We CAN! promote our books

Persistence

2012-01-26T21:13:00-05:00

Aloha from Karen,

At my first writer's conference I won the persistence award. I wondered if I just asked the most questions and if that was a polite way to say I was a pest. But over time I realize writers need persistence to succeed and someone saw that in me.

I looked at this year's calendar and already see deadlines looming and contracts that look great-more than I ever expected. I look back and realize I persisted and years of hard work matter. Even more, I see other writers I knew from my early beginnings also finding more success over the years as they persist. I watched writers who wrote more eloquently and faster fall away because they gave up too soon or felt overwhelmed by rejection slips.

Whatever point you are at in writing, be persistent. Continue in spite of the many obstacles and rejections along the way. And work to be consistent in writing and professionalism.

Persistence means to keep working at the craft and improve.

It means to keep trying and to keep submitting.

It means to set goals-how much to write in a week, howoften to submit something (self-imposed deadlines), and to re-submit when a piec is returned.

If you sell something see how it gets edited and then write more similar pieces.

If you get rejections consider how to re-write and where else to submit.

Persistence also means to work hard. Work at learning about the industry.

Learn how to market and pitch ideas.

Attend critique groups and apply the advice to polish your work.

Don't give up as long as you believe in what you are writing. If you read your words but no longer have passion for them, then try writing somehthing new.

I didn't land a contract with a huge publisher at first. I sold small fillers, plays, and articles to small niche markets. Then I moved up to larger markets and longer manuscripts. I also applied to write as a regular for a few magazines and learned from my editors.

Be open to learning and to criticism.

We are not born published and can learn from readers, other writers, and editors.

Evaluate criticsim and see how you can make changes. You may cry out in your head, "But that's not what I meant." and disagree with a comment. However, if the reader didn't get what you meant it needs to be written better so the reader will get it.

Read what you want to write, specially the books that sell well. Figure out what touched readers and kept them buying and reading. See how you can add those qualities to your writing.

Believe in your writing. Continue to believe and submit.

A friend wrote and submitted for decades but didn't sell nything. She even got a secretarial job in the industry. She was ready to give up when she won a small contest. So she persisted. It took a few more years but she finally started selling manuscripts and even hit a best seller list.

It happens all the time--writers do get contracts-if they stick with it.

Blessings,

Karen

Karen's website

Before He Went Away, Part 3

2012-01-23T12:38:00-05:00

If you love Me, keep My commandments.

John 14:15 NKJV

Hi! Elizabeth Baker, here, with a word of encouragement for your Monday. The New Year is racing on with days flying and politicians talking about change. Maybe they are right. Change can be good. But when it comes to living the Christian life, some of the best habits are old ones. The best habit I ever developed came to me years ago through the ministry of a blue, plastic box and I hope it never changes.

I was at a point in my life when children and trouble finally sanded through my youthful veneer of Christian slogans. With tears and curses I concluded the Christian life was not just difficult; it was impossible. Sins kept sticking to me like globs of black tar. The situation might have proved desperate had it not been for a cheap, blue, plastic radio.

I can still hear them in my head: J. Vernon McGee; Theodore Epp, Billy Graham. They pointed the way to a clean life and I wanted desperately to follow. Although I was hundreds of miles from family, isolated in a farm house and surrounded by the boredom of babies and endless chores, the voices from the blue box offered something I desperately needed: hope.

One principle they taught was the art of daily cleansing. They said every night I should look back over that one day and identify each sin then confess it. The plan sounded easy enough. Sins weren’t hard to find. I was constantly losing my temper, swelling up with self-pity, resenting responsibilities, lying. The list was long and I wanted release but the first night I tried confession, I hit a snag.

There was no place in our tiny home for privacy! At last I settled on the bathroom. It was private, had a lock and if I worked the timing just right, no one missed me in the late afternoons.

One would think that hours of morbid introspection while kneeling by a bathtub would lead to depression and it might have if the voices coming from the radio hadn’t given guidelines that preserved sanity and kept me afloat.

First, they taught confession must be specific. If a sin had no name or I couldn’t give a concrete example of where I had committed it that day, guilt feelings were to be ignored. No floating guilt or general misery allowed.

Poetry Basics: Organizing the Poem I

2012-01-20T14:15:00-05:00

Hello. I'm Donn Taylor, here again to talk more about poetry writing and ways to achieve the "higher voltage" that distinguishes poetry from most prose. We've talked about putting strong words in emphatic places, use of images, and a little bit about figurative language. Reserving that last for further treatment later, today we'll begin looking at ways to organize a poem. Those ways are infinite, or course, so we'll confine ourselves to some of the most common. Today, only one.

First, some generalizations: In narrative poetry, the structure of the story becomes the structure of the poem. That leaves us lyric poetry: that is, poetry that expresses the poet's thoughts or emotions. (We hope those will be significant enough to interest the reader.) I like to compare a short poem to a paragraph: it has a main idea that may be stated or unstated, and everything in the poem points to or develops that one idea. (There are, of course, impressionistic poems that don’t follow that principle.)

      A single striking figure of speech can become the organizing principle of an entire poem, as in this example from Emily Dickinson (1830-86):

            My Life had stood—a Loaded Gun—
            In Corners—till a Day
            The Owner passed—identified—
            And carried Me away—
            ........................... (three stanzas omitted)
            To foe of His—I’m deadly foe—
            None stir the second time—
            On whom I lay a Yellow Eye—
            Or an emphatic Thumb—

            Though I than He—may longer live
            He longer must—than I—
            For I have but the power to kill,
            Without—the power to die—

      Remarkably, this turns out to be a poem about faithful love. The speaker’s life is unused until the lover takes possession of her. Then she becomes fiercely allied with the lover and protective of him. At first reading, we’re tempted to understand the Owner as God or Christ, but the last stanza’s idea of her living longer than he eliminates that possibility. There’s also a wonderful image and figure in the next-to-last stanza—the Yellow Eye image for the firing of an aimed gun. And the figure in the last two lines is paradox.
      This poem illustrates the use of a single startling metaphor to dramatize an abstract concept: a lifetime love that defines one’s entire existence.

      Here is one of mine that also develops a single figure of speech into a complete poem:


                      Notation (© 1995)

            What is man that Thou art mindful of him?
                        --Psalm 8:4 (KJV)

            I am a single note, sounding but once
           And not sustained, a transient passing tone
           Too briefly audible for resonance,
         One moment's quick vibration, quickly flown---
           Not a suspension, bold to stand alone,
           Alien and strange to the prevailing chord,
           Subsiding into consonance, yet known
           Distinct in selfhood---I have not explored
           Some fresh key's flavor, nor can I afford
           The thrusting dominant's drive to rest again
           Upon the keynote, certainty restored.
           I'm one slight scratch from the Composer's pen,
                    Yet by that scratch preserved forevermore,
                  One part of His divine eternal score.

    This is only one of many ways to develop a poem. We will look at more of these ways in future blogs. www.donntaylor.com

An Author's Time ~ Author Events

2012-01-19T15:54:44-05:00

Greetings from contemporary fiction author, Deborah Vogts. This past year, I've tried to evaluate the moments in a writer's life. This month, I want to finish the series by considering how we spend our promotional time in regard to author events.

Author events can include anything from sitting in on a book signing, to holding a book event at a library, to speaking at a women's function or writing workshop. Once you decide what format works best for you (and whether you want to jump on the speaking bandwagon), you'll need to schedule time on your calendar for these events.

Questions you might ask yourself in regard to your time:

1) How much time will it take to schedule and promote author events?

2) How much time will it take from my writing to work on a presentation?

3) How much time will it take for travel?

4) How much time will it take to participate in the event?

As you can see, author events can be very time-consuming. I try to limit author events to once a month, unless I'm launching a new book release. At that point, I may schedule 3-4 events a month, depending on location and time away from home. And some months, I may decide to schedule no events, saving it for family time or for intense writing.

Okay, so how much time will it take to schedule an event? When I began to promote myself as a speaker, one of the first things I did was to sit down at the computer one afternoon and start sending out emails to those who might be interested in hosting me for an author event. I considered church groups, women's groups, schools, libraries, and book stores. I announced that I was scheduling my calendar and that I was available to do book signings, presentations, or whatever I was promoting to that person. It didn't take long before interested persons emailed back. This is the easiest way to fill your calendar. If you're unable to make email contact, use the phone. Be sure to keep track of your contacts, to use for your next book promotion.

Promoting Author Events can also be time-consuming. When you schedule an author event, remember to ask about promotion. Will they provide a notice in the newspaper or a newsletter? Will they make and send out flyers about the event? Even if they offer these things, take the time to double-check a week or two before the event to make sure it has been done. Then send out your own media announcement to the local papers and radio as an extra prompt. Be sure to announce the event on your blog, your newsletter, and on social networks. Some of my best promotional efforts have come from speaking engagements.

One handy tool I've found to help with presentations, is PowerPoint. It is an amazing invention that helps me stay on track with my speech as well as provide visuals for my audience--something that is always appreciated. Even if you do not have access to a projector or screen, having the presentation on your laptop can be very helpful to keep you on track. If you're going to be speaking a lot, you might consider purchasing your own projector, which is what I ended up doing last year. I found one online for a good price and have used it many times when one was not provided. I'll usually spend an hour or two working on a presentation, and then another hour reviewing the presentation before the event.

Obviously, the last two time considerations will depend on location and how far you're willing to travel. If I travel more than 60 miles, I request that my travel expenses are reiumbursed. If it's a local event, I do not request it, although it is sometimes offered. I'll also request to sell books at the event, which is another way to help with expenses. Another good use of your time is to schedule more than one event if you are traveling more than two hours. I do this quite often, and will try to book 2-3 events for one outing. I'll also try to arrange for a home hostess or stay with a friend if I'll be gone overnight. This sort of outing can be quite tiring, (at least for me), so be careful when scheduling multiple events.

For more tips on scheduling author events, please visit my author blog. Best wishes to you on your author marketing!

****

Deborah Vogts and her husband have three daughters and make their home in SE Kansas. Visit her Author Website to learn more about her writing and her books in the Seasons of the Tallgrass series.

Tips from the Pros: Jolene Philo

2012-01-18T06:00:00-05:00

Hello from Sarah Sundin in California where some of us are actually praying for rain. Today I have the privilege of interviewing Jolene Philo, who turned her experience with a critically ill child into blessings for others by ministering to parents of special needs children through her blog and her books.

Jolene, how did you get into writing?

I've always enjoyed writing, but for many years thought it was no big deal. About twenty years ago, I began writing stories about my dad for my children. He was in a nursing home because of multiple sclerosis and unable to communicate with his grandkids. I wrote the stories so they could know him as I remembered him from childhood. People would read the stories and suggest I get them published. But I knew how hard it would be for an unknown writer to publish a story about an unknown father. I finally took them to a writers' conference, hoping an editor would tell me to take them home and just write them for my family. After all, I was busy teaching full time and raising kids. I didn't have time to be a writer. But the editor said I should try to get them published. Eventually, God provided a part-time job, so I started writing for magazines, Sunday school papers, and the like.

How many books do you have published?

Two so far. A Different Dream for My Child: Meditations for Parents of Critically or Chronically Ill Children was released in September 2011 by Discovery House Publishers. Different Dream Parenting: A Practical Guide to Raising a Child with Special Needs was released in November 2011.

How did you get your first book contract?

Remember that editor who encouraged me to try to get the stories about my dad published? I met her at another conference, and we brainstormed book ideas. When she heard the story of our son's surgery at birth and time in the NICU, she suggested writing a proposal for a devotional book for parents of kids with medical issues. The editor was Judith Markham at Discovery House Publishers, and the proposal became my first book.

What has helped you promote your books the most?

Because the audience for my books is primarily parents in their 20s and 30s who stay at home to care for their kids, Facebook, Twitter, and my blog have been effective means for promoting my book. These parents go online for information and socialization, so it's a great way to reach them. Word of mouth has also been a huge help.

What mistakes or wrong assumptions did you make with the marketing of your first book? Did those mistakes cause you to change?

I wish the subtitle of the first book said, "Devotions for Parents of Children with Special Needs" instead of "Devotions for Parents of Critically or Chronically Ill Children" because it really resonates with parents caring for kids with any kind of special need. One look at the subtitle of the second book shows that the mistake caused a change in wording.

I agree. As a mother of a child with a "minor" special need (a limb deficiency), I would have overlooked the first book but picked up the second book. Jolene, what's the craziest promotional gimmick you tried?

I really haven't tried anything crazy. This topic doesn't lend itself to craziness. But I did have one mom tell me the first book should come with a warning not to read it on an airplane. She began crying so hard, she had snot coming out her nose. It was so bad she had to stumble down the airplane aisle to the bathroom, her eyes and nose streaming. Very embarrassing!

What's the funniest thing that happened during a promotional activity?

At a book signing, I shared a table with another author who promptly lit a scented candle because she said it put people in a buying mood. Being allergic to scented candles, I spent the entire signing putting distance between me and the candle. Since then, one of my conditions for book signings is NO CANDLES!

I guess that candle put you in a buying mood--a Benadryl-buying mood! Is there something you did that really helped with marketing your books? Other than lighting candles?

Yes, I interviewed about fifty families and about twenty-five professionals for the second book and sent them complimentary copies. They are very enthusiastic about it, and enthusiasm sells books.

Did you see God open any doors in the promotion of your books?

The fact that I've learned enough computer skills to set up two blogs and increase my internet presence is nothing short of a miracle! As soon as I joined Facebook (only because our daughter was starting college and the dorm mom recommended parents join to see what their kids were up to), I saw its potential to reach my audience. I started connecting with former elementary students, now young adults, and immediately had an audience of young people the age I needed to reach.

What do you find works best for you in promoting your work and why?

Connecting to parents who are well connected to different facets of the special needs community is a great way to promote my books. Many of the them have been guest bloggers at the Different Dream blog. Their friends read their posts and pass them on. This helps penetrate a hard-to-reach, pre-occupied audience of parents.

What are your top tips for writers?

For those still seeking a contract, my top tip is to build a writing resume. Write for devotional magazines, Sunday school papers, local or regional magazines, whatever is available. If you do that well, you'll have an impressive list of clips and references. Even though you're looking for a book contract, you won't look like a rookie to editors.

For writers with their first contract, I have three tips:

Cultivate a good relationship with your editor. Listen to his/her advice. Remember the editor is more experienced than you. Accept advice unless it undermines the message and purpose of your book. They do know what they're talking about.
Ask lots of questions very politely. Listen to the answers and incorporate them into your writing.
Bake and send cookies to the editorial team when you receive a contract and when the book is released. This has done more to create a family feeling with my publisher than I could have imagined. I did it the first time because I was so grateful for their investment in me, and it really touched them. Both my editor and the head of the book publishing group asked for the recipe.

Thank you, Jolene, for some good and practical tips! I'm praying your writing will encourage and support these deserving parents.

Please be sure to check out Jolene's personal blog (really funny stuff!) and her Different Dream blog, which reaches out to parents of children with special needs.

Writing for Him,

Sarah Sundin

Sarah's website

Cherry Blossom Capers By Cara Putman - A New Release

2012-01-17T00:25:00-05:00

Cherry Blossom Capers

Dying for Love in Cherry Blossom Capers: Attorney Ciara Turner is horrified when she stumbles over a judge’s dead body in Alexandria. Will she be able to retain her composure and control when she joins her nemesis Daniel Evans in investigating the murder? Constantly on the opposite side of domestic cases, they have to work together to find the murderer…just in case the police and marshals run out of luck. As they are thrust back together, Ciara is reminded of how Daniel swept her off her feet as a clerk. Now she has to choose whether to risk her heart to love.

Cara C. Putman lives in Indiana with her husband and four children. She’s an attorney and a ministry leader and teacher at her church. She has loved reading and writing from a young age and now realizes it was all training for writing books. An honors graduate of the University of Nebraska and George Mason University School of Law, Cara loves bringing history and romance to life. You can learn more about Cara and read first chapters of her books at http://www.caraputman.com. You can also read her blog at http://blog.caraputman.com and keep up with her at http://www.facebook.com/cara.putman.

This new release information was uploaded by Cecelia Dowdy. Happy reading!

Jesus Prays for Us!

2012-01-16T14:30:00-05:00

Grace Fox here with a thought that's been on my mind lately.

Hebrews 7:25 encourages me, especially on days when I’m frustrated, discouraged, or doubt-filled. It says, “Therefore he (Jesus) is able once and forever, to save those who come to God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf.”

The thought of Jesus praying on His followers’ behalf excites me! My hunch is that He prays a lot more than, “God, please bless So-and-So today.” My sanctified imagination tells me His requests sound like…

“Please grant them a hunger and thirst for righteousness.”
“Please cause them to seek for wisdom as for hidden treasures.”
“Please cause them to love You with all their heart, soul, mind and strength.”
“Please enable them to love mercy, do justly, and walk humbly with You.”
“When they feel anxious, grant them the ability to focus on You and experience peace that passes understanding.”

With Jesus interceding for us, we have no reason to fear or flounder. We can approach life with confidence, hope, and joy. This holds true in every aspect our lives, including our role as writers and speakers.

Here’s what comes to mind in that context. Imagine Jesus interceding with words such as…

“Grant My messengers creativity as they write.”
“Please give them the ability to communicate clearly on the written page and the public stage.”
“Use the words they write to meet readers at their deepest point of need.”
“Accomplish Your will. Open doors with the publishers of Your choice, arrange necessary networks, and supply funds for publicity, marketing, traveling, attending conferences—whatever’s needed to raise awareness of the message You want told.”

The next time we face writers’ block or receive a rejection letter, let’s remember that Jesus is interceding for us as we pursue our God-given calling. We’re on His mind and in His heart. He knows our needs, and He’s bringing those needs to His Father.

I find that truth amazing. How does the knowledge that Jesus is interceding on your behalf impact you?

Check out my devotional blog posted on Mondays and Wednesdays!

Before He Went Away, part 1

2012-01-16T10:13:00-05:00

Let not your hearts be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.

John 14:1 NKJV

Hello, from East Texas. This is Elizabeth Baker hoping to share a bit of encouragement with fellow writers as we explore what many call, The Upper Room Discourse. From now through Easter, this blog will highlight scattered fragments of what Jesus said in those last few hours before his death. I trust we’ll find fresh insight to the promises he shared with his disciples that night and our hope will grow one step stronger.

Last minute instructions. Goodbye endearments. Farewell speeches. Final words before death. We place a lot of value on what someone says in their last moments with us. The pressure of parting brings important things to the surface while the extraneous is stripped away and the few things we really want others to remember take center stage. Therefore, we shouldn’t be surprised that John spent almost one forth of his gospel [1] describing the last six hours Jesus spent with those he loved before crucifixion tore them apart.

From sundown until just after midnight, Jesus shared his last meal with the disciples and took a walk with them through a garden. He must have had much on his mind, but two themes keep recurring in John’s record; assurance of his love and encouragement to trust God’s wisdom no matter how hopeless the situation might look from earth’s view.

Early that night, Jesus looked at the confused, weary friends gathering around him and said, “Let not your hearts be troubled.” He even repeated the words twice so he must have been especially intent on them getting the point. [2] No matter what happened, they must never “let” their heart be troubled.

Have you ever wonder how we could possibly choose whether or not to be troubled? I always felt trouble came to find me and my choice had little to do with it. Yet, Jesus said we should not “let” our heart go that direction.

Part of the mystery resolves when we understand what Jesus meant by “troubled.” The word he used is not what we think of as concerned or even worried but to struggle with unsure connections; to be agitated, shifting, or rootless. We “let” ourselves be “troubled” when we have a choice of clinging to our trust in God’s character and power or letting our hand slip away as we grab for things of earth searching for security.

For example, we “let” our heart be troubled when financial pressures mount and we either ignore his instruction of good stewardship or thrash about for earthly solutions ignoring the fact that he owns the cattle on a thousand hills. We “let” our heart when we mentally strip God of any resource for “practical” help with daily issues. We can’t choose whether storms will come. We can’t choose which emotions we will or won’t feel. But we can choose our hope.

As we face a new year, listen to the news, grow a year older, watch the economy, or rehearse the many ways things can grow wrong in life, don’t forget: You can “let” not your heart be troubled if you will choose to keep your eyes on him.

[1] John 13:1-18:1 approximately 6 pm to midnight. [2] John 14:1; 14:27

Upper Room Discourse, Part 2

2012-01-16T07:00:00-05:00

Whatever you ask in My name I will do it that the Father may be glorified. John 14:13 (abridged)

Welcome to Monday! Elizabeth Baker with a word of encouragement for writers, and considering the importance of our task that is something we often need. When Christians take up word-craft we frequently find work influencing others. The responsibility can be a heavy mantle, especially when we find ourselves questioning our own spiritual walk. This is never more true than when we face the reality of “unanswered” prayers.

Before He went away, Jesus gave the astounding promise that we could ask anything we wanted—anything—in His name and He would do it. He even told us why He would grant our desires; because doing so would glorify the Father.

I know very few Christians who have not puzzled over this verse and some have fallen as they claimed what they believe to be a clear promise from Jesus, yet did not receive the thing they asked. I certainly don’t have the complete answers to this mystery, but a small light began to glimmer when I read the verse using a different name for God.

Jesus said, “If you have seen me, you have seen the Father.” Looking at Jesus—knowing how He acted, what He said and how He felt—showed humanity the unseen God. It was probably the clearest picture of the Father He could give, but it wasn’t the only one. He also said “God is Spirit” [1] and later His closest earthly friend taught us, “God is love.” [2] All of these words and examples help us wrap our mind around a Being who is in truth beyond comprehension.

Because Jesus said His motive for offering such latitude in prayer was to glorify His Father, focusing on motive rather than specific requests may help bring us peace when prayers are not answered in the way we expected.

I don’t think we stretch the meaning of this verse too far when we insert other scriptural words for “Father.” Although the technique is not without limitation, the Father is God, and God is love. For better understanding, the verse might be read, Whatever you ask,…I will do it that Ultimate Love may be glorified.

How could prayer— especially “unanswered” prayer—glorify (exalt, lift up) Love? The scenarios are not as difficult to imagine as one might think.

We show (lift up) love’s patience [3] when we don’t immediately receive what we ask but keep believing. We experience love’s humility [3] when we ask rather than demand and leave the final decision to our God. We demonstrate the selfless nature of love when we allow His choice to be first [4] and love’s trust is displayed to angels, our own heart, and a doubting world [5] when we refuse to accuse God of being unfair [4] simply because we don’t understand.

John began his memories of Jesus’ last hours but saying, “Having love His own who were in the world, He [Jesus] loved them to the end.” [6] Love was the reason for Calvary [7] and ultimate, pure, perfect love is a reflection of the nature of God. When Jesus answers our requests, yes, God’s love for us is glorified (exalted, lifted up) and when He answers our requests, no or wait, our love for God that Divinity has birthed in our hearts is shown to a skeptical world.

Writers exert influence. Even when our words are meant to entertain or sell a product, they communicate a world view and value system we can’t hide. Not to mention our personal sphere of influence among family, friends and church acquaintance. As we struggle with our own faith in the middle of this responsibility, it can be good to remember we are demonstrating and teaching Love even when we don’t understand our “unanswered” prayers.

[1] John 4:24; [2] I John 4:8; [3] I Corinthians 13:4; [4] I Corinthians 13:5; [5] I Corinthians 4:9; [6] John 13:1; [7] John 3:16

PUGS Pointers #6

2012-01-13T17:20:41-05:00

Hi! I'm Kathy Ide. In addition to being a published author, I'm a full-time professional freelance editor. For CAN, I'm blogging about "PUGS"--Punctuation, Usage, Grammar, and Spelling...tips for writers based on the most common mistakes I see in the manuscripts I edit. Each blog post will have one tip for each of the four categories, as well as a reason it's important for authors to "polish their PUGS." (For more PUGS tips, check out my website, www.KathyIde.com, or get a copy of my book "Polishing the PUGS" (available through the website or at the conferences where I teach). If you're interested in working with a freelance editor (or know someone who is), e-mail me at Kathy@KathyIde.com. Or go to www.ChristianEditor.com to get referrals to other established, professional editorial freelancers. If you're a freelance editor yourself, or think you might be interested in that field, check out www.TheChristianPEN.com.

WHY POLISH YOUR PUGS?

PUGS errors may cause readers to take you, and your message, less seriously.

On November 15, 2004, Ireland On-Line ran an article on their Web site with this title: “Crowe Turns Hero to Help Snake Bite Boy.” The story was about actor Russell Crowe helping a boy who’d been bitten by a snake. But by spelling snakebite as two words, this sentence implies that Mr. Crowe helped a snake bite a boy! Now, I got a good laugh out of that. But I sure don’t want those kinds of mistakes showing up in my own writing.

And take a look at this statement made in a major newspaper: “Officers found two rifles, a large bag of marijuana packaged for sale, a small scale, a bullet-proof vest and dozens of bullets in a sock.” If readers are giggling about the image of all these items being found in one enormous sock, they won’t be paying as much attention to the point of the article.

PUNCTUATION TIP

Terms of Respect
Honorific titles are capitalized. But general terms of respect are not. Examples:
     His/Her/Your Majesty
     His/Her/Your Excellency
     Your Honor
     my lord/my lady
     sir/ma’am

USAGE TIP

farther/further

farther refers to a measurable distance or space.
“The ball traveled ten yards farther.”

further indicates “greater in quantity, time, and degree” or “moreover.”
“Stanley wanted to discuss the problem further.”

GRAMMAR TIP

try and vs. try to

Try and should only be used when the subject is trying and doing something else.

“Three times Harry tried and failed to get his manuscript published.”

Always use try to when referring to something the subject tried to accomplish.

“Elizabeth is going to try to write her first draft in a week.”

The only time you could get away with “Elizabeth is going to try and write her first draft in a week” is if you’re writing this in dialogue and the character who’s speaking isn’t concerned with proper grammar.

SPELLING TIP:

by-product (with a hyphen)