A Writing Space of Your Own When we talk about creating a writing space, we’re really talking about two kinds—a physical space and a mental space. You need both in which to work. Sure it would be great to have a fantastic office with a great view, but if you can’t keep others out of it or get yourself into it, it won’t do you much good. Let’s start then with mental space. You lay claim to it th...

About Writing [This article is re-printed with permission from Michael LaRocca. If you would like to read more of Michael’s articles, please visit: http://www.chinarice.org/articlebank.html] Here’s everything I know about improving your writing, publishing it electronically and in print, and promoting it after the sale. Two questions you should ask: (1) What will it cost me?(2) What does this ...

Above and Beyond When an editor or publisher posts a call for writers online, it’s almost a given that they’ll be swamped with submissions. We writers are always looking for work, and a “writers wanted” posting sends most of us into a drooling tizzy. So, when responding to these ads, you know the odds are stacked against you– the competition is going to be fierce. However, there are ways to stand...

Addictions and Storytelling When we are not in control, we are living in fear. When we are living in fear, we tend to run away or “escape”, but can you escape from yourself? It is essential to be aware of the process and motivations that lead to compulsive, obsessive, addictive activity in order to become whole and together again. Stories of addictions line our library and book store shelves. Fr...

Always Have a Story Ready … You Don’t Know When You’ll Need It I just completed three weeks of jury duty. So, what does that have to do with storytelling? Part of picking the jury members included a questionnaire that we each had to fill out for the judge and the lawyers. Under occupation, I included “storyteller” along with my other careers. When the lawyer for the prosecution questioned me in f...

An Inside Look at Proofreading This is the ideal topic for us all to think about. We do it everyday, especially those of us that use the Internet the majority of the time. Web pages, business letters, articles, news releases, documentation and most certainly, advertisements. I have at times found myself proofreading our local newspaper, and suspect their proofreader isn’t necessarily paying atte...

Apostrophe Usage Made Simple [This article is re-printed with permission from Michael LaRocca. If you would like to read more of Michael’s articles, please visit: http://www.chinarice.org/articlebank.html] According to one of my previous articles, whenever a Southerner says “Y’all watch this,” get out of the way because those are probably the last words he will ever say. Well, I’m a Southerner....

Apply the Purple Cow to Your Storytelling I receive a ton-load of magazines and other great reading material daily, weekly and monthly, but there is one magazine that stands out from all of the others – one that I can barely put down once it arrives. It is the “remarkable” publication, Fast Company. So we shouldn’t be surprised that the February 2003 issue included a “remarkable” essay adapted f...

Are You A Presentation Karaoke Machine? As a service provider, one of the best ways to market your business is to offer free presentations at association meetings. It’s a great way to share knowledge and build relationships. However, you’ve got to entertain as well as inform. While reading the newspaper this morning I noticed a funny cartoon, Real Life Adventures, by Wise and Aldrich. Two busine...