Friday Fridge Clean-out: Links for Writers - December 13, 2013 Edition

> Deflated by workshop feedback? Diana Munoz Stewart at The Write Catch has some excellent thoughts on what to do with all that comes your way across the workshop table, in "Why So Many Good Writers Can't Write".

> Good post by Bryan Cohen over at Memoir Writer's Journey, on "Using Sense Memory to Remember Story Details."

> Your book has won an award. Now what?  At Build Book Buzz, Sandra Beckwith has 12 good ideas on spreading the news.

> Cool slide show -- 50 narrative devices for nonfiction story tellers, over at Inside the Story.

> If you tweet to attract readers, build your platform, or expand your writing-related business, you might need these "50 Ways to Get Out of Your Twitter Rut."

> Like to make a donation that goes directly to helping kids and teens read good books? I favor the Books section at Donors Choose, where teachers post requests and you pick the classroom and project you want to help. Make a pledge, then get updates, and a note (and sometimes a photo) from the teacher when the project is fully funded, and books have been purchased and are in kids' hands.

> Interesting, detailed report on "The Ghostwriting Business" over at Priceonomics.

> Continuing with my new practice of pointing my readers to other blogs that post interesting links lists, be sure to check out Erika Dreifus's Friday Finds for Writers.

> Finally, two fun things... First, over at Rattle, Francesca Bell's hilarious poem that expresses what every writer who has ever received a rejection (hey, that's every writer, right?), might like to say in return.  And, "The Top Ten Reasons Not to Write", over at Brenda Moguez's Passionate Pursuits. Numbers 10, 5, and 1 said it all for me!

Have a great weekend!

Why Saying Yes When I Want to Say No is Sometimes Good.

I recently got a good lesson in walking the talk.

As a huge advocate of stepping outside of one's comfort zone, I encourage other writers to try it – write in a new genre, do something that's a little scary (Read at an open mic? Apply for a grant? Attend a conference?). In addition, I urge writers – and everyone really who is interested in developing their craft and/or career– to say YES. Yes to new and perhaps offbeat opportunities and invitations that come one's way. Not yes to everything, of course, but to those things that may help us stretch, enhance our skills, widen our connections – and who knows, maybe have some fun.

Because I dish out this kind of advice, I try to model it; in fact, it was because I adopted this mindset during my MFA program, that I advocate it at all. Back then, I said yes to a lot of things I might have otherwise dismissed as too time-consuming, too difficult, too outside my comfort zone.  I'm not always successful, but when I get a chance, I try to practice what I preach – and do it like I mean it.  

Early in January, an editor I know asked me to write a short chapter about working with a ghostwriter, for a book she was compiling, in which some 70 professionals would be giving tips and advice to business owners. This was something I felt comfortable doing, and because I want to grow the ghostwriting end of my business, I said yes, that I would be happy to do it.  A few weeks later, she invited me to appear in a video featuring several of the chapter writers, each speaking for 90 seconds about their topic. Whoa. So. Not. Happy. I said no way, thanks anyway, but no.

She asked me not to say no quite so quickly, to think about it.  

The timing coincided with Boot Camp where the focus those two weeks – in materials which I of course had written – was on encouraging the 14 writers in the class to get out of their comfort zones, to say YES.  

Ahem.

So I spent some time, during a longish car drive, trying to figure out why I was so automatically opposed to the video invitation. It didn't take long:  I hate having my picture taken (and a recent spate of video chats only reconfirmed my fear of video). It would take place on a Saturday that was already crammed with other work and family obligations. The only photo of myself that I like is the one here on the blog, taken during a shoot for an Oprah magazine essay, when professional make-up and hair experts were on hand. And, I am profoundly uncomfortable writing for video, especially with a strict 90 second limit.

I had to get tough with myself and ignore the weekend timing; I could work it out, after all. But the rest still stopped me, especially the scriptwriting part. Then I remembered something I tell my kids to ask themselves when they are stumped:  Is there anyone I know well who can help me?

There was. I asked my 17-year-son, who is a host and sports  analyst for his high school radio station, and who has taken a summer sports broadcasting program for four years, to help write the script.  I gave him my chapter to read, and he banged out a good rough draft in five minutes; we edited together, and then he helped me rehearse, and get the timing right.

Finally, I came up with a way to deal with the camera issue, and called the editor to see if she and the videographer would be willing to shoot me in deep shadow, since after all I would be talking about ghostwriters (sample line: "If I do my job right, you won't be able to see me on the page either.") They agreed.

Perhaps these were not the very best creative solutions, and yes, I know the witness-protection angle may be a little bit corny. I may get hives when I see myself in the final video. But I was pleased that I had been able to work around my discomfort and to say YES.  I had a little fun, too. That's allowed, right?

When a Big Editorial Project Ends

Satisfaction. Letdown. Relief. Pride. And, eventually panic.

These are just some of the emotions I rotate through at a time like this, the day after I have finished a major, long-term client editorial project. And by finished, I mean definitely finished, for sure; not like last month when it felt just about finished. Now, the client's book has been sent off to the printer by the publisher, and that's it. The end of 19 months of hard work, collegial collaboration, laughs, and occasionally, disagreements and promises to myself (never again!).

Yesterday, I did a few quick edits on the second version of the foreword, gave an opinion on some cover text, and without even realizing it at the moment, the project came to a quiet end.

More than a year and a half ago, one of the co-authors called. Demanding schedules and commitments created a need for editorial help in order to complete the manuscript the two authors had proposed, sold and committed to delivering to a respected, established academic and professional press.

Over the many months we worked together, my role took on a fluidity that at times unnerved me, challenged my patience as well as my skills, and had me wondering why I'd agreed to the project in the first place and at the same time thinking, I'd like some more, please.

For 19 months, I revised, advised, edited, wrote, rewrote, brainstormed, ghostwrote, restructured, consulted, coached, proofread -- and revised again and edited some more.

And today, when I know for sure that, at least for this particular book project, there will be no more urgent emails or late night phone calls asking me to drop everything and take another look at a client-revised chapter, that all of the structuring decisions are final, that nothing else requires "just one more pass," I'm glad to let it go. And, a little sad too.

But mostly – as everyone who makes a living as a freelancer will likely admit – I'm wondering how and when I'll replace that completed project with another income-producing project.

And then there's that little voice, a temptress, urging, on second thought…. As I moved all of the files from the completed project off my desk, put them far out of arm's reach, glanced at my calendar now free of weekly project-related deadlines, and noticed that clean swatch of uncluttered space on my desk, beckoning, teasing – I hesitated, and thought about what it might be like…

"I know!" I mused. "I won't take on another big project. Instead, I'll use those big chunks (instead of small pieces) of time, to work on my own book."

Then I snapped out of it, slapped my forehead, and reminded myself that the tuition bill, the now higher property taxes, the summer camp fees, and oh yes, the mortgage, are a lot more related to my securing more paid client work than producing a book spine with my name on it.

I know (no, I hope and pray) another interesting project will come along, but also worry that it will happen later rather than sooner. That's where the panic comes in, staring at that blank calendar and knowing those pesky, annoying, wonderful – and missing – project-related deadlines need to appear there. With luck, I'll have another project to (sometimes) complain about and to love, and I'll be grateful, and I will get busy, and I will learn something new and feel proud of what I can help a client accomplish on the page.

Many days, that's enough.

Friday Fridge Clean-Out: Links for Writers, December 10th Edition

► I admire the work of Los Angeles Times writer and engaging essayist Megham Daum and was relieved to learn she was well again after a surprising and nearly lethal infection. She chronicles her ordeal, beginning here.

► Nonfiction writers Bill Roorbach and Dave Gessner have launched a new blog, Bill and Dave's Cocktail Hour. I'm a huge admirer of Roorbach's nonfiction writing craft books, as well as his wit. Gessner is a widely respected essayist, memoirist and author of reported nonfiction about the natural world.

► Over at the Huffington Post, Delia Lloyd offers "Five Tips for Productively Editing Your Writing," and I was so pleased that she included a link to this blog. The commenters over there have some good ideas, too.

► At Daily Finance, a successful ghostwriter speaks, about the job, the money, the frustrations, and all the rest.

► Figment, a rich new interactive site for teen writers and readers, got off to a huge start this week. It's the work of a New Yorker writer and a Conde Nast magazine editor.

►The standard (and wise) advice to writers – Don't quit your day job! – takes on a new meaning for this author whose new day job pays a bundle and demands every ounce of his time Oh, what's an author to do?

►Reminder - book give-away: Talking to Girls About Duran Duran, by Rob Sheffield. Go back to this post and leave a comment over there by midnight tonight.

Have a great weekend.

Friday Fridge Clean-Out: Links Writers May Like. October 22nd Edition

Typically, every Friday I post interesting web links (both obscure and popular) I've found throughout the week – hence the name, Friday Fridge Clean-Out (much the way I feed my family on Friday nights). Lately, I've only been sporadically blogging, so the fridge is now overflowing. Some of them may have already found their way to your screen, though a handful are more current. Either way, enjoy.

►In the LA Times, Mary McNamara offered this Working Mother's Guide to Writing a Novel. Bottom line: difficult but do-able, and a daily decision.

►Manhattan's popular The Strand ("18 miles of new, used, rare & out-of-print books") used to stack small inexpensive books near the register for impulse buys, but lately have found what grocery and convenience stores have known for years. Readers have a sweet tooth.

►Anyone who has done it before and is heading into National Novel Writing Month again this November probably has a list of tips for newbies. This one, serious ("Learn how NOT to edit") and silly ("Lock up all fire arms"), covers a lot of the bases.

►Free public wifi isn't a bargain if it plants a bug on your computer, as NPR explains.

►Is there a writing workshop in your future? Can't hurt to review these tips at MFA In A Box. I especially like: "Don’t ever confuse a writing group with a therapy group." Ah, but doesn't that kill half the fun?

►No matter what they write, I am almost always interested in how and why successful writers created the work they did, sometimes especially when it's outside of my genre and/or skill set, which is why I enjoyed this piece about how Darlene Hunt created and writes scripts for The Big C, a new Showtime TV series.

►My friend Sari Botton, a standout ghostwriter (a Q/A with her ran here last year), recently interviewed Vivian Gornick about the difficulty, in memoir, in writing the truth and also taking care of loved ones on the page. Gornick's first memoir was Fierce Attachments and her craft book, The Situation and the Story: The Art of Personal Narrative, is probably on every nonfiction writer's shelf (or should be).

►I had a major crush on Andrew McCarthy from the Brat Pack films (St. Elmo's Fire, etc. – yeah, I'm dating myself) through to his turn in Lipstick Jungle last year. Now he's back on my radar, winning the 2010 Travel Journalist of the Year award in the Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Competition. He's the real deal too, as this brief Washington Post interview notes, with bylines in Travel and Leisure, Afar, Bon Appétit and National Geographic Traveler.

►I have always believed that the creative process is somehow altered (in my opinion, for the better), when we handwrite rather than type our first drafts. Lately, researchers are finding that handwriting delivers all kinds of other benefits too.

►And finally: we writers ARE a strange lot, no? We want to write, crave time to write, complain about not having enough time to write, and yet sometimes….we just don't write. One Page Per Day seems like a workmanlike way to trick yourself into it.

Have a great weekend.

Friday Fridge Clean-Out: February 26th Edition

I'm snowbound (16 inches, still falling), and the temptation to light a fire and read all day is strong. But first I'll prep for my next online creative nonfiction writing class which begins Monday, and then I will move to that couch, though on my lap will be an editing client's memoir. Still, I'll be reading. Sort of. Meanwhile, here are a few links I liked this week.

►If you're not a writer who makes peace with, and even collects rejections, you might not understand this guy, who counts five figures worth of rejections. Oh, and he's widely, and prestigiously, published too. As Eric at Pimp My Novel points out, unless you have a similarly sizable rejection collection, that wouldn't be the sound of you complaining, would it? Didn't think so.

►Memoir writers know the drill: first finish writing the book, then polish that manuscript, write a killer book proposal which includes a well-researched marketing section, and THEN seek an agent, right? Well, not always. Here's how one woman went the opposite way and how -- and why -- it all worked out.

►So you turn in your final book manuscript to the publisher and then what? Charles Stross knows – everything from copy editing, to scheduling, to ARCS, to physical production and distribution. You know, that sounds sort of dull, but it was an eye-opening and fun read.

► If you teach a online college course (about anything), or simply want to know more about how those who do approach course design and student interaction, you may want to read this longish and informative piece at the Chronicle of Higher Education.

► Off The Bookshelf is a newly launched site which aims to help authors connect with readers, via individual "bookstores" where writers can set prices and sell their own books, converse with readers, blog and other activities.

►Interesting article at The Financial Times about the money side of ghostwriting books for famous business folks.

► This shouldn't happen to a creditable author with a dozen historic nonfiction books to his name. But it did. A source on whom Charles Pelligrino relied for recollections of substantial narrative passages in his new book, Last Train To Hiroshima, now says she lied, and experts seem to agree. A costly mistake the author and publisher are now correcting.

►And finally, Nicholas Kristof, the wonderful New York Times OpEd columnist, wrote a parody of how consumer news consumption might fare if it worked like the broken health care system.

Have a great weekend.

Get Your Ghost(writing) Game On

Here's something of possible interest to out-of-work journalists, experienced freelance writers facing a recession-fueled lull, and writers who simply want another arrow in their editorial services quiver.

My friend Ellen Neuborne, an experienced ghostwriter or co-author of 11 books, is offering an online class, The Writer’s Guide to Ghosting. It's reasonably priced, and I know anyone who works with Ellen will be in good hands – she's disciplined, has a good sense of humor, and most importantly, knows her specialty -- period. Plus, she's a seasoned teacher and writing coach, former magazine editor, and well-published freelance writer.

Here's her nutshell description: The Writer's Guide to Ghosting is an online class designed for professional writers interested in breaking into this profitable specialty. Topics covered include breaking into the business, the mechanics of ghost writing a book, marketing yourself as a ghostwriter, contract and payment issues, and building a ghost writing pipeline.

The class begins June 1. For more info, email Ellen: eneuborne (at) aol.com.

Writer Q & A: Sari Botton on Ghostwriting

During my MFA program, I turned down a bunch of writing and editing work. I know. But this was before the great financial collapse, before the student loans payment began, before every laid-off wordsmith of any kind jumped into the already-crowded freelancing pool. In most cases, I'm only sorry about the lost income, but one lost learning opportunity I regret is not signing on to ghostwrite a nonfiction book when it was offered. At the time, my decision made so much sense: the wrong time to target attention toward someone else's vision when I needed to focus on my own voice. Still. Ghostwriting has always fascinated me. When I was a full-time public relations specialist, I occasionally ghostwrote magazine pieces for clients, and always liked the satisfaction when one of them said I had conveyed their message just as they'd hoped. Once, I wrote a personal essay for a professional football player whose mother told him, "see, I always knew you could write!" But an entire book is another matter completely.

Recently, while debating how to properly carve up my freelance efforts, I met the gifted Sari Botton, whose ghostwriting career is in full swing. We met because of a joint reading from a recently published collection, in which we both have essays, but when I learned of her ghost status, I decided to pepper her with questions. She kindly answered.

LR: You've mentioned that you got started in ghostwriting by accident. Do you mind describing how, and did you like it right away, or did it grow on you?

SB: I was working as a journalist for W magazine. It was a pretty good job, but I had wanted to go freelance for a while. One evening while covering an Author's Guild event, I was seated next to an agent who happened to have been looking for a ghostwriter for one of her clients. I got the assignment, and that book allowed me to leave my day job. Well, it held me over briefly. Ghostwriting was a mixed bag from the start. Collaborations always have the potential for conflict. But I had fun channeling people’s voices into their own stories.

LR: You worked with fashion designer Dana Buchman on her memoir about her daughter's learning disabilities. Did you work with both Dana and her daughter on that? Did it require a great deal of research?

SB: Dana and I worked very closely on that book. I worked with her daughter, as well. Sometimes, Dana and I would be up, on the phone, at five or six in the morning because that was when she had time to talk. We worked together on research, interviewing educators and other specialists in the LD field.

LR: While some ghostwriters prefer to have a "with," "and," or "as told to" alongside the author's name, but your byline does not appear there. Why do you choose to remain anonymous?

SB: As much as I enjoy ghostwriting – I really like helping people tell their moving stories – I don’t want to be a career ghostwriter, to the exclusion of publishing my own work. Maybe I’m wrong about this, but I don’t think a lot of the writers who are credited on a “with” byline go on to establish themselves as authors in their own right. Also, as a reader, I feel confused when a book comes from more than one person. How can I identify with the writer, how can I hear one voice when I read? In my opinion, a book that comes officially from one author is more likely to resonate with more readers, and therefore sell more books.

LR: Do you normally rewrite notes and text provided by the author, or do you craft the manuscript from the ground up?

SB: It’s a mix of both. I try not to work with authors who aren’t generally fairly good writers themselves. They may not know how to write a book, but they can write a sentence, a paragraph, can tell a story. They have a certain individual verbal flair, a way with words that will help me identify their unique voice and keep it authentic through the book. At first, authors tend to be self-conscious about showing me their writing. They think I’m going to take a big red pen to it and give them an F. So, I’ll usually be the one to get the ball rolling. Before an author really gets comfortable with me, I’ll do interviews and start to put together some material for us both to play with. I create an outline, and will often also outline chapters. As we go along, the author will often get more comfortable writing and start to send pieces that I will manipulate.

LR: How do you best like to gather material – long in-person interviews? By telephone? Email?

SB: I do a combination of in-person interviews and phone interviews, depending on geography. Fortunately, I now have a great little digital recorder, and this $24 device from Radio Shack that allows me to record conversations on the phone.

LR: When in the process are ghostwriting services usually sought?

SB: Often, I am sought out before a book gets started. An author may have a few pages written, or an outline, but not much more. These are the best situations. When they try to bring me in at the point where a whole rejected manuscript exists, or when another ghostwriter has been fired, it is actually a harder job than starting from scratch.

LR: What do you like most about being a ghost?

SB: I feel as if I do some good in the world when I help people who have really inspiring stories to tell them, in their voices. I try to choose only those memoirs that have what I consider to be important messages, books that will ultimately be valuable contributions to the world.

LR: Least favorite part of the job?

SB: When an author and his/her editor don’t see eye-to-eye, and I am stuck in the middle, not knowing whom to please.

LR: How much of your career is made up of ghostwriting, and what are the other parts of your business?

SB: I also work as a freelance journalist and essayist. I sometimes do copywriting for advertising and the web. Currently, though, ghostwriting is my bread-and-butter. It accounts for about 60-75 percent of my income.

LR: You have a major new ghostwriting project on the burner, a memoir, which I understand you are very excited about – contractually, can you tell us anything about it?

SB: Actually, I can’t. Other than to say it is a really moving story that will touch and inspire people!

LR: How has ghostwriting contributed to your own writing efforts, in terms of craft, productivity, and business aspects?

SB: I have learned a lot about storytelling from ghostwriting. I think that has enhanced my essay writing skills. Also, having recently had to write an entire book in seven weeks, I have been shown that I am able to achieve a lot rather quickly – more quickly than I would have ever imagined! It really honed my chops.

LR: Have there been any fun perks? (Travel? Clothes from Dana Buchman?)

SB: I got to go to Costa Rica for a recent assignment. Although I was writing the whole time, there are worse places to have to go for work! When I wrote a book for Aveda founder Horst Rechelbacher, I got to spend three weeks at a time at the (former) Aveda spa in Wisconsin, and received a spa treatment every day I was there!

LR: What advice might you give to someone who is interested in finding work as a ghostwriter? Is it essential to already have an agent?

SB: Getting started as a ghostwriter, you might need to take a low-ish fee the first time to establish yourself. I wrote one book, early on, for just $5000. But it helped to establish me. You definitely want an agent involved. It will be worth the 15 percent every time. I am a very bad business person on my own. Without an agent, I’d probably wind up paying the authors to allow me to work on their books!

LR: What kind of a writer makes a good ghostwriter? Do you think it hinges as much on skills and experience, as on temperament and other personal traits?

SB: You need both. I think my years as a journalist – particularly my time profiling people, including celebrities, helped. Good interviewing skills are important. It helps to also love memoir and first-person writing. I devour that category, so I’m not just a writer of it, but a reader of it. I am naturally keyed into that Seymour Glass idea of “ask yourself, as a reader, what piece of writing in all the world Buddy Glass would most want to read if he had his heart’s choice.” Personality-wise, clients often tell me that I am like a therapist. Somehow, I have always been good at putting people at ease. One of my “tricks” is to share anecdotes of my own, so that it’s not one person self-consciously on the hot seat; rather, we’re having a conversation.

LR: What are some pitfalls you may have encountered when you were new to ghostwriting, and how might one avoid them?

SB: Make sure your client is ready to write his or her book. One high-profile client of mine thought she was ready, but then canceled 70 appointments to work with me. Also, as I mentioned before, make sure your author and his or her editor have the same vision for the book. In one case, the author wanted one thing, the editor wanted another, and they were each prodding me behind the scenes to make it more their way.

LR: I'm sure every writer wants to know how lucrative ghostwriting might be. Can you give some typical ranges in the business?

SB: According to Writer’s Market, the average price is $35K. Over the course of my career, I have been paid both less and way more. Once you are established, you should be able to get between 40 and 50 percent of the author’s advance. With celebrity books bringing in several hundred thousand dollars or more…well, you do the math. Early on, though, you might have to take lower-profile assignments, and in some cases, take a flat fee.

LR: Without naming the books, have there been a few projects you've passed on, which you now wish you had done?

SB: Actually, I have the reverse kind of situation to report. I had put my hat in the ring to work on “Angel over the Fence,” Herman Rosenblat’s book about how his wife threw apples to him over a concentration camp fence when he was starving there, and then they were reunited on a blind date many years later. I was rejected because I hadn’t written fiction. “We want it to read like fiction,” I was told. Well – it turned out to have been fiction! He’d fabricated most of the story, and the book got pulled before publication.

LR: What (or who) would be your dream ghostwriting project?

SB: Someone who is making a difference in the world, who is a positive role model, with a story people can identify with.