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by Julie Hood

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  Writer-Reminders > 2004, Issue 21

       

  

Writer-Reminders

Sep 7, 2004 - Before and After Makeover
Volume 3, Issue 21

    
The weekly ezine with a road map for sidetracked writers.

"Be better writers today than we were yesterday."


Thought for the Week -
Before and After Makeover

Welcome new subscribers and old friends, too!

One of my least favorite parts of writing is rewriting -- but it's one of the most important ways to improve your writing. Included below is a simple exercise to help you easily find areas to be fixed. 

Happy Writing (and Organizing)!

 
Let's Write More in 2004!

Best, 
Julie
julie@organizedwriter.com
    

P.S. Did you miss last week's issue with the Back to School checklist?  You can read it here

Write More in 2004™ Audio CD now available!

How are you doing with our goal to Write More in 2004
? 

If you need a little inspiration, check out my brand-new audio CD, Write More. It's 45 minutes where we run through the Organized Writer 30-Day Get Organized plan with some of my favorite new tips and resources. If you need a little jump-start to get your summer writing in gear, this CD is perfect. You can listen on the way to work (or even on the treadmill). 
Until September 25th, this CD is available for with free shipping for only $19.95 (US shipping only). 


"The CD came yesterday afternoon, and I listened to it as I was zipping around the kitchen making dinner. It's terrific, and I learned several things." 
--Joyce Heiser, Inspirational Writer, http://www.mychristiansite.com/ministries/lhchristianwriters/

Payments can be made through Paypal (with just a credit card if you don't have an account).
If you have questions, require international shipping or would like to use another payment method, just email me with "Audio CD" in the subject line
  
For authors.... Anatomy of a First Book

What does it take to get your first book published?
Read all about it from Tim Bete, Director of the Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop. He explain how long it took and what he did to go from concept to contract. 

http://www.humorwriters.org/FirstBook.html

(I stumbled across the site when they picked up my article, Sell Your Book with Pennies --
http://www.humorwriters.org/HoodPennies.html).
 

For freelancers....Before and After Rewriting Exercise

Step 1 - Create a two-column page by folding a sheet in half or Format > Columns if you are working in Word. 

(If your article will be longer than one page, use a one-row table instead.  Create a table with two columns and only one row (Table > Insert Table). Then as the text goes beyond one page, it will stay in its original column. You can get rid of the lines by selecting the table (Table > Select > Table) and then use Format > Borders and Shading.)

Step 2 - Put your first draft on the left hand side.

Step 3 - Put your "after" version on the right hand side. Here is a list of things to consider when rewriting -

1. Could you add headings to make the article more easily scanned?

2. Does the article flow by starting with the first thing a reader needs to know and then leads them through to the next? 

3. Review the introductory paragraph. Does it have a hook to lead the reader into the rest of the article? Does it accurately describe the content?

4. Review the main body of the article. Are the main points covered without too many words? Do you answer the main premise of the article described in the introduction?

5. Review the closing paragraph. Does it summarize the article content? 

6. Read through for spelling and grammar errors.

7. Check the word count of both documents to see if your makeover shortened or lengthened your article (Tools > Word Count in Microsoft(R) Word).


Happy writing (and organizing) this week! Julie

Like Organized Writer.com?  You'll love the ebook..... 


"Julie, I love your book. I have read (or at least opened) more than a trunk load of books about writing over the years. Yours is the first I have seen that gives readers so much in one place. For me, the Master List and putting that together was more than worth the cost."

-- David Stoddard
Motivational writer, trainer and publisher of the
Terrific Life Concepts ezine.
http://djstoddard.net
PRINTABLE CHECKLIST 
Click HERE for a separate screen for printing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PRINTABLE CHECKLIST
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

DRAW daily (Declutter-Read-Assess-Write)
What is this? 

M T W T F S S
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ 1. Declutter (only 5 minutes)
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ 2. Read (only 5 minutes)
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ 3. Assess (30 seconds to 5 minutes)
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ 4. Write (at least 5 minutes)


Weekly Checklist

For freelance writers: Use this weekly checklist to find, write and send a query every week of 2004!

Monday
__ Make notes on a new idea.


Tuesday: Accounting Day
__ Post your accounting records.
__ Pay bills.
__ Follow up on outstanding invoices and queries.


Wednesday
__ Find a new market using links below.


Thursday: Errand Day
__ Make copies.
__ Return books to library.
__ Make deposit at bank.


Friday
__ Finish query and submit.
__ Match your query to the market.


Saturday Weekly Review
__ How was this week?
__ What's up next week?
__ Review your Projects list in your planner and check the
status.
__ Jot the next action steps for your projects on next week's
calendar.
__ Backup your computer files.
__ Virus scan your computer.
__ Update windows software at http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com
__ Update Microsoft(R)  office software at http://office.microsoft.com/officeupdate/default.aspx


Sunday
__ Relax and enjoy!
__ Do something fun today!

JOB/MARKET LINKS 

Organized Writer's Guideline Database
Absolute Write's Market Archives
Writer's Weekly Jobs
Writing-World.com guidelines
Writing-World.com writers wanted
Funds for Writers - Jobs and Markets
Paying Markets List
Freelance Job Bank 
Writer's Write Writer's Guideline Directory
Writer's Digest - Market of the Day
Writer's Market.com (subscription only)
Writer Gazette Job Board
Writer Gazette Call for Submissions
Sell Writing Online
Writer's Crossing

 

Thanks for visiting Writer-Reminders! If you have comments,
success stories, or suggestions, reply to this message or e-mail
me at :julie@writer-reminders.com

- Julie


Writer-Reminders.com: reminders for all writers who want
more time to write. http://Writer-Reminders.com

OrganizedWriter.com: tips and tools for your writing
business. http://OrganizedWriter.com
 


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Welcome new subscribers!

Welcome to the 30-day Write More in 2004™ plan. You can read about it here.

2004 Calendar

Did you get your 2004 Writer's Calendar?  

It has inspirational quotes, my monthly routines, and places to record your monthly writing goals. 

Print it here and please telll your writing friends and discussion groups to help spread the word about OrganizedWriter.com.  Thanks!

  

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