Does Your Significant Other Read?

Some friends and I were having this discussion recently, and I was fascinated by the broad range of opinions. The stats were divided pretty evenly between reader and non-reader SOs, but people who were dating/married to readers were unanimously of the opinion that they would never again date a non-reader.

I can understand why.

In all the long-term relationships I’ve had so far, the men have been of the forget-the-book-watch-the-movie variety. Or “I’ll read it if I can learn something from it.” The last one read 30 pages of a book, and said, “Aren’t you proud of me?” Um, no.

Lately I’ve been meeting people who’re heavily into books, and it’s so great being able to talk to them about favorite characters and plots and hidden meanings and alternate endings. I think I’m beginning to lean towards the won’t-date-’em-if-they-don’t-read category.

My observation, and this could be totally off, has been that people who read fiction tend to have a wider world view and are more accepting of new ideas and novel concepts. Emotionally, I feel they’re healthier. Again, I have nothing to back this up but my own experience, but it’s part of the reason I now find myself more attracted to people who read. I feel like they’re more emotionally and intellectually mature, maybe.

As a writer, this affects me in another way as well. People who don’t read fiction will vehemently protest against “wasting your time” on writing it. “Novel?” one ex-boyfriend asked with obvious contempt. “Why would you waste your talent on a novel?”

If you’re a reader, you’re probably cringing and laughing. Because as informative as journalism is, it’s not what changes the world. Fiction is, and has always been, at the center of change. People who haven’t experienced the power of a good story don’t understand this. And if you’re a writer of fiction, this may affect you.

What do you think? Does your significant other read? Is it important to you?

Outline or Wing It?

Outlining or winging it? What’s your process?

I’m not a fan of outlines, but I’ve noticed that outlines start forming on their own in my first draft stage.

I’m currently procrastinating on a first draft of my own (which is why you’re seeing so much of me around here lately!), and today I managed to dump out all the junk in my brain to the page (freewriting). It is no more and no less than utter crap. It’s disconnected, there’s no meaning to half the stuff I’ve written and there are way too many observations that are useless (the woman in the green sari had a pointy nose, etc).

However, now that I have something to work with, I’m feeling a bit more confident. Especially since the disconnected pieces are making me think about why the piece is important, and what thought I want the reader to leave with. And there’s a sentence or two that I could actually keep.

The first draft for me is done when I’m clear about the format or the shape the piece will take. Basically, the structure. The second draft is when I have the information and the shape, and need to put it creatively into words–this is the time I’ll worry about leads and ending in a poignant manner or whatever. Everything after that is revision– misplaced commas, better sentence structure, last-minute thoughts, grammar, spelling, etc. Of course, each of the phases has sub-phases.

And finally, if I still have time, I’ll send it to my online critique group. Those people always have something of value to add, so I’ll make those changes if I agree with them.

Query: Writer’s Digest

By popular demand, I’m going to start sharing some of my successful query letters.

(I appreciate all feedback, positive or negative. If there’s something you would like me to talk about on this blog, please do let me know. We have readers from about 50 countries, and sometimes, I don’t know which topics would be the most popular. Also, if you leave comments, you’ll get good karma. )

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Dear <Name of Editor>,

As a new freelance writer almost two years ago, I didn’t like the $4,000-a-year freelance writing income statistics I saw. Determined to make a good living from the freelance business, I decided to target markets that would give me a higher pay-off for my words. I targeted international markets, leading to my first assignment from an Indian magazine, my second sale to a newspaper in the US, and my third published credit from a start-up in Australia.

Today, even though my main markets are located in USA, Canada and England, I continue to sell reprints to various other countries, netting me a lot of extra cash for no additional work done. This has not only increased my bottom line, but also opened up a host of new markets for my work. The “international writer” tag helps too.

Or take the case of US-based writer Michael Sedge, who’s had over 4,000 published articles and 21 books in print. The king of reprints, Sedge is known for selling his articles across the globe. “If a writer knows how to manage his rights, it’s a great way to expand potential markets,” he says. His advice is to make your international sales a marketing, and not a writing effort. He constantly “makes up” rights, such as First English Language Rights in Japan.

Interested in this piece for your “Breaking In” department? I’ll include advice from respected freelancers such as Sedge, and editors from countries outside the United States. I’ll outline ideas and advice on maintaining a solid income from your international freelance efforts, such as:

· Consider the time factor: If two years ago, you made 500 Euro for an article, it would come to be around $420. Today, that same amount is worth $625. So, it’s wise to focus a great deal of effort on European markets, which will pay more for your dollar.

· Make it a marketing effort: Sell what you’ve already written. Tune up your queries to meet the needs of markets, and send out three or four international queries per week.

· Keep track of your rights: Never sell “all rights”. Instead, make up some of your own. You’ll probably need to fine-tune the pieces to suit the particular country’s audience, but it’s still worth the effort.

I’d love to write this article for you. As you may remember, I’m a full-time writer with a range of international writing experience. Some of my recent credits include <details of my published work>.

I look forward to working with you and providing quality content for Writer’s Digest.

Have a great day!
Mridu

–

The resultant article:
http://www.mridukhullar.com/portfolio/international-writing.html

Knock Yourselves Out

http://www.freerice.com/index.php

Go on then.

(Post your scores, will ya? Because I’m a geek and need to compare mine to yours, that’s why.)

The Writer’s Contract

I receive e-mails from wannabe writers almost on a daily basis. “I want to be a writer. Can you help me?” These people are usually coming to me for contacts and advice on how to make money, but I’ve always believed that writing is more than a vocation, a job. It is a way of life.

Every successful writer I know does the following. No exceptions. It doesn’t matter if you write fiction or non-fiction, it doesn’t matter if you write for love or money, it doesn’t matter if writing is your job or your hobby. If you want to live the life of a writer, these are promises you must make to yourself NOW. Follow through. The great thing about being a writer is that you’re responsible to no one but yourself. But the worst thing about being a writer is also that you’re responsible to no one but yourself.
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1. Butt in chair, one thousand words a day. You’re allowed to write crap. You’re encouraged to write crap. Editing comes later, revisions come later. The first draft needs to be nothing more than a random conglomeration of words on paper/computer screen. Maybe you’ll find gems, maybe you’ll throw it all away. It doesn’t matter. Just keep writing.

2. You will read every day. Without exception. Even if it’s five minutes before bed. Even if it’s just the newspaper. Read. Every single day.

3. You will not ask friends, family or partners for feedback. People who love you are simply not capable of giving you real feedback. They will either discourage you or describe you as a genius. Trust me, you don’t want to believe either. Join critique groups, ask editors and agents for guidance, and find beta readers in other writers. Friends and family are for unconditional support. Don’t go to them for professional advice.

4. You will associate with like-minded artists. Don’t be exclusive to writers. I hang out with designers, photographers, painters, and others in varied creative arts, and learn from them daily. A photographer friend says he now views the world in frames. It’s a limited view, I tell him. Yet, when I want to describe the curve of a child’s lips as she smiles, this limited frame is what I turn to. A painter’s love for her brushes, the right canvas, the perfect setting makes me experiment with my own workspace. People in different arts will help you explore the world through all your senses.

5. You will pamper yourself. Splurge on handmade journals, sharpies, crayons, stickers, books, funky notepads, and whatever else that makes you feel more creative. Last year I bought myself little post-it notes in every color I could find, put little quotes on them and stuck them all around my workspace. They made the process of creating fun. Be a child when you can.

6. You will take risks. You will experiment. You will explore parts of you, parts of your life, that you fear. You will be brutally honest with yourself. You will constantly strive to do a little bit better. Don’t compete with others. Just aim to be better today than you were yesterday.

7. You will pay attention to the small details. You will find joy in the little things. You will stay up all night and watch the moonlight peeking through the clouds. You will get up early and admire the dew drops on blades of grass. You will trace the shape of your lover’s hand. You will buy body paint and treat his body as canvas. You will, even when it makes you cry, read old love letters and feel the texture of the old paper in your hands and relive old memories. You will pay attention to the world around you. And you will write about it.

8. You will experiment with other arts. Very few people know that I used to enjoy painting, and in fact, had two canvas paintings exhibited when I was in high school. One of them still hangs in the school library. Almost every creative professional I talk to has another creative outlet. Several draw or paint, one loves to design homes, another plays the guitar. If writing is your profession, find another creative outlet that isn’t.

9. You will ask for help. And when you’re able, you’ll pass it forward several times over.

10. You will be true. To your work, to your readers, to the people in your life who believe in you. But first and foremost, you will be true to yourself. A dishonest person cannot create honest work. Period. Treat people well. Of the gazillion people on this planet, you’d be lucky to get one or two who will truly believe in what you do. Don’t reward them with dishonesty and disrespect.

Ever Destroyed Your Work?

Hey M. Quick question. Ever destroyed your work? I have a whole series I wrote a few years ago, the fate of which is currently undecided. I’m not the same person any more, and I don’t feel that work is representative of me. You’ve had a bonfire of your work, haven’t you?

Yes. And if I had to again, I wouldn’t.

We’re constantly changing. That was you at one given point in time. Of course you’re not the same person. Five years later, you’ll look back on work you’re doing now and wonder if you’re still the same person who wrote it. You won’t be. You’d have changed.

You’ll constantly change. And your work will always continue to reflect who you are at a given point of time. Be proud of it, even if it embarrases you.

Put it away. Don’t look at it. But don’t destroy it.