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ASK THE EDITOR Vol. 4, Issue 1 2003 ----- Take a look around our Web site: http://kevinorf.tripod.com - Detailed description of writing services - Client list and testimonials - Hundreds of writing tips ----- IN THIS ISSUE -
FROM THE EDITOR -
BECOMING A FEARLESS WRITER -
TIPS ON WRITING COURAGEOUSLY - ASK THE EDITOR QUESTION ----- FROM THE EDITOR One of the earliest issues of Ask the Editor offered practical tips on dealing with writer’s block. In terms of the number of reader responses, it was one of the most popular issues ever. In a similar vein, I’m kicking off the new year with an issue about finding the courage to write. Writer’s block is often the result of the fear of writing or of being ourselves. Like most issues, this topic was suggested by a reader. Please e-mail me and let me know what you’d like to see covered in the future and feel free to make suggestions on how we can improve the format or content of this newsletter. If you find Ask the Editor useful, please take a moment and recommend it to your friends and associates. Just have them send an e-mail to kevinorf@netwurx.net with “Subscribe to Ask the Editor” in the “Subject” box. Sincerely, “The Editor” ----- “A writer’s courage can easily fail him. I feel this daily.” E.B. White ----- Orfield Communications On target. On time. The first time. Every time. Complete copywriting services, including ads, brochures, newsletters, feature articles, press releases, annual reports, proposals, Web content, and more. For
a FREE ESTIMATE or INFO KIT call
262-236-0110 or write kevinorf@netwurx.net ----- BECOMING
A FEARLESS WRITER The next time you have trouble writing—either because a topic is too sensitive, too complex, too boring, or whatever—take a deep breath and repeat these words to yourself: “I am the only one I ever need.”
No matter how hard it sometimes is to get words on the page, trust yourself. Believe that you know what needs to be said and how to say it. And remember that even if you don’t get it quite right, you can go back and revise it as many times as necessary to get it perfect. Like me, you’ve probably completed many assignments where you spent half the time writing and the other half beating your head against a wall. At the end of the day, you’re left feeling like you didn’t accomplish anything (along with a pretty sore noggin). But this is a natural part of the writing process. Just be persistent. Keep putting words down and force yourself to trust your own instincts and voice. After sleeping on a project and looking at it with a fresh eye, you’ll often find you’re not that far off. ----- “I
only write when I’m inspired, and I see to it that I’m inspired at ----- TIPS ON WRITING COURAGEOUSLY - Don’t hide behind words. This doesn’t mean you need to put your feelings or observations into every memo you write, but there are many times when your own feelings and experiences will draw your reader in like nothing else can. As Ray Bradbury put it, “There is only one type of story in the world—your story.” - Include your opinion. Don’t worry about whether readers agree with you. The most important thing is to get readers thinking and talking about what you’ve written. And when you think about it, objectivity is a myth anyway. Your opinion is always going to influence what material you include and what you choose to ignore. - Use anecdotes. They are a great way to personalize your writing and keep your readers’ attention. They also help to illustrate general or complex issues. - Don’t worry too much about whether your reader will like you. Sure, you don’t deliberately want to antagonize readers. But when your true colors shine through, your writing is more likely to be interesting. One of the most challenging issues of Ask the Editor I wrote was about when to break the rules. I was sure it was going to cause controversy—and it did. But I also got some of the most interesting and positive responses I ever received. - Don’t take yourself too seriously. Even if the topic you are writing about is serious, try to affect a conversational and natural tone. You’ll often find your writing will be much more engaging. - Give yourself permission to write the worst junk you’ve ever written. Writing is darn difficult, and it’s even more difficult when you feel like you have to write something great. Norman Mailer once said the toughest thing about writing was trying to write like Norman Mailer. Freeing yourself will liven up your writing and give you raw material you can work with. - Write down the first thoughts about a subject, which are often filled with great energy. Turn off your internal censor. - Lose control. Try not to get too logical during your first draft, as this often shuts off the flow of ideas. Don’t forget you can go back and revise later to add the right phrasing and transitions. - Be very afraid. Many believe they’d be able to write better if they could only get rid of their pain, fear, and anxiety. Actually the opposite is true. Fear and anxiety keep you in the now, and motivate you to get things done. Moreover, feelings provide truth and relevance to your writing. Allow yourself to get swept away. And remember, if some feeling resides in you, it also resides in your readers. As Emerson said, “To believe what is true for you in your private heart is true for all men, that is genius.” - Become absorbed. A Hindu sage once remarked that the secret of contentment lies in absorption. Often we do our best work when we completely lose ourselves and our writing becomes the product of a deep inner discussion we have with a topic. - Write in your own style. Don’t adopt one voice to fit one topic, another voice to fit another topic. Find a voice that readers will instantly recognize as you. - Don’t become too rigid. Having the courage to write well means trying new things. Whatever process you used the last time to produce great writing will not necessarily work every time. Vary the time, place, and process. - Get out of the way and let writing happen. Easier said than done, I know. But the real point is not to ignore who you are, but to embrace it—to accept our experiences and feelings as the raw material for inspiration. As a Zen master once said, “Be there but not in the way.” Let it flow. ----- “I am profoundly uncertain about how to write. I know what I love or what I like, because it’s a direct, passionate response. But when I write I’m very uncertain whether it’s good enough. That is, of course, the writer’s agony.” Susan Sontag ------ READER REPLIES “I’d like to see an upcoming issue on the courage to write really good stuff. For me, when I write something that I have to think twice about sending because it’s too personal or too revealing, that’s when I know I’ve written well. “I want to read writers who reveal themselves, or more about the human condition. I want their guts and heart and blood on the page. That takes courage on their part.” Jim Warda, author of Where Are We Going So Fast? ----- “Writing is pretty crummy on the nerves.” Paul Theroux ----- ASK THE EDITOR QUESTION Can you address the topic of salutations in a business letter? It seems so formally intimate to write “Dear So-and-So.” It doesn’t seem very businesslike to call your client “Dear.” It doesn’t seem fitting to call someone you’ve never met “Dear” either. And at the end, do you really want to be putting “Sincerely” after you’ve just chewed out a vendor who screwed up? Or the guy who writes “Warmest Personal Regards” and has his signature either stamped or put in by computer. Where do these social morays come from and when are we going to break the habit of such silly rules? Are there any alternatives? Greg Erickson As with business attire, the trend in business writing is toward becoming more casual, that is, more conversational and plain English. I believe both trends are positive, although we all know someone who takes it too far, for example, the guy who wears beach attire on casual Fridays. Although it may sound formally intimate to you, “Dear” is widely accepted in today’s business world, so you can safely use this salutation, even with someone you’ve never met. (Although you might want to refrain from saying, “Hello, Dear,” or “Yes, Dear,” to your business associates.) If you want to sound more formal, I would suggest addressing the recipient by his or her the last name, e.g., “Dear Ms. Smith” as opposed to “Dear Jane.” If you want to sound very formal, you can omit the “dear,” as in “Mr. Smith,” although this sounds a bit impersonal. By the way, if you don’t know the person’s gender, you can use the full name, as in “Dear Lee Smith.” And if you don’t know a person’s name, it’s perfectly acceptable to address the letter generically, as in “Dear Customer Service Manager.” As far as closings, “Sincerely” seems the most neutral. “Regards” is friendlier and less formal. I’ve always liked, “Cheers,” which is how my business contacts in Australia and New Zealand close their messages, although this would sound a bit odd coming from an American. If you want to sound more formal, you could use, “Respectfully,” “Cordially” or “Yours truly."
"The Editor" Stumped by a style issue or perplexed by a punctuation problem? In each issue, I answer a question submitted by a reader. Send your question today! ***** Copyright 2003 Kevin Orfield Orfield Communications 262-236-0110 Fax: 262-236-0120 Visit our Web site! http://kevinorf.tripod.com ***** As a customer of Orfield Communications, you get a free subscription to the quarterly e-mail newsletter, Ask the Editor. Each issue tackles common problems all writers--from business professionals to professional writers--often face. You can also get expert opinion on any writing problem. Just "Ask the Editor." Subscription Notes: Feel free to pass this newsletter on to friends and colleagues. - To subscribe others, just have them send an e-mail to kevinorf@netwurx.net with "Subscribe to Ask the Editor" in the "Subject" box. - To unsubscribe at any time, simply send an e-mail to kevinorf@netwurx.net with "Unsubscribe to Ask the Editor" in the "Subject" box. But then, why would you want to miss out on free advice? ***** |
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