Hey, All — Great News!

“Simplified Writing 101: Top Secrets for College Success” just launched on Amazon!

(WOOHOO!)

You can get it here. The fun, how-to text for mastering academic writing has actually been used for 10 years in colleges and online, in AP English Language and Composition courses and now in high schools across the US.

I actually gave the content away for seven years. Why? It just seemed the right thing to do. Then, three years ago, the book was published digitally, and I can’t tell you how many emails I got, asking for the book to be in paperback.

So it’s here, in paperback. (And it’s SO cool.)

Again, if you’re interested, you can get it here.

Enjoy!

And to those of you who buy my book today — a heartfelt thank you. You’re amazing.
* Thup

I received this email, today:

Dear Erin,

I am a professor at the University of Dallas, and I have been running a writer’s group for teenagers for about four years. [A student of yours] is one of the most active members. When he read a novel manuscript of mine, he recommended that I contact you for advice abut publishing.

I am very familiar with academic publishing–I can place nearly anything I write–but I really don’t know how to proceed with fiction; it seems a more difficult market to break into, and the sorts of credentials one needs aren’t the same. I’ve only made two tentative jabs at placing the manuscript–both over-the-r transom, unwise attempts.

If you can help, I’d like to make contact.

Many thanks,
[signature here]

Here’s my response:

Dear [fiction writer person],

Hello, and thank you for connecting.

You’re right: Fiction can be more difficult to break into.

Now, if you’re like me, you read that sentence and immediately, something inside slumped. Fight the feeling. Because agents and publishers are looking for new writers every day. Who’s to say you’re not the one they’re looking for?

(Encouragement of the day. Because writers, like everybody else on the planet, need encouragement.)

Regarding credentials to be a writer,  I found it important to go back and get an MFA in fiction writing. And today, my learning continues to be constant…reading books on craft (always), listening to books on tape (for the flow and sound), being a member of professional groups (SFWA and SCBWI), and so on.

But credentials aren’t the end-all.

Because sometimes, along comes a newbie at a conference who makes you (and me) do a royal double take, injecting doubt into our writer world. You know who I’m talking about — the person who was published with their first book, the person with little to no background or training in writing — and POOF! They have a three-book contract and people drooling all over their work.

When I see that, BAM, my mind is uber-boggled and my spirit’s super-deflated. (Whoever decided at that conference to put a newbie in that speaking spot, um, please don’t do that again. She’s not the norm.)

Oh. And all writers doubt themselves. So, on that note, I say make peace with the doubt, buy some work gloves, and plow ahead.

Let me throw out a few more ideas on writerly success.

Making connections at conferences is critical. Being known in your circle is critical. Who you know does open doors.

On manuscript submissions: Follow the must-follow bits — and make sure you’re submitting to those agents only looking for your kind of story (the old, do your homework on the agents to whom you submit thingy).

Which brings me to agents.

For fiction, yes, getting an agent is important — because the agent’s relationship to publishers is much more imperative for selling your fiction book than for your non-fiction work. An agent has the special relationship where he/she can jump out of the fishbowl, visit the other side, and make the connection for us.

For nonfiction: Especially if you’re a speaker or have any kind of ready-and-waiting audience, you can publish non-fiction on your own and, by golly, make some good money doing it. In fact, in today’s market and social media frenzy, if you have a platform and audience, I believe self-publishing a given. Do it.

But for fiction — again, we’re juggling the proverbial apples and oranges. Seek and land the agent.

So. The question of the day:
Is there a lock turning gold key to getting published in fiction?

Not really.

But I can leave you with my five-point advice list (because five is a cool number for these kinds of things) that can up the chances of it happening sooner than later. 

1. Write. Then write some more. Keep the craft honed. Join a writing group to keep you accountable, or have a good friend who keeps tabs and asks for a daily word count.

My writing time has to be purposefully planned. I meet a group of three other writers monthly; I’m in an online group with alumni from my MFA program that posts monthly; and a screenwriter/director friend I meet with a few times a month, too. Then, on my own, I have writing dates (with myself) that I regularly schedule into my calendar.

Make your in-the-chair writing a calendar priority.

2. Read. Then read some more. Know what’s getting published and why. Be a competitive intelligence geek, to find what makes good writers tick, tock, and trounce the market.

As I said earlier, I like to listen to stories, in order to feel the pace, hear the rhythm, and catch the power of crisp dialogue.

Whether reading in print or listening on audio, we’ll find the reasons why certain books are published. Understand the reasons. And when you come across a “bad” book, be encouraged that you can do better.

3. Learn. Never stop growing the craft. Ever. My bookshelf overfloweth. My Kindle and Audible account droneth on and on. Blogs? I read ’em. Videos? I watch ’em. To learn is to become is to up the chances of publication.

If you want to be a fiction writer, truly, then always grow.

4. Develop your voice. Voice in fiction is critical. Heck, voice in any kind of writing is critical. But for story, that extra pizzazz can be what the agent and publisher have been looking for.

It took many years for my writing voice emerge. I say, be like Dori: Just keep swimming. And, because it’s a part of who you are, your voice will emerge.

5. Attend. Go to conferences. Get to know people. Build relationships. Pitch to agents. Then sit across from the agent at lunch and get to know her. Don’t, mind you, follow her into the bathroom to ask a question (oh my!) –and do be a normal person who isn’t cray cray or google-eyed in their presence. Resist the urge.

A highlight of my MFA program was hanging with multi-published (“famous”) authors and absorbing cool-beans-know-how from them. Squeezed into a booth and eating pizza with Kevin Anderson is up there on the list…not because I learned some fabulous, single-gem nugget of knowledge that magically took me to breakout-novel status — but because his demeanor and everyday how-he-runs-life-as-a-writer stuff grounded me into the fact that we’re all just people trying to tell stories.

So there you have it. My simple thoughts. They’re not ground-breaking, and I’m sure you’ve heard most (if not all) of it before.

We both know: The knowledge is there.
And we also know: It’s what we do with it that counts.

Here’s to keeping on.
* Cheers
(*Thup)

Erin

On writing, Neil Gaiman once said, “You sit down at the keyboard and you put one word after another until it’s done. It’s that easy and that hard.” And another wise mind once said, “Do or do not; there is no try.” Though Yoda and Neil have the same idea – that the bulk of writing is found in physically sitting on the divan and simply doing the stuff of it – there’s more to writing than meets the chair.

It’s true: To write, one must do. But to write with style, ah—now that means going beyond the doing to exercising the five must-haves of great writing.

First, good writing is logical. It makes sense. Whether writing truth or fiction, good writing flows in a linear path—a path natural to both the writer and the reader. It’s important to know how to write plausibly, rationally, and reasonably, so that others understand our mind’s path from beginning, to middle, and to end.

Second, good writing moves us—both in the physical rhythm of the text and the content’s compelling, progressive nature. Like good music, good writing has a physical sound and pace naturally stirring us forward. Aside from the clicking consonance or mellow-o assonance of the singing sounds that all words possess, creating a rollicking or lulling movement, the emotions embodied within our text must also move. Like birds on a wire, one after another stretched along the dotted-line cable and, eventually, rising to fly away, the compelling internal nature of the meaning of the phrase must lead us along and, with lifted wings, move us to act.

Third, good writing engages. To engage is to touch emotion that pleases, allures, rivets, or even horrifies. Engagement can incite terror or pleasure, rage or contentment. Whether in the smiling hail of a friend or lodged in the highway accident coercing the eyes to stay on the wreck, you and I are drawn to emotional engagement.

Fourth, good writing is powerful. Even in academic settings, a writer’s goal is to unleash the power of the word. Powerful writing takes breath from our lips, makes our heart race, and creates desire. The power of writing lies in our ability to choose single words as well as smoothing and stacking words into phrases eliciting powerful feelings.

Finally, good writing is clear. Clear writing gives understanding. Without following the phrase’s meaning, as displayed by the reader’s every thought walking in the very footsteps of the writer’s intention, the reader looses her way. In great writing, clarity reigns supreme.

 To write is to do. By capturing the skills and practicing the art, writing becomes easier as we do, and do, and do. As Philip Roth says, writing is to “turn sentences around” and then to look “and turn it around again.” It’s in the turning that we find our writing becomes logical, moving, engaging, powerful, and clear.

* Thup

* Facepalm
Yet another Oxford comma post on Facebook.

This post is for writers. And you, the person who cares about having great writing. In the “fight” on whether or not to use the Oxford comma, breathe, smile, and read this:

Posted today on Facebook: A brilliant picture explaining the need for the Oxford comma –– that comma in a list of three or more items in a sentence…the one that shows up before the “and”:

This, that, and the-other-thing sentences.
(Oxford comma used.)

And the poster’s comment:

Okay. Please. Pay attention.
(This is important.)

____________________________________________________

Please.
Stop arguing that one has a right or not, to use the Oxford comma.

All the common arguments are listed on the Facebook post:
* The argument about it’s my style choice (the freedom argument).
* The argument, we don’t need to use spotless punctuation (the hyperbole argument).
* And, finally, the argument that it’s all about story, so you don’t need the Oxford comma (the other freedom argument).

Seriously,
please know that my point in this post is not to call anyone out or offend anyone.

But I have to say something.

Dudes. (And Dudettes.)
We’re completely missing the point.

Get this:
Whether writing fiction or nonfiction,
it’s all about clarity. The READER’s clarity .

>>> Not our writer’s preference. <<<

Because communicating is not about us.
(Not. About. Us.)

It’s about them. The reader.

It’s about the reader’s needs.
The reader lining up with your writer’s mind.
Helping the reader cross the bridge of mind-melding,
to get your exact substance, interpretation, implication, and essence of idea.

Now here’s where we go wrong: We tend to believe story can’t be story without freedom in all measures. Or that I, as a writer, am not bound by punctuation or any other guide, because my writing is my personal expression.

Well, whether you’re purposefully writing a stream of consciousness style or an advertisement to sell, fighting for your “right” to use or not use Oxford comma is really not the point.

The point is, punctuation has a job —
And knowing (or not knowing) its job
will help (or hurt) your writing.

The job varies with your writing’s purpose.
What and who is this for?
What are the audience’s rules, if they have any, and am I abiding by their rules?

MOST>IMPORTANTLY>>>
Is the meaning coming across? I’m talking ’bout that mental and emotional meaning — so that the reader CLEARLY gets EXACTLY what I want them to think, see, hear, taste, and feel (physically and emotionally).
___________________________________________________

First, step aside to academic writing.

Academic writing is its own animal…one that breathes the Oxford comma.

As an academic/college writing instructor of many years, I’ll tell you something: You absolutely HAVE to abide by clarity rules — including punctuation and grammar. In scientific writing (as pointed out in the FB comments), the Oxford comma is required. In your dissertation, the Oxford comma is required. And believe me, in your college entrance essay, using the Oxford comma gets you bonus points. Just as a basketball game’s referee calls foul! and blows the whistle, you’ll be called out, without the Oxford comma.

So if you want to succeed, you’d better use the rules.
___________________________________________________________

Right now, I hear you all saying,
What about non-academic writing, where “there are no rules”?

Yes, there surely are different rules of the game for different writing purposes.

AHEM. But. Again.
Clarity wins.
The reader’s clarity.
Not. My. Preference.

It’s true, you can argue about anything. You can stay in the mud-sucking back and forth about the Oxford comma till the cows come home, as momma used to say. But arguing that the Oxford comma will or will not bring clarity is, well, not up to us. It’s up to the reader.

And the examples from this blog post, shown above, side with our dear reader, don’t they?
_____________________________________________________________

Second, understand story.

Story writing is its own animal, too — one, I truly believe, needs the Oxford comma. As a story writer with a hard-earned MFA in creative/genre fiction writing, I have to tell you: If it ain’t clear, the reader stops reading. (Yes, I wrote ain’t…with a big ol’ twang. Because if it ain’t clear, yooz in trouble.)

Too many moments of have-to-go-back-and-read-it-again-because-I-missed-the-meaning  kills your writing. Dead. Period. 

X – X
/_
~~~,

For that reason alone, if there’s any question at all about clarity, I use the Oxford comma — yes, in fiction. There are too many reasons for our reader to put the book down. I certainly don’t want that. (And I’m guessing you don’t, either.)

We — you, me, all of us — simply need to get off our writer high horses and think about the reader and his or her needs. Period.

And here’s why…
_______________________________________________________

You know the prisoner in the cell, the one writing the tally marks on the wall for how many days he’s been locked away? Readers are like that. ANY reader. From teachers grading essays to the Average Joe and Josephine reading your novel. When he (or she) stumbles on (hesitates, has to think out of the flow of)  your writing, it’s a tally mark. When he misses your meaning, it’s a tally mark. When anyone has to — heaven help us — read over a sentence or paragraph again, it’s a rapid-fire swishing of the tally marks thrown with flair onto the wall. And then, tally-marked out, the reader closes your book. THWAP.

No, readers aren’t prisoners — and tally-mark mania is not even a conscious “I’m going to find problems and complain.” Tally marks exist as a subconscious reader-thingy we all do — and tally mark reading is something we have to understand and acquiesce to.

We have to give up our personal rights to, in order to keep the reader engaged.

Reading this post, you may feel like leaving with the hang-tight-to-my-preferences stance. You can do that.

But. I’d love to have you open your mind to something that just might help you in your ability to get readers to stick around and feel completely good about your writing. 

Because serving the reader, first and always,
helps us to be successful.

*Thup

It happened again — another success story.

I watched and listened attentively to the famous, quite affluent thought-leader-and-world-changer. He was brilliant. Engaging. And powerful – in a good way, because he shared his power in open, free dialogue, for others to enjoy and use. I marveled at how so much wisdom came from this kid.

I say kid because he’s young. Very young. And I’m constantly amazed at the wisdom pouring from his entire being.

I’ve watched him rise. I knew him when he was the meager 20-something pecking away at the computer keyboard in his bedroom, telling the world his story. And I wondered the BIG QUESTION, the ultimate question, burning in pulsing heat waves and dancing against the agitated flames, the blaze leaping and reaching to the ceilings of my mind:

How did this guy get to be so smart and successful?

And successful he is. He has a worldwide following of millions, book sales in the millions, and dollars in the bank in the millions. People want what he has, and (rightly so) they pay for it.

Wouldn’t you know, right then, someone asked the BIG QUESTION: “What are some of the practices that got here, to where you where you are today?”

His answers didn’t stun me. Because they were the same few answers I’ve heard over and over, from successful people making top money in their fields.

I’m going to share his top three answers here and in the next two posts, because it’s true: If you and I want to be successful like him, we need to do what he does.

So…what was his first answer?
“I read a book a month.”

Simple. Unremarkable. But think about it: What would happen if you read ONE book a month from a though-leader in your field? That’s twelve books a year, and sixty books in only five years. Now what if, on top of that, you “read” in the car, with digital or Audible books, as you traveled from point A to point B?

How good would you be? And just how just plain SMART would you become?

But more than that –
What would happen to what you create?

I’m talking your business. Your product. Let’s not even talk about the quality of your quality of relationships and interactions with others. Let’s stick with your success in your work.

Here’s a truth:
Multiplying your entrepreneurial value walks hand in hand with multiplying your own personal information and wisdom.

You’ve heard of synergy, right? It’s the potential to create more of something, because of adding two or more entities or ideas together. Well, let me say what’s obvious (but what we often simply don’t think of):

Synergy happens when you have enough in your head to stir your heart, in order to put something new together with your hands. (You can tweet that.)

Let me say it again.

Synergy only happens when you and I have enough. Enough knowledge – enough information, enough of the right ideas, all mixed up together and simmering in our minds – to put it all together into the new, groundbreaking idea – solidifying the exact thing to make your success explode.

Simmering our ideas. We know the phrase. But tell me – have we put enough ingredients into the pot, to make the best soup possible? Have we actually given ourselves enough information, enough wisdom, and enough pure-and-simple ideas to make it happen?

Perhaps one of the reasons we don’t have the groundbreaking moment is because we’re not putting enough into the pot.

Perhaps we’ve not “made it” because the wisdom, know-how, and seasoning from those before us, housed elegantly in books, hasn’t been poured into our minds and hearts.

Authors, think of the level of craft you’d reach, reading a how-to book a month.
Leaders, think of the level of wisdom you’d own, infusing the acumen of a book a month.
Whatever business idea is on your heart, think of the level of pure know-how and what-to-do-now you’d gain, with only a book a month.

It’s pretty simple.
But who of us will actually do it?

I’m pretty sure the ones who, among other things, read a book a month
will end up like the friend at the beginning of this post.

*Thup

PS. Through an every-day commitment and the help of Audible, here’s what I’m reading right now…
* 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do, by Amy Morin
* The Way of the SEAL, by Mark Divine
* Ask, by Ryan Levesque
and
* Sign of Chaos, by Roger Zelazny

What are you reading?

Anyone here remember the 1997 “George of the Jungle” movie
with Brendan Fraser?

Regardless of whether or not we guzzle too much coffee, if we’re not careful, our days can be java-java-java days —

Not focusing,
running cray-cray,
following every whim,
listening to what others say
(“Who me?””I mean you!””Ooh!”),
and ending the day with a general feeling of exhaustion or overwhelm.

(We all have these days.)

Daily Organization and Management 101 needs to kick in:
List the tasks.
Prioritize the tasks on time due and importance.
Do the tasks, in order.

HUGE programs are written on daily organization and management, and billions of dollars are spent every year on planners, day-timers, and fun sticky-note check-lists like this (which I own).

Because lists work.
I know you know this.
(I know this, too.)

Here’s to drinking our coffee and avoiding the java-java-java-java craziness through being attentive to simple organizational management skills.

* Thup