You've got the greatest idea! It's sure to be a billion dollar blockbuster, rivaling Stephen King and that other writer whose name you can't quite remember though it's on the tip of your tongue.
But, is your idea a good one, really? Some of our ideas seem really super charged at the time, when we have that first burst of passion as the idea evolves. But, not every idea is going to be publishable and practical.
Here are guidelines from Cheryl Sloan Wray and her book 'Writing for Magazines'. (Paraphrased by me).
1. Are you really passionate/ interested enough to spend the necessary time developing, researching and writing this idea?
2. Can you narrow the focus? Some ideas need to be broken into smaller chunks to suit the market/ publisher you are aiming for.
3. If your idea is already narrow, or would appeal to a small, exclusive percentage of the reading public, can you bulk it up? Can you add more points, bring in another slant or find more sources?
4. Can you market this idea to several publications? You want to have a selection of publishers to choose from so you aren't twiddling your thumbs if the first of them aren't keen on it.
5. Imagine yourself as the reader of the publications you have chosen. Are you sure their readers will be interested in your idea? If not find other publications to appeal to, or slant your idea in a different, more appealing direction.
6. Describe your idea in 15 words or less. Then, in another 15 words, tell why readers will be interested in your idea/ topic.
7. Will this idea be expensive to research or take up a lot of time to develop? Is it going to cost you more than it will bring in for you? You can't forget your bottom line after all.
The last point is the best I think. How many of you keep track of your expenses? Do you know if you actually clear more than you spent on each article/ manuscript? Don't skip your time either. Time is money and that includes you!
Hope this helps bring you some clarity, focus and profit from your greatest ideas. Keep them churning!
Playing With Text
Writing isn't the only way to play with words. Take them down a peg, look at them as just letters, forms on a page and you can make a different art with them. This isn't writing, its a whole new creation.
ASCII art is my personal favourite. But, there are other ways to get into the game of playing with your words. Typography is playing with fonts. What others have you found? Email me, I'd like to hear about them.
There is the whole riddle, puzzle, Scrabble issue. But, I'm looking at making plain ordinary everyday text into art.
Does anyone make ASCII art or am I the only retro geek? Someday, that ever illusive day, I want to make a whole website in just ASCII and ASCII art as illustrations/ graphics. I've seen one done in this way. It was very unique looking now. Back in the old days of dinosaur computers it would have been normal, if not cutting edge.
Anyway, this week take a break from fiddling with words and try something new. Play around and look at them in a whole new way. You and your keyboard will never be the same again.
ASCII art is my personal favourite. But, there are other ways to get into the game of playing with your words. Typography is playing with fonts. What others have you found? Email me, I'd like to hear about them.
There is the whole riddle, puzzle, Scrabble issue. But, I'm looking at making plain ordinary everyday text into art.
Does anyone make ASCII art or am I the only retro geek? Someday, that ever illusive day, I want to make a whole website in just ASCII and ASCII art as illustrations/ graphics. I've seen one done in this way. It was very unique looking now. Back in the old days of dinosaur computers it would have been normal, if not cutting edge.
Anyway, this week take a break from fiddling with words and try something new. Play around and look at them in a whole new way. You and your keyboard will never be the same again.
Don't Stress About It
What brings you stress? Kids, your job(s), spouse, parents, deadlines, or any of a hundred other things. For me, people give me the most stress. Also, one that will seem odd, my name. You will think it odd that I'd stress out over my name but I do. I gave up my maiden name when I married, the husband wanted me to and I did it to make him happy. Then, we got divorced and I decided to keep my married name, like a marker to show that I had at least gotten that far. Now, I don't feel I have a last name at all. I get stressed when I have to fill in my last name cause I don't want to be that name. Anyway, it's a long winding story.
What odd things bring you to the stress breaking point? Have you ever written about them. Just a freestyle, brain storming type essay to vent your feelings. It's amazing how much you can discover about yourself and your feelings when you vent on paper. You know you control who reads it, if anyone so you can type things you'd never say and not even dare to think in public. Vent your stress. Maybe all it really needs is an outlet, a chance to let off some steam.
Stressing about family and friends - personal relationships, is something we have to live with. You just can't get rid of people. I think of various Twilight Zone style stories I've seen and read. Those tales of the last person on Earth or the only one, somehow, even for just a day. Doesn't that just seem like paradise sometimes? I wrote about my adventures as the only person left. It was such a blast, I did so many things I've always wanted to do, went to all kinds of places and tried all kinds of things I'd be too shy to do if anyone were watching. But it was great fun to write it and see it all happening in my mind as I wrote.
The best way I handle family stress is to give myself a day off, even if I have to lie to get it. When necessary I tell them I'm working (my day job) and then go out just as if I were working. Then I drive. Most of the time I don't even have a real destination in mind. I might not have much spending money either. It doesn't matter. I just go for coffee and read a book in one of those coffee shops where all the soccer Moms hang out. It's a nice break. I start to feel like I'm really part of the world again and not tightly fitted into my little space squished between family and work. It's nice to just be me in the world.
Deadlines are another big stress. I have a bad habit (for lack of a better word) of taking on too much. I just seem to think I can never do enough. As if I have to compare myself to some perfect woman writer who probably doesn't exist outside of my own mind. I have begun to realize this about myself. I handle it by admitting I am not super woman. If I have dug myself in too deep I allow myself to decide what stays and what goes. I've learned to make better decisions about what projects I do take on. Rather than saving the world I am just doing what will work for me. (I only save the world every other week now).
Anyway, everyone has evolved different stress management techniques. Do what works for you. Find something that does work though. Don't wait till you have steam coming out of your ears and you're yelling and screaming at everyone in your vicinity. That's not good for anyone's stress level.
What odd things bring you to the stress breaking point? Have you ever written about them. Just a freestyle, brain storming type essay to vent your feelings. It's amazing how much you can discover about yourself and your feelings when you vent on paper. You know you control who reads it, if anyone so you can type things you'd never say and not even dare to think in public. Vent your stress. Maybe all it really needs is an outlet, a chance to let off some steam.
Stressing about family and friends - personal relationships, is something we have to live with. You just can't get rid of people. I think of various Twilight Zone style stories I've seen and read. Those tales of the last person on Earth or the only one, somehow, even for just a day. Doesn't that just seem like paradise sometimes? I wrote about my adventures as the only person left. It was such a blast, I did so many things I've always wanted to do, went to all kinds of places and tried all kinds of things I'd be too shy to do if anyone were watching. But it was great fun to write it and see it all happening in my mind as I wrote.
The best way I handle family stress is to give myself a day off, even if I have to lie to get it. When necessary I tell them I'm working (my day job) and then go out just as if I were working. Then I drive. Most of the time I don't even have a real destination in mind. I might not have much spending money either. It doesn't matter. I just go for coffee and read a book in one of those coffee shops where all the soccer Moms hang out. It's a nice break. I start to feel like I'm really part of the world again and not tightly fitted into my little space squished between family and work. It's nice to just be me in the world.
Deadlines are another big stress. I have a bad habit (for lack of a better word) of taking on too much. I just seem to think I can never do enough. As if I have to compare myself to some perfect woman writer who probably doesn't exist outside of my own mind. I have begun to realize this about myself. I handle it by admitting I am not super woman. If I have dug myself in too deep I allow myself to decide what stays and what goes. I've learned to make better decisions about what projects I do take on. Rather than saving the world I am just doing what will work for me. (I only save the world every other week now).
Anyway, everyone has evolved different stress management techniques. Do what works for you. Find something that does work though. Don't wait till you have steam coming out of your ears and you're yelling and screaming at everyone in your vicinity. That's not good for anyone's stress level.
Query Letters
We're writers, we know the words, so why is it so tough to write a query letter? Why do we second guess every word on that page? Why do we agonize over the punctuation, the grammar and the spelling? Why do we "just die" when we realize a typo was missed in our proofreading of that all important query letter?
Because we are bundles of self conflicted maniacs. Geez... I thought you had that figured out by now. Anyway, I thought it was time I wrote something about query letters. We know how important they are, giving prospective editors and publishers (clients) that vital first impression. Plus, of course, the actual idea you're pitching them.
A query letter is a proposal, describing an article or book you would like to write for a particular publication or publisher. Queries should be kept short, a readable length, one page. A couple of paragraphs to sell the story, a line or two to actually ask for the sale and another paragraph to describe your qualifications.
If you get no reply after a month send a follow up letter. Of course, you kindly ask if they read your first query and remind them of the particulars. You know yourself how hard it is to catch up with an idea you brushed against a month ago. Keep that in mind as you write your follow up. Make a copy (or keep a copy) of your letter. You'll sound foolish if you finally hear from the editor only you don't remember what you queried about, exactly.
The basic elements of a query letter:
Start with something to catch their interest and make them read on. An anecdote, statistic or something you can enclose in the envelope along with the letter. Chances are you won't have anything to send other than your words but if you can come up with something more go for it.
In a paragraph or two explain your idea, why you want to write about it, why their publication would be interested in publishing your article. Gear your idea to the market you have chosen. Of course, you have already spent time picking out your target market. Make sure you also get the editor's name right (and spelling counts!) and the name of the publication. This would also be an important part of researching your market.
Draw them in with your special angle, slant or hook on the topic. It's likely true that everything has already been written about at least once. So you need something new to say about it or say the old stuff in a new way. Show them how your slant is new and interesting. Let them know if you can include photographs or other illustrations to go along with your article.
If you have clips (copies of previously published articles) offer to send them. Remember, you're selling yourself too. Add any other credentials that would help. Are you an expert in the field or have some related experience?
How many words will your planned article be? The editor will know how much space they can offer and you'll have to work with that. But, start by giving them an idea of what you plan, how much content you can provide. Tell the editor what format you will be using- plain text email, Word document, double spaced, etc. Maybe these seem trivial things at the beginning but to someone working on filling space and keeping a layout they matter and make life easier.
If your query isn't being emailed or faxed you need to send a SASE (self addressed, stamped envelope) for return mail. This is part courtesy and part hoping making a reply easier will make it happen sooner. We always have our wishful thinking, they can't take that away from us. Also, make sure the editor accepts email queries, some people still don't like or use email. Email queries should also have an email signature which sticks to the rules of email etiquette: not more than 4 lines or approximately 60 spaces wide. Please, don't send an email where your return address shows up as "CutsiePie69". Unless you're writing about online chat or some such thing you want to project a professional image. That means no smilies too.
In the end sell yourself and don't be too modest. What makes you the right writer for this job? How can you (especially) bring this story to life for their readers. Enclose your writer's resume if you have one and it seems relevant enough.
Don't forget the letter writing basics. Add your return address and the date to your letter. Start and finish your letter with salutations, something suitable, not too personal. Don't forget to proofread and proofread without using spellcheck on your computer. Be meticulous, even down right nitpicky, check your spelling, punctuation, grammar and the typo factor. Don't ever send a query letter you haven't checked more than a few times and don't ever write one when you're too tired (or just not in the mood) to check it as well as you know you need to.
Because we are bundles of self conflicted maniacs. Geez... I thought you had that figured out by now. Anyway, I thought it was time I wrote something about query letters. We know how important they are, giving prospective editors and publishers (clients) that vital first impression. Plus, of course, the actual idea you're pitching them.
A query letter is a proposal, describing an article or book you would like to write for a particular publication or publisher. Queries should be kept short, a readable length, one page. A couple of paragraphs to sell the story, a line or two to actually ask for the sale and another paragraph to describe your qualifications.
If you get no reply after a month send a follow up letter. Of course, you kindly ask if they read your first query and remind them of the particulars. You know yourself how hard it is to catch up with an idea you brushed against a month ago. Keep that in mind as you write your follow up. Make a copy (or keep a copy) of your letter. You'll sound foolish if you finally hear from the editor only you don't remember what you queried about, exactly.
The basic elements of a query letter:
Start with something to catch their interest and make them read on. An anecdote, statistic or something you can enclose in the envelope along with the letter. Chances are you won't have anything to send other than your words but if you can come up with something more go for it.
In a paragraph or two explain your idea, why you want to write about it, why their publication would be interested in publishing your article. Gear your idea to the market you have chosen. Of course, you have already spent time picking out your target market. Make sure you also get the editor's name right (and spelling counts!) and the name of the publication. This would also be an important part of researching your market.
Draw them in with your special angle, slant or hook on the topic. It's likely true that everything has already been written about at least once. So you need something new to say about it or say the old stuff in a new way. Show them how your slant is new and interesting. Let them know if you can include photographs or other illustrations to go along with your article.
If you have clips (copies of previously published articles) offer to send them. Remember, you're selling yourself too. Add any other credentials that would help. Are you an expert in the field or have some related experience?
How many words will your planned article be? The editor will know how much space they can offer and you'll have to work with that. But, start by giving them an idea of what you plan, how much content you can provide. Tell the editor what format you will be using- plain text email, Word document, double spaced, etc. Maybe these seem trivial things at the beginning but to someone working on filling space and keeping a layout they matter and make life easier.
If your query isn't being emailed or faxed you need to send a SASE (self addressed, stamped envelope) for return mail. This is part courtesy and part hoping making a reply easier will make it happen sooner. We always have our wishful thinking, they can't take that away from us. Also, make sure the editor accepts email queries, some people still don't like or use email. Email queries should also have an email signature which sticks to the rules of email etiquette: not more than 4 lines or approximately 60 spaces wide. Please, don't send an email where your return address shows up as "CutsiePie69". Unless you're writing about online chat or some such thing you want to project a professional image. That means no smilies too.
In the end sell yourself and don't be too modest. What makes you the right writer for this job? How can you (especially) bring this story to life for their readers. Enclose your writer's resume if you have one and it seems relevant enough.
Don't forget the letter writing basics. Add your return address and the date to your letter. Start and finish your letter with salutations, something suitable, not too personal. Don't forget to proofread and proofread without using spellcheck on your computer. Be meticulous, even down right nitpicky, check your spelling, punctuation, grammar and the typo factor. Don't ever send a query letter you haven't checked more than a few times and don't ever write one when you're too tired (or just not in the mood) to check it as well as you know you need to.
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