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Reading Ideas (and More!) for the Duration

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As a companion piece to the one I published last week, I’m pleased to give you some reading ideas and other intellectually related activities to take advantage of during this terrible pandemic. The best part is that not one of them involves a television set.

First, I have an update: I’m in the process of setting up DeenaNataf.com, which I hope will be live in the next few months or so. My BulletproofWriting blog will be available there.

 

Kindle and other free options

reading ideas

Wandelopa / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)

Now that my used book store is “closed for the duration,” I have turned to my Kindle for my reading addiction leisure time. I figure, most of the books I buy on Kindle cost the same as those I buy at the used book store.

Bonus! There are lots of free books, too, as you’ll learn below.

For those of you who do not own and are not going to buy a Kindle, you still have options. (If you buy any of the following products using the links provided, I will get a small commission at no extra cost to you.)

First of all, your computer and smartphone can be real lifesavers. Did you know that you can buy any book on Kindle and read it on either one of these devices? For more information, click this link.

Once you’ve downloaded the free Kindle app either on your computer or your phone (or both!), you will pleased to discover that there are many free Kindle books. Here’s a link to Kindle’s free classics library. You can finally sit down and read all those books you’ve been meaning to read for years, from authors such as Mark Twain, Jane Austen, Joseph Conrad, and Harriet Beecher Stowe. There are also many kids’ selections in the free library, and  magazines as well. As I’ve said many times, reading the classics is one of the best ways to improve your writing.

If you do want to buy a Kindle, here are your options.

Home with kids? Here’s a link to Kindle for Kids.

 

Where to find books

Amazon offers Kindle Unlimited, which gives you access to over 1 million books of all kinds. You get a 30-day free trial, after which it’s $9.99 per month.

Interested in audio books? Audible offers a 30-day free trial as well; the monthly fee after that is $14.95.

Another book lover’s site is BookSweeps, which offers an array of self-published and indie ebooks, giveaways, and contests. They have every genre of literature, for every age group: romance, suspense, sci-fi, inspirational, regular fiction, nonfiction, and young adults, just to name a few. Caveat emptor: I do not guarantee the quality of the books. I’ve downloaded a couple of doozies that I couldn’t even finish, they were so bad.

 

Online storytelling

I found a terrific, free website called Storyline Online, which provides video readings of gorgeously illustrated children’s books. They’re read by actors and other entertainers (Oprah Winfrey, unsurprisingly, is one of them), and even politicians such as Al Gore!

You can watch the videos on three different platforms: SchoolTube, YouTube, and Vimeo. The videos are well-produced and feature background music and some animation. And of course, you get to see each page with its illustration! Check it out for your kids.

reading ideasOne of my favorite kids’ books when my children were growing up was When Pigasso Met Mootisse, by Nina Laden. Here’s the video of the book being read by Eric Close. You will flip out with the incredible pictures and clever prose.

 

 

Let the games begin

reading ideas

SONY DSC/Evan-Amos

How about ordering a classic word game? Good, old-fashioned games can keep everyone busy for hours. Plus, family game times build some of the strongest childhood memories.

My favorite word smithy-type games are Boggle, Bananagrams, and Scrabble. (There’s even a Scrabble Junior.) Each one can be played by kids of all ages, and adults won’t get bored, either.

Rummikub continues to be a favorite of mine as well. I remember playing it as a child and teenager, and much later, my kids and I played it frequently as they were growing up.

 

My favorite podcast

Podcasts are my new favorite thing. I listen to them when I’m cooking, cleaning, and walking without my partner. I cannot recommend Jonathan Goldstein’s Heavyweight podcast enough. In a nutshell, Jonathan helps people revisit watershed moments in their lives with regard to which they still have unfinished business (heavy weights).

Jonathan Goldstein was one of the original hosts of NPR’s This American Life radio show/podcast, and he’s now hosting shows for Gimlet Media. I find Heavyweight fascinating, hilarious, and poignant all at the same time.

There are some curse words in many of the podcasts.

Check out the archives (The new season begins in the Fall, all being well). There are enough of them to see you through the pandemic.

 

***

I hope these ideas will help you fill the time at home with enjoyable and substantive activities.

Do you have any other suggestions for enjoyable, educational, and/or meaningful activities? Please share them in the comments, below!

 

Hang tough, and

Happy writing!

www.bulletproofwriting.com

 

 

 

 

Keep Sane and Keep Writing During Lockdown

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I sure hope you are coping with the new reality this terrible pandemic has brought to the world. Absolutely no one cannot not be affected (how’s that for a triple negative?). I pray you and your family are safe and well.

I’m now a Fiverr Pro!

Here’s an update: I’m now selling my editing and proofeading services on Fiverr Pro, the higher-end category of the online freelancing platform Fiverr. You can hire me to edit, copy edit, or proofread your book, article, or story. I’m offering a substantial discount to my readers – plus, I’ll eat the commission fee Fiverr will charge you. You can check out my Fiverr gig here.

In addition, if you know anyone who is looking for an editor or proofreader, please share the link with them as well. Thanks!

 

Your writing schedule

Being on lockdown is a perfect opportunity to continue your daily writing schedule – or even increase the time you spend writing! Most people feel freshest in the morning, but do what works for you.

Need some writing prompts? Click here for my free ebook, “144 Prompts.”

Writing with kids at home

Many of you have kids at home, which sometimes presents an even greater challenge to your writing discipline than either being home alone or working outside the home. Now more than ever, it’s essential to have a daily schedule, both for yourself and for your kids.

If you have very young children, you can set them up on the floor near your computer and give them paper and crayons. That way, they’ll feel like they’re also “writing.”

If you have older kids, how about giving them a writing challenge during your own writing time? Perhaps give them a subject to write about, and when time is up, share with each other what you’ve written.

Or make it into a competition: see who can write the most words in an allotted time. And be sure that everyone gets to share their prose or poetry.

As many school-age children are “going to school” online, you can also take advantage of their school time to write.

 

Hone your writing skills

I encourage you to use some of your enforced home time to work on the technical aspects of your writing craft. Bulletproof Writing, for example, has over 100 articles on Writing Techniques,  Comedy Grammar, and Tips for the Writing Life. Check out articles you haven’t yet read, and review old favorites!

Need motivation? check out this article and this article.

Want some ideas on how to schedule your writing sessions, or even your entire day? This article and this article are two of my favorites.

Need writing tips? Here and here are a good place to start.

As for grammar, you can try my 2-part series on learning grammar the fun way: here and here.

Speaking about series, I have several. Here are links to part 1 of the following series:

Writing Memoir (5 parts)

Self-Editing (5 parts)

Grammar Questions You’ve Been Too Embarrassed to Ask (3 parts)

***

Here’s the link again for my free ebook, “144 Prompts.”

And here’s the link to my Fiverr Pro gig.

I’ll be back with the second part of this Lockdown series – Inexpensive Ways to Read Good Books and Other Non-Writing Activities – in my next post. Until then,

Happy writing, and stay healthy and safe!

 

Improve Your Writing in 5 Steps

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improve your writing

I came across this fantastic blog post by Leah McClellan of Simple Writing, which discusses 5 ways to improve your writing. I thought it was too good to keep to myself. What follows are the 5 ways, in my own words, and with commentary and examples. In keeping with my Bulletproof Writing mission, I have endeavored to use as few technical words as possible.

 

1. Don’t introduce sentences with fluff

Get to the point, fast. Instead of, say, “She was the kind of girl who loved ice skating,” simplify with, “She loved to ice skate.”

Here are some other no-nos. Those in red indicate unsuccessful sentences; those in blue are more successful:

“There are a lot of people who are sitting in the auditorium” vs. “Many people are sitting in the auditorium“

“It was your tone of voice that bothered me” vs. “Your tone of voice bothered me“

For more about excessive verbiage, see my posts here and here.

 

2. Avoid repetition

Although in the original post Leah warns against repeating the same words at the beginning of sentences and paragraphs (“She walked in the door. She took off her glasses. She put up the kettle for tea.”), I would expand that to the entire piece. I cannot tell you how many times I have come across the same or a similar word being used time after time, in sentence after sentence. (Did you notice just I did it, too? See below for a suggested correction.)

It’s hard for an author to see this type of mistake, because he or she is too close to the matter. This is a major reason why you need an editor to go over your work; they are one degree removed from the text and can see things with a fresh eye. Here are a few examples of the repetition problem:

“I’m not about to talk about the problem” vs. “I will not talk about the problem” or “I am not about to discuss this problem“

“Bert tried to find an appropriate word for the sentence he was writing. In the meantime, his daughter walked into the room wearing a dress that was not appropriate for church. He finally found the appropriate word, and was then able to address himself to his daughter’s inappropriate dress.” vs. “Bert tried to find the right word for the sentence he was writing. In the meantime, his daughter walked into the room wearing too casual a dress for church. He finally found the word he needed, and was then able to deal with his daughter’s inappropriate sartorial choice.”

“I cannot tell you how many times I have come across the same or a similar word being used time after time, in sentence after sentence” vs. “I cannot tell you how frequently I come across the same or a similar word being used time after time, in sentence after sentence“

 

Rereading your pieces multiple times will go a long way toward eliminating repetition such as the above. And reading your prose out loud never goes out of fashion.

For more tips on self-editing, see my post here.

 

3. Use fewer -ing words

Here I have very little to add to what Leah wrote. Pay attention to too many –ings in your writing. Your prose will sound more assertive and self-confident.

“You will no doubt be noticing that your writing is becoming more assertive and self-confident” vs. “Notice that your writing is more assertive and self-confident” or “Your writing has become more assertive and self-confident” or “You write assertively and self-confidently.”

Just a word from our sponsor: It is fine to use the phrase, “your writing,” as the word writing functions as a noun here.

“Yesterday, while it was raining, I was sitting at my computer contemplating writing a blog post. The phone was ringing nonstop, and I was finding myself not paying attention to what I was planning on writing.” vs. “It rained yesterday morning. While I sat at my computer, I thought about what to write for my next blog post. Every few minutes, the phone rang, and it was difficult to pay attention to the task at hand.”

In the corrected version, I’ve deleted all the –ing words, but of course you can leave some of them! Sometimes, it’s helpful to go all the way in the opposite direction before you find that “golden mean.” I highly recommend your trying to write without any –ing words for 10–15 minutes as a writing exercise.

What about parallel structure?

Sometimes you do need to use the same type of words in one sentence: “I’m reading, writing, and listening to music.” It would be wrong to say, “I’m reading, I write, and I have listened to music.”  For more information on and examples of parallel structure, see my post here.

 

4. Pay attention to prepositions

Leah has a chart of common prepositions in her article; check it out and find some new ones!

I see two issues with regard to prepositions: using one unnecessarily and using either the wrong or a weak one.

Unnecessary prepositions

“the teacher of the yoga class” vs. “the yoga teacher“

Since I so actively dislike “the ____ of the _____,” I’ll go out on a limb here and give you permission even to write, “the woman who teaches the yoga class.”

“the scent of the perfume” vs. “the perfume’s scent“

“the girl with black hair” vs. “the black-haired girl“

“the boy had guilt written all over his face” vs. “the boy was guilt-ridden” (would be even better to Show instead of Tell here)

“the boy with guilt written all over  his face” vs. “the guilt-ridden boy“

Pay attention to “the ____ of the ____” structure that cannot be changed, for example:

Secretary of State

“Ladies and gentlemen, the president of the United States”

“Top o’ the morning to you”

…and look up official terms to see what is proper in your particular corner of the world, such as Ministry of the Interior vs. Interior Ministry.

Wrong or weak prepositions

The wrong preposition

Sometimes it’s difficult to figure out which preposition goes with a verb. Many times, you can get your answer from a dictionary (affiliate link). Don’t want to buy one? Use Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary.

In any case, if I’m stuck, I generally try to figure out which preposition to use by saying the sentence out loud. For example, recently I came across the following in a book I was editing: “Who can help hold you accountable on your goals?” I knew the preposition on was incorrect, but this was a tricky one. When I said the sentence aloud, the preposition to jumped out at me: “Who can help hold you accountable to your goals?”

Other times, the issue is which pronoun to use in a certain cliché or expression. For instance, “It’s hard on me.” This would work if you were talking about parenting: “Being a mother of an ADHD kid is hard on me and my nerves.” However, if you were discussing math, you’d need the preposition for, i.e., “These algebra problems are hard for me.”

A weak preposition

There are so many interesting and less common prepositions out there! Try a new one for a change, for more colorful prose (and see Leah’s list):

“Barbie got on the ship” vs. “Barbie went aboard the ship” or “Barbie ascended the gangplank” (here, there’s no preposition)

“Ken sat on top of the mountain” vs. “Ken sat atop the mountain“

“Curtis stood in front of me” vs. “Curtis stood opposite me“

For more on prepositions, see my post here.

 

5. Beware of “fillers”

Leah calls the following words “filters,” because “they place a barrier between your character and his or her thoughts, feelings, and perceptions. They create wordiness, too, and make readers focus on unnecessary words instead of what’s really going on”: feel, see, hear, know, hear, smell, realize, wonder, decide, notice, remember, think, wonder, watch, seem, note (he noted that), sounded like, able to (they were able to), and experience (she experienced something).  Check these out:

“Bobby smelled the cloying scent of his mother’s perfume” vs. “The cloying scent of his mother’s perfume made Bobby’s nose twitch” or “The perfume’s scent overwhelmed the small room” or “Bobby sneezed from the cloying scent of his mother’s perfume.”

By the way, notice that I did not write “His mother’s perfume’s cloying scent.” In most cases, use just one possessive per clause.

“It looked like they were able to tie the knot tightly” vs. “They tied the knot tightly“

“She decided to go to the library” vs. “She went to the library“

“I wondered how the otter made the dam” vs. “How did the otter make the dam?“

“He appeared to be preoccupied by the amount of work he needed to do” vs. “His workload preoccupied him” or “He was preoccupied by the amount of work he needed to do” or “He had a lot of work” or “He was busy” (would be even better to Show instead of Tell here).

For more on sentence structure, see my post here.

 

***

 

Find ways to introduce previously unused – or underused – words into your writing. Use less fluff and fewer fillers. Watch out for repetition. Expand your preposition repertoire.

Committing to just a few of these tweaks will make your prose more descriptive and less average. Let me know in the Comments which ones you choose.

Special thanks to Leah McClellan of Simple Writing. Here’s the link to her post again.

Happy writing!

Deena

Deena Nataf

BulletproofWriting.com

Deena@BulletproofWriting.com

30+ Holiday Gifts for Writers

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www.bulletproofwriting.com

 

Last week, I bought myself a writerly present, which reminded me that the holidays are coming up fast and furious.

Therefore, I thought I’d list several great gift ideas for writers. I’ve chosen items that range in price from cheap to moderate (I’m not going to recommend a $30 candle or a $94 “vegetarian leather” journal – even though it comes with free shipping); and from super-writerly to auxiliary writerly.

I know you’ll find something that you can either purchase for yourself or give a subtle hint about (“Look what I found on Amazon; I’d love to have this!”)

Now to the gifts. I’ve tried to choose products that have the “Amazon’s Choice” banner, which indicates items highly recommended for quality. (Please note that I might receive a small fee from Amazon if you buy them with the link I’ve provided – at absolutely no extra cost to you.)

 

Moleskine

I’m featuring only Moleskine products in this category, as it’s hands down the best product on the market for writers and other creatives. There’s nothing like the feel of a brand new, empty Moleskine notebook or diary that you can fill with story ideas, random thoughts, sketches, and your daily schedule. Make sure you buy yourself a special pen to go with these.

Notebooks and journals

Moleskine Classic Notebook, large

Moleskine Classic Notebook, pocket

Moleskine Cahier Journal, large (Set of 3)

Moleskine Cahier Journal, pocket (set of 3)

For all 4 of these products, you can choose paper (dotted, plain, ruled, or square) and color (too numerous to name). They start at around $7.00 for the pocket and around $10.00 for the large, but each type of paper and each color are priced differently.

Diaries

Moleskine diaries are my favorite. One side of the page is the calendar, and they’ve kept the facing page blank for jotting daily or weekly schedules, notes, ideas, etc. In 2016, I bought the large; for 2020, I’ve chosen the pocket. As with the notebooks and journals, prices depend on format and color.Moleskine diaries

Moleskine Classic 12-Month 2020 Planner, hard cover

Moleskine Classic 12-Month 2020 Planner, soft cover

With each link, you can tailor your choice to large or pocket size, daily or weekly format, and color.

 

Kindle

If you’ve read my posts for any amount of time, you’ll know that I love my Kindle. It’s great for travel (bus, train, plane, etc.), and many times you can find digital books cheaper than the print edition. Here are some options.

Kindle: $64.99–104.99, with 25% discount for trade-in.

Kindle for Kids: For the budding reader or writer in your life. Comes in a variety of cute designs. $84.99.

Kindle Unlimited: This is a subscription service. You get access to over 1 million books. $10.00 per month; first month free. Deal for December 2019: $.99 for 3 months instead of first month free.

 

Books for writers

Although buying books for writers seems a bit obvious, we often neglect to give ourselves the tools that will make us better at our craft. I’ve divided the myriad options into books on writing and reference books.

Books on writing

The classics

The following 3 books are the ones I recommend most emphatically. All three deliver first-rate writing advice, are an interesting and fascinating read, and combine both humor and pathos. They are truly unforgettable.

Bird by Bird, by Anne Lamont

On Writing, by Stephen King

On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Nonfiction, by William Zinsseron writing well

 

 

Recommended by others

The following books are either known to be superb or had great reviews.

Writing about Your Life: A Journey into the Past, by William Zinsser

Another classic from Zinsser. He teaches you how to write a memoir by writing his own and annotating it with technical advice and tips on how to write yours. I’ve read parts of it and I love it.

Stein on Writing, by Sol Stein

For many, Sol Stein is the last word on editing. Of course, I’m partial to an editor rather than an author writing a book on writing, because 1) he’s seen it all and therefore knows what works, and 2) he’s more objective. The book got mostly 5-star reviews, but one very insightful 1-star review claimed that Stein gives warmed-over, hackneyed advice to writers, which contributes to a basic sameness in much of fiction today. This makes me want to read the book even more, to see if I agree with the reviewer.

The Writing of Fiction, by Edith Wharton

Short and succinct, Pulitzer Prize-winning Wharton’s advice is timeless.

Aspects of the Novel, by E. M. Forster

This book was originally a series of lectures Forster (of Passage to India fame) gave in 1927 at Trinity College, Cambridge. Comprises intelligent British wit. He cites numerous examples of classic literature to back up and reinforce his points. Some reviewers felt the language was outdated, but that doesn’t bother me. I like Forster’s writing, although I did not enjoy reading him in high school.

Dictionaries and Style Guides

Dictionaries

Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, 11th edition

Merriam-WebsterI don’t care how attached you are to the Merriam-Webster online edition; every writer must have a physical dictionary at hand.

Paperback Oxford English Dictionary

For all you lovers of British English, this is the one to get.

Style guides

The Elements of Style, by William Strunk Jr. and E. B. Whitethe elements of style

I’ve been hounding my readers and clients to buy this for years. Total classic; the first word in writing well. Required reading for anyone who owns a computer or a pad and pen.

The Chicago Manual of Style, 17th edition

Chicago Manual of StyleAnother mandatory reference book. It costs $43, but a yearly subscription to The Chicago Manual of Style Online is $39 (you get a 30-day free trial), so the book is the better deal in the long run. The 17th edition will take you well into the next decade. I personally love using the physical edition. I’ve marked with Post-Its the most common questions I have and the chapters I refer to the most.

Garner’s Modern English Usage, 4th editionGarner's Modern English Usage, by Bryan A. Garner

As the Amazon blurb says, “Garner explains the nuances of grammar and vocabulary with thoroughness, finesse, and wit. He discourages whatever is slovenly, pretentious, or pedantic.”

Garner is so well-respected in the field that he has his own, 80-page chapter in the most recent edition of The Chicago Manual of Style (see above for link to Chicago).

Fowler’s Dictionary of Modern English Usage, by H. W. Fowler and R. W. Burchfield

Many of you are familiar with the esteem in which I hold my buddy Fowler. As the book jacket says, it is a “compilation of learning, wit, humour and good taste.” In other words, it’s a hoot. He’s got information in there that I have never found elsewhere, and I refer to him on a regular basis.

Pro tip: Get the print version. The Kindle version got terrible reviews. Readers said that it was unreadable, the file was corrupted, there were OCR errors, etc.

 

Auxiliary stuff

The following are great companion pieces for a writer (or reader).

Non-edible

Scrivener

Scrivener is a well-known software package that helps you not only write your books and articles, but keep everything organized. It’s got a lot of amazing features. It has a learning curve, but once you get the hang of it, you won’t know how you lived (and wrote) without it. For those who self-publish, you can go from manuscript to ebook almost with a push of a button.

Scrivener costs between $45 and $49, depending on your operating system, and they offer educational licenses at a 15-percent discount. You can also try it free for 30 days.

Millard Reading Pillow with Memory Foam

ComfortSpa Reading Pillow

I can attest that a reading pillow is a great aid to comfortable and enjoyable reading.

Ziraki coccyx seat cushion orthopedic luxury chair pillow

A nice tushy pillow for $16. Recommended for sciatica and back pain relief.

Folding Lap Desk, Laptop desk, breakfast table, bed table, serving tray, with extra-large storage

lap deskThis product seems to do everything except do the dishes, and it’s less than $23. I want one, too.

 

 

Edible

What more can a writer want than to relax after a hard day at the computer with a favorite book, a reading pillow, and a plate of yummy treats?

Ghirardelli Chocolate

Godiva Chocolate

I love my teaTaylors of Harrogate Classic Tea Variety Box

Bulletproof Coffee: This really is a thing. I haven’t tasted it, but how could I leave it out, considering the name?

 

Last but not least…

Here are 2 more options for your gift-receiving pleasure.

Amazon Gift Card

Cop out with this perennial favorite. A great way to enable your spouse’s laziness (“But I didn’t know what to buy you!” “I ran out of time!”)

A month (or 2 or 3…) of author mentoring

bulletproof writingI offer author mentoring (as well as full editing and proofreading services). There are 3 packages to choose from, and I’m always willing to design a custom program for you. Check out all the options here.

***

There you have it – the 2020 Writers’ Gift-Giving Guide. I hope you will find things to buy for yourself or for others – but I most sincerely hope you will be able to send this list to your loved ones and finally get what you really want for Xmas, Hanukkah, your birthday, or any other special day.

Happy giving and receiving!

Deena

Deena Nataf

www.BulletproofWriting.com

Deena@Bulletproof Writing.com

Using “One” in a Sentence

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using one in a sentence

 

I don’t know about you, but I find it a bit off-putting when I see the term one overused in literature and conversation:

One could choose from soles of leather, resin…and, one hoped, eco-friendly in origin…although why one would purchase tap shoes without taps didn’t make such sense.

Like, when are you going to put a real pronoun in?

On the other hand, perhaps one is talking about the human race and not about a specific person. What’s one to do then?

In light of a query from one of my subscribers about using one in a sentence, and I decided to expand on it here.

Here are some questions that come up with the one issue:

  • When do we use one, and for what type of prose?
  • What are some alternatives to one?
  • Can one mix and match pronouns in the same sentence or paragraph?

We’ll go over these one (!) by one. But first, a short overview.

 

The pronoun one: an overview

The pronoun one is called a generic pronoun, a gender-neutral pronoun, an indefinite pronoun, and an impersonal pronoun. Take your pick.

It is often used in place of you, and sometimes it’s even used in place of I (see below). Many grammar pundits consider one to be more formal, nay, haughty.

Writers who are sensitive to gender issues use the pronoun one in order to avoid employing the male pronoun, i.e., he. Although you can be used as a gender-neutral pronoun as well, one seems to get the job done better when one wants a bit of distance between one and one’s readers, or when one is making an important point:

  • A flight cancellation can really ruin one’s day.
  • One must never give up.

 

Using the pronoun one

Many British authors use one extensively, even in casual conversation and even in contemporary fiction. Very often, the speaker uses it to refer to himself or herself (“the royal one“):

  • It was just so difficult when one didn’t feel hunger.
  • “One could tell from the first that it was only Missa he would ever care for.”
  • “It’s beaten into one from childbirth.”

American authors, however, use mainly I, you, or a noun such as “a person” or “people.”

One can also be used to express general human behavior:

  • One uses a spoon and not one’s hands to eat ice cream.
  • Excessive drinking can potentially put one into an awkward position.
  • A nice compliment from the teacher makes one work harder.

As I said above, you will notice that these sentences put a bit of distance between the speaker/writer and the listener/reader.

When is one appropriate?

You’ll get a feel for when to use the indefinite pronoun, and when not. Formal vs. informal is one yardstick. For instance, if you are writing about Marie Antoinette, you might want to say, “One is not amused” or “Let one eat cake.” There is also the cultural issue, as I mentioned, with regard to some British authors.

The use of one also works for instruction manuals and other pedagogic prose:

  1. One should be sure to turn off the electricity before one changes a light bulb.
  2. One doesn’t use curse words at the Vatican.
  3. If one is insensitive to the dog, it is likely to bite.
  4. After one says the blessing, one permitted to partake of the meal.

Are there alternatives to one?

Yes, there are. Here are four, based on the above sentences:

  1. Substitute one one with a gerund: “One should be sure to turn off the electricity before changing a light bulb.”
  2. Substitute the pronoun clause with a command: “Do not use curse words at the Vatican.”
  3. Use the passive case (sparingly): “Insensitive veterinarians will get bitten by their patients.”
  4. Use a different pronoun (and consider making the sentence less formal): “After you say the blessing, you can eat.”

 

Segueing into other pronouns

Sometimes, you can or must use more than one pronoun in a sentence. When I was working on an English translation of the Talmud, our team decided to go from one to he after only one one. We simply felt the sentences would sound better and be less “heavy.” Here’s an example:

If one performs any action without specification of intent, it is also considered as if he performed it expressly for its sake.

If you do decide to switch pronouns, make sure you go back to one when you get to a new subject. Here’s something I made up:

When one goes to the beach, she should put on suntan lotion. She might also consider using a beach umbrella. Her wallet can be kept underneath her towel. She’ll probably want to relax on her towel when she gets out of the water.

However, when one goes shopping, he should look at the prices of a few different options before deciding which product to buy. He will find that the products on the lower shelves are often cheaper than those at eye level. The healthiest food is displayed around the perimeter of the store, so he should begin his shopping experience there.

Other gender-neutral ideas

There are other alternatives to the use of one in a sentence, even when you are writing formally. For example, you can use a noun or “they.” Sometimes, just plain rewriting will solve all your problems. You can find out more about this here, in a post where I discuss gender-neutral pronouns.

Here’s the chart from that post:

gender-neutral pronouns

 

You can get the chart for home use by clicking here.

One last thing

Keep a lookout for confusing sentences when using one:

If one complains, one needs to address the issue.

Now, does this mean that if an individual complains, he himself needs to figure out why he’s complaining? Or does it mean that if person X complains to person Y, the latter needs to deal with it?

It would be better to rewrite the sentence to be more specific, i.e., “If someone complains to you, you need to address the issue.” Or “If you complain, you need to figure out what is bothering you.”

***

Please let me know if you have any writing, editing, or grammar questions. I love tailoring my posts to what my tribe wants!

And as always,

 

Happy Writing!

Deena

www.BulletproofWriting.com

Deena@BulletproofWriting.com

48-Hour Flash Sale!

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When I was doing acquisitions at an indie publisher, one of the most frustrating aspects of my job was having to write a rejection letter to a hopeful author.

Sometimes the manuscript was so full of grammar mistakes and typos, I couldn’t figure out the prose. Other times the story was inaccurate (Gustave Eiffel committed suicide by jumping off his tower – not).

But most of the time I had to write that awful letter because the prose was Just. Plain. Blah.

Have you ever gotten a rejection letter? It really hurts, doesn’t it?

It strips away your confidence, leaving you depressed and frustrated. You have no idea what you did wrong, or how you could have made the book or story better.

 

A Solution to Rejection

What if I could help you enliven your prose?

Show you how to summon up the author inside you and transform what you know, feel, and remember into acceptance-letter-worthy writing?

Unpack concepts and techniques – with lots of examples and fun writing exercises – that will shoot you up to the heady heights of being a “real author”?

And what if I offered all this to you at half price?

For the next 48 hours, head on over and get my 10-module, premium audio course, Wake Up Your Prose: Description Unpacked, at half price!

 

Here’s what former students have to say:

“This course opened my mind to new material and refreshed (with a bang) things I knew. I review the modules and exercises often. It’s hard to believe the changes I’ve made to some of my writing that have produced more concise and, certainly, more fascinating reading. Sometimes I ask myself, ‘Did I really write that?’ Thanks, Deena!”

“I really gained a lot from this course! Deena has a way of forcing you (gently!) to squeeze the creativity of your soul onto paper. I loved her ideas to jump-start a short story, as well as the practical advice sprinkled throughout the course.”

“Deena’s classes are loaded with information. We learned how to pack a punch with our words and avoid common mistakes. She gave us a lot to think and write about, as well as worksheets for future reference. Both fiction and non-fiction writers, as well as copy editors and proofreaders, have a lot to gain from Deena’s courses.”

Wake Up Your Prose: Description Unpacked

Is:

  • self-paced
  • a breeze to implement in your own writing
  • broken up into bite-size, easy-to-understand lessons
  • audio, with professionally designed slides

Comprises:

  • 10 modules
  • 1 bonus module
  • 11 comprehensive, supplementary workbooks
  • 10 hands-on, fun writing assignments designed to catapult your writing to the next level…and even higher
  • ebooks, pdfs, checklists, and informative articles that will enhance your writing abilities

 

Course Curriculum

Module 1: Description Warm-Up. Get started right away, without a bunch of fluff and time-wasting information about me and why I’m so great. (I’ve provided a bio before Module 1; otherwise, how could you trust me?)

Module 2: Method Writing. Write about your own life and develop an arsenal of emotions and experiences to apply to your prose. (And get in the habit of writing every day.)

Module 3: Description Basics. The what, why, and how of description, and description best practices.

Module 4: The Art of Storytelling. Grab your readers from the get-go and use description tools for awesome storytelling and narrative.

Module 5: Show. Learn how to get your readers to experience, not just read, your prose.

Module 6: Tell. Report facts vividly, and move your narrative along in an interesting and masterful way.

Module 7: Analogy, Metaphor, and Simile. Use what your reader knows to convey something they don’t know.

Module 8: Putting It All Together: Description Review and Reinforcement. What did we learn? Where do we go from here? Recap the course and learn something new.

Module 9: Quick & Dirty Tips for Enhanced Description. Bonus techniques and advice from a veteran editor (me).

Module 10: The “G” Word: Grammar. A non-threatening lesson on why you have a greater chance of writing success if you care about grammar.

Bonus Module: Flash Fiction. Learn the basics of this trending genre, and try your hand at a complete story in less than 1,000 words!

Buy Now

Doors close on Friday, November 29th, at 11:59 PST.

I’m not planning to offer the course at half price again (my husband made me do it this time). Don’t miss out.

Still not convinced? Here’s the sales page.

Here’s the checkout page. (No need for coupon!)

See you inside the course!

– Deena

 

How to Get Published (and write yourself out of a rut)

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how to get published

 

In the past few months, I’ve been doing a lot of housekeeping on my site, blog, and email list. I’m using new vendors, and have been exploring different ways to present my blogs.

One new thing I’m trying is affiliate marketing, which means that if you buy (or sometimes even just click on) one of the products I’ve linked, I get a small commission at no extra cost to you. I figured: Most of my posts have between 3 and 7 links to books and products I personally recommend. I might as well leverage a few of them to cover the not insignificant costs of maintaining my blog and website. This translates to more free, valuable posts for you!

And I can’t think of anything better than writing about how to get published…

 

Writing myself out of a rut

Like you, I have times when I simply don’t feel like writing – or even getting out of bed. How much more fun to curl up under the covers with a book and a cup of tea!

Speaking of reading in bed, I recently finished Kingdom of the Blind, part of the Inspector Armand Gamache series by Louise Penny. She is one of my very favorite contemporary authors. She is brilliant. I highly recommend her books.

During this same time period, I hadn’t felt like writing at all. In fact, I don’t feel like writing today, either. (Sound familiar?) However, Louise Penny has given me beautiful inspiration, and I thought I’d share it with you.

It starts with 2 words

A few years ago, Ms. Penny lost her husband. She didn’t feel like writing ever again. Yet after taking some time off, she continued writing her Armand Gamache series, to the delight (and relief) of her millions of fans. The following is what she wrote as an afterword to Kingdom of the Blind. I hope her exceptionally personal and inspirational words will help both me and you sit down and write every single day.

A funny thing happened on my way to not writing this book.

I started writing.

The truth is, I’ve known since I began writing [the first book in the series] that if [my husband] died, I couldn’t continue with the series….

How could I go on when half of me was missing? I could barely get out of bed.

I told my agent and publishers that I was taking a year off. That might have been a lie. In my heart I knew I could never write [the series] again….

But then, a few months later, I found myself sitting at the long pine dining table, where I always wrote. Laptop open.

And I wrote two words: Armand Gamache

Then the next day I wrote: slowed his car to a crawl

And the next day: then stopped on the snow-covered secondary road.

Kingdom of the Blind was begun…. I wrote…with relief. That I get to keep doing this.

 

Louise Penny on getting published

Here are some highlights from Ms. Penny’s fantastic piece on what to do once you finish your manuscript. (You can read the entire piece here.)

  • [Get] a reference book called The Writer’s Guide to Editors and Agents. It…often has very helpful chapters on getting published, writing synopsis etc.
  • Make sure your book isn’t just written, but polished. You won’t get a second chance with these people.
  • Spend time trying to find an agent first – an agent will get you a better deal, find a good fit for your book with the right publisher, get foreign rights sold.
  • Give yourself every chance to succeed. Edit, polish, do your homework, prepare – plan as though the rest of your life depend on it…. Now is a time to remember who you are, and this magnificent thing you’ve done for yourself. And not ever sell it short.
  • Finish the book. Most people who start books never finish them. Don’t be one of those. You sure don’t want to be lying on your death bed regretting you didn’t finish the book.
  • Read a lot.
  • Read books on writing and getting published…. If this is your first time writing a book why would you assume you know what you’re doing?
  • I suffered from writer’s block for many years…. What cured me was a sudden realization I was taking myself way too seriously. And that I was trying to write the best book ever published in the history of the world. And if I didn’t, I was a failure.
  • I decided instead to…write what I loved to read. And to people the book with characters I’d want as friends…. They don’t have to be attractive, kind, thoughtful. But they do need to be compelling.
  • Be true to yourself. Write what you want even if friends and relatives think you’re nuts.
  • Be very careful who you show the first draft to…. You need supportive, encouraging, thoughtful readers. People who’ll offer critiques in a kind and constructive way and who understand the difference between truth and opinion.

***

My next post will be about writing general statements, such as “One should…” and “If one’s tie is caught in a vacuum cleaner….” Special thanks to my dear subscriber UC for the idea. If you’d like to suggest a topic for one of my posts, please do so! I’m all ears. Email me at Deena@BulletproofWriting.com.

Thanks for reading; it’s great to be back!! And in the meantime, remember what Louise Penny said, and…

Janitor Wins Writing Prize: Some End-of-Summer Inspiration

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writing inspiration

 

I recently came across two articles (this one and this one) about a janitor who won the 2018 Rooney Prize for Irish Literature.

Yes, you heard that correctly: She’s on the early-morning cleaning crew at Trinity College Dublin, coincidentally the same college that gives out the prize. The Rooney is given annually to an Irish-born writer under the age of 40 “who shows great talent and ‘exceptional promise,'” and who has published only once.

The winning author’s name is Caitríona Lalley, and she received the 2018 Rooney Prize for her 2015 novel, Eggshells. In another coincidence, she’s also a 2004 graduate of Trinity.

The Rooney Prize was created by Dan and Patricia Rooney, and was given for the first time in 1976. (The late Dan Rooney is the former owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers football team.) An author cannot apply for the prize; both the candidates and the winner are chosen by a selection committee.

Ms. Lalley, who is married with one daughter, was 39 years old when she won the Rooney – the very last year she was qualified to be in the running. Her day begins at Trinity College, scrubbing rooms from 6:00 to 9:30 am, after which she comes home to care for her daughter and to write.

 

What we can learn from Caitríona

I found Lalley’s story inspiring for many reasons.

She never gave up

Lalley comes across as a typical Humanities graduate who couldn’t seem to find a “real” job right after graduation. However, in her case, there was a difference:

She stuck with the writing, both when she had a job and when she didn’t.

While bouncing from one job to another, Lalley also experienced serious chunks of unemployment. In 2011, she spent a year pounding the Dublin pavement looking for any type of low-level job. She was rejected time and time again. But here’s how her experiences helped when writing and promoting her novel:

1. It gave her the idea for a social misfit protagonist who spends her days walking around Dublin looking for symbols and meaning in everyday objects. This is classic Method Writing, because Lalley used her own daily walks around Dublin only as the jumping-off point for her character; that’s where the similarities end.

It’s obvious that the author herself is not a social misfit, nor was she looking for deeper symbolic meaning in city structures like her protagonist. No doubt she was able to summon the authentic feelings engendered by spending the better part of her day essentially alone and searching, and apply them to the fictional character.

2. Surviving her job rejections enabled her to survive the many rejections from agents and publishers. As quoted in one of the articles, “There were many, many rejections, but after hundreds of [them], I think I’d gotten used to being told “no.'”

Lalley believed in herself and in her book. She wasn’t too proud to clean classrooms, dormitories, and bathrooms. Her writing wasn’t just a passing fancy, an “I want to maybe write a book some day” attitude. She took herself and her dream seriously. She wrote employed and unemployed. Her personal and economic status had nothing to do with the discipline of writing.

One day, Lalley submitted her novel to a contest whose prize was a day of pitching agents and publishers. And she won. And then she pitched. And then she got published.

She has a “day job”

Lalley’s janitorial job is perfect for her “job” as a mother, she says, and is a great fit for writing. She’s finishing up a second novel – and not planning on giving up her morning work:

It works well with my writing life. I’ve had paid copywriting jobs before, but it was hard to motivate myself to sit down at the computer and write my novel once my paid work was done.

I love this! I’ve heard from both other writers and my own subscribers that after a day of writing in their paid positions, they find it difficult to sit down and write what they want. And I, too, find it difficult to write after a day of editing other people’s work.

Granted, not all of us have the “luxury” of a job that doesn’t require us to think, reason, and solve problems. Nevertheless, I’d like to put Lalley’s idea out there. It’s something worth considering for anyone who’s looking for work.

You don’t have to be a janitor, but a job that’s totally different from writing can give you more head space to sit down after work and get your write your own stuff. It reminds me of when I was writing my senior thesis in university (a hundred years ago), and I took a computer science course as a diversion from all the right-brain stuff.

She’s working on her 2nd novel

Lalley was already almost done with her second novel when she won the Rooney Prize for her first one. This is how a true author behaves, and I admire her. After all, writers write, whether what they write will be read or not.

Lest we think Lalley is outputting thousands of words per day, one of the articles pointed out that although she had struggled with her second book, she had nevertheless plugged away at it every day.

Consistency trumps all.

She’s not rich

Lalley used her prize money to pay her bills, provide day care for her daughter, and buy a water tank for her attic. It sounds as if she scrambles like most of us. And this brings us to what should be every author’s bottom line:

Writing doesn’t always pay, but we do it anyway.

Every day, over and over again, whether we’re tired, energetic, sad, happy, hot, cold, under the weather or fit as a fiddle: it’s what we do, and I feel that this is where Caitríona Lalley can have the biggest impact on us.

 

Caitríona’s advice

Lalley’s advice for anyone who wants to write a book? Have a paid job that is not stressful. To quote one of the articles:

It’s very hard to write if you’re emotionally drained after work, or have a job that you dread. I know that cleaning is some people’s vision of hell, but it works for me. The bills must be paid, and until that six-figure sum comes a-knocking, everyone needs a day job.

I would add three other things that I consider good advice from Lalley:

  • Consistency.
  • Process, not product.
  • No expectations other than just getting the words down day after day after day.

***

Let’s hear from you now! Do you agree with Lalley’s advice about day jobs? Does she inspire you or discourage you? Let me know in the Comments. And, as always,

Happy writing!
Deena

Deena Nataf
www.BulletproofWriting.com
 Deena@BulletproofWriting.com

Write outside the Box and Start Getting Published

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We have the power and the choice to write – and rewrite – our own life stories.

As writers, we can change our life and literary narrative simultaneously by expanding our writing and publishing options. I’d like to challenge you to think and write outside the box.

If you’ve read my blog for any amount of time, or have bought my course, Wake Up Your Prose: Description Unpacked, you will know that I am not a fan of Harlequin Romances. In fact, it’s my favorite publishing house to make fun of.

However, I recently came across this article in Writer’s Digest, and it gave me a whole new perspective on the infamous publisher.

I learned that Harlequin has several extremely diverse imprints – which means several new opportunities for getting published! Aaaand… they welcome both established and beginning writers! Furthermore, the Harlequin folks promise that they read every single manuscript submitted to them.

Here’s what Harlequin has to say:

We are committed to publishing for our diverse global readership, and are actively seeking to acquire underrepresented authors, as well as stories which explore underrepresented perspectives on popular time periods.

I hear opportunity knocking.

Harlequin Series

Harlequin has 12 imprints that accept un-agented manuscripts, called “Harlequin Series.” This is great news for all of us. The bad news: They’re all in the Romance category – but there’s a range with regard to how rangy the books can be. These imprints publish only series books (which means you get to write more than one!). The names are hilarious, and some of the plots are way over the top and a bit embarrassing – to say nothing of the covers. But on the other hand, the enterprising Bulletproof Writing devotee might not want to write them off completely. (And you can always use a pseudonym.)

Here are the 12 categories in the Harlequin Series:

  • Dare
  • Desire
  • Heartwarming
  • Historical
  • Intrigue
  • Medical Romance
  • Harlequin Presents (M&B True Love)
  • M&B Modern
  • Romantic Suspense
  • Special Edition
  • Love Inspired
  • Love Inspired Suspense

Don’t ask me what “M&B” means; I couldn’t even get Google to give me a straight answer.

These twelve imprints range from super-explicit sex to Christian themes with no sex. And everything in between. But the bottom line is that Romance needs to be the leitmotif of each and every book.

According to the article in Writer’s Digest, Harlequin “provides very detailed ‘key elements’ they wish to see in books for each series, including word count, how explicit to get with the romance, whether the hero should be a billionaire alpha male, and other very specific details (while leaving room for creativity).”

So glad they leave room for creativity.

In any case, let’s explore a couple of these, from the raciest to the tamest.

Dare

“The heat level is explicit and described in straightforward, non-euphemistic language.”

Desire

“Passionate, dramatic and intense—a window into the world of the American elite, where the yearning of powerful men and dynamic women heightens as the drama unfolds!”

Heartwarming

This category comprises “clean, sweet, feel-good stories that readers can share with friends and family of all ages…with a focus on family and community.” Heroes are everyday types with traditional values. Although it can’t be Harlequin without romance, just make sure it’s clean romance.

Harlequin Historical

This imprint is actively looking to accept manuscripts from authors who belong to “underrepresented” communities. They would also like to publish more novels whose characters come from underrepresented communities. They want heroes to be alpha males, and their heroine needs to “emotionally challenge the hero, and inspire reader sympathy.”

You can get the rest of the scoop about each specific category by clicking here. Scroll all the way down the page to get information on Harlequin Series imprints.

Other Harlequin options

In addition to the Harlequin Series, there is one other imprint that accepts un-agented submissions: Carina Press.

Harlequin also has several imprints that must be submitted by agents, and from my research they seem to be a bit more conservative. Their covers are much less racy, too. Many of the books I explored on the Harlequin Website have been showcased by Amazon, so they’re a bit more mainstream.

Here are the imprints that require agents. Explore each one’s list, and see if you have a book idea that would fit their vision:

***

The point of this article is to show you that there’s more than one way to skin a cat. Even the one publishing house everyone loves to hate might just be your ticket to publishing fame.

Think outside the box. Research a variety of publishing opportunities, and keep an open mind. Most important: Start mapping out your next writing project!

You might just find yourself the recipient of that golden acceptance letter.

Much luck to you, and

Happy writing!
Deena

Deena Nataf
www.BulletproofWriting.com
 Deena@BulletproofWriting.com

Keep These 3 Things in Mind for Storytelling Success

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writing course

 

My premium video course, Wake Up Your Prose: Description Unpacked, is going bye-bye on Friday, August 2nd, at 11:59 pm PST! Don’t be left out in the cold on non-descriptive writing. You can go here to find out more – or to purchase it!

Missed Part 1 of my 3-part series on Storytelling? Read it here.

Missed Part 2 of my 3-part series on Storytelling? Read it here.

 

This is the 3rd and final installment of my series on Storytelling.

 

Just to review…

For the past several days, I have been reading this ebook, and the author has some valuable insights on storytelling. These 3 points stood out for me:

 

  • Storytelling is a necessary skill
  • The ability to tell a story is critical to effective communication with your customer
  • The correct sequencing of events, the correct delineation of causation, and the correct placement of emphasis, is vital to conveying a message of any sort [BTW, can you find the grammatical error in this sentence?]

I discuss the first two points in this post and in this post. Let’s go on to the 3rd and final point.

 

Storytelling needs sequence, causation, and emphasis

When telling your story, keep these 3 things in mind.

Sequence

  • Which scenes, events, or pieces of information go where?
  • What event comes at the very beginning, and how do things spread out or zero in from there?
  • Will your story be linear, i.e., chronological, or will it go back and forth between the past and the present? Between characters?
  • Will the background sequences be in the form of a short, one-sentence or one-paragraph backstory, or will they be entire chapters?
  • What about transitions between scenes and events?
  • Does your sequence of events make sense to the reader?
  • Do your dialogues display logical progression, or are the characters merely talking at each other?

An outline is invaluable for sequencing your piece – even if you’re writing the computer sales page I discussed in the first post of this series. In fact, especially in content writing, you need to plan out each section (features, benefits, price, etc.), as well as the narrative (i.e., the story) that will weave itself through the piece.

The bottom line: Whether you create a formal, numbered outline or simply a list scrawled on a torn-off piece of notebook paper, it will be invaluable in ensuring you know the progression of whatever story or narrative you are writing.

Causation

How do scenes and people intertwine? Does your story or article exhibit logic between cause and effect? For example, If you discuss someone sweating from the intense heat, are you careful not to say she put on a sweater a few paragraphs later, or that it started to snow?

Moreover, is there a reason for a particular personality trait in one of your characters that can be traced to his childhood? Are the actions of your characters consistent with their personalities, and vice versa?

As I point out in Wake Up Your Prose, you must tell the truth when you write, even if it hurts and even if you’re writing fiction. This means that if the logic of your plot dictates that you kill off a character, or have something bad happen to him or her, you will need to go with the natural cause and effect you have created.

Emphasis

Getting back to our buddy Abraham Lincoln (see my previous post), do you need to spend a lot of time describing what his mother made for dinner on his sixteenth birthday? (Maybe so, if it’s relevant to your thesis.) Likewise, if you’re writing an About page for someone’s website, will you need that person’s entire history, including the vacations they took? (I actually read an About page that included this information.)

Ask yourself: “What information is relevant to my goal with this piece?” In other words, where do need to place the emphasis?

Sometimes, ostensibly trivial information will in fact be important. For example, perhaps someone’s vacation in Ireland at the age of 18 is what stimulated her to start a blog on Irish glassware. Or maybe you’d like your readers to know a bit about 19th-century American cuisine, and thus describing Lincoln’s birthday dinner is an interesting and informative way to do that.

Point of view also falls under the category of emphasis. Will you write that story from a child’s point of view or from that of her mother? Are you going to emphasize how gigantic a mansion is in order to contrast it with the heroine’s small stature and timid personality? Is the murder mystery just a whodunit, or is it a psychological study of the detective?

***

To sum up…

Keeping sequence, causation, and emphasis front and center when you are writing – and of course, when you are outlining and revising – will make your prose a pleasure to read. Readers want things to make sense, and you are doing them and yourself a great service by making your prose feel and sound realistic. It doesn’t matter whether you are writing fiction or nonfiction; it all has to make sense.

One of the most comprehensive modules in my course, Wake Up Your Prose: Description Unpacked, is on storytelling. For all there is to know about writing descriptive prose, go ahead over to the sales page and make your purchase! Doors close Friday, August 2nd, at 11:59 PST.

All the best, and

Happy writing!
Deena

Deena Nataf
www.BulletproofWriting.com
 Deena@BulletproofWriting.com