But days and weeks sometimes go by that I don’t do any meaningful writing.

I am actually working on another book for authors. But it has been a few months since it has seen the light of day from under my “to-do” pile.

What has happened to the writing career I established so many years ago? How did my career, which was driven by my passion for writing, evolve into practically total promotion? That’s what my blog is all about, those press releases, the speeches, the articles and a lot of the SPAWN work. It all pretty much boils down to promotion.

Sure, many of these projects fulfill my passion for helping others through the crazy publishing process. And thankfully, I do get to work with other writers/authors on their projects. While I am not doing any ghostwriting right now, I do edit promising manuscripts and derive pleasure from the process.

But I’m realizing more and more that I must break free from some of the day-to-day tasks and “do as I say”—devote time to my writing. Stay posted–I’ll let you know how that goes.

Patricia Gets Published
A Google Alert came in this morning letting me know that my article on PiggyBack Book Promotion appears in the Oct 1, 2009 edition of Self Published Authors. Check it out at http://selfpublishedauthors.com/01Oct09

I Can Help You With Your Fabulous Manuscript
Do you need help with your manuscript? Let me take a look at it and determine if/how I can help you to make it more readable, give it more clarity and create a better flow through more realistic transitions, for example. I’ll check for grammatical, spelling and punctuation problems. Is your nonfiction book well organized? Does your story ring true? Does it move along at a good pace or are there places where it drags?

There’s a LOT to consider when writing either fiction or nonfiction. And it is important to have a professional look your manuscript over before publishing it or before approaching publishers or agents. While your manuscript may be as clean as a whistle (and even cliché-free), most are far from it. Many writers have some bad writing habits and a good editor/book coach, can help break them. I meet muddy writers, for example, writers who are too wordy, writers who misuse words as well as those who have trouble explaining things in simple terms. I see manuscripts where the author does way too much telling when he should be doing more showing.

If you’d like a free manuscript evaluation for either an article or fiction or nonfiction book, contact me at PLFry620@yahoo.com

Note: I will be out of town and have limited Internet access from October 8 through 18, 2009.

Although we sometimes talk about the point of your story or the purpose of your book, that isn’t what I mean here today.

My question, “what’s the point of your book?” refers to how you view your book project.

What do you expect from your book? Do you expect that it will earn you some money? What if it doesn’t? If you knew that it wouldn’t make a profit, would you write it and produce it anyway?

I’ve had an email conversation over the weekend with an author who seems to be concerned only with profiting financially from his book project. Sure, it’s wise to consider the cost of producing a book, to understand your role in promoting it and to be planning your marketing strategy. It makes sense to think like a businessperson—to crunch the numbers and explore your options. Why continue with a product that isn’t likely to turn a profit?

Now there’s the question. And that’s what I mean when I ask, “What’s the point of your book?”

Sure, publishing is a business and moving forward with a book that probably won’t do well is not a good business decision. But are there other reasons for writing and even publishing a book? Certainly, there are.

As much as I teach and preach the importance of going into publishing wearing your business hat, I realize that producing a book is quite emotional for some authors. I try to convince you to curb your emotions if you plan to approach publishing as a business. But what if you do not have a business head? What if you have no intentions of heavily promoting your book? What if you don’t care if your book becomes a blockbuster? What if your project is emotionally driven and not financially driven? It happens and it is okay. But you must come to terms with your true objectives and purpose for your book.

There are reasons other than money to write and produce a book. People, who can afford to, might publish a book purely to feed their egos. That’s okay with me. Maybe you just want the experience of holding your published book, sharing it with others, knowing that your book made people laugh (or cry). Perhaps you simply want to pass your legacy down through the generations. For some, it is the joy of writing that moves them to publish.

It’s all good. The opportunities are in your favor. But, if you go into publishing from an emotional place, with no intention of promoting your book outside of what’s comfortable for you, and you expect to create a bestseller or at least make a large profit, then you’re being unrealistic.

I suggested to a client recently that she separate the emotional pull of her project from the business aspects and determine which was stronger. She so wanted this book published, but she was fighting my recommendations to write a book proposal, devise a marketing plan, etc. Once she realized that the point of producing her book was for her own personal pleasure—that she just wanted to prove she could do it—we both relaxed. And she found more joy in the process.

We forgot about the book proposal and the marketing plan. I dropped my suggestion that she approach medium-size publishers and I steered her toward a reputable, inexpensive Pay-to-Publish company. She ordered 2 dozen books and took great pleasure in wrapping them as gifts for her loved ones that Christmas.

What is the point of your book? Why are you writing it? What do you hope that you will accomplish with it? Why is this important for you? Once you have this sorted out, then re-examine your options and re-evaluate some of your choices.

You’ve heard/read my constant rants that, if you are going to publish a book, you’d darned well better follow the proven, reasonable business protocol. Well, for some, that is hogwash! Some of you have no interest in promoting a book, selling boxes and boxes of them, getting involved with booksellers, distributors, etc. And that’s okay. Just know that your approach to publishing will look much different than that of someone who enters into it from a business standpoint. And understand that you will probably not make a profit.

For more on all aspects of publishing, read my writing/publishing-related books. http://www.matilijapress.com

Have you visited the new SPAWN website?
http://www.spawn.org
Sign up for our free monthly newsletter and download the free ebook: Promote Yourself: 25 Ways to Promote Yourself Whether You’re an Artist, Author of Small Publisher.

A colleague/friend/SPAWN member suggested this blog subject. It is a real irritation, frustration and insult when our professional submissions are dissed (disrespected and dismissed) by magazine editors or publishers. It really is. I lived in the world of “no response” for many years as a freelance article writer.

Actually, it wasn’t always this way. When I started my freelance article-writing career in 1973, pretty much all of my query letters and article submissions were acknowledged. There was communication. Sure, many of the letters I received (all by mail then), were rejections. But, at least I knew the status of my queries and submissions. I was free to move on to the next potential opportunity.

But throughout the next 30+ years, I began to see this courtesy become less and less of a priority to editors.

My friend said, “I know that everyone is inundated, but even a form letter, which takes five seconds, is better than nothing. It amazes me the number of submissions from which I never hear anything.” She says that that number far outweighs those for which she does receive a response. Her message to editors is, “Be professional and be considerate. A response is part of the process, and if you cannot respond, then post ‘no unsolicited submissions.’”

It’s especially maddening when the magazine has a “no simultaneous submissions” policy. You send your query or article to them. They neglect to respond—ever—and where does that leave you? Down at the unemployment office, right?

It’s not fair! It’s not a nice way for staff to treat the people who help keep their magazine operating. If they can’t handle the work, they need to hire more people—bring in some interns. Unfortunately, business doesn’t always work in response to the needs of their contributors, contractors, even their public.

What can freelance writers do to change this downward spiraling trend of disrespect? I know what some of them are doing. They’re reacting with rudeness. They’re ignoring basic rules of professionalism. They’re stooping to the level of the editors they dislike most.

Instead, why don’t we maintain (and even upgrade) our level of professionalism and gravitate toward those magazines with staff who are trained to and expected to treat their contributors with the respect we deserve.

How about if we compile a list of those magazines? Send me the names of the publications you have found agreeable to work with and the names of the editors you enjoy working with. I’ll post them here at the blog and in the SPAWN Market Update.

Speaking of SPAWN: our September newsletter finally went out yesterday. If you are a member or a subscriber and IF you clicked the message to subscribe, you received your September newsletter yesterday afternoon. If you are a subscriber or member who did NOT receive your newsletter or you would like to be a subscriber or member, let me know and I’ll send you the new instructions. It’s a one-time “click” and you are subscribed. Patricia@spawn.org

It’s a good time to come aboard SPAWN. Not only are we drumming up new benefits for members—things they really want, according to their responses to questions in our online survey—but the newsletter (which is free to anyone who subscribes) is changing before our eyes. Oh yes, it is going to become even more useful and valuable. For one thing, we’re taking out the many events, conferences, contests, etc. and putting them on a separate page on the website. We’ll update these listings monthly. And we’ll add more resources and articles of interest to writers, authors, publishers, artists and other creative professionals to the newsletter.

Check out SPAWN (Small Publishers, Artists and Writers Network) at:
http://www.spawn.org

Visit my website, another site brimming with information, resources, books for sale and tons of articles. http://www.matilijapress.com

Ahhh! What a difference a day can make, especially if you spend that day boating across the channel and hiking 6 miles on a warm summer day along an island bluff with the sea breeze in your face. Except for the sound of wheels bumping along the dirt trail, it was an absolutely glorious day. Yes, one hiker carried his belongings, not in a backpack like the rest of us, but in a suitcase with wheels. My hiking partner said, “I feel like I’m in an airport.”

We broke free of him as soon as possible and thoroughly enjoyed the magic and peace of Santa Cruz Island. (If you’re into woo woo stuff, this is thought to be the site of Lemuria.)

Just when we thought the day couldn’t be more ideal, on our way back to the mainland, the skipper of the boat treated us to a huge pod of mom and baby dolphins playing, jumping and rolling in the waves. It was spectacular. I noticed that I wasn’t the only one who couldn’t wipe her smile off of her face while watching these amazing animals.

Another thing that made this day perfectly magical was the fact that, as soon as I got home, I got a call announcing the birth of my first great grandchild. Adam weighed 8 pounds 6 ounces and came into the world surrounded by his parents and 13 grandparents, aunts, uncles, great aunts/uncles and cousins who are eager to love him. Cell phones signals filled the air as each of those family members made calls to the rest of us who were eagerly awaiting Adam’s arrival.

It’s difficult to concentrate on writing or marketing work when you have your mind on something as special as the birth of a baby. And it’s hard to get back to work after you’ve had a wonderful, relaxing day off.

On the other hand, these events and activities can provide fodder for your articles, stories and books. And the time off, I’ve discovered, can rev up your idea factory and restore your level of inspiration.

Think about what’s happening in your life. Can you use aspects of it to replenish your idea file? Can you turn it into chapters for your book in progress? Are you filled with inspiration? If so, use it before it fades.

Do you get invitations or opportunities to experience new things—attend events, enjoy nature, visit sites, try new things? And what do you say? Say “yes,” more often and it could benefit you personally as well as provide material for your writing projects.

I’d offer more commentary, but I’m off now to visit my new great grandson. Oh, happy day.

When are you most productive and prolific as a freelance writer? If you think about it, you’ll probably agree that it is when you’re busy doing interesting things. An active lifestyle is good for your writing career. In fact, I’ve observed in my own life that my writing is more profitable when I am in one of my more adventuresome phases.

This topic occurred to me today as I embark on 3 adventures this week. As busy as I am these days in my office, I said, “Yes!” when a friend asked if I’d join a group of local history buffs in establishing a route for a walking tour of our city this morning. As many of you know, I cut my teeth on the process of publishing by producing a substantial, comprehensive history book of the Ojai Valley through my own publishing company in 1983. I also served several terms on the city’s Historic Preservation Commission. So I am known locally as a bit of a historian. I’ve also been asked to bring my camera and take publicity photos of the outing.

Yes, this will take me away from my work. But, it has been my experience over the years, that outings—involvement in something outside of my office—can bring to the surface new perspectives and fresh ideas that I can use in my writing.

Heck, I might meet someone with a great story to tell, be introduced to an innovative concept to write about or suddenly realize a new slant on an old subject. And this can occur as a result of a question someone asks me, my perception of someone I meet, a revelation I have while focused outside of my self-imposed cubicle or while observing a situation, for example.

Some of my most popular articles (and, at least a few of my books) resulted from my experiences and observations while out and about in the world.

Tomorrow, I’m climbing aboard a boat with a group of artists whom I’ve never met and we’re heading to one of our Channel Islands for hiking and a photo/art opp. We’re bringing sack lunches and will picnic on the rugged, uninhabited island together. Now this outing should bring with it all sorts of writing prompts through introspection, communing with nature, getting to know new people and simply the adventure of it all.

The third item on my list falls into the “miracle” category. Shortly after I arrive home from the sea adventure, I will get word that I’m a great grandmother for the first time. My granddaughter, Alison is scheduled for a c-section and we’ll finally get to meet baby Adam, who has been incubating happily for the last 8.5 months. This event is certainly liable to evoke all sorts of thoughts, reminiscences and dreams—some worthy of ink.

What are you doing this week to trigger, stimulate or massage your writing career or the process? Here’s what I suggest:

• Get out among people at least often enough to create a good balance in your life.
• Say “yes” to adventure.
• Embrace even those uninvited occurrences that creep into your life. You can always use extra sugar in that lemonade.
• Approach activities and life itself with a curious and open mind.

Let me help you with your project.

• I will edit your book manuscript.
• I can guide you in choosing a publishing option and even a publishing company.
• I can assist you in establishing a freelance writing business.
• I will help you create a book marketing plan.

I am Patricia Fry. I am the executive director of SPAWN (Small Publishers, Artists and Writers Network) http://www.spawn.org.

I am the author of 29 books, many of them related to writing and publishing. My hallmark book has helped hundreds of authors to make better decisions on behalf of their projects. The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book.
http://www.matilijapress.com/rightway.html

I work with other authors and freelance writers on their projects. Contact me at PLFry620@yaho.com