PROFESSIONAL WRITING TECHNIQUES

Professional Writing Techniques
Part 3 of 3

And a few last tweaking tips to better please your readers~

8. Include an occasional quotation or statistic. 

    Such additions to your text add variety, wisdom and depth to your words, as well as wisdom from a known authority. State the source of all your statistics.

QUOTATION     "Today, growing your global markets has never been easier. With recent advancements in technology, any small- to medium-sized company can grow its business in international markets." 

from Grow Your Global Markets: A Handbookfor Successful Market Entry

by Raymond A. Hopkins

STATISTIC

     "According to a report released by the Pew Research Center, 68% of Americans are on Facebook."

from How Floor DealersCan Beat the Boxes Online

by Jim Augustus Armstrong

9. Use – but don’t overuse – well-known slang or colloquial expressions.

     In nonfiction as well as fiction, a light scattering of such colorful words will go a long way. Really -- how many time do you think we need to read Y'all, before we get it! Too much sounds trite.

And unless you're writing an "adults only" book, be cautious about sexually suggestive slang or derogatory expressions.

10. Condense, but don’t stretch the content. 

      Judicious condensing (tightening the writing) of a paragraph or sentence can be done in ways that keep the meaning clear and eliminate unnecessary words.

Sometimes we string together a series of descriptive, short phrases that would "read" much better if they were combined using one or two specific words that incorporate the phrase descriptions.

However, stretching your content to fill more space always dilutes the message and looks like lazy writing. Your readers will catch on to “word fill” without any trouble and either be bored or so very annoyed!

11. Always ignore MSWord’s corrections except for spelling — usually.
      So often they are dead wrong! And copying their mistake will NOT exonerate you from using it!

That's all the pro tips for now, friends. But you know, deep down, that I'll soon be back with more~

(Yes, I know... that picture plays with my brain, too!)

Happy writing,

Lin

N/F BOOK CHAPTER ENDINGS

 ~ More Chapter Ending Techniques ~

In addition to the suggestions for chapter conclusions in the last post, here's another that works great!

by Linda C. Senn
Available on Amazon

In the 2nd edition of my book Your Pocket Divorce Guide, I added a "TO DO LIST" at the end of the first four chapters to further help the reader. Basically, the guidance in each of those chapters was condensed into a list, providing a concise action plan.

Happy writing!

Lin

PROFESSIONAL WRITING TECHNIQUES - Part 2

Professional Writing Techniques
Part 2 of 3

And we continue with the not-so-secret fine tuning
that elevates good writing to Professional Writing~

4. VARY YOUR SENTENCE LENGTH.

     Avoid long, complex sentences. When you load a *compound sentence* with several phrases, the reader may have to read those two or three times to figure out which ones goes with what!

Usually, the problem can be solved by tight writing. Simply eliminate unnecessary words and replace a phrase with a single, precise word.

For example, instead of saying “the teenager seemed to be all arms and legs and was rather awkward,” write “the gawky teenager.” Or you can split the sentence into two shorter ones.

A really short 2 or 3 word sentence
adds energy to the whole paragraph!

Example: Your salesman wasn't surprised that the devise
     had crashed so soon. Are you?

5. SHORTEN OVERLY LONG PARAGRAPHS.

     A paragraph that runs on for half a page or more lacks energy and visual variety.
And it’s boring!

Read your page carefully, watching for a shift in topic or tone. In a super long paragraph there will usually be several. Break the long paragraphs into two or three smaller ones, and adjust the wording as needed.

6. START EACH CHAPTER WITH A "HOOK" TO SNAG YOUR READER'S INTEREST.

    Hooks take many forms, but as the word implies, all are designed to pull the reader into the next paragraph.

A question or short, premise statement works well, such as: Where would we be without plastic? or A working outline makes the writing flow more smoothly. 

Or you can lighten the tone with Oh, and did I mention....? to introduce the topic of the new chapter.

You can also use a tie-in to the previous chapter. With that process in mind, we can now proceed with … or Based on what we just learned about (previous chapter’s information)...

 

     7. CLOSE EACH CHAPTER WITH A CONCLUSION OR A LEAD-IN TO THE NEXT CHAPTER. 

     For example, You'll soon discover that's the quickest way to trim an oval widget! or After you’ve chosen a theme for your project, you’ll need to collect the materials.

But beware! Some writers don't actually close the chapter -- they begin to babble on and on after they’ve made their point. When in doubt, read over your closing paragraph and underline the concluding sentence. Chop everything after that!

And leave your readers eager to turn the page to the next chapter!

Happy editing!

_________________________________________

NEXT WEEK: PROFESSIONAL WRITING TECHNIQUES

Part 3 of 3

 Quotations & Statistics

Clang & Colloquial Expressions

Chapter "Hooks"

Condensing Text

Beware! MS Word Correcrtions!!

PROFESSIONAL WRITING TECHNIQUES - Part 1

Professional Writing Techniques
Part 1 of 3

The difference between amateurish and truly professional quality writing hinges on many things -- quality of research, tone, slant and almost infinite variables. In this series, we'll look at a few basics that I teach in my nonfiction workshops.

 

1. Write tight! Don’t ramble.

     Eliminate any phrases or sentences that don’t add to the basic focus of the chapter or section.   The fascinating fact that interrupted the forward momentum of the text can usually go in the   next sentence or in a pull-out text box. Or you can try your hand at writing a brief parenthetical "comment" in the sentence.

2. Avoid overusing the “to be” verbs, i.e. is, was, were, are, am.

     These "to be" verb forms pop into our heads (and onto the keyboard) almost automatically. Comfortable, familiar, universally understood...and BORING!

Go through your manuscript, and circle the “to be” verbs, and replace two-thirds of  them with more specific verbs or verb phrases.

That presents a challenge for even seasoned writers. Many of us find it's wise to simply   go with the writing flow for the first draft, rather than breaking your rhythm with instant editing. 

If that's your preference, keep writing and change them when you do your first edit. Highlight them first, then go back and replace each one, working on a page at a time. Generally, replacing about two-thirds of the "to be" words will be enough. Unless you    go nuts every time you spot one! In that case, correct each one when you see it.

Sometimes simply replacing the is/are words with a precise verb will do the trick. Other times, you'll also rearrange the sentence or even the paragraph. Don't settle for OK. Go for excellent!

  

3. Use specific, descriptive nouns.        

     Instead of book, write paperback, volume, tome, booklet, manual  or publication. One of the keys to keeping the reader’s attention is familiarity.

• ·         Twix® bar elicits a stronger reader response than "candy bar,"
• ·         Altoids® wins out over mints,
• ·         Tide® resonates far more than soap or detergent, and
• ·         Kleenex® or Puffs® draws a more personal connection than tissues.

That also eliminates the use of a fistful of adjectives for each noun. Remember to capitalize brand names, and use the Registered Trademark symbol ® when the brand isn't obvious from the name of the product.

Happy editing!

_________________________________________

NEXT WEEK: PROFESSIONAL WRITING TECHNIQUES

Part 2 of 3

 Sentence and Paragraph Lengths

Satisfying Chapter Conclusions

Chapter "Hooks"

Writing Workbooks & Handbooks

Versatility of Comb- or Wire-Bound Handbooks

Short workbook and handbooks include topics like class exercise and notes, how-to short handbooks and guidelines. Yes, they're all nonfiction books and they all help and guide your readers!

Have you written a book, any articles, workshop or class scripts or other factual, information and guidance pieces? That's either print, e-book, blog posts, handouts and worksheets for those classes.

You've already written the basics, BUT your mind has a lot more details to share!

YOU CAN BUILD ON, FURTHER DEVELOP & EXPLAIN

             with the workbook and handbooks.

I've written several, including:

• News Releases X 4 Handbook: 4 different kinds of news releases to boost your visibility and sales
        This was based on my experience and workshops I gave on the topic.
• Guidelines for Writing Your Nonfiction Book (currently being updated)
         Based on the many workshops I've given on the topic.

• Examples of Front and Back Matter (in your books)
         Based on creating that material for 8 of my own books.

• Publisher's Press Kit? Instructions & Worksheets  (currently being updated)
• Writing Your Family History (currently being updated)

Since I have a plastic comb binder in my office, I print and bind these in-house. But you can print them at home or take your computer file to a local print shop and ask them to bind them.

OR you can offer them on your blog or website as pdf. files!

These books are filled with practical, use-now information and can either be sold or used as free incentives to encourage people to sign up for a workshop, coaching, or other services you may offer.

Naturally, you can also use them as workbooks for your classes.

Practical, versatile and actually easy to write after you've had experience on the topic.

Enjoy!

Inside Pages of a "Short Book"

Let's look inside a business-oriented Short Book~

10 Effective Ways to
Promote Your Seminar

The short book mentioned in the previous blog, 10 Effective Ways to Promote Your Seminar by Linda C. Senn (me), ©1998, had 48 inside pages:

Front Matter included copyright page and table of contents followed by the text pages and then a couple of back matter pages announcing a forthcoming book.

That was the 1st and last time 

I designed my own book cover!

The contents of the first inner page included a brief author biography, tiny acknowledgment, title, copyright, an "all rights reserved..." notice with publisher's mailing address.

                   <> The Table of Contents shows a variety of useful information <>

1. Brochures
2. Flyers
3. Testimonials & Endorsements
4. News Releases
5. Event Exposure
6. Articles
7. Newsletters
8. Electronic Media
9. Joint Promotions
10. Networking

Most computer word programs offer a template for 2-page-per-sheet document creation.

Being an optimist, I had w-a-y too many copies printed and bound (stapled), but when I opened the shipment, I was beyond excited. The cover is card-stock (heavy) weight and the printing is highest quality.

I sold a few copies, learned a great deal (including how much I still didn't know!), and now usually create these "in house" except for the heavier weight, color cover. 

• Covers are produced in color, on heavy card stock at a local printer.
• Inner pages are printed on my wonderful HP laser printer.



Strengths and Attributes of Mineral,
Plant & Animal Spirit Helpers

• They're "bound" by a heavy duty, deep-jaw stapler.

Short Books have as many purposes as your imagination can come up with.  Anytime you want an 8 1/2 " x 5 1/2" bundle of information-packed pages that can be produced economically, consider this approach.

Think about information about...

• your business for new clients, 
• a mini-workbook for your workshops, 
• a reference for terms, 
• symbolism, 
• idea stimulators, 
• short meditations, 

...and other short reference books.

The 28 page book on the right, Strengths and Attributes of Mineral, Plant & Animal Spirit Helpers by LCS, ©2002, 28 pages, was completely produced in my office*.The heavenly turquiose is simply 24# bond paper. This wasn't mean for bookstore sale and appeals to a small target market. So I offered it when I taught a related workshop. That's where the information was most useful and appreciated! 

* Sale of anything produced 100% by you in your office is virtually pure profit!

Next time, we'll look at the extraordinary range of uses for plastic comb-bound or wire bound books.

〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰💥 Coming soon!    A SURVEY on...  

Where are you in the whole book writing process
& what kinds of information would you value most from me?

What does a "book" look like?

What's your mental picture of "a book"?

Soft cover 8 1/2" x 5 1/2"
Your Pocket Divorce Guide

First, most people think of a paperback (a.k.a. soft cover), then of a hard bound, textbook-like object. The minimum depth would be 1/2" with a seriously professional cover design.

I don't have a graphic of bits & bytes, but mentally we'd include audio books.

Nothing else qualifies!

You may think (!) that if you plan to write "a book," you need to create one of those.

But wait!

Comb-Bound Handbook
Add Pizzazz to Your Books

What about the 8 ½" x 11" HANDBOOKS and WORKBOOKS? Plastic comb-bound or wire bound, they're handy, useful and certainly don't need to be 1/2" thick. 

And SHORT BOOKS? Are you familiar with the 8 ½" x 5 ½" half-size short book that's "saddle stitched"? They're still called that, because in the olden days, the pages were literally stitched together at the center fold of an 8 ½" x 11" size sheet of paper. 

48 pg. Short Book
10 Effective Ways
to Promotes Your Seminar

This short book started life as a tri-fold brochure but then kept growing! I'll be writing more about it in the blog-future.

For this one, published in 1998, I was both author and cover designer. (I never made that mistake again!) But it was packed with 48 pages of useful information.

So you see, even in print versions, there's variety in style and production of our books. At least one of your local print shops can print and bind the handbooks in either plastic comb or wire binding, as well as the half-size short bookswhich are not stapled in the center instead of "stitched."

Many of us have valuable information to share, but we know instinctively that the standard hard- or soft-binding are quite the right form for sharing it. These options give us lots of room for useful layout and creativity!

Enjoy ~

Nonfiction Author's Tip #2

 Book writing is organic (and a little bit magic)!

Writing-in-progress is organic, like children - not static. By the end of a chapter, you may realize the previous chapter needs a lead-in to this one. Or the message you meant to write has shifted and now leads to a different insight or conclusion.

That's wonderful (usually)! Your brain has sprinkled creative writing dust into your pages in for form of additional content!

Yay, Brain!

The same thing can happen to your Table of Contents. At some point, maybe after you've typed the last page, you'll see that's not the most useful, orderly flow of information.

Ah, so you rearrange. Maybe you'll need to alter the first and last paragraphs of some chapters, to create a natural transition to the next one. Than you'll follow your muse and tuck in some cool examples or side stories.

Be excited! You're improving your already *phenomenal* book.

Most writing, fiction and non, short and long presents lively, new information.

<|>  After all, they're our literary children.  <|>

Pushing the Limits: Plagiarism or Simply a Quote?

To quote or not to quote~

So to avoid plagiarism, you Google the current definition of copyright, so as to avoid being sued.

Surprise!  There is currently no formula to ensure that a predetermined percentage or amount of a work—or specific number of words, lines, pages, copies—may be used without permission.                       https://www.copyright.gov/fair-use/more-info.html

Heaven forbid that it should be as simple as it used to be!

So is it a matter of Honor vs.Legality?

Writers often struggle with the fine line difference when creating their own articles or books.

·         Is quoting a written or spoken work OK?
Generally yes, if it's just a sentence or two, is in quotation marks and doesn't include a catchy slogan if it's just ordinary words

·         If it's just one sentence?
Generally yes.

·         If it's just 49 words or less?
That very handy old rule is no longer in effect.

·         How about if the words or phrase is trademarked™  as with a slogan?
NO unless you put the trademark symbol next to it.

When you do use an acceptable quote, honor that author by stating attribution: author, book or article title, publisher and publishing date. That's also a matter of honoring a fellow author.

Case in Point:

A few years ago, one of my book coaching clients got an official Cease & Desist request from a very large corporation several states away. It seems she had used the same 3 words

in the same order as one of the trademarked slogans this company owned! 

* Shock - Panic - Worry*

I connected the author with an intellectual property rights attorney. He contacted the Corporation, who used that phrase in all kinds of expensive branding and advertising. My client's attorney said they might or might not have a case. But they undoubtedly had a sizable legal division and ample time and money to keep taking her back to court.

She changed the title~

So when in doubt -- don't.
Create your own original version of those words.

________________________________________________________________________

THE CURRENT GOVERNMENT DEFINITION OF COPYRIGHT

Copyright: A form of protection provided by the laws of the United States for "original works of authorship", including literary, dramatic, musical, architectural, cartographic, choreographic, pantomimic, pictorial, graphic, sculptural, and audiovisual creations.

 "Copyright" literally means the right to copy but has come to mean that body of exclusive rights granted by law to copyright owners for protection sole ownership of their work. Copyright protection does not extend to any idea, procedure, process, system, title, principle, or discovery. Similarly, names, titles, short phrases, slogans, familiar symbols, mere variations of typographic ornamentation, lettering, coloring, and listings of contents or ingredients are not subject to copyright. unless they are trademarked!

https://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/definitions.html

Nonfiction Author's Tip #1

Let your passion move your pen!

 

Where do you start writing?

NOT AT THE BEGINNING

First go through your notes and outline or tentative Table of Contents and note which chapters make you: lean forward --  feel excited -- mentally talk to your future readers.

Write about what stirs your passion! 

Start writing now! Your eagerness will spill out
in sentence after glorious sentence of sharing. 

Let it flow -- don't tweak and polish. 

Grin - type - GET JAZZED as the words tumble out.

<> You'll be stunned at the energy of your writing <>

All First Drafts are "Rotten" -- Even Yours

Actually, Ann Lamott's richly insightful book Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life says "shitty first drafts."

Most prose professionals agree on a few basic rules for writing a nonfiction book:

• Select topic
• Create Table of Contents listing the primary chapters of your book
• Write the book
• Rearrange the chapters as many times as necessary for flow of information
• Write "The End" at the end

You will have resisted the urge to stop and edit each page as you go, but have mostly kept writing in the interest of honoring your "conversation with the reader." 

But the self-edit comes after you finish that beautiful first draft.

          Next *DO NOT SHIP IT OFF TO AN EDITOR.* 

Your rough collection of words isn't quite ready for prime time.

Then too, it might cost more if the editor has to struggle through confusing pronouns and verb tenses.

Let the manuscript sit for a few days to cool off and allow your mind to rest. Then read a chapter, go back and make corrections and notes for change, and just circle (or underline) typos, misspellings and punctuation errors.

Go through the whole book, one chapter at a time, noting the flow and pace of information and evenness of voice, tone and writing style, making any changes that will improve the quality.

Type the corrections, smile, do a little happy dance and send it off to whichever professional book editor you've connected with. 

And celebrate!