Advice for New Writers

With the advent of email communications in the workplace, it's not uncommon to exchange dozens of messages daily. Sometimes, I sense a writer's "voice" in such messages. Occasionally, I ask if they've done any writing. A year ago, a colleague answered, "I loved to write in high school, but I just don't have time anymore! " She was extraordinarily busy, mothering an active two-year-old, commuting over an hour a day, managing the house, and holding a full-time managerial job. In spite of the fact that I knew she was overloaded, I sensed a unique talent in her words and didn't hesitate to encourage her.

"Just write," I said, "take fifteen minutes at lunch each day. Just do it."

"But what would I write about?" she asked, "I have no idea where to start!" "Once you get going, it will just flow out of you. You don't have to have a plan. Just do it."

She wrote during a break the next day, and sent me three paragraphs. It was lovely. I encouraged her to continue and we began to exchange writing daily. Six months later, she had completed the manuscript for her first novel, a historical time-travel piece. She's submitting it for publishing as I write this.

Here are a few suggestions for new writers. I hope you find them helpful!

Suggestion one: Just write. Write for a few minutes every day. If your passion for writing is real, you'll find that you can't stop! You'll find a way to make it happen. I schedule very early mornings for writing, from 4:00 to 6:00 AM. It's the only quiet time in my hectic life and I couldn't accept spending less time with my daughters, wife, or grandsons. So, I go to bed early and forget about TV. What's more important? In doing so, I've produced eight novels in a bit over four years.

Suggestion two: Cut out the flowery stuff. I adore adjectives and adverbs, and I ache to describe scenes in lush detail. But in the end, I go back and hack away at all the excess. If you read a line out loud and it feels stilted or halting ? stop! Take out all the extra words that slow you down, and just tell the story. Use the descriptors sparingly. I've found that after writing eight books, my style has become simpler and more streamlined. I'm going back now and red-lining much of the early work before it reaches the bookstores. It hurts like hell to do it, but it's absolutely necessary.

Suggestion three: Observe, observe, observe! Soak in every tiny detail that surrounds you. Colors, textures, sensations, expressions, birdsongs, sunlight, and the ground you walk on... notice everything, and brand it into your brain for that next chapter you're going to write.

Suggestion four: Listen to the voices! Listen to the grocery clerk, the bank teller, children at play, professors, grandparents, and neighbors... listen! You'll never create natural dialogue without listening - hard!

Suggestion five: Tap into your emotions. When someone close to you dies, it's an overwhelming, dreadful experience. But, the same emotions that flatten you at that time will be indispensable when you write about loss. Recreating the deep-seated feelings will make your book come alive and ring true with readers.

Suggestion six: Make your characters feel deeply and give them a rich history. This takes time and is particularly important if you're writing a series. If readers don't care about the characters, they won't come back for more. Don't worry about defining them in detail in the beginning ? just start writing and they will develop. You can always go back and add more detail that supports your character's growth.

Suggestion seven: Perfection comes later. Just get it out there, get it down on paper. Then, when you go back to it, hack away at the unnecessary prepositional phrases and the ungainly adverbs, extract those awkward scenes that stand out like sore thumbs, and supplement those that seem abrupt. Then, set it aside for a while. After I've completed a novel, I put it down and start on the next one. Many months later, I'll come back to it. It's best if I don't remember much (I'm often surprised at how much I've forgotten!) as that's when one is in the best position to challenge one's own work. Sometimes I'll be surprised at an unusually eloquent passage, or humiliated by a flimsy section through which I obviously rushed. That's the time to roll up your sleeves and be ruthless! Cut out the excess and fortify the weak!

Suggestion eight: Find a skillful editor. I've been lucky. I have writer/reader friends with eagle eyes who will scour my manuscripts and be brutal where necessary. Try to find one person who is willing to follow along with the book as you create it. That's the best way to start. Share this service. Swap chapters as soon as they're done. That's what I do with my friend, Jeanne. She is a talented writer and a superb editor. She catches things I'd never notice, and I do the same for her. We aren't shy about helping ? if a passage sounds stilted, she tells me immediately! If I want to "see" more of the details in a scene, I ask her to elaborate. It works extremely well. Then, when the book is in a reasonable shape, I send it to my friend, Ray, who is a fine author in his own right. He goes through with a fine-toothed comb and imparts writing gems in the process. I call him, "The Master!"

If it weren't for them, my books would stink. Well, maybe that's a little extreme, but I've learned so much from them that the finished LeGarde Mystery manuscripts read more smoothly and are of higher quality. I also have an "inner circle" of readers who've traveled with me through the series far in advance of publishing. They keep me honest and provide feedback about the characters that they'd come to love.

Suggestion nine: Maintain the tension. You want your readers to need to read more. Keep up the pace. Make it flow seamlessly from chapter to chapter. And try to avoid unnecessary excursions into boring territory. I use lots of dialogue; it moves the book along quickly. Short chapters also help the reader feel as if he's made progress. Readers say that with short chapters they're more apt to think, "Just one more chapter before I go to bed." Of course, if the tension and suspense are stimulating, your poor readers will stay up way past bedtime!

Suggestion ten: Polish it 'til it shines. Don't send in anything but your best work, buffed to perfection. You may have to go through it dozens of times, but it's worth it. Have your friends and family do the same. Each time they scour through it, they'll find something new. It seems endless. But if you keep at it, you will produce a superior product.

Aaron Paul Lazar resides in Upstate New York with his wife, three daughters, two grandsons, mother-in- law, two dogs, and three cats. After writing in the early morning hours, he works as an electrophotographic engineer at NexPress Solutions Inc., part of Kodak's Graphic Communications Group, in Rochester, New York. Additional passions include vegetable, fruit, and flower gardening; preparing large family feasts; photographing his family, gardens, and the breathtakingly beautiful Genesee Valley; cross-country skiing across the rolling hills; playing a distinctly amateur level of piano, and spending "time" with the French Impressionists whenever possible.

Although he adored raising his three delightful daughters, Mr. Lazar finds grandfathering his "two little buddies" to be one of the finest experiences of his life. Double Forte', the first in the series, was published in January 2005. Upstaged, number two, is in production. With eight books under his belt, Mr. Lazar is currently working on the ninth, which features Gus LeGarde and his family. http://www.legardemysteries.com

expert residential cleaners Park Ridge ..
In The News:

The Omoway Omo X features a modular design, obstacle detection and emergency braking, and can drive itself to charging stations, signaling the future of smart urban mobility.
PillTrek, a tiny wireless smart capsule created by Caltech, provides real-time gut health data by detecting electrolytes, metabolites, glucose, hormones, pH levels and temperature.
Learn to spot fake bank text messages with five warning signs of Chase phishing scams, including suspicious links and urgent deadlines designed to steal your account information.
Robot coyotes built on motorized cars reaching 20 mph are being deployed at military airfields as an innovative solution to wildlife threats to aircraft safety.
Explore Google Drive's strengths and weaknesses as a backup solution, including its encryption security, privacy concerns and comparison to dedicated backup tools.
As environmental challenges grow, underwater habitats gain momentum with DEEP's Vanguard, supporting short missions and Sentinel designed for 28-day stays at depth.
The new Urban Eyes safety vest features dual cameras, reflective panels and a wireless remote to deter harassers and provide peace of mind for outdoor workouts.
The $200 billion data broker industry tracks your personal details across websites, posing privacy risks that can be mitigated through data removal services.
UCC Holding has teamed up with COBOD to create desert-inspired, 3D-printed schools in Qatar, featuring dune-like wavy walls impossible with conventional construction.
Darkling beetles equipped with microchip backpacks can be guided through disaster areas using electrical signals, offering a biological solution for search and rescue.
Scammers use number porting to take control of outdated landlines still connected to financial accounts, bypassing two-factor authentication to steal funds while avoiding detection.
Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey developed Bitchat, a privacy-focused messaging app that works offline via Bluetooth without requiring email, phone numbers or personal data.
Google is making a push to ensure its AI, Gemini, is tightly integrated with Android systems by granting it access to core apps like WhatsApp, Messages, and Phone.
A new green energy system is set to change how we capture clean power, and it all starts with the ocean. French startup Seaturns has designed technology that taps into the natural motion of the sea.
Cybersecurity researchers are warning that hackers have started exploiting flaws in chatbots to carry out AI phishing attacks.
Google has just made it easier than ever to regain control of your inbox with Gmail's new Manage Subscriptions tool.
Despite the benefits, residential power saver programs come with several potential drawbacks and concerns that have been raised by both customers and experts.
The Blackdot AI tattoo machine is quiet. It's steady. And according to early users, it hurts a lot less.
Attackers have started to exploit the very signals that users assume will keep them safe when it comes to add-ons to improve productivity or entertainment.
Located on Cerro Pachón in Chile, the world's most powerful digital camera is set to transform how we see the universe.
The innovative DQ Tower stands 28 feet tall with 420 square feet of living space, featuring floor-to-ceiling windows and premium amenities in a prefabricated design.
A new mmWave imaging system allows warehouse robots to scan and create 3D models of objects inside sealed containers, potentially revolutionizing shipping processes.
Family fraud endangers seniors when relatives exploit their trust, but removing personal data online and monitoring identity can prevent financial harm to aging parents.
A study analyzing 500,000 customer service interactions shows chatbots struggle with complex issues while human agents excel at matching customer communication styles.
Aigen's Element robot uses solar power and AI to provide farmers with a sustainable alternative to herbicides, working efficiently in cotton and soy fields.

Plotting Problems - Episodic Writing

The rejection letter says: "Your story, on the surface, appears... Read More

The Value of Adding Images to Technical Documentation

It's clich?, but true-a picture does paint a thousand words.... Read More

New Year Resolutions for Writers - The Best Kind to Make and How to Keep Them

On the first day of a bright and shiny new... Read More

Writing Query Letters

A QUERY LETTER is written to an editor or agent... Read More

Pairs/Groups Of Words Often Confused - Part 5 of 6

PASSED, PASTPassed is the past tense of pass. Past means... Read More

Frequently Asked Questions from Writers

1. What Is A Premise?A premise is the point you... Read More

Taming The Book Proposal

Taming the Book Proposal: The BasicsOh, that most maddening of... Read More

To Transcribe or Not To Transcribe Interviews?

11 Secrets from an Experienced InterviewerOne of the unwritten rules... Read More

Writing Without Style

Style manuals are all well and good, and in fact,... Read More

A Writers Tools

If you are like most writers, you're constantly searching for... Read More

Are Writing Exercises Effective?

It was reported that the great American author Sinclair Lewis... Read More

Revising Your Manuscript: Fourteen Questions to Ask Yourself

1) Can you summarize the story in about a sentence... Read More

Italics Part 2 - Using Italics to Show Thoughts

Way back in your early school years, you were probably... Read More

The Demon Fear

You have a great idea for a poem, a story,... Read More

Ways to Make Extra Income Using the Internet

To capitalize on ways to make extra income you can... Read More

Ten Tips to Help You Finish Writing Your Novel

1. Set aside a time to write and keep it... Read More

Get Rich Writing With Your Computer Word Processor

Your computer is a writing machine, a word processor, a... Read More

The Writing Life

In the 7th grade I wanted to be an architect... Read More

Time to Write

SO YOU WANT TO BE A WRITER?Many people have entertained... Read More

Revving Up Your Writing Productivity

Productivity begins by recognizing and valuing your brilliance, time, and... Read More

Writers Helping Writers - A Noble Legacy

It is satisfying to be a part of such a... Read More

Top Ten Writing Mistakes Made By New Childrens Writers

Okay. So I'm not David Letterman. But I doubt if... Read More

Writing Technique: The Restaurant Syndrome

Picture this scene.Your hero is sitting in a bar. He's... Read More

Starting a Freelance Writing Career (or Thoughts About Taking the Plunge)

Nike's ad has taken on new meaning for me of... Read More

How To Self-Publish Your Own Books, Manuals, Reports Or Newsletters

You can make a lot of money by writing and... Read More

green cleaning service Park Ridge ..