According to an article in The Economist, negative publicity is fine for an unknown author. In Better to be reviled than ignored, we are informed that:
Read MoreGood news: you can succeed as a bad writer, apparently
in News & views
Bad headlines
If there’s one thing that really annoys me it’s chapter headings and article headlines where you can’t tell what the subject matter is until you read it. Who needs a situation in which you don’t know if you want to read something until you have read it? The way I look at it is that if the author can’t even be bothered being clear when he’s trying to entice you to read his stuff, why should you be bothered to oblige him by reading it?
4 Reasons to get published
It's important to be published by a traditional publisher
Image by Terry Freedman via Flickr
In this day and age, in which anyone can publish and distribute their books electronically, or self-publish them by going down several routes (none of which need include the traditional vanity publisher), why should anyone bother approaching a traditional publisher? After all, very few of the thousands of manuscripts that publishers receive find their way into book form, and of those that do, very few hit the big time. There are, in fact, at least 4 reasons to try to get published by the age-old process of going to publishers.
How to find all articles in a series quickly
in How to
If you have come across one of the articles in a series, liked it, and decided that you would like to read the others in that series, you don’t have to go hunting all over the place for them!
Read More10 attributes of professional writers -- #10: Ask for permission to quote
It’s always a good idea to ask permission to quote someone, especially if you’re (slightly) putting words into their mouths. “How might that arise?”, you might ask.
10 attributes of professional writers -- #9: Keep a record of sources
If you’re doing research for an article, it’s easy to lose track of where you came across information, such as useful quotes you can use. This is where an electronic aide can come in very handy.
Two tools you might consider using are:
10 attributes of professional writers -- #8: Pitch to the right outlet
You’d think this would be a no-brainer, wouldn’t you? Yet just about every week I read an article by some editor or other bemoaning the fact that would-be contributors don’t appear to have done any research into the publication, preferring instead to offer an article regardless of how well it fits.
Read More10 attributes of professional writers -- #7: Research properly
Can there be any excuse, in this day and age, for poorly-researched material? There are books, the internet and still, even in these straitened times, public libraries with reference sections.
Self-publishing
Although I have had many books published by traditional publishers, I like self-publishing. I like it because it is great for niche topics. However, it is most decidedly not an unequivocally good thing, and there are pros and cons of each approach. This video summarises the issues.
10 attributes of professional writers -- #6: Proofread properly
Last year a teenager sent me an article with a covering email saying:
Sorry, I didn’t have time to proofread it properly. Sure you can sort it out!
Tools For the Writer
To write, you need a couple of tools. On the low end of the scale, paper and pencil will do. Typewriters are good. Word processors are better.
Read More10 attributes of professional writers -- #5: Send professional emails
Email is a marvellous facility. especially for pitching editors or publishers, and for sending a covering “letter” with an article or story. However, there is an inherent danger of its tempting us into being too casual.
Here are “Terry’s Top Seven Tips for professional-looking emails”.
Using video for creative writing
I always carry a pocket camcorder with me. It enables me to take both photos and videos. I use the videos as a potential basis for creative writing.
I try to make the videos only about 30 seconds long, because I like the idea of being minimalist – as you may have gathered from my article about using Twitter.
10 attributes of professional writers -- #4: Make it readable
"This is on the level of an 11 year old." That was the verdict of an article I'd written as part of a writing course I'd been invited to attend by a magazine I was writing for at the time.
Read MoreReview of the Kodak Zx1 Pocket Camcorder
in Photography, Reviews, Video
The Kodak Zi8 pocket camcorder has a range of options for video, a still photo facility, and a really easy-to-use programme for importing your efforts into your computer and uploading to YouTube, Vimeo and other sites.
However, if you’re looking for something a little more rugged, an alternative is the Kodak Zx1. It’s not as pretty, but boy, is it robust!
Read MoreUsing Twitter for creative writing
We don’t need no rules of grammar
Back in April 2010 Steve Wheeler (@timbuckteeth) posted a useful article reminding students that when it comes to succeeding academically, accuracy in using the language still counts.He lists a set of rules which humorously make the point, such as "Avoid clichés like the plague." My question is: do the same rules apply to bloggers?
23 rules for writers
We’ve all heard of “laws” such as Murphy’s Law (If anything can go wrong it will go wrong), but how about laws which are especially pertinent for writers? I’ve been doing a spot of research, and have come up with these timeless gems. I’ve included the references in case you wish to delve further into any of them.
10 attributes of professional writers – #3: Meet the deadline
It seems to me that one crucial difference between a professional (in all senses of the word) writer and others is that the professional will always meet the deadline set by the editor.
Sometimes, of course, this isn’t possible. For example, I was recently commissioned to write some articles about
Read MoreA new Facebook page and a new newsletter
I’ve just set up a Facebook page for Writers’ Know-How, and a new newsletter.
Setting up the Facebook page was surprisingly easy, thanks to the wonderful video by
Read More