The Pencil Sharpener

Tips for writing cover letters for submission

noreply@blogger.com (Julie T. Ewald) — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 21:03:00 +0000

I have been a worker with the Umbrella Factory Magazine for about a year. Essentially, I am the poetry editor, which means that I get the pleasure of shifting through submissions to see which poems will end up being published in our small online journal.

My main beef with my gig is the cover letters. People do some really ridiculous stuff in their letters, and it just needs to stop. If you want to know how you can make your cover letters better, you should read my rant (and my three big cover letter tips) over at my personal blog, Julie's Chatterbox.

To the tips...

Event: Female Novelists in the 21st Century

noreply@blogger.com (Julie T. Ewald) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 21:39:00 +0000

In the Las Vegas area? Go to UNLV tomorrow (2/22) evening at 7:00PM for the Black Mountain Institute Panel: Female Novelists in the 21st Century: Not Your Grandmother's Sense and Sensibility.

The event is in the Student Union Ballroom, and it is absolutely free.

If you would like some actual details, visit the UNLV website.

See you there!

Blake Butler Reading Tonight at UNLV

noreply@blogger.com (Julie T. Ewald) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 14:10:00 +0000

Hey, Las Vegas! You may want to go to UNLV to catch Blake Butler read tonight!

Butler, a novelist, will be there as part of the Nevada Emerging Writers Series sponsored by the Black Mountain Institute.

The event is at 7:00 PM in the Greenspun Hall Auditorium. Get more information from UNLV.

See you there!

Black Mountain Institute Reading with Blake Butler

noreply@blogger.com (Julie T. Ewald) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 21:31:00 +0000

If you live in or will be in the Las Vegas area on February 8th, you may want to drop in to UNLV to catch Blake Butler read. Butler, a novelist, will be there as part of the Nevada Emerging Writers Series.

The event is at 7:00 PM in the Greenspun Hall Auditorium. Get more information from UNLV.

See you there?

How to Become a Freelance Writer

noreply@blogger.com (Julie T. Ewald) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:40:00 +0000

If you are reading this blog, you surely already dig writing, but wouldn't you love to get paid for it? Wouldn't it be swell if you could turn your craft into a full time job?

While some writers can make a good income off of their creative works, most published and even somewhat successful creative writers aren't paying their bills with the income from their poetry or prose.

Freelance writing may be the ticket to becoming a full time paid writer. You may not always be writing about what you feel passionate about, but you will be writing, and that alone will help you to hone your craft.

Starting in April, I started to take on freelance assignments. Last October I took the plunge, shifting my occasionally freelance assignments into a full time gig. You can be a freelancer too.

Don't think that you can't.

Yes, the power of positive thinking plays a big role in this. If you are convinced you won't make a go of it, don't be surprised when no gigs are coming in.

You don't even need to be the best writer to do this. There is A LOT of writing work available, and while someone struggling with their writing skills cannot command top dollar, but they can get a couple of extra bucks to supplement their income.

Start a blog.

There are so many reasons why this is a good idea!

First of all, if you haven't been writing articles, reports, web content, blog posts or some of the other things you may be called on to do as a freelancer, you need experience. Start a blog about something you like and are interested in, and publish posts in all different styles. This will create writing samples you can link to when trying to get jobs.

Second, you are creating exposure for you. If a prospective employer Googles you, he or she will find the blog and see that you are actively writing. Additionally, there is a chance that someone who stumbles across your blog could offer you a gig.

Whatever you do, start your blog in WordPress. I blog with Blogger, but many of your clients will publish their blogs and sites with WordPress. Knowing how to use WordPress will be a feather in your cap.

Get necessary gear.

In nearly a year, I have not mailed anything to any of my clients. It is all done online. If you don't have your own computer, or one that you have nearly unlimited access to, get one. An inexpensive Netbook could do the trick, especially if you invest in a comfy ergonomic keyboard.

You will also need word processing software. Microsoft Word is the standard and many clients I have come across will ask for articles and other content that is save in these files. You may be able to get away with something like Open Office, but switch over the the big guys after you start making money.

Of course, you will need internet access and an email address. A Skype account is pretty vital, as many of your clients could come from other countries, and you may want to download other chat clients as well.

Join freelancing or outsourcing sites.

I recommend starting by joining oDesk. You will want to completely fill out your profile, put samples in your portfolio and take a few basic tests. Yes, you should put a photo of you on your profile. Then you need to start applying for roles you are interested in and qualified for. Work the heck out of this network before you move on.

I joined other sites, but I get almost all of my work via oDesk -- a big, overwhelming percentage of my income comes from clients I find there. I've been busy enough with those, I haven't been working other networks. It seems to be the easiest to use and the simplest to get started on.

There are others, and one of them may work better for you. These include Guru and eLance.

Whichever site you choose, there are some things to keep in mind:

As you get started, you may have to take some low paying work for your first or second gig. Make sure these are short term or singular projects so you aren't locked in at a low rate for a long time. This will help you get comfortable with how things work on these sites, and this give you an opportunity to establish yourself and get some good feedback.

Don't do ANYTHING for free. Doing a free test or trial is actually against the terms of service for many sites. You are a professional, damn it, so paid trials or nothing. Offer ideas, topics, potential titles, but nothing more substantial should be given away without a contract.

Set realistic rates. Make sure your hourly and per word rates make sense for your level of experience and education. While lower rates may get you more work, remember, you gotta eat! Set a fair price, be somewhat flexible and don't sell yourself short.

3 Tips for Establishing a Daily Writing Practice

noreply@blogger.com (Julie T. Ewald) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 07:02:00 +0000

It doesn't matter what kind of writer you are. If you are poet, playwright, freelance writer, journalist or even a blogger, you probably understand the importance of a daily writing habit.

Getting started with a daily writing routine can be a bit tough. The following three tips should make it just a bit easier.

1.) Write in the morning.

If you report to your place of employment at 5:00 AM, you may want to pick a time in the early or late evening. Everyone else, however, should start becoming an early riser.

These morning hours will let you write with less distraction, and many find that they are just more productive when the sun is just thinking about coming up.

Even if you aren't a natural morning person, start getting up earlier and earlier every day. Start with an extra ten minutes, then twenty and so on. Eventually, you will be getting up good and early to get great writing done.

2.) Do it for seven days straight.

People (don't ask me who) say that to break a habit you need to do it several days in a row. This means that make a habit you also need to stick with it for several consecutive days.

Start writing every morning for at least 7 days straight. Once you are on a streak, you will be addicted and you will keep going. If you falter after a few days, it won't be a routine and it will be harder to stick with it.

3.) Write even if you don't feel like it or are blocked.

Yep. Even when it isn't fun, push through it. If you don't, a few days down the line when you have a great idea and a lot of ambition, you may not be up and ready to write it out.

This is what freewriting is for. Spend at least five minutes writing it out, and if it still isn't working, then you should move on with your day. Being there and setting your pen to paper (or fingers to the keyboard) gives you and your writing a fighting chance.

A Genre Swapping Prompt

noreply@blogger.com (Julie T. Ewald) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 06:22:00 +0000

It's time to flex your writing muscles and think outside of your box!

The instructions for today's exercise is quick and easy, but it may be a bit longer and tougher to execute.

For today, you need to write something outside of your genre... way outside of your genre. You don't necessarily to craft a masterpiece, just write a draft that is something different.

If you are normally a poet, think a bout writing a short play. If you write fiction, pen a poem. If you write memoir, think about crafting a flash fiction piece. You get the gist -- just have fun with it and take note of how writing something outside of your usual comfort zone is different from creating your usual work.

An opinionated prompt

noreply@blogger.com (Julie T. Ewald) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 14:09:00 +0000

It's that time again when politicians are hitting the road and slinging mud.

I don't care what side of the aisle you root for, it is time to get opinionated. It doesn't matter if you see the other side's views as hurtful, hateful, ignorant, misguided or even bat-shit crazy; what matters is that you espouse one of these for your prompt.

That's right. For this exercise you are going to open your mind and step into someone else's shoes. Take a moment to write a short essay espousing and defending a political position or talking point that you adamantly disagree with.

You can be funny or serious. This is your writing, so do what you want with it. Please, try to be thorough and honest as you fight for what you don't believe in to get the most out of this activity.

Resume Writing Tips

noreply@blogger.com (Julie T. Ewald) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 13:35:00 +0000

Sure, I think creative writing is the bee's knees, but I know that there are other things that you occasionally have to pen... like a resume.

With the current economic climate and high unemployment rates, you want to make sure that resume is as good as it can be. This means you NEED to read and follow these Resume Writing Tips from Daily Writing Tips.

This is a really helpful collection of tips. Even if you have a great resume, this post will surely point out something that you could be doing even better.

Musical Mayhem: An Exercise

noreply@blogger.com (Julie T. Ewald) — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 18:32:00 +0000

Today happens to be the birthday of one of my oldest friends, but, no, that is not what this exercise is inspired by. It is inspired by the silliness in my head when I was getting dinner ready last night.

When this same girlfriend and I were in our early teens or late tweens, it was the mid-1990s. Beth and I were into grunge, so it is not shocking to me that the two of us were riding our bikes down Holt Avenue humming a Hole song. We were also kind of goofy, so it also is no surprise that we started singing "Mushroom Parts" to the dissected mushrooms that were the victims of our neighbor's Weedwacker.

The surprising part of this story is that well over a decade later "Doll Parts" got stuck in my head while chopping up mushrooms, but all of the actual lyrics were transplanted by the ones we ad libbed at twelve or thirteen.

You may see where this is going by now, but the exercise is to take a song that you know well and parody it. If you need to, listen to some Weird Al for inspiration. If you are musically inclined, think of writing something utterly ridiculous from scratch. However you do it, just have fun!

New Story Starters for a New Year

noreply@blogger.com (Julie T. Ewald) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 20:49:00 +0000

Story starters aren't guaranteed to bust up writers' block, but if you don't know where to get started when it's time to get writing, these can definitely give you a jump start.

Use these story starters as your first line or use them as the general idea as you sit down to write. Of course, you can ditch them altogether and just get your pencil moving. No matter what, have fun and get writing!
__________

1. The broken glass on the sidewalk should have been the first sign that something had gone wrong.

2. Her family had lived in that home for nearly a century, so she was intrigued when they discovered the first skeleton in the garden.

3. It was his first time traveling out of the country, and it was also the first time his wallet was stolen.
___________

If you use any of these, please feel free to let me know how it goes in the comments!

A Writing Resolution

noreply@blogger.com (Julie T. Ewald) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 21:50:00 +0000

If you are a Pencil Sharpener reader, you surely have noticed that there hasn't been a new post in some time. If you are new to this creative writing blog, you probably think I am living in the Southern Hemisphere since my most recent post has been referencing the hot hot summer weather.

Either way, the New Year is nearly upon us, and the New Year is traditionally a time for resolutions. As someone who has previously made these, I feel comfortable stating that most resolutions are complete hooey.

Most folks make resolutions that are over ambitious. Others set the bar too low with vague goals. The biggest problems is that often these resolutions are things that people feel they should change because they know they should be doing something different even though they really don't want to change.

That being said, I want to make a writing resolution, not for 2012, but for right now.

While I have been writing a lot, it has been for other people's blogs and websites and social media accounts. I had to read my very first post to remember what starting this blog was really all about. This means: I resolve to start writing more for me, at least every other day... and that includes this blog.

The Pencil Sharpener started as a resolution, and it will live on as one. What are your resolutions? Please share in the comments.

A HOT Prompt

noreply@blogger.com (Julie T. Ewald) — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 01:55:00 +0000

It's summer time, which means that my readers in the Northern Hemisphere have been getting really roasty-toasty.

Today's prompt celebrates all things hot. Write a draft of a poem, short story or anything else and incorporate the following "warm" words:
- scald
- fire
- sweat
- blister
- boil
- red

Not the Same Old Story

noreply@blogger.com (Julie T. Ewald) — Wed, 25 May 2011 12:07:00 +0000

This morning I woke up to a dark sky and a couple of thunder claps. While trying to find my snooze button, I thought something about how it was "A dark and stormy morning."

I love spinning cliches and messing with convention, and I hope you will too. For today's exercise, write a story, narrative poem or anything else you'd like (as long as you make it scary or funny-scary), but begin by writing, "It was a dark and stormy morning."

Saying Goodbye (& Safe Travels)

noreply@blogger.com (Julie T. Ewald) — Wed, 18 May 2011 02:22:00 +0000

A friend of ours from Italy (who we already said good-bye to when we left that beautiful country), received an amazing fellowship to study in the United States. She spent a year attending the University of Wisconsin, a mere 90 miles from our front door.

Just this weekend, we had to say good-bye again. The semester is over, and Elisa's fellowship is over, and she is heading back to Italia this Sunday.

We are going to miss her, and I feel like we already were missing her. It's unfortunate that we were busy and she was busy and I was absentminded. I should have gotten together with her more when she was living so incredibly close. I feel this way about a lot of folks, but I digress.

Today's writing exercise is about saying good-bye. Write a short something in your genre of choice that has someone saying their good-byes. You could write a skit, a flash fiction piece, a narrative poem, an essay or whatever you wish. It's your writing, do it however it works best for you.

The Cotton Anniversary (A Prompt. Seriously.)

noreply@blogger.com (Julie T. Ewald) — Tue, 10 May 2011 12:07:00 +0000

My husband and I are celebrating two years of wedded bliss today. After opening a very thoughtful (and slightly humorous) gift from my parents, we were reminded that the second anniversary is otherwise known traditionally as the "cotton anniversary." While this system always struck me as a little silly, it is a bit whimsical and fun.

Today's prompt is inspired by our cotton anniversary. Begin a draft in the genre of your choice, and in it, incorporate "cotton" and "anniversary" either as words, themes, images or whatever they end up being in your piece.

Have fun!

A Prompt for Momma

noreply@blogger.com (Julie T. Ewald) — Sun, 08 May 2011 15:24:00 +0000

It's Mother's Day! If you are a mom (or grandmother, godmother, aunt, etc), kudos to you! If you are a writer, yay to you! Double yay if you take this time to draft a poem about being a mother, putting whatever spin on it that you please. If poetry isn't your thing, freewrite for five minutes with moms in mind.

The End: An Exercise

noreply@blogger.com (Julie T. Ewald) — Sat, 30 Apr 2011 15:00:00 +0000

Today is the FINAL day of National Poetry Month. That means that this is the last NaPoWriMo post of 2011!

For today's prompt, find a poem that you really enjoy. If you can't find one in a book at home, try visiting Poets.org. Take the last line of that poem and turn it into the first poem of the draft you are writing today. Remember, this is only a draft, so you can ditch that first line or edit it into something completely different in subsequent drafts.

An Envious Activity

noreply@blogger.com (Julie T. Ewald) — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 12:16:00 +0000

For today's prompt, write a poem about envy. Of course, don't say it's about envy, but use images and symbols to get your message across.

A Secret Prompt

noreply@blogger.com (Julie T. Ewald) — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 12:42:00 +0000

For today's prompt, I would like to start by encouraging you not to spill the beans (unless, of course, you'd like to). Write a poem about a secret, but don't give away what the secret it. The secret could be yours, or it could belong to a friend, family member or coworker. Your secret could also be real or completely made up.

The Dialog Prompt (Revisited)

noreply@blogger.com (Julie T. Ewald) — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 14:04:00 +0000

I've been trying to go green and recycle all sorts of things -- including prompts! Today's prompt appeared originally last April.

Your challenge is to write a poem in the form of a conversation between two people or things, either real or fictional or a little of each. You could also make the poem about overhearing a conversation. Odds are good that your poem might end up a little more cross-genre than straight-up poetry, but I don't see what's wrong with that!

A Completely Random Prompt

noreply@blogger.com (Julie T. Ewald) — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 15:00:00 +0000

For today's National Poetry Month poetry prompt, visit a random word generator and get five words. Then draft a poem that incorporates all five.

An Anticipatory Exercise

noreply@blogger.com (Julie T. Ewald) — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 13:06:00 +0000

Next week at this time, I will be on my way to work. However, next week at this time plus twelve hours, I will be on my way to Las Vegas, Nevada!

As a former Las Vegas resident, I am extra excited to see all of my friends and to check out all the amazing new stuff that went up there in the less than two years I've been gone.

I am giddy about this trip, and even though it is a whole week away, the anticipation is ridiculous! I feel like a little kid counting the days until Disney. And all that excitement is powering todays prompt:

Think about something your are anticipating or have anticipated in the past, be it something good or something bad, and draft a poem about it.

An Easter-Inspired Prompt

noreply@blogger.com (Julie T. Ewald) — Sun, 24 Apr 2011 15:28:00 +0000

Maybe you celebrate Easter, maybe you don't. You could celebrate secularly, or you could see this is a high holy day. Maybe you love bunnies (regular or chocolate). It could be that you adore hardboiled eggs. No matter what your feelings and beliefs are, when I checked my calendar last, it is Easter Sunday... so write about it! Pen a draft that incorporates some of the day's iconography that reflects your feelings on today. (Bonus points of you can work Peeps into your poem.)

A Rock & Roll Prompt

noreply@blogger.com (Julie T. Ewald) — Sat, 23 Apr 2011 14:54:00 +0000

My husband and I are going to see The Pixies tonight. I am acutely aware that even though The Pixies have been around forever and are a pretty big deal, a big segment of readers here won't know who they are, so I encourage you to click here and here to learn more about this amazing group.

Anyway, this prompt isn't about The Pixies, even though their concert this evening helped to inspire today's prompt.

Write about a band or musical artist that you admire. I encourage you to not actually write about them, in a sense. Draft a poem based on what you feel they represent or embody. Maybe draft a poem based on a story you heard about them. You could write a poem that is a response to one of their songs. If you want to though, you could get all junior-high with it, and, yes, you could pen an ode to your favorite band. It's your draft, do what you want with it, and have FUN! I know I will.