editorial process Archives - Jeanne Burrows-Johnson's Word Empowering Blog

Drawing on Sense Memories

HAVE SENSE MEMORIES IMPACTED YOUR WRITING?

What are your earliest and favorite sense memories? Most of us think of the five physical senses as we are experiencing them. The toast looks and tastes all right, but it has a slightly burnt smell… I wish the kids would stop screaming, my ears are starting to hurt… I love this faux fabric, it almost feels like my cat’s fur…

THE CREATOR’S SENSORY PERCEPTION
As a writer, or other creative person, sensory perception can be an important element in preparing a stimulating picture via words or graphic images. We may not be aware of it, but the way an image or scent impacts us personally can greatly impact or work. One of the most effective devices for creating believable images is by consciously drawing on our memories. This is because referencing something we’ve encountered personally provides a depth of authenticity in whatever work we are undertaking.

THE TRUTH OF ONE’S EXPERIENCE
This does not mean that we have to reveal our personal circumstances in order to truthfully share a sensory experience. Of course, that may not be true if we are presenting a work that is a memoir or similar personal expression, for which we are obligated to reveal this aspect of our lives. The truth of our sensory experiences can be shared without revelation of the circumstances in which they occur. Isolating the experience from its original circumstances, can encourage us to revisit the specifics of what we saw, smelled, heard, touched, and/or tasted with greater accuracy.

For example, while we may wish to describe the beauty of a star-lit night from our honeymoon, we do not need to provide details of the circumstances in which we viewed it. Even when we need to describe something we have not experienced, it’s good to seek out the concrete memories of those who have. In describing Shanghai in the 1920’s for Prospect for Murder, I drew on images shared by people whose fascination with the city transcended the actual era in which they traveled. And despite their degree of positive or negative reactions, I was able to utilize their perspectives to provide images of the bustling streets and even the scents they encountered in their sojourns.

In Murders of Conveyance, the third book in the Natalie Seachrist Hawaiian Mysteries [Winner for Fiction Adventure-Drama in the 2019 New Mexico-Arizona Book Awards], my heroine overhears a conversation in Chinese from outside of the building in which she stands. I’m sure we can all think of times when we’ve accidentally overheard a conversation, whether in a language we speak or not. When I moved to Honolulu at the beginning of the 1970s, there were many occasions in which I heard languages I couldn’t understand, nor even identify. Because I needed my heroine to feel connected to foreign dialogue, I inserted phonetic sounds that allowed Natalie to guess the speakers might be referencing someone she knew.

STIMULATING VOCABULARY
Sometimes we are fortunate to be able to utilize vocabulary or pictures that effectively mimics the images we wish to share. I find the following words and phrases can bring clarity to a description, sometimes reaching beyond a single sense: wispy; screech; a snapping branch; wrinkled; razor’s edge; staccato; fragmented; shrunken; glassy; whispered; fiery.

The perception of other words often relies on those who read or hear them. Reference to an Upscale dining experience may arouse the taste and ambiance of a five-star restaurant to one person, and a fast-food joint to another. While the phrase Opulent jewelry signifies a strand of synthetic pearls with rhinestones to one reader, someone else may envision weighty crown jewels. Vintage clothing could generate a disco scene from the 1970s for a millennial, whereas someone my age may picture a flapper dress from the roaring twenties—the 1920’s that is. Similar variances can arise with an author or artist’s use of color and shape, as well as a composer’s insertion of pauses, changing rhythms, and escalating tones.

I’m fortunate that many of the images I wish to share in the O`ahu setting of the Natalie Seachrist mysteries practically write themselves: the sparkle and whooshing sound of incoming surf on a moonlit night; the stickiness of teriyaki sauce on a barbecued chicken thigh; the fresh fragrance of a flower lei, the stench of rotting plumeria blooms beneath an aging and neglected tree. But although I bring personal insight to such images, I must avoid cliché verbiage that will bore the veteran traveler.

YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE
This brings us to a brief discussion of one’s audience…one’s target market. If you’re working within a recognized genre of literature, art, or music, there may be standards to which the majority of your audience will expect you to adhere. If you are striking out on your own to create a variant or wholly new artistic expression, you can move in any direction you wish…keeping in mind that you will need to attract some degree of a following in order to achieve any degree of success.

Accordingly, I sprinkle snippets of pan-Pacific and world history across my mystery plot-lines. And while I present a fair number menu items within each book, I place actual recipes on my author website, rather than completely bogging down a story. As to the cast of characters, folio art framing page numbers, chapter aphorisms, and linguistically and historically detailed glossaries, the reader can choose to appreciate or ignore them…

Wishing you the best in your creative endeavors,
Jeanne Burrows-Johnson, author, consultant, and motivational speaker

Tips to enhancing your writing may be found in:
Empowering Your Words, February 2015
Creating Fictional Characters, March 2015
Sidestepping Writer’s Block, April 2015
Communicating with Every Sense, May 2015
Energizing Narrative Passages, September 2015
The Author Recycles, July 2017
Balancing Text & Space, February 2017
Book Series Adventures, April 2018
Drawing on Sense Memories, July 2018

To learn more about the award-winning Natalie Seachrist Hawaiian Mysteries, including Murders of Conveyance [Winner, Fiction Adventure-Drama, 2019 New Mexico-Arizona Book Awards] and other projects, please drop in at my author’s website JeanneBurrows-Johnson.com . You’ll even find Island Recipes that might inspire your culinary creativity.

For more ideas to strengthen your Wordpower^© and branding, please visit: Imaginings Wordpower and Design Consultation.

Follow Me:
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Audible, Authors Den, Barnes and Noble, Blogarama, Book Bub
Cozy Mysteries-Unlimited, Facebook, Good Reads, Hometown Reads

Book sellers may contact book distributors such as:
Baker & Taylor, Follett, IPG, Ingram, Mackin, Midpoint, TitleWave

MEA CULPA

WHAT DO YOU REGRET IN PAST OR PRESENT WORK?

Your book series is doing well! This truly is an accomplishment to cherish! What must you do to ensure your writing career continues on an upward trajectory? Regardless of whether you have a publisher or self-publish, there are problems that can arise during the complex process of production. Some we must live with and bypass with minimal discomfort. Others we can take steps to remedy in order to bring greater harmony to past as well as present tasks…

PUBLISHING ERRORS
I’ve previously discussed issues an author faces in publishing a series—regardless of genre. Fortunately, the process of publication is seldom the responsibility of a single person. Of course, as the author, the quality of the final product reflects on you—for it is you who will be facing the public.

As a reader, as well as an author, I have not heard of a book that arrives in a reader’s lap without flaws of one type or another. They may be barely perceptible, and actually may be a matter of choice rather than outright error.

DISCOVERING FLAWS
The process of finding errors can be simple or complicated. In writing a series, you probably have a written or mental list of flaws you’re prone to make. As I awaited publication of Murders of Conveyance [Winner for Fiction Adventure-Drama in the 2019 New Mexico-Arizona Book Awards] and the publishing of Yen for Murder, I’ve found that the following errors appear frequently:

~ Repeated Words and Phrases
My favorites, myriad and R & R.

~ Overuse of Prepositional Phrases
Mine frequent the beginning of sentences.

~ Complicated Action
I’ve found scenes in which a character would need three hands to accomplish what I’ve described. I’ve also struggled to explain how hidden compartments are accessed…

~ Character Flaws
Misspellings of names, and their pronunciation in audio books can easily occur, and did in the audio edition of Prospect for Murder. Titles of officials and their organizations can be misstated or may change over time. Evidently my love of British police procedurals produced my mixing of the word detective with the ranks of police officers. In actuality, most police forces in the U.S. [including Hawai`i], do not do that. A sergeant with the Honolulu Police Department who becomes a detective is simply referred to as detective, with higher ranking officers being referred to by their rank.

~ Major Errors
You might think that writing fiction means that few errors unrelated to grammar will materialize. But issues of consistency still need to be addressed. My own inconsistencies have included changing the floor on which protagonist Natalie has a condo and the color of the truck of her boyfriend and detecting partner Keoni. While regretting even these minor mistakes, at least they do not interfere with the reader’s ability to follow the story. I’m not sure the same can be said for the two lines of crossed-through text in Murder on Mokulua Drive.

One thing that cannot be ignored or casually dismissed is the erroneous reporting of a historical fact. I was particularly embarrassed to discover that in copying and pasting text in the Glossary of Prospect for Murder, I mistakenly dropped a sentence relating to Hawaiian Princess Ka`iulani into the description of Queen Kapi`olani. This is an obvious mistake to readers who are familiar with the lineage of Hawaiian royals and a serious detraction from my desire to share Hawaiian history with a global readership.

VARIATIONS…NOT ERRORS
As a series unfolds, it is to be expected that improvements in writing style and changes in book layout may occur. This doesn’t mean that earlier editions of books are necessarily flawed. Happily, my publisher opted to offer embossing on the vibrant cover of Murder on Mokulua Drive. And, as I like reference material to be readily accessible, we are enlarging the font that introduces Glossary sections. Similarly, we are inserting spaces before and after the hyphens between author birth and death dates in chapter aphorisms.

WHOSE FAULT?
In truth, no matter how much effort [and sometimes treasure] you invest in maintaining the quality of your work, unexpected flaws can emerge. They can arise from both overt errors, as well as from actions you failed to take. Most of my errors come from copying and pasting text and repeating favorite words. Unless one closely and repeatedly reads the edited text, words may end up out of sequence, or can be wholly missing.

MAKING CORRECTIONS
Having determined the cause of a problem, you face correcting it. This can be fairly easy with the publication of a digital book, and other on-line pieces…That is, if you are capable of altering the text within the template that generated it. If you cannot do so yourself, you may have to return to the typographical artist who originally laid out the book. If you are not able to reconnect with them, you will have to find a new source of help. Fortunately, my publisher is working to correct the MOMD Ebook error regarding Queen Kapi`olani.

Matters are more complex in correcting flaws in printed editions. Unfortunately, the error regarding the Queen can only be corrected when further batches of the books are printed. I wish I could send out errata labels to everyone who has a copy of the book…The one thing I have done is to publish a message of Mea Culpa on Facebook!

AVOIDING REPETITIOIN OF THE CRIME
Once you’ve pinpointed the sources of flaws, you can seek appropriate ways to dodge their recurrence. This challenge is exacerbated in the production of a series. To keep my projects separate but harmonious, I’ve prepared and continually update detailed reference notes listing aspects of appearance, voice, attire, movement and behavior. I also have spreadsheets that pinpoint chapter elements [such as when Natalie has which vision] and the family trees of major characters.

I’m glad that most of my readers enjoy references to daily life in the Hawaiian Islands—especially food. There are, however, some who would prefer little discussion of food, beverages, relationships, history and cats. At this point, I don’t foresee removing these elements from my tales—nor would I detract from plot lines by inserting actual recipes. However, recipes that reflect Natalie’s life, local restaurants and menu items one might expect at an Island gathering, do appear on my author website. This has necessitated my keeping records of the food and beverages I write about for review during the writing of each book.

Fortunately, while outright flaws need to be addressed, developments in an author’s style of writing and the presentation of their work can be things of beauty!

Wishing you the best in your creative endeavors,
Jeanne Burrows-Johnson, author, consultant, and motivational speaker

For more ideas to strengthen your Wordpower^© and branding, please visit: Imaginings Wordpower and Design Consultation.

Follow Me:
Amazon, Arizona Authors Association, Apple Books
Audible, Authors Den, Barnes and Noble, Blogarama, Book Bub
Cozy Mysteries-Unlimited, Facebook, Good Reads, Hometown Reads

Book sellers may contact book distributors such as:
Baker & Taylor, Follett, IPG, Ingram, Mackin, Midpoint, TitleWave

BOOK SERIES ADVENTURES

ENJOYING YOUR ADVENTURES IN PUBLISHING…

This blog first appeared on https://HometownReads.com, which I highly recommend to both readers and authors seeking to learn more about the art and business of publishing books! You can click on https://HometownAuthors.com to view a variety of articles from member authors…

As an author, you may have experienced both lows and highs if you have managed to publish a book series! It’s a true accomplishment, regardless of whether you planned it or not. But while you were promised great things would emerge at this point in your writing career, you are facing more than a few challenges. Allow me to tell you about issues I’ve confronted during the publications of Murder on Mokulua Drive, the second Natalie Seachrist Hawaiian mystery…

ELEMENTAL CONSISTENCY
Beyond avoiding copyright violation in the chapter-opening quotes I use, I guard against repetition. During pre-publication review of Murder on Mokulua Drive, I discovered I’d reused a quote from Prospect for Murder. My records of aphorisms now indicate when and where a quote is used. Also, I discovered that I changed the color of a primary character’s truck. I have since created an expanding document listing aspects of the series as well as individual characters, their work, their home, and even their pets.

CHARACTER AND LOCAL PARITY
~ Initially, I had a male protagonist. Whoops…my writers’ salon found that “voice” more appropriate to a woman.

~ Names, their spellings, descriptions, and pronunciation must all be checked. Imagine my chagrin in realizing I’d changed a name’s pronunciation mid-way through PFM’s audio edition!

~ While my protagonist thinks in whole words, she speaks with contractions. I now begin each book by reviewing my chart of persons, places, and their characteristics.

PLURALITY
Promotional text highlighting aspects of a single book must encompass each title in a series. Having multiple titles often means having different editions. For PFM, I had hardcover, softcover, Ebook, and physical and digital audio editions. MOMD is currently available in only hardcover and Ebook. I have to remember to omit audio references (like “Audible.com”) when describing the second book.

PRESENTING YOURSELF
If you have a publisher or literary agent, they may have guidelines for presenting yourself personally, online, and in traditional and social media. If you’ve never been in the public eye, you may be grateful for their suggestions about wardrobe, hair, accessories, and makeup [yes, men sometimes require makeup].

Beyond any grooming and/or behavioral adjustments you may need to make for public appearances, you will probably need to vary your public stance depending on the venue or type of media. I’m not suggesting that you become a shape-shifting chameleon, but envisioning each audience will help you view yourself as they will. For instance, wearing a suit may be ideal for some locales and audiences, but something less formal may be best for others.

MARKETING YOURSELF
Regardless of who directs your marketing, examine media kit samples to see what you should prepare. This will include bios, photos, sample media releases, and relatable stories, covering:
~ Background [family, education, career]
~ Daily Life [home, work, writing locale, pets, hobbies]
~ Writing Methodology [research, writing, editing]
~ Influential People [affecting your work and life]
~ Author Experiences
~ Changes in Your Writing

ELASTIC PROMOTIONAL TEXT
Were you initially described as a debut author? That’s no longer relevant. What other life changes will impact your self-description. Are you in a new professional position? Where do you live, or travel for research, sales, and presentations? Periodically (and in varying length), you’ll need to restructure text for:
~ Media releases about books, awards, appearances
~ Bios for ads, event programs, introductions
~ Submission of your work for reviews and contests
~ Website discussions of your life and authorship
~ Social media posts, comments, and event announcements

WELCOMING IMAGES
Gather images to stimulate the interest of colleagues, readers, listeners, and the general public including:
~ You and your normal surroundings
~ Events in which you have participated
~ Images attracting your interest
~ Organizational and community events in which you have been involved
~ Images relevant to characters, scenery, and activity in your writing

DESIGNING AND REDESIGING INVITING WEBSITES AND BLOGS
I must confess that this is a recurring theme in this blog, because the process is never complete. Working alone or with a web master, there are many aspects to consider on a regular basis. First, consider that you may have a website dating from before you became an author. Some of its elements may be recyclable…if you feel the appearance of the original site is compatible with your current work. With bios, book synopses, and pertinent images being available, much of the material you need as an author should be ready to upload. You just need to weave it all together to appropriately reveal aspects of yourself and your work. Consider:

~ Styles appealing to your target market [realism, art deco, country kitch…]
~ Colors [you like and wear; those describing your work]
~ Shapes reflecting your style and work [linear or curved]
~ Textures, natural or man-made [wood, silk, metal, stone, plastic]

Final thoughts? Well, there’s nothing final about the process of writing…or of marketing your work. As with your compositions, keeping electronic and hardcopy samples of your promotional material, will help you shape attractive representations of your unfolding life’s work!

Wishing you the best in your creative endeavors,
Jeanne Burrows-Johnson, author, consultant, and motivational speaker

For more ideas to strengthen your Wordpower^© and branding, please visit: Imaginings Wordpower and Design Consultation.

Follow Me:
Amazon, Arizona Authors Association, Apple Books
Audible, Authors Den, Barnes and Noble, Blogarama, Book Bub
Cozy Mysteries-Unlimited, Facebook, Good Reads, Hometown Reads

Book sellers may contact book distributors such as:
Baker & Taylor, Follett, IPG, Ingram, Mackin, Midpoint, TitleWave

Dreaming Your Way to Success

DREAMSCAPING YOUR WAY TO SUCCESS

Have you heard of lucid dreaming? This is when a dreamer is fully cognizant of being in a dream state. Some authors work at learning to control this form of dreaming as a means for shaping their projects, regardless of whether they are focused on fiction or non-fiction.

DREAMSCULPTING YOUR CREATIVE PROJECT
Also called dreamscaping or dreamsculpting, this process allows the dreamer to actively contemplate the contents of a dream while asleep—and to question how these subjects may be relevant to their personal or professional living. Wordsmiths and artists are often encouraged to keep notebooks at hand for recording stray thoughts that can help them maximize future creativity. This includes placing a pen and paper by your bed for capturing ideas that may materialize during the night.

Regardless of your type of work, I’m rather certain that you have awakened on more than one morning (or the middle of a night) and thought, “Hmm, that was an interesting dream. Now what was there about it that I wanted to remember?”

For those of us relying on random ideas on which to build our shaping of words and images, it can be important to retain unexpected thoughts. I can report that I have benefited from vigorously striving to record the contents of potentially significant dreams. And I’ve suffered the disappointment of having forgotten to have the implements for recording anything before falling back into a deep and dreamless state. The mornings that have followed have been very frustrating. Far worse than a simple hangover experienced by authors of yore!

MY METHODS OF DRECTING THE DREAMING PROCESS
A simple Internet search will yield instructional resources for learning to implement Lucid Dreaming. As I’m not a specialist in this field of study, I’ll merely share how I have approached the topic.

After reading some background material, and discussing the concept with artists, I decided to delve into the process several years ago. I began my sojourn in this endeavor by placing a retractable pen and small bound book for journaling on my bedside table. Do note that having a pen without a lid has proven invaluable to my night-time note writing, since I’m rather clumsy and a bit befuddled when rising from a vivid dream.

Most evenings, I spend a few minutes before going to bed contemplating projects I wish to undertake the following day. Often, this is while rocking in a chair and petting my cat, which I find soothing on several levels. I then read a few pages of both meditative and mystery books. After turning off my reading light, I review my to-do list. I won’t claim that my contemplation of work goals is directly responsible for yielding inspirational ideas during the night. However, these practices do serve as an off-switch for my overactive mind.

As anyone attempting to call me in the a.m. will attest, I am not a morning person. Some of my best work is born in the silence of nocturnal hours. So prior to entering my pre-sleep routine, I’m already in a creative thinking mode. The number of hours I spend in sleep varies, but when most people are rising to their own days of productivity, often I am entering my deepest dreams. While most may seem unrelated to the work I envision undertaking, they are varied in topic and have a film-like quality.

RESULTS FROM MY DREAMSCULPTING
Having disciplined myself to interrupt the dreaming process, I can now report overall success in benefiting from dreaming with lucidity. Records of some of my dreams make it into my journal. Elements of others capture my attention sufficiently to be recalled for several hours after my waking.

Perhaps the worst challenge that arises from the overall experience, is being forced to fold new concepts into work I may have considered complete. Sometimes that means reprinting quite a number of pages of text due to a minor edit in their midst. However, I’m thrilled to report that expanding a character’s role by having her play a bamboo flute has yielded a lovely audio element to that scene… and an interesting twist to the epilogue for Yen for Murder, Book Four in the Natalie Seachrist Hawaiian mystery series!

Wishing you the best in your creative endeavors,
Jeanne Burrows-Johnson, author, consultant, and motivational speaker

For more ideas to strengthen your Wordpower^© and branding, please visit: Imaginings Wordpower and Design Consultation.

Follow Me:
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Audible, Authors Den, Barnes and Noble, Blogarama, Book Bub
Cozy Mysteries-Unlimited, Facebook, Good Reads, Hometown Reads

Book sellers may contact book distributors such as:
Baker & Taylor, Follett, IPG, Ingram, Mackin, Midpoint, TitleWave

Interview and Oral History Projects 4

CONGRATUALATIONS! YOU’VE SUCCESSFULLY CONDUCTED AN INTERVIEW!

Regardless of whether an interview is the first or the hundredth, I hope you will feel a sense of accomplishment while parting company with whomever you’ve interviewed! By this point, you should have an audio (if not visual) recording of the dialogue, plus notes you’ve composed prior to and during your conversation. You should also have a signed interviewee release that can allow you to draw from the experience indefinitely.

YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR SUBJECT
In my last discussion of general and oral history interviews, I noted that it is good to impress your subject positively. Doing so includes: projecting a pleasing appearance and voice; demonstrating the level of your commitment, as shown by your research and organization of pertinent questions; and, your sensitivity to their physical, mental, and emotional circumstances.

That last issue is one that is often neglected by professional, as well as novice, interviewers. Too often a sense of righteousness on the part of the interviewer as truth teller can prevent development of a significant rapport with the interviewee. While it is important to maintain a professional relationship, the lack of a rapport with your subject may lead to a diminished level of trust and desire to reveal themselves fully.

YOUR PARTING WORDS
As you prepare to depart from an interview, you will want to leave the door between you and your subject open to further communication. After all, they’ve trusted you with a part of themselves and they want to know that you’ll value what they have shared with you. Even if you have not established a warm relationship, you will want to facilitate future communication and assure them that they will have an opportunity to view a transcript of the interview.

This does not mean you are relinquishing your role as the interviewer, nor does it imply you are going to change revealing the realities of your conversation. However, if errors are found by either of you, there should be a means for adding explanatory notes. This is especially useful in clarifying names, relationships, numbers, dates, and sequences, which may have been transposed or mistakenly described.

EDITORIAL PROCEDURES
During the transcription and editorial process, you may need to communicate with your interviewee to gain clarity on numerous points. To maintain accurate records, it is good to receive replies to your questions by email or other written documentation.

This is especially useful if there are conflicts regarding the meaning of a passage. After all, the interviewee is relaying answers to your questions through the lens of their point of view. While you may never agree with their explanation, the transcript and your notes will allow future readers and/or listeners to experience a close approximation of the event and draw their own conclusions. This is why clear records of all your communication and notes are so important.

The method[s] of annotation you choose for your transcript can take several forms. This is where your creativity comes into play. Personally, I try to avoid footnotes. Instead, I employ bracketed statements for minor clarification and section endnotes for issues dealing with proper nouns and other facts that may stimulate a future reader to pursue answers to their own questions.

Although the interviewer should not remove actual dialogue, you can provide clarification of key points by including a glossary of foreign and specialized vocabulary, as well as an index. Some authors dislike the use of indices if they plan to publish via a downloadable vehicle that may render pagination inaccurate and irrelevant. However, readers of a work published on the Internet may be able to utilize a find/search tool to locate terms they wish to revisit and readers of a hardcopy edition will be pleased with the inclusion of an easy reference tool at the back of the work.

Another means for heightening the usefulness of your final product is separating your transcript into sections. If the interview was conducted during multiple sessions, utilization of chapter breaks is quite logical. Even when the conversation was held on a single occasion, separating sequenced questions and answers provides natural breaks.

Such a layout should facilitate communication between you and your subject[s] as you review the nearly finished project. Once you have completed editing and annotating your transcript, you can proceed to shaping a final format to meet any requirements for publication. [See my previous blog, Interviews & Oral Histories #3, for the closing discussion of interview publication.]

FUTURE INTERVIEWS WITH YOUR SUBJECT
The potential for scheduling future interviews may depend on issues beyond a mutual desire to do so. For example, if the interview is part of a larger project controlled by someone else, you may be limited in continuing your relationship with your subject. And, although the current publisher may express an interest in further interviews, shifts within their organization may preclude future publishing through them. Even when you are working on a wholly freelance basis, your ability to publish may depend on your finding a new source willing to take on the project. And if you decide to expand the initial work into a series of articles or even a book, the task may become even more challenging.

As I’ve noted before, planning, executing, and publishing an interview is a unique experience. Even without the permanency of the Cloud, an interview lives far beyond the event itself! The effort you put into researching your subject’s life and work may prove of interest to people far beyond your targeted readership. The dialectical elements of the conversation, introductory remarks, annotations, and other explanations will serve not only to illuminate your subject, but also your own life’s work.

In my next blog about interviews, I will discuss the renewal and publication of oral history interviews I conducted more than 25 years ago with a dear Hawaiian auntie whose family history is very interesting…The title is, Conversations with Caroline Kuliaikanu`ukapu Wilcox DeLima Farias.

Wishing you the best in your creative endeavors,
Jeanne Burrows-Johnson, author, consultant, and motivational speaker

For further information on interviews and oral histories see:
Overview of Interview and Oral History Projects, June 2015
Researching for Interviews, July 2015
Conducting Interviews, May 2016

For more ideas to strengthen your Wordpower^© and branding, please visit: Imaginings Wordpower and Design Consultation.

Follow Me:
Amazon, Arizona Authors Association, Apple Books
Audible, Authors Den, Barnes and Noble, Blogarama, Book Bub
Cozy Mysteries-Unlimited, Facebook, Good Reads, Hometown Reads

Book sellers may contact book distributors such as:
Baker & Taylor, Follett, IPG, Ingram, Mackin, Midpoint, TitleWave

THE AUTHOR RECYCLES

NEW CREATIONS FROM PAST WORK

Is your pen at the ready at all times? In past blogs I’ve talked about examining your previous work as a writer. Not only does this allow you to measure your progress, it also provides a pool of sources for new directions in content and style. I am a member of the National Writers Union and the local chapter recently asked me to be their featured speaker at a monthly meeting. Often, their speakers read from current projects, but since I’d help to fill in the previous month with a reading of both the Prologue and Epilogue from PROSPECT FOR MURDER [the debut title of the Natalie Seachrist Hawaiian Mysteries], I decided to give a talk on how I’ve recycled parts of past projects. While there’s nothing novel in this concept, I thought that in detailing how I’d used pieces I’d created during my years in Arizona, I might stimulate my listeners to consider the ways in which they might draw upon works in their own files…

Wordsmiths Don’t Fall into a Single Demographic Description
When you look around any gathering of writers, you’ll find that we’re: Young and old; formally educated and barely literate in the grammatical sense; gifted melodious speakers and hoarsely halting readers; technical prodigies and flawed yet persuasive explorers of every topic imaginable. The breadth and depth of our compositions are as varied as we are. And usually, if we’re old enough, such variety will be found spread throughout our individual bodies of work.

In projects of both fiction and non-fiction, I draw on a background in business, education, and the performing arts. As might be expected, there is no consistent pattern to my output—except for the decades of public relations, marketing, and design consultation I’ve performed for executives and their profit and non-profit entities.

Forms from the Past…
In preparing for my talk, I looked over previous work I had drawn upon for recent print, audio, and Internet projects. Not all were inspirational gems of form, content, or style, but each item I had chosen to re-purpose fulfilled a specific need. With every new project, I contemplate how the assignment fits within the scope of my professional history. Not only do I look for concepts, data, and text that may yield something I can reuse, but also the bits and pieces that should be moved to the recycle bin.

…Reshaping for Today and Beyond
This year’s springtime file pruning produced some of everything. I found business cards, ads, and brochures that could be used for marketing workshops. As I continued my file and closet clearing, I eyed posters and signage that could be augmented with a large artistic label for some future event. I quickly dismissed them as ineffective for a speech delivered from a podium. There was, however, one item I could share: a copy of Stephen Covey’s famous matrix of time and productivity management. The gist of this true jewel of philosophy is that if we focus on aspects of both our personal and professional lives that are important but not critical, we’ll be better prepared for challenges that may arise.

After a brief introduction of this principle to open my talk, I noted how elements of past writing had been folded into my writer’s blog [for samples, please visit https://www.Blog.ImaginingsWordpower.com]. From project inspiration to background research, through the phases of writing and editing, production, and marketing, I discussed how I select issues that may be of interest to other authors and artists. In addition to mentioning a few of those blog topics, I provided examples of material I’d chosen to use in recent book projects.

~ When I joined with five other authors to publish UNDER SONORAN SKIES, Prose and Poetry from the High Desert, I contributed both fiction and non-fiction. With new and as well as re-shaped pieces, we all expanded our repertoire. Knowing that publication of Prospect For Murder was approaching, I included its prologue. I also featured historical articles such as “The Holidays in Tucson, 1878,” which I read at the NWU meeting.

~ In Murder on Mokulua Drive [the second book of the mystery series], I’ve drawn on notes from my studies in history, plus a series of oral history interviews I conducted many years earlier. This has allowed me to mention the first woman registered to vote in the Territory of Hawai`i in 1920, and to place a major scene in the historic and ecologically significant site of Kawai Nui Marsh.

~ The compilation of the oral history interviews, Conversations with Caroline Kuliaikanu`ukapu Wilcox DeLima Farias has indeed proven to be an invaluable resource. Carol was a dear friend seeking to preserve her family’s history, library and other artifacts. Descended from Hawaiian nobility, her recollections of life in upcountry Maui in the early twentieth century and dancing hula in Waikīkī on December 6^th, 1941, delight both readers and listeners. In reshaping the layout for a book of the seven interviews and an audio edition comprised of the original recordings, I described how this resurrected project is benefiting from the comprehensive glossaries I’ve constructed for the Hawaiian and other non-English vocabulary included in the Hawaiian mysteries.

~ Finally, I referred to the fourth mystery, A Yen For Murder, for which I examined promo materials I wrote for Highland Games and the Hilo International Festival on the island of Hawai`i during the 1970s. This led to having Natalie reminisce about hearing a remarkable young woman play the Japanese koto at the Festival…and decades later having that woman, then a Buddhist priestess, become the victim.

In the future, I anticipate giving talks on the authorship process, for which many of these examples will be useful. Of course, there will also be samples of flawed book covers, changing email addresses, and evolving reviews to reference. How does all this relate to your work? Well, I wonder what awaits you when you dive into your own files. Will you choose to build on your dramatic successes? Or will you determine that what was once viewed as a failed project may rise to the realization of full and positive fruition?

Wishing you the best in your creative endeavors,
Jeanne Burrows-Johnson, author, consultant, and motivational speaker

For more ideas to strengthen your Wordpower^© and branding, please visit: Imaginings Wordpower and Design Consultation.

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ACKNOWLEDGING MENTORS

Acknowledging our mentors is a key authoring strategy!

There are so many aspects to the art and science of writing that it is easy to lose focus of mechanical details while completing a project. Empowering your words fully means having access to our mentors and technical experts for fiction as well as non-fiction. Sometimes when we think of the people who’ve advised us about our work—or regarding life in general—it’s difficult to remember them all. But the demands of book publishing eventually require authors to compose an acknowledgments section. Beyond being a gracious act, it can be a key authoring strategy in gaining the respect of those who help you, as well as your readership.

In my own experience, I have learned that it is not good to wait until the end to begin documenting everyone who has contributed to your final product. The simplest solution to this aspect of the editorial process is to keep notes on the people and organizations that are of assistance to us as a project develops. As I have moved from Prospect for Murder to Murder on Mokulua Drive, and from Murders of Conveyance to Yen For Murder, I have copied the Notes and Acknowledgment portion from one manuscript into the next. After removing references that are not pertinent to the current work, I continue to make quick notes as I progress through each book. By the end of a project, I may not have beautifully composed text, but I have complete references that will allow me to polish the section.

The easiest citations to track are for people connected to a library, institution, or government agency. Of course, such organizations often have considerable turnover in staff. That means you’ll need to verify whether a person remains in the job you’ve cited. Strategically inserting a phrase like “at the time” allows you to recognize a person’s help, even if you cannot verify their position as you go to press.

During a professional writer’s research, some individuals will provide meaningful counsel for several years. In my case, this category of advisers includes both generalists and specialists. Having described my protagonist Natalie Seachrist as the widow of a naval officer, I’m fortunate to have a husband who is a retired Lieutenant Commander. When unexpected questions about ships and naval protocols have arisen, he’s been able to answer them quickly at unusual times.

There are also people whose contributions move beyond their specific area of expertise. For example, the late Kevin C. Horstman, PhD (who specialized in geological sciences and digital image enhancement) has shared concise knowledge of the realm of geology. In addition, he’s provided understanding of geographical features and general scientific terminology. This invaluable input strengthens my ability to write descriptively, and has inspired writing of passages I had not foreseen.

Through appendices and footnotes, an author can reference the contributions of such technical, scientific, or artistic professionals in non-fiction pieces. Unfortunately, this is not appropriate to most works of fiction. However, fictional wordsmithing can utilize prefatory remarks, or dedication of a book or other major work to recognize such people. For even if you do not realize it, a reader’s expectations usually includes a desire to gain insight into how you have researched and shaped the work you are presenting to them. This is particularly true in the case of a series in which you will hope to gain a following from one book to the next.

Audio books require additional levels of attention to enhance the sensory experience of listeners. As I prepared to produce the audio recording of Prospect For Murder, I remained alert to aspects of production that could fulfill a listener’s expectations. A major consideration was providing precise chapter breaks, so that listeners know where they are within an audio book. It was also important to provide a distinct voice for each character. As someone trained in the theatre arts, I know it is easy for a solo performer to become confused in presentation of multiple characters.

Fortunately, I work with Jim Waters of Waterworks Recording. His experience in audio production positioned him to serve effectively as my director, as well as my recording producer and engineer. One of the best formatting tips he shared with me for preparing recording scripts was ensuring each page concluded with the end of a paragraph and/or an individual character’s voice. In addition I utilized various formatting to indicate how each passage was to be read.

As this first book in the Natalie Seachrist series reached its release date at the end of July 2016, I prepared Internet announcements through Https://www.ImaginingsWordpower.com, plus a new author website, Https://www.JeanneBurrows-Johnson.com and a Facebook page designed as a simple billboard for announcements. For these and other purposes, I’ve needed a professional photograph to accompany cover art and promotional text. This task seemed straight forward. However, on the day of the shoot, the weather was muggy, the activity took place in a space using evaporative cooling rather than air conditioning, and I was definitely having a bad hair day.

Perhaps I should have paid a cancellation fee and rescheduled the event. But with deadlines looming, I proceeded. At the end of the shoot I learned that the digital photographic firm could make image enhancements…at $35 for each element they adjusted. By the time I would have had them amend several parts of the picture I’d selected, I could have spent as much as for the shoot itself. Fortunately, a friend’s daughter, provided graphic art fixes. While this valuable service does not fall within a normal range of publishing credit, in the future she may become one of my advance readers, and I’ll be able to acknowledge her professional services in my notes section.

In summation, there are varied means by which you can thank and give credit to those who help you present your thoughts to the public!

Wishing you the best in your creative endeavors,
Jeanne Burrows-Johnson, author, consultant, and motivational speaker

For more ideas to strengthen your Wordpower^© and branding, please visit: Imaginings Wordpower and Design Consultation.

Follow Me:
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Book sellers may contact book distributors such as:
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Interview and Oral History Projects, 3

PRODUCING TRUE FACSIMILES OF INTERVIEWS

Few people willingly give up control of their personhood to allow a stranger to delve into their inner thoughts. But those private thoughts are what an effective writer must access to produce a true facsimile of each interview they conduct. For as a professional or even an amateur writer, your goal is to meet your listeners or readers expectations that they are sharing your sensory experience while gleaning the particulars of why the highlighted individual is worthy of their attention.

There are four statements I can make about my perspective on the interviewing process:

~ The interviewer has one chance to make a good first impression
~ The interviewer may not get another opportunity to interview their subject
~ Despite a subject’s agenda, the interview must be a record of fact
~ Regardless of the premise for an interview, the subject may become reluctant to speak about topics previously authorized for discussion

THE IMPORTANCE OF PREPARATION
In several blogs, I’ve stressed the importance of preparation to conduct both general and oral history interviews. In contrast, there are some writers who feel that research and other preparation is unnecessary, or even unwarranted. I strongly disagree. I believe research is vital to empowering your words in the interview process. It will also help establish your credibility as a wordsmith who has mastered the art and science of writing. In short, it’s one of the best ways of demonstrating your skill at the art of communication and making your subject trust you.

Contrary to the theory that “winging it” in an interview demonstrates you are a “common man,” and therefore likely to establish a connection with your interviewee, I’ve observed the results of people who conduct interviews without appropriate research. For when an interviewer demonstrates little knowledge of their subject, their interviewee may judge them inconsequential. If that is the case, responses to the interviewer’s questions may be superficial. In fact, the subject may be thinking, “If you don’t care enough to do your homework, why should I care about your project?” So I’ll just keep the kernels of my truth to myself until the right interviewer comes along.”

SUMMARIZING YOUR RESEARCH
By the time you’re ready to conduct a cogent interview, you should have completed a great deal of fact checking in several areas of your subject’s life, including:

~ The historical era of their life and the category of work they’ve performed
~ Their biography and career…as reported by them, and as available in public sources
~ Materials they’ve published, and speeches and interviews they’ve given previously
~ Comments their colleagues and other contemporaries have expressed about them

SHAPING YOUR QUESTIONS
The bulk of your questions will be determined by the purpose of your project. In some cases you’ll need to conduct interviews with multiple persons. By asking parallel questions of each, you can compare and contrast their views of the primary subject, as well as one another.

Regardless of whether there’s any obvious controversy you must address, beginning your interview with general questions about the unfolding of the subject’s life, can assist in putting them at ease…if their mental processes are fully functioning and there are no hidden elements in their early life.

ASK QUESTIONS CHRONOLOGICALLY
By delivering the early portion of your questions chronologically, your interviewee can mentally relive moments with which they should be comfortable. Additionally, taking them through the recognizable patterns of the decades of their life may trigger remembrance of small details. This will not only enhance the interview itself, but also add color to your subsequent reporting of the event. This can, of course, lead to some sidetracking, but you should be able to steer the conversation back to the key points you need to cover.

Prior to, or during the interview, you may uncover facts about your subject’s life and work that are at odds with information the person has released in the past. In this case, you’ll have to decide whether to directly question these inconsistencies. Of course, you’ll want to keep in mind that true or false, the opinions of others may have colored the public record. Also, the perspectives of most people change with time and life experience. And, whether we like to admit it or not, everyone has gaps in their memory, without necessarily being conscious of it.

APPROACHING THE INTERVIEW
It’s nearly show time. That’s right. I said show time. While serious scholars and journalists may dislike hearing me say it, an interview is usually a semi-public performance. Unlike a play, the dialogue is not set in stone; unlike an evening at an improv theatre, it’s not without direction and form—for that’s your job. But like a play on Broadway, it will be frozen in time, even if you conduct subsequent interviews.

LOCATION OF THE INTERVIEW
It’s been my experience that interviewees often set and control the location of the interviews they grant. This may not be the case for broadcast media and bloggers with sets in which the subject is expected to appear, but you are probably not working in these situations. Admittedly, it’s best to conduct an interview at a site to which you’re both agreeable, but sometimes you must accept interviewing your subject in their office, home or other location of their choice. Nevertheless, there are things you can do to balance the situation so that you’re able to subtly declare your professional standing, while still putting the person at ease.

There are many authoring strategies that can help to distinguish your work as an interviewer. Establishing a good rapport can be the key to making the interviewee trust you with the information they’re imparting. To do this, you might bring something with you to enhance the experience. This could be an edible item, or, if you know they are fond of a particular author, you might obtain a copy of that writer’s work to share with your subject. Please note that I’m not suggesting you spend a significant sum of money to buy your subject’s cooperation. But small acts of kindness can help warm the atmosphere, demonstrate the thoroughness of your preparation, and make the entire experience positively memorable for both of you.

INTERVIEWER ANXIETIES
Anxiety will undoubtedly arise, regardless of your preparation. Despite previous contact you may have had with a subject, being in their presence (even by video conferencing or telephone) changes the balance of your relationship. There is another factor that may detract from your rapport with your interviewee: If there’s an aspect of their lives that makes them suspect in the eyes of the public, they may be hesitant about granting you an interview. They may be apprehensive about information you may have uncovered already…or what they might reveal in conversation with you.

ATMOSPHERE OF THE INTERVIEW
Even when you have secured the location for holding the event, you cannot be certain of being able to completely control the environment.

~ Despite previous agreement, additional people may be present during the event
~ As recording devices can fail, carry a back-up unit, cordage and microphones with you
~ Regardless of their response, your subject may be distracted by ringing telephones and other interruptions

As you set up your equipment, be aware that recognition of the permanency of the record of their interview may be upsetting to your subject. Even if you have provided them with a copy of your primary questions, they may dislike seeing the list set out before them. They may also have negative feelings about seeing any reference notes you’ve brought. But since such materials should be in easily read styles and sizes of fonts, you’ll be able to quickly reference pertinent facts, while maintaining eye contact and keeping the dialogue between you as natural as possible.

EBB AND FLOW OF THE INTERVIEW
Establishing and maintaining a smooth flow of conversation is a primary goal in the interviewing process. Regardless of whether your personal views are in accord with those of your interviewee, it’s important to approach what they have to say with a calm, if not fully open mind. This does not mean that you have to forfeit your role as the honest broker of truth. However, you can adjust your personal style of behavior and other elements to maximize a positive atmosphere. After all, as in any natural conversation, your subject will periodically lead the discussion. That’s fine as long as they do not deviate greatly from the purpose of your dialogue, or delve into personal details of your life.

SHIFTS DURING THE INTERVIEW
After opening pleasantries, you can help direct the flow of the interview by verifying the amount of time you’ll have with your subject. This establishes a guideline for both parties and should make your periodic redirection of topic easier to explain.

Although you’re guiding the overall direction of the conversation, information will arise that may surprise you, or at least call for cursory examination. This may occur because the man or woman to whom you are speaking may have talking points of their own that they wish addressed. If that’s so, let them express their concerns, and then try to deftly redirect them to the specific information you need in order to complete your project.

THE EDITORIAL PROCESS
Sometimes an author feels stressed about the relationship between the creative process and editing. As you review an interview, you will not only want to envision how you will shape an accurate account of the event that reflects truly inspired writing as well. One thing that can help you achieve this dual pronged goal is to remember that the way in which you report your findings may be wholly different than the substance and sequence of the questions you posed.

For example, if you’re part of an oral history project, there may be a specific format for you to follow. This generates a record that harmonizes with the results of other interviewers within the larger body of work. Typically you’ll prepare a transcript of the actual dialogue between you and the subject—often with punctuation or other markings to indicate accents, pauses, stresses, and other notable features of your conversation. You may also write an introductory passage explaining your methods of preparation and your evaluation of the results you’ve achieved.

If you’re working on assignment for a media outlet, you might have the opportunity to write a personable article containing both dialogue and narrative prose. In this case, you may be allowed to offer your candid view of the person you’ve studied. Be aware, if you’re working as a freelance researcher and writer, you may need to prepare multiple versions of your report in order to secure one or more appropriate outlets for its broadcast or publication. I should note that there are situations when an interview will be available to only a select audience, or may be held in private for release at a future time.

As you finalize your work on an interview, you’ll want to remember that in this day of permanency in data recording and retrieval, the words you shape after the interview will live as long as the event itself.

Wishing you the best in your creative endeavors,
Jeanne Burrows-Johnson, author, consultant, and motivational speaker

For more ideas to strengthen your Wordpower^© and branding, please visit: Imaginings Wordpower and Design Consultation.

Follow Me On:
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Book sellers may contact book distributors such as:
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TAMING CLUTTER

THINNING THE FOREST OF FILES

You may have stumbled into this blog without an apparent need to address the topic. You may not be part of a group planning to generate an anthology. And, regardless of whether you are an amateur or professional writer, you may not think you would ever wish to publish a collection of your individual pieces. Yet over time, a number of works, large and small, may have accumulated in your electronic as well as hardcopy files. It’s simply part of the life of a wordsmith. And whether you realize it or not, handling your files is part of the editorial process!

REVIEWING PREVIOUSLY COMPOSED WORKS
It might be relatively simple to assemble a publishable collection of your various works, if you find a repeating theme. Sadly, it’s more likely that you’ll find disparate pieces lacking a common unifying thread. In such cases, cobbling together a publishable piece may seem a remote idea. However, periodic and systematic review and notation of your existing materials may reveal something of publishing value. You’ll never know unless you take the time and energy to explore the possibility. Projects like this demonstrate the technical side of the art and science of effective writing and should be one element in your authoring strategies.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF YOUR FILES
Having a comprehensible writer’s filing system can prove to be invaluable. As a wordsmith, there are many good reasons to revisit your electronic and hardcopy folders and files on a regular basis. The first benefit is controlling clutter. When you no longer recognize what a folder or file contains, it’s time to consider deleting it, or combining its contents with another. Of course, it is not advisable to delete material, until you’ve looked at it closely to see if there are any hidden gems. For if you discover something that generates an unexpected revenue stream, the entire process is justified, even if it means using creativity in your file naming. After all facilitating communication should include you!

Another reason for looking over your work is to review your journey as a professional writer. Like an artist moving through various media and periods in the body of their work, you may find definitive patterns in your creations. And, the process may impress you with the distance you have traveled and the progress that you’ve made. You may also find there are topics, choices in voice, vocabulary, and sensory detail that you would like to employ in the work you are currently generating…

FACILITATING FILE REVIEW
In order to examine your work effectively, you need a filing system that facilitates easy access. Regardless of whether you’re dealing with hardcopy or electronic form, you’ll want to organize folders and files in a way that will make sense to you in the remote future. That means ensuring that each one is both recognizable and trackable.

FORMATTING TIPS FOR HARDCOPY FOLDERS
Being a visually oriented person, I use color coding, abbreviated naming, and alphabetical sorting for hardcopy materials—of course, that’s after designating separate file drawers by category. For all reference materials I use the color yellow. These folders include:

~ Historical Reference
~ Geographical Reference
~ Organizational Reference
~ Miscellaneous Reference

For easy separation, I use Burgundy colored filing materials to designate Imaginings’ operational information and records. This section includes topics such as: accounting; computer hardware and software reference information; current and past marketing materials; handouts for clients; public speaking information and tools; and, current and completed writing projects.

Current clients are differentiated by teal colored folders and files. For ongoing organizational volunteer projects, I use blue filing materials. The great thing about a hardcopy folder is that its name can be changed whenever necessary by simply changing removable labels. And once I’ve completed a project, (or am no longer working for a client), I transform most files into categorical records stored in the Burgundy color I use for my own files.

For example, when I was no longer writing historical pieces for Realtor X, I removed materials I deemed irrelevant to any future work with them, and placed samples of the work I’d performed for them into a general topic folder [in this example, Real Estate]. This allows quick examination of all materials I’ve written about land and real estate. And, by retaining electronic files regarding individual companies, I can revisit the particulars of my association with them when necessary.

ELECTRONIC FOLDERS AND FILES
I find that creating and naming Folders is easy…since I base the process on titles composed of descriptive words and folder placement on alphabetical sequencing. To prevent having excessive numbers of folders for related topics, I use subset folders. For example, within a Chinese reference folder, I have subsets for Chinese art, funeral customs, history, jewelry, language and dialects, names, philosophy, and Shànghăi, And within each of these categories, there are further folders for specific topics such as dynastic history, types of jade, elements of Shànghăi deco artwork, and male and female names.

When I began the Natalie Seachrist series, I had one unnamed book and a nameless protagonist. After a while, the original file named “Book” became “Prospect For Murder.” By then, the protagonist was Natalie Seachrist, so some files in the PFM Folder bear her name in their titling. Many other files begin with the abbreviation “PFM,” followed by descriptive words, and finally, a date—if the material is NOT reference information. And, as with hardcopy files, reference data for the three books I’ve completed have been migrated to a generic Folder labeled “NS Research.”

Aside from logical alphabetical abbreviations, I urge you to date electronic files that are not reference information. This is because one of the most difficult aspects of being a writer is the number of re-writes required. I fought dating my files for many years, but after repeated difficulty in locating the files I sought, I have followed the example of more scientifically-oriented authors. The dating format I use is two digits each for the current year, the month, and day. For today’s Blog, I might title the file, I_Blog_Taming_Clutter_Pt_1_160421.

Other issues in naming electronic files are the use of capital letters and underscores between words or other elements. In the past, techies insisted on never using capital letters and always using dashes or underscores—or simply cramming alpha-numeric elements together without spaces. I haven’t noticed such definitive instructions recently. So, I use cap letters for readability, with underscores between the elements of a file name, as in one I created for recording the audio version of Prospect for Murder, PFM_Chapt_1_Vision.

DETERMINING WHICH FILES TO DELETE
I offer one cautionary note to all authors when it comes to the potential deletion of files: Author know thyself! This is crucial for all of us to internalize in many areas of our work. It is particularly important for writers noted for being too quick to delete something they may later need…as well as those tending to hoard every word they write, as if each were presented in a vision from a higher authority.

In general, I de-clutter files by removing as many as I can in both hardcopy and electronic formats. However, I have mechanisms for saving favorite material: I maintain two hardcopy sample portfolios. One is a master with published examples from my best work. The second one is smaller, with basic promotional materials focused on me and the general scope of Imaginings WordPower and Design Consultation. In the smaller binder, I’ve allowed space for inserting material from the master portfolio that might be appropriate to meeting with a specific person or organization.

For each major writing project, I create a file named “Unused Verbiage.” It is the destination for words, phrases and passages that I decide are inappropriate to my current endeavors, but which might prove useful later or in another piece of writing. These favored words can also facilitate your re-editing of a piece, such as when your editor or publisher requests insertion of some element you had deemed irrelevant.

Through such files, I track snippets of my writing, without needing to save a large or duplicative file. Also, I rename files with similar material, such as RMS_EmpressofBrit_Orig_Description or Pearl_Wong_Orig_Shanghai_Story. Both of these files reside beside the completed manuscript of Prospect for Murder. I don’t know how they might help me achieve goals and objectives in the unpredictable future. Perhaps I might revisit those passages as I complete Pearl Wong’s story within the series’ fourth book, Yen for Murder.

Wishing you the best in your creative endeavors,
Jeanne Burrows-Johnson, author, consultant, and motivational speaker

Operational tips to help writers are available in the following blogs:
Fear of Losing Files, July 2015
The Value of an Index, August 2015
Taming Clutter, April 2016

For more ideas to strengthen your Wordpower^© and branding, please visit: Imaginings Wordpower and Design Consultation.

Follow Me:
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Audible, Authors Den, Barnes and Noble, Blogarama, Book Bub
Cozy Mysteries-Unlimited, Facebook, Good Reads, Hometown Reads

Book sellers may contact book distributors such as:
Baker & Taylor, Follett, IPG, Ingram, Mackin, Midpoint, TitleWave

ENERGIZING NARRATIVE PASSAGES

Are you an effective teller of tales?

Professional or amateur, the most challenging part of a day of wordsmithing may be facing a blank piece of paper, or an empty page on your monitor’s screen…especially if you’re writing what feels like a dull narrative.
Writing Tips
THE ART AND SCIENCE OF WRITING
It may be surprising to you, but despite our electronic age, there are still writers who begin each project with hardcopy composition. If this authoring strategy produces effective prose, it’s hard to argue with their writing process. It’s all a question of the results that come from one’s practice of the art of communication. In both fiction and non-fiction, when the writer’s inspiration produces a rich palette of words that maximizes their reader’s experience, their methods have been successful!

Regardless of your wordsmithing process, on days when you feel lacking in creativity and even editorial direction, I suggest you begin by capturing the images that first come to your mind as you contemplate the scope and goals of your project. Work without concern for the structure of language, correct grammar, or the sequence in which the words emerge. Within a short while, you should find yourself producing an unstoppable stream of verbiage.

As your pace slows, you can pause to write a brief outline of your work to that point. Confident that you will not lose direction, glance over your creative output for patterns within the images, dialogue, and activity that you have produced. You can then begin empowering your words by strengthening the connectivity of fragmented text.

You should then be able to move back and forth between the creative and editorial processes fairly easily. I stress the first category—creativity—because writers often lose images they have glimpsed by becoming too absorbed in initial self-editing. Remember, editing can always be accomplished at a future time. But if you lose your inspired thoughts, they may never be retrieved…or built upon as you initially envisioned.

Experienced authors often have an established writer’s voice on which they can draw. This is true whether they are writing the fourth book in a series, or constructing a non-fiction piece reflecting their true voice and personality. Whether you are in this position, or creating a wholly new voice, you may wish to take a few moments and reflect on the tone, sophistication of vocabulary, structure of language that is most appropriate to the current work, and images that will enhance the sensory experience of your audience. [Please note that I am referring to your voice as the teller of facts or a story, not the voices of any characters you may be creating.]

With these elements in mind, you can enter the realm of refining the vocabulary and organization of your piece. As usual, I suggest you begin with the most obvious edits. Personally, I have a tendency to employ overly complex sentence structure that begs immediate trimming. Another pattern that many of us face is the need to flip first and last clauses, sentences, and even paragraphs. Like everything else, practice makes better, if not perfect, form. By the time you’ve reached the end of a couple of sections, your structure should have tightened with increasing clarity.
Writer’s Guidelines
MY EDITORIAL PROCESS
Sometimes in the midst of mundane edits, I have a sense of the truly impactful changes I wish to make. If working in hardcopy (often late at night in the midst of classic films or predictable episodes of television mystery shows), I’ll make marginal notes regarding a character’s appearance, vocabulary, motivations, or inner thoughts regarding other characters. [This has proven especially important when working on books subsequent to Prospect for Murder in the continuing Natalie Seachrist Hawaiian Mystery series.] And when at the computer, I may utilize small sticky notes to record my ideas.

With obvious adjustments to structure complete, I move within the piece to maximize its overall flow and tone. I usually begin by modifying nouns and adjectives. In a previous blog on color theory [see Design Dilemmas for Authors, Part 3: Color, May 30, 2015], I discussed various words that might be used in place of the word blue to enhance your color palette.

FACILITATING COMMUNICATION
Likewise, consider how you might embellish a scene referring to a red sofa. While inappropriate for a children’s picture book (and most contemporary fiction), the author of a dramatic historical novel might say, “The heroine entered the study nervously and perched on the garnet colored velvet chaise lounge.” Here I wish the reader to feel wooed by the distinctive color, texture and shape of a piece of furniture.

In my own writing, I frequently draw on the breadth of my writer’s palette to concisely depict the ambiance of a scene. For example, “She heard the sharp sound of a gunshot” became “She was startled by the sharp report of a bullet slicing the air.” Here I turned a matter-of-fact incident report to a description of my character’s response, which allows the reader to join in the heroine’s frightening experience which will enable your reader to feel they are present at the scene…and who knows how that may prove useful if your piece were to be converted to a script for a movie or television show.
Impactful Advertising Messages
ALTERING PUNCTUATION
Consider the following examples of shifting vocabulary, word sequence, and punctuation that can alter a reader’s interpretation of a passage within commercial as well as fictional text:

~ Experience the unique luxury of a journey to the Orient aboard the majestic RMS Empress of Britain. [Advertising copy similar to posters for the ship’s 1932 world cruise]

~ I journeyed from Hong Kong to Honolulu aboard the RMS Empress of Britain. [A matter of fact statement appropriate for any type of writing]

~ Truly…I did enjoy my trip aboard the RMS Empress of Britain. [A plea to be believed; perhaps for the dénouement of a murder mystery]

~ I immensely enjoyed my sojourn from Hong Kong to Honolulu aboard the luxurious RMS Empress of Britain. [An elegant, almost fussy statement, appropriate to a romance novel]

There are many ways to strengthen your writer’s voice for each project you undertake. Reading other works in the same genre by authors you like and dislike will provide examples to emulate, as well as to reject in your own work. There are also reference materials that will broaden your ability to describe people and occurrences in an articulate manner appropriate to your genre. You might begin by perusing your own reference library to ensure you have: A couple of grammar-cramming style books such as The Chicago Manual of Style and the Associated Press Stylebook, which are standards. You will also want to have a thesaurus or two, and a few dictionaries, including ones for foreign words or phrases you might use.

A RICH PALETTE OF IMAGES
Beyond these basics, consider how you can use Internet search engines and other materials. One of the most interesting sources I’ve found is obituaries [see Shopping for Characters, May 12, 2015]. This is a great place to find physical descriptions of people, and to discover comprehensive biographic images and sometimes even the settings through which men and women of past generations walked.

Wishing you the best in your creative endeavors,
Jeanne Burrows-Johnson, author, consultant, and motivational speaker

Tips to enhancing your writing may be found in the following posts:
Empowering Your Words, February 2015
Creating Fictional Characters, March 2015
Sidestepping Writer’s Block, April 2015
Communicating with Every Sense, May 2015
Energizing Narrative Passages, September 2015
The Author Recycles, July 2017
Balancing Text & Space, February 2017
Book Series Adventures, April 2018
Drawing on Sense Memories, July 2018

For more ideas to strengthen your Wordpower^© and branding, please visit: Imaginings Wordpower and Design Consultation.

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The Value of an Index

Indexing Makes Non-Fiction Text User Friendly

ing Your Words
During the publication of the anthology Under Sonoran Skies, Prose and Poetry of the High Desert, I was pleased to receive positive mention in an review for my comprehensive index. As the artistic director for the project, part of my authoring strategies was to ensure that future as well as current readers would find the work user-friendly, as well as an enjoyable read. Despite my vision, some of my five co-authors have been less than enthusiastic about the value of indexing. In fact, one of them was involved in another anthology for which an index was deemed irrelevant since including one would have reduced the number of pieces from one of the book’s prolific authors.
Significance of The Lack of an Index
When I examined that book’s table of contents, I realized the work had frequent references to historical events and high-profile people. Unfortunately, the lack of an index precluded a reader’s ability to analyze the work fully. This was especially true if a reader wanted to compare text provided by multiple authors on a particular subject. And, with the passage of time, even someone who has read the book and is familiar with its topics would find it difficult to re-access specific references—at least in hardcopy. And it is true that reference searches in material in electronic format can be facilitated by utilizing a find or search command. But to accomplish a comparison of various authors’ views, the reader would have to create a separate listing of those citations that pertained to their interests.

Since one can never know how a work will be used at a future time, I believe there is one simple argument for indices in non-fiction: If it is logical that some reader may wish to locate a specific reference, there is a need for an index. Even when a book’s contents are directed to a specific audience, future developments within the field under discussion—let alone the unfolding of history—may yield an unexpected group of readers for whom an index will be invaluable.

Structuring an index usually begins by listing proper nouns contained in the work—meaning all people, geographic locations, and events of sufficient worth to have been named. Most word processing programs can help you gather and list such terms, even if they lack an actual indexing feature. Another tactic for refining an index is analyzing terms included by other authors addressing a parallel subject.

As you delve into your indexing project, you may find topics requiring in-depth analysis. In looking at the nouns you have initially listed, consider related names and topics that can be grouped under a general category. For example, a discussion of lions, dogs and parrots suggests that a general topic of animals would be appropriate. Of course, some words may not have such an obvious association. One area of complexity is persons of varied professional accreditation. If you lacked sufficient numbers of therapists, physicians and dentists to provide these individual categories, you might use a comprehensive term such as healthcare professionals. Consider the terms highways, access ways, and trains. While they do not all relate to forms of roadways, they might be listed under a general heading of transportation.

If you tire during the indexing process, consider returning to your analysis of the work of colleagues. For although you may have accessed the works of many authors during preliminary research, you may not have closely examined their indices. This semi-final exercise may not only reveal an approach to indexing you have not considered, but it may also reveal gaps in topics or subtopics within the body of your own work. Even if you decline to broaden the scope of your piece, you may wish to consider some additions to your afterword or bibliography.

Before I leave the topic of indexing, I should offer one cautionary note for avoiding a mammoth appendage to your actual composition: When in doubt about including a general category, consider whether you have a minimum of three words to list within it…

The art of communicating with readers requires diligence in refining your skills. It is as demanding an element in non-fiction as in a fine work of fiction. So, beyond indexing, what other tools of wordsmithing could enhance your reader’s experience?

Wishing you the best in your creative endeavors,
Jeanne Burrows-Johnson, author, consultant, and motivational speaker

Operational tips to help writers are available in the following blogs:
Fear of Losing Files, July 2015
The Value of an Index, August 2015
Taming Clutter, April 2016

For more ideas to strengthen your Wordpower^© and branding, please visit: Imaginings Wordpower and Design Consultation.

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AUTHOR MEDIA RELATIONS, 1

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR MEDIA…

With today’s changing media, it’s nearly impossible to write a comprehensive and durable directive on the Dos and Don’ts of Media Relations for writers, or anyone. But with the intense competition for acquiring visibility in the public arena, becoming a pro at interacting with the media is a vital element of successful authoring strategies.

If you’re an effective wordsmith, you know the importance of both the written and spoken word. Of course, in today’s electronically-driven world, a word is not necessarily a word. With shortened forms of communication being perceived as ideal, varieties of abbreviations abound. Unfortunately, these shortcuts can lead to confusion. Not even acronyms can be relied on to carry identical meanings when used within the same language. Consider AMA. While it is used for both the American Medical Association and the Arizona Medical Association, it also stands for Ask Me Anything. Then there’s also COD, which in commerce means Cash on Delivery; in another context, it means Call of Duty. So, when dealing with acronyms, you have to be clear about which meaning you are attributing to the abbreviation.

Regardless of whether you are writing fiction, non-fiction, or commercial text like ads and commercials, the key to effective communication can be found in determining the demographics of your target market. Luckily, when we consider the demographics of media outlets, most are designed to appeal to a specific segment of the population. This can save considerable time, energy, and money when you wish to gain the attention of a media outlet’s readers, viewers, and/or listeners.

In the twentieth century, media generally referred to newspapers, magazines, radio, television, and signage. Today there are expanded versions of these media, as well as the Internet which has exploded across the globe with constantly evolving permutations. Just examining today’s political campaigns demonstrates that effectively utilizing static, electronic and mobile vehicles of communication provides unlimited choices for embedding a branded message—as long as someone is willing to pay for message preparation, if not actual placement of the resulting advertisement or infomercial.

But what alternatives are available to those who cannot afford to pay for research, graphic design, or advertising slots? Fortunately, even an individual with limited resources can find opportunities for communicating with the public that are cost-effective, if not actually free of charge. Today’s hottest communication outlets are in the realm of social media. Like other media platforms, you must be savvy about your use of them…but we’ll leave that topic for another post.…

One of the simplest means of getting free media coverage lies in earning their attention. After analyzing a media outlet’s format and demographics, you can shape text that will help meet their need to generate timely and noteworthy coverage of relevant persons and events. Keep in mind that short and concise presentations of the facts and even articles receive preferential treatment. If you capture their interest, a journalist can always request quotes and additional facts, but they will not want to edit material you send regarding a topic they may feel has little media value.

When you’re not facing a promotional deadline, you can explore aspects of developing long-term relationships with your media contacts. In short, you need to develop friendships that will prove beneficial to your marketing programs. While this may seem simplistic, building bonds with the people who regularly communicate with the public continues to be a cost effective ways for writers and artists [as well as non-profit organizations] to stimulate awareness of their work.

If you meet someone in passing, you’ll want to make the most of the opportunity to get acquainted. But when you have the time, you should perform at least cursory research of the person you desire to meet. Whether they’re a columnist, commentator, or a department head within a media outlet, a brief Internet search should reveal details about where they attended school, organizations to which they belong, and personal interests you may share. To maximize the results of your effort, you may wish to utilize more than one search engine. Next, you can then strengthen your avenues of connectivity by researching their professional output: Their articles, columns, or books; programs; videos, etc.

What is the current focus of their work? What are their clients expecting? Can you find a gap, current or recurring, in what they offer the public? In newspapers, this is called the news hole. If you’re lucky there will be a gap just waiting to be filled with your data. If that is the case, your media contact will be truly grateful for your input and will welcome hearing from you in the future.

Once you have completed your background research, you can strategize meeting or expanding your relationships within the media outlets you are targeting. If you’ll be attending the same function, consider sending notes or emails expressing your desire to see them. Or, if you have just attended an event at which they spoke, you can send congratulatory messages commenting on your appreciation of their work.

The bottom line is that communicating directly with members of the media yields invaluable results: Personal connectivity with people who may be able to quickly act upon information you share with them; opportunities for networking with outstanding members of your virtual or real community; potential for entering into partnerships that can help you achieve your goals and objectives. And, by making the effort to demonstrate genuine care about their concerns regarding appropriate topics and meeting deadlines, you will not only attain increased public visibility, but you will end up participating in new and sometimes exciting events.

Wishing you the best in your creative endeavors,
Jeanne Burrows-Johnson, author, consultant, and motivational speaker

Media Relations for Authors may be found at:
Know your Media, June 2015
Media Relations Dos and Don’ts, November 2015

For examples of concise print and broadcast media releases, visit: http://www.imaginingswordpower.com/media/media_release_samples.html

For more ideas to strengthen your Wordpower^© and branding, please visit: Imaginings Wordpower and Design Consultation.

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Interview and Oral History Projects, 1

nce of WritingnThe Art & Scie

RESEARCH YIELDS SUCCESSFUL INTERVIEWS!

The Anxieties of Conducting Interviews
While many writers enter a new project by addressing its individual parts consecutively, I tend to begin by considering how it parallels other work I have undertaken. That is why my discussion of business plans and grant proposals is offered in a single page on my website. Likewise, I view preparing for both journalistic and oral history interviews as generally the same. Before examining specific aspects of preparing for an interview, I should clarify that there are limits to this simplistic summation, for the research is for the research required for anything dealing with an historical topic is usually greater than that for a biographical feature in a newspaper or magazine.

However, in both instances, you need to learn as much as you can about your subject. For while time or resources may preclude your conducting in-depth research, there are two essential reasons for doing as much as you can. The most obvious one is to verify facts that have purported to make the man or woman sufficiently noteworthy for you to undertake your project. This fact checking ensures that even if the subject’s memory of specific elements in their personal or professional history is flawed, your reporting will be accurate.

The second reason to perform research is to find commonalities to help you establish an effective rapport with your interviewee. This can be especially important if your interview is being done by telephone rather than in person. Even with today’s connectivity via computer camera, the nuances of a personal meeting can be lost in electronic communication: The brightness of your smile upon entering the presence of your interviewee; the warmth of a firm but nonthreatening handshake; the liveliness of your natural voice; the fragrance of memorabilia assembled for your meeting; the shared experience of a flavorful cup of tea or coffee.

Honing your skills in the art of communication is vital in conducting any kind of interview. In the end, the results of failing to prepare properly for any interview are the same: Poor quality dialogue between you and your interviewee AND poor quality of your authorship.

Good writing reflects a combination of science and art. Empowering your words means investing the same amount of energy in your mental preparation as in performing your research, organizing the results, and outlining the questions you will ask during the interview. What do I mean by encouraging your mental preparation? There is little you can do to be certain of the attitude of your subject. But, despite anything that may occur prior to the interview, you can adjust your own thinking to be as positive as possible. In short, you need to be artful in your interaction with your interviewee in order to have a winning result for both of you.

That last note is very important, so allow me to repeat it: In order for your project to be a true success, both you and your interviewee must feel a sense of accomplishment when the conversation ends. The interviewer is supposed to be in the driver’s seat. To reach your goal of creating an interaction that will result in mutual satisfaction, you have to anticipate myriad issues that might arise in the interview.

I will admit that once you have completed your transcription, there may be points on which you and the subject will disagree…usually because the interviewee has doubts about the material they have disclosed, or they have misgivings about the manner in which they answered your questions. In these situations, there is little that you can do about any disappointments your subject may feel—although you can offer to interview them again, or to make note of their after-thoughts in a way that honors both your work and their concerns. However, as long as you have a signed informed consent and legal release form granting you use of the interview and its contents, you should be safe from future legal issues.

If you are a professional writer, you may have encountered circumstances in which you have turned to an attorney for counsel. For as laws vary from state to state, and accepted interview practices may change over time, you must be careful to research the legal issues involved in the use of information obtained in interviews you conduct. Also, you may wish to consider taking courses in journalism and oral history…at least have access to a respected journalist or historian who can advise you about interview standards.

Should you find the thought of embarking on a round of higher education daunting, please know that you should be able to find a school that will allow you to audit a course. This means that unlike a student taking the course for college credit, you should not have to take exams or write course papers. However, as a sign of respect, even if the professor’s permission is not required, I recommend that you speak to them in advance of registering to audit their course[s].

How one handles the discomfort of an interviewee can be a difficult issue for anyone. Following an interview with an elderly woman in Hawai`i, I was careful to recreate the full essence of our conversation. I did this by indicating the subject’s cadence and pronunciation in the transcription. At the time we were contemplating writing a partial family history, for which little of our dialogue would have appeared in the prose I would have composed for the book. Unfortunately, that fact did not mitigate her displeasure at what she perceived as flaws in her use of the English language.

In another instance, during research for a master’s degree in modern American history, I conducted an oral history interview with a man who participated in the Allied Occupation of Japan following World War II. As I had been trained in oral history courses, I had performed considerable research in advance. The interviewee and I were the ideal combination of being opposite in gender and age, and we did strike a good rapport at the onset of our meeting. In addition to this interview, I conducted subsequent interviews with former colleagues of the man, which also unfolded in equally harmonious ways. Unfortunately, when I interviewed his wife after his death, I learned that the work of my subject had been undermined by the rise of McCarthyism and the prolonged witch hunt for anyone suspected of being a communist—or even, as in this case, being a supporter of freedom of speech in open dialogues between persons of varied political leanings.

I offer these examples of challenges faced by the interviewer to encourage you to conduct in-depth research prior to your interview AND to suggest that despite whatever due diligence you have performed, something unforeseen can arise. I’m glad to say that in the aftermath of both of these challenges, I was able to retain positive relationships with my interviewees, although the projects did not come to fruition as I had planned. In the long run, I recognized there is little I could have handled differently in the interview process itself, and I have certainly benefited from the experiences I had as a young writer.

This brings me to one of the most important points I wish to make on this topic: All of your work as a researcher and writer adds to your credibility as an author. And, without a few challenges along your path, you will lack the breadth of life experience that brings depth to the verbiage you shape into material that both a targeted and general readership will find of interest.

Wishing you the best in your creative endeavors,
Jeanne Burrows-Johnson, author, consultant, and motivational speaker

Here are further comments on interviews and oral histories.
Overview of Interview and Oral History Projects, June 2015
Researching for Interviews, July 2015
Conducting Interviews, May 2016
After the Interview, August 2017

For more ideas to strengthen your Wordpower^© and branding, please visit: Imaginings Wordpower and Design Consultation.

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Communicating with The Senses

Sense Memory: Words For The Eye and Palette

Are you communicating with all of your senses? The art of communication largely relies on visual and aural stimulation.
~ An author communicates with the written word.
~ A dancer creates a visual message with his or her body.
~ Actors and public speakers communicate with the spoken word and their bodies.

In the past, the sense of touch helped to share the message of written words, as finely tooled leather-bound tomes invited the reader’s fingers to trace the lettering on a book cover. Even the sense of smell may be involved, as the carved leather fostered anticipation of the remarkable thoughts within.

Today, all five of the senses of the writer’s audience may be involved through the communication tools of our multi-media civilization. Beyond the realm of streaming radio and audio books, there are audio messages being sent into space that may not be heard for thousands or even millions of years. We are also at the brink of attempts at smell- or taste-athon forms of entertainment.

The goal of any communicator is to ensure that their readers, listeners, and/or viewers will respond positively to their message. Sometimes the process for achieving this is straightforward, even mechanical. At other times, the gathering of ingredients for connecting with one’s audience seems happenstance if not magical.

A successful advertising campaign is an example of how this process can work. Most of us are accustomed to extending our minds beyond a limited promotional image and message to the full experience enjoyed when actually partaking of the featured product or activity. Whether viewed in a full-page magazine ad or television commercial, the sight of a glistening golden turkey on a platter is expected to invoke memories of holiday feasts shared with our loved ones…rather than the reality of a studio of near-strangers focused on taking pictures of an artificial bird glued to a platter and painted with an oily brown glaze.

Sadly, the perception of truth can be more important than truth itself. For example, I recall being instructed about the art of opening doors, shaking hands and kissing on stage. I quickly learned that the natural ways of performing these tasks were irrelevant. The actors had to adjust their movements to make the audience feel comfortable with the actions necessary to theatrical performance.

To ensure our audience will be accepting of the images we have created, the artful wordsmith must do more than employ accurate vocabulary. This is one reason that translation of text from one language to another is so difficult. In fact, in addition to being an editorial process, it is a fine art. Merely selecting a word that correctly describes something does not make it a successful choice: The descriptive word you eventually choose must evoke the most appropriate image to both your genre and your audience.

Consider how you might employ the following words and phrases: Azure, blue, and sapphire; highlighted, revealed, and shone down upon; bright, luminescent, and sunny; juicy, moist, and succulent; boar, ham, and pig. Depending on the scene being described AND your audience, the text you compose from these words will differ. While the word blue may be appropriate for an advertisement, a children’s book and a romance novel, the same cannot be said for luminescent, azure, and succulent.

As adults with sophisticated English vocabularies, we may envision immediately the magical sparkle of a luminescent sky and the moist deliciousness of a pork loin described as succulent. However, these word choices would be inappropriate for a children’s book intended for a beginning reader. Our creative process may draw on a rich palette of images within our mind’s eye, but it must be tempered by the realities of the genre in which we are working.

Refining our writer’s palette is one of the most important authoring strategies we can employ, regardless of whether we are working on fiction or non-fiction projects. In my work as a practitioner of the art and science of writing, I seek to create a juncture between language and the sensory organs. I do this by striving to balance carefully chosen nouns and modifiers within an appropriate structure to provide my targeted audience with a rich sensory experience that they will accept within the current genre.

There is, of course, no right or wrong decision in the scenarios you create as a writer. The options are many. The choices are yours. But as you work on any project, consider the demographics, as well as the expressed responses of members of your audience. In the end, your word selections should be guided by determining the effect you wish to create in each passage…

Wishing you the best in your creative endeavors,
Jeanne Burrows-Johnson, author, consultant, and motivational speaker

For examples of sample color palettes, please visit: https://www.ImaginingsWordpower.com/color/plays_on_color.html

Further discussion of the nature and impact of color is provided at:
https://www.imaginingswordpower.com/wearing/wearing_your_brand.html

For more ideas to strengthen your Wordpower^© and branding, please visit: Imaginings Wordpower and Design Consultation.

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Design Dilemmas 2, Fonts

Confronted By a Fantasia of Fonts?

You’ve completed your research for a writing project. You’re through composing and editing the text. What a relief! But if you’re in control of printing and/or publishing the finished work, you’re probably facing several decisions about its appearance. While there are clear differences in design for hardcopy and electronic publishing, you may find that layout is not an issue—if your text is being dropped into a predetermined format, as in an existing website or magazine.

Whether or not this is the case, you may need to select and apply the fonts that will present your message to the world. If you have written a piece of fiction, you may be facing fewer considerations. In this scenario, the sections of your piece may not exceed a title page, table of contents, preface, prologue, chapters, epilogue, and acknowledgements. If so, a single font family may be ideal for the entire work—with variations in italics, all-caps and bold face.

But if your piece is non-fiction, you may have additional elements, such as: An Introduction, Afterword, and Appendices; Glossary and Index; Graphs and Charts; and, Photographs, Pictures, and Illustrations. While simplicity in visual elements is ideal in any reading material, you will want to ensure your presentation has a positive impact on the reader. And this may require the use of more than one font family.

Your first consideration in font families is the choice between serif typefaces [historically referred to as Roman typefaces by typographers] and sans-serif [Gothic] typefaces. Unfamiliar with the term serif? You’re not alone. A serif is a small tic or line placed on the ends of letter strokes. To compare these two categories of typefaces, let’s examine the differences between the classic Times New Roman and Arial font families. While the former looks fancier with its little tics, the latter is straighter and bolder.

But before you declare the cleaner look of Arial ideal for all purposes in our modern world, consider the issue of eye fatigue. When we stare at the same kind of image [i.e. a uniformly straight font] for very long, our eyes become tired…and when that happens, your audience may lose interest in the message you have worked so hard to produce. Therefore, consider using a mix of two or three font families that will make the various parts of your work pop. Not only will this lessen the chance of your reader becoming tired, it may increase the likelihood that he or she will remember your key points.

In general, for both print and electronic purposes, sans-serif font families are ideal for section titling, and sub-categories or menu labels. This bold lettering says, “Stop and Pay Attention to Me.” Although you may not be able to lessen the number of words used in a title, if you limit menu labels for website and other electronic publishing to one to three words, they will be memorable. Conversely, for the body of your text, you may want a serifed typeface, that allows the letters and words to flow from one to the next, while minimizing eye strain.

Before moving on, let me clarify that I am NOT suggesting you go wild, using a wide mixture of font styles and treatments in hopes of looking artistic. While I have suggested using three font families, in most cases, two of those would be non-serifed fonts for titling and menu labels. Titling might be in classic Arial [in bold], while the labels of menus might feature a smaller and tighter font such as Arial Narrow. For wide, easy-to-read text, I prefer Palatino Linotype rather than the Times New Roman that most computers will default to, if the specified font is not loaded.

There are many details to the history of the design and use of fonts that reach beyond the scope of this discussion. One is the mathematics of font spacing, which you may find mentioned in your own research of the topic of fonts. Simply stated, a monospaced, fixed-pitch-or fixed-width font is non-proportional, meaning that each letter and character occupies the same amount of horizontal space. This is in contrast to a variable-width font, in which the space between letters and characters depends on the actual space a letter requires. Since an “I” requires less space than an “E,” a variable width font may be helpful if you have a limited amount of width.

Let me also make a few comments on the judicious use of italics. While some design specialists are allergic to any use of them, I think italics are appropriate in some cases: Differentiating a slogan from the name and contact information of an individual or corporate entity; emphasizing a word or phrase within a large body of text; replacing quotation marks to indicate dialogue or a character’s inner thoughts. For me, I base my decision on using fonts on one key issue, How effective will this form of highlighting be? The answer often rests in examining the length of verbiage surrounding the text you propose to italicize. The overuse of any element reduces its effectiveness.

A similar evaluation should help you in determining when to use a bold font. Consider business cards that offer every letter and character in bold…Without a variety of shapes, color and emphasis, the reader is likely to be indifferent rather than impressed.

In closing the book on fonts for today, let me say that your ultimate choices will depend on your individual taste and style. To help you refine the process of choosing fonts, I recommend you collect a number of business cards (and maybe a couple of brochures) and consider the elements that appeal to you. Spread the printing samples out on a neutral background and ask yourself, “What does the text style say about the featured person or business?”

~ Is the presentation organized and easy to read?
~ Do I relate to the person or business? Do I trust their message?
~ Does the message reflect current standards for the industry or genre?

If you find yourself responding negatively to the sample materials, envision how you might improve both the message AND its delivery. As to your own work, ask yourself two questions. “Is my proposed use of fonts going to accomplish my goal of impressing the reader with my message?” And, “What will my choices in fonts and other design elements tell readers about me?”

My signature font family is Peignot. For titling and limited amounts of text, I often use a mix of the Peignot and Arial Narrow fonts [see the logo at the top of this post]. By embellishing these non-serifed fonts with varied treatments of sizing, texture, and color, I hope to announce that I’m progressive in perspective yet respectful of elements of classic design. Do you think I have accomplished my goal?

Wishing you the best in your creative endeavors,
Jeanne Burrows-Johnson, author, consultant, and motivational speaker

Discussion of art is available at the following blogs:
Authors Design Dilemmas 1, April 2015
Confronted by a Fantasia of Fonts, May 2015
Rainbows of Color, May 2015
Winning Logos & Slogans, October 2015
Quality Book Production, February 2016
Harmonizing Branding Elements, August 2016
Book Promotion and Evolving Art, January 2017
Balancing Text and Space, February 2018
Successful Cover Art, December 2018

For more ideas to strengthen your Wordpower^© and branding, please visit: Imaginings Wordpower and Design Consultation.

Follow Me:
Amazon, Arizona Authors Association, Apple Books
Audible, Authors Den, Barnes and Noble, Blogarama, Book Bub
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Book sellers may contact book distributors such as:
Baker & Taylor, Follett, IPG, Ingram, Mackin, Midpoint, TitleWave

Sidestepping Writer’s Block

**How do YOU Sidestep Writer’s Block?**

Unfortunately, regardless of whether you’re an amateur or professional, any author can face Writer’s Block. The term often conjures the image of a twentieth century writer of the great novel—rumpled, frazzled, and hazy from exhaustion abetted by alcohol or other drugs. Seldom do we picture an elegantly clad person poised before a blank computer screen in a well-appointed office.

Surprisingly, today’s writer is more often focused on commercial or academic composition than fiction. Stymied by the inability to produce the required verbiage, the valiant wordsmith in this scenario may continue to drill down in a repeating exercise of seeming activity…with the hope that it will produce a new dynamism. But an episode of slugging away at wordsmithing without inspiration often yields the same result: N o t h i n g o f V a l u e.

Is there an easy solution to the dilemma of low motivation and poor productivity? Sometimes the answer is no. At least for the time being, leaving the project alone may be the best answer. But what options are available as an alternative to abdicating your role as a writer and hitting your head with the hammer of guilt?

In the Southwestern desert, simply drinking water can restore one’s ability to concentrate, if not one’s creativity. Another option is exercise. Going for a run or walking in a garden will remove you from an atmosphere of defeat and inhaling fresh air re-oxygenates your bloodstream and enhances your brain function. Recent biochemical research has shown the benefit of eating brain-stimulating foods. But if preparing a meal of nut-encrusted fish with broccoli and tomatoes is not doable, you could consider taking a power nap, perhaps serenaded by Mozart or Vivaldi.

Beyond tangible physical benefits, these strategies provide Attention Distraction. Wait a moment, you say? Attention distraction is usually associated with magicians misdirecting audiences…or mystery writers dropping false leads into their text to confuse readers about the true direction of their plotline.

Regarding the quandary of writer’s block, consider that scientists exploring attentional focus and problem solving have discovered that too much mental focus can reduce one’s creativity, as well as the ability to solve problems. Therefore any strategy that redirects your energies is indeed useful for refreshing your body and your mind.

For me, the key to increasing my productivity is my frame of mind. For even if I’m poised to bring form to a fully visualized project, extraneous noise like ringing phones, talk or even music can stall my work. Sadly, I’ve found that food and water, or a change of scenery with heart stimulating activity, can only help to a limited degree.

Attentional distraction via the dovetailing of the creative and editorial processes I mentioned in my first blog is my best method for sidestepping writer’s block. If all else fails, cleaning house or playing a few games of solitaire allows me to return to productive writing for hours! All of the techniques I’ve mentioned in this blog helped me through the myriad phases of writing, working with my publisher, and promoting Prospect For Murder, the first book in the Natalie Seachrist Hawaiian Mystery series.

Here is a commandment I recommended to serious writers: Thou shalt set and maintain a schedule for daily composition—or other work related to the art and science of wordsmithing.

Remember, the Universe will provide the answer…when you’re ready to receive it!

Wishing you the best in your creative endeavors,
Jeanne Burrows-Johnson, author, consultant, and motivational speaker

For more ideas to strengthen your Wordpower^© and branding, please visit: Imaginings Wordpower and Design Consultation.

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Author Design Dilemmas, 1

TIPS FOR BALANCING TEXT AND VISUAL ELEMENTS

While most authors are familiar with writer’s block, some may be less aware of other stalemates they may face in presenting their words effectively to a world of readers, listeners, and/or viewers in advertising and other commercial messages. There is, however, one category of wordsmith that regularly addresses the dilemma of matching their words to the mechanism delivering their message: Authors of commercial text.

Artists and authors of commercial text regularly have to balance text with visual elements in order to deliver a dynamic and holistic message. How we do this may depend on the degree to which we are involved in the technical process of producing the completed message. If, for example, someone else is charged with the layout of print or electronic publishing, the author’s only challenge may be in editing the length of the words within the passage of text. But when the writer’s responsibility encompasses the appearance of the final product is greater, the degree of their involvement in technical production is increased.
authoring strategies
My own work has presented me with project challenges spanning the full range of production, despite my not being a graphic artist. In working as a promotional consultant for one non-profit organization, I faced a board of directors determined to launch a branding program without a logo to represent them visually. Knowing they’d quickly realize the folly of this choice—and blame me for the decision—I pulled out a pencil and sketched a rising sun with slanting rays to represent nature and growth. I knew my simple doodle would not meet their needs, but I did obtain permission to have a graphic design company produce a logo prototype and sample postcard for which I had composed text.

Unfortunately, the island of O`ahu experienced a power outage during the week in which this took place. Not knowing what else might occur, I quickly rescheduled my meeting with the directors for Friday. When I checked in with the design firm mid-week, I was assured their timetable had not been compromised. With confidence, I arrived at their office on Thursday afternoon. Whoops, I was told: The artist was off that day and the work had not been completed.

Since it was too late to find another artist, I was left to my own devices. At the time, I worked with a simple word processing program and calligraphic pen. With some copy-paste magic, I cobbled together a rather good sample and made a humorous presentation that netted smiles and authorization to proceed with my work. A few days later, I found an independent graphic artist who grasped the spirit of the organization and completed each task she was assigned in a timely fashion.

Today I possess a computer that is fully loaded with graphic art software programs. However, I know my limitations in design integration and continue to rely on professional artists for high resolution images. Nonetheless, working with creative software during the early phases of a project allows me to rough out ideas that facilitate communication with both clients and artists to smooth the editorial process. The result is that I’m able provide artists with conceptual springboards that allow them to surpass my humble starting points, as well as the initial expectations of clients.

Wishing you the best in your creative endeavors,
Jeanne Burrows-Johnson, author, consultant, and motivational speaker

Discussion of art is available at the following blog posts:
Authors Design Dilemmas 1, April 2015
Confronted by a Fantasia of Fonts, May 2015
Rainbows of Color, May 2015
Winning Logos & Slogans, October 2015
Quality Book Production, February 2016
Harmonizing Branding Elements, August 2016
Book Promotion and Evolving Art, January 2017
Balancing Text and Space, February 2018
Successful Cover Art, December 2018

For more ideas to strengthen your Wordpower^© and branding, please visit: Imaginings Wordpower and Design Consultation.

Follow Me On:
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Empowering Your Words

POWERFULLY TARGET YOUR AUDIENCE!

For decades, I have striven to shape effective written materials for clients and myself. At the end of many assignments, clients often ask if there’s a definitive method for generating quality writing. Unfortunately, while some aspects of the pieces I write can serve as virtual templates, I have to report there’s no magic potion for guaranteeing effective wordsmithing. For anyone.

Amateur or pro, the key to quality writing is blending creativity with exhaustive editing!

LAUNCHING YOUR PROJECT. Feeling nervous to launch your writing project? Ask yourself one simple question: Am I so focused on the final product that I’m inhibiting my ability to write? Your honest answer might be a reluctant yes. If so, merely facing a pen or keyboard can be traumatic. In response, consider performing a visualization exercise. Without committing yourself to serious meditative practices, you should be able to picture your target audience reacting positively to a large screen presentation of your message. Armed with this optimistic image, you should feel better prepared to set your verbal vehicle on the path to success.

THE VALUE OF AN OUTLINE. How will you reach your goal? Regardless of the type of text you are composing, I’ve found that outlining is an invaluable tool. I believe there are three essential steps to shaping a focused outline:

~ Write a mission statement summarizing your project’s purpose
~ List key points in a progressive sequence that validates your summary
~ Craft a closing statement summarizing how you’ve met the goals of your mission

You now have a recipe for determining the content and sequencing of the elements of your composition. The exact position of the various components will vary, depending on the product you’re fabricating. The key points on your list may yield paragraphs in an essay, article or speech. They may also become individual pages in a website. If you are seeking financial backing for a new business, they could become categories within your business plan. And fiction? Well, your list may be the plotline that yields the chapters of a prize winning novel.

DOVETAILING CREATIVITY AND TECHNICALITY. Despite my assertion that such organization will aid every writing endeavor, do not suppose that good writers never experience confusion, indecision, or misdirection. The writing process is a dovetailing of creative and technical activity. As you plunge into the construction process of your project, you will need to alternate between capturing the essence of what you want to say and coldly editing what you have written. The beauty of this double pronged approach is that you can let your thoughts flow freely, knowing that the structure of your work will evolve as you edit your way toward a harmonious conclusion. I certainly found this approach to wordsmithing invaluable in writing the first Natalie Seachrist Hawaiian mystery, Prospect For Murder. This approach facilitates your remaining productive, even when experiencing writer’s block.

STAGNATION. If you feel your creativity as a writer has stagnated, turn to another aspect of the project. Is there supporting material that requires your attention? Perhaps you need to shape a bibliography or glossary, or a preface, afterword, or acknowledgement section. If you’re responsible for printing, broadcasting, or uploading the final product, you may also need to work on color, form, texture, and artwork to present your thoughts with dynamism to your readers or viewers. And, of course, you can always revisit your personal bio or corporate mission statement…

Wishing you the best in your creative endeavors,
Jeanne Burrows-Johnson, author, consultant, and motivational speaker

For more ideas to strengthen your Wordpower^© and branding, please visit: Imaginings Wordpower and Design Consultation.

Follow Me On:
Amazon, Arizona Authors Association, Apple Books,
Audible, Authors Den, Barnes and Noble, Blogarama, Book Bub,
Cozy Mysteries-Unlimited, Facebook, Good Reads, Hometown Reads

Book sellers may contact book distributors such as:
Baker & Taylor, Follett, IPG, Ingram, Mackin, Midpoint, TitleWave