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Index Interviews: Martha C. Lawrence Cracking the Women's Magazine Market Do-It-Yourself Music Publishing--Part II Upcoming Events Calendar Reader Mail Return to This Issue's Index Return to Homepage Subscribe
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Reviews of Writing BooksCharacters & Viewpoint by Orson Scott CardWriter's Digest Books, March 1999.Paperback, 182 pages. ISBN: 0898799279 Ordering information: Amazon.com. 
Chracters & Viewpoint is part of
the Elements of Fiction Writing
series from Writer's Digest Books.
This latest edition to the series, written by
Hugo, Nebula and World Fantasy
Award Winner Orson Scott Card,
focuses on methods for
developing your characters and how
to choose a viewpoint that is in synch
with those characters' thoughts and
actions. Card provides
information on what makes a good
character, and suggests different places to
get ideas for characters. He
also provides tips for improving
your characters, discussing such subjects as major
and minor characters, emotional
attributes, how to make your audience
care about your characters, heroes,
the common man character, comic characters
and serious characters.
He also provides instruction about
character's voices and first person
vs. third person narratives.
When the author of Ender's Game speaks, aspiring authors should listen. Creating interesting and believable characters and a compelling viewpoint are two of the most difficult skills for novices to master. In Characters & Viewpoints, Card shares the secrets for writing engaging characters which readers (and editors) will love. Highly Recommended. Feminine Wiles: Creative Techniques for Writing Women's Feature Stories that Sell by Donna Elizabeth BoetigAmerican West Books, September 1998.Trade Paperback, 184 pages. ISBN: 1884956025 Ordering information: Amazon.com. | Amazon.co.uk 
Successful freelancer
and writing teacher Donna
Elizabeth Boetig, who has
been published in numerous
women's magazines including
Family Circle, McCall's,
Reader's Digest and Woman's
Day, guides writers
toward the goal of publishing
women's feature articles
in Feminine Wiles.
Her book is based on her experiences
as a freelance writer and her
popular writing seminars which are held
across the U.S. and in Candada. Boetig addresses
common stumbling blocks for writers
including: a writer's first publication (the
first time), finding ideas, writing
query letters, getting interviews, interviewing
skills, photographs, drama in women's
stories, bylines, titles, submissions
and self-promotion.
The reference also includes special writing tips and
techniques including the Wall Street Journal formula,
a seven part formula to writing feature stories
from the lead to the closing, and the Reader's
Digest secret formula, a springboard to writing
women's true stories.
Donna Boetig has created a comprehensive tool for getting published in women's markets, from finding ideas and interviews to writing effective and saleable articles. Feminine Wiles is an invaluable reference for freelancers seeking to learn how to write women's articles and stories -- and get them published. Highly Recommended. You Can Write Greeting Cards by Karen Ann MooreWriter's Digest Books, March 1999.Trade Paperback, 122 pages. ISBN: 0898798248 Ordering information: Amazon.com. | Amazon.co.uk 
Writing greeting cards is a
highly specialized
area in the writing world. You
have to know what the greeting
card companies are looking for, as
well as the methods for submitting
your work, which range from index
cards to email. This reference by
professional greeting card writer
Karen Ann Moore provides instruction on
how to write for the greeting card
industry, and how and where to
submit your greeting card verse.
Coverage in the book includes an overview
of the greeting card industry,
what it takes to be a greeting card writer,
what makes a good greeting card idea,
rhymes, cute and clever cards, humorous
cards and how to approach greeting
card publishers. Other information
provided in the book includes
a workbook with exercises to
improve your creativity, information
on how to keep up with trends in
the industry, inside scoop on the
greeting card business and examples
of greeting card verse.
You Can Write Greeting Cards is
an excellent introduction to the
beginner who is interested in
selling his or her greeting card
ideas.
Return to Book Reviews Index ** More information on writing-related books can be found in the Writer's Bookstore. |