"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was....."' The rest of the quote adds up to one long paragraph whose lines may appear to be simple or easy writing, while being far from it. That's how classics come to be, making the difficult appear easy to the point of the obvious. Yet, it was Dickens who thought of writing it that one memorable way in a form to earn rapt attention. Millions of readers have remembered the opening words of A Tale of Two Cities because Charles Dickens opened his story with a distinctive form of balance, imbalance, variety and similarity.
The feeling and passion of Dickens enter at the first line. Since he shows such passion, we immediately sense the importance of his subject. Every writer hopes to uncover the rare quality of that first paragraph of A Tale of Two Cities or the words describing a character as "Bah humbug" describes Scrooge. The latter says so much more than could be said through many words. To find that elusive, perfectly fitting kind of expression is what every practicing writer wants.
It's likely that you and I can tell within the first paragraph of any new read whether or not it is our kind of book. If the style or flow suits what we're looking for, we willingly spend time with it. In fiction I can go from John Grisham, C.J. Box, Mary Higgens Clark and others, to Dorothy Sayers, J.R.R. Tolkien, James Patterson and others, knowing there will be either a good story or a good story plus mind-expanding writing.
Mainly, I think that you and I love to find the style that reads smoothly yet not too simply. We want clarity along the lines. And if you're like me you want to be intrigued. The likes of Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, and Charlotte Bronte lead the fiction expectations of English readers.
Our brains adjust to and forgive hiccups, especially in the case of translations into English. I willingly adjust to tiny errors in books by Qiu Xiaolong, a Chinese writer now living in the U.S. His stories include historical and sociological views of life in Shanghai. My eyes are opened so that I feel that I can almost touch the laundry that hangs high and low across narrow passage-ways. I bear with ubiquitous poetry lines and references far outside what I call familiar, because the writing flows toward its goal regardless of how much, along the way, I don't know where the author is taking his story and me along with it.
This is all part of the intrigue of what minds and language can do in capable hands. We can be in familiar and foreign territory at emotional and other levels. From a still place we move with characters that seem alive and in our imaginations are living, acting, and reacting. And in Qiu Xiaolong's world, today's Chinese leaders issue new dictionaries of allowed and disallowed phrases. Listening to U.S. Conversations and arguments I relate to our version of the Chinese dictionary of approved/disapproved phrases. "PC" is here, too.
What words and style give reading meaning? You and I ultimately decide on the books we choose without wondering about others' approval. We know what we like, what we want to recommend, and the living authors whose next work we are eager to read.
My News & Views
Showing posts with label authors. Show all posts
Showing posts with label authors. Show all posts
Friday, June 27, 2014
Wednesday, November 02, 2011
Open Letter to Christian Writers re: "Passing it Forward"
Image by Enriquegg via Flickr Share adventure.To: Every visitor
From: Jean Purcell
Re: "Passing it forward"
E-mail: editor@opinebooks.com
Follow on Twitter: @opinaripeople
Tomorrow: Hillerman and Write What You Know
It's a thrill when readers pass along blog links from Jean Purcell and Opinari Writers and Author Support blogs. I hope you will Tweet and "Like" more links.
Topics here and at Author Support aim to spur
writers like you in knowledge and commitment, to deposit something of value into your information bank as a
writer and Christian. To give you good perspectives from professional views, life experience, and other talented writers is my pleasure. What you write--whether nonfiction, fiction, poetry, drama, or articles--can deeply affect others in many good ways. What a thought!
Whatever value you see in these blogs, please share the links as Tweets and Facebook Likes, and other networking ways. I really appreciate that. It is the best! I hope we all thank God for guiding us to write.
See you here again soon. If you are not a Christian, you too are welcome here to inquire and also to read writing tips.
See you here again soon. If you are not a Christian, you too are welcome here to inquire and also to read writing tips.
Sincerely,
Jean
P.S. A closing positive:
... Joy in one's
heart and some laughter on one's lips is a sign that the person down
deep has a pretty good grasp of life.
Hugh Sidey
Copyright (c)2011 Jean Purcell and Opinari Writers. Permission to use with attribution.
Tuesday, October 04, 2011
I Changed My Mind: Editing Personal Narrative Books
by Jean Purcell
editor@opinebooks.com.
Jean's new blog, Your Personal Book, for personal narrative writers.
Follow Jean on Twitter @opinaripeople
Someone asked me to help their friend's important personal story become a book. My first thought was to say, "No." However, I took it on.
My instinct to say "no" was due to my experience writing a personal experience story. These are true events that have deeply affected a person's life, perspectives, often with transformational effects.
Over a period of 14 years, including five years "off," I finished my personal narrative book, with editing, book analysis, and publishing help from others. I have written all my life and have enjoyed it. I love to organize thoughts and to plan, so that helped, eventually.
Philip Ralli of Highland Books UK contracted with me for the first publication, and I was thrilled. Philip gave the story the breakthrough introduction the book and author needed. The editor did a great job, too, and said that the manuscript was in good shape. (I credit both the book critique person and editor that helped me before Philip ever saw the book, for giving the shaping-up that helped me enormously in the process.)
The personal narrative book I recently edited began as a project for hire. Later, Opine decided to publish it. It is that good. We publish only books we like enormously, and those are the ones that come also at just the right time for us and the authors.
Personal narrative books must have these basics:
(1) a compelling story interpreted profoundly, as it deserves
(2) a skilled writer/author
(3) a highly cooperative author when editing gets down and dirty;
(4) editing that guards the writer's voice
(5) awareness by author and editor that the emotional roller coaster that some true stories have will not destroy the writer who gives the work its due time, without rushing it or avoiding it.
Refugee Was My Name is the recently published personal narrative published by Opine Publishing. The author is Mogama (Moses Garswa Matally), an amazing Liberian teacher and pastor now living in Kentucky USA. His book's development had all of the basic elements needed for its success and the author's future sharing of his story, to benefit many readers far beyond the refugee experience, as well as those who have gone through it in Liberia and other places.
Copyright (c)2011 Jean Purcell,Opinari Writers,Opine Publishing
Opine Publishing-Books that Last fills a select niche for Christian books with enjoyable, thought-provoking, and memorable reading. Opine Publishing's niche is books for today and for many tomorrows.
editor@opinebooks.com.
Jean's new blog, Your Personal Book, for personal narrative writers.
Follow Jean on Twitter @opinaripeople
 | ||
| Fuzzy image of my book's clear cover. |
My instinct to say "no" was due to my experience writing a personal experience story. These are true events that have deeply affected a person's life, perspectives, often with transformational effects.
Over a period of 14 years, including five years "off," I finished my personal narrative book, with editing, book analysis, and publishing help from others. I have written all my life and have enjoyed it. I love to organize thoughts and to plan, so that helped, eventually.
Philip Ralli of Highland Books UK contracted with me for the first publication, and I was thrilled. Philip gave the story the breakthrough introduction the book and author needed. The editor did a great job, too, and said that the manuscript was in good shape. (I credit both the book critique person and editor that helped me before Philip ever saw the book, for giving the shaping-up that helped me enormously in the process.)
The personal narrative book I recently edited began as a project for hire. Later, Opine decided to publish it. It is that good. We publish only books we like enormously, and those are the ones that come also at just the right time for us and the authors.
Personal narrative books must have these basics:
(1) a compelling story interpreted profoundly, as it deserves
(2) a skilled writer/author
(3) a highly cooperative author when editing gets down and dirty;
(4) editing that guards the writer's voice
(5) awareness by author and editor that the emotional roller coaster that some true stories have will not destroy the writer who gives the work its due time, without rushing it or avoiding it.
Refugee Was My Name is the recently published personal narrative published by Opine Publishing. The author is Mogama (Moses Garswa Matally), an amazing Liberian teacher and pastor now living in Kentucky USA. His book's development had all of the basic elements needed for its success and the author's future sharing of his story, to benefit many readers far beyond the refugee experience, as well as those who have gone through it in Liberia and other places.
Copyright (c)2011 Jean Purcell,Opinari Writers,Opine Publishing
Opine Publishing-Books that Last fills a select niche for Christian books with enjoyable, thought-provoking, and memorable reading. Opine Publishing's niche is books for today and for many tomorrows.
Friday, July 02, 2010
You can learn Zemanta and other technology stuff
Writers are creative people, and lots of writers are engineers, architects, math whizzes. Some might even call themselves tech geeks. However, many and maybe most writers not in those categories think they cannot master technology on the WWW today
If that's you, be assured that if you have an inquisitive mind and you're smart--and of course you are: you're a writer!--then you can figure it out. At least, what you need to figure out. As What about Bob says, Baby steps! Baby steps!
Use search engines to answer just about any question you have along your way of self-teaching. Don't expect to learn everything in a day, or a year, or even five years. It's always changing. So, if you are not learning more, start now. Try a blog or whatever you've not tried yet, to let others learn what you're writing about. Aim to reach those with similar interests Start now?
Search Join Google, Create a blog, Experiment, Add features, Try Zemanta Assistant for links, Join Linked In, Facebook....keep going!
If that's you, be assured that if you have an inquisitive mind and you're smart--and of course you are: you're a writer!--then you can figure it out. At least, what you need to figure out. As What about Bob says, Baby steps! Baby steps!
Use search engines to answer just about any question you have along your way of self-teaching. Don't expect to learn everything in a day, or a year, or even five years. It's always changing. So, if you are not learning more, start now. Try a blog or whatever you've not tried yet, to let others learn what you're writing about. Aim to reach those with similar interests Start now?
What every writer needs to know about scams, bad deals, and day jobs
If you are invited to receive an "award," "special status," or a listing in an "important professional/executive registry," and then...you find out there's a payment, from you!, attached to the "honor," what do you do?
To quote Shutter Island, Run!!!
Professional agents do not ask for or require money up front, before they've arranged contracts or sales; then, their fees are based on percentage of what they earned for the writer!
Professional registries, directories, and awards do not ask for or require any payment from the honoree, or listee! Ever.
Not a scam, but not a good deal, is the self-publishing contract that does not allow the author to set the list price for his or her book. Self-publishing means the author is the publisher, and publishers set the prices.
Authors need to look for companies, print-on-demand (POD) or other, that give pricing decisions to the author, who is their client.
Also not a good deal, in OQ's view, is the case where authors are required to buy books from the printer at prices that vary, based on number of books ordered together. Re: pricing, a better deal is to find a printer, POD or other, that gives the same, fair, low (compared with the list price) author (owner) purchase price every time.
Don't leap into any business opportunity. If it cannot wait 24 hours or more, it likely is not worth much.
Writers are targets of more scams than bulls eyes at a shooting range. Unfortunately, writers beginning to seek publication often do not know this. "Buyer beware" if "offered" a special status or client position attached to payments outgoing from your wallet.
Also, as we say: "Don't quit your day job," especially if your first book is a bestseller or award-winner. The shelf life of most books is strongest six months after publication. It is the rare book that sells well beyond that time. At the point of some success with one book, it's the next books' marketplace successes the writer cannot take for granted. Huge success may, or may not, happen again.
Keep writing!
To quote Shutter Island, Run!!!
Professional agents do not ask for or require money up front, before they've arranged contracts or sales; then, their fees are based on percentage of what they earned for the writer!
Professional registries, directories, and awards do not ask for or require any payment from the honoree, or listee! Ever.
Not a scam, but not a good deal, is the self-publishing contract that does not allow the author to set the list price for his or her book. Self-publishing means the author is the publisher, and publishers set the prices.
Authors need to look for companies, print-on-demand (POD) or other, that give pricing decisions to the author, who is their client.
Also not a good deal, in OQ's view, is the case where authors are required to buy books from the printer at prices that vary, based on number of books ordered together. Re: pricing, a better deal is to find a printer, POD or other, that gives the same, fair, low (compared with the list price) author (owner) purchase price every time.
Don't leap into any business opportunity. If it cannot wait 24 hours or more, it likely is not worth much.
Writers are targets of more scams than bulls eyes at a shooting range. Unfortunately, writers beginning to seek publication often do not know this. "Buyer beware" if "offered" a special status or client position attached to payments outgoing from your wallet.
Also, as we say: "Don't quit your day job," especially if your first book is a bestseller or award-winner. The shelf life of most books is strongest six months after publication. It is the rare book that sells well beyond that time. At the point of some success with one book, it's the next books' marketplace successes the writer cannot take for granted. Huge success may, or may not, happen again.
Keep writing!
Thursday, July 01, 2010
Sports writing
Whether they write their notes for broadcasts and regular sports program, or they write columns and books for print and electronic media, sports writers are in a talent category.
Some of the best stories you can read and some of the best writing you'll find today anywhere come from the sports writing genre. The Washington Post, the newspaper closest to me, along with Washington Examiner, has good-to-outstanding columnists in the Sports section. And when I say "good," then I mean really good. A few names that come to mind, led off by Tony Kornheiser, Michael Wilbon, and Thomas Boswell. Boswell has also written books about baseball, including How Life Imitates the World Series. Dan Steinberg does a good job, I think, leading the Post sports blog.
Dan Patrick, of ESPN, is another sports writer, broadcaster, and author of note.
Tony Dungy, retired from football coaching, mentors young athletes on life and sports skills. His books help support his efforts to keep giving back.
Some of the best stories you can read and some of the best writing you'll find today anywhere come from the sports writing genre. The Washington Post, the newspaper closest to me, along with Washington Examiner, has good-to-outstanding columnists in the Sports section. And when I say "good," then I mean really good. A few names that come to mind, led off by Tony Kornheiser, Michael Wilbon, and Thomas Boswell. Boswell has also written books about baseball, including How Life Imitates the World Series. Dan Steinberg does a good job, I think, leading the Post sports blog.
Dan Patrick, of ESPN, is another sports writer, broadcaster, and author of note.
Tony Dungy, retired from football coaching, mentors young athletes on life and sports skills. His books help support his efforts to keep giving back.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Publishing Know-how
Keep investigating how publishers think. Learn by experience, questioning, and reading. Learn from other, published writers. Read-scan Publisher's Weekly at library. Ask them to order if they do not have it. Maybe they will. Good writing has to find its place--its niche and home. Learn the ins and outs of publishers' ways of looking at what you do. Writers may see their works according to genre, lit, or art. Publishers see them as products they invest in. Our work has got to carry the weight, professionally, of marketplace interests or demands. ~ Opinari Quarterly (OQ)
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