UMSL's Write Stuff Program: Chancellor's Certificate in Writing, Focused Seminars, Business Writing and More

UMSL's Write Stuff Program offers St. Louis area writers the opportunity to "learn from experts and enhance your skills." 

Writers interested in earning a Chancellor's Certificate in Writing:

* Complete a total of 50 contact hours 

* Contact hours include:

 ** Two core courses (one fiction and one nonfiction) taught by top students in UMSL's distinguished Master of Fine Arts Creative Writing Program 

 ** And focused seminars on a wide variety of topics (including business writing) 

Writers wanting to improve their writing skills but not interested in earning a certificate:

** Can pick and choose from a variety of classes or seminars that interest them

All seminars are taught by published authors

For more information on The Write Stuff Certificate Program or to register, please call (314) 516-7454.

This month, multi-published, award-winning author and writing teacher Dianna Graveman will give a seminar on: 

Writing for Dollars: Earn Income as a Freelancer

The seminar will be Saturday September 20 from 1-4

Here's a description of the seminar: "You've written a short story or have a great idea for a magazine article or personal essay. Now what? Where and how can you get it published and earn money for your work? Find places to publish, choose a market for your story, pitch an article, and more. Come away from this class with a wealth of information about how to start writing for dollars."

Two Business Writing Seminars will also be presented this month: 

Business Writing Seminars will count toward the contact hours needed for the Write Stuff Certificate. 

Business writing seminars are $65 each, or you may register for both on the same day for $100 each. Onsite training is available for a group of 10 or more participants. Please call for special pricing and scheduling options.

* Grammar and Punctuation for the Business Professional

Wednesday, September 24, 2014 • 9 AM–Noon  
Creativity and industry knowledge are building blocks for effective business writing, but common errors in grammar and punctuation can undermine the best efforts. Join this collaborative workshop to refresh your knowledge or to continue to build stronger skills.

* Telling the Story: Narrative Writing for Business Professionals

Wednesday, September 24, 2014 • 1–4 PM  
Storytelling skills aren’t just for novelists; business professionals use narrative writing, too – to weave scenarios, present case studies, develop compelling training modules, craft great blog posts, compose winning press releases, and more. Learn how to craft a piece that will hook your audience, engage them, and send them off with a memorable message.

For more information, visit the Write Stuff Program website.

"Make Good Art!" Priceless Advice from Neil Gaiman

Have you ever heard or read or watched something so inspiring that you just had to share it with everyone you know?

That's how I felt earlier this week, the first time I watched this video of Neil Gaiman's keynote address to the University of the Arts Class of 2012 in Philadelphia on May 17.

During my first viewing I scribbled a few notes, thinking I'd stow them in my writing tips folder and read them later. But by the end of the video, I was so wrapped up in listening to what he had to say, I stopped writing. His words are so wise and witty and inspiring I had to replay the video.

I've watched the video again and again and have taken more notes.The video takes just under 20 minutes. Seriously, take the 20 minutes to watch it. It is well worth your time.

If you don't have the time right now and want a brief synopsis, here are some notes I jotted down:

* When you start out with a career in the arts you have no idea what you're doing. And that's okay because you aren't bound by the rules. If you don't know what's possible, it's easier to do the impossible.

* If you have an idea of what you want to do, just do it. Imagaine where you want to be. He didn't have a career plan, but he did have a list. He envisioned his goal as a mountain and kept walking toward the mountain. He learned to write by writing and turned down jobs that would've taken him away from his goal.

* Learn to deal with failure by developing a thick skin, but be proud of what you do. Freelancing is like sending out messages in bottles. You might have to send out hundreds of bottles before someone finds it or appreciates what's inside.

* Don't be afraid to make mistakes. He misspelled the name Caroline as Coraline . . . and we know what happened with that mistake . . . a book, a movie. Making art can be lifesaving. It can get you through good times and bad. When things go wrong . . . make good art.

* Be unique. Make the art only you can make. At first the tendency will be to mimic work of others, but take time to find your unique voice and talent.

* He shared some secret freelancer knowledge. Freelancers are successful because: their work is good, they're easy to get along with, and they finish their work on time. The secret is that any two of those three things will work. If you're not easy to work with but your work is brilliant and you deliver it on time, that's okay. If you are easy to get along with and meet your deadlines, but your work is not stellar, that will work too. You get the picture.

* Let go and enjoy the ride because your art can take you to amazing places.

* Luck can help. More than likely you'll discover that the harder you work and the smarter you work the luckier you will get.

* We're in a transitional world. The distribution channels are changing, but change can be liberating. Be as creative as you need to be to get your work noticed. The rules are changing, so make up your own rules.

* Be wise, because the world needs more wisdom.

* Make mistakes

* Break rules

* Leave the world more interesting for your being here

* MAKE GOOD ART!

I'm sure my notes don't give his talk justice, so if you really want to be inspired, watch the video.

Interview Questions

As a freelance writer, I've interviewed dozens of authors in the past few years. This week I have a deadline to come up with interview questions for a romantic suspense author, whose book I just finished reading. I really enjoyed her book. The story is fresh and suspenseful. It kept my attention and interest until the end. I've interviewed this author in the past, so I want to keep my questions fresh.

The writer in me wants to focus my questions on her writing process: where she gets her ideas, how she develops her characters, does she outline or plunge ahead, how does she research the technical parts of the book, and the like. My editor wants the focus to be on the author's present book. Generally, I try to do both; weave in writing-related questions while bringing out highlights of the current novel. That's not always easy.

Without mentioning the author's name, I'd like your opinion:

1. If you were interviewing a romantic suspense writer, what questions would you ask?

2. Now for the big question: If you could interview any writer (living or dead), who would it be, and what would you ask them?

One dead writer I would like to interview is Mark Twain. I'd want to know what he thinks about the rewrite of Huck Finn to make it more politically correct. I bet he would come up with a zinger of an answer.

Sylvia Forbes on Freelancing (Part II)

When Sylvia Forbes spoke to Saturday Writers last month, she shared several markets where writers can find work. This is Part II of her discussion. Part I was posted Tuesday, Sep 7.

* Arts Magazines and Newspapers: Photos enhance writing and make it more valuable. Critical reviews are more sought after than general reviews.

* Parenting/Baby Magazines: National magazines - usually request all rights, but pay more (some up to $1500). Local magazines or newspapers - some take reprints, but pay less. Don't overlap a market.

* Profiles: Artists, farmers, children, teens, business people. Quotes enhance the profiles.

* Sports Writing: Must write fast, have an interest and knowledge of sports.

* Essays: Different types. Some are personal/emotional in nature. Others provide life lessons or can be presuasive. Lifestyle are another type. Some markets are: Skirt (10 essays per issue), Missouri Life, Christian Science Monitor, Arizona Highways.

* Outdoor magazines: Need to do descriptions well. Examples are hiking, bird watching, soft adventure to extreme adventure. Specialized markets: Deer, Turkey, Bass Fishing. Outdoor Writers of America organization for outdoor writers.

* Children's Magazines (most competitive). SCBWI good organization to join. Children's market pay is not great, but accepts a variety of submissions, including fiction, crafts, games, poems.

* Health Writing. Nursing and health magazines can be lucrative. "Be careful about health writing. You may die of a misprint." (Mark Twain)

* Restaurant Reviews another market.

According to Sylvia, the most lucrative markets are: Health, Business (Finance), and Technology. Her advice is to:

* Read, read, read the market to know what they're looking for before you query.

* Provide clean copy, on topic requested, correct word count, on time!

* Read the book "Outliers," which shows examples of successful people who have dedicated at least 10,000 hours to excel in their proven profession.

The best advice she received from an editor was: "Just tell the story."

Sylvia is currently accepting submissions for the 2012 Bylines Writers Desk Calendar. Visit the website for submission guidelines.

Advice on Freelancing from Sylvia Forbes (Part I)

Last month Sylvia Forbes, freelance writer and editor of Bylines Writers Desk Calendar, was guest speaker at the Saturday Writers meeting at the St. Peters Community and Arts Center.

Sylvia shared a wealth of information about nonfiction writing with about 30 other writers. I took several pages of notes, but I'm condensing part I of the highlights here:

* Keep your query letters short. Include title of proposed article, a paragraph of what it's about, and be able to answer the question: Why should the editor choose me?

* Keep a submission tracker to track submissions, some of which are written two years before payment.

* Most magazines prefer third person. A few, like Travel and Leisure, prefer first.

* Travel Writing - Articles should report on a wonderful trip, not sound like an ad. Make writing fresh, not trite. Some editors will reject an article that uses the word "nestled" anywhere.

* Study the publication ahead of time.

* The trend is towards shorter (600-1200) word articles.

* Press trips are a great way to get paid to travel and write. Start locally. Check with Convention and Visitors Bureau or State Division of Tourism.

* AAA is a good place to get started, but they accept queries only in Jan-Apr. If you query outside that time frame your query will be tossed.

* Garden Writing - Editors plan 1 1/2-2 years ahead because of photos.

* Gardening is one of the most popular hobbies in America.

* Descriptions are important.

* Scientific names are key to garden writing. (My observation: Sylvia has a degree in botany, so she knows what she's talking about.)

* Senior magazines

* Word Count: Generally 600-800

* Profile interesting seniors

* Health stories

* How to survive on limited finances

* AARP pays $1-$2 a word.

* Smaller markets $25-$75 per article, which equates to 10 cents a word. You can't make a living on 10 cents a word.

* Local news - Contact the editor. Pay is usually per article. Might need coverage for evening or weekend meetings.

* Business - always looking for stories

* Not great pay for general articles

* Specialized publications pay more (e.g. cranes, asphalt, paint, baking, produce, gift basket, etc.)

* Profiles of successful business people. (e.g. Saturday Writers member David Lee Kirkland is going to be interviewed by the St. Louis Business Journal.)

My next post will wrap up Sylvia's suggestions on freelance writing for magazines specializing in the Arts, Parenting, Sports, the Outdoors, Childrens, and others.