Check out Susanna Rich's poetry chapbook, Television Daddy, published by Finishing Line Press. You can read samples of Susanna's poetry, and you can also find her DVD, Television Daddy: A One-Woman, Audience-Interactive, Poetry Experience, on her Web site http://www.susannarich.com/bookstore.php

If you're in the Oregon area, you may want to check out the organization Creative Journeys, organized by Gail Balden. Learn more about writing workshops and other events at http://www.creativejourneys.net/index.html

Gibson Girl Publishing Company (GGPC), a royalty paying e-publishing company, is now accepting submissions. Its mission is to publish fiction and nonfiction multicultural books. Guidelines are available online at http://www.gibsongirlpublishing.com

Previously, we wrote about the importance of using gender-free language in our writing—not only to avoid excluding groups of people, but also to let the reader concentrate on what we’re saying, not how we’re saying it. There are many ways to offend people—whether it’s women, people with health issues, or entire races—and it’s important to be aware of the language we use in our writing to avoid being insensitive.

Gender Bias and the Singular “They”

If you are talking about a population of people of both sexes, do not alienate one gender by using pronouns that are either male or female. When we know the gender of a group, it’s easy:

            The Girl Scouts convened at noon, and each girl had her speech ready.

But if the gender of the group isn’t quite so clear, things get a little tricky. Consider the following variations: 

1. When the volunteers showed up, each felt their heart sink at the terrible sight.
2. When the volunteers showed up, each felt his or her heart sink at the terrible sight.
3. When they arrived the volunteers felt heartsick at the terrible sight.

Sentence #1 is technically incorrect, as “their” is plural yet refers to a singular indefinite pronoun (“each”). This is common in speech, but the written word comes under closer scrutiny, and many grammarians insist that this usage is not only incorrect, but unacceptable. Using the singular “they/their” has, however, become more commonplace in modern literature and is not unheard of in historical literature—and many predict that this practice will one day be considered correct and standard form.

Sentence #2 is correct, but, if overused, this technique becomes tiresome very quickly.

Sentence #3 is also correct and eliminates the gender issue altogether.

If you’re serious about writing with sensitivity, avoid loaded words such as mankind, postman, and fireman, and watch out for occupational stereotypes, such as assuming that all kindergarten teachers are women or all police officers are men.

For specific examples of how to fix gender-biased sentences, see The Use of Gender-Neutral Language in Your Writing from our previous blog post.

Other Sensitive Areas:

Country of Origin and/or Race

It is extremely offensive to make sweeping generalities about an entire race or nationality, so be careful how you describe your characters, and avoid stereotypes of any kind.

Sexual Orientation

A person’s sexual orientation should be brought to attention only if it is a relevant part of your story. If your poem is about the prejudice faced by a gay couple, then certainly their sexual orientation is relevant. Saying “The man who took our order was obviously a homosexual” could be construed as offensive if the man’s sexuality has nothing at all to do with the story.

Religion

This can be a very sensitive area. If you view a particular religion as fanatical or cultlike, refrain from describing it as such. Your readers could be mightily offended—and rightly so.

Knock It Off with the Fat Jokes

Not much else to say. Just don’t participate.

There is an exception to all of this. If you are trying to show what a donkey’s behind your character is, feel free to employ all these methods and offend away—as long as it’s clear your character is the insensitive lunkhead, not you.

Achy back? Tired eyes? Sore wrists? Welcome to the wonderful world of writing!

Spending long hours in front of the computer may translate into productive writing sessions, but it may also lead to headaches, backaches, and bloodshot eyes. The following tips may help you work more comfortably.

Adjust your environment.

It’s easier to work in a well-ventilated room with plenty of fresh air. Consider adding a few plants to filter the air and brighten your workspace. Adjust the room temperature so that it’s neither too hot (think: sleepy) nor too cold (think: stiff fingers). It’s also a good idea to wipe down your keyboard, mouse, and phone with antibacterial wipes once in a while (or more frequently, depending on how many little hands touch your equipment).

Adjust your equipment.

Keep your computer monitor situated just below eye level. Positioning it too high or too low can cause strain on your neck muscles. The screen should be approximately an arm’s length away from you. If you have trouble seeing the characters on the screen, try adjusting the brightness and/or contrast first.

Invest in an ergonomically correct chair, one that provides lower back support and can be adjusted to your height requirements. If your feet do not rest flat on the floor, use a footrest to relieve stress on your leg muscles. Check your local office product store for the latest and greatest.

Protect your eyes.

Take frequent eye breaks to reduce eyestrain. Physically walk away from your computer, or look away from the screen and focus on an object farther away. Close your eyes occasionally and keep them closed for several seconds. Or try slow eye rolls, following the shape of an imaginary clock.

Use proper lighting to reduce glare on your monitor. (This may take some experimentation on your part as you adjust blinds, overhead lights, and/or desk lamps.) You can also purchase antiglare computer filters.

Protect your wrists.

Pounding on the keyboard can cause discomfort, as can gripping the mouse too tightly. Use a light touch on both. While typing, keep your arms level with the keyboard and use them, rather than your wrists, to move your hands across the keyboard. Some people find that a wristrest (or a rolled-up towel) helps keep their forearms level, while others use them only as an actual rest between typing. Persistent pain and/or numbness of the hands or wrists could signal a more serious problem, such as carpal tunnel syndrome, so check with your doctor.

Protect your neck.

If you spend a good amount of time on the telephone, try using a speakerphone or a hands-free headset. Cradling the phone between your neck and shoulder is a surefire way to strain your neck muscles.

Take frequent breaks.

Even maintaining perfect posture and using all the latest gadgets can’t protect you from achy muscles if you don’t give your body a break once in a while. Roll your neck and shoulders periodically, and get up at frequent intervals to stretch. Better yet, jog down to the corner post office and mail off a few queries. When you return you’ll be refreshed and ready to work again.

Dear Writer Friends,

We here at Writer's Relief had a good laugh recently over a video we found on YouTube, and we wanted to share! This three-minute video imagines a world where fonts are actually human beings. It's a riot!

Click this link to enjoy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3k5oY9AHHM

Keep the creativity coming,

Writer's Relief Staff

Did you thoroughly enjoy the Beijing Olympics? Or did you tire of hearing about them? What would happen if athletes were awarded something rather than gold, silver, or bronze medals? Did Michael Phelps deserve a platinum medal? Do you prefer swimmers’, gymnasts’, or long-distance runners’ body types? Why do commentators ask athletes about what went wrong even when they win a gold medal? Write about which sport would be yours if only you had the discipline to train for six hours a day. How about the uniforms? We know your name isn’t Speedo or Nike, but how would you redesign them? Or did you simply love the judges’ blue jackets?

Dialogue can be tricky to write and, sometimes, tricky to punctuate. A few pointers:

I. It is standard form to give each speaker his or her own line of dialogue.

     "Brad, I’d like you to meet my sister, Joanne,” Jill said as they walked into the room. 
     “It’s nice to meet you, Joanne. Or may I call you Jo?” Brad said.
     “I go by Joanne, but you can call me anything you want,” Joanne answered with an impish grin.

Sometimes this rule can be broken.

     “Quick, grab the rope,” he yelled, but when he turned around, his partner quietly said, “It’s too late.”

II. Other times, a character’s dialogue continues for more than one paragraph. In this case, use an initial quotation mark for each paragraph, and insert a closing mark at the end of the final paragraph.

     Doug said, “Dialogue paragraph one.
     “Dialogue paragraph two.
     “Dialogue paragraph three.”

Now the reader knows that Doug is finished speaking, even though he’s rambled on for three paragraphs…

III. Never use quotation marks in a screenplay, where every line is dialogue.

IV. And, finally, do not use laughed, smiled, or grinned as speech tags. These should be used as separate sentences, as it is impossible to grin or laugh a sentence.

     “Oh, you think you’re so funny.” She grinned. “But you have mustard on your face.

HAVE YOU WRITTEN A MEMOIR? We’ll link you to a great article that examines this genre. Maybe there's still a niche you can fill.

OUR A LA CARTE SERVICE—Your submissions will be in the mail within days. (And you can afford it.)

FOSTERING ORIGINALITY IN POETRY—Finding the creativity needed to create new subject matter and imagery in poetry is easier said than done, but we’ve come up with a few tips on fostering originality. These can be applied to most other genres as well.

↓Scroll Down to Read These Exciting and Useful Articles!!↓

If so, be sure someone else hasn't already written about your topic in this comprehensive list, published by EW.com.

Click here for the list and complete article, written by Kate Ward.

And after you've completed your original memoir, contact Writer's Relief, Inc. for information on how to target your work to appropriate literary agents.

Poetry demands originality. It is, however, unfair to expect brand-new poets to produce fresh, original work—even the most seasoned poets struggle with this task. Poets often find that they must first imitate what has come before them—by reading the work of others and by imitating the work that inspires them—until their own unique voice begins to come through. And by honing the craft through dedicated practice, a poet develops his or her own style.

Finding the creativity needed to create new subject matter and imagery in poetry is easier said than done, but we’ve come up with a few tips on fostering originality. These can be applied to most other genres as well.

Read widely. By reading and absorbing the words of others, your repertoire of skills widens, building on the skills you’ve already developed. Read collections of contemporary poetry, attend readings, and subscribe to poetry journals to broaden your horizons.

Imitate. We’re not talking plagiarism here. Imitating the works you admire helps to develop your own style, and as confidence grows, so does individuality.

Avoid cliché. Images and themes that have been overused lose their power and beauty. Period.

Make each word count. Poetry is a spare form of writing, requiring each word to pack a punch. Choose your words carefully, and aim for clear and concise language. Use action verbs and concrete nouns, which require fewer modifiers and are more dynamic. Avoid the passive and the abstract. And when searching for that perfect word, keep in mind that it need not be exotic or scholarly or unpronounceable to be meaningful.

Make each line count. Each line should be an integral part of the poem and help the poem progress. A four-line poem with four powerful, original lines is better than a two-page poem with four powerful, original lines.

Imagery. Let the poem’s images appeal to the readers’ senses—sound, sight, taste, smell, touch—through metaphors, similes, or descriptive words. Avoid tired similes (free as a bird, quiet as a mouse) and overused metaphors (my love is a rose). It can be difficult for even an experienced writer to create fresh metaphors and similes, but this is what makes a poem interesting.

Don’t overexplain. If the poem is effective, your use of language is sufficient to get the message across to the reader. You don’t have to explain everything.

Take risks. Poems that tackle difficult or uncomfortable subjects make an impact on the reader. Or try using humor, satire, or irony, which can also make even dull subject matter come to life.

Write naturally. It’s not only unnecessary for a poem to rhyme, but it can sound forced or strained if not done properly. And unless you are attempting to write in a Victorian style, avoid the use of "thee," "o’er," or "’tis." While the poetry of a hundred years ago may be appealing, most poets are writing for a modern audience.

Grammar and punctuation rules need not apply. Poetry is free of the usual constraints of writing rules. Line structure provides natural breaks without commas or periods, and the author has free reign over other matters of style. If it works for the poem, the grammar police will turn the other cheek.

Form. There are many different forms of poetry that can be employed, but it is not necessary to write in couplet form, for example, in order to be taken seriously.

Enjoy yourself. Letting go and writing for the sheer pleasure of it often produces the most original and creative pieces. Embrace the joy of writing and see what happens.

We’ve been running our Author’s Submission Service since 1994. We love sharing these articles with writers and are happy to pass some of our INSIDER'S SECRETS along to you. We hope this valuable information will help improve your writing and your acceptance rate!

If you’d like to register to receive our FREE Writers’ Newsflash (delivered via e-mail once a month), visit our Web site at http://www.writersrelief.com. 

Want to use one of our articles in your E-zine or newsletter? You can, as long as you include this complete statement with it: 

"Writer's Relief, Inc. is a highly recommended author's submission service. Established in 1994, Writer's Relief will help you target the best markets for your creative writing. Visit their Web site at http://www.writersrelief.com to receive their FREE Writers' Newsflash (today, via e-mail) which contains valuable leads, guidelines, and deadlines for writing in all genres." (And, of course, please be certain to let us know where and when the excerpt will appear.)  

People who work for a living know that being efficient and productive is not always easy. It can be even harder for those of us who attempt to work from home or write from home after work. It’s definitely hard to stay focused sometimes.
 
Sure, we start out with the best of intentions and with specific goals in mind—edit 20 pages of a novel, revise an old poem—but we soon find ourselves distracted by any number of things. Take organizing your desk, for example. It may start off as an innocent and sincere attempt to tidy up and possibly focus better, but it often leads to more interesting discoveries, such as that dental appointment postcard for, oops, last week, or a perfume sample, a clipped article, an overdue bill. Then, resolutely, it’s back to work! At least, that is, until the coffee needs refilling, the pencil needs sharpening, the bathroom needs visiting. Then the dryer buzzes, your neighbor calls, the dogs bark, your kids wail, and the door-to-door weirdos descend. 

But that’s not all. Most of us use computers for writing, researching, and corresponding with others. And since the Internet is an integral part of computer use, we are faced with yet one more terrible distraction. With rehab clinics sprouting up all over the place for those poor souls addicted to YouTube, MySpace, Facebook, and 4chan, it’s obvious there’s a serious problem. We can only hope that those of us who work with computers can be strong and resist the temptations. And distracting temptations there are! Such fabulous, time-wasting activities abound, and we can’t resist giving you a small sample.

There are plenty of ways to get distracted online, even aside from the usual time-wasters like obsessive e-mail checking, surfing celebrity gossip news, and trolling forums and chat groups. There’s www.ICanHasCheezburger.com if you like pictures of cats in funny poses and www.PetsInClothes.com, which is pretty self-explanatory. Avoid www.DoNotPress.net, or you may find yourself pressing the big, red button obsessively, and definitely stay away from www.SubservientChicken.com if you haven’t already become addicted.

You can write “articles” for Uncyclopedia.org and feel good about being “published.” Or post something unique for sale on Craigslist, like that two-foot wad of gum you’ve created by wandering Yankee Stadium. (It’s kind of fun to see who will stop by your house or call you about it, and you might even make a few bucks!) It’s also amusing to bid for strange items on eBay, increasing your bid by increments of 50 cents at a time and hoping that someone outbids you before you become the owner of a pink flamingo bouncy house for the backyard…unless you really like pink flamingo bouncy houses.

As writers you can disguise some of these distractions by calling it “higher education” or “research.” At www.lunchtimers.com you can play a game with a whiteboard and lots of colorful letters to move around and form words—see the writing connection? The problem is, there are also other people grabbing letters and moving things around at the same time, so it’s even more distracting than it should be.

On second thought, maybe there’s no getting away from online distractions. Maybe we should all devote an hour a day to worthless pursuits—pushing red buttons, bossing guys in chicken suits around, and laughing at pets in clothes—and just get it out of our systems so we can get down to business.

Concerts can be exciting…the anticipation of which songs the artist will play…the unexpected, extended jam sessions and alternate interpretations…the encore. Write about the best song you have ever heard performed live at a concert. Think about it carefully, because this song may be surprising to you. Focus on one specific song performance that had that special something. Can you remember what you felt as this song was playing? Did it give you goose bumps? Thanks to the content of the song, were you reminded of a person or place or time? It has been said that music is the universal language…how did that language speak to you? Try a bigger challenge and write a poem based on your experience. 

Like E-mail, E-vites, and E-queries, E-publishing refers to electronic publishing, representing a brand-new concept in providing reading material electronically. The work can be published online or on a CD or in a format that is compatible with a handheld reading device. Aside from general formatting, the production and printing aspects have been eliminated from the publishing process altogether

It may seem like one of those sci-fi visions of the future—people reading books and magazines from electronic devices as they hover over to the next docking station—but E-publishing is here, and it’s probably just a matter of time before it becomes mainstream. Nothing will ever take the place of a cozy paperback to read by the fire, but in this age of eco-awareness and with the love affair humans seem to have with gadgets, E-books just might be here to stay.

One of E-book readers’ common complaints is that no one wants to sit down at a desk and read a novel off the computer screen, and even though you can curl up on the couch with your laptop, the resolution of the screens leaves much to be desired. So readability is a problem. Handheld reading devices were invented to resolve that issue, and there are several models on the market, such as the Sony Reader, Microsoft Reader, Amazon Kindle, and eReader. There are also Webpads and PDAs that offer E-book reading capability. Some of these devices have enough memory to hold dozens of E-books, including reference books that could be invaluable to students and business people. And they’re lit from within, so it’s easy to read in bed without disturbing your sleeping partner! The technology for these devices changes daily, and for now it’s a wait-and-see to determine what will become standardized in this market.

So far there are thousands of e-books to choose from, and this number is sure to increase dramatically if the concept catches on. Nonfiction and how-to books were the forerunners in this new technology, but Stephen King paved the way for more famous novelists to explore the medium. His E-book, Riding the Bullet, shook up the industry and forced publishers to begin the process of adapting to the changes. It took a big-name author to make publishers sit up and take notice, but E-publishing offers newer writers an alternative to traditional publishing.

For writers considering breaking into the world of E-publishing, there are a few things to consider.

ADVANTAGES:

• The author usually makes a higher percentage of royalties for E-books, and royalties are often paid more frequently—but sales numbers can be markedly lower than print, at least for now. And there are no advances paid to e-book writers.

• Because there is little financial investment required by the publisher, editors are more willing to take risks on new writers and nontraditional work.

• Electronic publishing is ideal for smaller work, since a print run on a small project is rarely cost-effective for a traditional publisher.

• Printing is the most expensive aspect of publishing, and E-publishing offers a more economical and eco-friendly alternative. E-publishing also offers a much faster turnaround—generally a few weeks or months after acceptance—compared with up to two years at traditional houses.

• It’s extremely easy and cheap to make updates to E-books that are already in circulation, which is invaluable for nonfiction, how-to books, and technology-related work that changes constantly.

• It’s easier to self-publish in E-book format when traditional publishers don’t feel the work would sell well. If E-book sales prove the publisher wrong, they are sometimes willing to pick it up and sell it in print.

• Authors usually retain all other rights to the work, while traditional publishers claim as many rights as possible.

DISADVANTAGES:
 
• The reading devices are still quite expensive, and it’s hard to commit to the price when the technology may be obsolete a year from now. And the price of the works themselves is not significantly cheaper than their paper counterparts, which hurts sales.

• E-publishing does not offer all the layers of quality control that traditional publishing provides. You, the author, are responsible for the editing of the book, and you must do all the marketing yourself. At a traditional publishing house, there are a host of professionals to provide quality control and up sales for your work.

• E-book publishing credits do not carry the same weight as print credits.

• Piracy is much easier with electronic work.

• You miss out on seeing your baby on the shelves of Barnes & Noble. (However, since e-books have ISBN numbers, your readers can walk into B&N and order a copy of your book.)

There is no substitute for the smell and feel of a brand-new paperback or your dog-eared copy of Wuthering Heights. But be prepared for a marked increase in online reading material and electronic reading habits. You may find yourself reading The Wall Street Journal in bed on Sunday mornings from an E-book reader sooner than you think.

A collective noun refers to a group of people or things, such as “family” or “flock.” It can be confusing to determine if the noun should function as singular or plural when trying to match a verb with it, so let’s break it down.

SINGULAR COLLECTIVE NOUNS:
 
Mathematics is my favorite subject.
The mob was rounding the corner.
A pair of scissors is on the kitchen counter.         

PLURAL COLLECTIVE NOUNS:
         
Where are my scissors?
The headquarters are located in Boise, Idaho.
         
EITHER WAY:

Many collective nouns can either be singular or plural, depending on their context, and here is where the confusion often lies. For example:

The jury have mixed feelings about the prosecutor’s cross-examination. (Where the individual members have differing emotions.)

The jury is sequestered. (Where the jury is a single entity.)

The staff is waiting in the conference room. (Single entity.)

The staff have special qualifications for this project. (Referring to individual members of the staff.)

My family is very dysfunctional. (Referring to the family as a unit.)

My family have always been proud of me. (Referring to the family members individually.)

Reverend Smith’s flock is very devout. (Single entity.)

Reverend Smith’s flock are always competing with each other. (Individual members are competing with each other.)

The distinctions between singular and plural usage can be pretty subtle. Your job is to decide if you want to focus on the individual or the whole, and match your verbs accordingly. As always, once you’ve made your decision, stay consistent.