"Can't Get NF" Columns written for the SCBWI-Michigan bi-monthly newsletter. The assignment: write entertaining columns covering nonfiction details but of interest/value to entire membership. The column appears every other issue (3 times per year). All content copyright 2002-2004, Lisa A. Wroble.
Inspired by Fun Facts (establishes column name; originally appeared in the
May/June 2002 issue)
Re-energize Your Writing (originally
appeared in the Sept./Oct. 2002 issue)
Buried in Facts (originally appeared
in the Jan./Feb. 2003 issue)
Guidelines from the Twilight Zone
(originally appeared in the May/June 2003 issue–front page!)
Need a Daily Fact Fix? (originally
appeared in the Sept./Oct. 2003 issue--again, front page!)
Searching for the Yuck-Factor (originally
appeared in the Jan./Feb. 2004 issue)
KISS Your Readers, Show You Care (originally
appeared in the May/June 2004 issue)
Informative Chatting: Talking Up Some
Research (originally appeared in the Sept./Oct. 2004 issue)
What's Behind Door No. 2? (originally
appeared in the Jan./Feb. 2005 issue)
Knock Down Writing Roadblocks (originally
appeared in the May/June 2005 issue)
Is Your Creative Well Sucking Sludge?
(originally appeared in the Sept./Oct. 2005 issue)
Stop Floundering in Good Intentions–SAM
(originally appeared in the Jan./Feb. 2006 issue)
Journaling: Writers Basic Training
(originally appeared in the March/April 2006 issue)
It happened again. I received the dreaded e-mail. Several show up in my in-box each year. These messages cause my stomach to tighten and my asthma to kick-in from the anxiety. I beat my head on my desk as I think about opening that file drawer. After reviewing my résumé and credits history a reference book editor wants to see specific clips.
This should be great news, I know. But lately I'm burned out on nonfiction. I want to write fiction–like everybody else! I want to be inspired by the muse for a change.
I do not want to look in that booby-trapped drawer of clips. Each time I have to do this, my bad attitude causes more disarray. I'm afraid of that drawer. Maybe I can get my 9-year-old niece to open it. Maybe I could bribe her with a ticket for the Junie B. Jones party at the library.
In the end I act like the adult I'm supposed to be. I stand in front of my file cabinet for twenty minutes. I'm mustering my nerve to release the drawer lock on the handle. When I do, will it explode like a bomb? I imagine bits of paper raining down on me. Only then do I feel anything for the hard work put into acquiring those clips. I yank three times on the drawer before it springs open.
The drawer is crammed tight with copies of article clips, so I struggle to remove a handful of files. (Who says we get no exercise during daily writing duties?) Once I manage to, it's easier to browse through the others. To counter my dread for this onerous task, I've come to a compromise with myself. While I search for these clips, I get to think about the plot for a story I'm trying to find time to write. It's set during the Middle Ages–a time period that fascinates me.
I marvel at the average weight of a knight's armor (50 pounds). No wonder they needed pages–to help them get the armor on and off. As my fingers search files, my mind wanders through other fun facts about the Middle Ages. Now I wonder whether people during the Middle Ages were happy, considering they age worts for dinner. I imagine the leaves of St. John's Wort boiled with butter. Hmm. I wonder if Calliope has an upcoming theme about the Middle Ages? I need to check into this.
By now, I've found all be one requested clip. And I'm almost to the back of the drawer. I hope I haven't missed it. Now I come across a file with clips about the drought in the Midwest during the 1930s. Hey, I think Cobblestone has a Dust Bowl issue coming up. And I have a section on that in my New Deal book, too. I need to draft a query!
I find the final clip, at the very back of the drawer, next to the article I wrote for a career magazine on Waste Management Specialists. I remember one guy I interviewed described the waste audits they conduct. Yes, someone actually measures garbage during these audits! I'll bet Scholastic Math Magazine would be interested in an article about those waste audits. Talk about an interesting way to apply math skills!
I need to get these clips packaged and sent. I want to write those query letters while my inspiration is fresh. Now I know why I'm still looking for time to write fiction. I guess I am NF to the core. I can't get enough nonfiction.
Fun facts are at your fingertips, too. Think about your hobbies. What about them might interest young readers? Also, think about those "top 10" lists, facts, jokes, or quotes you collect. They're sources of nonfiction topics, waiting to inspire a willing mind.
May the fun facts around you serve as your creative muse also.
Lisa works and writes from her home in Plymouth. Using research about knights helped her tame the file-drawer dragon. Using advice from Time Management for the Creative Person by Lee Silber helped her organize those writing clips. If you'd like Lisa to cover a specific nonfiction issue in an upcoming column, please e-mail her at lisawtoo@yahoo.com. Copyright 2002, Lisa A. Wroble
My sister's been helping me pack files. We were both amazed that files for my mid-grade nonfiction books take up nearly an entire file drawer, and fill the 17-inch long storage boxes. That's a lot of folders of notes, drafts, and research.
"You should write more fiction," she says.
I point to the files for my novels-in-progress. "Even fiction authors have to research, get the details right, create character sketches."
She sighs, sounding thoroughly spent, yet we've barely begun. "Do you need them all?"
"Yes!" She is exasperated by the mounds of files we will be moving. Nonfiction authors could easily get buried in paper. "Are you sure these folders aren't growing or reproducing or something?"
"They're files, not dust bunnies!" I say. They don't lurk in dark corners of the file cabinet and, when ignored, grow to unmanageable proportions. (It only seems that way.) Like the Energizer bunny, however, some of these projects do keep going, and going, and going.
This is one of my best arguments for writing nonfiction. I get a second burst of "energy" out of my writing–and my research. There are two ways to do this. One is selling reprint or second rights. The other is to create new articles out of unused research.
Reprint rights, sometimes called second rights, means you are reselling an article without changing any of the wording. Of course, you can only sell reprint rights if the first magazine an article appears in bought first rights. When you submit articles (or stories for that matter) to magazines, you are offering basic rights–giving permission to the publisher to use your piece in print for compensation. First rights is short of First North American Serial Rights. A magazine (serial) distributed in Canada and/or the United States (North America) that purchases first rights has exclusive rights to your piece until it appears in that publication. Some publications do publish in North America as well as other countries and may buy First World Rights instead. Upon publication, the rights revert to the author, who can sell the same piece as second rights or reprint rights to magazines that use previously published material. When you submit your manuscript to other publications, you'll note "reprint rights" in the top right corner under the word count.
Editorial guidelines state the rights a magazine purchases. If you send your article to a magazine that purchases all rights, you agree to these terms because the editor assumes you've spent time reviewing the editorial guidelines before submitting. If you assign all rights to a magazine, you cannot sell reprint rights later. But you can reuse the research for that article and write a new piece.
I tend to use only one quarter of my research notes in each project. Younger children, especially, need authors to zero-in on a topic so a lot of material is left unused. Older readers can handle broader scope of a subject without feeling like they're reading "school work." So, I review my research notes and think about magazines I'm familiar with then write a new article with a different slant than the "all rights" article. For example, research used in The Oceans later came in handy for a reference article written for Salem Press. I used research for an article about Henry Morgenthau Jr., FDR's secretary of treasury, for a section of The New Deal and the Great Depression in American History. Research I couldn't fit into this same book was used in writing an article on the heat wave of 1931 that struck the American Midwest.
When you consider time spent researching, and tally up the payments for more than one article or selling reprint rights, those piles of files is worth it. Whether you find new uses for already-completed research, or whether you find new markets for an already-written article, it pays to re-energize your writing. Copyright 2002, Lisa A. Wroble
I took on a rush project for an educational publisher recently. I agreed because the editors said the research and outline were completed. "In fact," she assured me, "we have the outline 95 percent complete." Great, I thought, all I have to do it write!
The FedEx package arrived. Outline, guidelines, photo specs, layout sheets, sample books. No research. The deadline was tight and I needed back-up for what I knew about this topic, plus research for what I didn't. First stop, my World Book CD-ROM–for a quick overview. Next stop, the Internet.
Cruising the Information Highway
Big mistake! I'm one of those researchers
who falls in love with finding facts. Most of my school presentation
about the Kids Throughout History series covers intriguing facts
I couldn't fit into the books. The more tidbits I find, the happier
I am. If they're buried, I love digging them up.
My Internet browsing led me from one site to another and each had links to more sites. Soon, I was careening recklessly through the back roads of the information highway. If I didn't focus I'd never arrive at my destination on time!
Over-researching is easy to do, whether you use print or computer sources. It leads to that overwhelmed feeling so many writers automatically link with writing nonfiction. The thing is, you need to wade through the information and focus on an angle that most interests you. This is how you maintain your enthusiasm, which means you'll maintain the reader's interest, too.
Focusing Your Facts
Think of a time when you enthusiastically told your friends about
your latest vacation, or about a new hobby. You focused on the
interesting points to convince your friends that this was worth
hearing about. You captured their interest, and probably used
anecdotes to keep their interest. Did you tell them every single
detail? Did you tell them about the less impressive points? Probably
not unless they asked. You probably focused on what was interesting
and exciting to you, and what you felt would be interesting and
exciting to them.
Writing nonfiction for children follows the same concept. Whittle the facts down to an interesting detail (or two) and focus on that point. For example, let's say you took a trip to South American and while there, took a boat ride on the Amazon River. In addition to the guide telling you that it's the chief river of South America and the second longest in the world, you learn a bit about the piranha, pirarucú, anacondas, and other wildlife surrounding the river. Rather than focus an article covering all the details you found intriguing about this boat ride, you'd select an interesting point–how pirarucú fish and the flesh-eating piranha co-exist in this river, perhaps–and focus your article around this topic.
Fitting Everything In
Covering too much territory in an article runs the risk of giving
it a textbook feel. Resist the urge to use all the facts you've
gathered. Chances are, you'll end up with more than one article
from the same set of research material. This is the beauty of
nonfiction.
Resisting the urge to fit everything in doesn't apply only to nonfiction writers. This is one of the most common mistakes made by historical fiction authors. If the facts jump out at the reader, it breaks the story web you've carefully wrapped around the reader.
Remember, all the historic details are as typical to your characters as using flush toilets and tile-lined showers are to us. A character in a contemporary novel wouldn't think about leaping from a pillow-top mattress sitting on a frame raised six inches off the carpeted floor, would she? No, because beds are common enough that we have the basic idea when a character leaps from her bed. A character in the Middle Ages merely leaps from his bed, too. No need to describe what it's made of or where it's located.
Fiction authors also need to verify facts, to make a story realistic. Is your character getting her tongue pierced? Best not to have her also singing in a concert the same evening. (Unless it's part of your story conflict.)
If you realize you'll have more research than you'll need for a particular article, or to create a realistic historical setting, you won't feel buried in facts. When you resist the urge to "fit it all in," your reader won't feel buried in facts, either.
When Lisa isn't trying to find her way around the streets of Naples, FL, she navigates the Information Highway–with a research roadmap at her side. Send questions about nonfiction to Lisa at lisawtoo@yahoo.com for possible inclusion in a future column. Copyright 2002, Lisa A. Wroble
Guidelines from the Twilight Zone
Nonfiction writers should never feel they've been abducted to the Twilight Zone. Our world, after all, is anchored by fact. Lately, I'm afraid my universal translator is malfunctioning. What else could it be when I hear authors tell stories about breaking all the rules and still selling what they write?
I've heard enough "success" stories about writers submitting blindly–and receiving acceptances–that it's frustrating. The latest was after struggling to cut an article for a parenting publication by half. I'd finally succeeded and, after deleting every line I loved thought it still made sense.
What was I doing wrong? I wondered. All I ever get are rejections when I ignore writers' guidelines. I thought their purpose was to spell out what an editor of a specific publication wanted. I thought editors appreciated a writer taking the time to become familiar with a magazine before submitting. Apparently, this isn't the case while residing in the Twilight Zone.
I had to be missing something and I was determined to figure out what it was. I pulled out my pile of writers' guidelines. Hey, what's this? A secret decoder! I never noticed it before.
When I placed it over the guidelines on the top of the pile, I was able to read between the lines. Oh, of course! The answer to all my frustrations. "The above guidelines apply only when submitting on the 7th Wednesday of every month." Well, no wonder!
Another read, "Since the editors are always on the lookout for something different surprise us by creatively interpreting what we've spent years devising to make our jobs easier."
Wow! How had I survived so long without really seeing all that these guidelines revealed?
I went to bed that night happy my real life as an informed writer would begin the next morning. When I checked e-mail the next day, I had a message from my editor. Ugh! Would I need to bang that universal translator on the desk a few times so I could understand our correspondence? Maybe the secret decoder would work instead.
Reluctantly, I read the message. Good news! She liked the article and praised me for submitting it within the word count she requested. What a switch. Here was an editor whose guidelines meant what they said. But, she also asked me to give her a call when it was convenient. This wasn't unusual, since I've been working with this editor for years, but I dreaded today's request. The decoder didn't work over the computer monitor, though. I'd have to talk with her.
After worrying about the call, I decided to get it over with. Cool! She wanted me to write another article. Her idea was rough–she basically needed something to fit an upcoming theme. I told her how I'd cover the topic and she offered suggestions. The challenge was a tight deadline. She had a hole in her layout and needed to fill it quickly. We discussed a deadline, length, and fee.
Maybe that translator was working after all, though, because she added, "You know, I really appreciate how seriously you take my guidelines. That's why I offered you this article. I don't know where these writers get the idea I'll cut their articles in half for them."
I smiled. I had a clue to solving that mystery. I wanted to offer her my decoder, but thought better of it. I'll mail it to her–with tickets to the Twilight Zone. I won't be needing them. I've finally made it home!
When Lisa isn't vacationing in the Twilight Zone, she's working and writing from Naples, FL, where she enjoys being anchored by facts–and writers' guidelines. Send questions about nonfiction to Lisa at lisawtoo@yahoo.com for possible inclusion in a future column. Copyright 2003, Lisa A. Wroble
A short time ago I found a fun message waiting in my e-mail. "Aunt Lisa, I got an A on my term paper! Thanks for helping me figure out the library. I can't believe all the stuff I found. That was more fun than I ever thought."
I guess it's not only nonfiction writers who find research fun. I used to think this was why I leaned toward historical fiction–because I'm addicted to research. I'm happiest when I'm buried under a mountain of facts and need to hunt down answers to questions. But even writers of contemporary fiction need to verify details.
It's a fact you may end up finding it fun, like my niece, or needing a daily "fix." Oh, it begins innocently enough by cruising the Internet to check whether your character could run across a banded water snake in North Carolina. Soon you're using boolean searches on Google and filling your Favorite Places with fact-filled sites like Education World or ThinkQuest. The Internet is no longer enough, and on your next visit to the library you slip into the nonfiction section–for only a minute.
Soon, you're hanging out at libraries, claiming that it's soothing sitting among stacks of books. By then, you're too far gone, though you may claim to enjoy only light research. Before long library employees know your first name. (You're keeping up circulation and usage stats you know!)
Face it, you're a fact-user! The first step is admitting it. The next step? Shut those books. It's time to sweat the facts out of your veins!.
Whether you're writing an article or trying to get the details right so a fiction story seems realistic, only a small percentage of your research will actually end up in your manuscript. Don't panic though, those other notes will get used on a future project.
Once you've reviewed your notes, decide what point you want to make. Go through each fact and if it doesn't support this point or theme, set it aside. It helps if you use index cards; you can then sort them into piles. If you handwrote notes, type only those you'll use for this project into a research document. If you used a computer, cut and paste so all the pertinent facts are in a separate file.
Now, you're ready to focus on the writing. Pull out your outline. Review it, along with your notes and allow your fingers to fly across the keyboard. Try not to take a break until you get a rough draft done. Otherwise, you may be tempted to dash off to the information superhighway!
For your first fact fix, a good encyclopedia is the place to begin. You can verify details for stories easily. On the Internet, check out www.infoplease.com. You can quickly search encyclopedias, almanacs, and dictionaries with a single keyword search.
More advanced fact junkies will find www.jeeves.com useful. You can type a question or search using keywords. If you're using a search engine like www.google.com use quotation marks around groups of words, called a search string, to narrow your search. Further refine your search using AND, OR, and NOT between search strings. Type those words in all caps; the search engine will provide matches for both, either, or one but not the other.
For the fully fact-addicted, there's a wealth of information at government sites such as the National Archives and the Library of Congress, and at the Internet Public Library. Education sites like www.thinkquest.org and www.educationworld.com are great starting points for both ideas and research. Be wary. You never know where your facts may lead you!
Lisa's been addicted to facts since elementary school when she wrote a report on the oceans. She now gets her daily fact-fix near the Gulf in Naples. FL. If you'd like Lisa to cover a specific nonfiction issue in an upcoming column, please e-mail her at lisawtoo@yahoo.com.Copyright 2003, Lisa A. Wroble
Wow! Yuck! Really? Oh, gross! You're joking, aren't you?
If I hear these responses during a school visit, when I'm sharing fun and interesting facts with students, I know I've grabbed their attention. When I write nonfiction, I try to do the same. If I can grab the reader at the beginning then take him or her by the hand and run, I know I'll get my point across.
So often writers claim they can't come up with nonfiction topics. But they turn to their friends and share about a recent vacation, or a new hobby, or sometimes they share their experiences or expertise. These conversations cover the basics of writing nonfiction.
Enthusiasm
With friends, we easily share anything that interests us. They
respond with "oh wow!" If you're enthusiastic about
your topic when you write, it shows. This is why an author who
uncovers interesting anecdotes and little-known facts during research
writes engaging articles. When you say "oh wow!" during
research, you're sure to get the reader to respond in the same
way if you focus on those points in an article. Sure, everyone
learned about the Dust Bowl in the Midwest during the 1930s, but
how many kids realize people had to wash dishes–before they
ate–because dust coated everything? Or that farmers had to
shovel paths from the house to the barn–not through snow,
but through dust! Find an interesting fact that captures your
interest and you're sure to capture the interest of your reader.
Yuck-Appeal
Another sure way to gain "oh wow!" reactions is in focusing
on something kids will find gross, like "owl vomit"
in an article about how owls regurgitate pellets of the bones
and undigested parts of food they eat. Structure your article
like a detective investigating the owl's last supper and you're
sure to provide plenty of pertinent facts about owls in a manner
kids find appealing–even if many adults won't!
Focus
With all these fascinating facts you discover during your research,
it's tempting to cram them all into one article. Resist that temptation!
Focus on a single idea and use only those facts that support it.
Keep the unrelated, but equally appealing facts, together for
a future article. Remember that with the limited space for each
article in children's magazines, it's better to focus on a specific
aspect of a topic, rather than attempting to cover the general
scope in a short space. A general-coverage approach rings of school
work and encyclopedias. It wearies children–and editors.
Pulling It Together
Recently, my 11-year-old niece tried to convinced my sister that
she needed a canopy bed. She approached the topic like a lawyer-in-training.
She had an argument–with supporting backup–for each
excuse my sister came up with. I was impressed, but I couldn't
resist seeing if she'd come up with a defense for my favorite
fact about canopy beds.
"You know one reason they were common in the Middle Ages?" I asked. "With animals snuggling into the thatch roof for warmth at night, you never knew what might land in bed with you, from – "
"Oh, yuck! You better not say what I think you're gonna!"
She decided to rethink the canopy bed issue, but she wanted to know more about the Middle Ages. Focusing on the "yuck-factor" grabbed her attention, then all I had to do was keep it by sharing my facts in an interesting–and focused–way.
Consider this approach and you may find more nonfiction topics to write about than you have to time to focus on. Happy writing!
Lisa writes–and investigates intriguing topics–from Naples, FL. The "yuck-factor" continues to grab the attention of both readers and students during her school visits. If you have a specific question about writing nonfiction, send it to her at lisawtoo@yahoo.com for possible inclusion in a future column. Copyright 2003 Lisa A. Wroble
KISS your readers, show you care
Keep it simple, silly. The KISS acronym is well known to business and technical writers. Having spent many undergraduate hours on drills to tighten my text, I looked forward to creative writing. I'd now have freedom to allow thoughts to flow and show off my vocabulary. Right? Oh, how preposterously misinformed! While that's fine for a first draft, trimming to magazine word-limit and sharpening clarity is key, especially when writing for children.
Most readers–and editors–prefer concise, vivid writing. Skills I learned in technical writing classes apply to both fiction and nonfiction writing. If you care about your readers, you'll KISS them by trimming excess verbiage.
Dump empty words. Just, suddenly, and then–the list goes on. Empty words serve the same function as "um" does in a bad speech. They're filler–empty calories padding the word count. Do you really need them? "But ‘just' isn't ‘empty!'" you say. "We use it in speech all the time!" True, but in speech "just" is usually emphasized through inflection. In writing that inflection is missing. Unless you're showing progression of steps, "then," "next," and "now" are also filler. Use empty words sparingly to achieve the impact they have in speech. Trim empty words for leaner prose.
Focus sentences. What is the subject doing? It's easier to consider this when writing fiction. What is the character doing? Readers care less about what is being done to the subject or character. Which is more engaging, "the rocks were collected by geology students" or "geology students collected the rocks"? Don't bury the action in the sentence. Zero in on it instead.
Comb through your manuscript. Cut unnecessary, unfocused words. Instead of, "in addition, there were some people who disagreed," try "some people disagreed." Rearrange sentences beginning with "there was" or "there were." Instead of "there was a stray dog barking at us," restructure to focus on the action. "A stray dog barked at us."
Paint images. Don't tell how something was, show it. Engage the reader. Instead of, "thousands of butterflies were everywhere," rephrase as, "Monarch butterflies coated the fence and covered every rock." Be specific. Get out your thesaurus and have fun coming up with the exact word to express your thought. Readers breeze through concise, vivid writing like a boat slicing through the water.
Consider reading level. Watch sentence length and vocabulary. Multi-syllable words bump up reading level. Using many three- and four-syllable words in several long sentences raises reading level quickly. Shorten sentences. Vary sentence length for greater rhythm. Keep your reader in mind and divide long or compound sentences into two. It's fine to challenge young readers with a few multi-syllable words, but balance sentence length to avoid overwhelming them.
Review draft manuscripts with the above items in mind. Write tightly and aim for clarity. Readers feel your caring when you KISS them.
Lisa keeps her thesaurus handy while living and writing in Naples, Florida. If you'd like Lisa to cover a specific nonfiction issue in an upcoming column, please e-mail her at lisawtoo@yahoo.com. Copyright 2004 Lisa A. Wroble
Informative Chatting: Talking up some research
If you're like many nonfiction writers, you broke into print writing about activities, crafts, or hobbies. These are fun and easy–especially when you can write off the top of your head. But, what if the editor asks for anecdotes from real people to flesh out an article? Suppose the editor expects your research to include quotes from experts. Both require–gulp–talking to people. Now your writing feels less fun and very stressful!
It doesn't have to be stressful. Chat your way through research by getting people to share their "top of the head" facts with you over cappuccino. Thinking of an interview as a conversation–with one person doing most of the talking–is a great way to make it feel less daunting.
Where do you find people to interview? That depends on the topic, but interview sources may be as close as friends or neighbors, or as far away as Nova Scotia. With the telephone and Internet, though, the experts you need to talk to are within reach.
Check with a professional, trade, or hobby associations. Are you writing about ballooning, perhaps how a hot air balloon works? Contact the Balloon Federation of America. Find this association along with many more in Encyclopedia of Associations. Your library should have this book, or a similar listing. It provides the names of associations with addresses, phone numbers, and other contact information. Call the association and ask to speak with someone in public affairs or media relations.
Call the public relations departments at corporations, universities, or medical centers. Briefly explain your article and ask them to recommend people you might interview. They should be able to refer you to a few experts from their organization. While working on the Childcraft project I contacted Lego Corporation's PR department and received the information I needed on how Lego building blocks are manufactured, along with photos used in the book.
Look at college continuing education or adult education catalogues. Track down the instructors who teach a topic related to your article. Don't overlook the yellow pages or Chamber of Commerce guides, either. I once completed an article for All Kids Considered about summer camps after finding a contact for Campfire Inc. in the chamber guide provided with the local weekly.
Interview sources are also available on the Internet. Two of the most well-known are websites are Experts.com and Yearbook of Experts for Journalists. ProfNet is excellent for serious writers. You'll register before using it, but it's free and well worth it if you do a lot of interviewing.
Properly prepare for the interview. Contact the interviewee and set up a time to talk. Even if you plan on a phone interview, it's courteous to make an appointment. Suggest a day and time and ask whether this fits into the interviewee's schedule. This allows the interviewee to suggest an alternate time.
Next, do some research. Find out about the topic. Create questions after gathering facts. The point of the interview is to clarify contradictions you uncover and receive insight into the topic–not to educate you on the subject.
Write out the questions you'd like to ask–as a guide during the interview. Order the questions from casual to probing. Include a reminder to verify details such as the spelling of his/her name, title, plus contact info (address, fax/telephone, and e-mail address) for the fact checkers.
Now, you're ready to (gulp) conduct the interview. Relax. People love to talk about themselves and the things they find most fascinating–whether hobby or career. An interview is really a one-sided conversation. Keep the interviewee talking. Ask open-ended questions. (Save the yes-no questions for clarifying a detail quickly.)
"Why do you think X?" "What brought about Z?" As the interviewee shares his/her knowledge, ask related questions. Your goal is to get as much specific information as possible. For example, does he mention European countries in his answer? Ask which countries? Does she describe baskets used with hot air balloons? Are there different types? Why is one type better than another?
Allow the interview to wander off target a bit. You never know when he or she will reveal interesting tidbits (which great sources for article sidebars). To get the interview back on track, comment on the last statement and then lead in to the next questions with "I wonder about (topic of question)," then ask the next question.
Wrap up with a final question. Ask whether it's okay to phone or e-mail if you "come up with questions" while writing the article. Most people are more than willing to provide additional information.
In fact, you'll probably have a had time ending the interview–since both you and the interviewee will enjoy the "informative chat."
Copyright 2004 Lisa A. Wroble
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If you like most writers, you've invested a lot of effort into crafting a strong manuscript. You've wandered a long hallway, entering different rooms and learning about all the elements of writing from structure, theme and slant, to using quotes or dialogue. You know–all those pieces making up the writing puzzle. Now your "puzzle" is complete–you have a well-written manuscript others have read and enjoyed.
You now stand at the end of the hallway before a door marked "To Market." With a mix of hesitation and excitement you reach for the knob. You are so ready to submit your work and see your byline in print. Go ahead! Open that door–this is what you've been working towards!
Another Set of Doors
Oh no! Before you stretches a long expanse. Another hallway filled
with–more doors! Exploring the markets is the first step
to finding the right one for your piece. And, there are a lot
of markets out there. Where to start?
Read. Buy or borrow copies of magazines you're interested in (or visit their websites). Learn as much as you can about a publication. How does the audience for one magazine differ from that of another magazine? What type of material are they currently using? In magazines, note the ads. They offer additional clues to the target readership. For example, while American Girl targets girls ages 8-12, most of the ads and photos in the magazine have girls around 10. This is likely the average age of the readers so target that level. Also, compare the names listed on the masthead with the story bylines. What's the freelance potential?
Use a good market guide and narrow your search using the category index. Are you writing information, how-to, or personal experience pieces? Focus on publishers for your category.
Look for style clues. As you read, note how the articles are structured. Do subheads break text every two or three paragraphs? Do photo captions provide a majority of the information? Are sidebars used? If so, how long are they? Do they offer sources for more information on the topic? Or are they mini articles to help entice the reader into the main article?
Really study the types of material the magazine uses and write your article to match. If you tend to focus mostly on fiction, breaking down the published stories into vital fiction elements will help you gain a feel for whether the editors will be interested in your story.
Request guidelines. They provide clues to help you land a spot between the covers. What do they receive too much of? What type of story do the editors wish they'd see more often? That's the type certain to make a sale. If the publication has a website, remember its first purpose is to readers and potential subscribers. Writers are in a different category so be sure to look for link on "submissions" or "editorial." Guidelines provide details on how to send a manuscript and to whom. Don't confuse a page listing past themes with the guidelines page. For example, Boys' Quest and sister publications Hopscotch and Fun For Kidz list "themes" with back issues. After a lot of hunting, I found guidelines at http://www.boysquest.com/contact/guidelines.htm. The same thing occurs at the Carus/Cricket group (Cobblestone, Calliope). Upcoming query deadlines and themes for writers are listed at the end of the writers' guidelines, but you'll find links to "themes" and "teachers' guidelines" too.
Make sure you're looking at the proper guidelines. If you have trouble finding them, look under "contact us" or "about us" on the website's links. Try a boolean search ("Hopscotch magazine" AND "writers guidelines") and if all else fails, request guidelines the old fashioned snail mail way.
Learn all you can and read widely to get a feel for the markets available. Then follow the guidelines, and confidently enter the door marked "Submissions."
When Lisa isn't wandering hallways with oddly marked doors, she's wandering the parks and beaches in Naples, FL and writing. If you're grappling with an aspect of nonfiction or magazine writing, send questions to lisawtoo@yahoo.com or lwroble@lisawroble.com. Copyright 2004 Lisa A. Wroble
Writing is a lot more work than people think. Not only do we need to be creative and find great ideas, we have to place butt-in-chair and get those words onto paper. Most writers will admit that they love the process and wouldn't trade it for any other job. Well, once those fingers and thoughts are zooming across they keyboard that is. Then writing is a lot of fun.
Sometimes, though, keeping all the little details, all those dos and don'ts straight, causes writers to freeze up. Fear and anxiety slams on the brakes inches before crashing into the roadblock in our path. Negative thoughts take over.
Do I have what it takes? Am I making sense? Will editors post my manuscript on the "When we need a really good laugh" wall? What am I exposing about myself – either about my (un)creativity or my (lack of) communication skills? What if my idea is no good?
Have faith in your skills and creativity! Don't allow that negative inner voice to set up roadblocks to your writing success. Later, that inner voice can become an asset and help you improve your writing. For now, the important thing is getting a full draft onto paper and these pointers will help you knock down writing roadblocks.
Gag that critic! If it helps to mentally go through the motions of tying him up, then do it. The key is to shut that voice up. Duck tape works, but if that voice is especially judgmental, then tie the critic to a chair, haul him into the attic and lock the door. If he manages to free himself, the faint and far-away voice is easier to ignore. Make sure he can breathe. Though you may want to, don't murder him for two reasons: First, he is part of you; second, you'll learn to work with him to improve your writing.
Recognize you are not alone. Even established writers succumb to the inner critic at times, especially when switching genres or climbing out of a slump.
Remember, drafts are meant to be changed. We aren't writing carving in stone and thankfully, computers make it a cinch to make changes–and return to the original version. But, first you need something to work with and that means words on paper or screen.
Use free-writing to get going. I often resort to my journal or a blank document on the computer to write anything to get the thoughts rolling. Even if it's, "My newsletter column is due on Monday and I need to focus on getting it done. I want to write about . . ." Once I begin writing the article, I then cut and paste it into a new document and continue until I'm done.
Consider what will happen next. If staring at a blank screen is a problem, try thinking first about your character. What is his or her problem? Make a list of events that will happen in the story (or points you want to convey in an article). Once you write something on the screen, you should feel scenes and words coming to mind. You can either switch to a new document and write the story, or turn your list into paragraphs.
The important thing is to enjoy the process of writing. When fears and anxiety set up roadblocks, the joy is gone and worry leads to inaction. Whatever you do, don't allow your inner critic to set up writing roadblocks. Good ideas, passion for a topic, a desire to share, and faith in your skills, are key to knocking them down.
When Lisa isn't navigating around roadblocks or detouring around traffic jams in Naples, FL, she's wrestling with her inner critic for computer time. Send questions about writing and nonfiction to Lisa at lwroble@lisawroble.com for possible inclusion in a future column.Copyright 2005 Lisa A. Wroble
Is Your Creative Well Sucking Sludge?
As imaginative people, writers and illustrators draw from a large well of creative energy. Reading books, watching movies, discussions with friends over coffee, and attending conferences and workshops help to fill the well. Sessions at the desk or struggles with editors deplete it. Sometimes life gets in the way. Illness, a family crisis, or life events drain not only our daily energy but tap into our reserves of creative energy and suck the levels dangerously low.
This has been especially trying for me this year as I juggle difficult family situations and also have friends and students asking for advice as they face their own personal crises. Finally, I had to admit it. In trying to help my friends and students, my well had become so depleted I felt I was sucking sludge. Once I realized it, I found ways to refill the well so I could once again not only work on my own projects with more confidence, but help my friends and students draw on their own creative energy. If you've been struggling to juggle both family and writing projects, perhaps your well needs serious replenishing. These tips may help you as much as they have my friends and students.
Read
Take a break from writing or illustrating and read. Pick up the
latest book by a favorite author. Escaping into the world of someone
else's creation provides a mental vacation, which boosts the levels
in your creative well. Select something you don't generally read:
memoirs or a cozy mystery if you generally focus on children's
literature; a good epic fantasy or even science fiction if you
tend to stick with realistic stories. The point is to boost your
creative energy through entertainment, so kick off your sandals,
find an unused hammock and curl up in the last in the autumn sunshine
with a good story.
Pursue a Hobby
Most of us give up hobbies in order to find more time for our
passion to write or illustrate. What hobbies do you no longer
have time for? Spend a few hours devoting time that now goes to
writing or family and knit a scarf, spruce up your office by sewing
a few new pillows, or painting a scene to go with a poem you wrote.
Most of the hobbies we no longer have time for were creative outlets
before writing or illustrating replaced them. Spending time creating
a new recipe when you rarely have time to cook from scratch anymore
provides satisfaction that boosts the creative levels in your
well.
Create a "Fuzzies" Folder
Remember "warm fuzzies"–those positive comments,
uplifting anecdotes, and feel-warm-all-over accomplishments? Recreate
them those positive situations by gathering reminders or mementos
in a file folder. Have you received a champagne rejection? Place
a copy in the that file folder. Don't forget to include your first
ever acceptance. Add thank you notes, uplifting quotes, a special
card (from friends, family, or a writing buddy), and photos from
conferences and workshops to the folder. Whenever you feel down,
pull it out and thumb through the items to boost your self-esteem—and
add a few inches to your well's resources.
Different things fill the well in different amounts. Try to find those that help you feel extra enthusiastic about writing or illustrating because they replenish large amounts of creative energy. But don't discount those that add only some amounts. Even "run off" helps maintain a steady supply of creative energy. Besides, you never know which activities may lead to idea you're enthusiastic about—and enthusiasm is the best resource to keep your well from sucking sludge.
Lisa keeps her creative well replenished by teaching writing workshops, reading favorite authors, and spending time at the beach in Naples, FL. For more writing encouragement, visit the Student Union at her website www.lisawroble.com, where you can also send her e-mail with questions about writing and nonfiction for possible inclusion in a future column. Copyright 2005 Lisa A. Wroble
Stop Floundering
in Good Intentions–SAM
A new year is upon us. Instead of creating resolutions, which I never keep and then beat myself up for such blatant laziness, I like to focus on goals. Some creative people freeze up at the thought of setting goals. It's so . . . business oriented. If you fall into this category, think of goals as intentions: This year I intend to learn more about writing science fiction for children.
That's do-able. It's also vague. What will
you learn? How will you accomplish it? This is why resolutions
go astray. They're wide-reaching and after the first month, enthusiasm
wavers and you feel you're floundering in good intentions. As
the months go by and a new year looms ahead, you find you're still
targeting the same intention–to learn more about writing
and see your name in print. Frustration sets in. With a little
focus, though, you can set achievable goals that help you reach
the universal writing goal–publication!
Project a target
Think about your writing skills and weaknesses. In business, company goals are set to move the business forward. What must they do to surpass competitors? Writers need to think about writing development. What do you need to do to improve so your writing stands out? Is your punctuation a problem? Do you hear others use writing terms you don't understand? Have critique group members comments that your endings fall flat? Do you struggle to twist-up plots?
Think about these questions and use them as a guide to write down where you currently are, where you would like to be at the end of the year, and where you would like to be in five years.
Plan an approach
How will you accomplish your goal for the year? For example, if punctuation is a problem, you can easily brush up on it by reading a book or taking a refresher course. Once you've improved this skill, focus on another.
It helps to think of long-term and short-term goals. Short-term goals help you set up for success in the long-term. Your five-year goal is the long-term goal. Think of the short-term goals–which help you reach that long-term goal–as stepping-stone goals.
For example, I want to learn more about writing science fiction for children. I've published some general fiction but I need to know how to incorporate the science element for this genre. Stepping-stone goals might include studying recently published children's sf and noting which magazines publish it. I'll delve into the stories to note how the science element is incorporated. How does the author slip in details about the future world? How is the problem presented and resolved? In what way does the science play a role in the outcome of the story? If the science element is removed, does the story crumble?
By closely exploring the genre I want to write, I'll learn details to apply to my stories. As my critique group comments on my stories, and I notice my improvement, I'll know I'm succeeding in this goal. As I improve in one area, I'll create new stepping-stone goals that lead me to my long-term goal.
Play it again SAM
As the year moves forward, so do your plans for writing. If you think of the steps needed to achieve your goal, you can look back and see where you've been and all you've achieved. Your goals–or intentions–are Specific, Achievable, and Measurable. And you're prepared to do it again in the new year. Happy writing in the New Year!
Lisa steps carefully across the stones set down on her writing path in Naples, FL. If you have questions about writing or nonfiction, send them to Lisa at lwroble@lisawroble.com for possible inclusion in a future column.Copyright 2005 Lisa A. Wroble
Journaling: Writers Basic Training
Keeping a journal is the best way to harness
thoughts, memories, ideas and dreams. Those
penned experiences will provide plenty of details to add realism
to your stories. Journaling also
serves as "training," to help you find your writer's
voice, among many other writing skills.
During my writing workshops, I suggest participants bring a fresh spiral notebook and do all the in-class and at-home writing exercises in it. I suggest they practice different story elements such as dialogue, description, and sensory details. Eventually they begin recording new story ideas, then dating entries, and voila, they have become full-fledged journalers.
I use my journal to record daily insights, but find it helpful to clear my mind by writing ideas down before bed-time. When I'm under deadline, journaling helps me clear my thoughts so I'm able to focus on the project at hand.
How Often Do I Have to Write?
This is a common question from my students. The answer is frustratingly ambiguous. It's up to you! The more you write, the better the training, but you don't need to write daily. You could simply record inspiring quotes or make lists of ideas. In fact, making lists might be a great way to get started in journal writing.
Begin by listing your childhood hobbies. Which are you still interested in? What can you add to the list. Next, focus on all the jobs you've had. Which did you most enjoy? At which did you learn the most? The least? Create lists for anything that interests you, from topics you've always wanted to know more about or subjects you read about in the newspaper or hear on the news. Review your lists and write about memories they trigger? Add a few paragraphs of your top items and why you might want to write about them. Now you're writing more; your lists are expanding into statements and paragraphs. Keep going! The more you write, the more you learn and grow as a writer.
How Much Should I Write?
Ultimately, the entries don't need to be a set length either. They might be one page or ten pages. They don't need to make sense as far as transitions or sequence either. I often use // in the margin of my journal to indicate a change in thought or when I've returned later in the day to pen a new thought or idea. I put an asterisk next to ideas or dreams that I think have story or article potential. I usually reread entries weekly to add idea notes in the margins or highlight pieces I think may be useful in the near future. Sometimes entries during the course of several weeks or a month show an idea slowly developing and I'll start a new entry commenting on this and reminding myself where the idea sparked and where I see it possibly leading. It is usually a lack of time that keeps me from outlining or drafting these ideas right away, so using the journal helps me document them for later development.
Wanted: the ‘Perfect' Journal
Any notebook will do for your writer's journal.
You can use a spiral notebook or composition
book from the school supplies section at your favorite store or
visit the bookstore for a selection
of blank books. The variety is impressive, from lined or unlined
sheets to various sizes (and
shapes). The important thing is that you feel comfortable with
the book so you'll enjoy writing
in it often.
You might even prefer to use your computer
to journal. Many writing friends insist this is the
best method because of the "search and find" features
on most word processing programs. I
prefer a portable, handwritten journal. If this is your choice,
too, choose a writing instrument
with as much care as the journal itself. Do you want to hear the
scratching of a pencil or marker
on the page or feel the glide of a gel-ink or smell the fresh
ink of a fountain pen? I like the feel of smooth, thicker paper
and the fast, flowing ink of a Roller Ball. But, I also prefer
different colors to help me designate different days at a glance.
The choice is yours.
Whichever method you choose, be sure to keep
the first few pages blank. Record favorite writing
exercises or prompts on those opening pages. You'll be able to
quickly find them whenever you want to write during unexpected
spare time. Each time you complete an exercise, you'll gain something
more from it. Draw from these completed exercises, just as you'll
glean from experiences recorded in journal entries, in developing
writing ideas—and developing as a writer.
Lisa makes lists and records insights in her favorite blank book in inspiring locations throughout Naples, Fkrida. What would you like to know about nonfiction or writing in general? Copyright 2006 Lisa A. Wroble