The Elements of Style - Back to Basics in Writing

I think it was my afternoon chore that made me go there. Old Skool, baby!

VH1's tribute to the 80s is a fave!

Since I had a Friday off (love it!), I promised my wife I would caulk our bathroom. Home handymen unite! So, I figured I would work to some tunes. I fired up the upstairs PC, logged onto Pandora and selected 80s tunes. Journey's "Open Arms," The Police's "Every Breath You Take," MJ's "Thriller." Classics.

I was in high school in the late 80s. Good times. All over my house I have reminders of those glory days: my books. I have loved books all my life. Some special ones scattered at random on my shelves have memories attached to them. On the bottom shelf I noticed my copy of The Elements of Style, 3rd Edition (1979).

Microsoft Office Images

When I was first learning to write, it was the book I relied on. It was required reading in my English class. Its pages are now yellow, the cover a bit frayed, but the wisdom inside it remains evergreen. The book's sections  read better than a list of 80s music hits:

• Choose a suitable design and hold to it.
• Make the paragraph the unit of composition.
• Use the active voice.
• Put statements in positive form.
• Use definite, specific, concrete language.
• Omit needless words.
• Avoid a succession of loose sentences.
• Express coordinate ideas in similar form.
• Keep related words together.
• In summaries, keep to one tense.
• Place the emphatic words of a sentence at the end.

And these are only from the Second Section: Elementary Principles of Composition.
So, I think I will log onto Pandora again, select 80s and revisit the writing hit list above. If you've never read it, or like me simply haven't read it in awhile, dig it up and spend some time honing your craft.

Link
Elements of Style on Bartleby.com

Setting Successful Writing Goals By Focusing On Other Areas of Life

This is the third part of  a four-part series on Setting Successful Writing Goals. And, well, this part involves setting goals in other areas of your life outside of your writing. Did you miss the other two parts? Glance back at Part One; check out Part Two. Now that we're all caught up... You must not ignore other areas of your life when setting goals. If you do, your writing can eventually suffer.

Here's why...

You are more than your writing. You may be a son, daughter, father, mother, husband, wife, etc. I'll say it again: You must not ignore the other areas of your life.



Source: MicroSoft Office Images

 "People who set goals in only one area of life - such as their career - may find that their personal growth becomes one-sided." - From Master Student To Master Employee

As much as I need to set goals for my writing, I can't neglect setting goals in my family life, social life and spiritual life. So, pay attention to these other areas. Maybe you can think of more. Good. If you are like me, accomplishing goals in other areas will help you write.

For example, I may have a specific goal to write 5,000 words of a short story on a Saturday. Great. But, what if I also know my wife wants to go out on a date? If I only focus on the writing goal and ignore my wife's needs, then my home will not be a happy place (to put it mildly). Neglect your marriage one too many times, and, well... you run the risk of ending up alone.

So, to meet my writing goal as well as my goal of maintaining a happy marriage, I must get creative. What that may mean is I wake up earlier or stay up later (or both) to write. I also set up a baby sitter and take my wife out on a dinner date. If that doesn't work, then a lunch date. Other appointments preventing you? Then it's a coffee date. Whatever it takes. C'mon! You're a writer. Be creative.

Now, I will do this because my relationship with my wife is important to me. I can not sacrifice my marriage for my writing. At least for me, I need to have someone there by my side to celebrate my writing success.

Another area of life could involve physical fitness. I mention this, because it is an area I am trying to focus more attention on. My goal is to lose 25 pounds. Maybe I will have to cut into my morning routine to include an hour for a jog or bike ride. So be it. I will feel better about myself if I can lose the weight. If I feel better (self-esteem), then that positivity will transfer to my writing.

Win-win situation.

So, you must set specific writing goals. You must set them in several time frames (long-term, mid-term, short-term). But you also must set goals in other areas of your life. Do it to be a better writer. If for no other reason than this: paying attention to other areas of life will add to your experiences, which can add depth to your writing.

NEXT ARTICLE IN THE SERIES:
AUGUST 22, 2011: PART 4 IN THE SERIES - REFLECTING ON YOUR GOALS

Dealing With Fatigue, Malaise As A Writer

For the past week, I have forced myself to do the things I need to do... at home, at work and at my writing desk. (Lots of headwork on my Mall Demon Urban Fantasy Series.)

I am fatigued. I sense of malaise has plagued me. I am thinking my recent cross-country trip to care for one of my parents who has been stricken with a life-changing health condition has affected me more than I thought.

This emotionally exhausting crossroads in my life has now affected my production. It's been a challenge to work on my writing projects. I simply haven't had the desire to do it. I firmly believe that writing involves actually writing whether you feel like it or not. So, it's kinda like giving yourself a pep talk.

"I know you don't feel like it, but get your butt in that chair and write 2,000 words. Now! Mister!"

But during the past week, that voice didn't really help much. As I get back into my normal schedule this week, I have forced myself to tap out thoughts on my WriteMonkey screen (fewer distractions that way). It is almost like I needed that week "off." Still. The not writing doesn't sit well with me.

Maybe it's my Catholic upbringing that's channeling guilt for my lack of production last week. I'm not sure. (I'm no longer Catholic by the way...but the effects on my psyche have stuck.) One thing's for sure. I hate that I wasn't productive. Not even vatfuls of coffee last week helped. Writing this blog post is like a cathartic "in your face" expression to that fatigue, that malaise. Or maybe, the most fitting expression is one borrowed from cinema: "I'M AS MAD AS HELL, AND I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE THIS ANYMORE!"

I'm not gonna take it anymore... at least, not until next time.

Can anyone relate? What do you do when you're too fatigued to write?

Plan Writing Goals in Three Time Categories: Part Two in the Series

Certain songs remind me of my childhood. These songs, like Jim Croce's "Time In A Bottle," recall visions of my parents when they were young (That's another story).

Listening to that song recently, I thought of this second step to Setting Successful Writing Goals: Plan Writing Goals in Three Time Categories. Croce repeats the following lyrics:

"But there never seems to be enough time to do the things you want to do once you find them..."

H-e-l-l-o! That's exactly how I felt this past week. Deadlines fast approaching. Responsibilities at work (for those who have day jobs outside of writing, you know what I mean). Then there's the pull at home. It's summer. Each of the kids wants time with daddy. And my wife needs my attention, too. I'm glad we don't have a dog that needs walking!

Can anyone relate? If you can, keep reading. The bottom line is that all the things I listed above that we need to do must get done. But as aspiring writers, we also must make time to do the things we want to do to finish our writing projects.

We can do this by Setting Successful Writing Goals. The second step to doing just that is to Plan Writing Goals in Three Time Categories. Before I explain, let's recap from last week when we learned the first step to Setting Successful Writing Goals. That first step begins with writing specific goals which include details that force you to take action (And that means making a deadline and/or word count, or other quantifiable result, and sticking to it).

Example: I want to write a novel. (vague) OR  I want to write a novel in 30 days (specific).
Miss the first article in the series? Read how to Make Specific Writing Goals here.

OK... still reading? Good. You're serious about your writing. You can make time in your busy schedule for writing projects by planning goals in three time categories. These categories should be familiar. They are Long-term goals, Mid-term goals, and Short-term goals.

I am borrowing again from my experience teaching at the college level with the book, "From Master Student to Master Employee."

This three-pronged approach is especially useful for aspiring writers who must fit their writing into already busy schedules. Here's a breakdown of the three time categories:

Long-term - means just that. Think of these goals as ones that could take five years or longer to achieve. For example, one of these goals might include wanting to write a series of novels based on a particular character. Think Harry Potter.

Mid-term - these can fall in the one- to five-year range. It is important that mid-term goals support your long-term goals. So, if your goal is to write a series of novels based on the same character, your mid-term goal might be to write a new installment every year or every two years.

Short-term - this is where the metal meets the meat. You should see these goals as ones to accomplish in less than a year. These are the goals that require immediate action. Write 2,000 words a day. Create a character sketch for your protagonist this weekend. Create a character sketch for your antagonist next weekend.

The important thing is to plan short-, mid- and long-term goals so they support one another. If you make the effort to plan out goals in three time categories, share them with your family. Your loved ones will see that you are serious. This could get you the support you crave at home. And support means the kids might give you that hour on Sundays to work on that character sketch (especially if the character is a super hero or something cool like that).

Questions? I'm sure. Share your thoughts by e-mail or comment below. I will continue outlining the four parts to Setting Successful Writing Goals through August. The next two parts are as follows:

• Include goals in areas of your life (outside of writing)
• Reflect often on your goals

NEXT ARTICLE IN THE SERIES

AUGUST 15th, 2011: PART 3 IN THE SERIES - INCLUDE GOALS IN AREAS OF YOUR LIFE (OUTSIDE OF WRITING)

Empire Avenue and Social Media for Writers

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With nothing else to do last night but try to check on my social media connections, I checked out Empire Avenue. It's an interesting concept where you invest in others instead of simply "friending" them. It's much more detailed than that.

Bottom line is that it can help expand your reach to people. If you're trying to create an audience, then you want to get your name out there any way you can. I will let you know how it goes. This is still day one of my Empire Avenue adventure.

Writing Fiction To Heal: When A Parent Suffers A Life-Changing Illness

This post is about how writing can heal. Writing as therapy for tough times. I also share a quick 298-word piece of Micro Fiction that helped me deal with an emotional situation I'm in the midst of now.

If any of this interests you, read on.

One of the benefits of being a writer is that you can rely on the cathartic nature of writing when confronted with life's challenges. Case in point. One of my parents was struck by a life-altering illness.

If you have ever experienced similar situations, you know how challenging that is: a loved one has a stroke, heart attack, is diagnosed with cancer, is the victim of a horrible car crash. You are the one who has to pick up the pieces. In the case of a son or daughter who now must care for a parent, the transition is emotionally overwhelming. Think role reversal.

As a writer, I can release some of that emotional steam by telling stories. The other day I pounded out the micro fiction story below. I say pounded out as if it took a lot of effort. But it didn't. Because I was feeling so many emotions, the story flowed out. I dare say it was nearly effortless.

Now... it may not be the best example of fiction. That's OK, though. It served its purpose for me. I dealt with my feelings. After writing it, I felt like a huge weight was lifted from my shoulders. So, I share this to those new to writing, or anyone dealing with grief as an example.

Writing can help you heal - even in a small, temporary way. If you have had the same therapeutic experience through writing, please feel free to share it by messaging me or commenting below. If you're curious about trying writing to help you heal, but don't know where to start, message me, too.

Here's the story I wrote. Although I was dealing with a very real situation, this story is fiction:

Into the Fire
By Pedro Ramirez III
This was it. Love Street, where I almost died 30 years ago.
The tears welled. I placed the truck in park.
"Dad, why we stopping?" My son craned over the dashboard. "I don't see the hospital."
I was about his age when it happened. Can't help thinking my son wouldn't be sitting here if they'd left me on the kitchen floor. They wouldn't let him inside the house. He pushed, pulled, powered through them to get to me. I thought he could do anything.
"We're almost there, mijo." Fewer words to control the tears.
"Where are we?" my son asked.
"Daddy used to live here," I told him.
"Where?" He scanned the street.
The neighborhood had changed. The corner store was boarded up. An auto repair shop was occupying another corner lot. A third corner lost was vacant with sun-scorched, yellow grass. It had been vacant back then, too.
"I don't see a house."
"It used to be there." I pointed across him out the passenger window to two squatty, city lots lined by curb cuts and three tired trees.
"There's nothing there," my son said.
"Grandpa's and grandma's house used to be there," I explained, "before it burned down."
"It caught fire?! Were you inside?"
"Yes, mijo. I was." The tears were welling again. "Grandpa carried me out."
"Were you scared?" he asked.
"Yes…Yes, I am."
A tear fell. I wiped before my son saw.
"C'mon, let's go get grandpa," I said.
I took the truck out of park, inching it three long blocks to the hospital. It felt like 30 blocks, 30 years away.
"Grandpa is gonna live with us?"
"Yes, mijo."
The rest of them want to leave him. Too heavy a burden. But, I'll be damned if they'll keep me from taking him out.

Make Specific Goals: Part One to Setting Successful Writing Goals

The Rolling Stones had a hit when they sang "Time is on my side." Mick Jagger sang "Yes, it is!" But as many times as Jagger said it (and yes, it was cool), truth is time is not on my side or yours. Time is against us. The sooner we understand that as writers, the better we'll be.

As a journalist for more than a dozen years, I learned to respect time. As a college educator, I am trying to teach students to respect it. When you're 20 years old, it may seem time is on your side. Before you know it, however, you'll look in the mirror at a 40-year-old staring back at you wondering, "Where'd you come from?"

OK, enough trying to establish the importance of time. If you're still reading, then you are the type of person who knows this. You're reading to get help with your writing goals. Right? Then keep reading.

So we're clear, time and goals go together. Let me explain.

In my classes, I tell students they should know what they want and how to get it. That is why Step One to making successful writing goals is so important.

Step One: Write Specific Goals.

Writing specific goals means you must know what you want. Sounds simple doesn't it? Fine. Who has a goal like the following:

I want to write a novel.

or

I want to be a published writer.

Sound familiar? It does to me. I've written down similar statements over the years. But the two goals above are not specific. They are examples of "vague goals."

They are vague because they lack the kinds of details that will force you as a writer to take daily actions to make them a reality. You see, a vague goal like "I want to write a novel" is easy to manipulate. A year goes by and you say, "I'll do it next year." You hear Mick Jagger singing? "Time is on my side!"

So how do you transform this vague goal into a specific goal? Try this:

I want to write a novel in 30 days.

"Hold your horses!" you say. "That's ridiculous." If you think so, then you should visit our friends over at the National Novel Writing Competition, better known as NaNoWriMo. True. It is a daunting goal to write a novel in a month, but many have done it (including myself). I will admit it was an excruciating exercise. Yet, I learned plenty about setting specific goals and meeting them (and somewhere in there I learned a little about novel writing, too). This is just one example. Instead, a specific goal might be "I will write a 300-word Micro Fiction story today." That was my specific writing goal two days ago.

Now let's recap...

Time is not on our side. Time and goals can't be separated. Vague goals are evil. Specific goals are good and make everyone smile. Changing a vague goal to a specific goal involves adding details that force you to take action (And that means making a deadline and/or word count, or other quantifiable result, and sticking to it). 

 So, this first step in Setting Successful Writing Goals begins with writing specific goals. Spend 10 minutes brainstorming as many writing goals as you can. Then examine them. Are they specific? Do they include details that force you to pull out pen and paper or your laptop and start writing RIGHT NOW!?

Give it a shot and message me your goals, your thoughts. Try it now. Don't believe you have time to do it tomorrow or the next day. Time is not on your side. Do it now. 

Maybe you want more guidance. Good! This is just the start. Over the month of August, I will outline the four parts to Setting Successful Writing Goals. The four parts are as follows:

• Make specific writing goals
• Plan writing goals in three time categories
• Include goals in areas of your life (outside of writing)
• Reflect often on your goals 

As I explain the strategy, you may recognize parts of it. Truth is I adapted it from general goal setting strategies I have taught to college students using the text, "From Master Student to Master Employee," edited by Doug Toft. So, if you are serious about setting successful writing goals, be sure to read my article series this month. For more immediate help, send an email or leave a comment. I will respond.

NEXT ARTICLE IN THE SERIES

AUGUST 8TH, 2011: PART 2 IN THE SERIES - PLANNING WRITING GOALS IN THREE TIME CATEGORIES