Helen Osborne writes a bi-monthly Q&A column for WRITE NOW! (the South African Writers' Circle Newsletter) - the following are some of the questions she has addressed:
Writing Q&A – ask Helen (March 2010)
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You have intrinsic copyright on everything you write, whether it be by hand, typed, or on your computer. But in case you end up in court and need to prove the work is yours, do the following:
Place a dated copy of your ms in an envelope, seal it and post it to yourself by registered post. When it arrives, keep it sealed and in a safe place. If the worst comes to the worst, take the sealed envelope to a lawyer.
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Publishers are inundated with submissions and in order to save time, they prefer to look at work that has been scrutinised by an agent. Some UK publishers do not even take phone calls on their public lines – they simply have a message. And many have closed their lists.
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The best thing to do is join a writers’ circle such as SAWC, and take a course in writing. Writing is a craft and can be learned.
Writing Q&A – ask Helen (Nov. 09)
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‘Rules are made to be broken’ Not so! I don’t know who first coined this phrase, but it is irritating in the extreme – especially when, winning competition entries often do appear to have broken the rules, which can be frustrating for other entrants. However, you will undoubtedly find that these writers know the rules inside out before they break/bend them.
You are right in saying that the principles you have had pointed out to you should be used as a guide.
My business partner, Ginny, and I often find ourselves telling people that their book must have a beginning, a middle, and an end – obvious maybe, but it is a guideline that needs to be used.
My advice is to stick to the standard formula… In the UK, where I am now based, there are many magazines that publish short stories and I’d say 99% of them adhere to it – because it works.
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I’m sorry that your life has been one of misfortune, but glad to hear you have managed to get yourself back on track. Writing is extremely cathartic so I would strongly recommend that you write the book.
But a word of caution on publication…
unfortunately many people have suffered in similar ways and feel that they can now ‘heal the world’. While your sentiments are to be lauded – publishers are inundated with what they call Misery Memoirs, and drug abuse stories do not sell – and they are in business to make money after all.
Unless you have an exceptionally different angle (or are famous/infamous) I would recommend self-publication.
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Sorry – no. This is your job.
As a writer you need to give yourself every advantage and that means learning the correct way to spell, punctuate and write proper English. You may have the most wonderful story to tell but, believe me, publishers will simply toss aside any manuscript that is littered with mistakes.
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JJ, Paarl
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Get a friend to read it out loud to you – you will easily pick up unnatural sounding phraseology or pedantic, unrealistic ‘speeches’.
Writing Q&A – ask Helen (Sept. 09)
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It is an unfortunate reality that autobiographies only appeal to publishers if you’re famous or infamous – as interesting or exciting as your life may have been.
The other type of life story that also appeals is the depressingly-named ‘misery memoir’, of which Angela’s Ashes is perhaps the most famous – written as a novel. Hopefully that answers the question ‘why?’
How? You must fictionalise your characters, maybe dramatize them slightly or bring in others to make the story flow. You will also need to use dialogue and, most importantly, you need to show how events unfold without telling. One of the mistakes that authors of this sort of book make, is telling the reader historical, geographical, political… facts.
A professional assessment of your manuscript may assist you to rearrange it into a novel.
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Firstly – congratulations! Secondly – this is a tricky one! This phrase is greatly favoured by publishers, which gives them massive leeway. Of course, it leaves the author slavering over that dangling carrot – sometimes for years – while the publishers hold all the cards… er carrots.
Seriously, I would suggest that you ask them for a specific date by which they will publish – they may not agree to this but it’s worth trying.
If they fail to publish your book within ‘a reasonable time’ – you will need to cancel the contract, and with luck, you will at least get a kill fee – a nominal amount which is offered as paltry compensation. The currently insuperable problem is to determine what, exactly, is a reasonable time?
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A book like yours, which is aimed at a niche market is easier to promote than a novel. Please note that I’ve said easier, not easy! It can demanding and time-consuming, but here are a few suggestions:
Ø Ask prominent and/or qualified people to read your book and give you a written comment/opinion. Use this in all your promotional material.
Ø Ask local and national papers and newspapers/magazines to put in an article about the book. Write it yourself and send it to them. Good photos will enhance your chances.
Ø Send your book to people who write the book review columns.
Ø Offer to speak to appropriate organisations – many have regular meetings and welcome guest speakers.
Ø Ask these organisations to mention your book in their newsletters.
Ø Go onto blog sites and talk about your book.
Ø Set up your own website to promote the book.
Ø Have fliers printed that can be left in relevant places, bookshops and libraries.
Ø Ask local bookshops to buy a few books, or take a few on consignment.
Writing Q&A – ask Helen (July 09)| Q |
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You can indeed there is no copyright on titles. In fact there are many books with the same title – I checked out Spud and there are several others. However, I don’t think it’s a good idea, and would suggest you think of something else.
The only way to protect a book title is to Trademark it – a legal and expensive process. Books like the Chicken Soup series are trademarked so no-one else can use the same title.
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Ah… the ever problematic apostrophe rears its ugly head yet again!
The correct plural of names like Jones, Harris etc. is Joneses and Harrises, and to make them possessive – Jones’s and Harris’s – it is also acceptable to say the Jones’ house.
However I find this cumbersome and, whilst you have to cope with it if you are writing an article about people with this type of surname, I always advise writers to avoid them. If you want an ordinary name – choose something like Brown or Harding
Writing Q&A – ask Helen (May 09)
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You can indeed there is no copyright on titles. In fact there are many books with the same title – I checked out Spud and there are several others. However, I don’t think it’s a good idea, and would suggest you think of something else.
The only way to protect a book title is to Trademark it – a legal and expensive process. Books like the Chicken Soup series are trademarked so no-one else can use the same title.
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Ah… the ever problematic apostrophe rears its ugly head yet again!
The correct plural of names like Jones, Harris etc. is Joneses and Harrises, and to make them possessive – Jones’s and Harris’s – it is also acceptable to say the Jones’ house.
However I find this cumbersome and, whilst you have to cope with it if you are writing an article about people with this type of surname, I always advise writers to avoid them. If you want an ordinary name – choose something like Brown or Harding
Writing Q&A – ask Helen (Mar 09)
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This is mainly a matter of choice, but you’d be surprised how many people DO know the layout of towns and places. I would recommend that you keep it as authentic as possible, and if your story NEEDS a shoe shop then make up a road or be a bit vague about its location. Beware of saying something nasty about a shop, business or person that actually exists. If your ‘story shop’ exists and is run by a darling old lady who sells sweets to children, she can, by all means, be mentioned. But if make you up a nasty character (who runs the sweet shop, using it as a cover to sell drugs for example) then, even though your character is fictitious, the sweet little old lady is entitled to sue for defamation or libel.
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The general rule is: In words up to nine and from 10 onwards you can use figures. However in dialogue use words – ‘He said he wanted eleven children!’
Remember too that referring to numbers in the plural, does not require an apostrophe – 1950s, NOT 1950’s. Only use an apostrophe to show possession -No. 10’s gate is always open.
This theory appeals to me – taken from Frank Smith’s book, Writing and the Writer (Oxford: Heinemann, 1982) – he sees ‘writing’ as having three faces. Prewriting, Writing and Rewriting – the first is the incubation of the story (notes, thoughts, musings…) the second is the actual writing, of course, and rewriting, the critical editing and improving.
I like the idea that ‘thinking about writing’ constitutes part of writing – eases the conscience somewhat when I feel I should be writing.
There is more treasure in books than in all the pirates' loot on Treasure Island... and best of all, you can enjoy these riches every day of your life.Walt Disney