writer

For many years I have used mathematics as a hobby for intellectual stimulation and as something I was not very good at while in school, I find it a challenge. It came as something of a surprise that I found what has become for me the simplest of tip sheets for writing. Professor Higham’s list of tips is also proof that mathematicians have a sense of humour and are not square..

The full list of tips is available by clicking on the link above, but some of them are so good they deserve a more detailed consideration.

“1. Every sentence should make sense in isolation. Like that one.”

This seems blindingly obvious; however, you will find that writers do not follow this simple rule. I must confess I am one of them, as my thoughts race along faster than my typing speed and the result becomes “run on sentences”. These are overly long sentences that do not have a proper structure and do not contribute to making my point. If you’re not sure about a sentence that you have written, my basic rule is to split it into two sentences and see how that reads.

“6. A writer needs three qualities: creativity, originality, clarity and a good short term memory”

Americanisms Suck! Unless They’re Your Audience…..

Know Your Audience

The majority of my work targets an American audience and that means Standard English has to blow this particular pop stand. When I take on a piece of work I always ask for the language to be used is specified. If the piece is for British, European or Australasian consumption then my Mother Tongue is used, however if the work is for a North American audience then you need to be able to Americanize your spellings.

Here are some of the things I’ve learned for writing for American readers; Supaproofread have put together a short writing tip on the differences between British American English wording and spellings.

Selling Yourself As a Writer

A freelance Writer — Make the most of the opportunities available

When you offer your writing services you are selling yourself. If you have some notion that you are a writer and not a salesperson then carry on with your day job. If you are serious about writing for a living you are the one who is ultimately responsible for promoting your work. Taking on paid writing jobs involves selling and you are selling yourself far more intimately than if you were offering a widget or other tangible product. Writing comes from within you.

My experiences with selling go back over 20 years, so I by now I should know a thing or two. I was told once by a salesman I respected that there are three basic rules to selling:

See the people;
See the people; and strangely enough,
See the people.

The Fear of Rejection

Being told “No” just brings you one step closer to being told “Yes”

If you have now put together a writing portfolio to provide prospective clients with samples of your work you’re ready for the next step, which is to start asking for paid projects.

Asking for a paid project is for many a step too far.

What if they say “No”, criticise my work, or call my bluff on a topic I’ve researched but don’t really know about, to pass myself off as an expert on it?

There are two things I’ve learned by getting my hands dirty on the keyboard and they are simply this:

One: you will be told “No” far more times than you will be told “Yes” – it’s not personal, build a bridge and get over it and better still, try to find out why you’ve been rejected and see what you can learn for next time.

Two: somewhere there is a buyer who is going to love what you do and your task is to find them. When you are told “No” it is not a sign of failure, it is simply a step along the road to success and having your work accepted.