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    From Pen to Page
    From Pen to Page
    From Pen to Page
    Ebook130 pages1 hour

    From Pen to Page

    By Gioya McRae

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    About this ebook

    This book is for the beginning writer, the aspiring author...the dreamer. If you toy with the idea of writing to be published, the book for you is...

    FROM PEN TO PAGE
    Instructions for Write-Brained People

    Get what you need - a good overview of the writing life, complete with tips, step-by-step instructions, warnings and encouragement. In Pen to Page you learn the necessary methods to move ideas from your brain to paper to finished pieces. So put your Pen to Page and take control of your writing future.

    If you toy with the idea of writing to be published, From Pen to Page is the book for you.

    From Pen to Page will give you a good overview of the writing life, complete with tips, step-by-step instructions, warnings and encouragement. It will give you methods to move ideas from your brain to paper to a finished piece and removes the confusion of the writing process.

    If you’ve ever wondered where to start or blanked out mid-article, you’ll find the solutions here. Learn the logical order of the writing process.

    Got a pile of rejection slips? We’ll show you how to tighten up your work for publication.

    Feeling lonely in a wordsmith’s world? Discover how to find the perfect writing partner.

    Finally, learn how to create a buzz about your work, before it’s even published.

    By the time you’ve finished From Pen to Page, you’ll be ready to join the ranks of the published and shine, shine, shine.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherGioya McRae
    Release dateNov 6, 2011
    ISBN9780977454259
    From Pen to Page
    Author

    Gioya McRae

    Gioya McRae is Founder of Mocha Mind Communications, a literary firm. She is a professional writer and speaker, whose experience ranges from writing books, magazine articles and web content to creating theater reviews. McRae’s Self-Publishing and Creative Writing Seminars guide aspiring authors to reach their publishing dreams.

    Read more from Gioya Mc Rae

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      Book preview

      From Pen to Page - Gioya McRae

      From Pen to Page

      Instructions for

      Write-Brained People

      By

      Gioya McRae

      Publisher’s Note

      Copyright 2008 by Gioya McRae

      All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form without written permission by the publisher. First edition.

      For information address:

      Mocha Mind Communications

      Montclair, NJ 07042

      http://www.mochamind.com

      info@mochamind.com

      ISBN 978-0-9774542-5-9

      Published by Mocha Mind Communications at Smashwords

      Edited by Jovita Wallace, www.beinginbalanceinc.com

      Cover designed by KatKlaw Productions www.katklaw.com

      This book is available in print at most online retailers.

      This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

      DEDICATION

      This book is dedicated to my students who have taught me more than they could know.

      TABLE OF CONTENTS

      Introduction

      1. Fighting Writer’s Block

      Roots of Writer’s Block

      Solutions for Writer’s Block

      Putting the Fear Behind You

      Common Mistakes

      Segmented Scribbling

      Snappy Scribbling

      Stop Procrastination

      Curing Lost Motivation

      Get a Scribbling Sidekick

      Making Time to Write

      Write Every Day

      2. Basic Writing Tasks

      Think It Over

      Plan It Out

      Write In Depth

      Edit Your Work

      Proof Your Work

      3. The Mechanics of Creative Writing

      4. How to Craft a Great Article

      Basic Article Structures

      Finding Your Focus

      Unity & Flow

      The Hook

      Show - Don’t Tell

      Ending Well

      Eye-Catching Titles

      Places to Look for Article Ideas

      5. Book Writing Basics

      Your Setting

      Characters

      Your Plot

      Outline Your Story

      Narrative vs. Dialog

      Ending Well

      6. Successful Submissions

      Successful Query Letters

      How to Get Rejected

      Finding Your Markets

      Writing Clips

      Manuscript Format

      Manuscript Submission

      Cover Letters

      The Masthead

      Publication Rights

      7. Publishing Options

      Commercial Publishers vs. Self-Publishing vs. Vanity Publishers

      8. Book Marketing & Promotion

      How to Create Press Kits

      Writing Your Bio

      Your Publicity Photo

      Create Hot Press Releases

      Book Reviews

      Create the Buzz

      Why You Should Have a Website

      Elements of a Good Website

      Promoting on the Web

      Great Book Signings

      Speaking Engagements

      Acknowledgements

      INTRODUCTION

      This book is for the beginning writer, the aspiring author…the dreamer. If you toy with the idea of writing to be published, From Pen to Page is the book for you.

      From Pen to Page will give you a good overview of the writing life, complete with tips, step-by-step instructions, warnings and encouragement. It will give you methods to move ideas from your brain to paper to a finished piece and removes the confusion of the writing process.

      If you’ve ever wondered where to start or blanked out mid-article, you’ll find the solutions here. Learn the logical order of the writing process.

      Got a pile of rejection slips? We’ll show you how to tighten up your work for publication.

      Feeling lonely in a wordsmith’s world? Discover how to find the perfect writing partner.

      Finally, learn how to create a buzz about your work, before it’s even published.

      By the time you’ve finished From Pen to Page, you’ll be ready to join the ranks of the published and shine, shine, shine.

      Chapter 1

      Fighting Writer’s Block

      The Roots of Writer’s Block

      Ok, so you’ve planned your assignment thoroughly. Your computer’s humming and ready. You have a hot, steaming cup of coffee on your desk and your research materials are neatly piled at your fingertips. So, why can’t you start that assignment? You’ve probably fallen prey to one of the common roots of writer’s block.

      Root #1: You don’t know what to write.

      We’re not talking about knowing your subject matter, but about what format to write it in. Of course, you’ve researched and planned your assignment thoroughly, but research is not the problem. Most likely, the problem started before the research stage. Simply put, you don’t know the format or parameters of your assignment.

      Before you write, you should know:

      ~Your Article Idea – the general subject matter

      ~Your Viewpoint – the focus or niche that makes your article special

      ~Your Key Terms – what points of interest your article will cover

      Once you have this outline, your article, essay, etc. should fall into place easily.

      Root #2: Fear of Writing

      Yes, we’re afraid, whether we admit it or not. Why? Here are a few reasons:

      ~We can’t duplicate past successes. Yes, your last article, story, etc. was received with rave reviews. Now you’re held to a new standard. Everyone will expect you to bust out another blockbuster story. Don’t sweat it. Your earlier achievements were not due to luck. They were due to your competence, research and hard work. You still have your skills and talent. So go for it!

      ~We can’t write like our idols. Maybe you don’t write like Stephen King, Walter Mosley, or Zora Neale Hurston, but you do have a unique voice. Use it. Let future generations imitate you.

      ~We’re haunted by the opinions of non-writers. Someone you respected didn’t like your last work. Everyone’s a critic. But, everyone’s not an educated critic. Be careful whom you listen to. Good writers and avid readers can give you good opinions. Take the others with a grain of salt and write on!

      Root #3: Creating Perfection

      I’m guilty of it too. We try to create a story and express it perfectly – the perfect words, the perfect composition, the perfect expression – the first time out. As we put words to paper (or computer screen), we often get stuck trying to use the most accurate words as we write. We stop mid-sentence and sit, stubbornly staring into space for long periods of time trying to find exactly the right words. Stop that!

      Just write your thoughts as quickly as possible. Perfect is what happens during the editing process. Remember, create first; polish later.

      Root #4: Trying to Write in Perfect Order

      The first paragraph of your piece is crucial. It must draw the reader in, set the tone for your entire work, and compel the reader to continue on. As important as it is, it's almost impossible to write a final version of this vital paragraph until the rest of the article is complete. Don’t worry about it.

      Whenever you’re stuck, whether it’s the first paragraph or any other part of your piece, just skip over it and come back to it later. No one’s giving out awards for completing your work in perfect order. If you’re worried about forgetting to go back and add the paragraph or scene, just enter a placeholder as a reminder.

      Example: **FIRST PARAGRAPH HERE** or **LOVE SCENE HERE**

      Root #5: Trying to Write It All at Once

      A large project can be overwhelming. You’ve done tons of research and it’s all staring you in the face. Just pick a place to start, not necessarily at the beginning. Don’t worry about the mammoth project. Just start on one section and start writing. Then do the same thing the next day. Eventually, all the pieces may fit together into a Pulitzer Prize winning piece!

      Root #6: Burn Out

      Too many times we push ourselves to write or finish a project no matter how tired and bleary-eyed we are. There comes a time during the writing process when we need to take a break. No, I don’t mean a vacation. I mean a fifteen-minute break after an hour of writing. A little break is sometimes just what we need to rejuvenate our creative processes. Try it.

      I’ve listed the major roots of writer’s block, and I’m sure you can come up with some of your own, but let’s move on to solutions.

      Solutions for Writer’s Block

      For starters, relax. Take a breath. You’re more likely to make that deadline on time if you take a time-out and rethink your project rather than staring into the computer screen until you can think of the next perfect word. Here are some tried and true methods of brain lubrication to move you forward.

      Free-write

      Free-writing is simple. You set a timer for a random amount of time, then begin writing as fast as possible without stopping until your time is up. You can write about whatever comes to mind. It can be one

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