I admit that grad school stretched and forged my writing . My Creative Writing degree is amazing, I keep getting told by countless nurses, accountants, and others in lucrative and important careers. I deduce that means a writer's muse lives in most people. I promised myself that if I made it through grad school that I would not be afraid to try anything with my writing or life.
I felt the urge to revisit a lesson by one of my favorite grad teachers. The assignment came in the form of a lippogram. If you have no idea what I am talking about don't panic. I had no clue either until I tried it for a grade. No pressure right! A lippogram, in my experience, is a way to torture your writing muse a bit and stretch your mind for miles. I'll liken the journey to driving down Lombard Street in San Francisco with all the beautiful curves and lights at night. You take a paragraph you've previously written and decide to omit one letter. My experience forced me to eliminate the letter "E." Look at my last sentence and count the 12 Es I'd have to remove! Imagine rewriting an entire paragraph to omit a certain letter! That is daunting but rewarding at the end. Imagine writing an entire novel like Ella Minnow Pea by Mark Dunn. Publishers Weekly proclaims the novel as "progressively lipogrammatic epistolary fable," and the result is a novel bursting with creativity, neological mischief and clever manipulation of the English language." If you have tried lippogram you probably discovered some beautiful writing amongst the strangeness of it all. Try to incorporate some of that experimental writing into your original paragraph.
I am storing an arsenal of writing knowledge and experiments in my writing workshops. In the near future I'll be expanding into teaching more workshop classes. There seems to be much to learn as we all journey on the writing path. Remember, we writers are the envy of people big and small! I challenge you to take a writing workshop or class. Try something totally ridiculous or foreign to your writing. You will amaze yourself.
Trish Hopkins is a professional writer, creative writing instructor, and speaker at www.trishhopkins.com
There was a glitch in my perfectly planned writing schedule last week. I finished a piece for one of my regular columns and sent it off the day before it was due with a sigh of satisfaction. Another project crossed off my to-do list. However, my productivity came to a screeching halt a few days later, when my editor emailed to say that the publication's powers-that-be decided to change the topic at the last minute (two days after the deadline, mind you). Could I possibly do an interview and write a new article in the next two weeks? I sat back in disbelief and considered my packed schedule.
What should a freelancer do in this situation?
Your options, of course, are either yes or no. Answering yes will make your editor's life easier, and thus will make him very happy, but it could set you up as a pushover in the future. Answering no will make your editor's life more difficult, and may cost you any further assignments with that publication. Before you fire back a response, pause to consider the following.
Is it your first assignment from this publisher or your tenth? If it's the first, reread your contract. (You did get one, right?) There may be a clause written about your responsibilities in the event of a topic change. If your signature is on the bottom, you have to follow through on the terms you've agreed to, but if no such clause is spelled out, then you get to choose. Ask why the topic was changed, and if the publisher will run your original piece in another issue for the agreed-upon payment. At best, you could have two articles published instead of one. At worst, you should at least get a kill fee to compensate for the work you've already done. (Usually 20-50% of the full payment, but the kill fee should be established when you accept the assignment, and should be spelled out in the contract.) If the publication doesn't plan to use your first assigned article, ask if you can retain all rights and submit it elsewhere.
Also, consider how much you want to write for the publication. It might be worth "making good" with the editor and establishing yourself as someone easy to work with, which will likely win you further assignments.
If it's your tenth assignment for the publication, consider whether this is the first topic change, or if last-minute switches seem to be a bad habit. If a bad habit, you might want to reconsider accepting any further assignments. However, if it has never happened before, and especially if you have a good relationship with the editor, it's usually best to take one for the team and agree to the request. It will permanently endear you to your editor, and will provide some bargaining power the next time you might need a favor.
So what did I do? I agreed to do the interview and new article. I've been writing for the publication for two years, they've always paid well and on time, and this is the first time they've changed the topic. Plus, they promised to run my original article in the next issue, which will give me a nice break next month. After adding all that up, my frustration over my schedule change melted away and I couldn’t say no. Besides, that editor was the first to call me out of the blue with an assignment after seeing my writing elsewhere, and that's just not a relationship one gives up easily!!
Abby Plambeck is a freelance writer in Milwaukee, WI. As a former nurse, she specializes in health writing, but has lately also begun to dabble in fiction and auto finance. Visit her website at http://www.abbyplambeck.com/.
Under the Weather
Aaron Hopkins
Aaron Hopkins is recovering
from oral surgery and working hard to get his illustrations out to the masses. He will be back with flair next month.
Aaron Hopkins is an artist, children's book illustrator, art instructor, and founder of Pigmi Art www.pigmiart.homestead.com. If you are looking for art, illustration, logos, photo editing, or Flash animation, he is the
go-to guy.
Writing Tip:
Spring is a great time to attend book sales to build up your summer reads. I love attending the library book sales to find amazing finds for $1. My family rarely makes it out of the buildingwithout spend $50 on a treasure trove of voices to add to our personal library. Trish Hopkins Writing Prompt :
Buy an old book from a yard sale, used book sale, or thrift store. After reading theentire book, pick a scene and rewrite it in your own words. You can either keep the characters or make up new ones. Write the scene in a way that satisfies you.Trish Hopkins
Your Thoughts ForumPlease feel free to send in any comments, questions, or articles you have for us regarding this newsletter or writing. We will be happy to answer your questions as quickly as possible and may even put them in the next newsletter. Also, send in any story starts you might like to share that blossomed from the writing prompt and we might put them in the next newsletter or on the website www.trishhopkins.com. This newsletter is for your benefit and we want all the readers to be interactive with us. Send your questions, comments, and ideas to stellarsensibility@msn.com
Looking For Writing Contests
If you have written your masterpiece and now are looking for a market or contest to put it, the best place to look is FundsforWriters, www.fundsforwriters.com. Hope Clark not only has four newsletters full of contests and such, but the articles she publishes are most illuminating! You have so much to gain by letting Hope Clark into your inbox each week, so go sign up today!
Ebooks
If you are looking for quality ebooks on writing then check out the line by Hope Clark. You will find them showcased on my website at http://www.trishhopkins.com/FictionWorkshop.html. I have bought many of them and just think they are must haves for the serious writer!
Need a life coach? As a writer, life coach and educator Tracy Carreon is committed to creating products and programs that inspire people to expand self-awareness, deepen experience, and envision, choose and create the life they desire - to embrace a "self-authored" life www.invisionlife.com. She has the answers for people who are looking to find their dream town www.yourdreamtown.com.
Shopping
By the Sea ~ Brunswick, Maine
Join the Winters family as they embark on a whimsical adventure following childhood dreams. From California to Maine, journey with your friends Nick, Annie, and their folks to a new home. Discover the new people and places that their father left behind from his childhood in Brunswick, Maine. Included are paper dolls and Maine fun facts for hours of enjoyment.
48 pgs, 8.50" x 11.00" Full Color, ISBN: 978-1-4303-0345-9 $20.00 Purchase your copy now at http://www.lulu.com/content/438243
Online Mall
In a hurry? No time to beat the rush at your local mall? Shop at your leisure from your computer desk at my mini mall. I have a plethora of stores to find the perfect gift for everyone on your list. You have plenty of variety with Wal-Mart, Monterey Bay Clothing, Toys R Us, K B Toys, Hickory Farms, Things Remembered, Linen and Things, Hilo Hattie Hawaiian, Sharper Image, and Extreme Geek to name a few. Also, make it special with gifts purchased from Personal Creations and Personalizations Mall. This is the most convenient, fun, and safe way to shop.
Check it out today! http://www.trishhopkins.com/favoritelinks.html
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