Writing and Publishing News from

This week, I’m working on my speech for the Cat Writers’ Association Conference November 19-22. I’m looking forward to meeting the cat writers in White Plains, New York. Should be a warm gathering in a chilly place. And the Westchester Cat Show takes place in the same city on the same weekend. How cool is that?

On Friday morning, I’ll be talking to writers about how to break away from cat writing and expand into other genres and topics. As you may know, I started my freelance article-writing career writing about horses. That was what I knew about at the time. I was also familiar with horse-related magazines and knew what was lacking—what was needed. So I got my start writing how-to and informational articles for these magazines, along with an occasional humor or human interest piece.

Are you a freelance writer stuck in a writing niche and you don’t know how to expand your horizons? Here are my suggestions in a nutshell:

Okay, so you’re writing about what you know and love. Consider what else you know or are involved in. For me, way back when, it was the subjects of a column I was writing for the local newspaper.

I had developed a business column for the Ojai Valley News—Profiles in Business. I met some interesting people doing interesting things and I began selling some of their stories to regional and national magazines—with their knowledge and permission, of course.

Early on, I also wrote articles for cat magazines. I did a lot of work for Cats Magazine before it folded. And I’ve written quite a few articles for Cat Fancy. I wrote a piece on the calico cat, for example; one featuring the Pallas cat (the wild and rare cat that lives in the steppes in Asia and parts of Russia). I’ve written about cat personalities, holistic medicine for cats, feral cats, how to bring a kitten into your home, and so forth.

So what else do you know well, parenting, caring for elderly parents, gardening, quilting, woodworking, collecting swords or cars, shopping—are you an expert at shopping with coupons? Maybe you work with therapy animal, you’re good at budgeting, you pride yourself on your happy marriage or you operate a volunteer organization. Consider writing about these things.

Here’s another idea: stay with your original theme, just go in a different direction. If you write about cats, for example, consider creating articles on your pet topic for non-cat magazines. I sold articles about cats in the workplace and in libraries to a few regional magazines. (I was one of many to write about Dewey, the Library cat). I’ve also sold pieces on how to teach children responsibility through caring for their pets, for parenting magazines. How about a piece featuring animal-related paying jobs for business publications? Yup, I’ve done that, too. I even sold a piece on using mind-talk with cats, reflecting an experience I had with my calico, Daisy. This sold to a metaphysical magazine.

Eventually, of course, the goal is to come up with totally new article ideas.

Many freelance writers are at a total loss when it comes to article ideas outside of their areas of interest. But I can offer a whole list of prompts for locating new ideas to write about. Let me know if you’re interested and I’ll write a blog telling you how.

In the meantime, be sure to check out my useful books and online courses at http://www.matilijapress.com

Do you take those tests in Reader’s Digest Magazine that are designed to help you improve your vocabulary? Do you strive to learn a word-a-day by using it in your communication? I remember when this was a common practice for writers and those who wanted to be a more skilled conversationalists.

I don’t hear or read so much about the various exercises designed to help you increase your vocabulary, these days. I guess we’re so busy trying to be somebody and attempting to make a difference through doing, that we don’t tend to focus down on this type of pointed self-improvement.

I urge you to consider increasing your vocabulary when it comes to writing articles or a book manuscript. And I don’t mean that you should build a huge vocabulary that includes a lot of obscure words. I’ve actually met authors who believe that the more big words they use in their writing, the more they will impress a publisher or their audience. Not so. Oh, if you are writing a scholarly book for a select group of highly educated professors, maybe so. But if you are writing for a segment of the general public, telling your story or relating your information using obscure words will not impress them; it will turn them off. But you do need an arsenal of synonyms if you want to make your writing more interesting.

A common trend I see among authors is the tendency to repeat words rather than searching for a synonym (or a like word). Here’s an example:

Don took his dog to the dog park where he romped and played with other dogs. Some of the dogs were on leashes, but they weren’t inclined to make friends as easily as those dogs that were free to roam. Don’s dog spent most of his time romping and playing with a small wooly dog.

This is kind of boring, don’t you think? Try this to liven it up:

Don lead Marshmallow into the enclosed dog park and the young poodle quickly found Lucky, a Pekinese mix, to romp and play with. Most of the dogs were allowed to roam free, but a few reluctant owners kept their pets leashed. Those that were restrained seemed more aggressive than the others. There’s a psychology to that, I guess.

Here’s another one:

Nathan was eager to find a date for the prom. All of his friends had dates. Some of them were taking their steady girlfriends, others just found random girls to date just for that one evening. He wondered if Susan would be his date. She seemed nice enough and he doubted that she dated much, so probably wasn’t taken. Nathan wasn’t used to dating. In fact, this would be his first date.

Or:

Nathan was eager to find a date for the prom. All of the other guys on his team were going. Some of them were taking their steady girlfriends, others found random girls to take. He wondered if Susan would go with him. She seemed nice enough and he doubted that she had a beau. Nathan didn’t go out much. In fact, this would be his first such experience.

This is the same paragraph without all of the instances of “date,” “dating” and “dated.”

Now, go look at the article, story or book manuscript you’re working on. Do you have instances where you’ve repeated words? Make it your project this week to change some of these words so that your writing has more variety.

How do you come up with new words?

• Use your thesaurus.
• Use your brain—brainstorm.
• Listen when conversing with others.
• Practice using new words.

Is that how you feel sometimes? Are you afraid you will run out of time to write before you’ve satisfied your writing dreams?

Most new writers are in a big hurry to get that story or that nonfiction book out of their heads and in the computer. They are eager to see it published. Some are so eager, in fact, that they bypass some of important steps.

Some of you might remember my article, “Hurry Up and Fail.” Herein, I caution hopeful authors against rushing their projects in order to meet a personal deadline. Why? They miss important steps that could mean the difference between their project’s success or failure. Here are my recommendations:

Before you start writing the book:
1: Study the publishing industry. It is imperative that you know what choices are available to an author and the consequences of your publishing decisions. You must also have a clear understanding of your responsibilities as a published author.

2: Write a book proposal. A well-organized, well-designed, well-written book proposal will tell you whether you have a book at all, whether it is a viable product, who your audience is, where you will find them and it will guide you in establishing your platform and your marketing plan.
Don’t guess at these important questions. Don’t make your decisions based on your desire. You must do the research necessary to more accurately respond to these vital issues.

After you’ve finished writing your book:
3: Assess the content of your book. Review it from many angles. For a nonfiction book, make sure that you have included everything that you need in order to inform, guide, teach and/or educate your audience. Is your book organized logically? Is it easy to follow? Should you break up long streams of text by using headings and subheads? Is your content correct, quotes exact and statistics fresh and precise? Spend as much time as you need to make your nonfiction book the useful tool it is meant to be.

For a novel, does every transition and instance of dialogue work? Are there any areas that sort of grate on you? This could indicate that your story needs more work. Don’t quit writing too soon. But try to avoid stressing over your story to the point that you start changing things that don’t need changing.

4: Hire an editor. Every author needs at least one extra set of eyes before they can call their book finished. Hire a good editor and allow them the time it takes to perform his or her job. How do you pick a good editor? Choose one who is familiar with the type of book you’ve written—if they know the topic well, all the better. Select an editor who has come highly recommended. And it is a bonus if this editor is also involved in and knowledgeable about the publishing industry.

5: Proof any and all changes. Anytime you make a change or you ask your book design person to make a change, do a thorough proofing of the entire area that may be affected by this change.
Did the designer type the new phrase correctly? When he added it in, did this affect the spacing or the flow from one page to the next? Do you need to make a change in the index because of an addition?

6: Add all of the appropriate aspects. Don’t skimp because of a time constraint. If you forgot to purchase a barcode and decide to publish without it, know that you are making a huge mistake. Now your book is automatically ineligible for most retail store sales. Omit the ISBN and you probably can’t get your book placed at amazon.com. Is your book suitable for libraries? Then obtain the Publishers Cataloging in Publication block. And if yours is a reference book or a self-help or how-to book with many references, resources and tips, please, please, take the time to create an index.

In publishing, time is probably not so much of the essence as is professionalism. Don’t allow yourself to be governed by the clock when it means rushing your project. Take charge. Concentrate on perfecting your manuscript, first and foremost. Deadlines can be changed. Producing a book before its ready can be a costly and embarrassing mistake.

Patricia Fry is a full-time freelance writer, editorial consultant and the author of 29 books including, “The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book.” Order it here: http://www.matilijapress.com/rightway.html

She’s also the Executive Director of SPAWN (Small Publishers, Artists and Writers Network) http://www.spawn.org

I can’t tell you how many manuscripts I see that just don’t seem very interesting or promising when I read the first few pages. If I continue on, however, I will often get into the story and actually enjoy it.

I always wonder, why did this seem like it would be a dull book? Why didn’t the author’s description pique my interest and prepare me for enjoying this story? How did this seemingly mundane, dreary book suddenly catch my interest? Why did it take so long for this to happen?

Most novelists and memoirists desperately need help writing their openings and describing their books. In fact, as I read through some of the books I evaluate and/or edit, I wonder why the author didn’t go back and rewrite the first page or two after completing the book? That’s also when you should write your synopsis and your back cover copy—after you’ve completed the book.

Most authors, however, don’t truly know what their book is about. They don’t understand what it is about their story that is going to entice the reader. They don’t get what is actually intriguing about their books.

You’ve probably read books that were a real surprise to you. The book was actually nothing like what you thought it would be. The description and the first few pages you scanned did not represent the book at all. Sometimes this is a happy surprise and sometimes you feel scammed.

Oh, how many times we have been scammed. The book is touted to be a lovely story of a cat, for example. But it turns out to be a personal memoir and a history lesson.

If you are writing a book, I have a couple of suggestions.

Once you’ve finished your book and after you’ve edited it a whole bunch of times and you’ve done a lot of fact-checking, etc., revisit your opening. Is it as intriguing as the bulk of your story? Does it aptly represent what is to follow? Does it even relate to your story? Most of all, does it grab the reader and make him/her want to continue reading?

Here’s an idea: after completing your manuscript and making it as readable as possible, make copies and give it over to several friends to read. Then ask them to describe your story. You’re not asking for an evaluation or critique, you want them to describe it as if they are giving a book report.

You can provide them with a questionnaire and ask them to give detailed responses. Ask, for example, “What is this book about?” “What is the point of the story?” “At what point in the story did you begin to enjoy it?” “What would you suggest for making this book better?”

Most good books have a point of no return—a place in the book where the reader gets hooked. You want to know when that happened for your test readers.

Pay close attention to what your readers say and you might just get the material you need to rewrite your opening, write your book proposal synopsis and prepare some really good back cover copy.

If you need help writing a book proposal, establishing a career as a freelance article writer, promoting your book or starting your own publishing company, consider signing up for Patricia Fry’s on-demand, online courses. Read about them here:
http://www.matilijapress.com/courses.htm

What will cause/entice reader (or a publisher) to read your book? For a novel or memoir, for example, your intriguing title might cause someone to pick up your book. But what’s going to keep him or her reading? Your opening line. The trick is to grab the reader within the first line or paragraph. Wait too long to introduce something interesting, mysterious, exciting or captivating, and you may lose readers and, by the way, that publisher you want to attract.

What makes a good opening line or theme? Many first-time writers tend to start at the beginning. One technique for creating an intriguing opening is to start at the most exciting/dramatic place in the story. Give enough of a snapshot to whet the reader’s appetite, but not so much that it spoils the suspense. At the same time, watch out for the tendency to barely touch on the event. If you don’t give enough, you won’t attract an interest. Instead, you may confuse, thus turn away your potential reader.

For some stories, it works to describe a scene and then tell your story from there. Some authors are expert at starting at the end and bringing the story forward. Some good books begin with a simple, but shocking, ironic or totally off-the-wall statement. The rest of the book seems to be developed around that statement.

If you’re skilled enough, you can actually create an excellent opening by starting at the beginning of your story, but NOT using one of the following:

• Joshua was born to Emma and Jake Laughlin in a log cabin in 1875.

• This is the story of a logger and his challenges.

• Once upon a time in a small city in New England…

Unless your second sentence is truly captivating, don’t even try this.

If you are working on a book, check your opening sentence/paragraph. Is it full of emotion? Does it grab the reader and make him or her want to continue reading? Does it incite questions or promise delicious things that the reader can’t resist?

This weekend, I suggest that you study your opening line. Have others read it and ask them the following questions:

• What do you know about this book after reading the opening?

• How do you feel about pursuing this book after reading the opening?

Read the opening lines in other novels to get an idea of what really works.
Good luck. And I invite you to share your findings here at this blog site.

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.