The Name of the Game: Naming Your Characters

The Name of the Game: Naming Your Characters
By Jeanne Lyet Gassman

What do Scarlett O’Hara and Holden Caulfield have in common? They are the names of memorable characters. It is your job as the writer, of course, to create a memorable character, but selecting the right name can aid the process. The trick is to give your characters names that are interesting and unusual without tagging them with a moniker that sounds silly or awkward. How do you do this? You can begin by thinking about the origin of names. All names—whether they are first names or surnames—are influenced by ethnicity, celebrity/popularity, ancestry, appearance, or occupation.

Surnames

In ancient times, people had no designated surnames. If there was a need to make a distinction, they were referred to by their occupation, their residence (or place of birth), or their relationship to another person or thing. For example, John the Baptist identifies John as a person who practiced a ritual immersion (baptism) for his followers. Mary Magdalene takes the surname of her hometown. Hebraic names, in particular, often created surnames from relationships. The word “bar” means “son of.” Hence, a name such as Jacob bar Jonah means literally “Jacob, son of Jonah.” This practice of using “son of” to identify a person later evolved into creating actual surnames that have been passed down over generations. “John’s son,” for instance, became the name, “Johnson,” a surname still in use today.

Surnames also show a strong ethnic influence. If you look in the phone book of any small town (an excellent resource, by the way), you will often see a preponderance of surnames indigenous to the area. I grew up in the southwestern United States, a place with a large population of Native Americans and Hispanics. The surnames of “Tsosie,” “Begay,” and “Padilla,” are common in my hometown. However, since they are primarily isolated to a specific region, they become memorable when used for a story with a broad reading audience. If you want to place your story in a particular locale, take a close look at the local residential pages to see what ethnic groups dominate the area.

You can also create your own surnames by combining everyday words with an appropriate prefix or suffix. The name, “Chiselton” could be an excellent choice for the last name of a con man since “chisel” is a slang term for “to cheat.” A good thesaurus is an excellent resource for creating surnames that sound real. Just be careful that you don’t choose the obvious, such as “Barman” for a pub owner.

First Names

Although first names are often influenced by ethnic origin, they are also inspired by the person’s appearance or by popularity. Many first names (and nicknames) refer to a person’s appearance or character. The name, “Alan,” comes from the Celtic, meaning “handsome.” Nicknames such as “Red” and “Akako” (Japanese for red) could both refer to the color of a character’s hair. The Puritans were particularly fond of giving their children names of virtues they felt they should possess. “Silence” and “Temperance” were popular for girls, while “Justice” and “Proper” were favorites for boys.

Almost every generation has had trendy first names that have waxed and waned over the years. My grandmother was named “Frances,” with the nickname of “Fanny,” a once-popular name that now has the slangy connotation of referring to a person’s backside. In the 1930s, thousands of little girls were named “Shirley” after Shirley Temple. Today, you will rarely find that name in the classroom. The 1960s saw a rise in popularity of “John” and “Jacqueline” after President Kennedy and his wife. In the 1980s, there was a swing back to Biblical names for both boys and girls. The obituaries are a great resource for first names and can provide insight into what was popular during a particular generation.

Initials

The use of initials can be a useful substitute for a first name if you want your character to seem powerful or mysterious. For example, if you have a female private eye, the name “T. J. Roberts” sounds much more forceful than “Teresa Joan Roberts.” If your character is a powerful politician or a corporate magnate, the use of initials could indicate that he’s so important people don’t need to know his first name; his initials are good enough. The famous J.P. Morgan is a perfect example of this. Finally, some authors feel that the use of initials imparts an air of mystery to a character. If this is your goal, you may want to keep the reader guessing by never revealing what the initials stand for.

Naming Don’ts

Don’t combine first and last names that rhyme or sound alike. Most readers find this annoying. Example: Jack Stack.

Don’t give your characters names that are impossible to pronounce. This is often a common problem in fantasy or science fiction when an author decides to be clever and give a character a name without any vowels. Example: Grrwkd. The reader spends the rest of the story choking on the word.

Don’t use a person’s real name! If you find a last name you like, use a different first name and vice versa. Never, ever, use the name of a real person, as you open yourself up to charges of libel and/or defamation of character. It’s also a violation of privacy.

Don’t use similar first or last names for different characters. Three characters with the names of Jack, Jacques, and John become confusing for the reader.
Don’t switch back and forth between a character’s first name and last name. If the character goes by his last name, then be consistent and use the last name every time he’s mentioned.

Don’t make first and last names of equal length. If you have a short first name for your character, give her a longer last name. Mix things up a little.

Don’t give your character a full name with initials that spell out an embarrassing word. Georgia Alice Garrison may be a lovely name for a Southern belle, but G.A.G. is not quite so attractive.

Resources for Names

Residential pages of phone books
Obituaries
Baby naming books
Names from spam email (You will find some interesting combinations here; just don’t open the spam!)

Who’s Who in the Bible (Reader’s Digest Books)

http://www.babynameworld.com
(contains the first names for boys and girls for countries from around the world)

http://www.behindthename.com/
(This site has a wonderful random name generator that can help you brainstorm some very creative combinations.)

http://www.ellisislandimmigrants.org/index.htm
(Over 22 million immigrants passed through Ellis Island from 1892 to 1954. The databases at this site have records on almost all of them.)

http://www.last-name.net
(an excellent resource for surnames and their origins)

So, before you label your character with any Tom, Dick, or Harry, stop and think about who he is. Where does he come from? What does she do? What does he look like? What kind of image do you, the author, want to project for your character?

Happy writing!

Jeanne Lyet Gassman is an award-winning writer whose fiction and nonfiction has been published in numerous magazines, newsletters, and anthologies. The recipient of artistic grants from the Arizona Commission on the Arts and the Creative Capital Foundation, she is currently studying for her MFA in writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts. She lives in Phoenix and teaches writing workshops and classes in the metro area.

Visit Ms. Gassman at her website:

http://www.jeannelyetgassman.com

Or her blog:

http://jeannelyetgassman.blogspot.com

Do You Have A Writing Voice?

Do You Have A Writing Voice?
By Jeanne Lyet Gassman

What is "writer's voice"? It's that indelible stamp, that special quality that identifies your work as written by you. For example, if you were to place an essay by Mark Twain side-by-side with an excerpt from one of his novels, you would notice that the two pieces share many similar characteristics. The concept of "voice" can seem somewhat nebulous or abstract, but there are certain elements that define voice, including: sentence structure, punctuation, tone, vocabulary and/or diction, and subject matter.

Elements of Voice

Sentence Structure. The length of individual sentences, the frequency of long, complex sentences versus the use of simple declarative sentences is one of the first hallmarks of a writer's voice. The sentences of Charles Dickens are elaborate and complex, laden with commas and parallelism. One of the most famous examples is the opening sentence of his novel, Tale of Two Cities: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to heaven, we were all going direct the other way - in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only." Compare this to a sentence from Hemingway's novel, A Farewell to Arms, in which he uses simple, declarative sentences and repetition rather than parallelism: "The world breaks everyone and afterward many are strong in the broken places. But those that will not break it kills. It kills the very good and the very gentle and the very brave impartially. If you are none of these you can be sure it will kill you too but there will be no special hurry."

Punctuation. Some writers, such as James Joyce, limit the use of punctuation. Joyce preferred to use dashes for dialogue, referring to quotation marks as "perverted commas." In the final eight paragraphs of his novel, Ulysses, he omitted punctuation entirely because he wanted the reader to experience true stream of consciousness prose. If we return to our friend Mr. Dickens and read the quote above, we see that he depended upon the comma and the dash to link a series of ideas.

Tone. Mark Twain's works are laced with irony and wit, filled with observations of the foibles of human nature. When he writes about racism or ignorance, we laugh—albeit sometimes uncomfortably. William Styron touches upon these same topics in his novels, but his approach is more intense, darker. When Styron writes about racism and ignorance in The Confessions of Nat Turner, we shudder or turn away in horror.
Vocabulary/Diction. The very words we choose for our work define our voice. William Safire's sophisticated vocabulary reflects his strong interest in linguistics. He uses such words as "vituperator" (one who abuses another with words) with ease. By comparison, Hemingway's vocabulary seems almost childlike, relying primarily on simple, one-or-two-syllable words. Yet, both writers communicate effectively.

Subject Matter. Almost every writer has his favorite subjects, topics he returns to again and again. Flannery O'Connor's short stories are populated with grotesque characters seeking spiritual or religious understanding. Nearly every one of John Irving's books contains at least one reference to wrestling, bears, disfiguring accidents, or boarding schools. Our topics select us as much as we select them, another means of identifying our voice.

Developing Your Voice

The fully formed writer's voice is not born with the first story or poem but is refined with years of practice, experimentation, and effort. However, there are probably hints of that voice in the first page the writer creates. How do you develop your voice into a distinctive style that reflects you as a writer? Begin with the following techniques:

Write Often. If you want to do anything well, you need to practice. If you want to play a musical instrument, you practice scales and etudes. If you want to develop your writer's voice, then write on a daily basis.

Read and Emulate. I often hear writers say they're reluctant to read works in their genre because they fear reading another author will "destroy or influence" their voice. Not true. You can learn much about your own voice by studying and copying the voice of other writers. In the same way that painters copy works of the masters to learn their secrets of technique, you can discern the tricks of more experienced writers by emulating their style or voice. Your natural voice will emerge in the process.

Build on Your Strengths and Strengthen Your Weaknesses. Do you have an affinity for writing vivid descriptions? Use that skill to effect when you need to build up a scene. Is dialogue your nemesis? Then push yourself to insert a few lines of conversation into as many scenes as possible. It's a matter of balance. Fire the big guns (your strengths) to establish your style or voice; shoot the arrows (your weaknesses) to develop new skills and enhance your existing strengths.

Experiment. Some of the best advice I received in my MFA program was to "take risks." I was encouraged to explore topics that made me uncomfortable, to play with punctuation and sentence structure, to experiment with form, and to stretch my personal boundaries. Michelangelo claimed that he "liberated the statue from the block of marble." If you dig deeper and chip away at the limitations you've set for yourself, you'll liberate your voice.

Happy writing!

Jeanne Lyet Gassman is an award-winning writer whose fiction and nonfiction has been published in numerous magazines, newsletters, and anthologies. The recipient of artistic grants from the Arizona Commission on the Arts and the Creative Capital Foundation, she is currently studying for her MFA in writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts. She lives in Phoenix and teaches writing workshops and classes in the metro area.

Visit Ms. Gassman at her Web site:

http://www.jeannelyetgassman.com
Click here

Or her blog:

http://jeannelyetgassman.blogspot.com
Click here

Common Storytelling Techniques

Common Storytelling Techniques
By Jeanne Lyet Gassman

All good stories draw the reader into the writer's world, making the reader forget the creator behind the creation, but how does the writer accomplish this? How does the writer, as John Gardner describes it, establish the "vivid, waking dream"?

A successful story makes use of certain storytelling techniques, methods that draw the reader into the writer's imaginative world. To understand how these storytelling techniques work, let us examine some basic approaches any fiction writer should know.

Begin at the moment everything changes for your main character.

Unfortunately, many writers draft warm-up beginnings, long sections of back story, explanation, and exposition that represent the writer's search for an entrance into his story. Successful fiction is all about change: change in your character's life and change in your character's approach to his life. Some ways to introduce change for your character:

• The mysterious stranger. A stranger appears in your character's world, demanding that she take action. This device is often used in fantasy. In Tolkien's The Hobbit, Bilbo's life is disrupted when a mysterious wizard (Gandalf) appears, insisting Bilbo go on a quest. The mysterious stranger can also take the form of an object, such as a letter, a diary, or a clue to a treasure.

• The quest. Closely related to the "mysterious stranger" beginning, the quest can be triggered either by the arrival of a stranger or by the character's desire for change. In The Wizard of Oz, for example, Dorothy's adventures begin when she runs away from home. In John Fowles's novel, The Collector, the main character's desperate need to be loved sets him on a quest to kidnap the perfect woman. In Larry McMurtry's book, Lonesome Dove, the main character's dissatisfaction with the status quo inspires him to initiate a cattle drive to Montana.

• Disaster. Disasters of any form require a character to respond. In Anne Tyler's novel, The Accidental Tourist, the disaster in the opening scene is personal (the spouse demands a divorce). The disaster can also be the product of natural events, such as earthquakes or floods, or manmade actions, such as murder or war. In Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code, the murder of a museum curator sends the characters on a quest to find the motivation for the crime.

Stories and chapters are constructed of scenes. Writers get lost in exposition when they forget the importance of scenes. Every scene contains one or more of the following elements:

• Action
• Description
• Dialogue
• Internal Monologue

To understand how these devices function in a scene, let us look at each one of them individually:

Action. When writing action, the trivial or the commonplace can be summarized. It isn't necessary to know that the character took three steps left, walked ten feet forward, and then pushed open the door to enter the room. The reader can easily assume these actions, and they aren't particularly important to the story. As Lawrence Block advises, "Get the character in the room!" For such trivial movement, it's fine to summarize: John entered the room.

However, significant events need to be depicted by specific details. For example, suppose you have a character—Sylvia—who is concocting a potion to poison Dan. Since this poison is important to both the characters and the plot, it's wise to use specific details when Sylvia makes the poison: Breaking off the seedpods, she tossed the stem aside and cut the pods into equal pieces. A white juice seeped from the pods as she ground them with the oil. When the liquid was fully blended, she poured it into a bowl and held it over the fire. As the mixture warmed, it dried to a fine, brown powder.

Description. When writing description, it's important to remember that the specific is more effective than the general.

General: He wore a hat and a raincoat.
Specific: He wore a porkpie hat and yellow slicker.
With description, less is always more. One precise adjective is better than a pair of vague descriptive words.
Vague: a dark red mini-van
Precise: a maroon mini-van

Dialogue. In a scene, dialogue performs three important functions:

• Advances the plot. Characters engage in conversation and reveal information about themselves or the story that have a direct impact on the plot.

• Enhances character development. What a character says and the way in which he says it reveals much about his personality. A teenager may use sentence fragments and slang, but a psychiatrist may speak more formally, with complete sentences and precise diction. A con man can be charming when he speaks and repulsive when he acts.

• Builds tension. Dialogue creates tension in a scene when characters either lie or withhold important information.

Internal monologue. This is defined as your character's thoughts. However, thoughts should always be triggered by speech, events, or setting. If a character spends pages ruminating about his life with no apparent reason, the reader begins to suspect that the author is using internal monologue to dump back story and exposition.

What about back story? Back story is the history of your characters, the events that have happened before your story begins. When is it appropriate to use back story? Perhaps the best answer to this is to think of back story as a decadent dessert. You never serve it at the beginning of the meal, and it's best savored in small bites.

Happy writing!

Jeanne Lyet Gassman is an award-winning writer whose fiction and nonfiction has been published in numerous magazines, newsletters, and anthologies. The recipient of artistic grants from the Arizona Commission on the Arts and the Creative Capital Foundation, she is currently studying for her MFA in writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts. She lives in Phoenix and teaches writing workshops and classes in the metro area.

Visit Ms. Gassman at her Web site:

http://www.jeannelyetgassman.com
Click here

Or her blog:

http://jeannelyetgassman.blogspot.com
Click here

Recognizing the Scams

Recognizing the Scams
By Jeanne Lyet Gassman

A writer's burning desire to be published can make him the target of writing scams, those too-good-to-be-true opportunities that cost time and money. There are many ways to get published these days; unfortunately, there are just as many ways to get ripped off. The most common writing scams tend to fall into three categories:



1. Publishing
2. Contests
3. Agents

PUBLISHING SCAMS

The traditional and larger publishers usually prefer to work with an agent rather than directly with the writer, but what if you are considering a small press, an independent press, or a university press? How do you know if the press is legitimate or someone's hobby in a garage? What warning signs should you look for?

The publisher asks you to pay them. Commonly known as a "vanity press," these publishing venues cater to the writer's ego. Printing costs can range from a low of several hundred dollars to more than six thousand dollars--for copies of books that will be shipped to you to sell to your friends and family. Most writers never recoup their investment and seldom sell more than 100 books. No brick-and-mortar bookstore will carry their products. Remember, not all small presses are vanity or subsidized; some just operate on a very limited budget. Many of the small presses pay no advance but do pay their authors royalties, a perfectly acceptable practice. Just be sure that the royalties are paid on the retail sales price of the book, not on net.

Royalties that are paid on net follow an old Hollywood movie bookkeeping trick: No profit for the company. No royalty payment for the author.

The publisher sells their books online but not in bookstores. Unless you are working with an e-publisher (who sells everything online), beware. This could be an indication that the publisher is either a vanity press or has problems with distribution. It's a wonderful feeling to have a published book, but if your readers can't find the book, then it does you no good. Make sure your publisher has a clear plan for distribution and marketing beyond your personal efforts. If you have doubts, contact some of the publisher's authors and ask questions: How was the quality of the book as a whole? Were the books distributed as promised? Did the publisher do any copyediting before publication? Did the publisher get the book reviewed or promote the book in any way?

CONTEST SCAMS

Some people think that all writing contests are scams, but this isn't true. Some of the better-known contests can bring you cash awards and prestige. How can you tell a good contest from a bad one? Some things to consider:

The entry fee is more than ten per cent of the top prize. This is often an indication that the contest sponsors are funding the prizes via entry fees only. Contest awards should be funded independently of the fees. Otherwise, what happens if the contest doesn't receive enough entries to pay for the top prize? Are all the entry fees refunded? Is the money "lost" in the costs of sponsoring the contest? A similar scam offers to split the collected entry fees among the top prize winners without specifying an exact award amount.

The contest is sponsored by an unknown organization or magazine. It's quite possible that the contest is legitimate but you've never heard of the sponsor. The best way to find out if the sponsor will stand behind its contest is to Google the contest name. Do any news stories show up about previous contests/award winners? Are there any posts on the writing watchdog sites about the contests? Do you recognize the names of any of the winners? A contest that refuses to divulge the names of the judges is also suspect, as it may mean the winners are pre-determined. If the information about the competition is too sketchy, it's best to steer clear.

AGENT SCAMS

If you are seeking publication with a traditional publishing house, you will probably need an agent. A good agent functions as a salesperson (to the publisher), an accountant (for your earnings), a hand holder (for your nerves), and an advisor (for your current and future books). A bad agent can be worse than having no agent at all. What are the warning signs of a bad agent?

The agent loves my book and wants to represent me but says I need to hire a critique/editing service first. This is a common back-door scam. The agent agrees to represent your book but then refers you to a critiquing or editing service that charges an outrageous fee. The service is usually owned by the agency, a clear conflict of interest. Another version of this is the agency that charges a "reading fee." Remember the old adage: "Money should flow toward, not away from, the writer.
I can't find any books/authors that the agent represents. This could mean that the agent is publishing books only with vanity presses (another form of back-door fees). It could also mean that the agent is new, inexperienced, or semi-retired. A successful agent is proud to show off the books he has sold and often has thumbnail photos of book covers on his blog or site. An agent with something to hide will be vague about previous clients and sales.

The best advice I can give to avoid being taken by any writing scam is to do your homework. Read the blogs and writing watchdog sites. Always ask questions if something doesn't make sense. Google names and titles to find out what people are saying about the publisher, contest, or agent. The more you know, the less likely you will be disappointed.

Some writing watchdog sites:

Writer Beware (Be sure to look for the list of the top 20 WORST agents.)

http://www.sfwa.org/for-authors/writer-beware
Click here

Preditors and Editors

http://www.anotherealm.com/prededitors/
Click here

Writers Weekly (This is a good place to go if you haven't been paid for your work.)

http://www.writersweekly.com
Click here

Happy writing!

Newsletter contributing columnist Jeanne Lyet Gassman is an award-winning writer whose fiction and nonfiction has been published in numerous magazines, newsletters, and anthologies. The recipient of artistic grants from the Arizona Commission on the Arts and the Creative Capital Foundation, she is currently studying for her MFA in writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts. She lives in Phoenix and teaches writing workshops and classes in the metro area.

Visit Ms. Gassman at her Web site:

http://www.jeannelyetgassman.com
Click here

Or her blog:

http://jeannelyetgassman.blogspot.com
Click here

Scene vs. Summary or: It’s Time for Show and Tell

Scene vs. Summary or: It’s Time for Show and Tell
By Jeanne Lyet Gassman

Every beginning fiction writer is advised to “show, don’t tell.” But what does this really mean? I can remember attending a writer’s conference early in my career, listening to a renowned author repeat this adage as the most important thing every writer should know. Of course, I thought, nodding sagely, that makes perfect sense.

Then I left the conference wondering, How do you do it?

Scene vs. summary. Personally, I think the words “show” and “tell” are a bit too abstract for most beginning writers to grasp. I’ve heard many writers swear that they were “showing” when, in fact, they were doing the exact opposite. Perhaps the terms “scene” and “summary” would be more helpful in understanding the difference.

Summary. Let’s begin with the concept of summary (telling).

Suppose you have a friend who attended a very exciting party. On Monday morning, he tells you that Tom drank too much and embarrassed his wife, Jane. He complains to you about the waiters, saying that they acted snooty. Your friend laughs about Rick’s funny stories but can’t remember the details of them. In essence, he is summarizing (telling) the events at the party. Since you didn’t go to the party, you didn’t see what Tom did to embarrass his wife. You didn’t experience the waiters ignoring people’s drink orders. You didn’t hear any of Rick’s jokes. Your job as the writer is to bring the reader to the party. How do you do this? You write scenes rather than summary.

Scene. A scene can be as short as a single paragraph or as long as several pages. It should contain at least two of the following elements:

Direct action
Dialogue
Internal monologue
Narration

Of these, narration is the least dynamic component of fiction. When a writer depends too much on narration, he risks falling into the trap of summarizing (telling) rather than creating active scenes (showing). Narration either sets the scene or functions as a transition for time or place. As a transition in time, your narration might look something like this: “It took Sarah three hours to clean all of the blood from the carpet.” This is an example of transition in setting: “Peter left his grandmother’s house and returned to work.”

Note that I have not listed description as an important component of a scene. When description isn’t incorporated into action, dialogue, or thought, it becomes static, presenting itself as the deadly “telling” creature. For example: “She wore a red woolen scarf.” (telling/summary) Compare this to the more active: “Wrapping her red woolen scarf snugly around her neck, she braved the stinging wind.” (showing/scene)

From summary to scene. To view the scene vs. summary process in action, let’s take a look at two examples of the same event. The first version is summary (telling):

“Judith was furious when Richard asked for a divorce after almost fourteen years of marriage.”

Now, let’s convert that to a scene (showing):

“Richard was still blabbing on and on about ‘spending some time apart’ and the need to ‘find himself,’ but Judith had stopped listening long ago. She found herself staring at his teeth. They were ugly teeth really, big and flat like a beaver’s teeth, and the handlebar mustache he had grown last year only accentuated their hideous shape. Richard truly had the mouth of a nasty rodent. How had she missed such an important detail in almost fourteen years of marriage? She looked down at her hands, aware that she had shredded her paper napkin into small bits of confetti. She wondered if her fingernails could accomplish that same result on Richard’s pasty cheek.”

Do you see the difference? We know exactly how Judith feels without ever once telling the reader that she’s angry. Some writers mistakenly worry that showing creates wordiness, but a fully realized scene will always contain more words than simple narration. And a scene with action, dialogue, and emotion is much more compelling than a summary.

Just for fun this time, I will close this with a homework challenge. The following is the summary of a scene that appears in the novel, The Joy Luck Club, by Amy Tan. See if you can find the scene it summarizes. (Hint: The scene appears in the chapter called: “JING-MEI WOO: Best Quality.”)

“After dinner, I helped my mother clear and wash the dishes. I tried to compliment her on the dinner, but she dismissed my compliment. I guess Chinese mothers are like that. I asked her why she didn’t eat her crab, and she insisted that the crab was spoiled. She told me she knew the crab was bad before she cooked it. I asked her what she would have done if someone else at dinner had chosen the spoiled crab, but she didn’t seem concerned. She smiled and said that she knew I was the only other person at the dinner who would have picked the bad crab because everyone else wants the best quality for himself.”

Happy writing! And don’t forget to invite your readers to the party!

Jeanne Lyet Gassman is an award-winning writer whose fiction and nonfiction has been published in numerous magazines, newsletters, and anthologies. The recipient of artistic grants from the Arizona Commission on the Arts and the Creative Capital Foundation, she is currently studying for her MFA in writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts. She lives in Phoenix and teaches writing workshops and classes in the metro area.

Visit Ms. Gassman at her Web site:

http://www.jeannelyetgassman.com
Click here

Or her blog:

http://jeannelyetgassman.blogspot.com
Click here

Critique Groups: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Critique Groups: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
By Jeanne Lyet Gassman

The process of writing can be an exhilarating experience. There is that terrific buzz that occurs when the words come flying off our fingertips, when the ideas flow faster than we can put them to paper. But there is also a downside to the writing life as well. Most of the time, we work in isolation, alone at our desks and computers, far away from the hum of family life and friends. If we work in a vacuum, how can we know when our writing is ready to be sent off to the publisher or the editor? I believe that every writer needs a core group of trusted readers who will give him an honest appraisal of his work. The best place to go for helpful criticism? The writer’s critique group.

Critique groups can take the form of online forums that require registered membership or in-person meetings with other writers who live nearby. I believe that the best critique groups--whether online or local--are comprised of peer writers with a wide range of publishing experience. Beginners learn from the more experienced writers, and the veterans learn by teaching others the subtleties of the craft. I’ve belonged to all kinds of critique groups in my career. Currently, I’m fortunate to be a member of one of the best critique groups I’ve ever seen. But what separates the good critique group from the bad and the ugly? Here are some things you should look for.

Mission Statement. What is the primary function/purpose of the group? What are the goals? The mission statement can be a formal statement or a general set of guidelines, but it should clearly define the expectations of the group. A typical mission statement might read something like, “Our group is a critique group designed to help fellow writers improve their craft and work toward publication if that’s their goal. Our policy is to assist, not assault.” These two sentences tell you that the focus of the group is on improving the writer’s craft in a non-hostile atmosphere.

Leadership. Critique groups without leaders tend to falter over time. A successful critique group has a leader with the recognized authority to facilitate critique sessions, keep things organized, and exclude members who are abusive or disruptive. In the face-to-face critique group, this leader is the person who brings the meeting to order, guides the members to a productive discussion, and makes sure everything is on schedule. For an online group, the leader may be an active moderator who keeps a close eye on the participants to see that the members are following the rules and submission guidelines.

Predictability. Whether you participate in an online critique group or attend a local meeting, you need to have a certain level of predictability. The online group needs to have a fully functioning site with regular access. There should be written guidelines for submission procedures, formatting, response times, and participation. The in-person group functions most effectively when it has an established location and meeting time, allowing members to set aside time in their calendars for the meetings. My critique group meets on the first and third Wednesday of every month at a local bookstore. That predictability makes it easier for new people to find us.

Commitment. One of the greatest failure points for any critique group is the lack of commitment. Members get busy with other things or lose interest. Sometimes, you have a situation in which a small core group does all of the work while the other members are passive observers. The best critique groups require that all of the members participate equally. Writers should both submit work for critique and critique the work of their peers. Look for groups that have an active membership with writers who write, not just talk about writing.

Where to find critique groups? Fortunately, writing critique groups abound in all shapes and sizes and can be found in almost any town and at numerous locations on the Net. To find a local critique group, visit bookstores, libraries, community colleges, community centers, and creative writing workshops or classes. You will even find critique groups meeting at some coffee houses. The Writer magazine also offers a limited list of writing critique groups that you can search for by location:
http://www.writermag.com

These Websites have links to several good online critique groups:

http://www.writermag.com/wrt/community/groups/
Click here
http://www.writing-world.com/links/critique.shtml
Click here
http://www.critters.org
Click here
http://www.all-story.com/virtualstudio.cgi
Click here
http://www.critiquecircle.com/
Click here

If you decide on a local group, sit in on the meetings a few times to be sure the group meets your needs. Every group has its own dynamics and personality, and not all groups are helpful or friendly to newcomers. For online groups, it can be useful to observe or lurk in the background before submitting your own work for feedback. If you can’t find a local or online group that you like, then think about starting one of your own. A good critique group offers support, friendship, and the opportunity to share your work with other writers. And when you find the perfect critique group for you, you will never want to leave. Happy writing!

Jeanne Lyet Gassman is an award-winning writer whose fiction and nonfiction has been published in numerous magazines, newsletters, and anthologies. The recipient of artistic grants from the Arizona Commission on the Arts and the Creative Capital Foundation, she is currently studying for her MFA in writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts. She lives in Phoenix and teaches writing workshops and classes in the metro area.

Visit Ms. Gassman at her Web site:

http://www.jeannelyetgassman.com
Click here

Or her blog:

http://jeannelyetgassman.blogspot.com
Click here

The Contest Game: Is it Worth It?

The Contest Game: Is it Worth It?
By Jeanne Lyet Gassman

The idea of paying money to enter a writing competition is often a subject of great controversy among writers. Are these contests of any real value? Can they help your career? I believe that writing contests can be of benefit to the writer—as long as you choose your competitions carefully.

What can a contest do for you and your writing career?

 They instill discipline. The submission deadlines of contests force you to write and complete a project in a timely manner.
 There are tangible rewards. These rewards—ranging from publication to financial compensation to simple recognition—can inspire you to improve both your craft and your productivity
 Contests get your name “out there.” Since many of the contest judges are either publishers or editors, entering a contest provides a great opportunity for networking.
 They develop the habit of submitting your work. Entering a few contests can get you over the fear of sending your writing to strangers.
 They expose you to new potential markets. I’ve discovered some wonderful magazines and publications simply because I took the time to research their contest offering.

How do you know if a contest is legitimate?

This is a tricky issue because the scam contests can sometimes look very promising, but there are a few things you should look for:

 What is the ratio of the entry fee to the financial award? A contest that charges a $20.00 entry fee with a first place award of $100.00 is using the contest to raise money. A contest that offers a $1500.00 first prize with a $20.00 entry fee probably has other sources of funding. The average entry fee for most writing competitions can be anywhere from a low of about $5.00 to a high of about $25.00. Some contests for full-length books may have slightly higher entry fees.
 Who is sponsoring the contest? Look for contests sponsored by literary magazines, professional writing organizations, and foundations. Be wary of contests sponsored by unknown entities, as they tend to be poorly managed.
 Where did you learn about the contest? Many of the professional writing magazines and Web sites screen their contest announcements. (Note: A list of good resources for legitimate contests follows at the end of this article.)
 Will you be asked to buy anything after you enter? A common scam is to declare every entry a winner and then encourage the “winners” to buy an expensive copy of the book of winning entries.

What are my chances of receiving an award?

They may be better than you think. In an informal survey among my peers, I discovered that the success rate for contest entries was about 40 per cent. That includes winning, receiving honorable mention, financial awards, and/or publication. In a similar survey for the success of unsolicited submissions, fewer than 10 out of every 100 unsolicited submissions were accepted for publication. Of course, it’s important to remember that there are numerous factors that can contribute to your success in a contest, and the judging of any contest is somewhat subjective. However, there are some simple guidelines you can follow that will improve your odds in a writing competition:

 Plan ahead. If you’re writing something from scratch for a contest, be sure to give yourself enough time to write the piece, set it aside, and revise it.
 Follow the guidelines exactly. I cannot stress this enough. Don’t cheat on the word count. Don’t send your ms. as an attachment if the guidelines request that it be sent in the body of the email. Ignoring the guidelines can instantly disqualify your entry.
 Double-check the details. Did you enclose a check for the entry fee? Do you have the SASE for notification of the winners? Is the submission address typed correctly? A simple thing such as a typo in the zip code can cause your entry to arrive too late for the contest deadline. Be thorough.
 Study the winners. Read the previous year’s winning entry, if it’s available. For contests sponsored by magazines, it can be helpful to read back issues of the magazine.

If you’ve decided that a writing contest is something you want to try, there is no time like the present. Here are some resources for legitimate writing contests:

http://www.fundsforwriters.com
Click here
(An excellent resource for contests, grants, and markets.)

http://www.OnceWritten.com
Click here
(Scroll down to the bottom of the page to find the rolling list of writing competitions
(This is a list compiled by Allison Joseph and contains not only contest information but calls for submission to upcoming anthologies.)

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CRWROPPS-B
Click here
(This is a list compiled by Allison Joseph and contains not only contest information but calls for submission to literary magazines and anthologies.)

http://www.pw.org/content/grants_amp_awards_your_guide_writing_contests
Click here
(The calendar on their site makes it easy to keep track of upcoming deadlines.)

Happy writing and may every one of your contest entries be a winner!

Jeanne Lyet Gassman is an award-winning writer whose fiction and nonfiction has been published in numerous magazines, newsletters, and anthologies. The recipient of artistic grants from the Arizona Commission on the Arts and the Creative Capital Foundation, she is currently studying for her MFA in writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts. She lives in Phoenix and teaches writing workshops and classes in the metro area.

Visit Ms. Gassman at her Web site:

http://www.jeannelyetgassman.com
Click here

Or her blog:

http://jeannelyetgassman.blogspot.com
Click here