From Kate’s
Writing Crate…
I didn’t set out to become an editor.
I wanted to be a successful writer working from home. I became both after years
of writing then taking a writing class where I met the woman who just bought
one of the magazines I now write for and edit.
I started out as an unpaid intern for the magazines.
I wrote articles as well as learned about copyediting (turning press releases
and items sent in by the public about meetings and events into style copy for
the magazine issue), layouts (placing headlines, bylines, copy, ads, pull
quotes, photos, and captions on each page), proofreading (using the correct
proofreaders’ marks), and all the little things to check in an effort to publish
an almost perfect issue (something always goes wrong).
A few years later, I became the editor of one then two
magazines—a job I love.
Now I’m working with an intern who wants to be a
writer and an editor. I’m happy to share my knowledge and experience with her;
however, writing skills are more straightforward to teach than editing skills.
My writing advice is posted now. My advice for editing will be posted on
October 17, 2016.
Here is my writing
advice:
To be a better writer, write. It’s just that simple.
There is never enough time to write. You must make the time to write. Get up
early. Stay up late. Write anytime you are waiting for someone or something.
Writers write! Jot down thoughts and sentence fragments, plots, and ideas in a
notebook or record on phone.
If you want to be a professional writer, learn to
write on demand, not wait for inspiration, by writing to deadlines. Filling a
notebook a month as recommended by Natalie Goldberg in Writing Down the Bones is a great way to start. Write a concise
weekly blog—300-500 words—without fail. Write three pages every morning as
recommended by Julia Cameron in The Artist’s Way. If really short on time,
write Six-Word Memoirs®. (See books by the same title or visit Smith Magazine online.)
Take writing classes or join a writing group. Deadlines
and feedback are essential.
“It is easy to lose sight of the fact that writers do not write to impart
knowledge to others, rather, they write to inform themselves.” –Judith Guest
Choose a magazine you enjoy reading. Write an
article following its style (topic, word count, tone, etc.). Write about what
you love. Learn from the best as you can interview experts or participants in
whatever topics interest you. Write your first drafts without thought to the
word count. Then rewrite your articles repeatedly. Final articles should be
your best work including all the points you wanted to make as well as meeting the word
counts. Submit articles for publication.
“Don't market yourself. Editors and readers don't know what they want
until they see it. Scratch what itches. Write what you need to write, feed the hunger
for meaning in your life.” –Donald M.
Murray
Write with abandon then rewrite by writing
concisely.
“Nothing you write, if you hope to be any good, will ever come out as you
first hope.” –William Hellman
For reference: on average, I spend 35-40% of my
time writing and 60-65% rewriting pieces for publication. I rewrite my articles
five, six, ten times until I’m satisfied it’s the best I can do. Read pieces aloud to catch mistakes.
“Writing is really rewriting—making the story better, clearer, truer.”
–Robert Lipsyte
“Look for verbs of muscle, adjectives of exactitude.” --Mary Oliver in Blue Pastures on page 89.
Meet all deadlines, no matter what, as professional
writers and editors won’t work for long if they don’t.
Also, read everything. A better reader is a better
writer.
Read writing books. I have recommended many on this
blog (see partial list at end of this post), especially The War of Art by Steven Pressfield.
All knowledge makes you a better writer (and editor).
I read all genres as good writers make any genre or topic interesting. I also
read books about philosophy, science, space, and art as well as classic novels
and bestsellers.
“You learn to write by reading and writing, writing and reading. As a
craft, it's acquired through the apprentice system, but you choose your own
teachers. Sometimes they're alive, sometimes they're dead.” –Margaret Atwood
Read often and widely including poetry to get a
feel for words, language, flow, and rhythm.
Poetry is essential. Ray Bradbury makes this
recommendation to writers on page 36 of Zen
in the Art of Writing:
Read poetry every day of your life…it flexes muscles you don’t use often
enough…it expands the senses and keeps them in prime condition.
Reading expands your vocabulary, too. Look up every
word new-to-you for future reference. Write these words and definitions in your
notebooks so you remember them.
Make sure the words you use (or edit) mean what you
think they mean otherwise you look foolish. Once in print, it is out there
forever so take the time to refer to a dictionary, RefDesk.com, or the Oxford American Writer’s Thesaurus. Use correct punctuation and grammar, too.
For writers (and editors), words are our medium.
Spend as much time as possible reading and writing.
“…writing is finally sitting alone in a room and wrenching it out of
yourself, and nobody can teach you that.”
–Jon Winokur
Writing Book Recommendations:
(I have reviewed most
of these books on this blog. Dates of posts are in parentheses.)
The War of Art by Steven Pressfield (8/30/12)
Turning Pro by Steven Pressfield (9/9/13)
Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg (5/6/13; 1/12/14)
The Right to Write and The Writer’s Life by Julia Cameron (5/6/13; 1/12/14)
Invisible Ink by Brian McDonald (6/26/16)
The Golden Rule by Brian McDonald (7/25/16)
The Elements of
Eloquence: Secrets of the Perfect Turn of Phrase by Mark Forsyth (2/23/15)
The Writer’s Home
Companion edited by Joan
Bolker, Ed. D. (12/3/12)
Blue Pastures by Mary Oliver (3/21/16; 4/4/16)
Zen and the Art of
Writing by Ray Bradbury (3/9/15)
For Writer’s Only by Sophy Burnham (12/17/12)
The Writing Life by Ellen Gilchrist (7/21/14)
Tiny Beautiful
Things by Cheryl
Strayed, author of Wild (1/28/13)
Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes (1/11/16)
Telling Lies for Fun
and Profit: A Manual for Fiction Writers by Lawrence Block (will be reviewed)
The Book on Writing by Paula LaRocque (will
be reviewed)
The Modern Library
Writer’s Workshop by Stephen Koch (8/5/13)
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
(5/6/13)
A Writer’s Paris: A
Guided Journey for the Creative Soul by Eric Maisel
(5/25/15)
Fiction Writing Master
Class by William Cane
(9/7/15)
The Soul of Creative
Writing by Richard
Goodman 10/19/15)
Backpack Literature by XJ Kennedy and Dana
Gioia (4th post each month, September 2016-April 2017)
On Writing by Stephen King—needs
no review
Write Within Yourself:
An Author’s Companion by William Kenower (8/8/16)
The Writing Trade by John Jerome
(1/14/13)
Poetry:
Mary Oliver
(4/28/14) I read all her books.
Billy Collins (4/22/13) I read all his books.
Anthologies &
classic poetry
Knowledge:
A Natural History
of the Senses by Diane Ackerman. (5/27/13) I recommend all of her books.
At Home by Bill Bryson. I read
all his books. (12/24/12; 1/26/15)
Books by Joseph Campbell & The Art of Reflection: A Joseph Campbell Companion by Diane K.
Osbon
Memoirs:
Handling
the Truth: On the Writing of Memoir by Beth
Kephart (8/26/13)
Let’s Take the Long Way Home by Gail Caldwell (9/29/14)
On Conan Doyle by Michael Dirda (11/23/15)
Six-Word Memoirs edited by Larry Smith (9/10/12)
Essays:
Ex Libris:
Confessions of a Common Reader by Anne Fadiman (11/26/12)
This is the Story
of a Happy Marriage by Ann Patchett (5/26/14) Title of an essay, not subject of book.
High Tide in
Tucson by Barbara
Kingsolver (7/22/13)
A Cup of Comfort
for Writers edited by Colleen Sell (5/11/15)
Screenplays:
Screenplay by Robin Russin and
William Missouri Downs (8/10/15)
On Story: Screenwriters
and Their Craft edited by Barbara Morgan and Maya Perez
(6/6/16)
Reference:
Oxford American
Writer’s Thesaurus (6/9/14)
The Synonym Finder by J I Rodale (6/9/14)
Grammar and
punctuation books
Online:
Are You There
Blog? It’s Me Writer by Kristen Lamb, award-winning blog warriorwriters.wordpress.com.
Steven Pressfield, blog Writing Wednesdays at
www.stevenpressfield.com.
