A Note from Cec

For this series, I've received an immense number of responses--and I'm thankful to each of you for the effort you expended to write.

I've been heavily involved with my virtual assistant, Twila Belk, in finishing up a book for early 2013 release. It's taken us about three months longer than I had anticipated. We're almost finished.

One question sent was whether these blog entries would appear in book form. Yes (so I can get Twila to stop nagging) and it will probably go into print the first part of 2013. (We'll notify you.)

Today someone asked what blogs I read on writing. I skim a number of them, but haven't found one I particularly like. I own perhaps 200 books on writing. A couple of months ago I bought two books by Mignon Fogarty. She writes brief entries, so I carry her book with me on my trips to read in those odd moments.

But the truth is that I've been writing full time since 1984, and I've learned many, many lessons (and I'm still learning). I'm at the stage where I need reminders more than new information.

Important Announcement from Twila

Do you have an angel story? Cec and I have a contract for a compilation book. Check out www.heavenlycompanybook.com for guidelines and submission details.

Do you have an angel story to tell but can't write it yourself? Email the details to heavenlycompany@gmail.com. If we believe the story has potential for the book, we will contact you for more information and will write it for you.

Deadline for story submissions is November 12.

Being Edited (Part 3 of 6)

To be successful as writers, we have to learn that we always need to learn. We never reach the place where someone can't improve our manuscripts. The struggle many of us face is that our writing isn't as good as we thought it was. Writers sometimes beg me to read their articles and say, "Just be honest. Correct anything you see."

They use the correct words, but they rarely mean them. They usually mean, "Tell me how wonderfully I write." Until someone points out their weaknesses, they don't see them.

That's been true for me and I've become a better writer for having been edited. Although that's true, I wrote for several years before I could look at an edited manuscript and detach myself emotionally.

These days, my wife reads everything of mine before it goes out and sometimes my assistant, Twila, peeks at my work. Through the years I've learned to be thankful for Shirley's excellent eye. I'm embarrassed when a bad sentence sneaks past me; I'm grateful when she asks, "Can you clarify that point?" Or Twila will ask, "Did you leave out a few words?"

Serious writers can find help and they'll accept help because they're serious. They can take on-line courses or correspondence courses; they can attend conferences; they can read books on writing. We have such an abundance of resources that it leaves us no excuses for not improving our writing. I believe that writers learn best by being part of an editing group as an ongoing, learning experience.

Serious writers continue to learn
because they're serious.