Hi Everyone:
In the spirit of the fabulous guest writer classes Larry put on for us, I wanted to give you the heads up on a two-part series on writing that will be running on my blog starting Friday, June 24.
Through the unknown workings of fate, destiny and the Internet, I ended up in an email chat with Caitlin Kelly, freelance writer and author of two books including her latest Malled - a memoir style piece about a two-year detour into the life of a retail clerk. She agreed to write a few guest posts for me on writing and what evolved was a two-part series with a possible Q and A follow-up (if enough questions come in).
The first post will discuss the issues surrounding disclosure and the second will feature a peek at the writer's life. More info can be found here.
Hope you have a chance to stop by and ask some questions.
Cheers,
Sarah
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Relations with editors
Below are my "Do and Don't" watchwords for dealing with editors, which I promised to post today.
There's one important point I didn't get to last night: The editing process differs between articles and essays. An article, being more grounded in objective fact, is legitimately subject to heavier editing. An essay, being much about your voice, your experience, and your interpretation, is basically the writer's property. An editor may (and should) help you clarify and express yourself effectively, and keep you from flights of wordiness, but should not try to alter your voice or your point of view.
In books of all kinds, the editing process is usually collaborative rather than dictatorial. The editor doesn't insist on changes, but makes suggestions. We accept some and decline others. Sometimes the editor pushes harder, and then we discuss it harder. I've never had it degenerate into a standoff.
Reprising my final comment of last night, this was truly a wonderful class. I'll miss you.
· DEALING WITH EDITORS: a few do’s and don’ts and a maybe:
DO talk through your idea and plan for a piece with the editor beforehand. The most impt editing is done before the story is ever written.
DO notify (and ask permission) if you’re going to be late
DO cultivate a personal relationship, but w/o becoming a pest.
DO compliment an editor occasionally on good work. They don’t get many.
MAYBE negotiate the fee and other terms.
DON’T turn in anything careless, figuring “they’ll catch it if it’s wrong.”
DON’T warn them that a piece is too long, or hazy, or that you have any other doubts about it. The one exception is legal/ethical issues.
DON’T whine, nag, or bother them with inconsequential stuff
Monday, June 6, 2011
Writing Links to Ponder Post-Class
If on an upcoming Tuesday night you're yearning for Nonfiction Writing, console yourself with Red Lemonade. Red Lemonade publishes books (in electronic and print formats) and its website allows visitors to read and comment on Red Lemonade titles. Writers can also electronically publish their own works through the website. They retain full rights. If Red Lemonade founder Richard Nash likes the book, he may publish it. But authors are free to take their work elsewhere. See The Stranger's interview with Richard Nash for more details.
Or if you find you're in need of writing inspiration this summer, check out some of the articles in The Atlantic's "Nearly 100 Fantastic Pieces of Journalism." Of the 100, I've read about five articles. I particularly liked "Letting Go" by Atul Gawande.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Yellowstone and Wolves
Having enjoyed "Flight" by Barry Lopez in our Touchstone Anthology, I was pleased to learn that he wrote Of Wolves and Men so I took a copy with me on my trip to Yellowstone. Published in 1978, Lopez covers animal research, art, music, literature, Native American lore, politics, and history. I noticed that several other books on wolves cite this comprehensive early work of the author.
Every morning of this trip I awoke before sunrise, grabbed coffee and a pastry at Bearclaw Bakery in Cooke City, Montana, and drove down into Yellowstone's Lamar Valley. I looked for a yellow Nisson Xterra SUV parked at one of the pullouts. This was Rick McIntyre's vehicle. Working for the Yellowstone Wolf Project, Rick has logged over 3,000 consecutive days observing the park's wolves and has spotted the animals at least 95% of those days. Typically there are eight to twenty other cars following him around the valley. He is so popular with wolfers that when nature calls, several people follow him to the bathroom with binoculars and spotting scopes.
Among this migrating crowd of wolf lovers is Joellen Barton from Iowa. She and her husband drive their white Ford Expedition cross-country every spring and fall to spend a month observing wolves. The license plate reads, "DRUID42," the name and number of their favorite wolf--Druid pack wolf number 42. After comparing notes on wolf books with Joellen, I added the 2010 book Wolfer: A Memoir by Carter Niemeyer to my reading list. Niemeyer turned from trapper of to advocate for wolves.
During a trip back to Bozeman to pick up my wife and son, I stumbled upon Country Bookshelf bookstore and a few doors down, Vargo's Jazz City and Books. Before long I had a stack of books that would somehow have to fit in my luggage.
I found Tim Cahill's Lost in My Own Backyard. Cahill is an entertaining travel writer with titles like Jaguars Ripped My Flesh, Pecked to Death by Ducks, and A Wolverine Is Eating My Leg. He lives 50 miles north of Yellowstone and Backyard collects his essays on backwoods hiking in the park. "I've spent entire afternoons not knowing exactly where I was, which is to say, I was lost in my own backyard. This shouldn't happen if you stay on the major trails. But you may find yourself lost in thought, or in sheer astonishment. And here's the big idea for Americans: Yellowstone was the world's first national park. It was established, by an act of Congress, on March 1, 1872. The park was expressly put aside 'for the benfit and enjoyment of the people.' That makes Yellowstone Park America's backyard. Your backyard."
Every morning of this trip I awoke before sunrise, grabbed coffee and a pastry at Bearclaw Bakery in Cooke City, Montana, and drove down into Yellowstone's Lamar Valley. I looked for a yellow Nisson Xterra SUV parked at one of the pullouts. This was Rick McIntyre's vehicle. Working for the Yellowstone Wolf Project, Rick has logged over 3,000 consecutive days observing the park's wolves and has spotted the animals at least 95% of those days. Typically there are eight to twenty other cars following him around the valley. He is so popular with wolfers that when nature calls, several people follow him to the bathroom with binoculars and spotting scopes.
Among this migrating crowd of wolf lovers is Joellen Barton from Iowa. She and her husband drive their white Ford Expedition cross-country every spring and fall to spend a month observing wolves. The license plate reads, "DRUID42," the name and number of their favorite wolf--Druid pack wolf number 42. After comparing notes on wolf books with Joellen, I added the 2010 book Wolfer: A Memoir by Carter Niemeyer to my reading list. Niemeyer turned from trapper of to advocate for wolves.
During a trip back to Bozeman to pick up my wife and son, I stumbled upon Country Bookshelf bookstore and a few doors down, Vargo's Jazz City and Books. Before long I had a stack of books that would somehow have to fit in my luggage.
I found Tim Cahill's Lost in My Own Backyard. Cahill is an entertaining travel writer with titles like Jaguars Ripped My Flesh, Pecked to Death by Ducks, and A Wolverine Is Eating My Leg. He lives 50 miles north of Yellowstone and Backyard collects his essays on backwoods hiking in the park. "I've spent entire afternoons not knowing exactly where I was, which is to say, I was lost in my own backyard. This shouldn't happen if you stay on the major trails. But you may find yourself lost in thought, or in sheer astonishment. And here's the big idea for Americans: Yellowstone was the world's first national park. It was established, by an act of Congress, on March 1, 1872. The park was expressly put aside 'for the benfit and enjoyment of the people.' That makes Yellowstone Park America's backyard. Your backyard."
Writing Creative Nonfiction
While away in Yellowstone last week I read Writing Creative Fiction: Fiction Techniques for Crafting Great Nonfiction by Theodore Cheney. I like how he contrasts scenes and summaries, drama and narrative. Nonficiton writers can use both sides of this continuum to keep the reader moving.
He also refers to the nonfiction version of fictional dialog as "captured conversation." As for character development, nonfiction writers should reveal character bit by bit using selective details sprinkled through the writing that are connected to the unfolding narrative.
Perhaps the strongest aspect of this book are the many excerpts from great writing that illustrate Cheney's points. Here's an excerpt about passive verbs:
"'To be' doesn't conjure up any image in the brain. It says only that the subject exists--and we already knew that. Tell us something new. Better yet, 'show' us something new. 'To be or not to be, that is the question'--the bard gives us a moment's pause, and then we remember we have the answer--NOT to be."
"We want our sentences vivid (vivid deriving from the Latin vivere--to live). Give life to sentences by substituting accurate, vivid verbs for the intransigent forms of to be:
He was enticed by her black hair.
Revised to:
Her black hair knocked him for a loop.
She was embraced by the clown.
Revised to:
The clown grabbed her and hugged her."
Notice how he swapped the object and subject to eliminate the passive verb? This doesn't work all the time but find every place in your draft where it could.
What writing books do you recommend?
He also refers to the nonfiction version of fictional dialog as "captured conversation." As for character development, nonfiction writers should reveal character bit by bit using selective details sprinkled through the writing that are connected to the unfolding narrative.
Perhaps the strongest aspect of this book are the many excerpts from great writing that illustrate Cheney's points. Here's an excerpt about passive verbs:
"'To be' doesn't conjure up any image in the brain. It says only that the subject exists--and we already knew that. Tell us something new. Better yet, 'show' us something new. 'To be or not to be, that is the question'--the bard gives us a moment's pause, and then we remember we have the answer--NOT to be."
"We want our sentences vivid (vivid deriving from the Latin vivere--to live). Give life to sentences by substituting accurate, vivid verbs for the intransigent forms of to be:
He was enticed by her black hair.
Revised to:
Her black hair knocked him for a loop.
She was embraced by the clown.
Revised to:
The clown grabbed her and hugged her."
Notice how he swapped the object and subject to eliminate the passive verb? This doesn't work all the time but find every place in your draft where it could.
What writing books do you recommend?
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