Archived Articles: Work
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Jacquie has many articles available for reprinting in your company newsletter or e-zine, or to pass on to your friends. You are welcome to reproduce these articles, provided the article is printed in its entirety, a link is provided to www.wiseways.com.au and the following acknowledgment is included at the end:
© Jacquie Wise – Coach, Counsellor, Speaker, Trainer and Author, specialising in personal, professional and spiritual development
So You Want to Be a Writer
What gives you the right to call yourself a writer?
You don't need to be highly educated to be a writer. Some of the best writers have had no formal education. Dirk Bogarde had a reasonable education, but was 'useless' at spelling and punctuation, to use his own words. He relied heavily on his editor to correct his 'appalling grammar'. What he did have was a talent as a raconteur and a flair for evocative descriptions. In spite of his 'appalling grammar', he was made a Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French government and received an honorary degree of Doctor of Letters from the University of St Andrews.
A reasonable vocabulary and knowledge of the fundamentals of grammar and spelling are always useful, but you will find those improve as you go, especially if you read and model yourself on the highest standards. Editors and manuscript assessment services are always there to back you up.
Good communication skills are an asset, whether you are interviewing people, negotiating assertively with publishers or agents, or giving clear explanations if you're a 'how-to' writer. They include the '5 Ws' journalists use to get the full story, or explain all the right details: WHO, WHY, WHAT, WHEN, and WHERE.
If you're a non-fiction writer, you certainly need to know your subject well to have any credibility. You don't need the credentials of an expert, but you do need enough experience to enable you to write with some authority on all aspects of your subject.
Lastly, if you want to call yourself a writer, you need to move beyond dreaming about it to actually doing it! Writers write!
How do you get (and stay) motivated?
Asking how you motivate yourself to write is like asking how you motivate yourself to eat. The urge to write is very similar to hunger. It's a craving. Your passion is what motivates you. Your ideas take over and demand to be written. That novel screams for attention from the bottom drawer in which you last shoved it. NOT writing is the true challenge.If you are enthusiastic about a subject, you want to share it with others, whether it's how to bake a cake or develop a philosophy. If there is a teacher lurking somewhere within you, you have a need to disseminate the information, to get people thinking or to generate discussion. That's what motivates you. If you have a love for language and for using words creatively, the joy of capturing that idea on paper is what motivates you.
The first question is: why do you want to write? The reason will be the driver that gets you writing—that keeps you motivated. Everything else stems from that question. If you know you want to write, but haven't yet decided what, here are a few ideas to play with. Writers write for as many reasons as there are writers:
1 Because you want to earn your living doing something you enjoy.
Of course there are fortunes to be made if you are Australia's next internationally-renowned author and if you manage to sell film rights! You'll never know if you never try! The rest of us ordinary mortals will need to churn out articles and even books at a steady pace to make a decent living from writing. You may need to supplement your income by speaking or teaching. It all depends on how quickly you can produce new work, how much in demand your topic is, or whether or not you have a ready market, as do some self-published authors.
Professional freelance writers have told me that, to earn a decent living, you need to have sold at least four articles or stories at any one time, even as you're writing the next four. You can also earn a decent living if you can tap into a popular genre, such as romance fiction.
2 To promote another aspect of your work.
Although writing non-fiction can be a profession in itself, many writers write to enhance their credibility or promote their work in other fields. For example, consultants write for professional journals in the hope of gaining clients, or lawyers may produce a text to establish themselves as an authority. Authors will write articles to promote their book. Most specialists produce books—take Jamie Oliver or Jamie Durie. Do they make a fortune in royalties? Maybe. The gain to be made might be primarily in spin-offs. Products can be a spin-off from books, or books can come from products. Look at Garfield: books, dolls and even a movie – all spin-offs from the cartoon strip. And what about the whole industry that has evolved from the Harry Potter books? It might be useful for you to think bigger than the story you want to write; it might affect the way you present it, market it, or might even change the way you write it.
3 To record a family history or a personal story.
So many of our family members have fascinating stories to tell, which can be an important part of Australia's cultural history as well. Documenting the family history can provide a strong sense of identity for our children. Telling your own triumph-over-adversity story can be a personally healing exercise as well as an inspiration to others.
4 To express your thoughts and emotions—or perhaps simply for the joy of using words in unusual, creative ways.
Poets or song-writers come into this category, amongst others. I've been writing poems and songs that no-one has ever read, simply to express who I am. I entered a few of my songs in the Australian Songwriter's Competition in 2003 merely to get professional feedback and constructive criticism. No one was more surprised than I was when one of them reached the national finals in its category. It's not something I'm taking seriously, but it is encouraging, and I learnt a lot from the feedback, which was the object of the exercise in the first place.
5 To share an interest and your expertise.
Your motivation for writing might be that you love your subject and are fascinated by different aspects of it. Perhaps you have expertise in rose-growing and enjoy sharing your knowledge by being a specialist writer, perhaps having a regular column somewhere.
6 Because you can't NOT write!
I started writing at the age of seven, with an adventure storybook I illustrated and bound myself, and distributed to all my friends. I continued to write throughout my childhood and into my teens—poems, songs; travel experiences, letters to newspapers, articles… I've always just had to write.
When I first began to take my writing seriously, I wanted to write for children. I attended every course I could find on different aspects of writing for kids. Several hundreds of dollars later, I discovered I am definitely not a children's writer. It took many more courses and failed attempts in different genres to decide that I am a factual writer for adults.
7 Because something needs to be said.
My first book was in response to an urgent need. My work in human resource management in the late '70s involved me in recruiting for a large organisation. It was apparent that school-leavers were very badly prepared for interview. Too many I questioned told me they'd never been taught career-planning or interview skills in school.
Further investigation led me to discover that teachers had no resources; many had no experience in the general workforce, and most were struggling to cope with career-planning concepts which were just emerging at the time. I ended up volunteering to speak at schools on school-to-work transition, preparing teaching materials in response to requests from teachers.
Whatever your reasons for writing, research your rights!
How my first book was published is a lesson in itself in what it takes to protect your interests—and follow your instincts—as a writer.
The Education Department got to hear of this strange woman who was visiting some 200 schools in Melbourne and summoned me for an interview. They were sufficiently impressed with my materials to suggest that the Department publish them in book form, but I couldn't agree with the approach that they wanted to take. However, they seeded the idea, and I began to write.
The first publishers to whom I took the manuscript were very keen, but wanted to produce it as a cartoon book because, they said, 'teenagers don't read books'! I thanked them politely and went to Longman-Cheshire, instead,
Longmans obtained enthusiastic feedback from teachers to whom they'd sent the manuscript for review and agreed to publish it. Now came the issue of contracts.
I joined the Australian Society of Authors and immersed myself in their guide on book contracts—enough to decide I was too inexperienced to handle this without expert advice. In future, I'll seek advice from the ASA itself, but at the time, I took the contract to a major legal firm, which I'd been told specialised in intellectual property. The solicitor's lack of knowledge was astounding and it was left to me to point out to him that you never sell your copyright, but only sell a licence to publish. He merely fed back to me the comments made by the ASA guide, for which he thanked me profusely. For this 'service', he charged me several hundred dollars. What can I say—it pays to do your research, so that you can distinguish bad advice from good.
Even when writing for magazines, offering first rights allows you to sell the same piece again somewhere else. Know the difference between offering First Victorian Rights, First Australian Rights, World Rights, Syndicate Rights, and so on.
My publisher at Longmans was an angel—it was he who found a catchy title for the book – 'Give Yourself a Go!'—and he who suggested that I change my stuffy 'Jacqueline Wise' to a more upbeat 'Jacquie Wise', which has been my identity ever since.
The book was an instant best-seller in its field, being the first of its kind. It was the recommended text for all schools throughout Australia and New Zealand for over a decade. It was taken over by Penguin, running to six editions, and was also published in Braille. It catapulted me into being considered an authority in career-planning in Australia.
Because of my continuing work in schools and with government schemes for the unemployed, I was requested to write a text for the Department of Employment Education and Training, as it was then called, more mature job-seekers. 'Career Comeback' was published by Pitmans.
Working with agents
Read the fine print! When my most recent book, 'The Gift of the Gab and How to Get It', was accepted by HarperCollins, I decided to get an agent to handle the whole process, because I also wanted to publish the book in America, where no one will touch you without an agent.
Be very specific when developing a contract with an agent, to ensure it includes specific efforts they will make to promote the book in Australia, to negotiate with publishers overseas and to seek publishers for any other books in progress.
Word-of-mouth recommendations from other authors are often a good indication of a reliable agent, but still, seek legal advice before signing any contracts. You can obtain lists of agents from the ASA, or from the book 'The Australian Writer's Marketplace.
Finding the time to write
Juggling kids, commitments and creativity can be a challenge. Good time managers will never wait for the magic three-hour stretch to materialise; the trick is to keep your project in the front of your mind, and write in small spurts. Here are ideas to help you get going and keep you going:
1 Keep a notebook and pen in every pocket and bag; use waiting times creatively (waiting for trains, at the doctor's, waiting to pick up your kids…)
2 Take a pocket tape recorder when you go on power walks: walk and talk!
3 Keep a pocket tape recorder in the car. Notebooks are useful only when you stop at traffic lights.
4 The bathroom is a terrific creative centre:
- Talk on your tape recorder as you wallow in the tub
- Try a small whiteboard in the shower OR
- Write on tiles with a whiteboard pen (provided your grouting is sealed!)
5 Know your own biological clock. Are you at your most creative early in the morning or late at night? At which times of the day are your peaks and troughs of concentration? Plan to write when you are at your peak, even if it is 3am.
6 Keep your ideas well organised in a clear filing system.
7 Join a writer's group to keep motivated and obtain feedback from people you respect. Develop your own group.
8 Find a mentor, perhaps through the Australian Society of Authors.
Don't wait for motivation or inspiration!
As any creative person knows, creativity flows well only when you get on a roll. Most professional writers will tell you they set aside a specific time each day to sit at the computer, no matter what drivel emerges at first. If you wait for the right moment, it will never come.
Writing is like keeping fit. Regular exercise keeps you at your fitness peak: miss a day or two and it's amazing how quickly you feel yourself slipping backwards. The more regularly you write, the faster and better you will write. I'd use the word 'discipline' if I didn't dislike it so intensely.
Be well organised
In business, time means money. The more efficient you are, the greater your profits. Staying organised is essential to saving your time and your sanity, to giving a professional impression and to taking yourself seriously as a writer.
You might like to incorporate the ideas below into your business or domestic filing system. Within each major section would be separate manila folders, bearing the headings indicated. You'd be surprised how those random snippets written on sandwich bags can lead to your masterpiece — if only you could find them!
RESEARCH
Background Information |
Forensic science Psyche of psychopaths Poisons |
| Factual Information | Case studies/examples to cite Quotes from experts Statistics |
Writing Guidelines |
Articles of interest: eg |
Marketing guidelines |
Selling your non-fiction book |
Copyright & Legal issues |
Commissioned Works and Sample Agreement |
Competition |
Keep copies of articles written by others on similar subjects. This will ensure that you don't duplicate their idea, and that you identify gaps or a different angle to write about. |
Markets |
Magazines, professional journals and publishers. Observe their styles and standards over a period of time. Keep information on the rates they pay and the approach they prefer. |
SELF-PUBLISHING |
|
Design |
Quotes/correspondence designer Competitors' Quotes & Services Agreements |
FREELANCE WRITING |
Contact lists of publications/potential markets |
PUBLICITY |
Media 'hit' list (consult Margaret Gee's Media Guide) |
ACCOUNTS & LEGAL |
|
Sales Records |
Back-of-room sales |
Income/Taxation Record |
Correspondence accountant/returns etc |
Legal |
Contracts & Agreements |
IDEAS |
|
Settings & Scenes: |
Interior (use the five senses: includes Exterior (Including different countries.) |
Characters |
Ideas to make your characters come alive: |
Dialogues |
Snippets of conversations to insert into some future plot. |
Plots |
Storyline ideas, undeveloped outlines, |
The ideas you collect in your files can turn into the next writing project
Different authors have different approaches to writing—experiment until you find the approach that works best for you. Don't feel you have to follow the 'musts' and 'shoulds' that work for other writers.
The idea for the project doesn't need to be complete before you can shape it. Of course you need a direction to follow, but any piece of writing shapes itself as it progresses. What it ends up being may be totally different from the original intention. Just write, and see where it goes.
I tend to write a book laterally—not in a linear direction from beginning to end. For every project, I develop a series of folders labelled according to the chapter headings. In those folders, I slot ideas, cartoons, a turn of phrase here and a concept to develop there. As I slot my scraps of scribbles into the folders, the book begins to take shape. I flesh out different sections as the mood takes me, jumping from one chapter to another. In this manner, the book practically writes itself. It may decide to change the order of information or the content of chapters as we go—it's because I'm writing snippets that it all becomes clear, And there's always time for one sentence!
The business of writing
Business success depends, in part, on reducing the chance factor by having advance knowledge of what is likely to occur. You may not be able to predict with 100% accuracy what your future sales might be, but you do need some kind of road map against which to check your progress. That's where a cash-flow forecast comes in, or at least a budget. It's simply a summary of expected monthly expense payments and income receipts, to show you cash movements and the amount of cash your business has available at the end of each month. Your forecast shows you whether you generate sufficient cash to remain afloat.
Set yourself up properly from the start with good record-keeping and accounting systems. These days, computer systems such as MYOB calculate GST for you and are very easy to operate.
Items you can claim against income include:
- Postage/packaging & stationery
- Books, newspapers and magazines purchased for research (including subscriptions)
- Office equipment such as computer, printer, desk, cabinets
- Computer software
- Memberships to professional associations
- Seminars attended, claimable under 'professional development'
- Design and printing of marketing flyers, business cards
- Legal and accounting fees
- A portion of your heating and electricity bills
- Interest payments on loans for your business
Items not claimed in one financial year can be carried over to the following year, against income earned in that year, depending on your circumstances. Always seek professional advice.
Theoretically, it is not necessary to have an Australian Business Number if your income is under $50,000. If you intend to supplement your income by, say, speaking or teaching, you may find that some organisations will not engage you without an ABN. They are also compelled to retain tax at a high rate from your income. To avoid those hassles, you will be well-advised to speak to your accountant about the value of having an ABN.
Seven things to do TODAY!
1 Go shopping – for that tape-recorder, series of mini-notebooks, filing and storage system
2 Develop a filing system
3 Set up the same system on your computer
4 Attend seminars and networking functions frequented by professional writers. Talk to them about their experiences, their mistakes and tips.
5 Keep a record of your expenditure, including receipts. You never know when you might be able to claim these; get into good habits from the beginning.
6 Develop a mind-map or outline for a story idea; begin to slot snippets into your files
7 Start writing!
Recommended Books
Writers' & Artists Yearbook (annual)
A & C Black, London
Thames & Hudson
The Australian Writer's Marketplace (annual)
The Complete Guide to Being Published in Australia
Editor:Rhonda Whitton
Bookman
The Complete Book of Scriptwriting
J. Michael Straczynski
Titan Books (ISBN 1 85286 882 1)Writing Your Screenplay
Lisa Dethridge
Allen & Unwin (ISBN 1 74114 083 8)
Write the Perfect Book Proposal
Jeff Herman and Deborah M. Adams
John Wiley & Sons Inc (ISBN 0 471 57517 8)
Self-Publishing Made Simple
The Ultimate Australian Guide
Euan Mitchell
Hardie Grant Books (ISBN 1 876719 27 3)
The Poet's Manual and Rhyming Dictionary
Frances Stillman
Thames & Hudson (ISBN 0 500 2030 9)
Secrets of Successful Songwriting
Carol E. Bolte, Jr.
Arco Publishing Inc (ISBN 0 668 06170 7)
The ASA produce many publications addressing specific issues. Topics include: legal guides; model contracts; model agreements for joint authorship or commissioned works; lists of agents and grants; writing for specific markets; copyright law, rates for writers and illustrators. (www.asauthors.org)
See also magazines such as 'Writing' or 'Writers Digest' for useful articles as well as lists of books on all aspects of writing.
Wise Words
Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realise they were the big things.
Robert Brault