Succeed As A Writer

www.publishingcircles.
com
How to Succeed
As a Writer
by
Avril Harper, Chartered MCIPD
www.smartfreelance.com
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www.publishingcircles.com
How to Succeed as a Writer

by Avril Harper
INTRODUCTION LET'S START AT THE VERY BEGINNING WHAT PROBLEMS HAUNT THE BEGINNING WRITER? IDEAS AND WHERE TO GET THEM READERS' LETTERS AND FILLERS ARTICLES - THE LARGEST MARKET OF ALL SHORT STORIES NOVELS NON-FICTION BOOKS POETRY PLAYS SUBMITTING ARTICLES AND SHORT STORIES USEFUL INFORMATION, RECOMMENDED READING WRITERS' MAGAZINES, ADDRESSES, ETC.
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Introduction
Have you heard that little voice inside of you? The one that tells you, year in year out, about the book your book, waiting to come out. For many people, the little voice will never be heard above a whisper, and a potentially good and satisfying writing career will fail to ever see the light of day. But the little voice will keep on, and on, and on. That little voice is the one to listen to. If you feel the need to write, you owe it to yourself to come out of your shell, and write. If it isn't so much an ambition to write for the satisfaction of committing words to paper, as a need to earn your living from your efforts, then again you will accomplish nothing by ignoring that encouraging little soul who prompts you ever onwards. Inertia is the prime reason for the world being robbed of another brilliant writer - that and the fear of failure. And even though so many of us know about that book we owe it to the world to create, for the vast majority the dream will never materialise. The dreamer, and the reading population, will be so much the poorer. Now, I'll let you into a secret. Until that word 'Introduction' was actually typed for this manual, I spent days - no weeks, anguishing over whether I could actually come up with enough essential information to fill a book of this type. In addition I doubted my ability to write it adequately, for I do not profess to be one of the more brilliant writers of our times. My subsequent research, with batteries recharged from the mere placing of that word 'Introduction' on the page confronting me, convinced me that not only had I enough information to fill this particular book, but rather I had so much as to necessitate my selecting only those pieces of utmost importance. To allow you the benefit of my remaining research material, I will do what most writers do, and draw your attention to the many highly specialised books on the market, most of them written by experts in the field concerned. I must sadly content myself with imparting sufficient information to convince you that you most certainly do have a future in writing, and to point you in the direction for success. Inertia, as we've already discovered, can often be overcome by committing that first word to paper, thereby starting the momentum that will gather speed as you discover more things to say, and better ways to say them, until your work is finished and ready to fly. Fear of failure can be defeated before you have time to say: 'rejection slip'. Rejection, despite what they say, is not something the beginning writer must learn to accept. There are ways to minimise rejection, even to eliminate it completely, the secret lying primarily in not setting your sights too high as you learn your craft. Write for the lower paying, lesser known markets, and you won't face opposition from writers with many years' experience to their credit. Market study is of paramount importance to writers at all levels of creative ability. Without it, even those who regularly earn fat cheques from glossy magazines will find their income drying up faster than a prune basking in the desert sun. Give every piece your best. Never hope it is saleable: know it is. And know in advance of writing
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it, to which market it is aimed. Analyse that market, and tailor your work towards fitting its exact requirements. This is market study - perhaps the most important part of the writing process. The market for freelance writers is huge and always ready to receive talented newcomers, particularly those who keep constantly up-to-date with editorial trends, whilst maintaining an ongoing vigil of the changing world around them. Ideas are everywhere, waiting for you to bring them to life. You owe it to yourself to read on! ---------------------------------------Quotes 'Don't sit around thinking about what you might like to write someday - just do it. Right now'. Bob Greene, American writer and novelist. 'There is no such thing as genius; anyone can write if they approach the craft with an open heart and a dedication to the task. Even the greatest writers of our time have to keep at it and at it, and if they don't, their work will fall short', E. Stacy Creamer, Editor and short story writer. ----------------------------------------The beginning writer's world is fraught with difficulties and obstacles which he must overcome before he is ever to make a place for himself within it. Right? Sorry - Wrong! These problems he envisages are entirely of his own making, and perhaps result from the glamorous image accorded to the successful writer, as he sits autographing piles of new blockbuster novels in a prestigious city centre bookshop, or is interviewed on breakfast time television about his wonderful new play, the one that had viewers telephoning in by their thousands to congratulate him. Now here I must admit that very few writers will find themselves at the receiving end of such adulation. An even greater number would cease writing today, or else adopt an untraceable pseudonym if the chance were ever to so much as flicker on the horizon. Some writers work happily away, in the privacy of their own homes or libraries, never wanting fame, certainly never courting it, but all the while carving for themselves careers offering personal fulfilment, and often highly attractive financial rewards. In the very early days, the writer owes it to himself not to dedicate his efforts to one form of writing, at the risk of missing out on the very many other writing categories that might prove more challenging, more financially rewarding, and at this stage in his career, a more likely proposition for his longed-for break into print. None of us know at the beginning of our writing career just where our talents lie, unless of course only one category of writing interests us, in which case it is likely that writing is more important than the prospect of financial reward. That in itself is an admirable philosophy, but this manual is for readers wanting to earn their living from writing, and we must always keep that aim in mind. To accomplish our goal we must not tie ourselves down to any category, even one that offers hours, perhaps years of enjoyment, but with no financial incentive at our labours' end. There are very many areas open to the beginning freelance writer, and so initial fears of being
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blocked by the professionals who supposedly hog the scene, should be silenced here and now. There simply aren't sufficient so-called professionals to fulfil the requirements of each and every category, and remember too, that even professionals were once beginners. Were they privileged to more inside information than you? Did they work for years, gathering rejection slips, and not a bean to show for their efforts? Was each and every one of them just that little bit more talented or educated than you are? I doubt it! But I bet the vast majority didn't restrict their efforts to one writing project, and Im sure the really successful ones prepared for themselves a strategy that minimised or alleviated potential rejections. Later we'll look at strategies for success, and I hope to dispel a great many other myths, like the one about writers papering their walls with rejection slips, and the common misconception that a great skill with words is a prerequisite for a financially rewarding career. I hope to prove to some extent that writer's block either doesn't truly exist, or else it's nothing more than an excuse to take a well-deserved break in an otherwise punishing schedule. Let us first of all consider a few of the many avenues open to the writer, surely enough to convince even a hardened cynic there's more to the wordsmiths world than short stories and articles: Advertising copy, articles, audio-visual scripts, books (fiction and non-fiction), brochures (for products, holiday firms and many other services), children's books, columns in magazines and newspapers, comedy, educational and training literature, feature articles, articles and columns in local and county magazines and periodicals, ghost writing, greetings cards, crosswords and other puzzles, readers' letters, fillers, handbooks for specific organisations, newsletters, poetry, press releases, public relations material, advertisement copy, sales letters, short stories, biographies, speeches, sports commentating, teaching other would-be writers, business and self-improvement manuals, writing up material for correspondence courses, journalism, trade journals, radio and television, comic strips, travel writing, plays, etc., etc., etc. Now if you can find sufficient 'professionals' to supply the amount of material that lot requires, you're a better man than me! It is worthwhile considering what constitutes a 'professional'. Is it someone trained in his field or fields of writing; perhaps someone who never gets a rejection slip; how about someone who writes from dawn to dusk? I think it's unlikely you'll ever come up with an adequate description of this creature much revered by the beginning writer. I would even venture to suggest that such a species doesn't in fact exist. If he does, he will almost certainly have broken into print, and will have discovered where his talents lie in the writing world. He will almost certainly not seek to make a living in those areas which offer no intrinsic satisfaction, since a lack of interest in a chosen subject almost always reveals itself in one's manuscripts, robbing them of the freshness and enthusiasm which are required if you are to present the reader with something which will lead him to read your work to the very end and hopefully leave him wanting more. If the writer is interested in the topic concerned, you can bet your bottom dollar the reader will find the piece similarly boring, if that is, you can find an editor wanting to read your manuscript. 'Stick to writing what you know' is a very good piece of advice, even if the world and its uncle drum it into you at every possible opportunity. But I would qualify the maxim a little, and suggest that certainly developing writers should write about what they know; it adds a touch of sparkle and a
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freshness to one's work. But I would add to it: 'or write about what you would enjoy getting to know, or could get to know without those demons, 'Stress' and 'Hassle' raising their ugly heads'. For example, the beginning writer with no knowledge of how to get to the coast without a map and compass, should not offer a personally researched analysis of the wonders of the deep, or seek to photograph the burial sites of ancient wrecks if in addition to his problems, he has never learned to swim. But we all like Christmas, don't we? And even though we might know absolutely nothing about the origins of the many traditions behind this most enjoyable occasion, I'm sure few of us would shrink from putting in the necessary research to prepare an article for a glossy magazine, offering a nice fat fee for our findings. As we start our careers in writing, dealing with what we already know lessens the time we need spend researching and leaves more opportunity for practising the mechanics of actually putting words to paper. So now we know that the market for our work is almost without bounds, and we hopefully realise that in the beginning we should seek to deal with topics that at least hold some degree of interest for us. Let us now look at a few of the other problems seemingly confronting the writer at the threshold of his career. I say 'seemingly' because I hope in the course of this manual to dismiss most of those 'problems' as nothing more than teething troubles, with pain greatly exaggerated through inadequate planning.
WHAT PROBLEMS HAUNT THE BEGINNING WRITER?

First and foremost must be the fear of failing. None of us wants to find our efforts subsequently receive nothing but an avalanche of rejection slips. So why do editors send rejection slips? Is it because your writing is poor? Not always! Is it because there is no room for you in their organisation? Almost certainly not, unless of course you've sent your work to a market which doesn't consider unsolicited freelance contributions, in which case the fault lies entirely with your market study, or lack of it! Is it because no-one wants a beginner? Well hardly! We're all beginners at some stage and if we let the fear of rejection get too strong a hold on us, then 'beginners' are what we will stay. Remember too, though the newcomer views the professional as an almost God-like being, they are like the rest of us, mere mortals, and sadly the day will come when their names will no longer appear in the publications they have patronised for so long. Without beginners who would fill the subsequent gaps? 'But I don't have time to write' - the claim of many an apprehensive frustrated writer. 'Then get up an hour sooner or put the telly off an hour earlier, or use your dinner break, etc, etc' There's no answer to that excuse is there? With the exception of certain stages in our lives when time is at a premium, such as when looking after very young children or taking examinations, or starting a business, we can always make a little time to fulfil our ambition of a lifetime to become a published writer! 'But I don't know where to start!' Great! Then you'll have no pre-conceived notions as to what lies in store, no worries to deter you from picking up your pen or plugging in the computer this minute. So let me just say, writing is one of the most rewarding of careers, and yes the first few months will need to be spent reading, studying, learning and, above all, practising for that career. After that induction period you'll wonder why on earth you didn't make the move years ago.
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'I'm afraid no-one will like my work'. By this you mean you're afraid of the dreaded rejection slip, and you, too, have heard those stories of would-be writers papering their living rooms with the pesky things. No-one was ever overjoyed to receive a rejection slip, unless they'd received a better offer for the same article somewhere else. Anyone who repeatedly finds themselves at the receiving end of such rejections must be doing something wrong, and that something can be corrected. Please don't let me convince you your work will never be rejected; almost no-one can achieve such excellence. But a strategy can be devised for minimising the chance of rejection. The methods for safeguarding against rejection include: Prepare a list of potential markets for every piece of work, arranged in descending order of priority for your target publication. If the first market rejects it, send it to market number two, and so on. Start your writing career by submitting to the lower paying and lesser known markets which the majority of experienced writers have long since abandoned. Write about what you know or will enjoy getting to know. Make yourself an authority on your chosen subject, and the relevant markets will be clamouring for your work. BUT writing about what you know is, in itself, insufficient for any sustained degree of success. You must also present your facts or opinions in an interesting way. Always make your work DIFFERENT. Even a subject almost worked to death by your contemporaries can gain new life if presented from a different angle. Always look for less obvious facts on the topic concerned. When you've 'finished' your work, don't send it off hoping it is of an acceptable standard. Know it is! Think and behave like a writer, and a professional one at that. Read as much as you can about writing. Read the work of other writers. Present your work in a professional manner. And above all stop thinking of yourself as an amateur; if you can't convince yourself you are a professional writer, you'll stand no chance of convincing an editor. When you get your 'foot in the door' with a particular magazine or publisher, keep the relationship alive and submit work at regular intervals, always making reference to past dealings. Wherever possible undertake solicited work. For this you query the editor or publisher in advance of preparing your article, story or whatever. You can save yourself a lot of time and disappointment if you subsequently find he is not interested in your offer. -------------------------------------Quotes 'Dabble. I've published everything from op-ed to verse to colouring books to fantasy to non-fiction. If you keep doing the same things forever ......... you may miss your area of greatest talent'. Mary Lou
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Carney, Authoress. 'Don't forget that a magazine or book publisher wants to publish books and stories: that's what he's in business for. And if he can discover a new talent, he is happier than anything else can make him. They do not reject manuscripts they can accept'. John Steinbeck, Pulitzer Prize Winner.
IDEAS AND WHERE TO GET THEM

In this section I hope to prove that writer's block does not truly exist. I use the term in this instance to cover that period when you simply don't know what to write about, now that one piece of work in winging its way to an editor. In its other definition, writer's block is that affliction which strikes you mid-manuscript and you are totally unable to find words and ideas that allow you to continue. This type is usually easily resolved, and often means you are trying too hard, or else your brain is overworked, or perhaps you have other things on your mind. For me this particular type of problem occurs mid-afternoon, the reason being that I find the early mornings my best time for writing. I'm never stuck for words in the hours before dawn! Try writing at different times of the day and you might find your creative powers greatly rejuvenated. Otherwise put your work away until other problems are resolved, or to give yourself the opportunity to mull the situation over in your mind without that blank page in the typewriter to torment you. Now on to the other type of block, the one that taunts you with the possibility that the manuscript you've just posted might in all probability be your last. There simply aren't enough subjects for you to write about are there? Aren't there? Well if that is truly the case you could well be in the wrong profession here, for ideas are all around you, and an observant writer should actually find himself, not wondering what to write next, but how to find time to write about all of the things recorded in his pocket book. An ideas book is an absolute necessity. I have mine divided into sections for all of the types of writing I feel comfortable with. I don't like writing short stories so I have no section for them. But I do like writing articles, fillers and business reports, so I allocate a third of my book to each. Every time an idea strikes me as potentially suitable for either a piece in itself, or else for inclusion in some other piece, I make a note of it. If I don't make a note, that idea is usually lost to me for ever. I also keep magazine cuttings which I feel can provide me with information for a similar article. I always supplement these cuttings with original research, usually in the library. My reasons for additional research are twofold, the first being that I want my work to be original and to have a different angle to the work of others. Secondly, I have very often found the 'facts' in some articles are totally inaccurate. Rely on published articles too heavily and you risk not only being the one whose errors come to the editor's attention, but also the possibility he will view your future work with suspicion, if he feels inclined to view it at all! To repeat myself, I emphasise that ideas are all around you. If you never did another piece of research, I venture to suggest that research called 'Living' would provide enough data for a lifetime's writing. Incidentally, a useful book on how to use life's experiences for your work is 'How to Write and Sell Your Personal Experiences' by Lois Duncan. In 21 chapters, the writer shows many, many markets
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she has contributed to, in the majority of cases with no additional research. Already published articles or books on the subject you wish to cover can be researched, added to, and the resulting article far from being plagiarised, will be your own work. Of course, as a writer, you will always use your own words, or else you are guilty of plagiarism, or copying the work of others. Articles pulled together in this way should always be checked for accuracy of facts they contain. I have lost count of the inaccuracies I've discovered in magazines over the years. It is essential that you begin a cuttings file of newspaper and article pieces that strike you as having potential for your own future work. A story in the local newspaper might provide the plot for a short story, novel, or play. A play on television might set you thinking of a plot for your next novel. Story writers might find inspiration from reading the brief description or plot on the dustjacket of a published novel, or the write-up a magazine editor gives of something they have published. There is no copyright on plots and so you can use any plot that takes your fancy, as long as the eventual story is your own. In 'The Thirty-Six Dramatic Situations', Polti suggests that all plots fall within set boundaries which he analyses in fine detail. He makes mention of some of the world's greatest novels and identifies their places within the overall structure of his own invaluable research. Many writers, myself included, obtain great satisfaction and inspiration from writing articles, fillers, and so on, set around various anniversaries, seasonal celebrations, important dates, and so on. So at Christmas, magazines are particularly interested in articles spiced with anecdotes and interesting facts concerning this most enjoyable of celebrations. When the one-hundredth anniversary of some eminent personality's birth is approaching, that is the time to seek whatever facts you can about that person, and write them up into a personality profile. Your profile can be offered to several markets, tailored each time to suit the individual style of the publication concerned. For example, (1990) marked the 75th anniversary of the death of the martyr nurse, Edith Cavell. In response I submitted several profiles to such as 'Picture Postcard Monthly' along with copies of postcards issued to commemorate her bravery, and to the many local newspapers in and around the Norwich area where she was brought up and is now buried. I might not have been the only person to submit such articles but I sent them in well in advance of the date of the anniversary; so that might influence the editors' decisions. November 5th - yes, Guy Fawkes night! And dont forget Halloween, Mother's Day, and other annual events. Read magazines at the appropriate time of year and you will find dozens of articles, stories and fillers about nothing else but those particular themes. The secret of acceptance is: Get in first! Submit your manuscripts six months ahead of time if possible, and you might be the first to deliver the goods: always a good way of catching the editor's eye! A good dictionary of dates can lead you in the direction of the oddest and little known happenings of years gone by. If the event is still of interest to the reading population, it's highly probable you could be the only writer to submit a piece on the subject. Look for these less well-known events, try to cover them from a different angle, and send individually prepared manuscripts to your chosen markets.
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You should never be at a loss for ideas. Even everyday items and occurrences can be the starting point for a brilliant piece. Look around you. Do you have a car? Ask yourself the writer's watchwords: Why?, When?, Who?, What?, Where?, How?, What if?.... If you haven't found material for a mass of articles or stories then I'd be more than surprised. When for instance, was the first car built, and where? Do you remember the famous Ford saying 'You can have it in any colour as long as it's black'? What would Henry Ford think of some of the bizarre colours we see flying around on our roads today? What do the senior citizens of your village or town feel about the advent of the motor car - has it changed their lives much - if so, was it for the better? For your short story, could a car bring together your hero and heroine? Is he a racing driver, or a mechanic? Has she crashed her car? Is she buying one? Is he the doctor who brings her back from near death after a car accident? Is he the car salesman she starts off disliking intensely, then finds to be not so overpowering once his sales patter is dropped? What 'Do you know facts' could you come up with to create fillers for all manner of publications? Have you seen an odd car number plate you could use as the subject for a reader's letter? And what about a photograph of the said vehicle to support your letter? Phew! I'm absolutely exhausted, but not on the subject of cars - I could go on for a long time yet. So you see, you never really should be stuck for an idea, especially if you maintain an interest in the world around you. Shall we continue? -----------------------------------------Quotes "I'll never forget this idea" is the devil's whisper. Catch everything that matters in your notebook', Richard Bach, Writer and novelist. 'Translate the stuff of headlines into fictionalised yarns. Any daily small-town newspaper in the U.S. has the stuffings of at least one smashing bestseller buried in its pages', Catherine Breslin, Novelist. 'Remember that there is a good deal of real life going on around you waiting to be transmuted into dramatic narrative, and that it is better to draw on this source than on what you hear and see in movies, on television shows, or in someone else's fiction. This way you present to the world what is truly unique in you. Stanley Ellin, Mystery writer. ------------------------------------------
READERS LETTERS AND FILLERS

Readers' letters and fillers are ideal pieces with which to start your career in writing. A larger volume of work will quite naturally find you earning regular, albeit smaller sums, than might be so for larger articles and stories. You will doubtlessly also find it easier and quicker to break into print.
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For me though, the biggest advantage of starting with letters and fillers is the opportunity to learn the process of stringing words together in as compact and interesting a fashion as possible, while at the same time not restricting yourself to any particular writing form. None of us as starting writers are fully aware of what writing form is best for them, and this is something best learnt by the process of trial and error. How nice then to earn a little something while we undertake this all-important decision-making process. There are some writers who make their entire living from these small pieces, but I venture to suggest they are either exceptionally talented, highly prolific letter writers, or else don't seek to make a fortune for themselves. Smaller pieces will usually yield smaller rewards, the most obvious exceptions being such as the Readers' Digest with its offer of 150 for some of the many letters and fillers used in each issue. Our own opinion is that letters and fillers should be viewed as the 'icing on the cake'; a lucrative avenue for supplementing your income from more traditional writing forms. Many a professional writer of articles, stories, even novels, takes an occasional sojourn into this field when his normal sources of income run a little dry, or during times when they are unable to apply themselves to their normal field of work. Letters and fillers mustn't be considered an easy option, however, since the usual extensive market research must still be done before you even put pen to paper to create your manuscript. Look at the very many publications that use readers letters. Study them and you will find the type and standard of letters vary dramatically. Length will also differ; some will accept only intelligent comments on world issues, whilst others have a penchant for anything that can be said in as few words as possible. And if that offering were in rhyme, so much the better for many editors. Some print a fair percentage of pieces devoted to the things kids' say and to other anecdotal family happenings. Most magazines for career women are likely to run a mile from this type of letter, preferring instead contributions that speak of career advancement, opportunities open for women in a once maledominated sector of the business world, and many other issues which the hard-working mother and housewife simply hasn't time to consider. A gardening magazine is almost certain to want nothing to do with accounts of your last holiday in Barbados, or a photo of that funny road sign along the way, unless of course the details have some bearing on the gardeners' world. Study length and style of letters in your target magazine, and try to offer something similar in format, but different in content by offering variations on a favourite theme, not something completely unrelated to the magazine's general slant. Your letter can be written neatly, or else typed. Personally I prefer to handwrite my 'letters to the editor', primarily since they are eliciting letters from readers, some of whom will almost certainly also be freelance writers, but the editor will hardly want to convey the impression of professional wordsmiths being allowed to dominate the scene. Incidentally, it is generally accepted that you begin your letter 'Dear Editor' as opposed to 'Dear Miss/Ms/Mr/Mrs, etc'.
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Sometimes a letter supported by a photograph will greatly increase its chances of publication, as is often so for funny things kids say, and those heart-rending pieces of readers winning through in the face of tremendous opposition, disability, or hardship. Sometimes a photograph in itself is enough to win you a place on the letters' page. Think of those silly signs we see dotted along the road and in the countryside, and the odd names some professional people have. My local undertaker, for instance, Mr. Death, being the subject of many an unkind jest, hastily made a minute amendment to his name. He is now Mr. De'Ath - much more acceptable, but think how useful would have been a photograph of his funeral parlour, tools of the trade in the window, and the original 'DEATH' signposted overhead. Many magazines prefer to include comments on features in previous issues. Of course you will have to read a magazine regularly to make any useful comment, but this is an avenue well worth exploring. From the editors' point of view, this type of contribution shows the writer has actually taken the trouble to read previous issues (not all letter writers actually do), and also allows them to ensure at least some of the rewards go to their dedicated readership. Fillers are those pieces used to fill slots in magazines and other publications when a main article, feature or story, falls short of a published page. Instead of an ugly gap, in goes an amusing anecdote, a readers' recipe, a joke, an amusing photo, a 'did you know that?' piece, a historical fact, a cartoon, puzzle or newspaper misprint, and so on. Fillers are more suitable to typed submission since they are an accepted string to the professional writer's bow. Your manuscript should follow the normal letter format, with name and address in the top right-hand corner, and the date a few spaces below on the left. A few spaces beneath the date, type in the name and address of your target market. A few spaces further down type in what you are offering, e.g. anecdote, joke, silly place name etc. and indicate the number of words the actual piece contains. Underneath that type in 'by', then below add your actual, or if you prefer, your pen name. A few lines further down, now typing in double spacing, start the text. Always leave wide margins for editorial notes, and indent the beginning of your paragraphs by five spaces, with an extra line between paragraphs, in much the same way you would type a business letter. When the text is complete type a line of dots and the word 'END' thus: .......................... END The following list contains a few of the many types of fillers magazines use. Again nothing will suffice for a comprehensive market study of the many markets to use fillers. For example, some use jokes, others don't; some rely heavily on anecdotes, others prefer cartoons: Misprints - Simply cut out the appropriate piece with enough wording to illustrate its context, paste it onto a postcard with the source, add your name and address, and post it. Amusing Sayings - Often those from the lips of kids, and in the case of some magazines those odd things we adults say, you know the ones: 'we heard what they said but we knew what they meant'. Malapropisms are extremely effective here, as are those where the unfortunate and inappropriate use of a double meaning word or phrase changes the context of our statement to one of near ridicule.
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Verse - Some magazines rely heavily on light verse, sometimes in the letters' page, sometimes as fillers in their own right. Some prefer humorous verse, some serious, some both. Market study is of paramount importance. Once again! Anecdotes - These are usually amusing incidents in the course of our everyday lives. Silly things we see, odd names, people with the oddest of hobbies, ridiculous signs. In the 'ridiculous signs' category, I recently saw a sign at the edge of a cliff, stating that children are in danger of falling from such spots. The message itself is one of grave importance, but at the end of it, the sign stated: 'All children must be accompanied by adults' - right beside the stick diagram of a child falling from the cliff! A lot of 'did you know?' pieces into this category, and the less well-known the fact, obviously the better. For example, did you know that Catherine Cookson is reputed to have been told by a professional critic to take up another career - she would never make a writer? OUCH! Household Hints - These are used in almost every woman's magazine and often they are paid for quite handsomely. If the hint is one your granny taught you, and you've never come by it elsewhere, it could be just the one to submit. Recipes - Another favourite in the women's magazines, and the more unusual the better. Those catering for particular groups are useful, for instance vegetarians, and people on sugarfree or milk-free diets. Recipes peculiar to certain parts of the country or areas of the world are extremely useful, if only due to the fact they are unlikely to be in the minds of many of your writing colleagues. Puzzles - Crosswords and other puzzles or brainteasers, are often included as a means of lightening even the most staid of publications. A good book on the subject of, amongst other things, fillers and crosswords is: How to Make Money out of Writing' by Graham R Stevenson, and published by the Gower Publishing Group. This book offers many tips to make the life of the puzzle writer so much easier. Jokes - Again, many magazines request jokes from readers. Jokes vary from the childish, to bluer than blue, and obviously the joke you send must be entirely appropriate to the readership of your target market. Who would send a naughty pub joke to the kiddies' page of a magazine with a religious bias? Exaggerated, I know, but the wrong joke, however funny, to the wrong market, is doomed to failure. Cartoons - Most markets accept cartoons from freelance sources although this is not always obvious. Strangely, the contributor need not possess great skill with a drawing implement to make his mark. If the basic idea and caption are good, the rest will follow through. Editors will make arrangements for the drawing to be retouched or else completely re-done by a staff artist. Seasonal Pieces - Christmas, Bonfire Night, Halloween, Mothers' Day, and holidays present great opportunities for the filler writer. 'Did You Know That? pieces, Strange Incidents, and Traditions relating to the season concerned, are much in demand as the appropriate time of year approaches. Always submit your pieces well in advance - six months in advance if possible.
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Anniversary - Similar to seasonal pieces, the filler writer here submits items relating to things that have happened on particular dates in years gone by. For instance, you might write of the 100th anniversary of the birth or death of a famous celebrity. 'Firsts' are a favourite with filler writers, as incidentally are 'Records', such as those that might inform us of the world's tallest, or fattest, man, or the Siamese twins who each fathered more children than most men could ever hope to. The Guinness books of Records and Answers are a boon to filler writers of this type. You really could go on writing letters and fillers for ever, but only a short step away is the more lucrative field of article writing. Read on! Special Note: Specialised information on writing fillers can be found in How to Be A Five Minute Writer, also by Avril Harper, can be accessed at www.smartwriter.co.uk
ARTICLES - THE LARGEST MARKET OF ALL

As this chapter's title hopefully implies, the market for articles is greater than for any of the other traditional writing forms, for instance short stories, novels, books of non-fiction, and therefore really is one the new writer should investigate. You might argue the market for readers' letters is larger, and I for one would not dispute it, but these smaller pieces are not universally accepted as true writing forms and rarely offer a steady living. There are many people who will disagree vehemently on both counts, and I recognise that some people do seem to devote their entire writing lives, and profitably so, to creating letters and fillers. They will no doubt argue their work no less a part of the writing world than the article, short story or novel. The debate is one your must judge for yourself. Certainly there is the chance of an income for the more prolific and proficient letter writer, and trying your hand at letters and fillers is an excellent way to learn your craft, as well as to supplement your income from other writing sources. Look through the many publications on newsagents' stands and you will find the proportion of short stories to articles is for the most part extremely low. Some publications carry one story, some two or three, while some provide no opportunities at all for the story writer. The beginning writer is advised to concentrate his efforts towards writing articles, where his chances of breaking into print are greatly increased. He is further advised to aim his work towards the lower paying and lesser known publications where success comes faster. This is good advice, and though the new writer will have to put in more hours for less reward than contemporaries of many years standing, there is no finer way to establish a track record for yourself as you grow in confidence and ability. There are very many excellent books about article writing, and I suggest you read as many as time and opportunity allow. Those I find particularly useful are listed at the end of this manual. Many writers' magazines carry pieces on the craft of article writing, mostly written by highly experienced writers, notably Gordon Wells and John Hines, both of whom have also written books on the subject. I personally try never to miss anything they write.
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Articles take many forms, including: Informative How-To-Do-It Self-Help Controversial Art of Living Personality Profile Personal Experience Nostalgia Humour This summary is not however, conclusive. A great deal of overlap can occur between the different types. A personality profile can be serious or humorous, and a nostalgia piece can often come entirely from the personal experiences of its author. The various basic article forms are discussed in great detail in the best book I ever read on the subject of article writing. In 'Article Techniques That Sell', Louise Boggess analyses each type, and presents her findings in an easy to read manner. She writes with great authority. She also offers the best advice I have ever come by on how to develop one's article, in a manner that will maintain the reader's interest from beginning to end. It's a brilliant book, so full of information that at first it left me hopelessly confused, and completely disheartened. So I read it again, and found it made a little more sense. On the third reading everything fell completely into place. I have read many other books and articles since, but nothing compares with Boggess on the techniques of article writing. A MUST for the aspiring article writer. Considering the many types of article on magazine and newspaper stands, it is perhaps stating the obvious to suggest that your market study must be at least as thorough as the research you put into gathering the facts for your article itself. Try the wrong market with an otherwise brilliant, well structured article, containing newly unearthed details, and you'll unfortunately get what you deserve. Yes. A rejection slip! Before we go any further with the actual writing of an article, we must consider what market research is all about, and decide for ourselves just why such importance attaches to it. Gordon Wells is, for me, the foremost authority on market research. With a fine toothcomb he unpicks the articles in his target publication to such a degree, that at first I thought he was mad. My first few rejection slips convinced me otherwise of the reasons for his almost terrier-like tearing apart of an article, as he discovers for himself what sentence and paragraph lengths a market prefers, what style of
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writing predominates, what subjects they choose, and on what level the writer generally relates to the reader. His book 'The Craft of Writing Articles' is another essential tool for those less experienced than Mr. Wells. For advice on gathering facts and information, and deciding upon the appropriateness of such of your prospective article, John Hines is the man to read. In 'The Way to Write Magazine Articles' he lets us in on a method of collecting and recording data which he calls 'Non-Linear Thought Patterns'. He and his wife, another successful writer of articles, use this diagrammatical method, which enables them to see their collected information at a glance, usually on one page, and allows them to decide which are the most salient points, and whether in fact they have sufficient data for further articles. Highly recommended! Because space is so limited, I have pulled together those pieces of advice I consider of most use to the writer in the early stages of his development. Nothing will beat reading the many excellent books available, as you undergo the vitally important challenge of improving and refining your article writing abilities, essential for your entry into the higher paying markets. When considering how an article is put together, there are many who would suggest it has three components only: a beginning, a middle, and an end. This in itself is an adequate breakdown, but I would venture to suggest that it can be expanded upon. I say this purely as a result of the Boggess' book to which I am so heavily indebted. So I make no apologies for now going into a little extra detail of the shape of an article as seen through Boggess' eyes. For Boggess the article is broken down into: THE HOOK. This is a device employed at the beginning of the article, intended to draw in the reader and make him want to keep on reading. Boggess outlines many types of hook, each with its own particular characteristics and advantages. The most startling or interesting fact to emerge from your research is usually the one to use here. THE CAPSULE SENTENCE. Here we sum up as briefly as possible what it is we are going to tell or show the reader in the paragraphs that follow. It is that part in which you convince the reader what follows will be of such interest that setting aside the article is the very last thing he must do. DEVELOPMENT. This is the main body of the article, in which you assemble, in a logical way, the points you wish to make. Boggess, as do most authorities, suggests counting the number of development points in published articles in your target market. Five strong points, she says, work better than ten weak ones, so there's no advantage to be gained by throwing in all the facts at your disposal. Weaker facts, she suggests, should be eliminated, restated, or combined, until you have a number appropriate to that preferred by your target market. She also gives advice on the order in which to present your points. Development points must not be presented as a mere catalogue of facts. They must make interesting reading, or else even the most startling of information can become boring to the reader and you will soon lose his interest, that is, if your manuscript ever gets past the critical eye of the editor. Boggess goes into an elaborate discussion of other techniques by which to hold the reader's
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interest from beginning to end. She covers what are termed Transitions, Expansion Devices, methods of Overlapping the Breaks, and Erasing the Paragraphs. Sounds confusing, and at first reading it is just that; on second and third reading it becomes unbelievably simple and extremely useful. CONCLUSION. the writer sums up what has gone before as briefly and informatively as possible. THE TWIST. This is a short statement or anecdote that emphasises the purpose of the article. Boggess suggests it encourages the reader: To Think To Act To Chuckle To Sob The final paragraph should preferably be as startling as the hook, but if the most interesting or shocking fact has been used at the beginning of the article, then most authorities suggest reserving the second such fact for the end. The title you give your article can play an extremely significant part in its chances of acceptance. A good title can attract the eye of a busy editor, and encourage him to read on, when the reverse might have been true had you presented even an excellent article with a mundane title. The title you choose might not appear on the published article, but it can still be the one that gets it to be considered for publication in the first place. Look at the titles in your target publication and fashion yours to suit. Does the editor seem to favour wacky titles such as those resulting from a neat play on words, or do they instead go for straight-to-the-point titles? Words, being your prime tool, must be chosen with care, but you should always write in as plain a fashion as possible. Seek to impress the reader with a brilliant display of vocabulary that sends him running for his dictionary, and you may find you've lost him. He wants to know what you have to say, not be bombarded with complicated words that rarely enter his everyday vocabulary. But your choice of these everyday words is of paramount importance and you should seek the exact word to convey your message. A great book on the topic of word selection is Gary Provost's 'Make Every Word Count'. It is equally useful for fiction writers, and a book I heartily recommend you have on your bookshelf. In appropriate cases the inclusion of photos to illustrate your article can make all the difference between rejection and publication. You don't have to be a brilliant photographer, you don't even need to take the photos yourself, since many photographic libraries can provide the illustrations you require though usually at a price. To save expense it is worthwhile learning how to take the photographs yourself, and I would point you towards the John Hines' book mentioned earlier, which includes an excellent chapter on photography. A distinction must be made between unsolicited and solicited writing. Basically unsolicited writing is that which is sent to a target market without that market's prior knowledge, and because you are not likely to be fully aware of the requirements of the editor concerned, you risk a rejection, not because
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your work is unsound, but simply because it doesn't fit into the editor's overall plan for future publications. With solicited writing however, you query the editor in advance, telling him what you have in mind for a particular article, and asking him to let you know if he wants to see your work. Solicited writing allows the editor to make comments he feels appropriate to the article you propose. The problem here for the beginning article writer, is lack of a track record to convince the editor of his ability to produce the article in a professional manner, and one appropriate to the publication concerned. So what you lack in previous acceptances, you must make up for in the professionalism you put into your work. You must always give your work your best, but never more so than when you are starting out. First impressions count, and once you have made a successful sale, that editor will be more inclined to accept work from you, whether solicited or otherwise. Working to commission, that is solicited writing, will always have the advantage of saving you time in preparing work, which though extremely good, is not what your editor currently requires. Wherever you can approach an editor in advance. Remember the market for articles is vast and editors are forever on the lookout for new contributors. Read as many books on the subject as you can. Don't seek to hit the big time in the early days; there's plenty of time for that when you have established a track record with which to impress the editors of those slick magazines and much-revered Fleet Street newspapers. Strive for professionalism in everything you write, and success will come sooner than you think. ----------------------------------------Quote 'Use killer leads (Hooks). They're hard to come up with but they'll set you apart from most of the slush that editors see. John Wood, Editor. -----------------------------------------
SHORT STORIES
An exact definition of 'short' in the context of stories is almost impossible to give. In some publications several hundred words are the norm; in others several thousand words are required. Again it's all a question of careful market research. Market study will also reveal the type of short story a publication favours. I know of one for instance where almost every story must be set in Scotland, and have a heroine who possesses certain characteristics as laid down in the magazine' s notes for contributors. I'll leave it for you to discover which magazine it is, for the short story market being so small, there is no place for the writer who knocks out his story and then looks for someone to buy it. Short stories must always be tailored for an individual market. Some allow promiscuity to enter the realms of their pages, some allow the odd naughty word, some allow slang, whilst others prefer their characters to be whiter than white, with equally commendable family backgrounds. Some publications favour historical short stories, others want them set in modern times, with characters and events bang up-to-date. Market research, remember!
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All short stories have a beginning, a middle, and an end. Perhaps stating the obvious, but how you handle each section is of paramount importance to the success or otherwise of your work. The short story illustrates a moment in time, a moment of change, the essence of that change arising from some element of conflict, whether of a physical or emotional nature. There must be a direct link between that conflict and the time of change. To illustrate, let's take a heroine who, having spent her entire life in a small village, and being engaged to a local teacher, receives a once-in-a-lifetime offer to work in America. She is tempted, so much so, she starts packing. Her thoughts are racing, filled with visions of New York's bustling streets and life in a high-rise apartment block. New York - the city that never sleeps! She can hardly wait. Sorting out her possessions, she comes by her fiance's letters to her while he was away at college, and she remembers how she missed him then (CONFLICT). Cases packed, her fiance and family informed of her decision, a week or so later she is on her way to the airport. The CONFLICT is mounting as her thoughts run riot - New York or him? She sees couples, hand in hand, as she passes through the villages and towns along the way. She watches families playing in parks and standing in cinema queues. They're giggling and laughing. Have they even heard of New York? (MOMENT OF CHANGE) Michael, her fiance, wants marriage and a family, and at this point she realises she doesn't really know what she wants, but she's sure that whatever it is, Michael is an essential part of it. She asks the taxi driver to take her home! The basic design of the short story is as follows: CHARACTER/S - PROBLEM - COMPLICATIONS - CLIMAX - SOLUTION All short stories have certain essential components: A Plot. 'Plot' is the story line. It is that component which causes something to happen and leads to the events that follow. In the story of the girl tempted to go to New York, basically the plot consists of that temptation which is then forced into near insignificance when she sees around her the things that really are important, and to have those things she must return home. Polti's 'The Thirty-Six Dramatic Situations' will help you plot your stories, as will the simple art of observing everyday situations, and stories in newspapers, and asking yourself the question: 'what if...? This is guaranteed to start the creative juices flowing. Theme. The theme is the underlying meaning of the story. It is our message to the reader. We might want to imply there's more to life than the accumulation of vast sums of money; love and concern for our fellow man are two such examples. In our example story we might say the theme is, for want of a better description, 'Better the devil you know' or to suggest The grass isn't always greener on the other side'. Setting. The setting is the backdrop against which the story is enacted. It might take place in the past, in modern times, or it may be set in the future. Your story may be set in a sleepy English village or in a war-torn foreign city. The events may be seen through the eyes of the main character, or told in the words of a bystander. The character chosen to relate the story is extremely important. Thoughts known only to the main character cannot, for instance, be divulged by the bystander. Equally the bystander can relate events not obvious to the central characters, for instance, events
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taking place elsewhere which are crucial to the plot, but of necessity must not be known, yet, to the characters. In a romantic story, we might not want the heroine to know that her new love has been married before, although we want to make the reader aware of this important part of the story. Characters. Characters bring your story to life. They should be believable, as should their dialogue. Certain magazines prefer a particular type of character, of a certain age, from a certain part of the country, and so on. Always study your target publication carefully and obtain what contributor's guidelines they have. Don't make your characters superhuman, unless you are actually writing a fantasy story. Characters can have faults like the rest of us, so don't strive too much for perfection. Characters should be like people you meet everyday. In this way the reader is able to identify with the people in your story. The reader gets close to them if their dialogue also is believable. Go over what it is you want them to say and ask yourself if, in real life, people would use those words, and always keep your dialogue meaningful. There simply isn't room for the continual passing of pleasantries. Everything said must move the story along. Give your characters suitable names. Kylie and Jason might be inappropriate for characters in a Western story, but entirely appropriate to a modern day story concerning two teenagers. Style. This is your own particular trademark; your way of saying something; the manner in which you string together your ideas and thoughts; the mood you create for your readers; the atmosphere of the story; and much more besides. Another concept almost impossible to define, it is unfortunately something that can' t really be taught, but style can be acquired through practice and determination. Style is something that should never be copied, however much you admire another persons work. However, it is almost impossible to reproduce another persons style, but if you could accomplish such a thing, would you find much personal satisfaction in doing so? I truly doubt it! Reading the work of others is an excellent way of improving your own style, but not with the intention of creating carbon-copy versions of their latest award-winning short stories. Be yourself - it's fresh talent editors are constantly on the lookout for! In our short story, we present our characters with a problem, as the story progresses it increases in complexity until the point of our story's climax, as near to the end as possible, when we provide the solution - and wind it all up as quickly as possible. After the climax, there is little point in dragging out a short story; it's disappointing to the reader who having been led speedily through the earlier part of the story, and now gripped by the intensity of the climax, we require a speedy ending that leaves him still deeply moved by the event of the last few paragraphs. To recap on some of the main features of a good short story: The essence is conflict. Plot comes from your characters and the situations you put them into, and the subsequent solution. Start as near the end of the story as possible. Don't drag out the preliminaries to the climax. Time
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is short and the end result can bore the reader - if it hasn't already bored the editor. As in all forms of writing you must grab the reader in the first paragraph, and lead him or her through a tightly-constructed story, one that offers no temptation to cease reading until that last word has been devoured. Keep the middle going with the suspense that increases in line with the problem, or problems, you have set for your characters. If you offer more than one problem, the second should be related to the first, or you risk the chance of losing your readers. An irrelevant problem belongs to another story. The second and subsequent problems should be greater, in order to maintain the suspense, as opposed to deflating it somewhat mid-story. Make characters as interesting as possible, by getting to know them intimately. Express them to your reader in the same manner and he will need to know what happens to them, and your story will be read until that need is fulfilled. Use mannerisms and speech to make them as interesting as possible. End the story as soon as possible after the climax, or moment of change. Never tell your reader what is happening by using straight narrative. Show them what happens by the use of action, dialogue, and vivid descriptions of the characters' reactions. MAKE EVERY WORD COUNT - Don't waffle. Refer to the Gary Provost book at the end of this manual for advice on writing tight and maintaining the readers interest. Grab the reader by the senses - let him smell that coffee the heroine makes to occupy hands that otherwise would lash out in temper! Let him see the trees and smell the flowers in the garden where that first romantic encounter takes place. Let him hear the jet that suddenly flies overhead bringing the encounter to a maddening end! --------------------------------------Quotes 'Don't think of what's in your head that you want to get on paper, but what kind of effect you want to have at any given moment on the readers' minds and emotions'. S Stein, Author. 'It helps to have a detailed resume for each major character, along with a ten-or-so page bio (biography). For every fact about a character that is revealed in your pages, at least ten or twenty more should be vividly present in your head'. C Breslin, Authoress. --------------------------------------In the world of writing it is the novelist who is most likely to earn the really big-time rewards. But though rewards for some are unbelievably high, extending to offers from film companies to buy the rights, it must be said that the chance of a first novel being accepted is extremely low, some experts judge it to be as low as 1 in 2000.
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If, however, you are already a well-known celebrity in some other field, your chances are vastly improved. But if you're not in this privileged category, and you want to write a novel for profit, then the bitter edge of potential rejection can be somewhat offset by keeping your novel as only one part of your overall writing plan. Practice other forms of writing: articles, fillers, short stories, and you will at least have some income as you embark on your more ambitious project. The trend today is for longer novels, very long indeed in some cases. A novel can be anything from 40,000 words upwards, although shorter pieces, novelettes, are sometimes published in flimsy paperback form, for sale on newsagents' stands. It is often said that a novel is easier to write than a short story, and I must confess I find an element of truth in this theory. A short story must be tightly structured and conveyed in a very short space of time. The novel allows much more to be said, and also gives the novelist the chance to make lengthy descriptions, and to include some dialogue which might be wasted in the shorter story. Tastes in novels change. The person most likely to succeed, it seems, is the one who can predict what the reader will want next year, at the exact time his prospective manuscript reaches completion. Study trends and read as many new bestsellers as you can; there's no substitute for reading the work of those who have already 'made it'. You will hear much about the word 'genre', or what many people would simply call 'type'. So what types of novel can you consider adding to? The main categories are: Crime Mystery Thriller Espionage Adventure Westerns Science Fiction Fantasy and Horror Romantic Historical Romance Each category presents different requirements to its writer. Research and the structure of the novel will be individual to the category you have chosen to contribute to. Research for a crime, espionage, or war novel must be extremely thorough; if you make any mistakes, someone out there will notice them and be quick to point them out to your publishers! Take heed! These novels must also be tightly structured, and more often than not they proceed at a fast pace, involving lots of action scenes. Romantic fiction on the other hand can be comparatively less tightly structured, and might need less research, unless your novel is set in years long gone by. Your work must be well-thought out and planned before you proceed to write. Some start with a basic outline of events in the form of very sketchy notes; others advocate doing a synopsis of each and every chapter before writing in earnest begins. You are the one to decide which way suits you best. I read recently of a highly successful female novelist who analysed many bestsellers before writing her own. She worked out the frequency with which something approaching a climax appeared in each book. She discovered that every two pages
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something must happen to make the reader sit up and take notice, and most of all, stops him from putting the book down. She also created a history for her fictitious family, with relevant dates and incidents carefully built into its structure. She was rewarded with one of the biggest bestsellers of recent times. As was the case for the writer of articles, the novelist should always seek to sell his work, or at the very least, the basic idea, before he begins a lengthy piece of writing. Novels can take years to write, and if the dreaded rejection slip rears its ugly head, that's a long time without earnings for your pains. You should contact publishers, outlining your proposals, and asking whether they are interested in publishing your work. Choose your publisher with care, since some deal with only certain types of novel, and your work, however wonderful, will be of no use to them. 'Writers' and Artists' Yearbook will help you find a publisher. When you have done that send a synopsis of your novel and a few sample chapters, already written, and properly presented. There are many excellent books on the market to help with the structure and writing of novels, and you should endeavour to read as many as possible. Remember, too, if you seek to earn a living from your writing, to view your novel as only one part of your work. If your novel is published - great! Be persistent with your manuscript; if one publisher turns it down, send it to another, and another, and ........... --------------------------------------Quotes 'I've never begun a book that I didn't finish, because I haven't started writing a book until I knew the beginning and the ending, felt that they matched, and felt they associated with enough of a middle. The journey from the opening paragraph to the end would have to make interesting fiction'. J. Heller, Novelist. 'When I decide where the settings of my book are going to be, I will travel to the location and that will give me an awful lot of ideas about what's going to happen where. I'll come back with all these crazy pictures that I've taken, and they help me keep the details, the feelings of the locations'. R. Ludlum, Novelist.
NON FICTION BOOKS

Writing non-fiction books is a natural progression for many article writers. The subjects covered by both are closely related; many would say identical, with the only obvious difference being the actual length of the work. A great many non-fiction books come within the 'How to Do It' category. 'How To Sell Your House Without an Estate Agent', and 'How to Trace Your Ancestors', are recent examples. Other types are those dealing with local history, biographical accounts of famous people, studies of parts of the world or its peoples, and a host of topics which do not fall within the realms of the more fantasy-based world of fiction writing. Obviously, in starting out in this area of writing, it is preferable to begin with a topic in which you
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have specialised knowledge, perhaps one forming the basis of many of your articles, or a pet hobby or subject you might not necessarily have written much about, but with which you have kept constantly upto-date. Consider first whether you do in fact have sufficient material to fill a book, by writing an overall synopsis and a brief description for each individual chapter. If you feel confident that what you have is worthy of a book, now is the time to look for a publisher. Look through 'Writers' and Artists' Yearbook', and study the requirements of individual publishers. Then make a list of those that seem suitable for your proposed venture and send details to one of them, outlining your proposals in letter form, with a brief synopsis of the book, details of the chapters you propose including, and a few sample chapters you have already written. Enclosing sample chapters is particularly important for writers new to this field, and is necessary to convince the publisher of your writing ability. Send a stamped addressed envelope for the return of your documents in the event the publisher isn't interested, and then continue to approach other publishers in the same way, until you find one who does like your work. Remember, a refusal does not mean your work is inadequate. It may be the publisher already has something similar planned, or else has completed his quota of books in the category to which yours belongs. Don't be disheartened, for once you have one non-fiction book behind you the road ahead is infinitely easier to travel, and many article writers become almost exclusively writers of non-fiction books and manuals.
POETRY
Sadly, though poetry is one of the most difficult writing forms to master, its not an area where many writers find fame and fortune, unless of course they are amongst the talented and prolific who find a particular slot ideally suited to their talents. As I write, my local paper conveys news of the death of Patience Strong, whose inspirational verses graced greetings cards and many, many magazines, and other publications for over fifty years. Writers of her calibre are in very short supply, but if one person has carved a career in the way she did, it can be done again. Just don't seek an early fortune this way. If we include light verse within this category, then we are able to suggest a possible opener for the 'poet' in the letters' pages of worldwide magazines. Poetry competitions are perhaps the best way to earn from your talents. There are many publications aimed solely at writers of poetry, many paying, albeit small fees. But some also carry competitions on a regular basis, prizes for which can often be extremely attractive. Keep your eyes open for such competitions in the pages of poetry or general writing magazines, or in the competitions pages of the excellent Freelance Press Services bulletin.
PLAYS
Plays are needed on a constant basis by television companies, radio stations and, of course, theatre
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companies. Individual requirements vary greatly, particularly due to the manner of their conveyance to respective audiences. For example, a radio plays relies heavily on sound effects to keep the listener aware of happenings which cannot be related in terms of speech. We might, for instance, want to have our subject observe a passing car, as he stands alone waiting for visitors. That person cannot talk constantly to him or herself, and so the listener must in some other way be made aware of the cars that pass by. The writer must remember that what the listener can't be made aware of by dialogue, must be conveyed in some other manner. Television is a different matter entirely. In so visual a medium, sound is less important and action comes to the fore. The theatre is much more restrictive with no availability for outdoors scenes, and budgets often inadequate to accommodate more than a few scenery and costume changes. 'Get Writing' by George Evans and Vince Powell, published by B.B.C Books, offers excellent advice on the writing of plays for radio, television and theatre, and is written by professionals with many years of experience in this field. The book also covers other writing forms, including the highly lucrative fields of situation comedy, gags and sketches, documentaries and serials.
SUBMITTING ARTICLES AND SHORT STORIES TO EDITORS

It is essential that your manuscript be presented in a professional manner, if you hope to make a place for yourself from writing articles and short stories for hundreds of publications requiring the services of the freelance writer. A well-produced manuscript will immediately gain you an edge in the eyes of the busy editor; a sloppy submission might well not even be read, though its content is of exceptional value. First impressions are always vitally important. With the exception of readers' letters and some fillers, e.g. reader's recipes and other items solicited from 'readers' who are not necessarily expected to have access to sophisticated machinery, your work must always be typed before sending it to an editor. Whether you use a manual typewriter, or the more sophisticated electrical models, or whether you can stretch to purchasing one of those most wonderful of inventions - a word processor, is entirely for you, and your finances, to decide. All I would say is, with word processors now available for a few hundred pounds, many advantages are immediately gained. Your work need never be completely retyped for subsequent submissions and since all amendments can be made to the original document whilst still in the machine's memory banks. Nor is there need for typing errors to mar your manuscript, since all changes can be made before the manuscript is ever committed to paper. These advantages and many others can greatly increase your actual turnout rate, and such a machine could pay for itself in a very short time. But don't commit yourself to one unless you are sure your future lies in writing. Type your work on good quality A4 paper. About 70-80 gm weight is adequate. Type on one side of the paper only. When your ribbon provides less than a crisp black copy then discard it in favour of a new one, or have the old ribbon re-inked, where appropriate. Margins should be approximately 2" on the left and 1" on the right. On the first page of your manuscript, about one-third of the way down the page, type your title, centrally, in capitals, and underline it. About 5 lines down type 'by' again centrally, and a similar number
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of lines further down type - centrally, your real name or pen name. Only the title needs capital letters. About half way down the page start your actual text. Indent each paragraph by five spaces and type in double-spacing throughout. Leave margins of approximately 25mm at the top and bottom of each page. Pages should be numbered and identified in the event of them coming adrift. At the top of subsequent pages you should give your name, a brief title, and the page number. Page two for my article on writing articles might start as follows: HARPER ARTICLES PAGE 2
A line should be left free before re-commencing text. At the end of your article or story, leave a few lines and type, centrally: .............. END At the bottom left-hand side of your last page type your name and address in single spacing. Manuscripts should preferably bear a cover sheet giving brief details of your work. On your cover page approximately half way down, the title of your manuscript is typed in capitals and centred. A few lines further down type 'by' in lower case, and a similar number of lines down in lower case lettering type your real or pen name, i.e. the one you want to appear on your published work. Then about an inch below type 'An article/short story with approximately ... words' underlined and in lower case lettering. If you are submitting illustrations, state a few lines further down how many photographs/line drawings/illustrations there are. Type your real name and address at the bottom left-hand side of the page, in single spacing. Always send a covering letter stating simply that you are enclosing an article or short story for the editor's consideration, and saying you hope it might be suitable for publication in his magazine, newspaper, etc. Provide a suitable size Stamped Addressed Envelope for return of unsuitable manuscripts. Then wait! Don't bug an editor for an answer unless several weeks have passed for a piece with limited time interest, such as an anniversary piece for which the deadline is looming. Although some editors reply very quickly, it is not unknown to have to wait several months for a reply. After submitting your manuscript, start on your next. Don't dwell too long on the fate of the first! Good luck and happy writing!
RECOMMENDED READING
HOW TO BE A FIVE MINUTE WRITER by Avril Harper, published by Meander Press go for more details to www.smartwriter.co.uk ARTICLE TECHNIQUES THAT SELL by Louis Boggess. Published by B & B Press and available through Freelance Press Services.
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THE CRAFT OF WRITING ARTICLES by Gordon Wells. Published by Allison & Busby. THE WAY TO WRITE MAGAZINE ARTICLES by John Hines. Published by Elm Tree Books. MAKE EVERY WORD COUNT by Gary Provost. Published by Writer's Digest Books and available through Freelance Press Services. THE WAY TO WRITE FOR CHILDREN by Joan Aiken. Published by Elm Tree Books. TEE WAY TO WRITE RADIO DRAMA by William Ash. Published by Elm Tree Books. HOW TO WRITE STORIES FOR MAGAZINES by Donna Baker. Published by Allison & Busby. WRITING A NOVEL by John Braine. Published by Methuen. THE CRAFT OF WRITING ROMANCE by Jean Saunders. Published by Allison & Busby. THE MAGAZINE WRITER'S HANDBOOK by Gordon Wells. Published by Allison & Busby. TO WRITERS WITH LOVE by Mary Wibberley. Published by Buchan & Enright. GET WRITING by George Evans and Vince Powell. Published by BBC Books. HOW TO WRITE AND SELL YOUR PERSONAL EXPERIENCES by Lois Duncan. Published by Writer's Digest Books and available through Freelance Press Services. HOW TO WRITE FOR PUBLICATION by Chriss McCallum. Published by Northcote House Publishers Ltd. HOW TO MAKE MONEY OUT OF WRITING by Graham R Stevenson. Published by Gower Publishing Group.
ESSENTIALS FOR YOUR BOOKSHELF

THE WRITER'S HANDBOOK Published by Macmillan. THE WRITERS' AND ARTISTS' YEARBOOK Published by A & C Black. THE CONCISE OXFORD DICTIONARY Published by Oxford University Press. ROGETS THESAURUS OF SYNONYMS AND ANTONYMS. Obtainable from all good bookshops.
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Succeed As A Writer

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Succeed As A Writer

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Avril Harper, Chartered MCIPD

How to Succeed as a Writer

WHAT PROBLEMS HAUNT THE BEGINNING WRITER?

IDEAS AND WHERE TO GET THEM

READERS LETTERS AND FILLERS

ARTICLES - THE LARGEST MARKET OF ALL

NON FICTION BOOKS

SUBMITTING ARTICLES AND SHORT STORIES TO EDITORS

ESSENTIALS FOR YOUR BOOKSHELF

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