Indholdsfortegnelse for November - December 2015 i Writer's Digest

1 Talk Business With Baldacci When a lawyer turned bestselling author dispenses free advice on e-book earnings and trends, it’s smart to take notice! In these outtakes from the WD Interview (Page 44), David Baldacci talks book contracts and pricing, Amazon, and writing for love and money. 2 Play Along From Home Read “Alphabet Games” the grand-prize story in WD’s 84th Annual Writing Competition (Page 40), and get more winning advice from author Brenda Scott Royce, who recently made her writing a full-time gig. 3 Get Into Character As his newest novels, My Sister’s Grave and Her Final Breath, explode in popularity, suspense novelist Robert Dugoni (Page 10) delves into the craft and shares his own techniques for crafting characters. To find all of the above online companions to this…

Revision Revisit Although I have been published since 1982 with over 80 novels to my name, I still benefited from the September issue’s articles on revision. Glad I still get your magazine! Karen Harper Columbus, Ohio Funny Business I just had to say how much I enjoyed the subheadings in Leigh Anne Jasheway’s “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to My Rewrite” in the September issue. “Where are we going and why are we in this hand-basket?” Still smiling. Joy V. Smith Lakeland, Fla. A Writing Lifer In June 2000, I enrolled in WD’s Novel Writing Workshop. Today, I’m a published author—my first novel, Isolde’s Initiative, was released last year. What I learned from your course contributed greatly to my success and helped this great-grandmother realize a dream held…

POETIC FORM: DODOITSU The nice thing about Japanese poetic forms is the lack of rhyme and meter constraints, and such is the case with the dodoitsu. As with other Japanese forms, the focus is on syllables instead. This four-line poem (or quatrain) has seven syllables in each of the first three lines, and five syllables in the final line. The dodoitsu traditionally focuses on work or love, and has a humorous twist. Here are a few examples by Poetic Asides readers. It Is Written, by Nurit Israeli The love note from bygone days still convincingly asserts why we will never part ways. Oh, short forevers … In this dodoitsu, the poet focuses on love. Notice the taut adherence to the form: The first three lines each contain seven syllables; the…

E.L. Doctorow “[Writing is] like driving a car at night: You never see further than your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way.” —E.L. Doctorow, 1931–2015, National Book Critics Circle Award–winner, editor, professor and author of the novels Ragtime, Billy Bathgate and The March Ann Rule “There is an odd synchronicity in the way parallel lives veer to touch one another, change direction and then come close again and again until they connect and hold for whatever it was that fate intended to happen.” —Ann Rule (aka Andy Stack), 1931–2015, American true crime writer and author of The Stranger Beside Me and Small Sacrifices…

Years ago, I was mortified to discover that a Google search of my name yields numerous results that include the phrase “25 years of rejection.” On tour for my second book, Seven Soulful Secrets for Finding Your Purpose and Minding Your Mission, I’d shared that it took me forever to get my first book deal. A journalist in the audience ran with that angle—and it went viral. I’d wanted to write books ever since I’d discovered there was such a profession. Inspired by Laura Ingalls Wilder’s first-person narratives and then by Maya Angelou’s memoirs, I favored nonfiction. Out of college, I wrote press releases for a glossy women’s magazine, but had a hard time breaking in to its pages. When my essays were flatly rejected there without an encouraging word,…

How long have you been writing? And how did you start? I originally set out to be an actress, but wasn’t getting anywhere. Then I wrote an original monologue for my acting class and got more praise for my writing than I ever had for performing! Soon classmates were asking me to write scenes for them. It was like the universe tapping me on the shoulder. So I listened. I then wrote articles for small magazines, often for low or no pay … I gradually got better work, writing movie reviews, encyclopedia essays, and eventually, books—all while holding down a succession of day jobs. I also found work as a freelance proofreader, copy editor, book indexer and audiobook abridger—all of which helped make me a better writer. What’s your writing…

Dear FYSA, A couple of my friends asked to read one of my stories, so I gave them copies. Neither of them ever mentioned it again. Should I assume they just got busy? Assume they hated it? Suck it up and ask? Forget about it? This is awkward. Sincerely, Afraid to Ask Dear Afraid to Ask, First of all, were they together when they asked? And so maybe when one guy asked, the other felt weird not asking, so piped up, “Oh yeah, me too”? If so, give 50 percent of them a pass. But, if this was more of a scattershot kind of thing, then on to my next question: Are they both self-described readers? If they’re more likely to spend their time paging through Golf Magazine than reading…

1 San Francisco Writers Conference Enjoy the beauty of the City by the Bay while honing your craft and making valuable connections at one of the West Coast’s largest writing events. WHEN: Feb. 11–14, 2016. WHERE: The InterContinental Mark Hopkins Hotel, San Francisco. PRICE: $725 until Dec. 31; $745 until Jan. 31; $795 thereafter. Open-enrollment classes with key presenters offered on Feb. 11 and 15 for additional fees ($49–250). See website for details. WHAT MAKES THE CONFERENCE UNIQUE: Well known for attracting top-notch presenters, the SFWC prides itself on offering opportunities “to cultivate relationships with the very people who can help writers: agents, publishers, editors and author/ book publicists ” marketing director Barbara Santos says. “Our motto is A Celebration of Craft, Commerce and Community’ so we try to balance…

Never Say Never Let’s get one thing out of the way: The idea of feeling like it might be “too late” to do something doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with age. I remember vividly the first time I was overcome with the unsettling sensation that certain ships had sailed. I was a new college graduate folding myself into the “real world”—and the realization that my unstructured, unspoken for days for the year ahead could suddenly be counted on my fingers (weekends notwithstanding) made my blood still. I peered out at the sea of cubicles around me, anchored in a bigger sea of landlocked Midwestern states, and took a big, swift kick at myself. Why had I not studied abroad in college? Why had I not taken more than a…

1 Book Lovers’ Earrings If you’re always going to have your head stuck in a book, you might as well accessorize accordingly! Stop Falling’s “Book Lady Earrings” are made from German silver and mixed metals; the “Open Book” style is available in either pewter or gold-plated. ($10–18, stopfalling.com) 2 Periodic Table of Literature Who says writing isn’t scientific? Each “element” on the periodic table of literature is a bookshelf staple, its square encompassing the book’s title, publication year and author’s name. Best of all, prints are customizable, so you can include your own book(s) and/or personal favorite pieces of literature. ($92, onasixpence.bigcartel.com) 3 Add Insult to Injury When a paper cut becomes an excuse to wear a pun, suddenly the dangers of the writing life don’t seem so bad. Each…

Jud Laghi THE JUD LAGHI AGENCY Growing up in Brooklyn and attending a science- and math-oriented high school of 5,000 students didn’t exactly spell out a likely literary career for Jud Laghi—“We learned how to weld, use a rivet gun and sand-cast engine parts in a steel foundry,” he says. But when he moved on to a small liberal arts college in Connecticut, he found himself gravitating toward creative writing and English. In 2001, Laghi got a job in the training program at renowned talent and literary agency ICM Partners, starting in the mailroom and working his way up to agent status. In 2005 he joined LJK Literary Management as a senior agent, and four years later started his own agency. Laghi says his favorite projects are the ones that…

People would say, “You should write!” and then they’d turn to me and reiterate, “Really! Your sister should be a writer.” I’d smile at my sister, all the while seething with envy. She was the athletic one and now she was going to be a writer, too. Some people have all the luck. There was no arguing the point about the talent that was simmering in her, though. Kim expressed ideas in a way that few others did: She was fierce yet vulnerable, and beyond-her-years witty. Even during her preadolescent Victorian phase, when she wore high-necked blouses with mutton sleeves, there was an uncanny cosmopolitan air to her—a Nora Ephron-esque spirit just below the surface, waiting to pop out in a black cashmere turtleneck. Where my sister was innately ironic,…

Have you considered that your next big book idea might be one you’ve already had? In fact, you might have had it years ago. There seems to be a negative attitude toward something that hasn’t fully manifested yet that I think is out of place. You can’t do everything all at once; time may be long but it is not all that wide. When I finished my last book, I went to my editor with four old projects in various stages of noncompletion—set aside, but not forgotten. And guess what? My editor deemed every one of them workable. Is it time to dive back in? Writing is an intuitive business. It may be glib to say that good books write themselves, but there should at least be a push and…

EDITOR’S NOTE: The discussion of diversity in publishing has been ongoing for decades. Some authors take issue with their books being categorized as “African-American Literature,” “Women’s Fiction” or “LGBTQ” (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer). Others don’t object to the labels, but decry the difficulty of breaking in when publishers identify your readership as “niche.” At WD, we receive letters asking: Where are the black agents and editors? Why so few minorities on the bestsellers lists? While we don’t have the answers, we’ve been heartened to see campaigns such as We Need Diverse Books taking social media by storm ( diversebooks.org ). In the spirit of change, we invited professor, award-winning author and National Black Writers Conference co-founder Elizabeth Nunez to contribute to the conversation as a part…

CHILDREN’S/YOUNG ADULT FICTION 1. TONJA E. BETTS, “How to X-ray Your Zebra” 2. R.A. RESLAN, “Ribbon” 3. PATRICIA PRAKOPE, “#Weird!” 4. KENDA HENTHORN, “Harley and Marley” 5. KATELYN SATHER, “Shallows” 6. LESIA STANGRET, “Children’s Food the Monster’s Way” 7. PATRICIA CLUNE O’HANLON, “A Kid Named Musimbwa” 8. MARY BLECKWEHL, “The Attention Invention” 9. LESIA STANGRET, “Farm in Chaos: Vowels Quit!” 10. MEGAN BOUDREAU, “A Camel in Sheep’s Clothing” JUDGE: Holly M. Alder has taught writing since 1973 and is currently an instructor with WD University. Winner of a National Society of Arts and Letters honor award, she is the author of two North Light Books and a collector of children’s literature (more than 6,000 titles and counting!). GENRE SHORT STORY 1. B. WILDER MERRILL, “The Mail Goddess” 2. B. WILDER…

Out of more than 300 entries, Writer’s Digest editors and forum members chose this winner, submitted by Mindy Halleck of Mukilteo, Wash. On my son Damian’s 20th birthday, I nailed the windows shut so he couldn’t escape. On days when I dared take him walking through the neighborhood, I tied us together with dog leashes. My 105 pounds against his 160 often meant I was dragged down the street until I was bloody or someone called the police. No more walks. We were no longer social—partly because we were unwelcome, but mostly because I feared what our neighbors feared: that Damian may hurt someone (again). It was always unintentional; he didn’t understand his own strength. Like last year, when he hugged our cat, Minski, until the cat stopped breathing. Smothered…

BY ZACHARY PETIT Let’s acknowledge the obvious: Editors can be divas. If I don’t find a two-liter of premium coffee, 10 fine-point red Sharpies and a bowl of 3,000 orange Reese’s Pieces waiting at my desk when I get to work in the morning, I pretty much lose it. That being said, it’s not too hard to please such bratty creatures when you know the basics. Having worked on both sides of the fence, I’ve drawn up a list of best practices for working with editors, no M&M sorting required. (That’s an intern’s job.) 1. DON’T EVER THINK OF EDITORS AS DEITIES. Leave that to them. Instead, think of editors as creatives on the same level as you, working both sides of a mutual coin. Convey your thoughts to an…

CONFERENCE GUIDE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015 • Keep in mind that there may be more than one workshop in each listing. • These workshops are listed alphabetically by state, country or continent. • Unless otherwise indicated, rates include tuition (T) only. Sometimes the rates also include airfare (AF), some or all meals (M), accommodations (AC), ground transportation (GT), materials (MT) or fees (F). • When you find workshops that interest you, be sure to call, email or check the website of the instructor or organization for additional information. • All listings are paid advertisements. CALIFORNIA MEMOIR WRITERS CONFERENCE “MEMORIES ARE MADE OF THIS” GENRE-LA™ 2015 produced by West Coast Writers Conferences. October 23–25, 2015 in Los Angeles, CA. Learn how to write a memoir or true story that more than just…

STUART HORWITZ (“Resurrect a Forgotten Manuscript” Page 30) is the founder and principal of the editorial firm Book Architecture, clients of which have made The New York Times bestseller list in both fiction and nonfiction and appeared on “Oprah ” “Today” and “The Tonight Show” An award-winning essayist and poet, Horwitz is the author of Book Architecture: How to Plot and Outline Without Using a Formula. He can be found online at bookarchitecture.com. BRENDA JANOWITZ (“The One Story I Can’t Write” Page 12) is the author of the novels Scot on the Rocks, Jack With a Twist, Recipe for a Happy Life, The Lonely Hearts Club and, forthcoming in spring 2016, The Dinner Party. She is a graduate of Cornell University and Hofstra Law School, and her work has appeared…

“Why are all of the mothers in your books so awful?” my mother asked. “I don’t think the mothers in my novels are so bad ” I defended. My mother explained that the world now thinks that she is an atrocious mother. Why else would I write about terrible mothers so often? “You’re my best friend ” I said. “Anyone who reads the Acknowledgments of my books knows that ” But she had a point. In each novel, there is mention of the protagonist’s mother. In my first book, it’s a few throwaway lines (where the mother is the butt of the joke). In the follow-up, she takes a larger role (but is also the butt of the joke). In my third, the mother is a major character (until she…

Dear Mister Essay Writer Guy, I keep reading articles on the Internet saying that memoirs and autobiographical essays are the devil’s work. Does this mean I am the devil? If so, why do I look so silly in red? Also, why don’t I earn more overtime? How does Oprah fit into all this? I’m holding my breath until you answer. Steve Almond Boston, Mass. Dear Steve, The real problem is not that memoirists are the devil, or that you look lousy in red, but that I couldn’t get a date as a young man and my feelings remain hurt. Do you think it is possible that Lisa and Mary Carole realized that I was going to be a memoirist, and chose to date other boys for that very reason? Otherwise,…

Kim Liggett 1 Blood and Salt (young adult romantic horror, September, Putnam’s Young Readers) “16-year-old Ash Larkin goes to the small Kansas town her missing mother grew up in, hoping to find her, but uncovers a bloody birthright instead—a centuries-old tradition steeped in love, betrayal and sacrifice.” WRITES FROM: New York City. PRE- BLOOD : Blood and Salt is the first thing I’ve ever written. My teen daughter was going through a tough time and I wanted to show her how I saw her—how strong, smart, brave, complicated and wonderful I thought she was. TIME FRAME: It took me a year to finish my first draft and another year to revise by myself. I then revised with [a freelance] editor for 24 straight months. ENTER THE AGENT: I…

When I decided to write a novel, the first thing I did was sign up for a workshop. I knew nothing about agents or queries or genres or platforms. I just knew I wanted to write a novel. At the recommendation of the instructor, I joined a couple of writing associations, including one with a special-interest chapter for my genre, women’s fiction. There, I sought craft and community equally: I took workshops, attended conferences, joined several online writing groups and discovered the wide world of writing-related blogs. But despite the sometimes overwhelming amount of information, there was always something missing. Women’s fiction isn’t obscure—in fact, it’s more popular than ever—but it’s always been loosely defined. Although I was actively involved in the small special-interest chapter, each step forward also felt…

While many authors struggle to find time to write, for David Baldacci it’s more of a struggle to find time to do something other than write—and an unwelcome one at that, as there’s clearly nothing he’d rather be doing. Since splashing onto the scene with the 1996 Presidential thriller Absolute Power (swiftly snatched up by Hollywood for a feature film starring Clint Eastwood), he’s written 30 novels for adults and five for young readers. Although he’s primarily known for his action-packed suspense, including six bestselling character-driven series—featuring secret agent Shaw, D.C. conspirators The Camel Club, Secret Serviceturned-PIs King and Maxwell, Army special agent John Puller, government assassin Will Robie, and his latest, Amos Decker, a man with total recall of his life who debuted in this year’s Memory Man—he’s also…

Magazines haven’t just managed to withstand the oft-declared death of print journalism—they’ve managed to thrive in a fast-changing industry. According to the Association of Magazine Media, more than 7,000 magazines are in print today (compared to 2,000 in 1980)—and these days, direct contact with an editor is often little more than a Google search and an email away. Considering jumping in? Here’s what you need to know to increase your chances of snagging a byline. KNOW THE READER Every magazine has a certain readership: teenage girl, young mother, budget traveler. It is imperative that you know as much about your intended audience as you can before submitting an article to the editor, because the more you know about the magazine’s readers, the more you can tailor your pitch to resonate…

FOR YOUR BOOKS: Kensington Publishing Corp. THE INSIDE STORY FROM: John Scognamiglio, Editor-in-Chief MISSION: “Kensington Publishing is a full-service publishing house that is family owned. We publish across all genres, including romance (historical/contemporary/ paranormal), mystery (cozy/historical), women’s fiction, suspense and Westerns. Our formats include hardcover, trade paperback and mass-market.” FOUNDED: 1974. PUBLISHES: 500 books per year. FOCUS: Kensington is actively seeking commercial fiction. We publish the types of books people love to read. PRINT RUNS: For hardcover, 5,000 copies and up. For mass-market, 10,000 copies and up. ADVANCES: $2,000 and up. ROYALTIES: Mass-market: 8 percent; Trade paperback: 7.5 percent; Hardcover: 10 percent on the first 5,000 copies sold, 12 percent on the next 5,000 copies sold, and 15 percent on all copies sold thereafter. KEY TO SUCCESSFUL SUBMISSIONS: Include a…

January 3, 1925 Dear Mr. Milne, We regret to inform you that we cannot publish your manuscript WINNIE THE POOH. Did it never occur to you that naming your protagonist after an unpleasant bodily function might pose a problem for the young and assuredly immature readers you are targeting? Think of all the poo jokes bound to ensue. I’m afraid that slapping an “h” onto the end of the word doesn’t really salvage the situation. Frankly, DONNIE THE STUFFIE would’ve been a better name all around, but the problems run deeper than just one poorly chosen epithet. This “Pooh” bear does not exemplify the qualities parents seek to instill in their children. Binge-eating sweets is not a practice we wish to glorify for impressionable youth. And you cannot deny that…