[stylist] 1 Day Away- Writers' division telephone meeting

[Shelley J. Alongi]

Probably won't make tonight's meeting I'm hitting a self imposed deadline 
for completing a CSUF transcript. I can chime in about how to cut your 
writing to fit word limits as I have a lot of experience with that in 
accademic circles. If you ever want to publish in peer reviewed journals 
I've heard the articles won't even get consideration if you don't have them 
in the correct word limit. In my experience when writing papers professors 
stop reading after the prescribed number of pages or words. Anyone who has 
written for magazines probably knows their articles get more consideration 
when put in a word limit. So here are my ideas.

1. Cut the verbage. I mean it. Don't use two words when you can use one. 
Don't use any words or sentnences that don't directly express your ideas. In 
other words don't go off on tangents. Noone is interested, especially when 
word limits are not flexible.

2. Stick to the point. Keep it simple. If you don't work well withoutlines, 
write the whole thing out so you can see on paper what's important. Go back 
and pick out the ideas you want to emphasize and cut the rest. Once you've 
found the main point you want to emphasize it's easy to stay within word 
limits because tangent paragraphs and themes are eliminated. Sometimes it 
takes a while to fine tune your essay or story but it's worth it in the end.

Those are my ideas. The biggest point is know what you're writing about and 
don't get sidetracked. When expressing your ideas on paper to a public that 
is bombarded with information, less is more. Writing within word limits can 
also demonstrate more dramatically your skill as a writer so don't shy away 
from trying it.

If you don't care about word limits get your own web site and write to your 
heart's content. Or publish your own hard copy and sell it yourself. I know 
people who do that.

Shelley J. Alongi
Your Lifelong Pampered Chef Consultant With Bells On!
Home Office: (714)869-3207
Prepare tasty meals with eas and at $2.00 a serving from the pampered Chef
http://www.pamperedchef.biz/shellbellskit
**
Read articles from the Writers' Division web site including the last issue 
of "Slate and Style" with me as editor
http://www.nfb-writers-division.org/slate_style/ss2008_f.shtml




**
To read essays on my journey through Metrolink 111 or other interests click 
on 
http://www.storymania.com/cgibin/sm2/smshowauthorbox.cgi?page=&author=AlongiSJ&alpha=A

updated Dec 7, 2008
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Robert Newman" <newmanrl at cox.net>
To: "'NFBnet Writer's Division Mailing List'" <stylist at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Saturday, February 21, 2009 8:45 PM
Subject: [stylist] 1 Day Away- Writers' division telephone meeting


> Just One Day Away! Tomorrow, February 22nd is the date to have our monthly
> telephone meeting.
>
> The time is 7:30p.m. central time.
>
> two topics for this coming teleconference:
> how do you approach making your texts fit under word-length requirements 
> for
> contests or publisher submissions?
> and, how do you start as a novel writer?
> (A new novelist will try to join us.)
>
> number to call: 218-339-4300
> code: 568839#
>
> President NFB Writers' Division
> Robert Leslie Newman
> Email- newmanrl at cox.net
> Division Website-
> Http://www.nfb-writers-division.org
>
> _______________________________________________
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