As a nonfiction editor, I receive a lot of questions about permission guidelines for copyrighted material from writers working on both books and articles. I usually have a decent answer to most questions. However, I was thrilled when my colleague, Self-publishing expert Sue Collier, coauthor of The Complete Guide to Self-Publishing,5th Edition, offered me this [...]
What one person have you always wanted to speak to, looked up to or most admired? If you could ask them five or six questions, what would they be? Does asking them those questions seem impossible? It’s not. As a writer, you can use your “journalistic” powers to meet almost anyone. This is the part [...]
I’ve often found that the the current life issues with which I’m struggling make the best topics for personal essays, researched articles, blog posts, information products, and even books. Sometimes these issues may not even be ones I’m directly experiencing; they may be problems I see my family members dealing with, but I want to [...]
As you near the completion of any fiction or nonfiction writing project—book, article, essay, e-book, short story, or blog post—you want to ensure you turn in or publish your best work. What needs to happen before what you’ve written gets sent out to a literary agent, acquisition editor, or publication editor, or before you publish [...]
I love writing personal essays, and many publications have columns devoted to publishing them. Plus, they can be used in blogs, newsletters, e-zines, and many other places. Additionally, all you need to write them are your life experiences and some wisdom. Everyone has a story and the fact that they lived that story makes them [...]
For those of you who have never considered writing an article on the subject of your book, here’s some inspiration to become a journalist before ever beginning a book manuscript. New York Magazine contributor Jennifer Senior landed a book deal with Ecco following her popular article from July. “All Joy and No Fun: Why Parents [...]
Submitting your work ensures publishing success. I’ve heard it said that you can’t win the lottery if you don’t purchase a ticket. In much the same way, your writing will never be published if you don’t submit it to publishers and publications. How often do you submit or resubmit your work? Do you resend your [...]
As a seasoned magazine journalist and a nonfiction editor, I know how to query a magazine editor and what type of pitch makes an editor sit up and take notice. I also know what mistakes will make one never get past the first sentence or two. These days, the best way to approach an editor [...]
Often writers want to use life stories and personal experiences in their writing. They think the only way to do so in the realm of nonfiction involves writing a memoir. That couldn’t be farther from the truth. Yesterday I offered 10 ways to use life story in nonfiction writing. Today, I’d like to expand on [...]
This evening I’m participating in a round table discussion on a teleseminar offered by the National Association of Memoir Writers. Our subject: the intersection between memoir and other types of nonfiction. That got me thinking. Lots of ways exist to use your life story in nonfiction writing besides writing straight memoir. You can use your [...]
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