"Hi, my name is Sara and I am a writer."

     Which is exactly what I would say if there ever existed a meeting for writers who are absolutely in love with their craft.  Because, let's face it, writing is addictive.  I started writing in 2007, but my love of fiction began the day I was born.  My parents swear that I was born with a book in my hand.  Books have always been a form of escapism for me.  I never leave home without one.  But since I've started writing, not just fiction but my freelance articles, I've come to the conclusion that I cannot get enough of it.  I find myself daydreaming about writing when not doing it.
     Mondays are the only time that I can fully devote an entire day to my writing, since my day job begins on Tuesday.  During the week, I diligently work every night from 8:00-10:30 on my writing.  Unfortunately I have to get up early to go to work at my dad's dental office, so I'm not always able to work later into the night like I would like to.  Once I put the pen and paper away and turn out the lights, I find myself fighting the urge to turn the lights back on and hit the power button on my computer.  I have to force myself to lie there and wait for sleep to take me.
     I don't know if anyone feels the same way, but I find it hard to shut off my drive to write at a certain time at night.  It's like a drug.  Creativity feels good.  You are in another world, you're interacting with these people that are so three dimensional to you, and sometimes it's hard to say goodbye.  Maybe you had a bad day at work, and writing fiction is your escape out of reality.  Well, sometimes I find it hard to shut everything off and leave my world of characters to go to sleep and face reality again in the morning.  During the day I find myself wondering, "what is so and so doing?"  I can't wait to get home and get my fix.

They're Just Not That Into You

     Let's face, as writers we experience a certain amount of frustration on a daily basis.  Whether it's trying to meet deadlines, tracking down contacts for an article, or trying to get a speedier response from an editor. A good portion of our time as freelancers is spent querying those potential one-time employers, who will let us write for their magazine.  But, sometimes, we don't always hear back from those editors.  It can be frustrating as Hell.  We send our follow-up queries every week like clockwork, never thinking that we are maybe being too pushy, or coming off as needy.
     Just as in relationships, we are left wondering "why won't they call me" (or in our case, "why won't they email me back)?  "  We begin to question ourselves as writers, and then out comes the chocolate and that quart of Cherry Garcia ice cream.  When in reality, there are probably a myriad of reasons why that specific editor hasn't gotten back to us.  Maybe what we queried them with doesn't fit the theme of their magazine.  Maybe our query got lost in the hundreds of other emails they receive on a daily basis.  Or maybe they just didn't like what we had to query them with, and they don't have the common decency to email us back to let us know.  I mean, they can at least do that can't they?!
     So, as in the dating world, if you haven't heard back in a certain amount of time, then maybe that editor wasn't worth working with after all.  There are plenty of other editors in the literary pool, perhaps one of them will buy your idea.

PREPARING YOUR TEEN FOR THEIR FIRST JOB INTERVIEW:

     It's hard to believe that your image conscious, eye rolling, mono-syllabic teen will one day make his or her way into the work force.  Though they may act like they don't need you anymore, preparing for a job interview will be one of those times when your advice and previous experience will come in handy.

     A good stepping-stone for any teen ready to enter the work force is to become active in extra curricular activities in school or around their community.  This will help build their confidence, and get them used to the idea of selling themselves to authority figures.

     Your teen's first impression on the interviewer, whether they are applying for a job working weekends or a few hours after school, counts for 55% of their decision on whether your teen gets a call congratulating them on their new position within that company.

     Once your teen has settled on a business that they are interested in working for, have them do some research on the position they are applying for.  The more knowledge he or she is equipped with, the better their chances of getting hired.

     Next you will want to set aside time to practice what will happen in the interview, such as what will be asked, what they should ask, etc.  Playing the role of the interviewer, prepare some questions to ask that the real interviewer might.  Your rehearsals should cover real scenarios that might arise, including working through situations that may be positive, negative or even embarrassing.  Also, help them work through answering those questions that they may have difficulty answering.

       Teach your teen to answer the questions precisely, without sounding unsure of themselves.  They should begin to learn to believe in themselves, and therefore exude confidence in the interview.

  During this time, feedback is essential for your teen.  Whether it is praise or constructive criticism, your teen will benefit from learning from their mistakes, and thereby gaining confidence in themselves.

     Now that you feel like your teen has mastered the Q&A part of the interview process, it is now time for them to make an appointment with their future employer, and gather the necessary paperwork together.  This includes a completed job application, working papers (if your teen is under the legal hiring age), and a resume'.

     Since your teen will have had no previous job experience to pad their resume' with, they will need to list those traits, outside experiences or interests that will make them stick out when the interviewer begins looking over their paperwork.

     With an interview date looming in the distance, there are some points to go over with your teen to ready them for the actual day.  Though one of the things you may admire about your teen is their sense of an individual, free thinking self, you need to help them realize what is appropriate attire and attitude to present themselves with in front of the man or woman interviewing them.

    Whether your teen is of driving age or not, it is best to let them go into the interview room by themselves.  If you have to drive them, either wait in the car or come back to pick them up.  Without you in the room, your teen has only themselves to rely on, and doing something on their own builds their confidence and gives them a sense of independence.  It is important that they speak for themselves, without you in the room. 

       If your teen is of driving age, have them map out a direct route to the place of business, taking into consideration how long it will take to get there.  Also, have them arrive 10-15 minutes early.  This will give them time to get their bearings and become familiar with their surroundings.

    

     How your teen presents themselves is important, so have them dress conservatively, yet casually, so they are not completely untrue to their identity.  But have them remove any piercings, wash out the hair dye, and cover any visible tattoos, as these might make the wrong impression.

     Regardless of how your teen acts around you, it is essential they are polite and well mannered during their interview.  Some basic rule of good behavior to keep in mind are, offer your hand first, don't sit unless you are asked to, sit up straight, listen, stay focused and don't mumble when speaking.  Tell them to introduce themselves by stating their full name, age, and the school they attend, and also by giving a brief description of who they are, and why they want to be apart of the company.

   

    Tell your teen to keep in mind the fact that their future employer will take into consideration their personality, team spirit and willingness to work.

 Listed below are some standard questions that will be asked by the interviewer:

1. Why are you interested in working for our company?

2. Why should I hire you?

3. How would you describe your ability to work as a team player?

4. What do you think it takes to be successful in this position?

5. Why are you looking for a job?

     Thanks to your rehearsal time, your teen should feel comfortable answering these questions and more.  They should have some questions of their own prepared.  It is okay at this point for your teen to talk long-term with the interviewer about things such as the pay scale, bonus and advancement opportunities within the company.  This shows that they are interested in a long-term relationship with the employer and are eager to be apart of the team.   Though your teen may be eager to get the job, it is necessary for them to state what days of the week and hours in which they are available.  The last thing you want for them to do is excitedly accept a job, and then struggle with not being able to fulfill their end of the bargain by having to miss a lot of work, thereby compromising their employment. Now that the interview is over, your teen will need to ask when they can expect a decision to be made.

     Once your teen receives a call back with a date in which they can start, there are some ground rules you will need to set in order to maintain some balance between school and work.  They should know that their schoolwork is their number one priority, and that their new job must not interfere with or compromise that.

     Whether he or she may know it or not, your teen is gaining valuable experiences that will guide them later on in life.  They will learn responsibility and the importance of hard work, what it is like to be depended on, and what it is like to be apart of a team.

The Ins and Outs Of Copyright Law

Seeing your name in print for the first time can be a life affirming experience.  You've accomplished what many in your field dream of - you are now a published writer.  Setting out to make a living as a freelance writer and/or author, you will want to learn all you can about copyright laws and how they pertain to your writing.

     When you submit your writing to magazines, newspapers and even websites, you automatically hold the copyright, until you are able to reach an agreement to share the copyright under specific terms with the publisher or editor to which you have sold your work to.

5 Ways Copyright Law Protects Writers:

1. Prevents others from illegally using your copyrighted materials.

2. Keeps your writing safe against theft.

3. Recognizes the writer of the written material and no one else.

4. Provides legal help for both corporate and individual copyright infringement.

5. Prevents plagiarism, or any unauthorized use of written material, including public display or distribution.

     Once an understanding has been reached over who owns the copyright, you will next need to know the "usage terms" of the agreement of the conditions agree upon between you and the publisher.   These terms may list either an exclusivity or non-exclusivity clause, in which the publisher may request that your writing not be published elsewhere (exclusivity), or you may be granted permission to publish your writing in another venue (non-exclusivity).

     Publishers of magazines, newspapers or websites relies on certain rights in order to be able to publish, reproduce and distribute your writing, so therefore, requires your permission before they can proceed any further.  It is important for writers to fully know the meaning of “usage terms” before submitting their writing for publication, so that they will be fully aware of any transfer of rights, compensation or changes to the writing.

Six Ways Usage Terms Help Writers:

1. Provides provisions during publication.

2. Helps writers choose the duration of their content.

3. Come to an agreement in terms of compensation for published articles or stories.

4. Release from clear-cut legal responsibility.

5. Rules of commitment.

6. The transfer of copyright between writer and publisher.

     While you already know that copyright is your right to claim ownership of your writing, thus protecting your writing from theft, or illegal distribution.  You as the writer also have the choice to grant authorization through "use rights."  Doing so does not affect your ownership of the copyrighted work itself, unless you sign away "all rights" or "work-for-hire."

     Some publishers may be under the assumption that if no rights are bought, then they aren't using any of them.  So, here is a list of rights that publishers can acquire from writers:

1. First North American Serial Rights - You as the writer are giving permission to a publication the right to publish your work for the first time only in North America and Canada.

2. First Rights - You are giving the publisher the right to exclusively print your work as "first use."  Electronic and non-traditional publications usually are the ones to buy these rights.

3. One-Time Rights - Gives publishers the non-exclusive right to use your writing only once.  You have the ability to sell this right to more than one publication at a time.

4. Reprint Rights – You can only sell reprint rights to other publications once you have sold First North American Serial Rights.  A downside to selling reprint rights is that it will most likely bring a lower price, and the original publisher will ask to be credited alongside the second publication of the material.

5. Electronic Rights - Encompasses all types of electronic publication from CD-ROM to websites.  If you were to sell electronic rights to one type of publisher, you could possibly lose the rights to sell to another non-electronic type of publication.

6. Subsidiary Rights - When your writing has been published in the form of a book, the publisher holds the right to sell your material in other formats such as film, audio and electronic rights.

7. Worldwide Rights - Gives the publisher the right to sell your book as a translation of languages in all countries.

      Understanding the importance of copyright, you will next want to register your work.          

Registration is inexpensive – only $20 per work registered.

     Registering your writing is inexpensive - only $20 per work registered.  In order to register, you will need to fill out the copyright application and mail it off to the United States Copyright Office, along with a check and a copy of your work.  If your work has already been published, you will want to make sure you register within the next three months of publication.  Registration of your copyrighted work goes into effect the day the Copyright Office receives your application and payment.

     Once you have registered your copyrighted work, you are now able to sue for copyright infringement.  Registering your writing within 90 days of publication, you are eligible for statutory damages of up to $100,000, even if copyright infringements have occurred either before or after registration.  Registration of your copyrighted work goes into effect the day the Copyright Office receives your application and payment. 

   

    An author really owns a bundle of rights, which can be sold or assigned separately to a third party:

Authors Own Rights In The Following Ways:

1. The right to reproduce their work in a fixed form

2. The right to derivative works.  Meaning they can take their short story and adapt it into a novel, or take their novel or short story and turn it into a screenplay.

3. The right to sell their work, rent it or lend it out

4. The right to publicly display their work such as on their website, Facebook or MySpace pages

Exceptions To The Infringement Rules:

     These rules allow someone to reproduce someone else's work without obtaining the proper licenses or rights to that work.

1. Fair use - states that someone may use the work for a limited time either as a teaching aid or for review and/or critique purposes.

2. Public domain - when copyright law no longer protects a piece of writing.

3. Noncopyrightable Works - includes things such things as facts or ideas, which do not add up to a piece of writing as a whole.

    The awareness of copyright and how it works can literally mean the difference between you making a living as a writer, or losing the ability to sell and distribute your writing.

Day Job Blues

     Like every writer starting out, I have a day job.  Though I do consider myself fortunate to be employed by my father at his dental practice.  I started working for him in December 2009, but started my freelance career in 2007.  I was lucky enough to get published with one of my first query letters, and have been writing pretty steadily ever since for other publications.
     This past year I've been busting my butt to try and finish my YA novel, "Blood Pressure."  I had a fantasy that I could finish a rough draft by this summer and have it sent out to agents by January.  WRONG!  I'm only on Chapter 9, and think that I will have to scrap the idea.  Maybe not, I'm hoping to salvage what I've written.  It's not bad writing, it's just a lack of research.
     Anyways, I've finally come to the conclusion that I won't have a book finished any time soon.  So, I've decided to quit pressuring myself and focus more on my freelance work.  And when the inspiration hits, I'll work on the book.  My main goal of course is to be a full-time writer and leave the dental biz.  I firmly believe that this is not a pipe dream; that I can achieve and WILL achieve this one day soon.
     My biggest fear is that I can very easily become complacent in my work at dad's and just be happy to do that full-time.  The money is awesome and I'm tired when I get home.  I sure don't want this to happen.  But I'm wondering if this happens to a lot of writers with day jobs, who are making more money there than with their writing.

Am I alone at this?  What do you do to push yourself more?

How To Write A Cookbook

                                

     At some point during our lives, we will have amassed a collection of recipes that have been passed down from generation to generation.  And soon you will have enough 3x5 cards to begin putting together a family cookbook.  So, why not go the extra mile and publish it?

     In order to get started on your writing venture, you will need to develop a clear concept and let it guide you in the selection of your recipes.  Your own personal experiences with food are what is going to make your book stand out among the other cookbooks.

     Before gathering recipes from family members and your own personal collection, you'll want to explore what your relationship and personal experiences are with food.

Some questions to ask yourself are:

1. What type of food did the women in your family cook, and what dishes of theirs do you remember most?

2. Does your family have any special food traditions around the holidays?

3. How old were you when you first started cooking, or helping out in the kitchen?

4. What was the first meal you ever cooked for either yourself or someone else?

     Now that you've taken your trip down memory lane, it is now time to narrow the themes down to something specific such as holiday recipes, family-style recipes, crock-pot, pastas or desserts.

     Since cookbooks are written to show the home cook the steps necessary to duplicate a desired dish, the recipes need to be written in simplified, step-by-step instructions.  To make sure you are able to better write out the recipes so that they are easy to follow, jot down every step during the cooking process and then photograph the end result.

     Now it's time to get down to the actual writing of your book.  There are four parts to the recipe writing process: Ingredients List, Cooking Instructions, Titles, and Introductory Notes.

Ingredients List:

     The ingredients and their measurements should be listed in the order of use.  Exact measurements should be noted, for example 1 bell pepper, diced.  You will want to note anything that needs to be prepared ahead of time such as sauces or piecrusts, and list the separate ingredients for these special sub-recipes.

Cooking Instructions:

     Be concise as possible, you're not writing the Great American novel.  While preparing a recipe from cookbooks, people only stop what they are doing and glance at the next step, before continuing on.  Instead of writing, "Put the flour, milk, sugar and eggs into a mixing bowl and stir until combined."  Write, "In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, milk, sugar and eggs."

     You will want to be precise as possible when setting up each of the steps.  An example would be, "Sweat the onions in a sauté pan on medium heat until translucent." Make sure to give pre-heating instructions when needed before the readers are to start the cooking process such as, "Pre-heat oven to 450º."

     For each new step, start a new paragraph, keeping instructions short and to the point.

Title:

     If you think about all of the meat, poultry and seafood recipes published each year; the sheer volume can be daunting.  This is why it's important to pay particular attention to the qualities that make your fish, chicken or beef recipes stand out.  Tell your readers what makes your recipe special from the others like it.  For example: "Fish Tacos with Chipotle Mayo," instead of just "Fish Tacos."

     Rachael Ray seems to be the only one who can get away with using cutesy titles for her recipes, but it is better to stay clear of the cuteness factor, as it says nothing about your recipe.  What adult wants to eat, "Yummy In Your Tummy Chocolate Chip Brownies?"

Introductory Note:

     Here is where you need to sell your recipe.  Describe what makes it mouth watering delicious.  You can also offer up alternative ingredients and special equipment, including mandolins or griddles, and alternatives if the home cook doesn't own one of these gadgets. If the recipe calls for broccoli, tell the reader they can substitute Brussels sprouts instead.

     Now that you have your cookbook written, the next step is to seek out a publisher.  You'll want to do your research by browsing the cookbook aisle of your local library or bookstore and note which publishers are printing your type of cookbook.

     Once you have compiled your list, you can now think about sending out your queries, which will include the following:

1. Cover letter - Here you'll describe in a few paragraphs what your book is about and why you're the person to write it.

2. Concept synopsis - In one or two pages, describe the concept of your book and why it would appeal to a certain audience.  This is where your research comes into play; because you'll be able to cite the social or cultural trends your book fits into and give a list of already published cookbooks that are would-be competitors and why your cookbook will beat out the competition.

3. Table of contents - Here you will outline what's in the book, chapter-by-chapter.  Chapters may contain appetizers, main courses and desserts or soups, stews and pasta dishes.

4. Sample recipes - This includes samples of recipes and how they represent the book's concept.  You should only need about a dozen of these samples to give your future editor a taste of your book.

5. Author's bio - This is where you sell yourself as the reason why you're the one to write your book.  Acknowledge your experience with cooking the types of recipes included, and any other experiences as a "foody" such as traveling, cooking contests, or maybe you write reviews for a magazine on restaurants.

A Note On Copyright Law:

     Most would be surprised to know that cookbooks, like any works of fiction or nonfiction, is subject to copyright laws. Surprising, since women pass out recipes like their children trade and collect comic books.  While the listing of the ingredients themselves are not protected under copyright law, the literary aspect of the recipe itself, meaning any notes of explanation, as in the how-to of cooking the recipe, is subject to the laws of copyright.  The only time a recipe may be reprinted without credit is when it has been doctored and reworked so that it no longer resembles the original recipe.

     Writing your own cookbook is a wonderful way to keep those special memories that come with the preparation of the food alive.  You now have a collection of your family's and your own recipes to pass down to the generations to come.  And hopefully others will revel in preparing meals from your cookbook for years to come.

Homemade Chili:

Homemade chunky-style chili in an hour.

Ingredient List

2 lbs ground beef

1 Lg onion, chopped

1 Lg green bell pepper, chopped

1 15oz. can of stewed Mexican tomatoes

2 15oz.  cans of tomato sauce

1 cup of water

4 tbs chili powder

1 bay leaf

1 tbs of ground Cumin

2 15oz. cans of red kidney beans (undrained - salt to taste).

     In a large saucepan, cook beef.  Drain, and then add remaining ingredients.  Mix ingredients together.  Cover and let simmer for 1 hour.  Add beans the last 15 minutes of cooking.

Cook Time - 1 hour                

Serving size - Makes 3 quarts

Article in appeared in last month's issue of Writer's Journal 2011

A Word On Pen Names

     Eric Arthur Blair, Charles Lutwidge Dodgson and Mary Ann Evans are the "real" names of some very famous authors.  Confused?  Maybe this will help - they have written novels under the pen names George Orwell, Lewis Carroll (bet you were surprised by that one!) and George Eliot.

     Nom de plume, literary double, alter ego or pseudonym, no matter what you call it, there are many reasons why authors write under a pen name.

A Name That Sells:

     Most authors, who adopt pen names, do so because they want a more distinctive name appearing on the cover of their books.  John Smith isn't going to sell a lot of crime thrillers, but Mason Storm might. 

     Some authors may want to hide their gender in order to become more accepted in a particular genre.  An example of this is romance novelist Nora Roberts who writes erotic thrillers under the pen name J.D. Robb.  While writing her bestselling Vampire Chronicles series, Anne Rice dabbled in erotica with her erotica trilogy Sleeping Beauty under the pen name A.N. Roquelaure.

     Sometimes editors and publishers feel it necessary for their writers, who are especially prolific, to employ pen names to avoid overexposure.  Writers who write for pulp magazines will often publish stories under a couple of different pen names, to make readers believe that they are reading short stories by different writers.

     Perhaps the most famous use of a pen name to avoid overexposure is when novelist Stephen King wrote four novels under the name Richard Bachman, because his publisher felt that his "constant readers" wouldn't buy more than one book from him in a year.  But, as only Stephen King is wont to do, he took it to the next level, going as far as to dedicate his 1984 novel Thinner to Claudia Inez Bachman, who was supposedly Richard Bachman's wife.

If The Name Doesn't Fit. Change It:

     Some authors feel that their real names either don't fit the genre they are working in or are not appropriate.  Take author Pearl Gray, who dropped his first name and changed it to Zane, and changed the spelling of his last name to Grey, because he felt it was better suited for the Western genre.

     You would think that Julie Woodcock would want to keep her real name as opposed to writing under the pen name Angela Knight when penning her romance novels, but she chose to change it, feeling her real name was too-on-the-nose.

For No Other Reason Than Just Because:

     In some instances, writers may utilize a pen name for nothing more than their own amusement, as is in the case of Edward Gorey, who wrote under different pen names just for his own enjoyment - each one an anagram of his real name.

     Daniel Handler wrote under the name of his main character Lemony Snicket in his Series Of Unfortunate Events books, as if they were memoirs based on an acquaintance of the main character.

Gender Restrictions In Selected Genres:

     It's hard for this female freelance writer and author to believe, but discrimination still exists in the literary world today.  Since the 19th century, women have written under both male and gender-neutral pen names so as to be taken seriously by readers.  For example, the widely popular novel Out Of Africa was written by Karen Blixen under the pen name Isak Dineson.

     Though the publishing industry is more welcoming to female writers, in genres such as horror, science fiction and fantasy and even mystery, readers will often choose novels written by male authors.  Studies have also shown that these same readers will tend to assume that any gender-neutral name is male.  Women who write under gender-neutral pen names include J.K. Rowling, K.A. Applegate and S.E. Hinton.

     There are other reasons why authors may choose to use a pen name either at the beginning of their career of in the middle of it.

1. The author's real name may be too closely related to that of another author's name.

2. An author who has gained worldwide popularity early in their career may come to fear fame and thereby choose to remain anonymous by using a pen name.

3. If a female author gets married, she may want to continue using her maiden name as a pen name, while legally adopting her husband's name.

     Before you choose your pen name, first think of the advantages and disadvantages of doing so.

Pros Of Using A Pen Name:

     Using a pen name will help increase the marketability and therefore the sales of your book.  When choosing your pen name, make sure you choose a first and last name from the first half of the alphabet.  Doing this, you will be sure to get your books in a prime spot on the book display and will secure a place for your novel on the top shelves at eye level.  It's also a good idea to plan your pen name close to the letters of some bestselling authors.  So, if you're a mystery writer, you might want to have your pen name begin with the letter "G" so you'll be situated next to John Grisham or Elizabeth George.

     If you are an author who writes politically, socially or sexually charged books, then a pen name will help you remain anonymous or prevent personal injury from occurring.

     Some publishers limit their writers from contributing to outside markets, so a pen name will allow you to publish your books under one name and use either your real name or a pen name to get published in other types of markets such as magazines or blogs.

Cons Of Using A Pen Name:

     Pen names that seem like they are trying too hard or are too flashy will actually turn publishers off and eventually readers.  Using a two-syllable first name and a single-syllable last name seems to be a safe choice.  Also, try to avoid last names that rhyme with your first name.

     Pen names can sometimes have a tendency to come back to haunt you, especially if you've created an elaborate back-story.  In the future, you may have some difficulty publishing other works under your real name, if you use your pen name long past its expiration date.

Issues Of Copyright:

     An author may use a pen name on a copyrighted work if the author's pen name is identified on copies of that work.  The pen name itself is not protected by copyright. 

     Whether or not you choose to be identified by your legal name or your pen name, you should clarify this when registering your work at the Copyright Office.  But remember that, if you choose to give your "real" name, then it will be made public on the online records produced by the Copyright Office and will be accessible to anyone surfing the web.

     Remember, no matter if you are an established author or are just starting out, using a pen name is like starting from scratch and can be particularly difficult to build a reputation.  It can also allow you to flex your writing muscles and freely branch out into different genres without having to worry about possibly distancing your loyal readers.