Insider Hints For Writers – Twelve Concrete Tips To Perfecting Your Craft
1. Attend conferences. Conferences offer a variety of workshops and information on various parts of the industry from writing the craft to marketing your work. Conferences give participants a chance to meet agents and editors and network with other writers from novice to veterans. Here are several ways to get the most out of a conference:
- Meet other writers and exchange contact information to keep in touch. Writing can be a lonely path and it helps to have someone else on the journey.
- Check the presenter’s bio to see if he has been published in the genre and has current clips and books. You want to obtain information from someone who is working the business and getting published.
- Schedule an agent or editor appointment. If you do not have a finished manuscript or book proposal to pitch, talk to the agent or editor about his agency or publishing house.
2. Take classes. By enrolling in classes, you’ll develop your craft and learn about the publishing world through the instructors’ experiences. Community College of Allegheny County offers numerous non-credit classes.
3. Read books and magazines. Subscribe to at least one of the writers’ magazine or borrow back issues from your library. Read writing books about the various genres to gain knowledge about the industry.
4. Join an organization. Most writers’ organizations offer newsletters, meetings, workshops and conferences so the nominal fee is worth it. Some organizations include: Pennwriters (www.pennwriters.org), Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (www.scbwi.org), Romance Writers of America (www.RWAnational.org), Sisters-in-Crime (www.pghsinc.org). There are several approved-only memberships for established writers like American Society of Journalist and Authors (www.asja.org).
5. Register for seminars. A number of non-writing organizations provides workshops regarding everything from booking more business to marketing yourself. Most chapters of National Speakers Association (Nsa.org) bring in guest speakers for monthly seminars. These professionals present information that most writers could utilize for their own careers.
6. Work the Web. Write quick tip articles (about three to five tips) for web sites that would be relevant to your career. For example, women, parenting and food web sites are perfect places to write kitchen-related tips to coincide with my book The Frantic Woman’s Guide to Feeding Family and Friends. You’ll want to get your name out there to create a buzz about you and any upcoming projects. Include a short bio about yourself, a link to your web site and contact information.
7. Enter contests. Contest judges are usually agents, editors and/or popular authors. Most contests supply a judge’s page that details how the entry faired according to the key components of the category. Many times, judges will offer written feedback and comments. Use the feedback from the professionals to make your piece stronger. Many organizations and writers’ magazines (www.byline.com and http://www.writersdigest.com), offer contests. The feedback is well worth the minimal fee to entry the contest. FYI, recently a romance author of 28 books confessed she still enters contests to see how she competes against other writers in categories that she is unpublished.
8. Surf the ‘net. Read articles and blogs posted by well-established writers, literary agencies and publishing houses. You’ll gain tips for improving your craft, the process for submitting to agents and editors and new trends in the business.
9. Go to book signings. Talk to the author. Discuss his current book and find out the back story of his novel and his journey into the publishing world.
10. Practice with prompts. The proverbial cliché “practice makes perfect” is true with writing. Writers need to write everyday. Several sites offer a daily or weekly writing prompt. Take advantage. At writersdigest.com, the writing prompt offers a chance to win $100.
11. Specialize in a genre. Tell everyone that you are a writer. Come up with a one-liner that explains what you write. For example, I specialize in home, family and life issues.
12. Stay current. Publishers Weekly is the place to go for information about everything from book sales, current trends, popular authors, publishing staff changes and move. Sign up to receive an e-newsletter at http://www.publishersweekly.com.
Copyright Mary Jo Rulnick 2007
Mary Jo Rulnick is the author of THE FRANTIC WOMAN’S GUIDE TO FEEDING FAMILY AND FRIENDS (Warner Books, 2006), which has been featured in BETTER HOMES AND GARDEN and QUICK AND SIMPLE MAGAZINE. Rulnick is an award-winning writer for Parenting Publications of America. Rulnick, a former events manager for a national non-profit organization, turned her do-it-yourself expertise into a writing career. Her articles have been published in magazines throughout the United States and Canada and she specializes in home, family and life issues. She is a frequent radio and television guest and a regular speaker at corporate and non-profit organizations. Her web site is MaryJoRulnick.com and you can reach her at [email protected].
Author: Mary Jo Rulnick
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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