 |
Coffee Break for Writers Monthly E-zine |
In This Issue: • Straight Talk From the Editor • Feature: "Is This Sentence Complete or Not?" • Questions and Answers About Freelance Writing • Paying Markets for Writers • Success Café • Writing and Publishing News • Test Your Grammar • No Entry Fee Writing Contests • Writing Exercise • Observances and Holidays (Ideas Included) • Cafe Fun • Answers to Last Month's "Test Your Grammar" • Answers to Last Month's "Spot the Mistakes" • Legal Information • Advertising Information • Suggestions • Feedback • Brewing for Next Month Straight Talk From the Editor Have you ever been burnt out on writing? Well, just recently I encountered this very problem. I had been writing so many articles on a daily basis that I guess you could say I was "burnt out" on writing articles. I couldn't believe it! It was the first time I think I had ever got tired of doing the same type of writing repeatedly. I was writing different articles on different topics, but I guess it got to be too much. For a minute, I didn't know what to do, but then I decided, "Ok, I have other projects on the back burner so I'll turn my attention to those." And that's just what I did ... I began working on something other than articles. In addition to choosing another writing project, I also turned my attention to my author Web site. I needed to select new keyword phrases and re-optimize the content for a better ranking in the search engines. Therefore, I decided I would re-optimize my Web site for the search engines, and then once I finished that, I would turn my attention to an e-book I started writing a few months back. However, once I began working on my Web site, I discovered that it took me an entire week to finish that project. Then, after I finished my Web site, I found I was ready to go back to writing articles again. So, I guess that e-book project will stay on the back burner a little while longer. Nevertheless, since I had thought of it, I do have plans to work on it again soon, and I hope that I complete it in the process. When you find yourself burnt out on doing something, turn your attention to a project you've had sitting on the back burner for a while. For example, if you've been writing a book for a while and find yourself tired of writing on it, take a break from the book and type out some articles and submit them to markets. Don't stop writing entirely, just focus your attention on something different — something you have been putting off. Trust me when I say, "It works." Never give up on your dreams — work toward them, Misti Sandefur Is This Sentence Complete or Not? By Melissa Conroy As a composition instructor, I encounter hordes of people who claim that their grammar is terrible. My reply is always the same, "If you are a native English speaker, you naturally have a strong understanding of grammar. You know instinctively when a sentence is correct or not, especially when you are speaking or listening to someone speak." However, sentences that travel straight from the brain to the pen or keyboard have a way of becoming jumbled. In my work as a writing instructor, I have seen that two sentence structure issues tend to give writers difficulty: incomplete sentences and awkward sentences. Incomplete sentences give writers no end of trouble because it can often be difficult to determine whether or not a sentence is complete. Consider the following sentence: "John, a small, dark man with intense eyes and a deep passion for animal rights which has led him to stage several protests at local laboratories and promote a vegetarian lifestyle." Many people will read this sentence as complete because of its length, and my Word program does not flag the sentence for grammatical problems. However, it is incomplete because there is no main verb: we do not know what John is doing in this sentence. Similarly, "Are considered to be one of the most stubborn breeds of dogs to train and frequently cited in dog training books" is not complete because it has no subject. Finally, "Often thought of as the best bakery in town because of its gigantic cookies, beautiful layer cakes and delicious fudge" has no subject or main verb. For a sentence to be grammatically complete, it must contain a clear subject and a main verb for that subject. There can be several verbs in a sentence but no main one. Consider the sentence in the beginning of this paragraph: "led," "stage" and "promote" are all verbs, however, none of them tell us what John is doing in this particular sentence. If you struggle with writing complete sentences, it is best to pare each sentence down to its subject/verb form: "John ran," "basset hounds are considered to be" and the president pardoned" — if you have a clear subject and a main verb, then you can start adding in adjectives and adverbs. Another area of incompleteness that tends to plague writers is dependent clauses. A clause has a subject and a main verb: it can be either independent (complete sentence) or dependent (incomplete sentence). "The dog chased after the cat" is an independent clause (complete sentence). "As the dog chased after the cat" is a dependent clause, an incomplete sentence because the thought has not been completed. "As the dog chased after the cat," then what happened? Dependant clauses can be tricky because they look like complete sentences: they have subjects and main verbs. However, it is not enough that a sentence have a clear subject and a main verb: it must also contain a finished thought. Usually a sentence that is incomplete because of a dependent clause usually just has a period in the wrong place. "After school was finally over and the students were released into the summer heat. The teachers closed their books up with a sigh and smiled in satisfaction." Both these sentences together contain one complete thought, and that period should be replaced with a comma to correct the sentence. Dependant clauses are usually begun with subordinate conjunctions (if you remember Schoolhouse Rock, conjunctions link up words, phrases and clauses). There is a long list of subordinating conjunctions, but a few are "after, if, once, since, so that, until." If you begin your sentence with a dependent clause, pay close attention that you complete the thought. Aside from incomplete sentences, there is another sentence structure problem that tends to haunt writers, and that is the "awkward" sentence. Awkward sentences sometimes are actually grammatically correct, but difficult to understand; you may have to read the sentence a few times to get the meaning. There may be nothing specifically wrong with the sentence but something about its construction makes it clumsy. A good rule of thumb for writing is this: any sentence that makes you pause because something doesn't seem right should be revised for smoothness. When I teach my writing classes, I constantly urge my students to read their work out loud in order to scan for awkward sentences. If I am working with a student, I will often have him or her read the writing out loud; the student will frequently stop and say, "Wait, that's not right!" The absolute best way to check your grammar is to print out a hard copy of your work and read it out loud slowly, listening to the cadence of your words and taking note of how easy the sentences slip off your tongue. If you stumble over a sentence, it probably means that it needs fixing. Verbally rewrite the sentence a few times until you come up with a construction that is pleasing to your ear. Melissa Conroy is an English composition instructor and a freelance writer who lives
in Nebraska with her basset hound, Erasmus. She currently is a contributing
writer for Outlook by the Bay magazine and a dating blog and hopes to have her
first book (a family memoir) published by the end of the year. You can reach Conroy
at roninwriting@yahoo.com. Questions and Answers About Freelance Writing Clara Freeman asked Coffee Break for Writers, "How can I get my online column into newspapers? Can I re-use articles from a free site?" Clara, I would recommend approaching newspapers the same way as you would if you were trying to sell an article. In other words, send the newspapers a query letter introducing your column and explaining how your column will benefit their readers. Also, at the end of your letter, let the editor know you have included a few sample columns, which they can use as a start. Before you include the sample columns, be sure to proofread them for any mistakes. If the newspaper you're pitching is a local paper, you could stop by the office and discuss your column with the newspaper's editor. Be sure to take the sample columns with you. In addition, arm yourself with business cards to hand out to the editor. For additional information on writing columns for newspapers, check out some of the following articles on the Writing World Web site. Writing World is a great place for writers to find information on all kinds of writing. "Self-Syndicating Your Column" by Moira Allen "Self-Syndicating Your Weekly Column" by Elizabeth Laden In regards to re-using articles from a free site, usually a free article directory site gives permission for the articles to be published, but anyone who publishes the article must include the author's bio and byline. Make sure you read the terms and conditions on each site to see if what you're requesting is allowed. If the site's terms and conditions don't answer any questions you may have, contact the owner of the Web site and ask them before you do anything. I can tell you that you cannot use another author's work and claim it as your own. Doing this without that author's permission is called plagiarism, and plagiarism can get you sued for copyright infringement. For more information, check out "Giving Credit and Requesting Permission." Julia Anderson asked, "In a nutshell, if writing a freelance women's fiction story and a couple of lines from a pop song are integral to the plot, can I include them? Will magazines publish the story or will they not because they are worried about the copyright fees? Many thanks and love the e-zine. I will be recommending it to all my writer friends." Julia, first off, I'm glad to hear you're enjoying Coffee Break for Writers, and thank you for recommending it to your writer friends! Now, for your question ... To be on the safe side, I would quote the lines from the pop song. You too may want to read "Giving Credit and Requesting Permission" for more information. Last month we included a question that Ms. Anderson directed to all Coffee Break for Writers readers, but no one sent any responses to her question. With that said, we're going to repeat her question here, once more, with the hope that someone will be able to help her. If you can help, please send your response to Coffee Break for Writers, and we'll post your answer to her question in next month's edition. Again, if you respond, please let us know that you are answering Julia Anderson's question about ghostwriting. Last month Julia asked, "Does anyone who has ghostwritten a biography have any advice for a writer who is just beginning the process, please?" Do you have a burning question about freelance writing? Send your freelance writing question(s) our way, and we'll answer it for you in the next edition of Coffee Break for Writers. We're always happy to help! Paying Markets for Writers Are you a paying market currently seeking writers? Send your paying market to Coffee Break for Writers. The information will be posted in our next issue. There is only one requirement: you MUST pay writers at a rate of $.10 or more per word or a flat rate of $25 or more. It won't cost you a dime to have your call for writers placed in Coffee Break for Writers. Oregon Humanities "Oregon Humanities is an award-winning magazine published twice each year (spring and fall) by the Oregon Council for the Humanities. As a publication of ideas and perspectives, Oregon Humanities offers a forum through which Oregon writers, scholars, and readers can use the humanities to deeply explore themes of both timeless and timely significance." Seeking: features, personal essays, interviews, field work and reviews. Payment information: Offers $400 to $800 for features, $100 to $300 for personal essays, $200 to $400 for interviews, $100 to $200 for field work and $50 to $100 for reviews. Organic Earth "Organic Earth magazine is an environmental and natural living publication, founded in 2003 out of an individual's need for detailed and current information on Canadian environmental issues and environmentally responsible and natural living practices." Seeking: articles related to environmental issues as well as natural living. Payment information: Pays $.10 per word. Underwired A magazine for women. Seeking: personal essays related to their chosen themes (listed on the right side in their writer's guidelines). Payment information: $100 for one-time rights. WireTap "Wiretap is dedicated to publishing journalism by, for and about young people; it's why we're here. While we often publish relevant stories written by all generations, our priority will always be 16- to 28-year-old youth and young adults." Seeking: news reports, features, investigative stories, op-eds, reviews and interviews. Payment information: Payment ranges anywhere from $50 up to $250. Write-From-Home "Write-From-Home is a Web site geared primarily toward beginning freelance writers." Seeking: articles for writers just starting out in the writing world. Payment information: Offers $75 for unpublished articles and $30 for reprints. Success Café Let us toast to your success and share in your excitement! If you've got published or won an award by choosing one of the paying markets or writing contests from an issue of Coffee Break for Writers, or if you were published or won a contest using a writing exercise from an issue of Coffee Break for Writers, let us know so we can celebrate with you! Upon receipt of your information, we will send you an e-mail to let you know we received the information. Then, all you have to do is wait for the next issue of Coffee Break for Writers to see your success in print! Furthermore, the editor of Coffee Break for Writers will add her own words of praise at the end of your submission, and she'll even announce your good news on her Life of a Writer blog. Publishing your success in print is free, because its all a part of celebrating with you; our way of showing you we care. Writing and Publishing News Have you launched a new e-zine, newsletter, magazine, blog or Web site for writers? Has your publication made editorial changes? Are you currently running a contest for writers that does not require an entry fee? Will you be hosting an event for writers, or do you know of an upcoming event for writers? Send us your press release and your news could appear in the next edition of Coffee Break for Writers! Editorial Comings and Goings After five years as editor-in-chief of PC Magazine, Jim Louderback has decided to leave the magazine, and in doing so, he passed the torch off to Lance Ulanoff. Louderback is leaving PC Magazine to take on the position of CEO of Revision3. Revision3 is an Internet television network. Before passing the torch to Ulanoff, Louderback expressed his dissatisfaction with Windows Vista: "Vista promised a new low-power sleep mode that would save energy yet enable nearly instantaneous resume. Poppycock. The brand-new dual-core system I built a few months ago totters off to sleep but never returns. I have to cold-start it to bring it back. This after replacing virtually every driver inside. It's gotten so bad that I've actually nicknamed it Chip Van Winkle. And I've nicknamed my primary Dell notebook Philip Marlowe." Lounderback may be leaving his editor-in-chief position at PC Magazine, but he said he still plans to write a column for the magazine. Brand New You, a UK-based beauty magazine that launched in May, has named Rachael Lloyd as their new editor. On September 4, Almar Latour was appointed managing editor of The Wall Street Journal Online. Latour replaced Bill Grueskin. Free Writers Conferences The Muse Online Writers Conference Free workshops, free document handouts, door prizes and much more. When: October 8 through the 14 Registration deadline: September 15, 2007 Other News Hancock County Tourism Development Bureau in Mississippi has come up with a unique — and what they believe to be a more affordable way — to advertise their business. On October 1, Hancock County Tourism Development Bureau will start their writer's incentive program. This writer's incentive program is how they plan to advertise their business. They will pay $100 for published articles about Hancock County's tourism attractions. To find out more about the bureau's incentive program for writers as well as the restrictions, read the story in the Sun Herald. Source: J.R. Welsh, "Hancock to Pay Writers $100 for Happy Articles," Sun Herald. Publishing News When working mom Jamie Bryant's search for magazines that would entertain, educate and inspire her daughters failed, she decided to launch her own magazine. Kiki Magazine, scheduled to launch in September, will feature age-appropriate content for girls ages 9-14. Kiki Magazine will be a high quality, full-color quarterly publication, which will be published by B-Books, Ltd. "Even publications aimed at younger teens offer up soft-sex articles and overly-mature content that parents and readers are uncomfortable with. There simply wasn't anything compelling being published for tween girls, Bryant said in her press release. Magazine "junkie" and organizing business owner, Joyce Dorny just launched the premiere issue of Organize Magazine. Organize Magazine features content that helps readers get organized. Each issue includes solutions, tips from professional organizers, products to help organize your life, interviews and much more. Do you have organization tips that you believe the readers of Organize Magazine would benefit from? If so, check out Organize Magazine's submission guidelines. They don't list their pay rates, but I'm sure if you type out a quick e-mail and ask, they'll be glad to tell you what they pay for articles. Test Your Grammar Below are a few true and false questions related to our feature article written by Melissa Conroy. If you didn't read the article, go back and read it, and then return here to answer the true and false questions. The correct answers will be revealed in the October 2007 edition of Coffee Break for Writers. 1) True or False? "John, a small, dark man with intense eyes and a deep passion for animal rights which has led him to stage several protests at local laboratories and promote a vegetarian lifestyle" is missing a main verb. 2) True or False? If a sentence has a clear subject and a main verb, adjectives and adverbs cannot be added. 3) True or False? An independent clause is a complete sentence. 4) True or False? A dependent clause is an incomplete sentence. 5) True or False? "The dog chased after the cat" is a dependent clause. No Entry Fee Writing Contests Would you like to add award-winning writer/author to your name? Then by all means, check out the no entry fee writing contests below! You never know, you just may win. If you do win one of the contests below, let us know about it so you can earn a spot in our Success Café column. We love to know when our e-zine has helped you achieve another level of success! Are you running a contest for writers that does not require an entry fee? If so, send us a press release about the contest, and we'll place it in the next edition of Coffee Break for Writers. Be sure to include a URL to the contest information as well as the deadline for entries. Country Woman's Recipe Contest Category: Fish and seafood recipes. Prizes: Grand prize: $500; 2nd prize: $300; 3rd prize: $200; runners-up: $30 free merchandise certificate from Country Store. L. Ron Hubbard's Writers of the Future Contest Category: Short stories or novelettes of science fiction or fantasy (no more than 17,000 words). Prizes: 1st prize: $1,000; 2nd prize: $750; 3rd prize: $500. Moreover, at the end of the year, the winners' entries will be rejudged to determine a grand prize winner. The grand prize winner will receive $5,000. Deadline: September 30, 2007 On the Premises Category: Short stories based on the contest's current theme (see Web site for theme). On the Premises runs their free writing contest every four months. Prizes: 1st prize: $130; 2nd prize: $90; 3rd prize: $50; honorable mention: $20. Deadline: September 30, 2007 Writing Exercise Think back to your freshman year in high school or college then write an essay about how you felt on that first day, as well as what you experienced. Observances and Holidays (Ideas Included) I've been working on our list of observances and holidays, and I hope to have it done soon. Once it's complete, I will place a link to the list here. The list will be in PDF format. Café Fun Will return next month. Answers to Last Month's "Test Your Grammar" 1) To write 2) Drove 3) Red 4) Than 5) Did Answers to Last Month's "Cafe Fun: Spot the Mistakes" Corrections are in red text. As Ronald was walking down the sidewalk, he noticed a man with short, black, greasy hair sitting on a bench near the One Stop Shop Liquor Store. "Maybe that's my assignment," he said to himeself. So he walked toward the man on the bench, and then sat down beside him. "Are you George Billington?" Ronald said. "Yes sir I am, why are you asking?" "Because you're my assignment. In other words, I've been sent to help you." "Are you crazy or something?" He got up and began walking into the liquor store. Ronald then grabbed George by the arm. "I'm not crazy, and you getting ready to walk into that liquor store is the reason I was sent here to help you. So please, let us sit down and talk. "I'll sit down and talk with you, but you will tell me who sent you to me and why. I live my own life as I live it, and I don't need anyone butting in!" "I understand that, George, and I'll explain. God sent me; I'm an angel, and in order to make it into heaven and earn my wings, I must help you." "If that's true what did you do wrong? Why can't you get into heaven right away?" "In order to make a long story short, I will just say that I was once like you." "Listen here, I don't need your help or God's. I am just fine, and I only do this stuff occasionally. Besides that, I do not even believe that you are an angel sent from God. There's no such thing as angels." "Well, let me say this. You can believe the way you'd like, but I am an angel, God does care for you, and yes, you may not want to believe it, but you do have a serious problem," Ronald said to him with concern. George turned away, shaking his head. He was convulsed with laughter. As he began to walk back into the liquor store, again Ronald blocked his way. "Now how did you get in front of me without my noticing you?" "I told you I'm an angel. I can do that sorda stuff. And another thing, you don't need to go in there you're already plastered enough." "Listen here, Mr. Angel, you're not my boss, and you're definitely not going to run my life, so move out of my way!" George said. "I won't do it. You have had too much already. So get in the car and I'll drive you home so that you can sleep this off." George, turning around hesitantly and staggering to the car, got in. He sat there and stared out the window until they arrived at his house. By this time, George was not feeling well. "What's the matter George?" "I'm not sure. I think I just need a little rest." "I believe you need more than a little. Let me help you in," Ronald offered. "No thanks. You go on to wherever, and I'll be fine," George said, pushing Ronald away. As he started to go in, he stumbled over his own feet and fell to the ground. Ronald went ahead and helped him in, even though George kept refusing his help. Legal Information Coffee Break for Writers has made every effort to be factual with regard to the content and information provided in this e-zine; however, your results may vary. Coffee Break for Writers accepts no liability of any kind for any losses or damages caused or alleged to be caused — either directly or indirectly — from the use of the information generated within this e-zine. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form — either whole or in part — without the written permission of the copyright owner. Violations of this copyright notice will be enforced to the fullest extent of the law. If you're interested in any article published in this e-zine, you must contact the editor of Coffee Break for Writers. When inquiring about an article, make sure to mention the title and author of the article. Upon receipt of your inquiry, Coffee Break for Writers will forward your request to the copyright owner of the article or articles. Advertising Information Coffee Break for Writers e-zine is an advertisement-free publication. Therefore, we do not place any advertise- ments in this section of our Website. However, we will accept advertisements on other sections of this Web site as long as they relate to the writing or publishing industry. We offer advertising at an affordable rate. To find out more about our advertising, visit Affordable Advertising. Once there, you will also find our demographics. Suggestions If you have any suggestions at all for future issues of Coffee Break for Writers, send them our way. It can be suggestions for articles, new columns or etc. Feedback Coffee Break for Writers wants to hear your feedback, and we value every word. Don't be shy; let us know what you think. Brewing for Next Month (October 7, 2007): • Review of "Purple Snowflake Marketing," by Dave and Lillian Brummet • Feature: "Find Time to Write" by Kathy Dillenbeck • and much more! |