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.