For nine-tenths of a century

Saturday marks the ninetieth anniversary of the first battle of The Somme. This one was also spurred by Glyn Maxwell's poem on the latest round of 'QuickMuse' (www.quickmuse.com), in turn inspired by an amazing piece of prose by Mark Twain. If you haven't sought-out quickmuse yet I suggest you do so:

For nine-tenths of a century
A sunset's bloody light has played
Across a meadow's memory
While poppies swayed -

Finally quite unafraid.

A flash of trumpets' brilliant sound
That calls a summer's day to end,
While in these flowers' roots are bound
Ends of men

Called home again.

Flowers that came like summer rain
Splashed up from its thunderous fall -
Reflecting only setting sun
- After all.

Roy www.wellversed.co.uk

Creating a dramatic opening and a crisp ending

Try topping and tailing, even when that means a little re-writing. Very often, we try to set a scene when the real story doesn't start until two or three sentences in. By deleting the unnecessary opening, we can draw the reader straight into the world we're creating.

At the end, too, there is a temptation to round things off and spell out the message or moral when our reader is quite capable of doing that for him or herself. In fact, he or she will be secretly flattered that we've assumed that degree of intelligence - and may feel more than slightly insulted if we seem to have assumed otherwise. Also, there are few sins for a writer greater than that of making the reader weary of the tale.

I followed my advice with this piece. Here's my original opening:

As a writer, you will often be striving to create a gripping or enticing opening sentence or paragraph to your piece, whether that's a short story, a novel or a non-fiction article. You'll have seen how this can often lead to an artificial-seeming start, even from the most skilled of writers.

A whole paragraph deleted!

And I deleted this closing sentence, too:

Better by far, to stop while the story still has some energy than to dribble on and on...

Point proved, I think.

Oops!

Roy

After Philip Larkin Once More

It seems there's something in those final lines of 'An Arundel Tomb' that just won't let go:

What Lasts of Us

You were right, not love survives:
these wearing stones mis-represent,
memorialize faux-simple lives,
preserve the errors they cement.

An endless line with gazing eyes,
inheritors of these mistakes,
turn backs on chaos, empathise,
clasped hands inclined to join these fakes,

knowing but unknowing yet
the errors that the stone repairs:
that messiness they'd soon forget
fills other lives and homes than theirs.

No, what survives are prints we cast,
impressions in the ageing mud
we trample in. And so the past
descends with such a gentle thud

we may not know the errors 'til
our own are brought us at our close.
What others saw they see there still:
even at our deaths we pose.

Submitting your book for publication

Just a brief note today to address a question many new writers are unsure of - what exactly will a publisher expect you to submit, and how much of your book do they need to make a judgement on its viability?

The answer is, many publishers these days are happy to receive a sample chapter or two plus an outline of the rest of the book, especially for a non-fiction book. In fact, a clear outline of your non-fiction book idea may be sufficient to interest them. Expect to be asked to demonstrate your expertise, though, before they even think of committing themselves. Of course, if you are already an acknowledged expert, a publisher may even approach you.

With fiction the situation is a little different. While some publishers will accept the first few chapters plus outline, there are still many who will expect you to show enough commitment to write the entire book before you submit anything. What you must never do is send a few sample pages - publishers seem to hate that!

Manuscripts should always be anything but manuscripts - that is, they should be typewritten or more often word-processor produced and double-spaced. Please don't forget to tell them who you are by enclosing a covering letter.

As for poetry, there seem to be wide variations, but a general rule is to send five or six (some specify six) poems, single-sided as a sample of your work. These should be single-spaced in the form in which you'd like them to appear when (if) published. Always add your contact details to each sheet in case they become separated and send a cover letter with more details about yourself as well.

Multiple submissions seem to be generally accepted now. When you remember that it can be months before you hear anything from each submission, that is just as well. Even so, there are a few die-hard submissions editors who object to writers sending to more than one publisher at a time. The best idea is probably to make multiple submissions but make it clear that you are doing so.

Who knows, if a publisher really likes your work that may even strengthen your negotiating position. I can't promise it will, but it might!

How to become a 'Guru' and reap rich rewards

Have you ever stopped to think what separates an 'expert' from someone who merely knows his or her job? Why one person may be paid a fortune for knowing little more about their subject than another person who only gets an average salary?

The answer is, they've achieved the status of 'guru'. A kind of super-consultant, recognised within and beyond their field as 'the' person to ask for advice, to invite along as a speaker or to be persuaded (with lots of money, generally) to bless lesser mortals with their wisdom.

How did they do this? In most cases they either appeared on tv or they 'wrote the book'. While tv may be out of reach for most, provided that they have sufficient knowedge or access to it, anyone can write 'the book' on their specialist field of knowledge. And if they can't do it, or don't have the time to do it, someone else can do it for them.

Ghost writing is not easy; at least, ghost writing well is not easy. But a skilled and sympathetic ghost writer can turn anyone's good story into a great book, or anyone's knowledge of their job into a valuable educational resource for those new to that business. And by so doing, turn a competent anyone into an expert 'someone', thereby growing their reputation, enhancing the demand for their expertise and massively increasing their earning power.

'The book' can be a conventional book on sale in all good bookshops, or it can be an increasingly popular ebook or manual. It can even be serialised as a course or series of newsletters, but for maximum prestige still, a real 'physical' book can't be beaten. Getting it published is no problem in these days of self-publishing and 'print on demand'.

I have to be honest and say that profits may be minimal or even non-existent on the book itself, especially at first, but in time the rewards can be enormous - in prestige, self-confidence and wealth!

So if you have expertise in any field (or a great story to tell) you owe it to yourself to consider writing 'the book' on it. If you can't manage that yourself, you might contact a ghost writer to do it for you.

Roy

After Odysseus - Long, Long After Homer

To Greece we travel; not as heroes, though.
No need for that heroic nonsense now.
Odysseus' Ionian, we know,
Was where he aimed for, finally, but how
He took so long Penelope, aghast,
Had asked a thousand days and nights alone.
And when he made the journey home at last,
Then how did her Odysseus atone?

I think they married, later than they might,
For many years had passed while they, apart,
Lay fretting for each other every night -
Penelope at least feared for her heart.

I kept you waiting longer than I should,
But love, I came as quickly as I could.

After Philip Larkin

After Philip Larkin came the gloom:
Pursuing that old poet to his doom.
He won't be resurrected
So the crime can't be corrected
But at least he's lying quiet in his tomb.

Which proves his almost-cliché almost true:
As much survives of him as will of you.
But a lie can't be corrected
If it's not closely inspected
And in Larkin's case the truth is overdue.

For his gloomy humour hid a human heart
Though depression often played the greater part.
And his poetry reflected
How his spirit was infected -
What lasts is what was given at the start.

Make Money From Writing

Just a quick note on a great new ebook on making money from writing that's out very soon.

As you may have seen in a previous post, I've had advanced notice of a new ebook that's totally FREE and full of great information. It should be released this week (the writer has been so busy with other projects, she had to put it to one side for a week or so).

I've sneaked a look at the almost complete item, and I'm sure you'll find it's well worth the wait if you take this whole 'writing for profit' business seriously. That is, if you actually want to make a living as a writer. Quite simply, the author has researched every aspect with more depth than most of us could contemplate and packed in more links and resources than you're likely to find in the average 'for sale' book, let alone a freebie.

As I promised before, I'll let you know here when it's released, but if you want to be kept personally informed, email me here, or at info@wellversed.co.uk or leave a message here.

Roy

Planning Your Book

There truly are some authors who can create an entire novel 'off the cuff', without plotting, character outlines or planning of any kind. Actually, I'm inclined to believe they simply hold all this information, or the bulk of it, but in a more informal way than we might define as 'planning', in their heads.

But anyway, for the bulk of us normal mortals, a degree of planning is essential. This applies to a non-fiction book even more than to a novel, but many of the principles are similar, whatever we're writing.

There are important differences, though. Whereas in a novel it's a very good idea (nowadays) to begin at the most exciting point of the story, drawing-in the reader and encouraging them to puzzle at the history, even disorientating them to good effect, with a non-fiction title the opposite is often true.

I'll exclude biography at this point, which is a hybrid form, in many ways more akin to the novel since it tells a human story in much the same way. Although there have been some pretty dusty biographies, of course...

Assuming for the moment that you wish to write non-fiction, perhaps a 'how to' manual of some kind, or an instruction leaflet for a new product, maybe even a guide to your favourite hobby, your first job is to set the background for the reader. Never assume your reader has a similar level of knowledge to yourself, or else why would they read your book?

First, try to establish just what level your readership is likely to be at, and aim to set your starting-point just a little lower (because you'll probably still under-estimate your own level of expertise). Well-informed readers can simply skim the 'easy' bits, although you can still surprise them with your own unique insights. Less informed readers will be able to gain a grounding in the subject, for which they will be grateful.

So, you need to start with the basics before moving on to specifics, and you must plan your book or manual in that way. The really mundane stuff can be put into a glossary at the end of the book, but your reader needs to be able to read through the book without constantly flicking back and forth, so don't hide important stuff away there.

This is especially important if you're given the job of writing an instruction manual for a new product. Manufacturers are understandably nervous about being sued by mis-informed or uninformed consumers who couldn't understand the manual, or found it too complex or incomplete, and managed to injure themselves or suffer some loss or damage. In those cases you must spell out absolutely everything, in words of one syllable if necessary, and don't worry about insulting anyone's intelligence!

Roy.

If you've any questions arising out of this article, or indeed anything to do with writing, from amateur poetry to absolute professionalism, drop me an email or leave a message here and I'll do my best to help.

Writing For Profit

One thing you may have difficulty with, especially if you take your creative writing seriously, is adapting your literary writing style to the commercial world.

It's difficult enough trying to write a successful novel, but at least bestselling novels and short stories can be literary and successful - even if not that often. When a 'serious' writer looks at the work of successful copywriters, they can often do little but wince or weep.

Frankly, most copywriters who've made it big will tell you straight: the 'rules' of English grammar you were made to learn at school and college mean little in their 'real' world. What works in copywriting is what works - in other words what works is what sells, and it's rarely pretty.

Now, if you're really good, you can combine good grammar, correct punctuation and a compelling message that persuades people to buy - but if you're really, really good you will realise that as far as copywriting goes it's only the last of those three elements that counts.

'Real' writers might decry the declining standards that exposure to advertising copy, sloppy speech on television and radio, 'textspeak', etc seem to encourage, but a copywriter will remind them that language has only one purpose - communication. If I want you to buy something from me, I'd better explain as clearly as I can just why you should do so, or I simply won't have communicated properly.

So if you really want to write for profit - and copywriting is the most profitable writing there is, you'll be doing yourself a big favour if you look at all the direct advertising you can find, and imitate what works as closely as you possibly can.

There's no point being 'precious' - your writer's skills are far too valuable!


On the subject of writing for profit, I've just had advanced notice of a great new ebook on the subject (not by me). It hasn't been released yet, but if you want to be among the first to get your hands on it, drop me an email or visit me at my Well Versed Ltd website and I'll tell you the moment it's available and how to get your copy.

It's written by a successful professional copywriter and ghostwriter; published author of many articles, editorials etc. She knows the business of writing and the writing business and she's cramming far more information and advice into this ebook than most people would bother with - hence the slight delay - so I can promise it will be well worth waiting for.

As I say, contact me and I'll let you know.

After You

I intended to resist posting too much of my poetry here, but I came across this one in my archives, and as it's almost the first anniversary of its writing, I decided to indulge myself. Just this once. It's called 'Between Notes':

There
I listened to your music
where
between the notes
the hesitating silence
made the room to breathe

and walls turned away in modesty
windows covered their eyes
and doors quietly closed
and opened
closed and opened

the quiet glow became
a brilliant noise

and I was dazzled
deafened
into dying...

But there
was never music
nor were we ever
making love.

Just sitting
hearing heavenknows
what
except a beating heart.

Through silences of opened eyes
I glimpsed the last
defining part
of my completeness

you brought to me
and carried off
through an opened door.

Remember though
that now I know
where it may be found
it's merely borrowed
like an absent sound

or silence between notes.


You'll find some more of my poems on my website.

After TS Eliot

After Philip Larkin (for now) but before I get round to Roger McGough, I thought I'd share this old Eliot inspired poem. As you can see, it's little more than a fragment compared to the works that triggered it. I quite like it though, despite the dubious grammar. I called it 'The Obvious Word':


Keen to avoid the obvious word
he held us up by his whetted sword
and pinned like pictures to his wall
said: not it, not it at all.

And I, avoiding cliches too,
avoided obvious words with you.
But pinned you, wetted, to that mast
until the obvious broke at last.

TSE, like thee and me
used words for what he thought to see.
Avoided obvious, truth his aim,
and at the end we do the same.

You'll find a slowly-building archive of my poetry (and eventually other works) if you go to my website

Finding Your Niche

If you want to write commercially rather than just for your own satisfaction, you may find it difficult to know where to start. If you've already been writing for a while, you will probably have realised that there are many more choices open to you than just composing the next Great Novel versus campaigning for the role of Poet Laureate.

Even so, it may still surprise you to learn that, bestseller writers apart, the best-rewarded (ie, highest paid) writers are all but unknown outside the ranks of their fellow professionals. Some are 'generalists' - that is, they'll write almost anything for almost anyone - but most of the more successful writers become specialists in one field or another. Often, it's the field from which they've 'escaped' in order to become a writer! Otherwise it may be an area they simply have an interest in, or have pursued as a hobby.

The reason is pretty plain. If I were to ask you to write a thousand words on something you know nothing about, you could probably do it but you would have to research and double-check everything. It would take you quite some time, and you'd be unlikely to bring many insights to the debate beyond perhaps a fresh 'outsider's' view. But if those thousand words were on an area you'd worked in, or a topic you've always been interested in, your main problem would be deciding what to leave out. Your learning and experience would show through, with authority and insights crammed into your thousand words. In short, it would be far easier to write and a much better read.

So, here's a very simple strategy you might adopt if you're unsure what to write about. At least at first, simply write about what you know. You'll be surprised how much you do know about your subject - and how much the general public and even new professionals can learn from you. The biggest mistake you can make, in terms of underestimating your worth, is to assume that because you know, 'everyone knows'.

The fact is, most people will know very little - but many will be interested to learn. You just need some lateral thinking to find a 'market' for that knowledge - and the confidence to realise its full worth.

Roy Everitt Well Versed Ltd/CinnamonEdge.com

See how Paul Muldoon does it!

Thanks to this Sunday's Observer newspaper, I've discovered a remarkable new website called 'Quickmuse'.

On this US-based site, anyone can watch a professional poet compose a poem against the clock. That may sound more mechanical than musical, but it's a fascinating process to observe. All that we don't see are the poet's fingers on the keyboard as the words appear and disappear along with their fleeting ideas and second thoughts.

The most famous poet to take up the challenge so far is Pulitzer Prize winner Paul Muldoon, who was tasked with creating a poem about the unnaturalness of poetry, or rather the effort to make the unnatural seem as inevitable as nature. As with all the poets, he was given fifteen minutes. Unlike most of them, he took every second to deliver his poem 'The Aim'.

This reminds me of a technique I've used in the past, generally known as 'flash poetry', where the idea is to write as quickly as possible, having been given three words which must be incorporated in the poem, but no set theme.

The diversity of subjects arrising in this way is astonishing when a large number of poets take part. Astonishing to the poets, too, as the idea is to not think consciously about the poem, but to let the words (and the subconscious) lead the way. If you're trying to write poetry but are stuck for ideas, this is a method well worth trying. Get someone else to nominate the words, though.

Meanwhile, take a look at www.quickmuse.com

After Philip Larkin

From 'Church Going'

...And gravitating with it to this ground,
Which, he once heard, was proper to grow wise in,
If only that so many dead lie round.

Surprisingly, perhaps, this serious and sombre poem spawned a romantic effort from me, entitled 'Standing Stones':

So, twelve weeks to go, and now the stones,
Standing tall as ever by the stars,
Diminish to the eye. Or do we grow?
It's permanence of stone that let's me know;
Reason that insists the vaulting spars
Are far as ever from the melting bones.

The space below is difficult to fill.
With sound it may be possible, but air
Is far too insubstantial, like the light
That sparks in isolation. Well, alright:
We'll have to fill the vacuum with prayer.
Not that prayer is needed, but we will.

It somehow seems appropriate to me
That as we grow together, we expand
Sufficiently to occupy that space.
Between the standing stones I'll take my place,
Encircling your finger with a band,
And say a prayer: to 'eternity'.

All of which would be far too 'soft' for Philip Larkin, I suspect!

After Philip Larkin

That was my most recent 'Larkin' poem, and followed my reading some of his less well-known works, although you may get some of the references.

We're often advised not to mistake the poem for the poet, and I think it's a mistake to take any writing as too representative of its author, even when the author would like us to. I wonder how much Larkin played up to his 'image'?

Certainly, much of his poetry was serious to the point of sombre, but there was some humour too.

After Roger McGough

Hi everyone.

On this blog I'll be introducing you to some of my poetry and also talking from time to time about writing for profit.

That is, writing sales copy for on and off-line, writing articles and getting them published, even writing a libretto.

I'll also be sharing some of my experiences (and lessons learned) as a professional writer.

So I hope to entertain, educate and inform, often at the same time.

As a poet, I'll admit to many influences, so my style will vary over time, but I think you'll detect a unique 'voice' anyway. Calling this first blog 'After Roger McGough' is a signpost to the way I'll employ these different influences to ring the changes as much as I can.

As a professional writer in other areas, it's more necessary to adopt different voices and styles, especially if we're writing 'on-spec' and trying to sell to a particular market.

So there you have my first tip - read thoroughly the publications you're aiming for and match your writing as far as you can to their house style. Don't try to 're-educate' them to accept yours!

I hope you'll enjoy visiting here.

Please feel free to comment and to ask questions.

Here's my first poem entry. In the event I've followed Philip Larkin. Roger McGough will follow in due course:

Reading Philip Larkin of a night
I'm taken with his easiness of grief,
his comfort in the fading of the light,
the way he shows despair as light relief,

and then despairs of others, turns to go
and writes of that departure never made.
Perfection's reprehensible, and so
he hates his own protagonist, who stayed.

He riles against religion and the cross,
but finds himself within the walls again.
His tomb speaks too romantically of loss,
preserves the loving lie for dying men.

But Larkin was a poet to the last:
his verses spoke of ambulance and flight
away from all we know, the fading past -
reading Philip Larkin of a night.


That's all for now. I'll be back with some more soon.