Metro Review

When to Get an Agent or Literary Manager

admin — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Writers often wonder when it is time to find a literary agent or manager. As a writer the first thing you should know before finding either is the differences between them. Both work for you, however, an agent will actively seek out work and assignments for you while a manager is more about marketing your already completed work. This does not mean a manager will not obtain work for you. It simply means that they will be seeking people to pay for your ideas instead of telling you what to write. Another difference is that an agent is mandated by laws that govern each state concerning employment, while a manager works based on the contract between parties without state laws involved. Regardless of which one you are seeking, you know it is time to find one when you are ready to start actively marketing your material. If you are looking for jobs and do not know where to begin, it is time to start seeking an agent. They have access to resources and job listings that the average writer does not. If you have completed your manuscript and want to put it out there, it is time to hire either one.

Page Counts for Novels, Plays and Screenplays

admin — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 00:00:00 +0000

How much is enough and how much is too much when it comes to writing? So, just how long are different manuscripts suppose to be? Here’s the low down.
Generally speaking a hard-cover novel can range anywhere from 100 to 600 pages long. Paper-backs, on the other hand, are more restrictive in their length: 140 to 320 pages.
One act plays assuming they run 20 to 30 minutes will have between 20 and 30 pages while a three act play lasting 1 to 2 hours will need about 90 to 120 pages. A lot will depend on whether your characters spend all of their time talking or not.
Screenplays, particularly if they are for television, must fall within a specific time limit. The show can not run over just because you have given your characters too much to say. A half hour TV script should be 25 to 40 pages while full hour TV shows are 55 to 70. Once again the difference depends on the ratio of action to talking.
Movies with a run time between 1 to 2 hours will require between 120-250 pages.
Pages are presumed to be double space with approximately 250 words to a page.

How to Find Writing Submission Opportunities

admin — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Looking for a place online where you can submit your material for publication is not that hard a process. Just go to any search engine like Google and search for freelance writing sites. You will be really pleased at how many online sites are available for your written articles, poems, short stories or blogs. A really great site that will have you published as soon as you join and submit a written fiction, non fiction or even photographic art submission is writing submission site, www.triond.com. That site is one of the best place online for new writers or for old experienced writers. The community at the site is very friendly and the editors do a great job at getting you published. Another great online site for your writing is article writing site, www.factoidz.com. The site is full of free lance writing opportunities as well as a great site for publishing your work online. One of the great things about writing for either site is that you will earn royalties on your writing based on viewers that you can attract to your published online work. Besides these two great sites, there are free communities everywhere online that will give you room for a blog. Some blogging sites make you pay to publish a blog. There is no reason to pay for an online blog unless you really are selling online and use your blog as a storefront. For simply writing online in a blog, you can find a plethora of sites that will allow you to blog for free.

A Few Thoughts on eBooks

www.metroreview.com — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Writing is no longer an occupation for those who exclusively appreciate things like good penmanship, as even many prolific authors no longer use the traditional paper-based approach. It’s probably not long before books are written in their entirety with little more than wireless internet service and a mobile device, as software can now easily allow you to type, edit and take notes on a manuscript all while an unspecified number of trees continue to grow undisturbed. Not to mention, as eReaders continue to move off shelves, perhaps a book’s entire life cycle can exist purely in virtual space. Alas, while many writers long for a simpler time and romanticize the hand-written page, the comparative ease with which a writer can practice his or her craft is indisputably improved. There are advantages, mind you to writing to the fight in this ever-changing new age of technology. eBooks offer high profit margins and can be produced with relative ease, with or without the backing of a publishing company, due to comparatively low production costs and the resulting increase in profit margins. Yes, it is tough to sell your own eBook or create any sort of buzz for an author without an established name or the inherent credibility from a past string of sellers, but if you have the time and desire, writing specifically for the eBook market can be financially rewarding. A few things to keep in mind:Know who you’re writing for eBooks are often extremely targeted, focusing more on niche markets than at-large readerships. As a result, it is necessary to do the research and get to know your audience as intimately as possible.Be specific eBooks generally sell better when they offer information that is clear, concise, pragmatic and accurate. Conversely, if your eBooks is little more than a ploy to make a few quick bucks, your efforts are likely to be fruitless. It may sound obvious, but answer questions you know the answer to or at least can take a well-informed, compelling stand on, full of as much unique thought and good writing as possible.Familiarize yourself with the online space If perhaps you are not as quick on the uptake with all things online, it may require a further understanding of how internet transactions and internet marketing works, in order to provide a forum for transaction and actually get the word out about your work. Whether it’s a class at a local college or simply some outside reading that gets you up to speed, it doesn’t make sense to attempt to market yourself in an arena you don’t adequately understand.

The Art of the Haiku

admin — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 15:36:48 +0000

It was Robert Browning who first coined the phrase “Less is more” in his 1855 poem, “Andrea del Sarto.” In retrospect, were Browning more in touch with the Japanese arts, he probably would’ve included his most famous line as part of a Haiku to further illustrate its meaning. A haiku is a form of poetry defined by its basic syllable structure. In order for a poem to qualify as a haiku (of course who really knows what qualifies as a poem), the passage must be exactly three lines long. The top line should contain 5 syllables, the second line expands to 7 syllables, while the final line reverts to 5 syllables, giving the collective work a sense of symmetry. Aside from those basic rules, almost anything goes in the haiku world. Take for example,”Breakfast, lunch, dinner,Jackpot hippopotamus,Once upon a time.”-Anonymous, 2010This is a perfectly acceptable haiku, though far from an intelligent collection of words. Notice how “Breakfast, lunch, dinner” contains 5 syllables, “Jackpot hippopotamus” has 7 and “Once upon a time” is back to 5. Obviously, word choice and/or prevailing theme have little to no bearing on the poem’s classification. Despite concern among some writers that the haiku’s brief form is not enough space to convey deep thought, many writers find the short structure to be a refreshing challenge or merely admire the simplicity. Of course, unlike the example above, most writers do choose to make sensible sentences, often using haikus to describe something beautiful in nature. Strict Japanese haiku traditionalists may abide by a few additional requirements in their writing. Such poems would contain a “kigo,” or a word that symbolizes the season of the poem (i.e. snow for winter, flower for spring), though westernized haiku poets generally contend that further restriction beyond structure isn’t necessary. Thanks to their inherent brevity, Haiku writing is a great exercise for novice poets to get started. Try writing one yourself

A rundown of the Pulitzer Prize

www.metroreview.com — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 15:23:33 +0000

For American wordsmiths across the country and abroad, the Pulitzer Prize is the highest honor attainable, aside from perhaps the Nobel Peace Prize, which everyone should strive for regardless of chosen profession. Still, for such a distinguished award, it seems as if an excessive amount of recipients across varying disciplines claim to have won a Pulitzer. This is in part due to the diverse categorizations eligible to receive the prize, spanning the arts from journalism to creative writing. In the field of journalism these categories include Public Service, Breaking News Reporting, Explanatory Reporting, Local Reporting, National Reporting, International Reporting, Feature Writing, Commentary, Criticism, Editorial Writing, Editorial Cartooning Breaking News Photography and Feature Photography. The remaining writing-based categories consist of Fiction, Drama, History, Biography or Autobiography, Poetry and General Non-Fiction. There is also a Pulitzer Prize for Music to recognize an artist who made a valuable music contribution during the previous calendar year, though these are generally composers as opposed to recording artists you might find on the top 40 hits chart.The prize, named for its founder Joseph Pulitzer, was first awarded in 1917, 6 years after Pulitzer’s death. Pulitzer is famous for founding the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, not to mention owning the New York World, a true heavyweight in the field of journalism in his time.If you are an accomplished author or journalist wondering why you’ve never won a Pulitzer, or perhaps you have found the last 240 some-odd words to be incredibly informative, well-written and award-worthy, then perhaps you would like to know a little more about the selection process. Pulitzers are awarded by an independent review board, though not all applicable works in the media are automatically considered, rather only works those that have been formally entered. A 50 fee is required for each entry, and each work can only be submitted for consideration in a maximum of two categories.

Is Grammar Dying Before Our Eyes?

www.metroreview.com — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 15:16:35 +0000

The fundamental point of maintaining good grammar is to establish clear guidelines so that written words can be understood properly, staying true to its desired interpretation. Of course, on the other hand, if one were to write the phrase, “I’m gonna go home,” nearly everyone would clearly walk away knowing exactly what was meant. The debate between proper grammar, as defined by say the AP Stylebook, and linguistic styling continues to rage across all disciplines of the written word. Some writers contend that in creative writing grammar is simply a restrictive measure that stifles creativity. Particularly in an age when everyone with a computer and an internet connection can become a published author within the day, is there even really a point in policing or condemning the writing of others simply for lack of punctuation?Conversely, adhering to common grammar guidelines, which is less and less common in this digital era, now serves as an easy way to separate intelligent writers from those who might as well have accidentally sat on their keyboard. Assuming the good, grammar-abiding writers aren’t lost in the clutter, properly written words shine even brighter when surrounded by poorly formed sentences (often times just sentence fragments, if we were to get technical). In this sense, grammar can be used semi-consciously to give inherent credibility to the author of a web posting or internet article. At the same time it can also undermine writers with less polish. There will always be a place for proper grammar no matter the medium through which words appear.This is not to say there aren’t perfectly acceptable times in which grammar should play second or third fiddle. After all, would Mark Twain’s Adventures of Tom Sawyer be celebrated as the same epic achievement if Tom fully pronounced every suffix? In such cases where a lack of grammar preserves authenticity common rules should be avoided; however, there is a clear cut difference between intentionally disregarding grammar and sloppy writing.

How to Spice up your Writing

admin — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 15:10:17 +0000

Even great writers aren’t great all the time; we all have our on and off days. Have you ever sat back and read something you’ve written, literally struggling to turn the page out of sheer boredom? Granted sometimes people have interests or assignments that cater more towards an encyclopedia than the best seller list; still, just because something is accurate and informative doesn’t mean it has to read like an obituary. For those who struggle to naturally think outside the box, rarely incorporating a whimsical allusion or descriptively quirky adjective, here are a few tips to help uncork your creative juices and spice up your everyday writing.Mind-mapping Mind mapping is common practice among creatives in the field of advertising, the root of some of the most memorable, off-the-wall commercials that have ever graced the television set. The process starts with the central product and maybe an attribute or two you are trying to emphasize. For a creative writer’s purpose, the map should center around the theme or protagonist. A journalist may choose to place the issue at hand or main figure in his or her story at the map’s center. Moving outward from the maps center, simply write the first word or two that comes to mind, creating a ’6 degrees of separation’ type effect as the you read towards the page’s edge. This may help you come up with connections you would have never thought of, were you trying to brainstorm on a deeper level.Read what great writers write Plagiarism is an ugly word, but imitation is the highest form of flattery. Don’t copy another’s actual sentences, but emulating the writing style of your favorite authors is not only acceptable but encouraged. This goes for reporters, sports writers, authors, poets, what-have-you. Of course, it’s hard to fashion yourself after accomplished wordsmiths if your nose has never found its way into a book.Take the edge off Whatever it is you do to loosen yourself up, say on a date, try it when you write. Writing should not be a stiff, nerve-racking process; if it is, your words will come out stiff as well. Have a drink, light up a cigarette/cigar, turn on some music, take a nap (though not recommended for dating). Whatever you do, just make sure you’re in a good place both physically and mentally when your pen hits paper.

Breaking Free from Writer’s Block

admin — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 15:05:10 +0000

No matter how technically proficient your grammar skills may be or how succinctly and poignantly you can convey information, the greatest influence on good writing is inspiration. Whether fiction or non-fiction, long form or short form, inspired writing simply makes for better reading. However, even the most creative word wizards in the world can suffer from writer’s block from time to time, making it difficult to put pen to paper. Here are a few tips to help out when all of a sudden your narrative voice is rendered speechless.Write something No, this isn’t intended to make light of your extended brain freeze. The advice is simple; write something, literally anything. Keep a running diary of your mundane daily tasks, transcribe conversations you’re having with friends and family, finally get started on that never-to-be-seen love letter to the ex-girlfriend you’re not allowed to talk to. A working connection between your writing hand and whatever form of self-monologue monitors your decision making process is an integral part of the writing process.Get away from the desk You don’t have to scale a towering mountain peak to finally find inspiration, but sometimes you do have remove yourself from the shackles of your desk and the judgmental stare of a blank computer screen. Perhaps it’s best just to think throughout the course of your day-to-day activities. For example, try taking a 1-hour power shower. Much like a power nap in that ends with freshness and rejuvenation, a power shower allows time for the brain to wander, long after basic body maintenance is complete, while firmly entrenched in a supremely clean and comfortable setting.Surround yourself with friends Struggling writers are too often portrayed as shut-ins who avoid contact until their next idea finally forces itself forward. Avoiding human contact could not be more counterproductive. A funny thing tends to happen when you sit down with friends; memories flow like wine. Perhaps you’ll hear an old story with fresh ears and take something away from it you can use.