Showing posts with label writing craft. Show all posts
Showing posts with label writing craft. Show all posts

Change the World One Book at a Time by Nina Amir: Blog Tour & Giveaway

Monday, January 05, 2026
Change the World One Book at a Time by Nina Amir

A longtime friend of WOW, Nina Amir, is launching a tour for her latest book: Change the World One Book at a Time. This book can give writers a new way to look at the power of their writing as well as introduce activists to a way to promote their cause. Join us as we celebrate her launch and learn what it means to be an Author of Change. Don't forge to enter to win a copy of this eye-opening book.

But before we get to that, here's more about her book:

Writing has the potential to effect change. One look a tthe world makes it clear that creating change is more critical now than ever. Yet, writers face a roadblock: lack of guidance through the process. Change the World One Book at a Time: Make a Positive and Meaningful Difference with Your Words provides a handbook to help them achieve their mission.

In Change the World One Book at a Time, Nina Amir details how to produce books that serve as potent tools for transformation. A variety of books have been published about how to become an author, however, none have focused on providing strategies specifically geared toward writers who want to inspire and motivate change. These writers need a better-than-average manual on how to write and publish. This nonfiction reference book will provide activists, coaches, healers, clergy, speakers, leaders, writers, and anyone who wants to write a book that makes a difference with a comprehensive guide to understanding the change process, building engaged communities around their missions, and writing books that move readers to action.

Publisher: Books That Save Lives(January 6, 2026)
ISBN: 1963667298
ISBN-13: 978-1963667295  
Print length:  232 pages

Purchase your copy on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Bookshop.org. You'll also want to add it to your GoodReads reading list.

About the Author, Nina Amir

Nina Amir, the Inspiration to Creation Coach, is an 19X Amazon bestselling hybrid author. She supports writers on the journey to successful authorship as an Author Coach, Transformational Coach, and Certified High Performance Coach (CHPC ® )—the only one working with writers.

In addition to her most recent book, Change the World One Book at a Time: Make a Positive and Meaningful Difference with Your Words, Nina wrote three traditionally published books for aspiring authors—How to Blog a Book, The Author Training Manual, and Creative Visualization for Writers. Additionally, she has self-published a host of books and ebooks, including the Write Nonfiction NOW! series of guides. She has had 19 books on the Amazon Top 100 List and as many as six books on the Authorship bestseller list at the same time.

Nina is an award-winning journalist and blogger, as well as a successful nonfiction developmental editor. Some of her editing clients have sold 300,000+ copies of their books, landed deals with major publishing houses and created thriving businesses around their books.

To further support writers, Nina created the Nonfiction Writers’ University, where members access a huge archive of resources, such as courses, ebooks, and interviews with writing and publishing experts, and receive monthly group Author Coaching. Additionally, she created the Write Nonfiction in November Challenge and Author of Change Transformational Programs. Nina also founded the Inspired Creator Community, which provides group transformational (spiritual and personal growth) coaching around the topic of creating what matters.

Find the author at:

--Interview by Jodi M. Webb

WOW: What influenced you to write a book about penning books that will change the world?

Nina: For many years, I was involved with the San Francisco Writing for Change Conference. I saw how many different types of writers wanted to produce books that created change in lives or the world. And I realized how much information they needed to succeed.

Change the World One Book at a Time: Make a Positive and Meaningful Difference with Your Words was inspired by that experience. I decided to write a book that would provide those writing for change with the education they needed—in the form of a book. And the founder of that conference, literary agent Mike Larsen, encouraged me to write a book on the topic.

While I’m not an activist, I always wanted to write books that change lives—books about personal and spiritual growth. All my books have include discussions related to change. And my books help others write books that change lives.

WOW: Do you believe all genres can have an effect on the world and on the people who read those books – fiction as well as non-fiction?

Nina: Yes, I do. But I believe authors of fiction and creative nonfiction face more of a challenge
when it comes to inspiring and motivating readers to change. That doesn’t mean they can’t do so, but they will have to work harder on their craft to accomplish that goal.

Nonfiction is well suited to offering plans, research, strategies, and other things that move people to do something different. Look at how many nonfiction books exist with the words “how-to” in their titles; they all provide information on change. 

WOW:  Can you share a book that changed the way you looked at the world?

Nina: Interestingly enough, Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah by Richard Bach
changed how I looked at the world. It is considered fiction, although it's a philosophical, inspirational novel that blurs lines with self-help and spirituality. It tells a story about reality, miracles, and becoming your own messiah through the adventures of two barnstorming pilots. It opened my eyes to metaphysics big time, and that topic became a passion of mine.

In the nonfiction realm, God is a Verb by the late Rabbi David Cooper, also changed how I looked at the world—or at least God. And it introduced me to the mystical study of Kabbalah.

WOW: What is your advice for someone who has a message they want to share, but they don’t feel they are a writer? 

Nina: If you don’t feel you are a writer, you can get help. You can hire a ghostwriter, if you have the funds. Or you can write a “messy first draft” and then hire a great editor to clean it up for you; this type of collaboration can prove very successful with the editor even doing a little ghostwriting for you. Of course, you can speak your book; then have an editor edit the transcripts.

I’d also encourage anyone who doesn’t think they are a writer to change that thought. (Coach hat coming on here…) As long as you believe you aren’t a writer, you will feel challenged to write. So, tell yourself you are a writer…or are becoming a writer, and then start writing. If you write, you are a writer.

WOW: What about those who aren’t sure their idea is “big enough” to qualify as changing the world?

Nina: As for an idea not being “big enough” to change the world: if you produce a book that changes one life, that starts the ripple of change. One life impacts another life.

Change doesn’t have to be huge. It can be a tiny movement—like the fluttering of butterfly wings that creates wind all the way across the globe.


"If you produce a book that changes one life, that starts the ripple of change. One life impacts another life."


WOW: What an amazing way to think about our writing out there in the world. Can you tell us about the journey to get Change the World One Book at a Time out into the world?

Nina: It was a long one! I had the idea about 15 years ago. A few years after that, I partnered with someone to create a course based on the idea. That person claimed to have rights to the book, so I had to hire a lawyer and buy them from her. Later, I had an agent pitch the idea, but he never sold it. I began pitching the book after that. I even hired my literary attorney to pitch to the bigger houses for me. In the end, I pitched to a publisher that had voiced an interest in the book when my agent was still representing me; she was still interested. Then the COVID pandemic hit…and two years or so passed. In early 2024, I reached out to the publisher again. On December 31, I signed a contract for the book. There was one more hiccup, but here we are year later…and the book releases tomorrow—January 6, 2026.

WOW: So many words popped in to my mind when I read the story of this book. I think I'll go with tenacious. You, Nina, are an incredibly tenacious writer. What is your writing process?

Nina: I come up with an idea. Then I create a table of contents. I might mind-map all the content out so I know what is going in all chapters or I’ll create subheadings for the chapters so I know what sections will be included.

If I want to traditionally publish the project, I work on a book proposal. I use that as a business plan and creative plan for the book, as I wrote about in The Author Training Manual. When I feel the idea has strong legs to stand on, I write the sample chapters. Once the book is sold to a publisher, I write the rest of it quite quickly.

If I plan to self-publish, I go through all the same steps, except I begin writing and do so until the manuscript is complete.

Sometimes, I still book my blogs—the reverse process of blogging books. I wrote about this in the second edition of How to Blog a Book.

WOW:  Is the craft of writing your primary topic/genre or do you do other types of writing?

Nina: I set out to write about Jewish spiritual and mystical topics. But my first agent asked me to “get published” by writing about what I knew best—writing and publishing. As time went on, I changed my view on the initial topics I wanted to pursue; they become nondenominational or about general personal and spiritual growth.

My current agent is pitching a book that is personal growth. Like those other topics, it comes out of religion (sort of) but is meant from anyone who wants to change—specifically to change their personal stories.

WOW: If you could give writers one piece of advice what would it be?

Nina: Pursue personal growth or development. The only thing standing in the way of you becoming a writer or an author is you—your old stories, beliefs, mental chatter, fears, etc. The way to succeed as a writer and author is to get out of your own way by undertaking personal change. Become the type of person who can write and publish a book; that identity comes with the habits and mindset of a successful writer.

"The only thing standing in the way of you becoming a writer or an author is you—your old stories, beliefs, mental chatter, fears, etc. The way to succeed as a writer and author is to get out of your own way by undertaking personal change."

WOW: What’s up next for your writing?

Nina: My literary agent currently is pitching a book of mine about telling sacred stories—stories that help us fulfill our potential. This book includes writing exercises but is not for writers per se. It is for those wanting to stop allowing their old personal stories to hold them back and craft new ones that help them create a desired future.

Additionally, in 2026 I hope to revise and release two of my self-published Write Nonfiction NOW! guides and my first traditionally published book, How to Blog a Book. And, I want to submit a few proposals for other book projects.

WOW: Thanks for sharing with us and giving us a new way to look at the effect our writing could have on the world. Have a great tour!

Change the World One Book at a Time by Nina Amir Blog Tour

--Blog Tour Calendar

January 5th @ The Muffin
Join us as we celebrate the launch of Change the Word One Book at a Time by Nina Amir - the day before its January 6 launch! Read an interview with the author and enter to win!

January 6th @ Shoe's Seeds & Stories
Want to make a writing resolution for 2026? Don't miss the review of Change the Word One Book at a Time by Nina Amir.

January 7th @ Create Write Now!
Author Nina Amir stops by to ask the big question: Are you Ready to Write a Book that Changes Lives?

January 8th @ Lisa Haselton Book Reviews & Interviews
Meet nonfiction author Nina Amir and learn more about her latest book Change the World One Book at a Time.

January 9th @ A Wonderful World of Words
Do you have a cause close to your heart? Nina Amir tells how you can Strengthen Your Cause with Community and shares an excerpt from Change the World One Book at a Time.

January 10th @ Boys' Mom Reads!
Want to look at writing through new eyes? Check out Nina Amir's latest book Change the World One Book at a Time.

January 12th @ Kaecey McCormick
Learn more about author Nina Amir in today's interview.
https://www.kaeceymccormick.com/

January 13th @ All Things Writing
What Makes Writing for Change Different? Think about your writing in a new way with Nina Amir, author of Change the World One Book at a Time.

January 14th @ Hook of a Book
Hook of a Book is spotlighting Nina Amir's latest book Change the World One Book at a Time. Stop by and enter the book giveaway.

January 15th @ Words by Webb
Jodi has thoughts about who she thinks would benefit from Nina Amir's Change the Word One Book at a Time

January 16th @ What Is This Book About
Attention writers! Do more than just put words on paper. Learn more with an excerpt from Nina Amir's Change the Word One Book at a Time.

January 19th @ Chapter Break
Want to change the world? Author Nina Amir explains why every activist should write a book.

January 22nd @ Knotty Needle
Judy reviews a book that could change the way you think about writing: Change the Word One Book at a Time by Nina Amir.

January 23rd @ Weekend Care Package
Author Nina Amir is planning the perfect weekend - pop by to find out what she's putting in her Weekend Care Package.

January 26th @ Hook of a Book
What's the secret to writing a change inspiring book? Nina Amir, author of Change the World One Book at a Time reveals the answer in today's guest post.

January 28th @ Writer Advice
Prolific non-fiction writer Nina Amir stops by with thoughts on being an Author of Change.

January 31st @ Jill Sheet's Blog
Meet Nina Amir, the author of several books, and learn more about her latest: Change the World One Book at a Time.  

***** BOOK GIVEAWAY *****

Enter to win Change the Word One Book at a Time by Nina Amir. Fill out the form below for a chance to win. The giveaway ends January 18th at 11:59 pm CT. We will randomly draw a winner the next day and follow up via email. Good luck!

Change the World One Book at a Time Giveaway
Read More »
11 comments , , , , ,

Friday Speak Out!: In the Beginning

Friday, February 19, 2021

by Anne Leigh Parrish

My first short story was written on brown paper using a second-hand Underwood typewriter I picked up at antiques store. I felt so writerly, perched on my stool at my kitchen counter, banging away. My husband was studying for the bar exam, and had trouble concentrating with the noise I made. Luckily for him I wrote in spurts, lasting no more than fifteen minutes at a time. Then I’d get up and wander off, overwhelmed with doubt and a growing sense that I had no idea what I was trying to say and why it mattered.

I persisted. “Among The Bohemians” was an uneven, heartfelt ramble about a recent party we’d attended which read more like an essay than a piece of fiction. It was one long description, what my mentor at The Atlantic Monthly would later call “a how things are story.” Not much happened. The narrator, who looked and thought a great deal like me, stood at the window of the funky artist’s loft where her husband’s friend lived and gazed forlornly at the old carved buildings that characterize Seattle’s Pioneer Square. She concluded the buildings were inspiring and the company wasn’t. She felt like an outsider. The friend’s husband was an artist, not a very good one, and his paintings hung everywhere. She/I wandered past them, trying to discover or impute meaning to the deep lines, sharp corners, and muted colors he favored.

The beginning of my writing life lasted a long time, even though I improved and was more deft on the page. People came to life, said funny things, and were plausible. But they were stuck in murky place, floating and hovering just on the edge of meaning. It was only when doubt gave way to revelation, when the narrator’s understanding of her situation changed, or the reader’s understanding of it changed, that my stories resonated. This moment often came at the end.

Endings became key for me. I had to know how a story ended before I could write it. The beginning could be redone to fit that ending, and so could everything else. It’s what you leave the reader with that came to matter most, and I carried this belief into my novels and later my poems. How a reader experiences us is crucial. But even more important is how we’re remembered.

Maybe that’s my sixty-something self, talking back to my twenty-something self. What I’m certain of as a writer with decades under my belt is good craft comes from both of skill and confidence. That’s the long version. The short version is know what you want to say, then know when you’ve said it.

* * *
Anne Leigh Parrish's novel, A Winter Night, arrives this March from Unsolicited Press. Also forthcoming from Unsolicited Press, An Open Door, a novel, will be available in October 2022, along with The Moon Won’t Be Dared, a book of poems, in the fall of 2021. Previous titles are: What Nell Dreams; Maggie’s Ruse; The Amendment; Women Within; By the Wayside; What Is Found, What Is Lost; Our Love Could Light The World; and All The Roads That Lead From Home. She lives among the evergreen trees in the South Sound region of Washington State. Learn more at Anne Leigh Parrish Fiction Writer Pacific Northwest – Award-Winning Writer and Poet
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Would you like to participate in Friday "Speak Out!"? Email your short posts (under 500 words) about women and writing to: marcia[at]wow-womenonwriting[dot]com for consideration. We look forward to hearing from you!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Read More »
2 comments , , ,

Patiently Impatient

Wednesday, January 22, 2020
Did you ever notice patient people are patient with others and incredibly impatient with themselves? I recently forgot to post an article I was assigned and I beat myself up for days. My goal was to journal every day and I missed the boat completely several days already this year (keep in mind it's only January 21st). I can easily forgive others when something slips through the cracks, I'm quick to step up and help where I can, I don't mind waiting longer than usual in line at the coffee shop, and yet you should hear the awful self-talk that happens when I have to be patient with myself. As part of my 2020 goals, I am attempting to be as patient with myself as I am with others. I want to be as laid back with Crystal as I am with my children. I'm not lowering the bar, I'm just being kinder and gentler. Case in point, we are done having children and I'm getting healthier. I am a third of the way to my goal weight and it's been a month and the scale isn't moving. There's a huge part of me - I need to be patient with myself, but I'm struggling.

Part of getting healthier physically is making time for reading, writing, and book reviews. Why is it I can devour a book but can't sit patiently at the computer long enough to finish the book review? Why am I not getting as far as I want on my own writing? Why can't I put all these thoughts down on paper? Some days I feel I'm being too patient with myself and others I just want to see forward progress and I'm as impatient as a hungry toddler looking for the strawberries in the fridge.

Are you as patient with yourself as you are with others? Are you impatient with others and patient with yourself? Do you just want to skip to the end of the story to find out what happens, or are you happy to enjoy the ride? How have you trained yourself to be just the right amount of patient and impatient (a happy medium as Mama used to say)?

What's standing in your way this year and beyond? What might help? Is it a writing course? Is it finding a great new author? Maybe it's developing an author website?

Share your thoughts and ideas with us in the comments - we love hearing from YOU!

No rush....I'm patient...

xoxox
~Crystal



Crystal is the office manager, council secretary, financial secretary, and musician at her church, birth mother, Auntie, babywearing mama, business owner, active journaler, writer and blogger, Blog Tour Manager with WOW! Women on Writing, Press Corp teammate for the DairyGirl Network, Unicorn Mom Ambassador, as well as a dairy farmer. She lives in Wisconsin with her husband and their five youngest children, two dogs, four little piggies, a handful of cats and kittens, horses Darlin' and Joker, and over 250 Holsteins.

You can find Crystal milking cows, riding horses, and riding unicorns (not at the same time), taking the ordinary and giving it a little extra (making it extraordinary), blogging and reviewing books here, and at her personal blog - Crystal is dedicated to turning life's lemons into lemonade and she has never (not once) been accused of being normal!
Read More »
1 comment , , , , ,

The Benefits of Judging a Writing Contest

Sunday, November 12, 2017
If you have the opportunity to be a judge for a writing contest, whether or not you get paid, I highly suggest you do it. I don't usually suggest working for free (or for mere pennies), but I'm going to make a strong statement here...

Being a contest judge will improve your writing as much as, or even more than, taking a writing class.

 Which, by the way, you usually have to pay for!

Why do I think this? How do I know? I have judged a lot of contests, including the first round of entries for some WOW! contests. Through these experiences, I have learned:


  • Some subjects are completely overdone. I hate to tell someone NOT to write about a topic that is personal and close to them; but if you are going to write about a common topic, such as surviving cancer or aging parents, then you need a fresh and unique spin or a flawless voice. 
  • Humor almost always succeeds. Humor is difficult; and if you are clever and witty, then you will find your voice in the literary world. 
  • You or your characters should not boast or play the victim. In conversation, no one likes to hear someone else go on and on about themselves--either bragging OR saying how horrible things are for them. However, readers want to read heartbreaking and emotional stories. You really do have to show these emotions, but definitely don't tell them to the reader.
  • The beginning line and paragraph are really as important as everyone says they are.
  • A good edit is worth every penny and every minute.
I have been judging contests for so long that I can almost tell from the opening paragraph how well I am going to like the story or essay, even though I read them all to the end (of course). This totally challenges me to make my own writing better, to come up with a unique subject or angle, and to model my writing after the many entries I have read and thought: Holy cow! That was so amazing. 

What I am suggesting here is not any different than the advice Stephen King gives in his memoir/how to book, On Writing. He tells writers that the most important thing they can do is to read. I'm just going one step further and saying, Judging really causes you to think about what makes a story/essay/poem great and what makes it mediocre; and how can you take your writing to a great level? 

If you don't know anyone who needs a contest judged and you belong to a writing group, you can certainly make your own contest. You can open it up to other writers or just keep it in your group or both. Writers LOVE contests, so you will probably find yourself full of entries to judge if you have a reasonable entry fee and nice prizes. 

Have you ever judged a writing contest? Did you find the experience invaluable? 

Margo L. Dill is a writer, editor, writing coach, and teacher, living in St. Louis, MO. To take her novel writing course, which starts the first Friday in December, please see the details here. To find out more about her, please see her website: http://www.margoldill.com. 

balloon photo by alibree (Flickr.com)


Read More »
5 comments , , ,

Falling in Love with Mentor Texts

Saturday, September 02, 2017
In my last post, Diagramming Your Plot: The Big Picture, I mentioned using a mentor text. I used an early chapter book (Dinosaurs Before Dark by Mary Pope Osborne) to help me see how the plot should be paced in this type of book for new readers. Renee Roberson commented that she could see using a mentor text in many different genres. I know just how right she is because I’ve used mentor texts in many different situations and in many different ways.

 The first time I consciously used a mentor text was when Red Line Editorial asked me to write The Ancient Maya. As I read the series guidelines, I wondered what they meant by “scholarly but casual” and “academic but approachable.” I knew I had to get the tone right, but I wasn’t sure what they meant so I asked for a mentor text. There were no books completed yet in the new series but they provided me with PDFs for two titles with the same tone. By the time I read through several chapters in each, I had a feel for what they wanted and was able to create it in my own manuscript.

I also used mentor texts when I was studying a new-to-me magazine, Highlight’s Hello. A friend has had great success in writing poems for this magazine geared toward toddlers, and she suggested that I submit work to them as well. But I was unsure about the parameters for a toddler poem. Does it have to be silly or tell a story? To get a feel for what the editors wanted, I checked out a full year of the magazine and got busy reading every single poem published in the last twelve months. Finishing the stack, I knew that the topics often touched on the familiar, like pets, but that twist endings were a plus. It took me multiple tries to create a short rhyme that was good enough, but I made a sale to their new editor.

 Again and again I’ve used mentor texts in my career. I reread the works of both Sharon Shinn and Simone Elkeles to learn how to effectively work in character descriptions without creating an info dump. Their writing also taught me what about my character needed to be stated and what could be left to the reader’s imagination.

 How to work setting details into a chapter book? Back to Mary Pope Osborne.

 How to people a book with diverse characters without making my story look like some kind of showcase? Anne McCaffrey.

One thing to note, I always turn to new authors and titles when I want to study what is being published now. Thus, I read the last twelve issues of Highlight’s Hello instead of the first twelve. But when it comes to matters of effective craft, both old and new works provide the guidance I need.

 Look to the books and magazines that you love to learn your craft. This will give you the opportunity to mentor with the best.

 --SueBE

 To find out more about Sue Bradford Edwards' writing, visit her blog, One Writer's Journey.  Sue is also the instructor for Writing Nonfiction for Children and Young Adults. The next session begins October 9th.
Read More »
5 comments , , , ,

The Grueling Process of Submission (Part One): Hook, Proper Grammar, and To Be Verbs

Sunday, October 09, 2016
Recently, I had a friend, David Kirkland, who is an editor of a small press, write and suggest a series of blog posts on mistakes he sees repeated in western, sci fi and fantasy submissions. As I read the list, I thought about the WOW! novel class I teach and the Summer 2016 Flash Fiction contest I will finish judging today and agreed with his points. These mistakes can make readers--who at the submission point are agents and editors--cringe.

I decided in October, before we get to NaNoWriMO and the craziness of writing 50,000 words in a month, I would cover the most important of these in a three-part series about submitting your manuscript. The following post is not just for genre writers, but for any fiction writers, and I would include memoir writers, too.

So, let's go.

1. Grammar and story must be spot on! David said, "Take your first three pages and ask: 'Would an agent be interested enough to ask for more?' This really has two aspects: Will it be viewed as polished work? Is the story engaging?"

This may seem like a no-brainer, but he's right. The beginning of your novel is the hardest to write. It's true that you need to turn in a manuscript that is grammatically correct. If grammar and you don't get along, then hire someone to help or ask a very good friend because it is time consuming. One error and a terrific manuscript will most likely NOT equal an automatic rejection. But trust me, agents, editors, and judges are looking for reasons to reject your manuscript and give someone else first prize.

As for: is the story engaging? Hopefully, you believe it is, or you wouldn't have taken the time to write it. But you need to find objective readers who will tell you the truth. This means you need a critique group, beta readers, or a developmental editor. Most of the time, writers fail to begin the story where they need to because they really want to make sure readers understand the characters and setting. Detach yourself from your beautiful beginning, and start the story just before the inciting incident, which changes the main character's life forever and propels him into the problem. 

Many people will tell you that you need a hook--something to get agents and editors excited about your work. Think of the books you like and consider their hook, which lures you in from the beginning. Not all books do it in the first pages, but when you are a debut author, getting that hook in there is important. 

Take for example the first paragraph of The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins:

When I wake up, the other side of the bed is cold. My
fingers stretch out, seeking Prim’s warmth but finding only
the rough canvas cover of the mattress. She must have had
bad dreams and climbed in with our mother. Of course, she
did. This is the day of the reaping.

Immediately, we know there is a narrator with a sister named Prim who must be scared about something, and this is the dreaded day of the reaping. The hook is that readers will ask themselves: What is the reaping? Why is Prim scared? 

David said, "Agents work on a commission, and so have to be selective and will expect it [your manuscript] to pass both tests [grammar and hook/story]."

2. "To be" verbs and passive voice: The other thing David mentioned, which I also see a lot of, is using forms of "to be" (i.e., is, was, am, are) instead of action verbs. This can often lead to passive voice or awkward sentence structure and wordiness. Many times when writers use a "to be" verb, they also use a weak action verb with an -ing and an adverb, which Stephen King says should be used on a rare occasion. Let me give you an example, instead of blabbering on about this point:

Amanda was walking slowly across the yard because she was avoiding talking to  her father. 

 Amanda drifted through the yard to avoid a talk with her father.

(Maybe you have an even better way to fix it! We would love to see that in the comments below.)

Here's an example of passive voice, which should rarely be used and only when you do it on purpose:

Michael's boat was being scrubbed for the big race by the crew. 

Who is scrubbing? The crew! So, to make this active, they should come first.

The crew scrubbed Michael's boat in preparation for the big race. 

 I'm not saying don't ever use a "to be" verb, especially in dialogue. When speaking, we use them all the time. What I am saying is watch out for overuse and for annoying adverbs and passive voice that can sneak in when you do. David suggests using a highlighter to mark these verbs in your submission pages, and decide if a stronger verb could do the job.

Stay tuned for Part Two coming on Wednesday, October 19.

Margo L. Dill is a writer, editor, teacher, and published author, living in St. Louis, MO. She blogs on a regular basis about being a single mom and writing at http://www.margoldill.com, where you can also find a list of her children's books. She teaches novel writing for WOW!, and you can find her class here. 

 photo above by Guudmorning! on flickr.com
Read More »
3 comments , , , , , ,

Did We Mention FREE? New Classes and More in 2013

Saturday, December 22, 2012
If you are reading this post, you are either a) procrastinating buying and/or wrapping gifts for Christmas  b) recovering from a festive Hanukkah  c) thinking about your writing goals for 2013 d) unsuccessfully trying to come up with something spectacular to do on New Year's Eve  e) cursing those Mayans and their end of the world theories because you're still reading this post or f) all of the above. Whatever you're doing, thank you for taking some time out to learn the new stuff we have going on in the WOW! classroom for 2013.

First, we have a FREE class this January. Did I mention it's free? We are trying out a teleseminar class through the website anymeeting.com. You do have to pay long distance charges if they apply; but hopefully in today's telecommunication world you have a cell phone or unlimited long distance on your home phone, so this will still be "free." The topic is show versus tell and overwriting in children's literature from picture books to YA novels. It takes place on January 8 at 6:00 CST time, and we are hoping to record it for anyone who wants to attend, but can't. There's a super short registration form for you to fill out if you want to attend the class, so we know whom to expect. That link is: http://www.anymeeting.com/AccountManager/RegEv.aspx?PIID=E950DB86834C3C .  (We will contact you by e-mail to see what you thought after the class, but just once!)

Melanie Faith
We have some new classes, too! Melanie Faith is teaching MEMORY POWER! Crafting Fierce Flash Nonfiction, a class about writing brief (250 to 750 words) essays. The Muffin blogger and WOW! columnist Sue Bradford Edwards is now bringing her knowledge to the online classroom with her course WRITING NONFICTION FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADULTS. Lynne Garner is offering a class about how to turn your hobby into a writing project and get it published with her class, HOW TO WRITE A HOBBY BASED HOW TO BOOK. I'm offering two new classes this winter/spring: the first is WRITING WORKSHOP: WRITING A CHILDREN’S or YOUNG ADULT NOVEL , which is a class for anyone working on a novel for ages 7 to 18, and the second is Writing Children’s and Teen’s Short Fiction for Magazines and E-zines, which is a complementary class to Sue's about nonfiction. You can read the syllabi and sign up at this link: http://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/WOWclasses.html.

Annette Fix
Besides the new classes, we have some old favorites, too, from memoir writing to finding an agent by former WOW! executive editor Annette Fix, building an online presence by Karen Cioffi, literary devices by Gila Green, finding your muse by Kelly L. Stone, journey through life's losses by Alice J. Wisler, novel writing by Diane O’Connell and Renate Reimann, PhD, and more! Don't forget we have some classes that are offered every week or every month--self-publishing by Deanna Riddle; writing screenplays, plays, or TV pilots by Christina Hamlett; and beginning freelance writing by Nicky LaMarco. We can answer questions about any class here in the comments OR by e-mailing classroom (at) wow-womenonwriting (dot) com. Have you signed up for our free newsletter yet? This is a good way to keep track of our new class offerings and when a new issue goes LIVE! You can sign up for FREE on our home page: http://www.wow-womenonwriting.com. 

Karlyn Thayer
We want to send our deepest sympathies to the family, friends, students, and colleagues of former WOW! instructor Karyln Thayer who passed away earlier this month. We have heard such wonderful things from her former students about how much her classes helped them, and we are hoping her family can find some peace and comfort this holiday season.

And to all of you, the holidays become such a busy time of year--no matter where you are or what you celebrate. Being a writer often seems to get lost in that shuffle. Don't be too hard on yourself and enjoy your time with family and friends, knowing that January 2, 2013, you are ready to tackle your writing goals. If taking a class from us (don't forget the FREE one) is something that will help you, then we'll "see" you in the classroom.





Margo L. Dill is an editor and online instructor for WOW! Her first children's middle-grade historical fiction novel, Finding My Place: One Girl's Strength in Vicksburg, came out in October 2012. To find out more about Margo, you can visit her website and blog at http://www.margodill.com. 


Read More »
2 comments , , , , ,

Show and Tell in a Nutshell (Book Review and Giveaway)

Tuesday, November 27, 2012
What do writers like to get in their holiday stockings? How about helpful writing books, such as Show and Tell in a Nutshell: Demonstrated Transitions from Telling to Showing? How many of us have had our manuscripts critiqued and have also heard during that critique, "You are telling too much. You need to show"? There are countless blog posts about showing vs telling, and I often cover this when I teach children's writing courses for WOW! So, how does Jessica Bell's book help writers learn to show and not tell in just a little over one hundred pages?

Jessica's entire idea is to create a handbook for writers that shows how to show and not tell, and she succeeds by presenting sixteen scenes to read and learn from. In her introduction, she suggests that you read each scene four times and focus on different parts of it each time. After reading it through once, then the second time, writers should  "identify the telling words/phrases." By the last time a scene is read, a writer will be brainstorming their own ways to "fix" the scene. (In the print version of the book, Jessica provides blank pages to take notes and try your own wording of the scenes.)

So, what does a scene entail? First, readers will encounter a list of attributes that a writer is trying to portray in a scene. For example, in the first scene, the list is: "amazing view, awe, feel hot, relief, feel tired." The next page has a paragraph, full of telling.

Sandy stood at the foot of the Egyptian Pyramids. Though she was hot, tired and sore, she was awestruck by the amazing view and felt a sense of relief. Finally, she’d made it.

Obviously, there's a lot of telling in that above example. Can you pick that out? The next page in the book, which I won't share with you here, provides Jessica's version of the same paragraph, but with showing details, instead of telling. Then there's a page for notes.

What I like about this book is that the author tells you what she wants to portray in each paragraph with a list, provides a simple telling example, and then she gives a good example of showing instead of telling. She is also encouraging you to do the same--in your own style. How could you rewrite the above paragraph to show Sandy was hot without telling the reader she's hot? Would you do it the same way as Jessica? Can you figure out more than one way to do it?

Each of the sixteen scenes is set up like this. There's no long explanations on why the author chose to do what she did. This is a short, concise book, but it gets the point across. In the end, the author provides three writing exercises and her e-mail address, where she invites readers to contact her if they have questions or need more writing prompts.

Jessica Bell is also the author of String Bridge (a women's fiction novel), Fabric (a poetry collection), and Twisted Velvet Chains ( a poetry collection). She is an Australian-native, living in Athens, Greece, and she hosts the Homeric Writers' Retreat & Workshop on the Greek island of Ithaca, home of Odysseus, with Chuck Sambuchino of Writer's Digest.

If you or anyone you know is struggling with showing vs telling in their writing, then purchase (for under $5.00 a copy) Show and Tell in a Nutshell by Jessica Bell!

We also have a copy to giveaway.


~*~ BOOK GIVEAWAY ~*~

Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway below for a chance to win a copy of  Show and Tell in a Nutshell: Demonstrated Transitions from Telling to Showing!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Good luck!

Read More »
18 comments , , , , , , , ,

Getting Down the First Line

Wednesday, November 14, 2012
One of the toughest writing obstacles I once faced was getting down the first line.

It didn’t matter if it was a 300-word blog post or the beginning of what I hoped to be a 30,000-word novel, I struggled with the opening, with how to get the words started. And then one day, in a fit of frustration, I gave up. And in the process, beat my first line demons. And I’m going to share what I did (and continue to do), because I so often hear writers complain about staring at the blank page, not knowing how or where to begin.

Are you ready to get your mind blown? Stand back, now. Here goes: Just start writing.

I know it sounds simple, and you’re sitting there, reading that little tip and wanting to smack me. But it really is that simple. Write. Write anything you can think of related to what you want to say—and worry about the beginning when you’re done.

That’s not to say that I don’t have the occasional Eureka! moment when my brain comes up with a massively brilliant beginning. But usually, my first line is just something I throw out there, something to get the words flowing because I hate wasting time. So, I pick a starting point and go from there. When I’ve finished, I’ll go back and edit.

And here’s my first-line, mind-blowing bit, Part II. More often than not, I only have to tweak the first line or the beginning so that it bookends with my ending. Honestly. It’s rare that I dump the entire opening paragraph (although I do occasionally start a story at the wrong beginning, but that’s a post for another day).

I’m not a writing psychologist, but I have a theory. Once I’ve taken the pressure off, given myself permission to write an imperfect first line, my brain relaxes, and I end up writing a pretty decent beginning sentence.

It works for me. It can work for you. So no more excuses. If you’ve got a wonderful idea for a novel, a short story, an article, a blog post, even a picture book, just start writing. A terrific first line will come—sooner or later.

~Cathy C. Hall

Read More »
10 comments , , ,

A Fish Tale: Plotting Trouble

Monday, June 11, 2012
I’m at the beach this week and taking a little time to work on plotting. I’ve been wondering about trouble, as in how to make trouble for my protagonist, and then I remembered a fish story.

Many years ago, I was sitting in a lounge chair on the beach, when a boy, fishing in the ocean, pulled on his line and started yelling.

And so his friends came running, and the boy heaved and heaved, and the line bowed and bowed. A crowd started to gather, watching this boy trying to pull in whatever was on the other end of that line.

The line began to drag the boy down the beach. He splashed through the water, running parallel to the shoreline, block after block, always pulling on the line. He looked like the Pied Piper of Hamelin in surfer shorts, with little kids and big kids, moms and dads, old-timers and me, too, following behind him, shouting and asking, “What is it? What could it be?”

Until finally, we saw it, skimming the top of the shallow water—a stingray’s wingspan—and it was huge! The gray behemoth’s barbed tail flashed, and then suddenly, it flicked those wings and with a snap, the line broke. The boy fell on the sand, exhausted.

That was some kind of high drama, and I’ve never forgotten it. And working now on my plot, I’m reminded that if I want good drama, I need bad troubles.

Every story has a protagonist that wants something. The boy on the beach, for example, wanted to bring in the fish on the other end of that line. Lots of kids and adults were fishing at the water’s edge that day, wanting the same thing. But I’ve remembered that particular boy for one reason: he had a whole lot of trouble reaching his goal.

He slipped and slid down that beach, playing out his line, matching wits with the unknown. He hollered to his friends for help. The strain on his face, the tension in his biceps, was visible testament to his refusal to give up! He was absolutely compelling in his quest, and that made his story compelling.

So don’t make it easy for your protagonist to reach his or her goal. Make that protagonist work! Throw in obstacles, ramp up the troubles!

I guarantee you’ll land one whopper of a story.
Read More »
5 comments , , , ,
Powered by Blogger.

Copyright WOW! Women On Writing Blog. Designed by Georgia Lou Studios

Back to Top