Editing is your Friend

November 20, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Most books, short stories, articles and other types of content are rejected from being published because they are not ready to be released due to minor grammatical and spelling errors. There are many different errors writers make and overlook during proofreading or never properly learned the rule of the language. By fixing these small mistakes through editing prior to submitting your work you have a better chance of being published.
Presentation is Key
Once you find a publisher, it is important to present your work in the best possible manner. Therefore, you must thoroughly edit your material and make it look presentable prior to submitting it to your publisher. Not following this rule is like going into a job interview in shorts and sneakers; it is unlikely you will be offered the position.
Edit, Edit and Reedit
The more time you spend editing your work the higher chance you have of acceptance. E-publishers invest a great deal of time into developing their website and creating the electronic documents for the internet. On the other hand, print publishers spend a great deal of money advertising. Therefore, they do not have the resources to be editing all of your work. When publishers receive multiple submissions, you want yours to stand out among the group.
Use the Tools to Edit
The first step in proper editing is using the spelling and grammar check within your word processing document. This will catch the most common mistakes but it is always important to proofread your work a few times. It is most beneficial to space out the time in which you read the document. This allows your eyes to refocus so it is similar to reading a fresh manuscript. Make sure to be aware of contractions, singular vs. plural, tenses and proper uses of words like I and me; him and he; and their, there and they’re.
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Filed Under: Becoming a Better Writer Tagged With: , , ,

Why you should subscribe to a Literary Magazine

September 30, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Every amateur writer hopes to see his name in print. While that occasion comes early on for many, other have to wait a while longer before they get can get there. Though many writers look for fancier ways to seek attention, going old school may, in fact, be more rewarding.

A literary magazine is the most effective way to get some much needed love. If you’re not sure of which Literary Magazine to subscribe to, shop around. Subscription.com carries all kinds of magazines, one of which will suit your fancy.With editors, fellow writers and possible fans, all getting a glimpse of your work, you could be two submissions away from hitting the jackpot. While you should constantly try to get your name featured in a literary magazine, here’s why you should also subscribe to one:

•    Read and learn: For a writer to learn and perfect his art is a tedious process. However, a literary magazine can serve as an important learning tool. An amateur writer can absorb the style, the vocabulary and the flair with which the featured author writes. Over time, following a veteran writer and his prose can imbibe a similar flair in a newbie writer.

•    Contests & Features: When you subscribe to a particular literary magazine, you automatically open up several doors for yourself. Each periodical carries with itself an invitation for newer stories, poems and prose. When you submit your work, you can gauge your skills against others who are published and get a fair evaluation of your work. Beyond that, you open up newer possibilities to get your work published as editors from various publishing houses read the magazines and keep a look out for fresher talent.

•    Use as reference: If you have been published in a literary magazine, you can always use that as an additional reference on your resume. Not only does it reflect your capabilities, it also gives the editor the confidence that he is hiring the right guy! If you are still struggling to find your foothold, you can use the contact details of the authors who have been published, to network with them.

You may not see prompt results but don’t let that scare you. Every effort you take brings you closer to your ultimate goal.

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Filed Under: Books Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Writing Tips

August 11, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Stephen King signature.
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According to the prolific novelist, Stephen King, there are just two things you must do to be a writer: Read a lot and write a lot. Every aspiring writer would be well served to do those activities in some way, every day.
Here are some other tips for writers:
Rewrite- Anyone who has ever written a book or anything else for that matter, knows that writing is not really writing. It is rewriting. After your first draft is completed, you may rewrite it between five or ten times before it is even seen by an editor.
Writers Reference Books: Three books you may want to consider having at your side when you write are a good thesaurus and the book “On Writing” by Stephen King and Strunk’s “The Elements of Style.” These books will keep you technically correct and inject some verve into your writing.
Clichés: Have you ever heard the expression that everything after eighth grade is a rerun? That may or may not be true but the point is that you end up viewing the same plots to movies, reading the same old clichés and reading the same old storylines, that it sure feels like it.
So, when you write pick a new word instead of retreading the same old lines. For example, how many times have you heard: cut to the chase, if I had my druthers’, there is plenty of fish in the ocean, back in the day, etc. Sometimes, all you hear someone say (politicians and athletes especially) are clichés. There is only one word to describe that—boring!
Character: Make sure you like your characters. Because if you don’t know one else will. Nor will they care about them. And that’s what you want to avoid in a book: readers not caring what happens to your characters.

According to the prolific novelist, Stephen King, there are just two things you must do to be a writer: Read a lot and write a lot. Every aspiring writer would be well served to do those activities in some way, every day.
Here are some other tips for writers:
Rewrite- Anyone who has ever written a book or anything else for that matter, knows that writing is not really writing. It is rewriting. After your first draft is completed, you may rewrite it between five or ten times before it is even seen by an editor. Writers Reference Books: Three books you may want to consider having at your side when you write are a good thesaurus and the book “On Writing” by Stephen King and Strunk’s “The Elements of Style.” These books will keep you technically correct and inject some verve into your writing.
Clichés: Have you ever heard the expression that everything after eighth grade is a rerun? That may or may not be true but the point is that you end up viewing the same plots to movies, reading the same old clichés and reading the same old storylines, that it sure feels like it.
So, when you write pick a new word instead of retreading the same old lines. For example, how many times have you heard: cut to the chase, if I had my druthers’, there is plenty of fish in the ocean, back in the day, etc. Sometimes, all you hear someone say (politicians and athletes especially) are clichés. There is only one word to describe that—boring!
Character: Make sure you like your characters. Because if you don’t know one else will. Nor will they care about them. And that’s what you want to avoid in a book: readers not caring what happens to your characters.

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Filed Under: Becoming a Better Writer Tagged With: , ,