The first step in writing about art is the most important and also the most challenging- the choice of subject. The subject chosen should be accessible, within one’s scope of comprehension and make for interesting and inspirational writing at the same time. Further, while approaching a work, it is essential to analyze the context.
When you enter a museum, are you gripped by its aura and sanctity or do the hallways remind you of other places? Usually, museums are designed in such a manner so as to portray a work of art as “free” or sans any external influence and distractions. The walls are white, the environment bears pin-drop silence and the floors are carpeted so as to smother the sound of footsteps. Even after so much precaution, a work of art remains far from “free” because our analysis and appreciation of a piece (positive or negative) is based on individual perception which is governed by the world and our experiences outside the museum walls. Therefore, the purity and sanctity of art is bound to be adulterated. Therefore, the ideal gallery is one that removes all sources of interference and displays art in its actual context. Furthermore, once a subject is chosen, it should be looked at with a “blank” mind; i.e., you should curb your desire to relate it to personal memories and experiences because personalizing it would snatch away the intellectual facet and mystique and most likely, make readers lose interest in the essay. An effective way of creating an interesting an thoughtful essay is to chose a piece you like and try to create a “dialogue” between yourself and the painting. Try to express “what the painting wants to say”. Imbibe a sense of exploration while writing about art as it adds more dimensions and sustains the reader’s interest.
Showing posts with label writing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label writing. Show all posts
20 August, 2008
19 August, 2008
So You Want To Be A Writer? Here's How To Get Started...
So, you have followed your true calling and embraced the written word as a means for earning your livelihood. Here’s what to expect- total disorientation, rejection slips coming in as regular as your newspaper, un-replied mails in your mail-box, desperation to see your name in print as soon as possible…you get the picture. Nothing gives more pleasure than being published and being appreciated for your work but lets face it going on to become a earning professional writer from a published-a-couple-of-times-writer, is a long way. Don’t let the reality check dishearten you- setbacks are only an initial phenomenon and once you are out there rocking the writing market, there is no stopping you. Meanwhile, here are a few things to do that will help you sail through to your big-breakthrough.
• Read “Chicken Soup for the Writer’s Soul”: sounds bizarre, doesn’t it? Believe me, it really perks up the mood when you read about the failures and rejections so many booker-prize type authors went through before they went to take on the world. It is bound to inspire, re-assure and motivate you to keep going. After all, that is what the Chicken Soup Series is for!
• Writer’s Block can plague you even before you become a “real” writer. There will be times when you just wouldn’t know what to write about. Use that time to read and surf the net. Go through features and articles in magazines and see if you can re-write the same topic with a different and individual perspective. Websites like Helium and eHow have a host of subjects that could be used as a prompt. Take your pick from the many and get started.
• Start small: it is not a wise idea to make your first submission to a leading international publication. Big magazines usually have their own panel of in-house writers and tend to entertain only widely published and established freelancers. Start off with a local or lesser known publication that pays a decent amount and use that publishing success as a stepping stone to building your place in the market. At times, it is all right to offer your work for free if the publication is well-known and has a wide readership. Magazines that do not pay for contribution, would usually agree to include your photograph with a by-line and contact information which can get you writing offers from other publications in the future. Remember- public exposure is as important as the quality of your writing.
• Splash yourself over the internet: Blog, self-publish and display a few versatile writing samples on community websites like EditRed. Apart from an honest critique of your work by fellow-writers, you get a platform to show-case your work to prospective publishers who may want to sign you up for a long-term writing contract. Once you have a considerable amount of credentials as a writer, you can consider building your own web-site for heightening your publicity quotient.
• Though print-magazines always stand as a more preferable option, it can take several months before your work actually appears even after acceptance. Payment can take even longer. For a writer who just started out, this can be rather disheartening and depressing. E-zines, on the other hand, are prompt with replies and since they are exclusively web-based, it does not take too long for your article to be published and you get paid sooner too. What’s more, it is easier to send across links to your family, friends and prospective publishers to flaunt your successes!
• Start easy: consider beginning with easy-to-write topics like “how-to’s” and general interest articles. Detailed features for niche publications may require a strong back-ground knowledge and extensive research on the topic. You could also write for publications that deal with your area of expertise or educational back-ground. Specialty magazines are usually higher paying than the rest but the general-interest ones have a larger audience.
• Set up a work-station: Have your own personal corner at home if a proper office is not feasible. Arrange your works into files and document all incoming and outgoing mail. Even on your laptop or PC, it helps to sort out articles based on their theme in separate folders so that you know where to look if you consider re-submitting an article to a new magazine.
• Be consistent: Once you submit and article, don’t waste your time waiting for a reply- simply forget about it and get started on a new one. Make it a point to make at least 2-5 submission everyday to different publications. This way you will considerably increase your chances of being published and ensure a steady influx of cheques.
• The importance of doing an advance market research cannot be emphasized enough. Know your publication well before making a query or a submission. Aimlessly mailing queries and articles to random addresses will lead you nowhere. Similarly, familiarize yourself with the publication BEFORE you write an article rather than writing first and then shopping for a market. It seldom works the other way around.
• Make a few investments- get yourself a copy of Writer’s market or a similar publications directory. We are usually familiar with popular publications that we subscribe to or the ones we often come across at news-stands. There is a whole vast market waiting to be explored – literary magazines, newsletters, niche magazines- publications which are not highly publicized but have a decent distribution.
• If you are working on short-stories or novels and find yourself running short of creative ideas and plots, try reminiscing about an incident from your own life or from someone you know and weave a story around it. If you wake up one morning and still remember a dream vaguely- pen it down immediately! Dreams can provide you with the most unusual and highly creative ideas for romantic and science fiction. Just so that you know- the best stories were born out of random dreams. So take them as a message from God!
• Last but not the least, originality and individuality are the two aspects that will help you build a reputation among publishers. Strike a balance between what you want to write and what the publishers want you to submit. Avoid churning out run-of-the-mill articles that have been done to death before. Novelty and innovation always earn their due. Happy writing!
• Read “Chicken Soup for the Writer’s Soul”: sounds bizarre, doesn’t it? Believe me, it really perks up the mood when you read about the failures and rejections so many booker-prize type authors went through before they went to take on the world. It is bound to inspire, re-assure and motivate you to keep going. After all, that is what the Chicken Soup Series is for!
• Writer’s Block can plague you even before you become a “real” writer. There will be times when you just wouldn’t know what to write about. Use that time to read and surf the net. Go through features and articles in magazines and see if you can re-write the same topic with a different and individual perspective. Websites like Helium and eHow have a host of subjects that could be used as a prompt. Take your pick from the many and get started.
• Start small: it is not a wise idea to make your first submission to a leading international publication. Big magazines usually have their own panel of in-house writers and tend to entertain only widely published and established freelancers. Start off with a local or lesser known publication that pays a decent amount and use that publishing success as a stepping stone to building your place in the market. At times, it is all right to offer your work for free if the publication is well-known and has a wide readership. Magazines that do not pay for contribution, would usually agree to include your photograph with a by-line and contact information which can get you writing offers from other publications in the future. Remember- public exposure is as important as the quality of your writing.
• Splash yourself over the internet: Blog, self-publish and display a few versatile writing samples on community websites like EditRed. Apart from an honest critique of your work by fellow-writers, you get a platform to show-case your work to prospective publishers who may want to sign you up for a long-term writing contract. Once you have a considerable amount of credentials as a writer, you can consider building your own web-site for heightening your publicity quotient.
• Though print-magazines always stand as a more preferable option, it can take several months before your work actually appears even after acceptance. Payment can take even longer. For a writer who just started out, this can be rather disheartening and depressing. E-zines, on the other hand, are prompt with replies and since they are exclusively web-based, it does not take too long for your article to be published and you get paid sooner too. What’s more, it is easier to send across links to your family, friends and prospective publishers to flaunt your successes!
• Start easy: consider beginning with easy-to-write topics like “how-to’s” and general interest articles. Detailed features for niche publications may require a strong back-ground knowledge and extensive research on the topic. You could also write for publications that deal with your area of expertise or educational back-ground. Specialty magazines are usually higher paying than the rest but the general-interest ones have a larger audience.
• Set up a work-station: Have your own personal corner at home if a proper office is not feasible. Arrange your works into files and document all incoming and outgoing mail. Even on your laptop or PC, it helps to sort out articles based on their theme in separate folders so that you know where to look if you consider re-submitting an article to a new magazine.
• Be consistent: Once you submit and article, don’t waste your time waiting for a reply- simply forget about it and get started on a new one. Make it a point to make at least 2-5 submission everyday to different publications. This way you will considerably increase your chances of being published and ensure a steady influx of cheques.
• The importance of doing an advance market research cannot be emphasized enough. Know your publication well before making a query or a submission. Aimlessly mailing queries and articles to random addresses will lead you nowhere. Similarly, familiarize yourself with the publication BEFORE you write an article rather than writing first and then shopping for a market. It seldom works the other way around.
• Make a few investments- get yourself a copy of Writer’s market or a similar publications directory. We are usually familiar with popular publications that we subscribe to or the ones we often come across at news-stands. There is a whole vast market waiting to be explored – literary magazines, newsletters, niche magazines- publications which are not highly publicized but have a decent distribution.
• If you are working on short-stories or novels and find yourself running short of creative ideas and plots, try reminiscing about an incident from your own life or from someone you know and weave a story around it. If you wake up one morning and still remember a dream vaguely- pen it down immediately! Dreams can provide you with the most unusual and highly creative ideas for romantic and science fiction. Just so that you know- the best stories were born out of random dreams. So take them as a message from God!
• Last but not the least, originality and individuality are the two aspects that will help you build a reputation among publishers. Strike a balance between what you want to write and what the publishers want you to submit. Avoid churning out run-of-the-mill articles that have been done to death before. Novelty and innovation always earn their due. Happy writing!
Writing for Business
• Although freelance writing has not yet gained popularity at par with mainstream journalism, it has definitely grown from writing a couple of hand written articles every now and then to a booming online business which is providing opportunities to many people around the world who find it an extremely rewarding and satisfying field to be in.
• Good writers treat writing as serious business and not just an extended hobby. The competition is as fierce and the professionalism is as intense as in any other job. Various kinds writing courses are now mushrooming all over which help writers to polish their skills and learn the nuances of writing as a serious profession.
• For the sake of convenience, professional writing can be divided into various sub-types like creative writing, literary writing, academic writing and technical writing. A freelance writer may choose to explore all of these in the course of his/her career or may chose to stick to one particular area of writing and specialize in it.
• Business writing is one such sub-category which differs from all others in many aspects. As opposed to the lofty expressions in literary writing and the explanatory tone in academic writing; Writing for business demands precision, concision and economy of words. This involves writing letters, reports, official documents, resumes, memos, proposals, covering letters etc. Since the scope of such writing is strictly professional, the style should be ultra-formal, neat and follow certain rules. For example; “u r 2 gud” may be fine if you are chatting with a friend but if it is a part of a business letter, it could cost you your professional reputation and even your job. Business writing cannot afford leisurely use of words and a beating-around-the-bush style. After a brief formal pleasantry, the opening line should quickly introduce the subject and narrow it down to the point that is to be conveyed. The use of words and sentence structure should be carefully calculated to achieve the desired effect. If the message it too long, it would be preferable to arrange it in bulleted points instead of paragraphs.
• In a way, business writing is actually the kind of writing we learn in school- remember how our teachers insisted that a letter should begin with a “Dear/Respected So-and-So” rather than a “Hey” or without a acknowledgement at all and be signed off with a “yours sincerely/faithfully” instead of “Hugs” and “Cheers”? Well, high school education does come in handy at some point in life!
• Since business writing is earning its importance with the fast growth of the corporate sector, so is the trend of business writing courses. In today’s competitive scenario, a self-written resume (however good it may be) is simply not enough to attract a prospective employer’s attention until it is peppered with a professional touch. Writers are making full use (and money) out of this new opportunity by specializing in this particular field.
• Many regular and online courses are available for writers who want to branch into the field of professional writing. Syracuse University and University of North Carolina offer undergraduate distance learning programs on composition and work-place writing which can be studied online. In addition to that, details of many more specialized business writing courses can be obtained from the PrimeLearning.com website. Gotham Writer’s Workshop, CBT Direct and Corpedia are other acclaimed schools that offer a range of online courses related to business writing.
• The Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue is the Bible for professional business writers. The lab offers classes and courses on correct grammar and vocabulary usage, guidelines for writing a good thesis, and tips on avoiding plagiarism. Students and writers, especially academic writers can find resources on different academic formats like MLA, APA, Chicago and Harvard for formatting and referencing academic papers. Most academic assistance websites ask writers to refer to OWL guidelines to improve upon the quality of their work. There is also a tutorial on “Writing the Basic Business Letter” and “Developing an Outline” on the website.
• Apart from an endless number and variety of online courses, the internet is an untapped resource tool for writers. A smart online search will provide thousands of job opportunities (full time/part time/freelance) from all over the world. Owing to the growing needs of clients and professionals from all fields, there is enough opportunity for all business writers to keep their kitty full of assignments. Therefore, the internet is a great “earning and learning” source for writers.
• Good writers treat writing as serious business and not just an extended hobby. The competition is as fierce and the professionalism is as intense as in any other job. Various kinds writing courses are now mushrooming all over which help writers to polish their skills and learn the nuances of writing as a serious profession.
• For the sake of convenience, professional writing can be divided into various sub-types like creative writing, literary writing, academic writing and technical writing. A freelance writer may choose to explore all of these in the course of his/her career or may chose to stick to one particular area of writing and specialize in it.
• Business writing is one such sub-category which differs from all others in many aspects. As opposed to the lofty expressions in literary writing and the explanatory tone in academic writing; Writing for business demands precision, concision and economy of words. This involves writing letters, reports, official documents, resumes, memos, proposals, covering letters etc. Since the scope of such writing is strictly professional, the style should be ultra-formal, neat and follow certain rules. For example; “u r 2 gud” may be fine if you are chatting with a friend but if it is a part of a business letter, it could cost you your professional reputation and even your job. Business writing cannot afford leisurely use of words and a beating-around-the-bush style. After a brief formal pleasantry, the opening line should quickly introduce the subject and narrow it down to the point that is to be conveyed. The use of words and sentence structure should be carefully calculated to achieve the desired effect. If the message it too long, it would be preferable to arrange it in bulleted points instead of paragraphs.
• In a way, business writing is actually the kind of writing we learn in school- remember how our teachers insisted that a letter should begin with a “Dear/Respected So-and-So” rather than a “Hey” or without a acknowledgement at all and be signed off with a “yours sincerely/faithfully” instead of “Hugs” and “Cheers”? Well, high school education does come in handy at some point in life!
• Since business writing is earning its importance with the fast growth of the corporate sector, so is the trend of business writing courses. In today’s competitive scenario, a self-written resume (however good it may be) is simply not enough to attract a prospective employer’s attention until it is peppered with a professional touch. Writers are making full use (and money) out of this new opportunity by specializing in this particular field.
• Many regular and online courses are available for writers who want to branch into the field of professional writing. Syracuse University and University of North Carolina offer undergraduate distance learning programs on composition and work-place writing which can be studied online. In addition to that, details of many more specialized business writing courses can be obtained from the PrimeLearning.com website. Gotham Writer’s Workshop, CBT Direct and Corpedia are other acclaimed schools that offer a range of online courses related to business writing.
• The Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue is the Bible for professional business writers. The lab offers classes and courses on correct grammar and vocabulary usage, guidelines for writing a good thesis, and tips on avoiding plagiarism. Students and writers, especially academic writers can find resources on different academic formats like MLA, APA, Chicago and Harvard for formatting and referencing academic papers. Most academic assistance websites ask writers to refer to OWL guidelines to improve upon the quality of their work. There is also a tutorial on “Writing the Basic Business Letter” and “Developing an Outline” on the website.
• Apart from an endless number and variety of online courses, the internet is an untapped resource tool for writers. A smart online search will provide thousands of job opportunities (full time/part time/freelance) from all over the world. Owing to the growing needs of clients and professionals from all fields, there is enough opportunity for all business writers to keep their kitty full of assignments. Therefore, the internet is a great “earning and learning” source for writers.
20 July, 2008
Freelancing as a Career : What it Has to Offer
Freelancing, in plain and simple English means –“work whenever you want and however you want!” Imagine the luxury of not having a boss whose sole ambition is to make your life as difficult as possible, not having to wake up to go to office at inhumanly early hours, not having to beg for a leave to go on that long awaited vacation with your family and at the same time being able to handle family, domestic responsibilities and the likes without loosing out on financial independence! Sounds like a dream come true, does’t it? Well, thousands of people around the world live this dream and also make a living out of it and a large fraction of them are freelance writers.
Although freelance writing has not yet gained popularity at par with mainstream journalism, it has definitely grown from writing a couple of hand written articles every now and then to a booming Internet business which is providing opportunities to many people around the world who find it an extremely rewarding and satisfying field to be in.
Today, a plethora of "work from home" opportunities are available for individuals who are talented and dedicated. This profession is extremely beneficial to women in particular who are educated, ambitious but smothered with domestic responsibilities. Expressing their talent through this medium gives them a sense of pride and independence along with expanding their horizons on different topics and subjects. Any individual with an aptitude for language and original thinking can make a living from home and this applies to a lot of physically challenged people who are denied job opportunities in a conventional work environment and even if they are not, they are discriminated and may find it difficult to work efficiently in inhospitable social surroundings.
A freelance writer can adopt any genre of choice- he/she can explore areas in academic writing, creative writing, write lifestyle articles for magazines and newspapers or even specialize in writing for children! Most freelance writers associate themselves with Internet bases companies and organizations who provide them with orders on subjects and topics they are well versed with. The writer then works on the article and submits it before a pre-specified deadline. The customers and administrations response regarding the quality of work is the key element in determining the popularity and success of the writer. Although the rate of professional growth can be sky- rocketing, it can work the other way around too. Any work that lacks originality and structure can send the career graph plummeting to ground level. Therefore, consistency and sincerity are very crucial components in determining success.
Financial returns in this field are totally dependant on individual capabilities, quality of work and the time and dedication put into the same. It can be taken up as a means to earn extra pocket money or as a full time income to support a family. All kinds of professionals can take up freelance writing- students, doctors, businessmen, engineers and anybody you name under the sun.
The flexibility and control a person is entitled to, as a freelancer is unparalleled. It does not require fancy degrees from acclaimed universities or a mentor; all it takes is a flair and passion for writing, command over the language, dedication to meet deadlines and last but not the least- an Internet connection!
In summary, not every one is gifted with creativity and not everyone can befriend a pen (the keyboard in this case!). Creativity is an asset that cannot be taught or acquired; it is inherently bestowed on very few people. Therefore, anyone who believes they can do justice to a literary piece of work assigned to them within a given frame of time should definitely give it a try. Who knows, you might come out with a best seller some day!
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