Rejection and the Perfect Editor

Writer and former editor, Ruth Harris, recently wrote an entertaining post about all the reasons that cause a publisher to reject a manuscript.

One example intrigued me. She mentioned writers who deliberately submit an unpolished draft. They’re positive that it doesn’t matter. Someone in the publishing house will fall in love with their story idea and commandeer the in-house editors to work their magic.

Yes, it does happen that way, once in a blue moon. Most writers can recite famous tales of bad manuscripts that became bestsellers because someone in a publishing house took a chance. Most of those stories are old. Why aren’t there new stories? Harris says it’s because ‘the days of Maxwell Perkins are long gone.’

Perkins was a legendary U.S. editor during the first half of the 20^th century. His stable of writers included Erskine Caldwell, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, and Ring Lardner.

Working for Scribners publishing company, he was notable for his ability not only to select new writers who became household names, but also to improve their original material.  He managed to get Thomas Wolfe to remove 90,000 words from his best-selling novel, the 500-page Look Homeward, Angel. Wolfe eventually left Scribners, but he described Perkins as  ‘the greatest editor [of] this generation.’

We’d all love to have a Mr Perkins, someone who values our writing and works assiduously to improve and promote it. But as Harris points out, publishing companies generally no longer provide such support.

So if you’re a writer, it’s up to you to present your best work.

And the way to make it your best work is to have your manuscript professionally edited before sending it out.

I’d describe a good editor as someone who—

• has a good professional record
• is knowledgeable about a writer’s area, its conventions and trends, whether that is racy memoir or zombie-apocalypse fiction
• is business-like and supportive
• provides feedback that encourages rather than annihilates
• is on the writer’s wavelength in terms of values, personality, and sense of humor.

The Perkins days are long gone. But you can find an independent editor who provides the help you need.

In doing so, you’ve taken another important step towards achieving your writing goals.

 Sources:
* A. Scott Berg. Max Perkins: Editor of genius.
* Wikipedia.

 

Why Writers Need to Blog

If you’re a writer, a blog can be your writer’s commonplace book, your soapbox, your classroom, your publisher, and your learning circle.

Having readers helps me focus on what to write about in my blog, and how to present my views. Yet sometimes—especially when I’m strapped for time—blogging feels like just another extra I could do without.

Is blogging still a useful activity for writers? Or is the blog entry losing ground to the easier forms of communication, such as the snapshot and the 140-character comment?

I put this question to Robin Mizell, a friend and respected literary agent. She responded with this useful post:  Why blog, when you can shoot yourself in the foot? It is an excellent reminder about what writers can gain when they blog.

Prompt: Art Titles Generator

When I recently visited an art gallery, I picked up a program listing the titles of works on display. Some make good writing prompts. I then discovered a random generator of art titles. See what you can create in writing, using one of these titles as your topic, a title, or as a starting phrase.

• The Half Remembered Day
• Loose Grip
• Missing
• By Chance
• Time for the Real Thing
• Scarf and Conflict
• Rejected Zone
• Manifesto of Modest Prediction
• Nude Descending the Canvas
• The Darkened Eye
• Hate in Three Stages
• Perky Old Man
• Reincarnated Biscuit of Lust
• Crippled Work
• Babble of Peace
• Broken Shade
• Fugue with Screaming Blob
• Surface of Death

Writing More by Writing Less

 http://www.morguefile.com/archive

A published novelist recently remarked on how little she writes daily. At first, I was surprised. But when I thought more about it, writing less makes sense.

We’ve all read accounts of famous writers who work on their material nearly all day, everyday. Two questions pop up in my mind. What have they let go of in their lives in order to gain so much time to write? And who helps them take care of the non-writing but essential aspects of life—paying bills, cleaning house, making trip arrangements, buying groceries? Some of the most prolific writers have assistants to help them with the non-writing tasks. Others eschew social engagements and any other non-writing activities, making writing their sole activity.

This novelist explained that her practice is to write 40 minutes only. But she tries to fulfil this goal each and every day. She has her plot sorted out, so she has a good idea about how to progress in her short daily writing period.

Aiming for short but frequent writing may help other writers, especially ones who find it hard to free up slabs of time to write. We may strive to get this long periods—a day or even a half-day—but rarely achieve this aim. Most of us can find 40 minutes in each day to write.

The main benefit of working on frequency rather than word count is that regular writing sessions help us settle into the writing groove. Leave too much of a gap between the sessions, and we may end up spending our writing time re-reading, picking up the threads of our material before we can write something new.

Daily writing also keeps the brain focussed on our material. Knowing we’ll be writing again tomorrow tends to make our subconscious mull over writing issues, characters, and developments, new items we may take up when writing the next day.

Although I find the daily goal of 40 minutes useful, I think that for some writers, and for some periods in a writing project, a daily goal of writing at least 40 minutes seems more realistic. Being free to write more on a day when we’re in the groove is one of the deep pleasures of writing and shouldn’t be quashed.  But that doesn’t mean we can reward ourselves by not writing at least 40 minutes the next day!

Growing a New Writing Group

Are you looking for writing feedback? Like the idea of sharing ideas and techniques with other writers?  If so, joining a writing group may appeal.

The easiest option is to find an established group. It already has its structure sorted out, plus its members are used to the routine. If you join,  you’ll quickly find out if the way the group operates and its members interact suit you or not. But such groups may not publicise themselves, so they are difficult to find. They may not be actively seeking new members, or if they are, it may be invitation only.

The other option is to join a newly formed writing group. There’s no history or established rules to work within,  which may be good. The challenge with a new group is transforming a collection of disparate writers into a cohesive, supportive unit.

Fortunately, the development pattern of new groups has been a subject of research for many years. One important early finding is that any new group—whether it deals with writing, lawn bowls, or world domination—tends to develop via four consecutive stages: Forming, Storming, Norming, and Performing.

Knowing these stages can help you understand what is going on in your brand-new writing group. And this knowledge may help you in terms of your expectations, plus hanging in there during the inevitable rough patches the group encounters as it matures.

Here’s how the four stages may play out.

1. Forming

A new group is fragile during its forming stage. Its members are not yet loyal, and their main concern may be what the group can do for them. The group faces instability, churn, with some people quickly exiting—sorry, not my thing—and new strangers taking their place. Group members may differ in terms of how they think the group should operate.

These different needs and expectations do not surface immediately. Why?

Members of a new group tend to be on their best behaviour, wanting to make a good first impression. Because they want to be seen as a valued part of the group, they may agree with issues that go against their true needs and feelings.

2. Storming 

The name says it all. The brief honeymoon is over.

As members become more comfortable in their group, they now want to have their needs met. Members’ different interests and agendas often lead to clashes.

Some common storming issues in a new writing group:

• Time.  People taking more than their fair share of the discussion time. Too much meeting time spent on inconsequential matters, or late starts and long tea breaks becoming the norm. Members who chronically arrive late.
• Feedback.  People giving feedback that is too general, negative or trivial. Or not giving enough feedback, such as ‘Yeah, liked it.’
• Behaviour.  Not preparing for the meeting. Rewriting others’ material without permission. Dominating the discussion. Going to pieces when others critique one’s work. Undermining the group’s leader. Not accepting group decisions. Getting into a writing rut, I.e., revising work again and again, rather than providing others with new material for comment.

Although this stage is difficult, these differences can get members to start thinking about what’s important for the group and what may need to be changed or discarded.

3.  Norming

Storming can lead to one of these outcomes:

• The group continues, after resolving major issues and accommodating differences where possible.
• The group continues, based on majority rule, and dissenters opt out or are expelled.
• The original group splinters, and members either opt out or join one of the splinter groups.
• The group dissolves.

If the group continues, members begin to resolve differences and come to trust or tolerate others. Members realise they need to change in some ways in order to help the group, and they understand that it takes conscious effort to maintain group harmony.

To achieve such harmony, members may start talking honestly about their needs and expectations. It is useful to understand what each member 1) wants from the group, 2) is willing to do to help the group, and 3) will put up with. One person may want feedback, will help the group by attending nearly every meeting, and will put up with some less-produvtive members. Another person may value talking shop with others who are writing in a similar vein, will help out by taking on the role of the group’s contact person, and will accept that some members write stuff he’s not interested in.

4: Performing

If things go well, the group moves to this final, productive stage. Members now share a sense of unity and belonging. They become more involved and loyal, and actively help the group succeed. They may even get to the point of appreciating rather than tolerating others strengths and contributions. They trust the other members, may seek their help more than before, and they may socialise and perhaps become friends.

They now view their group as providing more benefits than drawbacks. When an issue or problem arises, they assess  how it affects them individually and how it affects the group–and they may put their own wishes to one side if the group benefits are more important. If the  group has no leader, one may be chosen or emerge at this point.

 Evaluating the experience 

If you join a new writing group, it may help to set a future review date, say, six months. Be an active member, and then, when the date rolls around, assess how your group is working in terms of helping you meet your writing goals. Even if you find that it isn’t helping that much, you may decide to stay because you enjoy other elements that the group provides, such as friendships, deadlines, and good discussions.

Prompt: Take Three

Writing about an unusual topic, with few expectations about what you’ll achieve, is a great warm-up exercise. It’s like practising your scales before starting to play a serious piece of music.

This  writing generator provides three nouns, selected at random. Use the words to spin a fictional story or connect with fact.

If nothing comes immediately to mind, brainstorm, jotting down the associations that come up for each word, and then see where these connections lead you.

I clicked the generator three times:

 

CRIME SKY MONKEY

These three words suggest some possibilities–sci-fi, fantasy, bad dream, etc. I imagined a criminal named Monkey, involved in some crime where the sky’s the limit in terms of possible gains.

 

SKILL GONDOLA CRADLE

Three words led to a memory of strolling along one of the canals in Venice, in the Dorsoduro neighbourhood, and coming upon an old gondola workshop. The gondolas rested in cradle-supports, ready for the skilled workers to finish them.

 

HOPE YACHT COFFEE

These words also retrieved a memory, this time of a pleasant afternoon on a yacht in Sydney Harbour. Relaxing in the sun, I drank coffee and watched with amusement as the skipper/owner flirted with one of his guests. What happened next?

 

Source: http://writingexercises.co.uk/take-three-nouns.phpū

Writing Help: Dive or Wade?

(Photo credit: Aimanness Photography)

To improve our writing, we have different help options to choose from—workshops, courses, teachers and mentors, books, blogs, websites. But with so many help possibilities, we can feel as if we’re drowning in possibilities.

How do you assess what best suits you?

 

Dive or wade?

Some writers like to dive straight into the help pool,  immersing themselves in many kinds of writing assistance. They zap through innumerable books, workshops, and websites. If they decide to try a writing group, they may join not one but several.

Some writers find it exhilarating to get their hands on so much information and help in a short period. For others, the informational deluge is confusing, stressful, and can lead to a loss of confidence.

Wading is a preference for some writers, and for others work and other commitments make it the most practical option. They start at the shallow, comfortable end of the writing help pool, perhaps reading a few relevant blogs and books, participating in a short workshop, attending a one-off lecture. As they grow more confident about their needs and interests, they strike out into deeper, adventurous water. They may enrol in a long-term course or sign up with a mentor. This approach is positive and does not overwhelm learners, but some find the learning process frustratingly slow.

♦♦♦♦♦

Writing help works best when it fits your needs. Rather than focusing on cost and convenience, assess your

• present capabilities
• current interests
• long-term  goals

Your present capabilities

What do you think are your strengths are as a writer? Where do you need to improve?

 

Your current interests 

Jot down the last five major items you have read.

You may be surprised. Some people daydream about writing poetry but tend to read modern novels. Others may decide to break into the potentially lucrative romance market, when the reality is that they are drawn to reading essays. And some don’t read at all.

With this knowledge, you can decide if you want help options that support your present writing interests, your future interests, or both.

What drives you, makes you passionate to write? Knowing your drivers can hep you identify the learning options that best suit you. Maybe you get a kick out of experimenting with ideas and storylines. Or capturing personal experiences. Or perhaps you like the technical challenge of a particular form. Or find research satisfying. Or discover reading your work out loud is the most enjoyable part of the writing process.

Your long-term goals

What do you ultimately want to achieve with your writing in terms of these outcomes:

* Skills 

* Material—books, poetry collections, screenplays, etc.

* Financial rewards—money, more or better career opportunities

* Recognition and readership—local, regional, national, international

How long do you expect to write? For example, once you’ve written your life story is that it for writing?  Or do you see yourself writing as long as you have the ability to do so?

What happens when you are faced with obstacles and lack of success? Setbacks make some people more determined to succeed. Others accept the obstacle—OK, I’ll never crack the NY Times best-seller list—modify their goals, and keep writing. And others stop writing and find another, rewarding interest.

♦♦♦♦♦

Is it still . . . 

Whatever writing help you choose, regularly evaluate it to consider if it still meets your needs and interests.

Participating in a writing group may be useful at first, but as members come and go, you may find that its educational value for you has weakened. Continuing to join basic workshops may be comfortable but not challenge or provide new information.

For your chosen help option, ask yourself—

• Is it still moving me closer to my writing goals?
• Is it still helping me identify my writing strengths and weaknesses?
• Is it still helping me become a more skilled writer?
• Is it still providing other benefits, e.g.,  networking with other writers?