A Step in the Write
Direction
November 3, 2015
Update: I’m sorry this is late.
I just finished one of the most difficult editing jobs I’ve ever done. Turns
out, it really wasn’t written as a book; it was transcribed from a series of
sermons so there were a lot of misquoted scriptures, misspelled words, and many,
many thoughts repeated. I did have to stop a third of the way through and raise
the price. The final copy will be emailed back tonight!....Good news! Our
daughter, Patty, who had the rotator cuff surgery ten weeks ago went back to
work last Thursday—light duty for the next six weeks. She’ll be telling people
where to go (wouldn’t you like to do that?). Seriously, she’ll be taking people
to the different departments of the hospital for tests, x-rays, etc. And our
son, Robert, who was off for six weeks with heart problems, went back to work
yesterday. All his tests turned out okay; cardiologist said chest pains were
just “spasms.” He’s a type A personality and a hard worker…. My little
doggie—which has been renamed “Shag” after a dog we lost years ago—has settled
down. Whenever I put my shoes on, he gets excited because he knows we’re going
for a walk. And when I put my nightgown on and turn off the living room light,
he makes a beeline for my bed and is there waiting for me. He’s been a lot of
company!
Thought for the Day:
Give me the love that leads the way,
The faith that nothing can dismay,
The hope no disappointments tire,
The passion that will burn like fire,
Let me not sink to be a clod:
Make me Thy fuel, Flame of God.
—Amy Carmichael
Song
for the Day:
I have settled the question, hallelujah!
I will never turn back from the narrow
way.
I am going thro’ with Jesus, hallelujah!
Till I reach the gates of glory some sweet
day.
Haldor Lillenas, “I Have Settled the
Question”
Laugh for the Day: The farmer made his chickens
swim in hot water so they would lay hard-boiled eggs.
Writer’s Tips: Leads (continued)
One
of the things I've noticed while editing manuscripts is that I often can delete
the first two or three paragraphs without hurting the article. Sometimes it
helps to move the lead paragraph to the middle and then flash back as seen in
the following example:
A
friend wrote an article that several publishers had rejected. The story told of
a girl in a wheelchair who was admitted to the hospital. While there, her fiancé
didn’t visit her for several days, and when he finally did, he announced that he
wanted to break the engagement because he had fallen in love with her
roommate.
After
he left, she wheeled down to the hospital chapel, sat in front of the statue of
Christ, and said, “Why, Lord? Why did you take Jim away from
me?”
Up
to this point my friend had written the story chronologically. I suggested that
she move the paragraph about the chapel to the beginning of the article. Right
away the reader will wonder, Why is the girl in a wheelchair? Why is she in the
hospital? Who is Jim? And how was he taken from her?
Making
that one change, my friend sold the article the next time out to a singles’
magazine.
If
you’ve had an article returned several times, can you change the lead to get the
editor’s attention quicker?
Have a good week spreading
the
gospel
through the printed page.
Donna
Clark Goodrich
·
100-Plus
Motivational Moments for Writers and Speakers
– half-price $5, $2.69 s&h (This is free if you purchase 5 other books.)
(I’ve
now purchased the remaining inventory from the publisher. The book has been
out-of print for a number of years, so this is it! If you buy FIVE copies, I’ll
throw one in free. This will make a great, inexpensive gift for members of your
writers’ group.)
·
A
Step in the Write
Direction—the Complete How-to Guide for Christian
Writers—NEW
edition with assignments throughout! $19.95, $3.22
s&h
·
A
Step in the Write Direction—the
Complete How-to Guide for Christian Writers (the original)—on
sale--$10.00, $3.22 s&h (only 29
left)
·
A
Step in the Write Direction—Student Edition with assignments
throughout—on
sale—$8, $2.72 s&h)
·
The
Freedom of Letting Go (new
one coming out will have discussion questions; can be used in S.S. class or
small group); original copies without questions now
on sale for half-price--$7.50,
$2.69 s&h
·
Healing
in God’s Time (story
of Dave Clark, composer of 26 songs that have gone to #1 on the charts); was
$15; now $10, $2.69 s&h
·
The
Little Book of Big Laughs—105
purse/pocket-size book of clean jokes—$5; up to 4 for same s&h—$2.69.
Great
gift for writers, pastors, and teens.
·
Preparing
Your Heart for Christmas (31 Advent Devotions)
half-price—$5
·
Michigan and Ohio
Cookbooks; half-price $5 each,
plus s&h (depending on number ordered
No comments:
Post a Comment