Short Fiction

I grew up reading the short stories of Arthur C. Clarke.  Short story collections still exist, but most authors who write short fiction do so for literary journals.  Short stories don't reach the larger reading public to the degree that they used to.

Writing short fiction takes a lot of talent and discipline.  One must work on a smaller canvas, and that means plot, characterization, and pacing have to click off with great precision.  Most great writers from decades past began by writing short stories, and I am left wondering if so many very successful writers today have rambling, poorly constructed plots because they never cut their teeth on short fiction.  Maybe they simply haven't put in the hard work and discipline that it takes to write a really great short story.

Short stories were generally practiced by authors of literary fiction, and with literary fiction falling into the midlist (with notable exceptions), short fiction may be suffering because fewer writers wish to explore these traditional waters.  And then there are the millions of aspiring writers who want to pen the blockbuster novel.  They want to write thrillers and haul in millions of dollars.  They have tunnel vision and don't want to learn their craft and pay their dues.

It's a pity more people don't spend time writing short stories.  A real pity.

~ William Hammett 

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Is Journal Writing Worth the Effort?

Before blogs, many people jotted down their daily musings in a notebook, finding the act of writing with a ballpoint pen to be relaxing.  People also kept journals to simply stay in the habit of writing.  I personally don't keep a journal, but for some people it keeps the muse flowing, and that's never a bad thing.  It is the idea behind Ray Bradbury's advice to keep the connection strong between your brain and fingers, regardless of what you're writing about.

It is also a good idea to keep a journal if you think you might be interested in writing your memoirs one day.  A journal can be an invaluable source of information on events, times, and your emotions through the years.  Many people approach me to write their memoirs but have no source materials to draw from, relying only on their memories.  Keeping a diary or journal ensures that you know exactly what transpired in your life, and it provides important motivations for what you are doing at any given moment.  You can also create powerful and vivid descriptions of scenes that might otherwise fade from memory.

But maybe we should write more often for the sheer sake of writing.  One need only read the beautiful, almost lyrical, letters written by young soldiers during World War II.  These eighteen-year-old men, with only high school educations, wrote some of the most poignant letters I have ever read.  There was a greater emphasis on language and the written word in previous generations, and it's sad that this emphasis is slowing being eroded by terse emails and tweets. 

Is journal writing worth the effort?  I'd say yes.

~ William Hammett

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Print-on-Demand

Print-on-Demand ( or POD) is very popular since people can now publish their work without having to worry about rejection slips from agents or publishers.  This is a healthy trend since a lot of books are published every year that shouldn't see the light of day, and many worthy books are passed over.  To restrict the flow of ideas is almost Orwellian in nature.

But there are a few caveats when approaching print-on-demand publishers.  The basic price from iUniverse, which helped start the POD revolution, was only $99 ten years ago.  Today, prices from POD publishers range from $400 to $1600.  Always check out sample books from the publisher you are approaching to verify that its production values are high and that the cover art is professionally done.

The biggest problem with POD publishers is that they attempt to upsell you with package publishing deals--services that you really don't need.  Their sales reps attempt to get you to buy extra services to promote your book, put you in contact with agents, take you to the next level of publishing, and, in general, position your book to become a bestseller.

Here's the reality about these packages.  The promotional services usually include sending out a one-page press release about your book.  The book is also sent to reviewers who will allegedly help get your title some visibility.  The problem is that the press releases and advance review copies are sent to people, newspapers, and magazines that have little, if any, interest in your topic or genre. The POD companies have a generic list of publications and reviewers that they send all books to.  In the long run, you may get a brief review (which may be more of a summary of your book than a review) and a few lines in an obscure publication.  The reality is that few sales are ever generated by these publicity packages.  The average POD title sells 148 copies to family and friends unless the author, as is sometimes the case, has some advertising and promotional savvy, as well as a platform and credentials to more effectively create interest in the title.

The companies sometimes charge an additional fee to list the book on the Amazon or Barnes and Nobles websites, but any POD fee should include this service as part of the basic plan since anyone can put his or her book on Amazon for free.

In terms of putting you in touch with literary agents, most respectable agents have nothing to do with print-on-demand companies.  If you self-publish your book, agents will become interested in your title if you sell 10,000 copies or more.  If that happens, you will have no trouble getting a return email from an A-list agent.  For a fee, the POD company may indeed send your book to an agent, but don't expect to get representation.

In short, there is nothing in these add-on packages that you can't do more effectively yourself.  Print-on-demand companies take advantage of their customers' lack of knowledge about the publishing industry.  Work hard, but work smart.  Don't pay for unnecessary and ineffective services.

~ William Hammett

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Literary Agents

There was a time when an author could submit novels or nonfiction directly to a publisher.  As recently as the early 1990s, it was possible to send material to a particular editor at a major publishing house.  In the past fifteen years, however, direct submissions have been closed to almost all mainstream publishers with a few exceptions, such as Tor/Forge and some independent presses.  One now needs a literary agent.

Literary agents have been the gatekeepers as to what gets published and what doesn't for many years.  Even when direct submissions to publishers was still possible, the vast majority of books acquired by publishers were the result of agented submissions.  Agents knew where to submit a manuscripts and could secure a better, more profitable contract for their clients.

Getting agent representation has never been easy--rejection rates have hovered between 95% and 98% for many years--but it is now even harder to land an A-list agent.  With the advent of computers and word processing, it became somewhat easier to produce a manuscript.  Typing several revisions on a typewriter was a daunting, time-consuming endeavor, but MS WORD now allows the process to go a bit faster.  People also want to write books because they see how successful genre fiction has become.  The result is that agents receive more queries and book proposals than ever, and even with junior agents combing through the slushpiles, it is difficult to read every single submission in a timely fashion.  Many queries, in fact, go unanswered if the query shows no promise, and many agents just don't have time to return thousands of queries via snail mail regardless of whether return envelopes with postage were included.

Agents are also focusing more and more on seeing who is "breaking through" in self-publishing since many authors have been able to sell tens of thousands of copies of eBooks on Amazon, Smashwords, and other sites that offer books for electronic readers, such as the Kindle, Nook, and other digital platforms.  If an agent can find an author who has already gained an audience, it makes selling that author to a mainstream publisher that much easier.

Agents are an important part of the literary marketplace.  They work tirelessly to secure contracts for their clients.  More authors are turning to options such as Kindle Direct Publishing, but for those writers still seeking agents, it is imperative to send a great query letter with an irresistible hook, one written flawlessly.  There's a lot of competition out there. 

~ William Hammett

Index of Articles

Promoting Your Book

How does one promote a book in an age when even large mainstream publishers are cutting back on promotional dollars, allowing even excellent books to sink to the midlist?  In an age when people self-publish eBooks or use POD, the question of promotion is important for all authors.

First, I can tell you what not to do.  There are many Print-on-Demand companies and ghostwriting firms (really POD companies) that will try to upsell you on "package deals," such as promotional kits.  The promotional services amount to a company sending out press releases, securing reviews for the book, and making the book available online.  The press releases and reviews are ineffectual and usually result in no sales at all since they are sent to people around the country who have no real interest in your book's topic or genre.  They're just on the payroll of the company and get some money tossed their way for a quick review or a mention at the bottom of some obscure publication.  And anyone can put a book on Amazon or Barnes and Noble for free.

You need to take matters into your own hands.  Make an email list to announce your book, making sure you don't spam anyone.  It's crucial to have a website for your book, a personal author website, or both.  Creating a blog to talk about your book and its topic or genre is also mandatory if you expect people to notice your title.  Interact with other bloggers.  The above sites should all be linked so people can navigate from one to the other.

It's also imperative that you use social media to promote your book.  Talk about the title on your Facebook page and create a separate Facebook "author fan page."  Create a twitter account and send out tweets about your book and your other promotional activities.  Give away free copies of your book, and, if possible, get endorsements from other authors (or celebrities).  Make sure you have an online presence on appropriate sites, such as Goodreads.

If possible, arrange book signings at local and indie bookstores.  These days, your book's success is pretty much in your hands.  And that's not such a bad thing.

~ William Hammett

Index of Articles

What Is Developmental Editing?

Most people are aware that books are edited before they are published.  Editing is usually regarded as proofreading to correct basic grammatical mistakes or spot omitted words.  And this is certainly one valid definition of editing.  It's called line editing, and is a basic proofing without much thought of a book's content.

Developmental editing, on the other hand, is far more involved.  A developmental editor must deal with issues of pacing, characterization, plot, believability, and style, to name just a few areas that are addressed in the process.  Sections of a book are "massaged," often rewritten to smooth out the bumps and any awkward sections.  Additions are made (or suggested to the author), and frequently large sections of text that slow the pace of the book, or which are simply unnecessary, are removed.  Editors call this "trimming the fact." 

Almost all successful books go through some degree of developmental editing, and this applies to even the work of the most famous authors in the literary marketplace.  Acquiring editors at major publishing houses get out their fabled blue pencils and litter the margins of manuscripts with thousands of suggestions and changes.  Often, developmental editors are hired to actually execute these changes.

There has always been a tug of war between authors and editors, but the reality in mainstream publishing is that all books get edited.  Wise writers acknowledge that they may be too close to their work and accept constructive criticism--and the editing that goes with it.

~ William Hammett

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Writing as a Full-time Job

The average book published by a mainstream press sells only 14,500 copies nationwide.  Not a way to get rich, right?  Many people who ask me to ghostwrite their books think that they have a blockbuster and movie deal on their hands.  Regrettably, getting a book into print doesn't ensure fame or fortune.  Most books no longer receive a great deal of promotional money from publishers, and titles sink to what publishing houses call the mid-list.  It's for books that break even or make less than expected.  Sometimes books lose money.

Only about five percent of all writers in the United States can make a living and pay their bills through the occupation of writing.  I'm lucky to be in that small percentage.   I write under my own name as well as ghostwrite fiction and nonfiction.  I was a teacher for many years, and while it was a rewarding career, there came a point when it was time to move on.  I have written full-time for fifteen years now.

It's not easy earning one's living as a writer.  For me, it took many years to hone my skills, and I collected a lot of rejection slips.  I eventually published short fiction and poetry in literary journals and then published novels with small and independent presses.  I still do.  I also ghostwrite and edit.

It keeps food on the table.  I'm one of the lucky ones.

~ William Hammett

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The Rewards of Being a Writer

I published John Lennon and the Mercy Street Café in 2007.  It's still in print and still sells.  It wasn't a blockbuster by any means, but it sold moderately over the years, and that was good enough for me.  It is a novel of magical realism in which John Lennon finds himself standing in Grand Central Station in the twenty-first century, unaware that he was assassinated.  The book had a profoundly metaphysical slant, and I always described it as a rock and roll Field of Dreams.  W. P. Kinsella brought back Shoeless Joe Jackson; I brought back John Lennon.

Over the years, I have received email from people who said that they either enjoyed the book or that it spoke to their hearts and inspired them in various ways.  The book also sold in Eastern Europe, where Beatlemania is still alive thanks to the fall of Communism.  The book was even required reading in a few college course in magical realism.  Cool, huh?

I didn't get rich from the book, but as I said in the previous post, I believe I was supposed to write the novel.  Something wanted to be said, and I was its instrument.  The fact that people found the book and emailed me to say that it meant something in their lives was very gratifying.  I file it under "nice work when you can get it."  Thanks to those who read my humble offering.

~ William Hammett

Index of Articles

Writing as a Mystical Process

Is writing simply sitting at the computer keyboard and putting words on the screen and then printing them out or uploading them to an eBook site?  Do authors simply get ideas, outline them, and then pound out the words?  The answer is yes--they very often do--but I humbly suggest that when artists in any medium are doing their best work, they are channeling what it is that wants to be written or expressed.

This is not a new concept.  Writers, painters, and musicians have said this for thousands of years.  Noel Paul Stookey, the "Paul" of Peter, Paul and Mary, refused to accept royalties for "The Wedding Song," which he wrote for Peter Yarrow's wedding.  Stookey claimed that the song was given to him in answer to prayer and that he was simply the vehicle for what God wished to express.  Accordingly, he put the song into the Public Domain.

I was pleasantly surprised when I read the same philosophy in the preface of Jeff Herman's Guide to Book Publishers, Editors, and Literary Agents.  This powerhouse agent said that after all is said and done, a writer needs the humility to get out of the way of the story and allow something larger to come through the writing process.  I think Herman has it right.

Humility doesn't come easy to any human being, and when we create something of great meaning, we naturally want credit for it.  There's nothing wrong with copyrights and royalty checks.  After a certain point, however, we must admit that our skills and aptitudes are given to us at birth.  At our best, we are expressions of greater truths.  This is why it is so thrilling to find and read a book that truly inspires the reader.  We see something that we never saw before, or we see it in a new light.

Not everyone will accept this.  It takes faith, but without faith that my words come from a greater source of wisdom than my own brain, I don't think I could do what I do.

~ William Hammett

Index of Articles

Writing Celebrity Memoirs

Writing memoirs for celebrities, politicians, and CEOs is interesting an enjoyable work.  It can also be extremely challenging.  Celebrity autobiographies are usually very long, and those who have gained fame or some level of notoriety or accomplishment in their lives usually want a full accounting of their lives and how they "made it."  Who can blame them?  To become an actor, senator, or CEO is not easy, and the climb to the top usually comprises the first hundred pages of the book.

It takes a great deal of interview time to sort through the anecdotes, relationships, and accomplishments of celebrities and then organize them.  Even more important is the need to give the autobiography the genuine narrative voice of the celebrity.  This requires consummate writing and interviewing skills.  One has to "nail" the expressions and linguistic flow of the client.

Is it always fun?  No.  Sometimes celebrities have a bit too much attitude and attempt to micromanage the writing.  But it's always interesting.  And a ghostwriter or collaborator learns quickly that these famous men and women are humans like the rest of us.

~ William Hammett

Index of Articles

Writing a Novel

Almost everyone says at some point in their lives, "I want to write a book," or "I have a novel in me."  Because of time constraints and the demands of everyday life, few people ever realize this dream.

Writing a book of any type is hard work.  Writing a novel is especially challenging since it goes beyond "how to build a widget."  The novelist must create a compelling premise, realistic characters, and a believable world for them to inhabit.  It's hard work.

So how does one go about writing a novel?  There's no single way, and perhaps the muse guides us all differently.  One can always jump headlong into the process by accepting the challenge of NaNoWriMo, or National Novel Writing Month.  Participants are expected to produce a full-length novel, usually 90,000 words in length, in 30 days.  (November is when the challenge takes place each year.)  It's great practice, but can one learn to write a compelling work of fiction in thirty days?  Maybe.  Ray Bradbury said that he wrote the first draft for Fahrenheit 451 in seven days.  But not everyone is Ray Bradbury.

To produce a quality work of fiction--book-length--usually tales several months.  Sometimes, it takes years.  My ghostwriting clients give me outlines or synopses, which can be executed in about four to five months, give or take depending on the length of the novel.  And that's fine.  Some of these novels have done well.

Personally, I think that novels must, in a real sense, write themselves.  An author can have a distant guiding star to direct the plot, but it is dangerous to tell the characters what they're going to do.  They must tell the writer what they should be doing.  One can over-outline a novel, leaving the work without much life or energy.  Novels need to grow organically.

But perhaps this applies to literary fiction as opposed to genre fiction.  Genre fiction is easier to execute (this is a gross generalization) and might lend itself to outlines.

When writing under my own name, I allow a story to take me where it wants to go.  That's when the magic happens.

~ William Hammett  

Index of Articles

Ghostwriting

Ghostwriting is an unusual occupation.  At parties, people ask me if I write about ghosts.  Ghostwriting, of course, has been around as long as publishing has existed.  It is estimated that one third of all books purchased have been ghostwritten or developmentally edited by ghostwriters.  Ghostwriters are used quite frequently by politicians and celebrities who do not possess the writing skills to produce their own publishable manuscripts.

Ghostwriters also are used more frequently in this age of genre fiction, in which writers of thrillers, science fiction, romance, and horror are expected to produce several novels a year or create a franchise for their fiction.  Detective series are a perfect example.  Some collaborations are "open," and one need only look at the number of novels written by James Patterson to see that he uses a stable of writers to execute his outlines and ideas even though his name will always be written in large letters on the cover of the book.

Finally, many published authors eventually discover that mainstream publication is not the royal road to riches.  They frequently turn to ghostwriting in order to supplement their income or write in other genres under a pseudonym.

~ William Hammett 

Index of Articles

Believe in Your Work
Children's Nonfiction: It's Now More Popular
The Craft of Writing
Daily Transit Public Ridership
The eBook Revolution
Fifty Shades of Boring
George Clayton Johnson: Fictioneer by Vivien Kooper
Ghostwriting: The Decline of Professionalism
How Long Does It Take to Write a Novel?
Is Journal Writing Worth the Effort?
Literary Agents
Kindle Direct Publishing (Select)
The Novella is Back and Thriving
Print-on-Demand
Promoting Your Book
The Quest for Literary Representation
The Rewards of Being a Writer
Short Fiction
Smashwords
What Is Developmental Editing
Why Do People Write?
Writing Celebrity Memoirs
Writing a Novel
Writing as a Full-time Job
Writing as a Mystical Process
You Own the Copyright to Your Literary Property
Zen in the Art of Writing

The Novella is Back and Thriving

For many years, novellas were second-class citizens in literature.  They appeared in literary journals or anthologies, but literary fiction longer than a short story but shorter than a novel had a hard time finding a home.  Stephen King wrote several novellas and published them in collections such as Four Past Midnight, but then he was Stephen King, right?

Novellas continue to be published by literary journals, but they now have a second chance at life--and at mass distribution.  With the eBook revolution, short fiction is popular.  People are reading short stories and novellas on digital platforms in record numbers. People want a quick read, and sales indicate that they like short fiction on their Kindles, Nooks, or cell phones.  They don't want to read War and Peace on a small electronic device.   Short fiction for sale in the Amazon Kindle Store ranges from ten pages to one hundred pages.

Traditionally, novellas were longer than fifteen thousand words but shorter than sixty-five thousand words, the latter word count being the benchmark among editors for what they would entertain as a novel.

Novellas have an important place in the history of letters.  It's good to see they are once again being read in larger numbers.

~ William Hammett

Index of Articles

Believe in Your Work
Children's Nonfiction: It's Now More Popular
The Craft of Writing
Daily Transit Public Ridership
The eBook Revolution
Fifty Shades of Boring
George Clayton Johnson: Fictioneer by Vivien Kooper
Ghostwriting: The Decline of Professionalism
How Long Does It Take to Write a Novel?
Is Journal Writing Worth the Effort?
Literary Agents
Kindle Direct Publishing (Select)
The Novella is Back and Thriving
Print-on-Demand
Promoting Your Book
The Quest for Literary Representation
The Rewards of Being a Writer
Short Fiction
Smashwords
What Is Developmental Editing
Why Do People Write?
Writing Celebrity Memoirs
Writing a Novel
Writing as a Full-time Job
Writing as a Mystical Process
You Own the Copyright to Your Literary Property
Zen in the Art of Writing

Ghostwriting: The Decline of Professionalism

Anyone can declare himself to be a ghostwriter in the age of the Internet.  Adds abound on About.com and eHow.com, declaring, "You can work at home!  Become a ghostwriter or editor!  Here are the seven easy steps!"

Unfortunately, a majority of the thousands of ghostwriters and editors advertising on the web do not have the credentials to be professional ghostwriters or editors.  I studied writing, editing, research, and textual criticism in graduate school.  Later I paid my dues as an editor, wrote promotional material for Tulane University, published newspaper articles, and published poetry and short fiction in respected literary journals.  I wrote novels under my own name, worked with literary agents, and only then did I hang out my shingle and begin writing for clients.

Most people looking for a ghostwriter are ignorant of the publishing industry and the literary marketplace.  They therefore are in a position of weakness when looking for someone to write their book or memoir.  Ghostwriting companies, with very few exceptions, use many unethical practices in securing clients.  Independent ghostwriters produce poor quality work and have little experience.  Most people contact writers with little experience and little or no knowledge of publishing. 

I invite you to read my blog Ghostwriting and Editing: An Exposé by William Hammett to learn more about the online ghostwriting industry.  You may also learn about the profession and ethics of ghostwriting by clicking on my official ghostwriting website in the sidebar, as well as reading other blogs on writing and ghostwriting.

Don't get ripped off.  Do your homework before hiring a ghostwriter or editor.

~ William Hammett

Index of Articles

Believe in Your Work
Children's Nonfiction: It's Now More Popular
The Craft of Writing
Daily Transit Public Ridership
The eBook Revolution
Fifty Shades of Boring
George Clayton Johnson: Fictioneer by Vivien Kooper
Ghostwriting: The Decline of Professionalism
How Long Does It Take to Write a Novel?
Is Journal Writing Worth the Effort?
Literary Agents
Kindle Direct Publishing (Select)
The Novella is Back and Thriving
Print-on-Demand
Promoting Your Book
The Quest for Literary Representation
The Rewards of Being a Writer
Short Fiction
Smashwords
What Is Developmental Editing
Why Do People Write?
Writing Celebrity Memoirs
Writing a Novel
Writing as a Full-time Job
Writing as a Mystical Process
You Own the Copyright to Your Literary Property
Zen in the Art of Writing