Writer Career Guide and Counseling

Question: Who is the best writer from Hawaii today, someone who would be considered a writer of literary works? I'm interested in finding out if anyone with any indigenous Hawaiian blood is writing about the islands in a meaningful, literary way. I know publishers are trying to dictate what writers should write to increase sales, but is there anyone out there in Hawaii who really cares about the Hawaiian people and is bringing out their stories? I suppose the writer would have to know Hawaiian fairly well and use it in the text of the book. I can't seem to find anything on the web, so maybe you can help. Mahalo.

Answer: Well, the book critic @ the biggest daily newspaper out of Honolulu believes that 'best writer' is KIRBY WRIGHT. And who am I to disagree. Wright peppers his work with authentic Hawaiian words and also the local creole called 'pidgin English.' I was able to access his work online, which included chapters from his latest novel set on the island of Molokai—this is absolutely literary stuff, with pages devoted to the interior world of the narrator and a cool dreamscape. This writer is also a poet and his poem "Aloha, Lili'uokalani" appeared at the Queen's statue during the 10-year anniversary of the overthrow of her monarchy by Dole and Thurston. It's apparent Wright cares about the Hawaiian people.

Question: How can a writer develop a strong likable voice in their writing? What makes a writer stand out when you read, is it their word choice, sentence structure, dialogue? What is good dialogue? Should a writer have a lot of dialogue or more description? Do people like sad endings more the expected happy ones?

Answer: Soylent, what the asker means is 'how do you develop a distinctive style that will appeal to a reader'? That is to say, how do you make your voice as an author distinctive? Your writing style should say something about you. Are you the sort of person who's very matter-of-fact? Do you have weird ways of explaining things to people? Do you love poetic prose? Your writing style should link with you. Confidance is actually one of the things that makes me want to pick up the book- a confidant definite style means that the writer is someone you can trust (or at least gives that feeling). A love of words is also another thing I look for- how fluent are they? Can they use and choose words effectively? Books should have dialogue in, to cut up the action (unless you're writing a short story, where you don't have room for much dialogue). Too much dialogue will mean that it just sounds like a play and we don't spend any time with the characters; too much description, and the reader just gets bored. If you have to choose between dialogue and description- choose action. People are made up of actions- someone yawning in class is clearly bored by the class: we know without having to be told, that they are bored, and if they do it often in this class, that they are either bored by the subject or have sleeping trouble. Sad endings are better, generally, as they evoke more emotion. Happy endings are too definite, and sometimes it feels they negate the rest of the book. However, a sad ending wouldn't have worked in Pride and Prejudice, so it depends on the style of your book.

Question: What are the cliches to avoid as a writer with a protagnist who is a writer? This question is for any avid readers, aspring writers out there like myself, or any full blown authors out there who may be answering. I read a review which said that it's hard to avoid cliches when writing a story with a protagnist who is a writer, but the review never really went into depth about this. I was wondering if anyone knew what the cliches are. I would really like to know since I am curently composing a story about a writer.

Answer: It is very cliche. It has been done a LOT especially lately. Oddly, I haven't really read any that actually made the protagonist really sound like a writer or do the things a writer does. Cliches include - writers who are bipolar or depressed, writers who fall upon real mysteries while researching book mysteries, eccentric writers ... there are just SO many. I just read Death by Chick Lit - which was a satirical play on the stereotypical, cliche story about authors. It was cliche to the max - intentionally. The thing is - if you have done your character study of the person first, there shouldn't be any cliches. Being a writer isn't a character trait - it is just an occupation. Technically, you could write your entire character study for the person, then hang an occupation on them. He could be a butcher and have the same personality traits. Just make him a fleshed out person with a rich past, a full present and dreams for the future. If you have that kind of depth in a character, then give them the writing profession almost as an afterthought, it won't be cliche. If you start by making them an author, THEN trying to make them a fleshed out person, you will have a hard time avoiding cliche. It is all in how you approach the character. Does being a writer define HIM or is it the other way around? Pax - C

Question: How does one become a published writer? I am an aspiring writer, who wants to have books published in my future. Are there any special requirements to become a published writer? Is there a way to not go to college to become one? Finally, does anyone have good advice for becoming a published writer? Thank you.

Answer: Purchase "The Writer's Market" by Writers Digest Books, or sign up for access to the website. This resource contains a wealth of information on the publishing process, as well as current market contacts and proper formats for publishers. Step 2 Make a list of publishers to approach. Make sure that the publishers accept your genre. Step 3 Write a query letter in a format that's accepted by your target publisher. Include the genre, page count, targeted audience and your marketing plans. Response time can vary from a few days to a few months. Include a SASE for mailed query letters. Step 4 Prepare materials to send to interested publishers. This will vary by publisher, and is typically the first one to three chapters of a fiction manuscript, or a full proposal for a nonfiction book. Step 5 Send out more query letters, unless you encounter a publisher who requires an exclusive reading. If this is the case, ask for a specific time frame in which they will decide about publish your book. Step 6 Expect a phone call from an editor at the publishing house if they consider offering you a contract. Publishers typically want to know a bit more about an author before offering a book contract.

Question: How does someone become a manga writer in Japan? Japan has a number of manga digests with various stories from different authors. How does the submission process work for most manga publishers, and is it a different process from US or UK publishers? Do these companies accept new writers or do they require a writer with a track record? Do the majority accept finished stories from a writer/artist group or do some have an in-house artist that works with submitted scripts? Are there any guides on the subject of being published in the manga industry?

Answer: I'm not sure if this will help at all, but Tokyopop, one of the biggest manga publishers, has contact information on their website (www.tokyopop.com) where you could send an email to their Associate Publisher. They might have some more detailed information about submissions and submission guidelines that you could read/peruse. They also have a publication called "The Rising Stars of Manga" that may have been developed from their online pool of members -- I know the Tokyopop website has a lot of fan art and fan fiction, so that might be a place to start.

Question: How much money does a song writer and screen writer make a year? I love writing scripts and story lines (not for books, but for movies or television or plays). I also love writing songs. I have written about 9 plays for my school and I won a contest where we had to make a script for a movie. I would really like to be a screen writer and/or song writer when I get older, but I wanted to know if the salary is good. I didn't know what section to put this question under.

Answer: Depends how successful your screenplay or song is. You could be a multimillionaire or you could be on minimum wage doing this in your spare time.

Question: How does one become a grant writer or a proposal writer? I've heard about it and there are always a million listings on CraigsList for grant writers and proposal writers, but what is one and how do you train for it? I have seen grants and proposals come through occasionally at my job and they seem like long applications asking for project funding - nothing too special, just a lot of detail. It seems like if you follow the instructions, you can fill out the paperwork. Based on the job listings for grant writers, it does not seem that the writer has to know the field they are writing a grant for. Clarification anyone? Is it like doing taxes where just "filling out the paperwork" isn't enough?

Answer: Grant writing is more than filing the blanks and requires a LOT MORE thoughht than filing in taxes. There's no special education or certification required to be a grant writer, but you need to have: Excellent writing skills. You need not only know how to write, but you need to write extremely well. Your client's success in obtaining the grant hinges in large part on the quality of your written proposal. Whether you are writing for a request of $1,000 for a community activity or a $5 million research project, you must be able to clearly communicate how the funds will be effectively used to reach a worthwhile goal. Write, write and write constantly to practice and improve your writing skills. Clear understanding of the project process. Your role as a grant writer is to convert your clients' ideas and concepts into a workable and concrete program. You will serve as the bridge between the grant applicant and the grant provider, where your role is to put into writing the clients' concepts and transform it into a project that the funding institution will support. Your document must assure the funding institutions that their funds will be put to the best possible uses. You must have also loads of imagination. Part of your work will be to visualize how a $75,000 project, for example, is going to play out over three-year project duration. Strong research skills. More than just providing a well-written document, you need to possess strong research skills. Part of the work of the grant writer is the identification and selection of appropriate potential donors. You will research grant-making organizations and analyze them to identify likely funding sources for specific projects and programs. A philanthropic organization focusing on children's education is not likely to approve an application for a tree-planting project. Or an organization that funds medical research projects may not support a diversity project. You will increase the chances of getting the funds if you submit the proposal to the right institution. Discipline and organization. A grant writer must be able to keep track of grant application deadlines and follow-up on submitted applications. It is also essential to keep track of trends in the field and be aware of changes in the priorities of funding institutions, as well as new funding sources. Here are some resources on how to be a grantwriter Teaching Yourself to be a Grantwriter http://www.grantproposal.com/starting_in… Minnesota Council on Foundations Writing a Successful Grant Proposal http://www.mcf.org/mcf/grant/writing.htm American Association of Grant Professionals http://www.grantprofessionals.org Non profit Guides http://www.npguides.org/ GrantExperts.com http://www.grantexperts.com Association of Fund Raising Professionals http://www.afpnet.org/ Foundation Center http://foundationcenter.org/getstarted/l… You may also want to check out the following books Demystifying Grant Seeking: What You REALLY Need to Do to Get Grants I'll Grant You That: A Step-by-Step Guide to Finding Funds, Designing Winning Projects, and Writing Powerful Grant Proposals Winning Grants: Step by Step, 2nd Edition Grant Winner's Toolkit : Project Management and Evaluation Grant Writing For Dummies®

Question: How would a writer pay to make their stories into movies? So if someone writes a story and wants to make it into a movie, how would they do that? How would the writer pay for the productions and stuff?

Answer: You would have to adapt it into a screenplay, or either hire someone to do so. You can then pitch it to various production companies. If they buy it, they should pay the writer for his story. Alternatively, if your book is a big enough hit, it's likely that companies may be interested and contact you with offers. They may even have someone ready to adapt your book into a screenplay if you accept.

Question: What do publishers think about a writer changing genres? After a writer has published a few books of the same genre, how much will the publisher care if the writer wants to write in a different genre? Will it matter more if the writer is switching to a complete different genre such as mystery/thriller to romance? Is it better to make a small change such as fantasy to science fiction? If the writer does switch between different genres, will the readers be more likely to turn away from the books or will they be more interested in reading the books due to the writers versatility?

Answer: Some publishers care; most don't. Many writers simply change their nom de plum for other genre to solve the problem. I don't. I use my real, honest to goodness name for everything I write. It doesn't seem to make much difference at all because, I believe, the readers are not put off that I write in several different genre and tend to cross genre in many of my books. On the other hand, I think there are some advantages to writing under a different name for certain things. I wouldn't want my name associated with erotica. Not because I think there is anything wrong with erotica but because readers develop expectations after a while from a specific name and would be put off if I did that. Am I right? I don't know, but I am sure I don't want to find out. I believe the same would hold true if I decided to write mysteries. I would probably change my name to something appropriate to the genre in which I was working. That I write hard and soft science fiction, space opera, suspense/thriller, contemporary fantasy, ordinary fantasy, speculative fiction of all sorts, and science fact under the same name, however, has had no impact other than that it might be an advantage. A quick look inside the flap or at the back cover notifies the reader of what it is I'm writing and they may choose not to go any farther with it because that is not what they were looking for. In this business, name recognition is, in my opinion, more important than genre for promoting my work. Of course, I could be wrong on all counts. Experience, so far, has run counter to that view. Just my tuppence on the subject.... J. http://www.jrichardjacobs.net "The speed of the brain is inversely proportional to the speed of the mouth squared."

Question: What should a writer with no publisher credits put in a resume? I am a writer hoping to break into the freelance circuit. I have no credits to list. What can I put in my resume so it sounds professional? I know everyone has to start somewhere, but I feel like I'm caught in a catch 22. If you know anything about this, please help!

Answer: You are in the old resume Catch 22. Do you have a degree? Any college experience? School newspaper? Anything at all? Or can you tie any jobs you have had in to any type of technical writing or anything like that? Done any research? Those are the types of things you have to use on a resume to kind of "stretch" the truth just a bit. They are more or less unpaid experience. You may also have to offer to write a couple articles for local papers for free - just to get some tear sheets and your name out there so you have something to show. Consider it. LONG ago, my family owned a travel agency and I offered to write news articles on hot destinations for a local paper. They gave me so many inches to use and a by line, but zip money. But every time one came out, I had a tear sheet story I could add to my resume. Try it. What is your specialty? Contact a local paper. Pax-C