Becoming a Writer

by Mike O’Mary

I am editing a book about creative writing. I’m very excited about it. It’s more of a “why” write, rather than a “how” to write. But in the process of talking about why write, the author sheds a lot of light on how to write, as well. I think it’s going to be a great book. I’ll tell you more about it as we get closer to publication later this year.

For now, I want to tell you about another book about writing. Editing this current manuscript prompted me to refer back to one of the first books I read about writing: Becoming a Writer by Dorothea Brande. If you are familiar with Brande’s book, you know the story…written in the 1930s by a woman whose teaching techniques incorporated right-brain thinking and transcendental meditation long before those concepts were popular…long before there were even names for those things! The book went out of print, but was brought back to life and light in 1981 with an introduction by John Gardner. The book is a treasure.

I said earlier that the book I am currently editing isn’t about how to write; it’s about why we write. Similarly, Becoming a Writer isn’t about how to write; it’s about how to be a writer. It’s very inspiring. If you’re not familiar with it, give it a read.

Another great book about writing is The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. But more on that book another day. In the meantime, I’m curious: what books do you turn to for inspiration or instruction or motivation when it comes to your writing?

Mike O’Mary is founding dreamer of Dream of Things, an independent book publisher currently accepting creative nonfiction stories for anthologies on 15 topics.

Stretch Out, Stay Flexible

Greetings Freelancers! I am an editor but I come in peace!

Let me introduce myself. My name is Amanda and I’ve been a professional editor and a writer for seven years. I’ve run the spectrum when it comes to the writing and editing industry, from my early days as a music journalist to the more recent corporate world of B2B copy editing and I’ve lived to tell the tale. Currently, I spend my days as a Community Manager for RunMyErrand (a start-up based out of Boston) creating marketing strategies on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, which is a fancy way of saying I screw around on-line all day and get paid. Woot!

But I digress. You, reader, come to this valuable blog site to learn how to make it in this tough and unforgiving industry, and to that I have but one piece of advice for you: Be flexible.

Within the writing and editing industry, the opportunities for job growth and change are constantly appearing, disappearing and reinventing themselves. Who knew when Facebook first popped up that there would be lucrative marketing opportunities on-line for nearly every company in the world? Who knew that Twitter would become such a powerful beast in terms of information sharing and driving website traffic? Who could have guessed that blogging would become the bread and butter for so many wonderful writers to launch careers?

… Continue Reading

Speechwriting Secrets

by Mike O’Mary

For most of the past 20 years, I’ve made my living writing speeches, presentations and annual reports for CEOs and other executives. It can be stressful sometimes, but the pay is decent, and it’s not really all that difficult – not if you know the two little secrets I’m about to tell you.

Secret #1: I’ve been asked many times about writing for executives. Here’s how I usually approach the task: I take inventory of all the information that is available to me…past speeches and presentations, newsletters, news releases, notes from interviews, etc., — anything that might be useful. I immerse myself in the material, take copious notes and absorb as much information as I can. Then I put it all aside, kick back and ask myself, “WWCD — What Would the CEO Do?” That’s Secret #1. You have to be willing to put all of your notes aside, trust your judgment, and put yourself in his or her shoes.

Secret #2: People often say to me, “Wow, you did a really great job of capturing the CEO’s voice. How did you do it?” The answer: I listened to what the CEO said. That almost sounds facetious, doesn’t it? But it’s not. That’s my secret. You would be surprised at how many people hear what they want to hear instead of what is said. Or they hear what the CEO said but they don’t agree with it — or they think they can say it better. And sometimes an idea can be expressed more clearly or more eloquently (eloquentlier?). But one of the keys to being a good writer is being a good listener. Don’t ever forget that. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been in meetings with a CEO or other executive, quietly listening and taking notes while other people are blabbing away, making their opinions known. I come away with pages and pages of notes. I weave those notes into speeches, often giving the CEO’s words back to him or her verbatim, and the CEO reacts by saying, “Yes! This sounds like something I would say!”

Don’t make your job as a speechwriter harder than it is. Use what is given to you. Then your job is simply a matter of figuring out how to put it together.

Mike O’Mary is founding dreamer of Dream of Things, an independent book publisher currently accepting creative nonfiction stories for anthologies on 15 topics.

Avoiding the Paper Bin

by Mike O’Mary

Dream of Things has a Fan Page on Facebook, and a while back, somebody left a message for me on the Dream of Things wall: “Ever time try write storys use go in paper bin because stoys not at good.”

At first, I didn’t know what to say. But I thought about it, and then I wrote back: “I think I understand. I have days like that, too.”

Actually, I have a lot of days like that, and recently I kind of hit a wall. Which is why this post is about taking care of yourself and making sure you get plenty of rest and relaxation.

I hit a wall mentally and physically after four months of working 70-80 hours a week. I launched a new publishing company and online bookstore, published two books, started soliciting submissions for 15 anthologies of creative nonfiction, recruited and retained seven editors to edit those 15 anthologies, started contributing to The Freelance Zone, and began editing two book-length manuscripts. And that was in my spare time because I also have a day job. This past weekend, I couldn’t think any more. So I took the weekend off. I went for a walk on Saturday, then spent the afternoon cleaning out my closets, trying on old pants (I had somehow accummulated about 40 pairs of pants) and setting aside anything that didn’t fit for donation to charity. Then Sunday afternoon, I went to the Green Mill in Chicago for some live jazz and to celebrate my girlfriend’s birthday. It was a much-needed break.

When I was freelancing, one of the things I found most challenging was battling the feeling that I could never completely relax. I always felt I needed to be looking for the next assignment, and I never told a client “no” because I never knew when the client might call again. But relaxation is critical to your well-being. Otherwise, it is very difficult to do the very demanding work of writing and editing. So turn off that laptop, put on some music and try on some pants (or try on whatever you like to try on to relax), and live today so you can write again tomorrow.

Mike O’Mary is founding dreamer of Dream of Things, an independent book publisher currently accepting creative nonfiction stories for anthologies on 15 topics.

A Larger Truth

by Mike O’Mary

Twenty years ago, when I got an MFA in creative writing, fiction and poetry were the only options when it came to areas of emphasis. Since then, creative nonfiction has gained equal footing with fiction and poetry in the eyes of academia, and many MFA programs now offer an emphasis in creative nonfiction.

Of course, readers are less interested in the views of academia than in a good read. Consequently, readers have known for decades what MFA programs have finally figured out: creative nonfiction is hot! And there are many places to publish -– everywhere from Harper’s to your local paper. In fact, before I published creative nonfiction “essays” in the Sunday Magazines of the Chicago Tribune, Baltimore Sun and others, I got my first breaks with newspapers like the Peoria Journal Star and the Joliet Herald.

In a www.creativenonfiction.org article, Lee Gutkind, often described as the “Godfather of creative nonfiction,” says creative nonfiction “offers flexibility and freedom while adhering to the basic tenets of reportage. In creative nonfiction, writers can be poetic and journalistic simultaneously.”

In that same article, Gutkin quotes Gay Talese, who described creative nonfiction this way: “Though often like fiction, it is not fiction. It is, or should be, as reliable as the most reliable reportage, although it seeks a larger truth than is possible through the mere compilation of verifiable facts.”

There are lots of great examples of authors who sought “a larger truth” in their creative nonfiction. Some of my favorites are Joan Didion (The White Album and Slouching Toward Bethlehem), Michael Herr (Dispatches), Barry Lopez (Arctic Dreams), Frank McCourt (Angela’s Ashes), Tom Wolfe (The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test and The Right Stuff), Maxine Hong Kingston (The Woman Warrior), and Mary Karr (The Liar’s Club). Who are your favorite authors of creative nonfiction? And when do you plan to join their ranks?

Mike O’Mary is founding dreamer of Dream of Things, a book publisher currently accepting creative nonfiction stories for anthologies on 15 topics.

Dream Catchers and Goodreads

by Mike O’Mary
Two news items this week, one for writers, one for readers:
1. Dream of Things launched a “Dream Catchers” section of its website to highlight authors whose work has been selected for future publication in a Dream of Things anthology. We get lots of great stories at Dream of Things, and our editors are constantly reviewing new submissions. The best creative nonfiction will be published in our anthologies. But putting an anthology together takes months.

Meantime, we’re sitting on all these great stories. Not anymore! Each week, we plan to feature a new story on the Dream Catchers section of dreamofthings.com. This week’s story is “Forever Sharp” by Terri Elders of Colville, Washington, and it will be published in an anthology about great teachers later this year.

2. Goodreads.com: I’m not sure the world needs another online social networking site, but if we have to make room for one more, goodreads.com looks like a pretty good one. It’s basically a place to rate books that you’ve read, share that info with others, and learn about new books you might want to read. Billed as “the largest social network for readers in the world” with 2.9 million members, Goodreads says, “Somehow, reading books seems to have gotten a bad rap. People are working too hard and not making time to read. But every once in a while you run into a friend who tells you about this ‘great new book I’m reading.’ And suddenly you’re excited to read it. It’s that kind of excitement that Goodreads is all about.”

Goodreads also looks like a good place for an author to set up shop. Take a look at the Goodreads Author Profile of yours truly for an example of what an author can do on their site.

Mike O’Mary is founding dreamer of Dream of Things, a book publisher currently accepting creative nonfiction stories for anthologies on 15 topics.

Poetry All Around You

by Mike O’Mary

Sometimes, when I sit down to write, I draw a blank. Yet the idea of not having anything to say seems absurd—especially in a world so full of interesting people and events. But sometimes we just get so overloaded we become desensitized. We take things for granted, and that’s not good.

But I found something that seems to help. I don’t read much poetry, but a friend of mine recently had a book published. I bought it, and he asked me to tell him what I thought of it.

After just a few pages, I looked up and looked around and realized that I was seeing things differently. A world that had seemed devoid of anything interesting was suddenly filled with detail. All I had to do was look a little closer.

On the top shelf of my bookcase, for example, are a dozen or so items. An old wooden roofer’s toolbox filled with dried flowers and eucalyptus. Next to that, a little clay bowl that my daughter made, then a coffee mug from the University of Montana, and an Eiffel Tower that could have been purchased at Target but happens to have been purchased in Paris. There’s a wooden carpenter’s plane from a phase when I was fascinated with old tools, a beer stein from Heidelberg, an amethyst crystal from one of my sisters. Photos of my mom, my daughter and of the softball team I coached last summer. A fancy clock I bought for $100 while on vacation, and a clock I bought at an outlet store for $3.99 because I liked its simplicity.

All that sitting right there on one little shelf.

I’m going to go back to reading my friend’s book now. But I already know what I’m going to say when I write to him: I’m going to tell him it was good.

Mike O’Mary is founding dreamer of Dream of Things, a book publisher currently accepting creative nonfiction stories for anthologies on 15 topics.

The Language of “Making Things Happen”

by Mike O’Mary
The other day, I was walking past a meeting room at work. The meeting was just breaking up and I heard the sales manager clap his hands together enthusiastically and say, “Okay; if that’s our objective today, let’s make it happen!”

Let’s make it happen. I don’t know what it is, but the workplace–particularly the business workplace–seems to spawn more than its share of euphemisms. I assume that when the manager said, “Let’s make it happen,” he meant, “Let’s do whatever we need to do to meet our objective.” But that would sound boring and not very leader-like, so instead he said, “Let’s make it happen.”

We’ve all had to sit through meetings that were peppered with trendy catch phrases, clichés and euphemisms. Unfortunately, these phrases seem to catch on with a lot of people. For every individual that suffers a gag reflex upon hearing the word “synergy,” there are at least half a dozen vice presidents who nod their heads in approval.

Personally, as a writer and occasional meeting-attendee, I think it’s best to say exactly what you mean. And when I hear something that sounds a little trendy, I try to translate it into plain English. For example, I’ve determined that when someone says, “It’s time to start thinking outside the box,” they really mean, “We’ve boxed ourselves in.” When they say, “We need to create a new paradigm,” that means, “Nobody is buying our product anymore.” And when somebody says, “This is no dog-and-pony show,” you’d better watch where you step after they’re done.

About 500 years before Christ, the Chinese philosopher Confucius figured out that, “If what is said is not what is meant, then what ought to be done remains undone.” So if you find yourself surrounded by people talking in euphemisms, you might try quoting Confucius. If they still won’t say what they mean, try quoting martial-arts expert Chuck Norris who once said, “When I want your opinion, I’ll beat it out of you.”

Mike O’Mary is founding dreamer of Dream of Things, a book publisher and online community for writers and other artists.

Changing Your Own Oil

Brought to you by Mike O’Mary and your friendly neighborhood garage attendant publisher.
The world of publishing is changing fast. You can (and maybe should) try your hand at it.
Last month, publisher Gordon Burgett posted an article on the Independent Book Publishers Association website called “One Book Nine Ways in Less Than 30 Days.” In the article, Burgett walks step-by-step through the process of publishing a book using print-on-demand (POD) technology with LightningSource, Lulu and CreateSpace, and e-book technology with those same three vendors, plus Amazon’s Kindle (dtp.amazon.com) and Smashwords. (That’s only eight ways, so I assume he’s counting a traditional offset press run as the ninth way.)
Burgett makes it all sound pretty easy. I’ve been through some of the POD submission instructions, and while it’s doable, it helps to be a graphic designer. Similarly, even Burgett’s boiled down version of formatting files for e-book submission was a little hard to follow. But my overall reaction after reading the article was, “Wow! Anybody can do this!”
That’s when a friend made an astute observation: “I can change my own oil, too, but I have better things to do with my time.” Good point. So maybe publishing and auto maintenance aren’t for everybody. But if you ever have a desire to get under the hood and publish your own book or e-book, Burgett’s article is a good place to start.
Mike O’Mary is founding dreamer of Dream of Things, a book publisher and online community for writers and other artists.

Writing for One Person

by Mike O’Mary
I started a new publishing company about two months ago, and today I agreed to publish a book by a new author. Her story is one of the most powerful memoirs I have ever read, and I can’t believe I have the privilege of publishing it.

I feel good about publishing this book, and I feel good about the community of writers I’ve encountered over the past two months. There are lots of people out there, online and off, who are interested in helping new writers (and new publishers!) succeed. And, of course, there are lots of people interested in writing.

Based on what I’ve seen, I’m sure there are online writing groups and multiple blogs for every writing genre. I bet you could even make up a genre, and by the time you search for it, there will be a group talking about it.

There are also people online talking about every aspect of writing (including freelancing!) and getting published. You get a wide range of views, too, because the people talking (or, rather, writing) about writing are writers, of course, and editors, agents, producers, teachers, reviewers, students…even publishers. It’s great to be part of such a community.

It seems to me there are more people writing than ever before, and that’s a good thing. Some worry that print-on-demand is diminishing the quality of published worked. But print-on-demand might also be the most dramatic development since the printing press because it gives more people incentive to write. You can now print a book for one person. Which means you can now write a book for one person. Which means if you are a reader, you are more valuable and appreciated than ever because even if you’re an audience of one, you are motivating somebody to keep writing. (They say that’s one of the best ways to write, too—to pretend you’re writing for an audience of one.)

Speaking of writing for one person, if there’s anything that might top print-on-demand as a revolutionary development, it’s the blog. Again, it is motivating people to write. Most of the blogs I see don’t have any responses to the posts. (So btw, next time you pass a blog, throw the person a bone and say, “Nice post!”) But that doesn’t dissuade the writer. He or she will go on writing week after week, month after month.

Which reminds us that writing has always been about writing for one person.

And you’re the one.

Mike O’Mary is founding dreamer of Dream of Things, a book publisher and online community for writers and other artists.

The Difference Between Making It and Not Making It as a Writer

by Mike O’Mary

In my role as an editor, I sometimes see it as my duty to dole out encouragement. (Okay, perhaps I’m not your typical editor.) In any case, I told a writer who seemed self-conscious about her lack of formal education in creative writing that I know people who would trade their Ph.D.s to be able to tell a story in an engaging voice. A friend then confided in me her belief that formal education is not the main ingredient in great writing…that great writing is a combination of instinct, intuition, rhythm, experience and heart.

I agree with all of that…there is definitely something to be said for somebody born with those gifts. At the same time, I have tremendous respect for journalists who, in my experience, have the enviable ability to day-in, day-out either take or leave things like instinct, intuition, rhythm, experience and heart (which can also cause writer’s block if they happen not to be available when you call upon them), and just write the damn story! So add persistence or perseverance to the mix of desirable traits, too.

One of the most insightful things I ever heard about the art and craft of writing came from my friend, John Rember, who is the best writer I know. John once told me that the difference between making it as a writer and not making it is simply sitting down and writing every day. You can have all the instinct, intuition, rhythm, experience, heart AND education in the world, but if you don’t put pen to paper, no one will ever experience your gifts. So grab a cup of coffee. Pick up a pen or sit down at your computer. And write. We’re all waiting to see what you have to say.

Mike O’Mary is founding dreamer of Dream of Things, a book publisher and online community for writers and other artists.

Freelancing Your Way to a Job

by Mike O’Mary

December unemployment numbers will be reported on January 8, and recent weekly reports on unemployment claims indicate that things are getting better. But it’s still a tough economy out there. As of the end of November, U.S. unemployment was 10%, and underemployment (a freelance writer bagging groceries, for example) was 17.2%. Pretty grim.

If you are freelancing by choice, my hat is off to you. I know some people who have very successful freelance careers and would never consider going to work for someone else. But if you’re freelancing because you’ve been laid off, I have good news for you: freelancing just might be the best way to find your next job.

Twice in the past decade, I was offered (and I accepted) corporate jobs from my clients. So my tip for those of you who desire a corporate job is to offer up your services as a freelancer first. I believe this is actually a better way to get a job than competing with the dozens (or hundreds or sometimes even thousands) of people sending in resumes for job openings.

In the two cases where clients offered jobs to me, I went to the client with no ulterior motive. I really was not looking for a job. I was looking for freelance work. I didn’t want them to give me a job; I wanted to give them some help. That difference in attitude made a difference to them. And in both instances, there was a definite sense that they had discovered me…their attitude was almost a joyful “look what I found!” (Compare that to the attitude of a potential employer during a job interview where all-too-often they are looking for reasons not to hire you.)

Bottom line: Don’t mislead a potential employer. If you’re not interested in freelancing, then don’t present yourself as a potential freelancer. But if you are interested in freelancing – and if you are also interested in the possibility of a full-time job with the right employer – then marketing yourself as a freelancer just might be the best way to get your foot in the door to your next job.

Mike O’Mary is founding dreamer of Dream of Things, a book publisher and online community for writers and other artists.

New Year, New Goals

Have you taken the time to sit down and write out your career goals for 2010? It doesn’t have to be an elaborate process…but I believe it is an important one. Setting concrete goals is something that keeps you moving forward, and I know from personal experience that it works. At least for me…

If you haven’t created a few goals for yourself, why not give it a try? Every year I set the simple goal of making more money than I did the year before. And I have yet to be disappointed. Doesn’t that sound nice?

So what are my other goals for the year? Here they are, for all to see…

+ Continue building my new dance blog.

+ Do more outreach to writers in the form of classes and seminars.

+ Each year I pick out a few magazines I would like to try and get published in. Then I work on query ideas for them throughout the year. Although I don’t have mine picked yet, I know I will try for at least 3 new, big mags. Perhaps an in-flight…

If you feel like sharing, you can list yours here. Either way, all the best to reaching them in 2010!

An Hour Per Minute

by Mike O’Mary

“Why does writing a speech take so long?” That’s the question a former boss asked me when I told her it was going to take me 40 hours to write a 40-minute speech for our CEO.

I didn’t have a good answer to her question. “Because it does,” was the only response I could manage. And in retrospect, that was probably as good of an answer as she deserved. But upon further reflection, I had a very good answer. I knew from 20 years of experience as a speechwriter that it takes about an hour per minute to write a speech. Some speeches take less; some take more. But an hour per minute is a pretty good rule of thumb.

My boss’s perception—and the perception of many people who don’t write for a living—is that a writer should be able to dash off a 40-minute speech in an afternoon or two. And truth be told, depending on the type of speech, it is sometimes possible to write a speech in just a few hours. It would have to be a speech on a topic that the speechwriter already knew quite well, so it wouldn’t require any research or revision, which would make it a very rare type of speech. But it’s possible. In the past, I’ve whipped up short speeches on short notice. An example would be a motivational or inspirational speech to employees that is strong on emotional appeal and light on facts and figures.

But this particular 40-minute speech was to an external audience of industry experts at a trade show. And actually, it wasn’t really a speech. It was a presentation with a script. In addition to research and revisions, it was going to require preparation of a PowerPoint presentation. I wasn’t putting the PowerPoint presentation together (if I was, I would have added 50 percent to my time estimate). But it was still going to require time to gather facts and review the presentation, so an hour per minute was a fairly conservative estimate.

With a little math, the hour-per-minute estimate for speech preparation can be adapted for other types of writing. People speak at a rate of 100 to 150 words per minute. So if you assume a “median” speaking rate of 125 words per minute, you can assume for time-budgeting purposes that it’s going to take about an hour to write 125 words for a speech—or for any other type of communication. Again, that estimate includes research and revision time.

A disclaimer: I was not trained as a journalist and have never worked as a journalist. I offer this disclaimer because I know some journalists will scoff at the idea of taking an hour to write 125 words. That’s because some journalists have a superhuman ability to crank out vast volumes of words under tight deadlines, often after consuming quantities of caffeine that cause kidney failure in a normal human being. Of course, many journalists also experience a high rate of job burnout. So for my money (and my sanity), an hour a minute works pretty well.

Mike O’Mary is founding dreamer of Dream of Things, a book publisher and online community for writers and other artists.

Happy Holidays!

We’d like to wish all of our readers a happy holiday–whatever you celebrate! We will return to our regularly scheduled posting on Monday, December 28th.

Enjoy!