By Les Edgerton 

Bio:

Les Edgerton has published nine books, including a novel, a collection of short stories, and two writer's how-to's. His fiction has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize, O. Henry Award, Edgar Allan Poe Award, PEN/Faulkner Award, Jesse Jones Book Award, and the Violet Crown Book Award, among others. One of his screenplays was a semifinalist in the Academy Award's Nicholl's Foundation  and another was named a finalist in the Writer's Guild Awards and a semifinalist in the Best of Austin Screenplay competition.

He's taught creative writing for the UCLA Extension Writer's Program, was the visiting writer-in-residence for the University of Toledo, the visiting writer for Trine University, and teaches creative writing online for the Gotham Writer's Workshop, for Vermont College (where he earned his MFA in Writing), and for Writer's Digest Writer's Online Workshop (WOW). He also provides private coaching for the writing of a number of prominent Hollywood personalities. Les will participate in two of the nation's most prestigious literary events, this summer. First, at the University of Wisconsin's Writer's Institute, where he will be the co-headliner along with Linda Seger, screenwriting guru. LesEdgerton.com

Write Your Story Now!

Linda Joy Myers

National Association of Memoir Writers

The young man grinned across the table from me as he adjusted his owl-shaped glasses. "I've had all these experiences I want to write about, but who will listen to me? I'm only 18, and no one thinks I've had much of a life yet."

His eyes glanced down at his hands where the loops and twirls of a tattoo encircled his fingers. They folded into hands of supplication and then fluttered apart like nervous birds. In his dark eyes, I could see the passion to tell his story. I told him, "You have the passion to write your story, and you've already started.  Your poetry, songs, and blogs are your story. You can capture your ideas and thoughts any way you want, just make sure you write while it's fresh." He nodded and fiddled with his iPod, his face relaxing into a smile.

As the President of the National Association of Memoir Writers, I encounter many people, young and old, who have a story to tell and who want to write a memoir. This is a great time to write your story because there are so many ways to tell a story, and so many places where you can share it. No matter how old, or young, you are, from the time of your birth you fell into the story of your family, friends, school, and companions. We enter the world in the middle of other people's stories, and intertwine ourselves in and out of the tapestry of life that's made of many colors.

Often, people ask me, " Where do I start? How do I know if my story is boring?" My answer is always this: start anywhere. Write about an experience you had that you can never forget. Put yourself back in the scene-remember how things smelled, looked, tasted. The sounds around you, notice the faces, fabrics, and feelings you had then. Throw it onto the page quickly without censoring. Allow yourself to be messy and unorganized, that is how the creative mind works.

After you have done some of these stories, then you can figure out when they happened, you can create a timeline for your stories, and have a sense of whether you want to edit them, put them in a blog, or start writing a book.

The important thing when you want to write your life is to begin, and begin now.  If you have a passion, a "fire in the belly" to write, let it guide you. Take dictation, and don't listen to any critics. It is your story. It is your life. Begin writing now.

Bio:

Linda Joy Myers, Ph.D. has had a therapy practice in Berkeley, California for 30 years and has taught memoir writing as a healing practice for 10 years. She is President and Founder of the National Association of Memoir Writers.  Linda is in the process of completing a non-fiction book on the healing benefits of writing memoir to be published by Jossey-Bass/Wiley in 2010 and is also the author of a book-length memoir, Don'tCall Me Mother: Breaking the Chain of Mother Daughter Abandonment, which received the Gold Medal Award from the Bay Area Independent Publishing Association in 2007. A chapter from the book was a finalist in the 2005 Writers Digest Nonfiction contest. Linda Joy Myers

Foolproof Forms 

# 1 - Freewriting

By: Bob Stanley

Sometimes poetry forms can seem difficult, and they keep us from getting started. So I look for ways that help me write. One of the simplest ways to "get ideas on paper" is called freewriting. Now freewriting might lead to a poem, and it might not. But the idea behind it is that if you write something, you'll write more. The only rule of freewriting is "keep writing." Don't stop for anything. Especially don't stop because you are worried if it's any good. The truth is, when you put words on paper, you start to have ideas. So just let your mind ramble - let the words lead your mind and don't stop - and you'll discover ideas you didn't know you had.

Natalie Golberg has used freewriting to help her in her writing career. These are some of the pointers she gives:

• Give yourself a time limit. Write for one or ten or twenty minutes, and then stop.
• Keep your hand moving until the time is up. Do not pause to stare into space or to read what you've written. Write quickly but not in a hurry.
• Pay no attention to grammar, spelling, punctuation, neatness, or style. Nobody else needs to read what you produce here. The correctness and quality of what you write do not matter; the act of writing does.
• If you get off the topic or run out of ideas, keep writing anyway. If necessary, write nonsense or whatever comes into your head, or simply scribble: anything to keep the hand moving.

So the next time you're stuck for an idea, try freewriting, and see where it takes you. If you pick up some ideas for topics to expand on, then you can go back and write about them. Freewriting can work for creative pieces like poetry or fiction, and it can help with essays, too. You can use it in the beginning of a writing process, or in the middle. Learn to make freewriting work for you - it may seem silly at first, but it's a proven cure for "Writers' Block."

(Fool-Proof Forms #2 - Anaphora will be featured in June 2009's Write On!)

Bio:

Bob Stanley teaches creative writing and English composition at CSU Sacramento and Sacramento City College.  Bob's poems have been published in various journals and anthologies, and have won a number of awards including the California Focus on Writers first prize for poetry in 2006.  President of the Sacramento Poetry Center, Bob is currently editing a collection of poetry by poets laureate from the cities and counties of California. He and his wife Joyce have four children, and they have lived in the Arden area of Sacramento since 1989. Bob's first chapbook, Walt Whitman Orders a Cheeseburger, will be published by Rattlesnake Press in the spring of 2009.

My "Formula" for Writing Success

by Eldon Thompson

There's no such thing as overnight success.  Or if there is, I haven't met anyone who encountered it.  If you talk to someone who achieved a rapid rise in fame, fortune, or some other pursuit, I'd be willing to bet that what they truly experienced is simply the manifestation of years and years of preparation, dedication, and discipline finally paying off.

I enjoy lifting weights.  I have for nearly twenty years, since deciding in the Eighth Grade that I needed to get bigger and stronger if I wished to excel at football.  Nowadays, a lot of people I meet in the gym want to know my secret to staying fit.  They ask questions like: "What do you eat?  Do you take any supplements?  Have you ever used steroids?"  The assumption is that there's some magic recipe that they might follow in order to enjoy an overnight transformation.

Unfortunately, it's not that easy.  I have only a rudimentary understanding of what constitutes a good diet.  The only supplements I've taken can be picked up at GNC.  My "secret" is simply to lift hard an average of two hours a day, six days a week, for almost two decades.

It's much the same with writing.  If there's a magic bullet or secret pill for getting published, I never found it.  Nor have any of the other professional writers I've met over the years, many of whom are much more accomplished than I am.  What I have found, despite the myriad roads to publication, are certain commonalities-traits and practices that each and every one of these professionals exercised in order to achieve their goals.  It's the closest I've managed to come to devising a formula that aspiring writers might follow.  I call it the 6 "P's".

(1) Passion - First and foremost, you have to love to write.  Passion for the craft will ignite your endeavors and sustain you when times are hard.  No matter how much you enjoy it, there will be days in which you wonder why you bother, why you don't simply give up.  Mere enjoyment won't get you through.  You have to love it so much that not writing is more painful than writing could ever be.  It's been said that if you can do something other than write, you should do that instead.  My feeling is that nothing in life is easy, so you might as well do what you love.

(2) Preparation - If a person has a specific goal or destination, chances are, they will not reach it by accident.  Travelers have maps or navigation systems.  Builders have blueprints.  Coaches have game plans.  If lacking these planning materials, the odds of success decrease dramatically.  Why should writing be any different?  If you're just toying around, that's one thing.  But if you have a goal, then look ahead to see how best to get there.  Take the time to analyze your story idea, synopsis, outline (whether loose or detailed), pitches, proposals, and query letters.  When ready to submit, research agents, editors, and the marketplace in general.  If you are haphazard in your approach, you will likely reap haphazard results.

(3) Practice - The more you work at something, the more natural it becomes.  For most writers, storytelling is largely instinctual.  But there is always room for improvement, and any writer worth his or her salt is always striving for it.  Professional athletes don't just show up on game day.  They review their fundamentals, analyze opponent tendencies, and practice their techniques over and over again.  There's no better method for improving one's physical, mental, or artistic skills than simply logging the repetitions.  For writers, that means reading everything you can get your hands on and writing as much as is humanly possible.  You'll meet lots of people who claim to have amazing story ideas.  But writers sit their tails in the chair and actually write.

(4) Patience - This may be the hardest notion to accept, particularly for inexperienced writers.  We all think ours is the next great tale, and there's a tendency to want to rush it to market before someone beats us to it.  Having such aspirations can be a positive thing, but expecting overnight results can lead to undue frustration.  In the world of publishing, few things happen quickly.  Even after you've written and revised your manuscript to "perfection," you'll spend weeks, months, or years submitting to agents/editors and awaiting their responses.  Even when you are finally published, you may wonder why readers aren't racing to bookstores to snatch your debut volume off the shelves.  Rather, you'll likely have published two or three volumes before anyone realizes you've written one.  It all can happen faster, but it rarely does.  I hate to see aspiring writers get discouraged when they realize just how slowly the wheels of publishing tend to turn.  So think of writing as a marathon, not a sprint.  Dream big, but set a long-term pace, and don't expect too much too soon.

(5) Prioritize - To become a professional writer, you'll likely have to give up something of lesser importance to you along the way.  As I mentioned above, writing takes time-and lots of it.  Every moment you spend playing games, watching TV, or hanging out with friends is a moment in which you could be honing some aspect of your craft.  Going without sleep, spending money on writers conferences, giving up your Friday nights out-these are the types of sacrifices you may have to make if you plan to take your work to the next level.  I don't recommend ignoring your family and friends completely.  Don't shirk responsibilities such as school, work, or chores.  But if writing is truly important to you, make it a priority.  Look at other hobbies that mean less to you, and consider cutting them out of your schedule.  Life is filled with balances and tradeoffs.  With writing, as with all things, you may have to repeatedly ask yourself how badly you want it.

(6) Perseverance - I know it sounds trite, but the surest way to fail is to stop trying.  People out there (even friends and family) will tell you you're foolish to pursue a career in writing.  At times, you'll wonder if they're right.  Some level of doubt is necessary, as it pushes us to work harder, to challenge ourselves to do better.  There's nothing shameful about changing your mind and altering your professional pursuits.  But if you truly want to write, then do so.  You may have to modify your specific actions from time to time in order to achieve better results.  You may have to take time off entirely to deal with something else life throws your way.  No matter your circumstances, however, the ultimate decision is yours.  If building a writing career is what you really, really want, then don't let anyone tell you it can't be done.

There it is, my formula for writing success.  In today's fast-food, movies-on-demand, instant-communication society, it may not be what folks want to hear.  But it's the best advice I can offer.  Would you prefer that it be easy?  If it were, everyone would be doing it.  So look at it as a way to challenge yourself, to do something that sets you apart from the pack.  And imagine the sense of joy and accomplishment you'll feel when able to fulfill a dream that others told you was impossible.

Bio:

Like most fantasy writers, Eldon Thompson is an avid weightlifter and wishes he was playing quarterback in the NFL. But a hardcover deal with HarperCollins for his "Legend of Asahiel" trilogy seems a fair consolation prize. In it, he is dutifully following some of the longest-standing conventions of the genre... so that he can tear them all down and catch a reader or two by surprise. If that doesn't work, he is on the verge of making a splash in Hollywood - and hopes that he won't merely drown. His screenplay adaptation of Terry Brooks's "Shannara" is currently indevelopment at Warner Bros.

eldonthompson.com

Shout It From the Rooftops: How To Develop The Self-promotion Habit

By Christina Katz

Your heart warms with pride, your cheeks burn with a tinge of self-revelation, and your stomach flutters at the thought that you have made your innermost thoughts public. No matter how comfortably or uncomfortably you experience these feelings, without a doubt I'm talking about one of the best feelings in the world: seeing your byline appear after the title of a piece you wrote and got published.

 But perhaps one of the worst feelings is immersing yourself into a piece of writing, rewriting and rewriting and rewriting it until every word is as perfect as the lyrics in your favorite song, actually getting it published, and then having nobody but your mother, your grandparents, and your best friend seek out the piece and read it.

 Fortunately, you can prevent this sad scenario from happening when your words make it into print by becoming one of the increasing numbers of authors who champion what they write. By making a commitment to marketing yourself and your hard work before and after it goes to print, your words will get read. And by becoming the producer-in-chief of all your writing endeavors present and future, you will never have to worry about anonymity today, tomorrow, and as long as you choose to write.

 Does this sound like a huge responsibility? It isn't. You can guarantee that your words will actually be read by real live people who are not even related to you by getting yourself out there and getting the hang of promoting yourself. Here are four easy examples to tackle when you are ready:

 Start an e-mail list:

Who are the people who like to hear about your writing success? Why not start a list in your address book with them and keep adding to it as time goes by. You can start by sending out simple regular announcements of good things that happen-just be sure to get permission. One way to get permission is to send an announcement about your work out to everyone you know and tell them that they can unsubscribe if they don't want to receive future messages from you on the topic.

 Create a sign-off at the bottom of your message that invites people to forward your writing-related news to their friends who might also be interested. Once you start to get into high numbers of subscribers (say, 100+), it's time to start checking out automated newsletter services like www.aweber.com, www.zinester.com, or www.constantcontact.com to streamline the endeavor. Then people can come and go whenever they please without creating more work for you.

 Create a simple website:

Although social networking is fun, a proper writer's website is not a Facebook or a Myspace page; it's not even a blog. So save the detailed descriptions of your quirks and faves for the social networking you will do after you've built yourself a solid website to publicize your genuine writing credentials (creds) across the ethers while you are sleeping. And if you don't have any genuine writing creds yet, getting some is an important first step.

 Once you have some creds to share, it's time to test-drive some simple site-building software like Adobe's Contribute or a free online version like www.dotnetnuke.com. Avoid any web-building services that are going to flash gratuitous advertising across your site. Better to cough up a few bucks once a year than have a site that's crowded and rife with messages you can't control.

 To earn the dough to pay for your site's expenses, why not post links to your favorite books and ask folks to place their book and product orders through your site so you can earn referral fees? A few bucks a month adds up over the course of a year. Check out a widget called Adaptive Blue (www.adaptiveblue.com) that can reference all the available online booksellers while including your affiliate link to retailers who make one available.

 Blog when it makes sense:

Blogging can be great for writers assuming three things:

 1.      You have ample material to draw on and time to blog regularly.

2.      You take the time to determine your appropriate audience, topic and your specific slant (or take) on your topic for your specific audience.

3.      You don't plan on starting a blog, blogging like mad for six weeks, and then disappearing from the face of the blogosphere without a trace. Preparation can prevent this common pitfall from happening to you.

 Quite frankly, when you consider all the time and energy a blog requires, sometimes it makes more sense to cultivate your email list, aim for publication credits, develop your website and blog later. Or even not blog at all. Because down the road, you'll have a better idea whether or not the strategy of blogging is the best one for you. In my experience working with adult writers, blogging can suck up a lot of energy that might be better devoted to the writing and pitching skills necessary for long-term success as a writer.

 Volunteer some time:

Why not offer your services doing writing-related work like mentoring, tutoring, becoming a teaching assistant or camp counselor so you can become rich with inspiration, confidence and opportunities too? Staying home and curling up with your pen and journal is great, but isolation is not a long-term strategy for writing success. Private time for personal reflection is vital for any writer, but equally important is taking the risk of expanding your interests to include interaction with like-minded others.

 I host an author series in my hometown and I recruited a senior in high school to assist me when the task became too big for me to manage myself. This is an amazing opportunity for Ashleigh because not only does she get to attend the entire series for free and take notes on what the authors say as one of her responsibilities, she's also been inspired to apply for a scholarship to a local writers conference. Volunteering has spawned numerous writing ideas and conversations with professional writers that might not have happened had she simply stayed home.

 Now you know what can you do to encourage readers to step right up and read your latest gems without becoming like a carnival barker. Make peace with promoting yourself as a writer and then work at it continually. Because if you want to write for today's marketplace, self-promotion is key to keeping your published work vital and cultivating a readership who will keep coming back for more.

Bio:

An Interview with Erik Vanderheydt, Songwriter & Graduating Senior

By Tracy Saville

About studying music and songwriting, Jimmy Webb in his book "Tunesmith" said, "It's never too early or too late to start". So true; take Erik Van Derheydt, age 17 and a senior at Rio Americano High School in Sacramento, California, for example. Erik's been writing music for 2 years, playing keyboards for 2, and drums for 4, although he says he's ten times better on the keyboards, that this is where his natural talent lies. Here's what new CCYW member Erik had to share about songwriting and his songwriting experience when I caught up with him recently in between rehearsals for two performing and recording band projects, composing the international theme song for Capitol City Young Writers, and the last part of his Senior year. 

Lyrics or music? I'm not a big fan of writing lyrics, but I have to write them, so I do it well. I collaborate with others a lot, like I am with this CCYW project. I'll end up doing most of the music and my two partners will probably work a lot on lyrics and helping to compose and produce the song.

What's the biggest creative difference between the two? Personally, I'm a composer, I see and hear the music before I see or hear the words. It's true; you have to learn the rules and practice before you can write a book, which is the same for writing music. I'm not formally trained, and I started by doing everything by ear. Also, I find it easier to express my emotions through the music itself, because some emotions can't be described by words. I also like my lyrics to have a story (not like a musical), or have a lot of meaning to them. I don't really like music with no meaning to it, like a lot of popular music today.

Who turned you on to writing music? My dad. He is an awesome keyboard player, guitarist, and bassist. He built a home studio a couple of years ago; he bought tons of recording equipment and a Yamaha es7 keyboard. I started messing with the keyboard later on, and then started writing my own music. I didn't really have a reason to write except I wanted to; I felt a need to write music. I think I have a knack for it, but I also do it all day every day, so...

Who are your influences and what do you listen to? I listen to ALL kinds of music. Classical, Symphonic Metal, Avant Garde, and Death Metal are my favorites. Early on I was inspired a lot by Rammstein and Nightwish. I often listen to bands like Wintersun, Unexpect, Ensiferum, Dog Fashion Disco, Dimmu Borgir, and Opeth. I listen to composers like Hans Zimmer, James Newton Howard, Steve Jablonsky, Elliot Goldenthal, Mozart, Verdi, Brahms, Chopin. The more complex and epic, the better.

Is songwriting your only talent? I can draw pretty well, and also write stories pretty well. But I live and breathe music every day.

Where do you want to take your songwriting? Everywhere.

What advice do you have for youth who want to pursue a career in songwriting? Learn, learn, and learn, wherever and however you can. If you're writing and you're frustrated, take a break. When you're writing the same song for awhile, it will start to sound stale and not good enough to you; everything won't sound good enough and you won't be motivated to continue. I've encountered that problem tons of times. Also, don't be arrogant, because there will always be someone better than you. Arrogance will blind you and prevent you from moving forward. Nobody will want to work with you and you'll end up going through so many band members you won't get anything done.

If there was one big goal or dream that songwriting could bring you, what would it be? All I want is to be successful enough with my music so I can donate most of my money and be financially secure for the rest of my life. My goal is to help other people, because one man doesn't really need to have a lot to be happy.

More about Erik and his music here: www.myspace.com/solomusicianerikv   

My Most Excellent Year-a Novel of Love, Mary Poppins & Fenway Park

by Steve Kluger

Book Review by: Becky Levine

  T.C. Keller and Augie Hwong have been best friends since first grade, when T.C.'s mother died and Augie was the only kid who knew the right things to say. They are so close, they consider each other brothers and share vacations, houses, and parents. Then Alé Perez comes to school and catches T.C.'s attention. In many books, this change would cause problems for the guys, but Kluger makes Alé a great friend to Augie as well as a romantic interest for T.C.

Of course, things don't start that smoothly. In the first "conversation" between T.C. and Alé, T.C. sticks a note in Alé's social studies book, and Alé replies with a letter in an envelope that looks like it came from the principal's office.

DEAR ALLIE: I'M CONSIDERING A RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU. AND BY THE WAY, FORGET THAT MRS. FITZPATRICK CALLS ME ANTHONY. YOU CAN CALL ME T.C. -T.C.

 Dear Anthony:

I appreciate your recent interest, but I'm not accepting applications at this time. Your letter will be kept in our files and someone will get back to you if there is an opening.

Thank you for thinking of me.

Respectfully,

Alejandra Perez

P.S. It's not "Allie." It's Alé.

 Notes? Letters? That's not all. Kluger has stepped way outside the typical chapter-after-chapter style of most books. His story is told by over a dozen different narrators, including the three main characters, their parents, and a CIA agent. Keller's characters use every "written" form of communication from journal entries to email to text messaging.

When Augie finally realizes he's gay (which everybody else already knew!), he IMs T.C.

AugieHwong: What would you say if I told you I think I like boys? I mean LIKE boys. I mean the way you like Alé?

TCKeller: "Duh"?

AugieHwong: That's it??

TCKeller: Depends. Who's the boy?

AugieHwong: Andy Wexler.

TCKeller: The jury's out. I need to see how he treats you first.

Kluger handles all the relationships in this book beautifully. Yes, he includes conflict, but the ground beneath these kids-thanks to their friendship and families-is so rock solid they can grow with the changes that come along. Not only does Kluger write tightly and with laugh-out-loud humor, he's given the reader an alternative to the many books that throw their characters head first into deep, dark problems.

Because, in this book, even Mary Poppins is real. The triangle turns into a team when Hucky Evan Harper comes along. Hucky is deaf, pretty angry, and worships Mary Poppins. Mary Poppins, not Julie Andrews. Coached by his memories of his mother, and backed up by Augie and Alé, T.C. is determined to make Hucky's dreams come true. By the time the story is over, the "family" that T.C. and Augie share has stretched to include Alé, Andy Wexler, Hucky, and...well, you'll have to read the book.

My Most Excellent Year-a Novel of Love, Mary Poppins & Fenway Park is a fun, happy story about romances that work out and dreams that come true. This book isn't likely to get assigned in your English class or even handed to you for extra credit, but it's going to make you smile and laugh as you turn every page. And that's not a bad thing.

Becky Levine is a writer and speaker, living in California's Santa Cruz mountains. She writes for children and young adults, and is currently working on a historical YA set in Chicago, in 1913. Becky is the author of The Writing Group Survival Guide, coming from Writers Digest Books in 2010. You can learn more about Becky at her website and blog, www.beckylevine.com.

1) How old were you when you had your first article published and what did that feel like?

I was sixteen years old when I had my first paid article published in
the North and East Manchester Advertiser last summer on Thursday 24 July 2008. Although, I was fortunate enough to have three separate articles published during a one-week work experience placement I spent at the same paper, this was my first paid article of considerable length that I had chosen myself. Asylum seekers: "Should they be allowed to stay?" aimed to make more of the local community aware of the misconceptions and misplaced generalisations that not everyone seeking asylum in the United Kingdom receives financial support and free accommodation. People seek asylum for different reasons, ranging
from escaping tyranny to looking for employment and learning
opportunities. My feelings were a sense of relief as well as
accomplishment. This was because I had been offered the chance to write for the newspaper at the age of 13, but my inexperience and unfamiliarity with the basic structures of writing newspaper articles had me writing many different drafts of
this story.

I remember writing a 1,000 word draft that had no quotes
and a long quote from myself in the format of Samson Dada said.....Eventually after taking out a lot of time in between and giving the editor a lot of lame excuses, my article was eventually published. I also spent quite a lot of time gathering many quotes and making persistent phone calls. I will always remember my first publication for two reasons. One because it was the day when Barrack Obama addressed a crowd of over 200,000 in Tiergarten, Berlin with his "This is our moment" speech, and secondly because my article received written reaction from readers, which led me to be becoming their first ever Youth Community Correspondent. Because I was drooling over my article, I missed Obama's speech, but thank God for You-tube.  I doubt
that if this article was as good as it was then my editor Gerry Sammon would be placing his trust in me now to be publishing my articles on a regular basis.

2) Can you give us a quick overview of your writing process? (how do you get your ideas, form them into a story, revise and pitch for
publication?

That is a very good question! Homecooks never reveal their secret
recipes, but I will reveal my writing formulae. I may take a national,
international or regional story and try to relate this story to the
local area by including local case studies and or local quotes in my
article. My 'Future hopes now rest with President Obama's article was related to the international event of his inauguration, but the reason it was published was because there was relevance to North and East Manchester. For example, a secretary of the Manchester Cuban Solidarity Campaign group told me that President Obama could improve relations with Cuba by lifting the blockade, lifting the travel ban and freeing the five anti-terrorists serving long sentences in the US following trumped up charges of spying. There are three main different styles of articles that I can present to my to the editor: Informative news articles, opinion pieces and exclusive interviews. My first three paid articles for the newspaper were
opinion pieces for me to make a strong statement, but now I am
focusing a lot of getting original news stories to the readers and
also having more exclusive interviews. Last month I secured my first exclusive interview with the chairman of a local football team called Moston Juniors.
http://www.nemadvertiser.co.uk/news/s/1093758_how_important_is_junior_football

I get quotes by emailing the relevant sources, then if there is no
reply closer to my deadline, I phone to them to try and arrange
something. All too often I relied on solely sending emails but there
are not always received in time or responded to. This article:
http://www.nemadvertiser.co.uk/news/s/1096534_church_will_go_in_peace
is a follow up to an originally reported story, so I sometimes respond to stories. The most basic point to remember is to write directly to suit your audience. Because of my interest in national and international affairs I used to fall into a trap of writing a well
written national or international article that had no relevance to my
target audience. So, if you like your publication, find out their
audience, read their articles, analyse their style and adapt to it.

3) Who are your greatest writing influences and why?

One of my greatest writing influences is William Shakespeare because he was a man who lived for writing. He was a true writer in the sense that his versatility was phenomenal. Shakespeare was the wizard of writing with a Midas touch. He wrote poems, plays and novels. A huge indicator of his influence is that his writings were translated into every major language. His works made plays such as Romeo and Juliet and King Lear. Many people still read his works for pleasure, and cover him in curriculum's across the world. My greatest modern influences are J.K. Rowling, Philip Pullman and John Grisham. Rowling appreciating and understanding her audience along with her perseverance during extremely painful times in her life make her the success she is today. Philip Pullman captures what description and imagination are by creating worlds with his Dark Materials trilogy.

John Grisham has an influence of me because he is someone with a story. As an ex-politician and retired attorney, his legal and crime
thrillers have sold over 250 million copies worldwide, and this is the
measure of his experiences. Accomplished journalists such as Sky News' Jeremy Thompson and Sir Trevor McDonald are brilliant influences for me to aspire to be, as well as Hunter Thompson and Walter Cronkite because their rare longevity and professionalism is someone I would like to have as a writer.

But I would say that my greatest writing influence is Cleland Thom.
He is one of the UK´s leading journalism trainers, and made me the youngest ever member of his premier gold mentoring scheme. He also offered me a scholarship to achieve my NCTJ Journalism qualification with CTJT Online courses. Despite his very busy schedule, when I email him he always gives me great advice in many things apart from journalism. He has helped a lot in my life, and is a big contributor in my development towards becoming a qualified newspaper journalist.

4) I see that you are very passionate about politics.  Do you feel
that young writers can go further in their writing careers if they
have a "specialty" or "niche" to write about?  How has it helped you
gain more publishing credits?

Firstly, I believe that as a writer it is important, especially if you
work in print journalism to be able to adapt and write about a range
of different issues from archaeology to zoo keeping events.

Secondly, having specialist knowledge and understanding of two or even three areas places you head and shoulders above millions of print journalists. There is obviously freedom and the opportunity to break in markets that will accept your work. The same principle applies to broadcasting. There are news correspondents who report on stories that are assigned to them by the news desk, but specialist correspondents such as political and business ones are placing with a greater responsibility of reporting the news for their important areas. With regard to your question of whether it has helped me gain more publishing credits, the paper I write for is not a specialist one, but my knowledge of US politics allowed me to write about Obama's inauguration and get it published. I do envy the MSNBC White House correspondents such as Chuck Todd, Savanna Guthrie, John Yang and David Gregory.

5) What is on your desk right now (either objects or writing projects?)

There are no great big lists of writing projects on my desk, but I
have recently had an advertisement about my role in the newspaper, so my brother cut it out and placed it on card. It is now a stand up label on my desk. I like the thought of having 'Samson Dada, Editor' in a large headquarters somewhere. To the left of my desk, next to my hard drive resting on a shelf, there are several books such as Alan Greenspan: The Age of Turbulence which I am enjoying at the moment, The Blair Years by Alistair Campbell and Ann Frank's The Diary of a Young Girl. I do not have a clue when I will finish them. Under my desk I often place my journalism portfolio there when I feel like massaging my ego!



Samson Dada, age: 17, resides in the United Kingdom with his parents and brother.  He is a student at Xaverian Sixth Form College, studying English Language and Literature, History, Government and Politics.
Writing projects include: Youth Community Correspondent for the North and East Manchester Advertiser; one of three editors for Xpress (College magazine);
and contributor for up and coming magazine.
Ambitions: Become a qualified journalist, write for a national
newspaper and eventually become an editor, own a media business, be an American writer/ correspondent, possibly enter into politics and release at least one book.
Blog/site link: http://samsondada.com/articles/

 

Grammar:  Hip, Slick, Important, Cool, and No Silly Costume Required

by Professor Brad Henderson,AKA, the neo-cowboy poet and blues-rock drummer "Beau Hamel"

           As a young person in junior high or high school--among other things, like what your favorite sport or music group is, where might you go to college or get a job someday, or whom you secretly admire and want to date--does grammar matter?  Or is it something totally lame, unnecessary, and weird--like placating your Aunt Margo by dressing up as a junior member of the Order of the Antelope Family Club and wasting an entire Saturday morning marching with her and a bunch of old-fogies in a community spirit parade?

            Hi-ho.  Before you answer, my noble grade-6-through-12 students, let me ask you this:  Do you care about your own ideas--that is, your signature, creative, and educated thoughts and feelings about your life, other persons' lives, and all else going on in world around you?  My guess is that your answer is definitely yes!   Then, guess what?  Like it or not, grammar--that age-old system for capturing an idea so that it can be spoken or written, and, hence, saved by you and also shared by you--is pretty darn important.

            So, let's get real, and take a look at what grammar is and what it is not.  First-off, a lot of people--young, old, even some people who are technically dead and living on in dusty textbooks--preach about grammar as if it were a thick code book--an exhaustive set of rules and regulations having to do with how to use specific words when one speaks and writes.  These people seem to be on a mission of teaching innocent students a bazillion dos and don'ts about grammar, one punishment at a time.  For example, "No!  It's not, 'Alexis and me are going to the mall."  It's 'Alexis and I...'."  Or, "My goodness, that's wrong!  One should say, 'That pile of video games was Jason's.  Not '...were Jason's'." 

            These people, let's call them Grammar Vice Principals (GVPs), have good intentions, but it is they, not you, who should be punished.  Yes, grammar does guide speakers and writers to arrange words properly in sentences.  And the GVPs are often correct relative to the "corrections" they suggest.  But they're wrong to imply that being grammatical is a penance centered around not breaking rules.

            Not true.  Being grammatical when you speak or write means trying to do something--as opposed to trying not to do something--regarding the expression of your individual ideas--the activities of people, places, and things that matter to you.  Grammar is a common system of logic for encoding ideas into language.  We need a common system of logic, rather than random and individualized systems, because multiple people must use the system, decode it, and make sense out of it.  In some ways, too, grammar is cosmic and universal--sort of like the essence of great music--songs that sound "sweet" and make you feel "chill."

            Not only am I a professor in writing at a university, but also I am a drummer.  I never liked my drum teachers barking orders at me, but I did (and still do) appreciate the basic rudiments they taught me, such as how to play a paradiddle, what are the basic components of a 4/4 rockin' beat, and how to take those pieces and create a solid groove punctuated by tasty fills.  A good set of lessons in grammar--by a teacher who likes to rock rather than one who likes to be a grammar disciplinarian--will serve you well. 

            Knowing the basics of grammar means that you know the basic components of a sentence--the Eight Parts of Speech--and how to use and arrange those components to communicate an idea--most importantly, one of your ideas.  The resulting sentences are the equivalents to a well-phrased drum beats, bass riffs, or guitar licks that sound awesome, rather than like clunkers. 

            Do you know the Eight Parts of Speech? 

            One of the Eight Parts of Speech is the noun--a word or group of words that represents a person, place, or thing.  Another is the verb--a word or group of words that expresses action.  A Third Part of Speech is the pronoun--a word that stands-in for a noun as a placeholder.  What's more, the noun being replaced has a special name, the "antecedent."  (Okay, so you just learned a big, fancy word.  That wasn't so bad, was it?)   Now, would you like to learn more about the other five parts of speech?  If so, I suggest you Google the "Eight Parts of Speech."  Or, ask your English teacher.

            Okay, let's end with a simple sentence made from three words, each representing a Part of Speech--pronoun ("I"), verb ("like"), and noun ("grammar"):

I like grammar.

            The grammar of this sentence guides the proper arrangement of the words.  For example, it's not "like grammar I."  That sequencing sounds too funky.  Grammar lines the words up correctly so the listener or reader "gets it."  Moreover, let's slice and dice this sentence.  Here, the correct use of the pronoun is "I" not "Me."  However, what's really important, is that "I" stands for somebody, maybe you.  You.

            Dude!  It's all about the antecedent, not the rules.

            You are important, your ideas are important, and the grammar you use to express your ideas is important, too.  This is not to say that learning grammar is a breeze, nor that it's as fun as ripping out on a drum set or shredding on a guitar.  But it's certainly more worthwhile and less embarrassing to master than learning how to wear a fuzzy outfit with horns, Swiss-march, and make fake antelope noises in public with your Aunt Margo.

Bio:

Brad Henderson is a Professor in Writing for the University Writing Program at University of California, Davis, and the author of the forthcoming book, Grammar Rocks.  Henderson's first novel, Drums, won a Phi Kappa Phi Award in Creative Writing from University of Southern California, and received endorsements from the drummers of Guns N' Roses and Pearl Jam.  He is also the author of the poetry book, Split Stock.  Henderson's stories, articles, and poems have appeared in a variety of newspapers and literary journals.  When he is not teaching students how to write grammatically, Brad spends his time performing before Sacramento-area audiences as "Beau Hamel," the neo-cowboy poet and blues-rock drummer.

contact:

bhenderson@ucdavis.edu

http://writing.ucdavis.edu/faculty-staff/directory/bhenders

Find Your Tribe!

By: Mary Jo Campbell

"Whatever you want to do - begin it. Action has magic, grace and power in it." ~Goethe

I wanted to wrap up this issue of Write On! by coming full circle on the subject of passion. Verna speaks of the energy found in a writers' conference. Well, what if you could get that juice once a month or once a week, even?

I'm talking about a writers' group. This is a small gathering of writers who meet locally at a designated place on a designated day to share their writing and offer each other feedback.

Writing can be lonely. And without people to read your stuff (besides your mom) how do you know if it's really any good?  In a worn black notebook that sat in a box under my bed for years, was a story I had scribbled. To me it was just "OK," a short piece I wrote from a writing prompt with no real direction. The characters were intriguing, the setting was mysterious, the pacing was quick, but there was no plot.  I mustered up my nerve and read it to my writers' group.

To my surprise, they were in awe. They saw the dark undertones, they could read where my main character, Georgie was headed. They urged me to write more of this story, to go forward with it in the direction of a novel. Of course I was giddy and my head filled like a balloon. But, I took their advice, and their constructive criticism, made some changes and charged full speed through rough drafts and outlining the entire plot arc.

Have I piqued your interest? Want to know where to go to find your writing tribe?

Start locally:

Ask if your school offers a writers' group. See if the PTA sponsors an after-school program that would benefit writers.

Check the Junior Room at your public library. This is where I started the first young writers' workshops last summer, in Illinois.

Call your park district.  Maybe if more than one young writer is requesting this type of program, they'll begin to offer it.

Research local bookstores. They have story time for tiny tots; maybe they offer a gathering of young scribes.

If you strike out finding a group already in session, become the chief of your own writing tribe.  Here are some basic rules to follow to assure your group will be successful:

Decide when, where and how often you will meet, and for how long.

Determine a mission or purpose for the group: will it be a gathering to share and critique each other's works? Will the main goal be publication for each? Will each member be required to bring in a writing resource to help educate each other on the writing craft? Or maybe a newsletter or website to share that lists markets accepting young writers?

Discipline yourselves: on time limits given to each reader, the criticism allowed, arriving and ending your workshops on time and snack consumption. One girl had a few too many granola bars one night; it wasn't pretty.

As your tribe grows in numbers and confidence, you'll see a stark improvement in your own writing and the ability to find quality in other's writing as well.

Bio: