Do More with Less
Topic: Do More with Less
In business, the new buzz phrase is "do more with less." We're expected to work harder and smarter and use fewer resources to do our jobs. This is also true with our writing. When you're on a roll, write what you can. Just remember, more words is not always good. Let the words come and then once you're done, see if there are smarter ways to say the same thing.

I mentioned before the author who spent pages describing the red room. Sometimes, it is simply more effective to state that the room is red. Unless there are some details within the room that make it imperative to know, the room is red is sufficient. There are times, of course, when it is appropriate to use the extra verbiage. We don't want to pare down our words too much that we produce uninteresting text, but we do want to make sure that we find the best fit of the words with the circumstances. Balance is again a key to keep in mind.

Being smarter in our writing can sometimes mean that we simplify our writing. It is not necessary to proof our mastery of vocabulary when writing. Save the fancy language for when it is needed, say, in your poetry. We want to produce work that drives the reader into reading more. We can, of course, challenge the reader, but we don't want to create a situation where the reader must arm himself with a dictionary to get through our work. If a larger word is the best word, by all means, use it. If your purpose is served just as well with a simpler word, my advice is to use the simpler.

It seems I'm doing a lot of repeating in these posts. I do apologize for that, however, if they weren't important concepts, they would not be repeated. To summarize and repeat just once more, some previous topics touched on in this entry are as follows:

1. Don't interrupt the flow.

2. Try to achieve a balance, don't write too much; don't write too little.

3. Keep It Simple whenever possible.

4. Find the best fit.

Practice Makes Perfect
Topic: Practice/Perfect
When we first learned to walk, we took tentative steps and fell down a lot. As we got more practice and learned the art of balance, our steps improved and the incidence of falling reduced significantly. The same is true for writing. With anything that we do, the more we do it, hopefully, the better we get at doing it.

Consider the act of falling to be the receipt of a rejection. Rejections can help us to grow as writers. Let?s say it is one particular type of writing that keeps getting rejected. Another type of writing has been accepted. Maybe we need to concentrate more on the type of writing that has shown success. What are we doing differently between the two types of writing?

This does not mean we can no longer write both types of pieces. It simply means that we need to evaluate our processes. If one type of writing gets accepted and the other rejected, we want to push that which will be accepted. We can always put the other writing to the back burner and re-evaluate it at a later date. There may just not be a viable market for what you?re offering.

Some advice then, know your market and know your readers. Internet access and email make information much more obtainable. Do some research to find out what works. It might same you some heartache in the end. Once you find a system that works, use that system to your advantage. Be open to new ideas and options in other areas, but when tried and true works best?use it!

Writing is Not Easy
Topic: Writing is Not Easy
Even under the best of circumstances, writing is not always easy. Most of us know that ideal conditions only come around once in a great while. Take advantage of those moments of boredom to think about what you want to do. It is possible to come up with a great many topics or one-liners in those moments. Be sure you have the means of capturing them as well. There?s nothing worse than having paper with no pen or pen with no paper. Make sure you have both with backups. Pens die all the time.

I recently wrote, ?contentment serves only the dreamless.? For those of us who are always thinking ahead about what comes next, this will not be an issue. Of course, there is nothing inherently wrong with contentment. If, however, we want to make something of ourselves, the periods of contentment will be short because we are forever looking for the next challenge. We can permit ourselves a sense of contentment with the sense of accomplishment. Then, we must move on to the next goal.

Once contentment is allowed to sink its teeth into us, complacency may result. Complacency may make use less aware of our opportunities. We never want to miss an opportunity. Keep looking forward and keep thinking about what you want to accomplish. Then, takes steps to move in the right direction. Some days, it is all we can do to have ourselves positioned in the right direction! That?s enough.

Never lose sight of your dreams and your goals.

The Blank Page
Topic: The Blank Page
Writers find the blank page to be intimidating. There is actually nothing wrong with a blank page. This emptiness gives us time for observation. There are a number of things we can take in while our creative juices begin to simmer. We can observe our own thought process. Why does white space bother us so much? We all know it is a temporary thing. What are others doing? Who wrote the latest best seller and why is it a best seller? What?s new in poetry?

These are all things that we can consider when the blank page stares so fiercely back at us. We should learn to enjoy this time. Perhaps we can think about what it is that we really want to do with our craft. Now, that is something that is totally worthwhile. Some people have dreams of putting together books. What do we need in order to do this? How can I use this time to make that future goal entirely more possible?

Helping others is a good way of helping ourselves. There may be some problem a fellow artist needs to overcome in order to perfect their craft. What do we need to overcome in our own talents? Can we use this time to help both of us? Why not? Any and all of these activities might just be what we need so that the next time we sit in front of a blank screen or page, it doesn?t intimidate us. We have used our uninspired time constructively and can start with that.

Then, again, some people just like crisp, clean paper for itself. I, personally, have an attraction for pens.

Ready for Publication?
Topic: Ready Publication?
Another old one.

---

When trying to get work published, online or in print, it is imperative to do your homework. This takes time, but it will increase your chances of success.

Check to see what has been published before. Read the previous issues of an e-zine or magazine to see what kind of work is published. Is your work of the same caliber? The same genre? Obviously, romantic poetry will not find favor in a science fiction publication and rhyming poetry will not be well received in a free verse setting.

Check to see what poetry is winning competitions. The IBPC (interboard poetry competition) selects the best of 17 poetry boards each month. This competition has been around for several years and is quite prestigious. The NPAC (net poetry and arts competition) selects the best of 16 boards each month. This competition is relatively new and favors some of the newer poetry boards. Find out what is considered to be the best from these sources.

One way to get a real dose of humility is to visit other poetry boards on the internet to see what kind of reviews their poets receive. Post some of your own work. Just remember that one unfavorable review does not mean the end of the world. Consider the comments you receive and decide if there is merit in them.

If in doubt, try a workshop! A workshop is a wonderful way to unleash latent potential. It is also a great way to get multiple opinions of your work.

If nothing else, put your work away for a couple of days and then look at it again with a fresh view. This is a good way to catch typos and incorrect wording in your work. If you start with a good word processor, spelling errors should be eliminated but common errors still require a keen eye.

Make sure you follow submission guidelines. Failure to do so could land your work in a trash can even if it would have been published. Are you meeting all the requirements? Do they ask for a bio? Do they accept email submissions? If not, do you need to send an SASE? Do they require the completion of a contract?

Be prepared for rejection. There are many talented poets out in cyberspace (more than you think) and only a limited number of publication pages to fill.

The Balance Beam
Topic: The Balance Beam
Sometimes we have to make decisions between too little and too much. In normal circumstances, balance is the key. We want to provide just enough. In the case where too many questions arise because we have provided the improper balance, decisions must be made. It is a good idea to have someone we trust test our work for us.

Too little can leave our reader unsatisfied and empty. I recently wrote a poem that referred to ?he? a number of times. A couple of my readers were very curious as to who ?he? was. Did I provide too little? Maybe not since the poem was a complete work. Who he is wasn?t important in the grand scheme of the poem. Granted, the poem could have gained some length if I had included clues about him. Instead, I actually gave myself the inspiration to write another poem about him.

Too much can get us mixed reactions in knowing what the point was. In poetry, especially, too much can be a bad thing. Most poems are smaller works; filling them with more stuffing than necessary leads to an overflow in the oven. We all know or can imagine how awful that is to clean up.

Differing Opinions
Topic: Differing Opinions
Let's face it, we're not going to agree with everyone about everything. There are going to be differences of opinion from time to time. This could be the fuel we need to learn more about our chosen topic. Use the differing views to your advantage.

If you would, for instance, decide to write an article. Differing opinions could be prefaced with such statement as "some people think" and "still others say." This approach would give our article more of a rounded outlook. What we have to remember is to treat each set of opinions equally. If one opinion angers you, now is not the time to show it.

I guess it depends on what we're trying to accomplish. If the anger you feel is shared by others, research it. Back up the feelings with facts. An example of something like this might be a protest you find in the news. Quite frankly, your own opinion is just that, an opinion. People will likely read your opinion, but what's to keep them reading?

A little research never hurt anybody. Research your subject and explore even the points that don't agree with your views. A good article can present multiple views.

Professionalism
Topic: Professionalism
We never know who may be visiting our forums and blogs. Our next reader might be an editor, a publisher, or simply someone with connections. I strongly advise that we mind our behavior online. This applies not only in what we put forth in our daily work, but also in our interactions with others.

As some of you know, our work is searchable on the internet. Maybe you've submitted a piece of work somewhere and the editor feels it may have potential but isn't quite what he needs now, it is entirely possible (though not likely) that he could search to see if we have anything else available.

This does not mean we cannot be friendly or make friends. This simply means to treat each new reader with courtesy and respect. It also means to watch the comments you make to others. The next potential editor might absolutely love your work but not the way you take suggestions.

An editor doesn't want someone who will be difficult to work with. He wants someone who will stand behind their work and defend it when needed, but also be willing to listed to good advice. Use good judgement in how you deal with your current readers. The next reader might be the important one.

Professionalism is the key. Simply because our audience is anonymous and we really don't know who we are dealing with, we need to always put our best foot forward. Doing so allows us to maintain a respectful distance when needed and judge our surroundings accordingly. Once we know who we are dealing with, the guard can be relaxed somewhat.

Let your work receive the attention. Save yourself for a live audience.

The Value of Words
Topic: The Value of Words
Here's another article I wrote previously. It may contain some repeated messages, but reinforcement isn't necessarily a bad thing.

---

Words are the keys to life. At some point it became more effective to describe objects with words, rather than symbols, and so the alphabet and language evolved to perform important functions in civilization. Words now make up our books; they are our main means of communication; put them to music and they become art. Of course, the evolution of language is more complex than this, but the general idea is the same. Although we are left with the adage that a picture is worth 1000 words, where would we be today without our instruction books?

Language is not an exact science. Just look at the number of languages in existence today. We have variables of context, syntax, and dialect at work?just to name a few of the many variables attached to language. Inspiration, mood, and personal circumstances can also affect results of communication. Try a little experiment. Listen to the results as people interpret a photograph just to experience the affect of some of these variables. Objects mean different things to different people. What is happening in our lives also determines how we see things. A picture of the World Trade Center in New York would bring a different reaction today than it did three years ago.

Words are often insufficient and can lead to trouble. They are subject to interpretation at various levels of comprehension; when comprehension fails, interpretation falls short of its intended goal. We abuse words. We misuse and misspell words and punctuate our sentences incorrectly. Often, we use our words to be deliberately hurtful as well.

Hurtful words are not always deliberate. They may be misconstrued and become hurtful; perception, or interpretation, is relative. Factors such as personal taste and preference, education, and environment play roles in our understanding and comprehension. What we know of the speaker who delivers the message will play a part in how we react to that message. This is especially true when reviewing the work of other writers.

We are more likely to pay attention to that which we are interested in. How much of the newspaper do you read? Do you skim the headlines until something catches your eye? Do you read every poem or only the ones with the catchy titles? Therefore, the selection process also becomes important.

Okay, so we have something to say. We know roadblocks are at work. Where do we go from here?

Don?t get lost in your words. Detours in our discussion are fine if they add value and reach the result, but tangents, on the other hand, promote aimless wandering. You control the direction and destination of the work. Rambles, or streams of conscience, can be quite entertaining, but often have little actual value in their message.

Like driving, most of us don?t drive aimlessly; we drive with a particular destination in mind. Most of what we do in life is similar. We do things for a reason and hope to achieve a specific end. This brings us to a short list of questions to keep in mind. Think of these questions as the fuel that we put into our cars so they get us where we are going:

1. What is the message?
2 Who is the audience?
3. How will we convey our message?
4. What result do we want?

These questions must be considered in most everything we do. If we fail to answer even one question, we may not reach our goal. I will provide an example. My message is to show the importance of words and how we easily misunderstand them. My audience is a general one, but most likely to be the readers of this newsletter who are also writers. The conveyance is this article and uses reason to make a point. My desired result is to increase awareness and thoughtfulness.

Even in poetry, we must have an idea of these answers before we begin to write. Poetry, of course, gives us license to steer away from plain language. We do, however, have to convey our original message. Sometimes we miss the mark completely. Our titles should entice the reader and lead them into our poem and should not trick or tease the reader. Even when we veer off course in our creation, grammar, punctuation, and spelling should help our reader along. Readers should not have to stop and proofread what we have written.

Take the time to make sure you are speaking effectively; it doesn?t matter whether we speak verbally or with the written word. In verbal communication, we try to look our best when we interview for a job. We avoid street language and slang when we speak. Our choice of words, our tone of voice, and body language help to show our interest. The written word is simply dressed differently.

Written words, of course, are more permanent. They are also easier to dispose of when they don?t meet our needs. Misspelled words are often words in themselves and can twist our context terribly. Grammar errors can also distort meaning and signify laziness. Capitalization can relay emotion. Make sure that the subject and verb match in number and use active voice whenever possible. What is most important, give some thought to what you want to say and how you want to say it. Once you lose the interest of the reader; it is over. If you've dressed your words properly, you attain your goal--you've been read and understood. The second cannot be achieved without the first.

Having said all that, one might ask, "who cares?" Many may not care about this article. As a writer, the message means something to me. It is my responsibility to make you listen or read long enough to explore my meaning. If I have done my homework, I will have succeeded.

Human Nature
Topic: Human Nature
I've been thinking a lot about the nature of humans lately. Actually, I've been getting quite pissed off about the nature of humans. The thinking part is good, the pissed off part is not. Getting pissed off doesn't help anything. Getting pissed off makes us do things we wouldn't necessarily do under normal circumstances. How do we overcome human nature in our work as writers?

If we consistently produce a good product and are true to ourselves in the process, we gain in the end. What is the saying? Good things come to those who wait? Well, lord knows, I'm waiting. If we share our knowledge and experience with others, we may be able to eventually refer them to some of our work. If we treat the work of others with respect and interest, hopefully the favor will be returned. This is what we call "reciprocity."

It is not that I feel that I have some super-special message I need to convey. It is that I feel worthy of being recognized for some small insight I may impart. I would be quite happy to have someone argue with me that they totally disagree with everything I have written. That would thrill me simply because my words reach someone enough to cause a reaction. A negative reaction is better than no reaction.

I believe myself to be flexible enough that if someone makes a better point that I do, my views can change. I firmly hold that a coin is not sufficient since it only has two sides. I take pride in the fact that I can often find a third side. I admit the third side of the coin is often the most obvious and therefore the least thought of point, but it is a valid point nonetheless.