The Total Writer

Needing an Editor does not Make you an Idiot

2018-01-16T09:27:00.000-08:00

I often say everyone needs an editor. I thought I would elaborate on this idea for a few minutes. Needing an editor does not make you an idiot. Admitting you need an editor sets you apart.

I can't tell you how many blog posts and articles I've read that needed editing. For me, it's rather distracting. I've come up with a few reasons editing is so necessary.

1. When we write, we are spelling out our passion. Whether it's a lifestyle blog or instructions on how to cook crickets, writers write with passion and passion often disregards grammar. Perhaps one could argue that the more mistakes you make while writing, the more passionate you are about your topic.

2. We often write how we think or talk. One universal thing I teach my writing students is not to write how they talk unless they are writing a novel with that required dialog. A common mistake I see on this one is, "I could of gone to town," which should read, "I could have gone to town." I call these hiccups because they cause the reader to pause, even if just for a second. Often, a reader will know it doesn't read right but won't take the time to articulate why. You do not want your readers to work to read what you write. Another common mistake is, "She was suppose to go," which should read, "She was supposed to go." A hiccup. A moment of pause for the reader. Let an editor fix these.

If you hire an editor who does not fix these types of things, hire a different editor.

3. When we write, we are not usually thinking about writing. This goes along with writing our passion, but think about it. When you are writing, you are either thinking about your content, the message you want to get across, your characters and/or your target audience. Writers rarely think about their writing as they write. This is where an editor comes in. An editor is objective about your topic and focused on the presentation....the grammar, sentence structure, punctuation, spelling, etc. An editor is indirectly involved in your content; they simply want to present your content without you looking like an idiot. A copy editor is your best friend if you want to write anything at all.

So there you have it. The reasons you need an editor are not because you are incapable but quite the opposite. You are passionate, determined and willing to put your message out there.

A new client I recently gained on Fiverr had been shopping around for an editor and had sent the same document to five different editors before it got to me. I didn't know it had already been edited by five others, but I fixed all the mistakes and sent it back. He quickly wrote back and told me that five other editors had already edited the document, yet I still found mistakes. He hired me on the spot. What the other editors missed were simple things, yet correcting them had a huge impact on the document.

Smart people hire editors.

Write often.
Write well.
Just write.
~Tricia

Content Marketing and Branding your Brand

2017-11-28T09:07:00.000-08:00

What is content marketing? Simply put, it's marketing your content....putting your content, the information you produce, out in the world for potential readers to see. You are marketing your content.

This can be easier said than done. I briefly cover content marketing in my ebook, Writing for Publicaation, available here. In the ebook, I share that it's important to not only market your content, but brand yourself in your market. You are giving content to sell a brand....and that brand is you, but you're marketing your content, not yourself. Market your writing, not your personality. Use your personality as a marketing tool, but don't market it as the brand. People can get tired of you, but they will never tire of relevant, consistent information which helps them succeed.

For more, be sure to read the ebook so you can be on your way to e-publishing success.

You can do this!

Write often.

Write well.

Just write.

~Tricia

The Poverty of Patriarchy

2017-10-31T10:31:00.001-07:00

My newest ebook, The Poverty of Patriarchy, is now available on Amazon. Click here for your copy.

The Poverty of Patriarchy is a brief look at the spiritual and emotional distortion of relationships through patriarchy, resulting in chaos and abuse in the lives of women. From realizing patriarchy promotes idol worship to breaking the cycle of women manipulating men, this book explores the underlying causes of these actions and offers real solutions that actually work.

This book unequivocally encourages women - and men - to pursue Jesus first, in all relationships and in all facets of life, to learn to read the Bible without filters and not lean on human reasoning when it comes to Biblical interpretation.

The main focus is women because abuse of women and children is rampant in churches and within para-church organizations, and patriarchy is the underlying cause of this tragedy. The stories in this book are true and the people are real, although their names and other identifying information has been changed.

Get your copy here.

~Tricia

Can You Believe This? (Authenticity Matters)

2017-09-10T15:34:00.001-07:00

Today, I ran across an article depicting a photo series about waste and recycling. You can read the article and see the photos here.

The photographer was trying to make a point, but the point was lost on many people because the photography wasn't authentic. The photographer claimed he did not throw away any trash for 4 years and the containers which held his consumable products were evidence of this.

Some clever readers did the math and commented on how this was staged...that even a family of five would not consume as much toilet paper as was represented here by empty rolls. They also observed that the stacks of newspapers contained still-bundled papers that a regular, household consumer would not buy.

So, clearly, this was not simply 4 years of consumption for one person; this photo series was staged. The photographer did not give a disclaimer, however, and say the photos were staged with much more than was actually used. Some also noticed and commented that the game being played in one picture is a one-person game, yet the photographer set up two people operating gaming devices.

He deceived his audience. He deceived his audience in many ways.

Some comments slammed those who did the math. They thought those people missed the point, the point being that we all consume too much. But the point will remain lost to many of us because if a person has to lie to people to get some point across, their point is clearly not as important to them as they want it to be to us.

Get real in your writing. In a world of fake news, why would someone think it's okay to deceive people just because they think their point is so important?

They are wrong; the truth is more important than anything.

Smart readers can spot your deception and will not trust your work.

Write well.
Write often.
Write honestly.
Just write.

~Tricia

My Top Five Editing Tips

2017-08-02T08:29:00.001-07:00

In my e-book, Writing for Publication, I list my top five editing tips. If you have not read the book and you want to earn money writing, read the book today. It's available on Amazon, here, and on Fiverr, here.

Editing is vital to writing success, but I do understand that not everyone can afford to hire an editor; some have to edit their own work. I never recommend this, but I know finances require it at times.

Here are my top five editing tips:

Get rid of "that" whenever you can

Use both "very" and "really" in a very limited way. Really.

Be careful of repetition. Don't repeat yourself repeatedly.

Keep your tense consistent.

Don't start a sentence or paragraph in past tense,

then time travel to the present tense by the end.

Do not write the same way you talk.

These tips will help you a great deal. Memorize them and learn to mentally use them as you write or as you review your writing. I tend to edit myself while I write, but I always edit twice before submitting anything I write to anyone, whether it's a blog post, a social media update or an email.

Write often.

Write well.

Just write.

~Tricia

Do you Say "No" Often Enough?

2017-06-17T12:50:00.000-07:00

I used to think, as a freelancer, that I could not "afford" to turn jobs down, so I took everything that came my way. Lately, though, I've learned it's better to sometimes say a resounding, "No" to potential jobs.

Fiverr has taught me this recently. I have turned down a good number of jobs on Fiverr and have no regrets. I wanted to show you a glimpse of the jobs I've turned down and tell you why I turned them down.

I turned down a gig worth $120.00 because the client wanted me to edit a 12,000 word document in two days, over the weekend. Nope. I've had to nearly always put myself on "vacation" mode for weekends in order to spend time with my family. I was not going to compromise an entire weekend for one job, even if it did pay well.
I turned down a job that paid $130.00 because the client was sarcastic, rude and didn't follow the rules laid out in the gig. They wanted exceptions at every turn. I'm very specific about my gigs for good reason. I offer what I offer and nothing more and this is well thought-out.
I turned down two different jobs because they would have required me to cooperate with plagiarism. I know if I go down that road, I am compromising on the first step and I simply won't do it. Both clients argued with me saying it was "rewriting" not plagiarism. Taking someone else's work and rewriting it IS plagiarism! These clients didn't understand that.
I turned down a $600 gig because the client wanted their 60,000 word dissertation done in three days. I didn't want the stress of having to do a good job in such a short period of time. Also, I felt it was irresponsible for them to wait so long to finish the paper and cause others to rush at the end like that. Their poor planning was not going to become my problem.

So, yes, I say "no" more and more and will continue to as needed. I've learned it's part of owning my business and providing the best to the clients I say yes to.

Do you say no often enough?

Write well.

Write often.

Just write.

~Tricia

A Book Review! Upstairs at the White House

2017-05-25T08:27:00.001-07:00

I just finished reading Upstairs at the White House My Life with the First Ladies by J.B. West and I loved it! For snippets of history you won't get anywhere else, this book is a must-read. Find out what every day life is like for our presidents and their families.

From Eleanor Roosevelt sending her staff home early on Sundays to spend time with their families and doing their work herself, to Jackie Kennedy's refusal to comb her hair, letting it all over her face when she was home, you will learn many intricate details of our first families' lives.

J.B.West spent nearly 3 decades serving our first families, ultimately becoming Head Usher, which meant he literally ran the White House, had access to the president's most intimate living spaces and got to plan renovations, decorating, parties and even weddings with the first ladies.

This is not a new book. I think it was first published in 1973, but it was new to me as I hadn't read it. I highly recommend this book. It will change the way you view our first families. You'll see how staff responded to each new first lady as she moved in. You'll see the graciousness of Lady Bird Johnson toward Jackie Kennedy after the assassination of JFK. You'll see how Caroline was able to keep her school room in the White House even after they'd moved out. Every detail of daily life in the White House is brilliantly penned in this amazing work.

~Tricia

Is Plagiarism the Accepted Way?

2017-04-02T09:38:00.000-07:00

I recently started a discussion about plagiarism on Fiverr's online forum. This discussion was very educational to me.

The back story is simply that I've received a number of recent requests via Fiverr to rewrite existing information to make it look like another person's original work. I have declined each request because it looks like plagiarism to me. I even had to modify my gig descriptions to state that I do not work with plagiarized information, nor do I rewrite or, as some call it, "spin" articles.

I started the discussion because I was shocked at the number of people requesting this and also shocked at their lack of shame at taking someone else's work and wanting to make it their own (or, rather, have me make it their own). Not one of them sent me work they said was their own; they all said it was work they'd taken off the internet and some even sent me links to the work instead of copying and pasting it into a document.

Merriam-Webster defines plagiarism as, ": to steal and pass off (the ideas or words of another) as one's own : use (another's production) without crediting the source" and ": to commit literary theft : present as new and original an idea or product derived from an existing source"

The comments on the discussion were varied. Some felt that taking someone else's work and modifying it was perfectly acceptable and others felt it wasn't. A couple people compared it to using a template to write with, like those used in writing romance or mystery novels, citing that every Angela Lansbury mystery starts out and ends up the same, just some details are changed.

I think using a writing template is far different than taking someone's original work and passing it off as your own.

One person commented that creating original content seems to be a dying art. I agree.

One person said, "Today, plagiarism is a common thing."

Many people had an entirely different definition of plagiarism, one person even telling me that I don't understand the meaning of the word.

Do we just accept that and not strive for better?

Where do you stand on plagiarism?

Write well.
Write often.
Just write.
~Tricia

The Successful Query Letter

2017-02-16T10:13:00.001-08:00

I recently sold an article to a new-to-me magazine, The Christian Standard. I had not written for them before, nor had I pitched to them before. This was my first pitch, my first query, and it paid off big time. Not only are they publishing this first article from me, they pay well and have invited me to write more for them.

All this from one simple query.

I am not an expert query letter writer. I have rarely written them over the years and never like this one - out of the blue, unsolicited.

There's a back story. I have been a regular writer for one publication house for nearly 30 years and they recently recruited me to write on a specific topic. I gladly complied, signed the contract and wrote the article. However, even though they liked the article, before it could go to print, they changed their minds and decided not to print it. They said their needs had changed. The editor who had recruited me was no longer employed there.

But, I really like the article and was going to put it in my blog, but I felt it should see more of an audience than my blog offers. So, I searched around on the internet and decided to send a query letter to another publication.

My query was simple:

Good day to you,

My name is Tricia Johnson. I have written an article titled Critical Thinking in the Church, which challenges the "herd" mentality of so many Christian churches, schools and organizations. I would like to submit this article to you for consideration.

I have been a regular contributing writer for Regular Baptist Press for nearly 30 years. I have raised and home schooled eight children.

I have been married to my husband, who was a pastor for 31 years, for 37 years.

I am a regular blogger at www.thepriscillaprinciple.blogspot.com.

I have created a Bible study system through which I teach others how to make observations in Scripture and interpret according to the given context. This can be found at www.thepriscillaprinciple.com.

If you are interested in reading the article, please let me know and I will send it quickly.

Thank you so much.

The reply was equally simple:

Hi, Tricia . . .

No guarantees, but we’d be glad to read this article.

Thanks for your interest in Christian Standard.

I replied and attached my article. That was on a Friday. On Tuesday of the following week, I got this:

Hi, Tricia . . .

I like this!

Yes, we’ll use this. It will probably fill a spot in our family-issues edition (May).

We’ll send you a contract promising payment and process that payment request as soon as we’ve received the signed contract back from you.

Thanks so much for your interest in Christian Standard. We’d be pleased to hear from you anytime.

Best wishes,

It's sometimes that simple.

I did not follow a template or any sort of pattern, I simply believed in this article, thought it should have a wider audience and pursued it with that in mind. I gave a brief description of my life and writing experience.

And I'm smiling all the way to the bank.

And I'm writing more articles for them.

You, too, can write a successful query letter.

All you have to do is do it.

Write often.

Write well.

Just write.

~Tricia

How My Crafting Helps My Writing

2017-01-19T12:23:00.000-08:00

I am a wife. I am a mom. I am a writer. I am a crafter. My favorite craft is paper crafting. My second favorite is drawing. Even that involves paper. As does my writing.

When I craft, I think.

When I think, I write.

When I write, I get published.

When I get published, I earn money.

It nearly always starts with crafting for me.

As I've taught my writing students, thinking is a huge part of writing. I've spent weeks thinking about things I've written before I finally sat down and wrote them. Funny thing is, when I spend so much time thinking about writing, before I even write, when it's time to write those thoughts down, they are usually written within 20 minutes and these are the ones most purchased by a publisher.

So, whenever I'm in my studio making pretty paper crafts, I'm actually working on a writing project.

Write often.
Write well.
Just write.
~Tricia

Overcoming Failure - Part 5

2016-11-25T10:00:00.000-08:00

Failure is hard but it's part of the writing process. Once we accept failure as truly par for the course, we will fear it less and not allow it to define us. This applies to all life, not just writing.

In light of the recent election here in the US, I read this article in Forbes Magazine, Exclusive Interview: How Jared Kushner Won Trump the White House. This article ties in perfectly with today's thoughts on overcoming failure. In the quest for the White House, the article tells us that, behind the scenes, Jared Kushner tried many avenues and social media tactics to promote his father-in-law's presidential campaign, quickly halting what didn't work and putting more energy into what did work.

Did you read that? He quickly halted what didn't work. This means not everything he did worked. This means he failed along the way, but still saw success in the end. The one thing he did was constantly take risks. Some risks panned out and some didn't, but he took the risks.

That's today's tip: Take risks.

On a clearly much smaller scale than a presidential election campaign, when I started my Writing for Publication classes in our local Community Education program, I did not get enough people signed up to hold even one class. The next semester, four people signed up, but only three showed up. But, I kept putting it out there. I kept offering the classes. After a few semesters of not getting enough interest to hold the classes, I suddenly had five students. Then six, then nine...then a dozen! Then other districts began calling, wanting the classes in their districts. That led me to branch out and offer more courses, including e-publishing. I saw success. I took a risk and it paid off, but it didn't pay off on day one. It took persistence and patience, not only on my part but on the part of the director of the Community Education program.I tweaked my class description in the school's newsletter, trying different ways to promote the class.

I believed in the class and knew people would benefit from it if I could get it in front of them. This paid off when my most famous student, Amanda Hocking, took the class and saw great success in e-publishing the following year.

So, take risks. Realize what works and what doesn't, then keep taking risks.
You won't know whether something works or not until you try.

Write often.
Write well.
Just write.
~Tricia

Overcoming Failure - Part 4

2016-11-16T08:02:00.001-08:00

The inevitable failure we face as writers should not be what defines us as writers. We write, we fail, we write some more. I never really consider failure something to slow me down. By failure, I'm talking about failure to see publication. We can be highly successful writers if all we do is write; if that's our only motivation. But, getting published is another story and we all face the failure of not getting published, of being rejected by a publisher.

I was recently asked to write an article on a specific topic. We signed a contract and I wrote the article. In the meantime, the publisher changed staff and the editor I'd been working with was no longer there. Even though I had a contract, they rejected my article. I'm still going to get paid for writing it, but they are not going to publish the article.

I believe in this article; I am looking for another outlet in which to publish it. I've already sent it to another editor. This leads me to the 4th part of overcoming failure:

Realize your own Potential

While this may appear to echo appreciating your talent, which I blogged about here, it's deeper. Many of my writing students look at the list of names of successful writers at the beginning of my writing course and tell me they could never be like them. My response is a resounding, "Why not? Someone has to be the next famously successful author - and you are someone!"

No one person is more important than another. Success is not sitting back waiting for anyone specific. You get to decide your success. You get to determine your future in writing Once you realize your potential, you will look at success differently. Even if you have never thought you could be successful, realizing your potential will open success up for you in ways you never expected.

Realizing your potential is key. Realize it, act on it, success follows. Every time.

Write often.
Write well.
Just write.
~Tricia

Overcoming Failure - Part 3

2016-10-27T13:51:00.000-07:00

If you're a writer or even an aspiring writer, you might already know that failure is an inevitable part of being a writer. Knowing this ahead of time can help when the failure comes. And it will come.

One sure fire way to overcome failure is one simple practice:

Keep writing.

That's it. Just keep writing.

Famed author Amanda Hocking did just that. When she took my writing class, she had a thick file of rejection letters and they kept coming during the time she took the class. What did Amanda do as a result? She wrote more books. By the time she e-published, she had 17 finished novels. Now, because of her e-publishing success, she is an international sensation with book and movie deals that scream her success.

She started out failing.

She kept writing.

She saw success.

That's a simple formula.

It will work for you, too.

Keep writing.

Write often.

Write well.

Just write.

~Tricia

Overcoming Failure - Part 2

2016-10-24T10:50:00.000-07:00

Every writer fails, no matter how successful they are. In my book, Writing for Publication, I talk about failure, how it's inevitable and how to overcome it as a writer.

Today, I'm sharing my second point on how to overcome failure and rejection as a writer. I think of this point as logic at work.

Don't let rejection slow you down.

Realize and accept that rejection is part of the job of writing for publication.

If you accept this, it will not surprise you when it happens.

It's a given, par for the course.

It truly cannot be avoided.

What you need to do is file the rejection away....

then keep writing without missing a beat.

There will more on this in my next post and point 3 goes along with this point very well. I have been a regular writer for one publishing house for over 27 years, yet I still get rejected by them from time to time. I don't care. If one article is rejected by one arm of the company, I submit it to another. If they reject it, I'll submit it elsewhere or publish it on Ezine or one of my blogs. Not every submission if viable for every publishing house every time.

Write often.

Write well.

Just write.

~Tricia

Overcoming Failure - Part 1

2016-10-21T08:56:00.000-07:00

Every writer has failures. Without exception. Dr. Seuss was rejected 27 times before he was finally able to get And to Think I Saw it on Mulberry Street published by Vanguard Press in 1937. Search other famous authors and you will find they were all rejected at some point. Famed author Amanda Hocking came to my writing class with a thick folder full of rejection letters. When she, in class, learned about self-publishing and Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing, she published her own work. Soon, after selling over 1 million copies, she got the attention of some of the largest publishing houses.

Then they fought for her.
They could fight for you one day.

In my book, Writing for Publication, I give 6 ways to overcome rejection and failure in your writing. My next 6 blog posts will each highlight one of these techniques.

Appreciate your Own Talent

If you know you are a good writer

and

if you have something valid to say,

appreciate that in yourself.

Self-appreciation comes across to others as confidence.

Appreciating and having confidence in your talent

is not boastful or prideful,

it's honest and real.

Appreciate Yourself.

Write Often.

Write Well.

Just Write.

~Tricia

Don't Play The Numbers Game

2016-09-05T10:25:00.001-07:00

I have more than one blog. This one is more of my "business" blog where I write about writing and blogging and related topics. One of my other blogs, The Priscilla Principle Blog, is more about my theological take on current events, book reviews and speaking out on things important to me.

My blogs don't have very many subscribers. The Priscilla Principle Blog has a total of 8 followers, but I get a decent number of readers each month, which is quite surprising compared to my number of subscribers.

As you can see from this snapshot of my stats, I get a lot more than 8 readers on that blog each month. Last month there were 1,100, but I've seen higher numbers.

That being said, I don't care. I showed this stat to illustrate that you can have many more views than subscribers. In the blogging world, these are very small numbers. Most professional bloggers see numbers much higher than these. I am small potatoes.

But, I don't care. I may look at the numbers from time to time, but I will blog with or without the numbers. I write because I need to write, so I will write whether my writing gets read or not. Don't play the numbers game; write for you.

Write often.

Write well.

Just write.

~Tricia

How Do You Write?

2016-06-09T12:10:00.001-07:00

I love my laptop and modern technology. Most of my writing is actually done in my head so by the time I get to the process of writing it down, I simply start with my laptop and type it out. I love the convenience of being able to see exactly how many words and pages I have.

But, there are times when only pencil and paper will do.

I recently fractured my thumb, making typing challenging. When a writing idea recently struck, I had no choice but to go to pencil and paper to write it down. Now, this writing project has become larger than I first anticipated and because I started it with pencil and paper, that's how I have to continue.

And it has to be in pencil, not pen.
And it has to be a mechanical pencil.
And it has to be on a white legal pad.
And it has to be in longhand, not printed.
And it has to be on my giant, old wooden desk.

As a writer, I guess this shows I have a few idiosyncrasies.
What about you?

Write often.
Write well.
Just write.
~Tricia

Out of Touch, Out of Commission

2016-05-31T08:41:00.000-07:00

Hello, all who read this little blog. I have been out of touch because I have been out of commission. I did post a couple important blog posts on one of my other blogs, but have not posted here for a few reasons, including a fractured thumb. It's very hard to type with a brace on my hand. My writing has taken a severe hit due to this thumb. It's still swollen, but I'm back to work here.

Today, I started working with a new writing client and she said she had no time for writing, but wanted to write about something that's very important to her. I told her she's already started because she's thinking about it and thinking about it is a step in the writing process.

This was a game changer for her and she realized she had been documenting things in writing, giving her starting process a kick into high gear.

Are you thinking of starting a writing project but don't think you have time?

Think again.
You've already started.

Write well.
Write often.
Just write.
~Tricia

Why I Write #2 - Because I Should

2016-03-30T09:04:00.000-07:00

Last week I started blogging about the reasons I write. These reasons aren't in any particular order; I'm simply blogging about them as they occur to me. I blogged first about writing because I can.

Today I'm blogging about another reason.

I write because I should.

I should write because I often write about abuse. I believe writing about abuse will help someone else who is going through abuse.

I know abuse well and I know the tactics abusers try. I love teaching others what to look for and helping them recognize abuse and also helping them recover from abusive relationships.

Not everyone is happy when I write about abuse. I get plenty of arguments and warnings in my inbox and they leads me to question myself.

When I question myself on writing about abuse, I always come back to two things:
What if I write it and it makes a difference in one person's life?
What if I don't write it and miss an opportunity to make a difference in one person's life?

Newsflash to abusers: I don't care what you think. I'm not writing for your benefit; I'm writing for your victims and targets.

So, I write.
And I write about abuse.
And I will continue to write.
And I will continue to write about abuse.
Because I should.
(And, for the record, I should write even when I don't write about abuse, but this blog post just covers the abuse portion of my writings.)

Write often.
Write well.
Just write.
~Tricia

Why I Write #1

2016-03-26T10:17:00.000-07:00

I saw a post on another writing blog today which totally inspired me to write about reasons I write. The post I saw, here, was a Facebook post by The Writer's Circle and it said, "Why I Write #85 Because creating something that didn't exist before is as close to magic as I'll ever get."

I love that!

I also love to write but have never actually written out my reasons for writing. So, I decided to start a blog series on why I write. I suspect some reasons will need more explanation than others. These reasons aren't in any particular order, I'm simply listing them as I think of and realize them.

Why I write #1:

I write because I can.

Growing up in an abusive home where I did not have many choices, writing was a choice I could make that no one could stop. If home wasn't conducive to writing, school was. If neither home nor school worked, my hollow tree down by the creek did. When the field was snow covered and the tree was unreachable, the hayloft in the barn served as my writing venue.

I wrote everything as a child. I wrote stories. I wrote lists. I wrote reports. I wrote plays. I wrote my name, my siblings' names, my grandma's name. I wrote and wrote and wrote.

I wrote because I could.

I could, so I did.
I can, so I still do.

(Photo credit goes to Alan DeRaad, a former student.)

Write well.
Write often.
Write because you can.
Just write.
~Tricia

STOP! Bloggers, Don't Do It!

2016-03-23T09:25:00.000-07:00

Bloggers! STOP right there! Do not publish your next blog post without having it edited!

Over the past few months, I've noticed some blatant errors in some blogs I read. Those errors include:

A February blog post from a direct seller which featured and highlighted January's specials.

Too many run-on sentences to list.

Too many uses of the same adjective: This is a gorgeous set that will add a gorgeous touch to your already gorgeous home.

That and that and that and that and that.....using that too many times.

"That" can be eliminated 99% of the time.

A sentence like this: "You could of used one of these organizers..." which should read,

"You could have used one of these organizers..."

The list could go on, but you get the idea. Don't let this happen to your blog or newsletter! Hire an editor before publishing that next blog post or sending your next newsletter.

Fiverr is a great place to start.

Write often.
Write well.
Just write.
~Tricia

Back in the Saddle

2016-03-14T08:58:00.000-07:00

I didn't mean to take a break from this blog, it just happened because we were moving, I developed frozen shoulder, life got too hectic and I couldn't focus. I'm not sure I'm focusing any better than I was, but when I realized I had not posted anything on my writer's blog since Jan 2, I felt a bit of panic.

I write nearly every day, regardless of what I post. My personal blog about how my theology shapes my everyday decisions, The Priscilla Principle Blog, has been more active than this writing blog.

If you click on that blog link, you'll find there no pictures to represent the content of the blog. I was recently warned about using Google images for blogging and advised not to. I had just started doing that, and had used a Google image for that post, but I took the picture down. Apparently, a blogger was sued and had to pay over $5,000 for using a Google image.

Ok. Lesson learned - from them.

I will use my own photography or stock photos I've either purchased or ones that were free downloads from now on. I really prefer my own photography, but the image used here is a free stock photo and I think it's adorable.

Write often.
Write well.
Just write.
~Tricia

This Is Your Year

2016-01-02T08:25:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

It's always exciting to begin a new year. With the anticipation of all that 2016 can hold for you, make this the year you finally write that novel, memoir, short story, poem or e-book.

This is your year to get published and I wrote a book designed to help you do just that. Writing for Publication is now available in paperback, in addition to the e-book.

Writing for Publication is a simple, easy-to-read, comprehensive handbook on how to write for publication. In it, you'll learn why you shouldn't write the same way you talk, how to keep your audience in mind while writing, why grammar is so important and much, much more.

My writing style is to the point with no frills. Just the facts. Just the plan. Just the way you like it.

My students get published. As a personal writing coach, I've helped an 87-year-old great grandmother get published for the first time. I coached a 14-year-old girl who won the school writing contest she entered. I coached a young widow who wrote her husband's cancer story. I helped a 57 year old pastor get published in a faith-based magazine for the first time. The list goes on. Many students from my writing classes have gone on to see great success as writers, among them Amanda Hocking. Amanda not only saw great success in e-publishing, but also landed a contract with a traditional publisher, then a movie deal. Success!

You can also see success. You can also get published. This is your year.
Order your copy here.
Write often.
Write well.
Just write.
~Tricia

Here's to Your Writing Success!

2015-12-28T10:14:00.000-08:00

There's no reason you can't be the next wildly successful writer and my new e-book will show you how. I'm pretty excited about this new e-book and I hope you'll share my excitement by getting your copy now for the introductory price.

Writing for Publication has been a long time coming in e-book form. I had published a shorter writing book, Write, then Publish. Today, but this new, revised version is the complete course, revised and updated just in time for the new year.

This comprehensive course is an easy-to-read, to-the-point handbook for writers of all genres and all levels. As a private writing coach, I use these step-by-step methods in my coaching....and my students get published.

From an 87-year-old great grandmother who wrote her first article in longhand on the back of a store ad, to a 14-year-old girl who wanted to enter a school writing contest, my students get published and win awards. I've coached pastors who wanted to be published in religious magazines as well as a young widow who wanted to tell her husband's cancer story. I've helped surgical patients tell their stories as a way to help others cope with similar procedures. One such story is being used to this day at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. I have many more coaching stories and for them all, I use the methods and tips described in Writing for Publication.

The tips and information in Writing for Publication are helpful no matter what your writing level is or what genre you prefer.

Famed author Amanda Hocking took my classes just before launching her first e-book and she has seen wild success that has gone beyond her imagination. Not only did Amanda sell more than 2 million copies of her e-books, she got a publishing contract and a movie deal.

You, too, can see success. Writing for Publication was written with you in mind. One of my favorite things in life is seeing my students succeed. This is all about your success.

Get your copy today and get started.
Click here.
~Tricia

Sound Writing Advice from Taylor Swift

2015-11-20T08:20:00.000-08:00

This half-hour long video of Taylor Swift meeting with some young kids discussing reading and writing is filled with sound advice for any writer of any genre. Taylor partnered with Scholastic to provide 25,000 new books for NYC schools. Taylor then donated her time to do this webcast with these great kids.

This webcast is worth every minute of it's short 30-minute length and I highly suggest all writers listen to and watch the video.

A few of my favorite quotes from the webcast are:

"Journaling is what made me discover that I loved poetry and poetry is so close to song writing in concept."

"Writing your feelings down simplifies them."

"If you make writing something you look forward to, who knows where it will take you? Who knows if you'll start to think about story lines and you'll decide that you want to write a book someday?"

"There are so many things you can discover about yourself if you write."

If you're a writer now or if you're thinking about writing, you need to watch this video. Pause and repeat. Take notes (I did).

What amazes me about Taylor Swift is her utter lack of fear. She writes about those who hurt her, turning it into something for her instead of about her. In many ways I've been afraid to write about personal experiences because so many negative, horrible things happened to me in ministry as my husband and I have worked over 32 years for the furtherance of the Gospel.

Maybe other pastor's wives would benefit from knowing they aren't alone in experiencing vicious gossip, slander or people lying to them and about them. Maybe it's time to tell these stories.

Maybe it's high time this little gramma became as fearless as a young song writer who, through comforting herself in her trials, turned it into something amazing that benefits the entire world.

Click here to watch the entire webcast.

~Tricia