Category Archives: Writing

Writing Chameleon- tip #2 Don’t take it personally

Writing Chameleon- tip #2 Don’t take it personally

When writing for a publication remember you are writing for them not yourself.  You are being hired for your talent, style and your ability to be a chameleon. It is a skill to craft an article that meets the needs of a publication.

Even with the best writing the editor may ask you to make changes to the article.They have a vision of what they want and it is your job to deliver it to them.  It may feel like they are chopping and dicing to pieces.  Don’t take editing personally. Editors are there to do a job. Use their editing suggestions to create an ideal article and get hired again and again. The advantage of editing is the free coaching you get. You can’t beat having a professional go over your work and make suggestions.

Again don’t take it personally- it is not about you but doing the best job you can.

Tomorrow, tip #3 Creating an article

Business…

Here is my new column at Self Healing Expressions.

Write A Way: Journey to Creativity

“If you want to get rich from writing, write the sort of thing that’s read by persons who move their lips when they’re reading to themselves.” ~ Don Marquis

The Business of Writing
By Sandra Lee Schubert

What would you like to happen with your writing? There is a point in a writer’s life when you want to take your work from the notebook or writers group and engage a wider audience. Are you there yet?

I recently attended a publishing workshop. The publisher shared his experiences in the business and how his idealized image of the field and the reality crashed and burned quickly. He imagined publishing would be like the 1940’s movies he loved. The writer and editor spent long weeks holed up on a lovely piece of land hammering out the book. There would be fun and intellectually stimulating exchanges between the writer and editor with the publisher sitting back smoking, bemused by it all. A friend attending the workshop with me was disappointed when they kept talking about building a platform. She was annoyed, “A platform! I just want them to pay me and I sit around and write.” Both had idealized visions of the writing life. Don’t we all? My ideal is sitting on a balcony looking out to the river that I love pondering the next twist and turn of my heroine’s life. Continue reading Business…