Write Nonfiction in November

In early March I traveled to Connecticut to do two talks related to two of my book projects. As part of that trip, I managed to land two radio interviews. Although I do a monthly podcast on Conversations with Mrs. Claus, I don’t have much experience with radio interviews. Really, I’m a writer more than a speaker, which I think is the case for many authors. So, I got a little panicky.

Interestingly, just around that time I came across an email from former publicist Arielle Ford, who made a name for herself by working with many bestselling authors including Deepak Chopra, Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen. Now retired from doing book publicity for others, Arielle has recently written her own book, The Soulmate Secret: Manifest the Love of your Life with the Law of Attraction, and to promote it she’s out doing a lot of radio interviews. In her email, she offered three tips for doing well on the radio. Here they are:

1. Get media trained by a professional so that you have your most important tips on note cards in front of you at all times.
2. Stand up during your phone interviews — and SMILE — you’ll project more energy and authority that way.
3. Give it all away — every idea, tip, statistic, every bit of useful info that can help someone — share it.

I didn’t have the time (or the money) to take the advice in number one, so to ease my nerves I decided to ask some other experts and authors for advice on how best to prepare and to handle myself during the interviews. Their advice was invaluable, so I thought I’d pass it along this month in my blog. I know it has little to do with writing per se, but since all nonfiction writers need to be promoting themselves, and radio interviews are a great way to build platform and sell books, I feel this subject fits this blog well.

First, I asked Vic Osteen, author of 60 Ways to Manage, Market and Staff Your Speaking Business.  He told me, “I believe you need to do as much as you can to guide the interview. Most radio people only talk and do not listen to what you have to say.”

Additionally, he added, “Go for sound bites and phase you already have. Drive home only about three points. Write down the questions you want asked, and answer them whether they are asked or not.”

Last, he added, “Have so much fun and laugh big.”

Then I asked author Lisa Alcalay Klug, whose book Cool Jew: The Ultimate Guide for Every Member of the Tribe!, was released this year, for advice. I’ve heard her speak on a radio show (and saw a video of her doing a show) and I was impressed with how very articulate and cool she was during her interview. Here’s her advice: “Practice with the questions and answers you think they may ask. That’s the best way to be prepared! Come up with the message you want to deliver and focus on that.”

Last, but not least, I asked publicist Susan Harrow, CEO of www.prsecrets.com and a top media coach, marketing strategist and author of Sell Yourself Without Selling Your Soul, whose clients have appeared on Oprah, 60 Minutes, NPR, and in numerous publications. She said authors should maximize their time on the air by “telling stories that intrigue and leave enough out so your audience wants more.” She then offered a variety of tips – too many to include in one blog post, that I’ve honed down to the ones I was able to use immediately:

1. Use a specific bio. Don’t leave this first sound bite — your introduction – up to the radio host. Control the public’s perception of you, she suggested.
2. Don’t squander time. “You have a precious few minutes to convey your essential messages to people who have nano attention spans,” she said. So, create an essential message tailored to your particular audience.
3. Back opinions or ideas with facts. “One of the most validating ways to be taken seriously is to research statistics that support your views and quote them accurately,” said Harrow.

Here’s what I was able to put to use on very short notice:

• I didn’t stand up both times, but I sat up tall, and I did smile. For the 30 minute interview, I relaxed after a while and started to feel like I was having a conversation with a friend. That helped, except that I had to really stay on my toes.
• I gave away as much information as I could in the allotted time and within the given format. It helped me to know that it was okay to share as much as possible rather than to feel I had to guard some information for some reason.
• I tried as much as possible to guide the interview by leading the show host in the direction I wanted to go. If the host got off track, I tried to get back on track to the subject matter I wanted to cover. However, on particular show host had her own agenda, and this made it a bit more difficult. I found I had to really roll with the punches.
• I made sure to have sound bites written out, as well as my questions and answers, and to have both in front of me. (My sheet of paper contained my “message” and the questions I wanted them to ask me with scripted answers; I did practice my message, sound bites, and questions and answers as much as possible before hand, although I did not have them memorized.) I used that script whenever possible to get my sound bites and information on the air. It helped me to know that I had a written script if I needed it. It was like a security blanket, but I could see where having it all memorized would be much better.
• I tried to truly enjoy the conversation and to laugh whenever possible. The hosts actually like to have fun, so I tried to join in.
• I sent both show hosts a bio tailored to my subject matter and to the event where I’d be speaking. One used the bio verbatim, one did not. One asked me to offer information on where I was speaking. This taught me to always have all information handy.
• I tried not to squander time, but I found the show hosts often did this for me. On one show I spoke too quickly, trying to get all my information into a very short period that was left.
• I did back my opinions with facts, finding some statistics I could use during my interviews. I found these very effective, and they made great talking points during the interview and even in my talks. The radio hosts loved using them as a way to get into conversation, and they were impactful as well.

All in all, I was pleased with my radio interviews, and I had a lot of fun doing them. I no longer feel panicky about doing another. That said, I’m sure having media training would serve me well, and I hope to be able to do that in the future. I hope to put some of the other tips I learned to use…and to have some of the professionals I spoke with share them with you come November. Until then, happy writing…and speaking!

Taking a break from my guest bloggers, I though today I’d treat you to a look at the similarity between writing articles, essays and books-the view from where I sit. I’m a journalist by trade, and, while I happen to be a working freelance journalist, I really make my living editing nonfiction books for my clients. When I’m not engaged in those two activities, I work on writing my own books. (Ask me when I find time; the answer: “Not often,” which might explain why none of them are done. My clients books get done, though.) Therefore, I often combine my knowledge of one field – journalism – with the other – book editing – and vice versa. More accurately, I might state that I often see that I can use my journalistic skills when writing or editing books, and I’m sure that all that book editing has helped my journalistic endeavors.

Let’s take a look at five ways you, too, can develop and combine these same skills.

Articles and a Book Chapters Equate to the Same Thing:  While I was attending college at Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communication (many years ago), I had the pleasure of not only studying magazine journalism from best-selling author and seasoned journalist Professor John Keats but also of having him as my college adviser and travel guide for a semester in London, England. He taught me many things, but when it comes to writing books, one lesson has remained in my head: Writing a book is like writing a series of articles on the same topic.

I offer this lesson today for this reason:  I find that when writers get stumped by the enormity of the task of writing a whole book, it helps to “chunk it down,” as they say. If you can look at the book as a series of articles, this can seem even less daunting than a series of chapters.

That said, chapters are, indeed, nothing more than articles. They share all the same characteristics. Articles have a lead, or a paragraph or two that draw the reader into the story in an intriguing manner. They have a statement of purpose that follows, or may be included, in this lead. A chapter includes these elements as well; if it didn’t, no one would want to read further than the first line or past the first page. An article also has a middle section, which elaborates on the purpose and offers data, quotes, arguments, or any other type of information to make the article’s point, or to fulfill its purpose. A chapter also has a middle that must accomplish the same job. Then, both possess an ending, which sums up what has been said. While an article often encourages the reader to think about the subject further, a chapter’s ending peaks the readers interest in the next chapter.

If writers keep this simple format, which is no different than the essay/article format I laid out in an earlier blog, in mind as they write their books, they won’t feel so overwhelmed.

Journalists or essayists should ask themselves this question: How many essays can you write on a certain topic? Can you write 10 or 12? If so, add an introduction and, possibly, a conclusion, and you’ve completed a book. If you’ve already written the essays or articles, you’ve written a book without even trying! That’s the best of both worlds!

Interviews Make Good Fodder for Books and Articles: Many writers don’t think reported articles have anything to do with their prescriptive nonfiction books, because they don’t plan on using quotes from interviews in their books. They plan on using their own ideas and information alone. However, most self-help, human potential, personal development books, and spiritual books, as well as most other prescriptive nonfiction books, become stronger in content if the author takes the time to interview some “other” experts on the topic. You can then do one of two things: use a few of their comments as quotes to corroborate your premise or simply incorporate the information into your book as “research” and give them credit for their help in your acknowledgements section.

Most of my books constitute prescriptive nonfiction and are based on my own ideas and experience. However, prior to beginning the writing process, I use my journalistic interview skills to pick other people’s brains. I bring my tape recorder and act as if I’m interviewing them for an article. And who knows, maybe I’ll even write an article on the topic using them as a source; if I get it published, it will help me build my platform for that book! That’s called killing two birds with one stone. (I am a bird lover by the way…)

Journalistic Endeavors Create Better Nonfiction Book Writers:  I’m not saying journalists are better writers; I’m saying that by writing articles, which requires that you meet deadlines, write to specifications, check facts, adhere to word counts, work with editors on a regular basis, and write short pieces with beginnings, middles and ends, you become a better writer. These skills come in handy later when you begin working with a freelance editor or an editor at a publishing house, as well as when it comes time to meet the deadlines you agreed to in your publishing contract. If you are self-publishing, it will help you stick to your own deadlines.

Over the years, I’ve gained a superb ability to go through an article manuscript line by line, word by word, looking for ways to tighten sentences so I can cut words and meet a word count. I’ve been known to shorten a 3,000-word article to 2,5000 words by going over it many, many times looking for ways to cut, improve, strengthen, you name it… (I tend to over research and then have way too much information and way too much to say when I write articles, which means I then have to cut and slash before I can turn in an article. Sometimes, however, I end up with more than one article – a nice bonus!) Write enough articles, and you’ll either get very good at writing to a specific word count or at cutting until you meet it.

Journalists Practice Detachment, A Skill Authors Need to Learn, Too:  I also have become very detached from my words, and I suggest all writers try to take this attitude with their writing. When you write articles, especially reported articles, for publications, you basically are given an assignment that you fill. You are contracted to do a job – turn out an article on a particular topic of a certain word-length by a certain deadline. You do the job, and they pay you. If they decide to cut 200 of the words you sweated over, it shouldn’t be a big deal to you. You did your job. You got paid. They are happy. Like they teach in spiritual traditions and meditation, become detached. If you can then take some semblance of this attitude to the writing of your book, when an editor says, “You know, I think this paragraph is unnecessary. Let’s cut it,” you won’t be appalled. And when an editor wants to move a chapter or rewrite a couple of sentences or asks you to find a way to cut 10,000 words, you won’t be disturbed. (I’ve more often than I care to say, had to cut a 5,000-word article down to 2,000 words, knowing from the start I only had to write 2,000. If I can do that, anyone can cut 10,000 words from a 60,000-word manuscript. ) Maybe you’ll even offer to let them simply go ahead and do it for you.

Articles, Essays, Chapters and Books Need Constant Trim Tabbing: As one last developmental editing tip, I’d mention that writing articles, essays, chapters, and books seems to me a bit like flying an airplane. I understand that pilots and their planes tend to be off course more than they are on course (something like 90 percent of the time). Pilots, therefore, spend most of their time doing something called “trim tabbing,” constantly navigating the plane back onto its original course with slight adjustments. Writers have to do the same, looking at where their writing is going, where it is taking them, and deciding if its current course is the one they set for that piece of writing, whether its a reported article, an essay, a chapter, or a total book. And then they have to trim tab to make sure the writing stays on course and ends up at the pre-planned - and desired - final destination. Of course, sometimes an unplanned destination works out better, but more often than not, a piece of writing whose writer has determined its flight plan and keeps it on course until it lands will have a better chance of turning out a successful manuscript.

And while you’re writing, don’t forget to enjoy your flight!

(Note: In case you want to know more about me and don’t want to click on one of my pages or go to my website, today I’ll post a bio for myself! Everyone else gets one, why not me…)

About Nina Amir

Nina Amir is a seasoned journalist, nonfiction editor, author, consultant, and writing coach with almost 30 years of experience in the publishing field. She has edited or written for more than 45 local, national and international magazines, newspapers, e-zines, and newsletters on a full-time or freelance basis. Her essays have been published in five anthologies and can be found in numerous e-zines and Internet article directories. An award winning journalist, she also has a proven track record as a book editor; one of her client’s books was self-published and then purchased and re-released verbatim by Simon & Schuster and another won the 1998 Writer’s Digest Self-Published Book Award (Inspirational category) and has sold over 100,000 copies.  

In addition, Nina is an inspirational speaker, spiritual and conscious creation coach, teacher, and the regular holiday and spirituality expert on Conversations with Mrs. Claus, a weekly podcast heard in more than 90 countries and downloaded by 85,000 listeners per month (www.thefamilyyak.com). Through her writing and speaking, Amir offers human potential, personal growth and practical spiritual tools from a Jewish perspective, although her work spans religious lines and is pertinent to people of all faiths and spiritual traditions.

Nina has written and self-published several booklets and workbooks, including: Using the Internet to Build Your Platform One Article at a Time, 8 Tips for Getting Publicity, Exposure and Expert Status by Providing Free Copy Online; The Priestess Practice: 4 Steps to Creating Sacred Space and Inviting the Divine to Dwell Within It; The Kabbalah of Conscious Creation: How to Mystically Manifesting Your Physical and Spiritual Desires; From Empty Practice to Meaning-Full and Spirit-Full Prayers and Rituals …in Seven Simple Steps.

Currently, Nina is writing four books and four blogs, including Write NonFiction in November.

www.purespiritcreatons.com/wordpress

www.mysoncandance.wordpress.com

www.thekabbalahofconsciouscreation.com

She also compiled a Jewish celebrity cookbook, for which she is seeking a publisher. 

www.copywrightcommunications.com

408-353-1943

cpywrtcom@aol.com

Tomorrow, I’m off to see my agents in San Francisco We are supposed to discuss “time lines.” I guess that means how long I have to promote myself and my work before they can help me get this next project of mine off and running. If you recall, my agent did not manage to sell one of my projects, and her husband sent me off to promote another one. They said I was “antsy” when I asked if I could find another agent who might take the project on immediately and suggested this meeting. I guess we also will take a look at where I am going, how I am going to get there and how they will help me. Those are my words. I want and need that from them. Anyway, that’s tomorrow’s agenda, and I’m a little nervous. I don’t often get a chance to spend time with them. I enjoy their company and value their time, but I’m always a little afraid of doing something “wrong.” Just my stuff… I’ll let you know how the meeting goes.

Here’s another short bit of news: I finished the first draft of my Write Nonfiction in November project. In fact, I sent it off to my agents, along with a bunch of other stuff. It needs some work, but it’s not half bad. I think I told you that its a booklet based on a four-part teleseminar series I taught. I plan to sell it at the back of the room when I teach or speak and on line as well. I’ll produce it as an e-book, too.

Okay, a short post on research vs. procrastination (as per Linda’s request). Here’s my take on this subject, for whatever it’s worth. It’s very easy for a nonfiction writer to waste away the hours doing research, especially on the Internet. I have often found a whole day gone by without noticing as I’ve read surfed around the net reading all sorts of things that seem related to my topic. If you’ve got time to spare, this poses no problem. If you have a deadline or, like me, have few hours in the day to work, this does not serve you. So, Google your subject and try to find the websites that look most promising. Follow your best leads and links. Give yourself a time frame within which you have to quite researching — 2-3 hours or whatever you can spare — and then begin writing.

Use this same principle when reading for research. Tons of books have been published on most subjects. You could read for years. Pick the best few books, or the most recent few books, or the books by the most-well-known experts, and then call it quits.

I prefer conducting interviews over reading books, because I don’t have enough hours in my day to read as many books as would be necessary to do extensive research. I read a few books or parts of books, and then I start interviewing the authors or other experts. They can tell me what I need to know in a lot less time than it would take to read their whole book. Plus, they answer my questions specifically. Be cautious about spending too much time interview, though. This can become a trap as well. You can spend all your time talking to experts and never get around to writing.

Then, of course, you simply need to know when to stop researching and start writing. Ask yourself, “Am I just procrastinating and putting off writing? Do I have enough research to begin writing?”

I always err on the side of doing too much research, and I don’t recommend this. It makes writing more difficult. I think it might be better to research just enough, begin writing, and then go back and do extra research to fill in gaps. The way I do it, I end up having to distill pages and pages of research or interview transcripts into just a few paragraphs of copy. However, an overabundance of research does give you excess material for more articles, books, essays, etc.

My journalism training included just a little bit of information on how to conduct interviews. However, interviews represent an essential part of what I do as both a journalist and as an author. I use interviews every time I write an article for which I need expert sources to quote and every time I write a book or booklet for which I need to research a subject and choose to go directly to expert sources for information. Over the years I’ve learned a few tricks and rules that I’d like to share with you here today.

First, if you are interviewing several sources for an article or for a book project, it’s best, if possible, to start with a source who can provide you with a general overview of your subject. With this overview, you can then begin to hone your questions down to more specific ones, which you can direct to sources with more specific knowledge. In fact, your first source may be able to direct you to these other expert sources.

Second, if you are looking for sources, there are services on line that can help you. (I’m not at home at the moment, so I don’t have access to my files; and I don’t have good Internet access – just enough to post this blog, but you can look on line for public relations services that help you find the experts you need.) For example, I am listed with ExpertClick.com, or The Yearbook of Experts. Journalists can access this list for free. Or begin asking people who know something about your subject for suggestions on who you might interview. If you begin putting out feelers, before long, you will find yourself with some useful interview sources.

Third, always write out your list of questions before you conduct an interview. I like to set up the questions in an order that follows the order I think my article might follow (or my chapter, booklet, etc.) Later, if you choose to transcribe your tape of the interview, you can edit the transcript, writing your copy as you do so. This makes the writing go much faster. I often do this when writing articles.

Fourth, I always tape my interviews and type while I conduct them. In many states, you are required by law to tell someone you interview over the phone that you are, indeed, tape recording them. So, be sure you are aware of the laws in your state, or simply make it a practice to tell all your interview subjects that you are taping them before you begin the interview. I type even when I interview someone in person. (I bring along my laptop.) This gives me a partial transcript (I go back and complete the transcript later.) and ensures that I get as many quotes down on paper as possible, and that I do so as accurately as possible. I can write pretty quickly, but my writing is sloppy, and even I often can’t read what I’ve written under the best of circumstances.

Fifth, when an expert source tells you something “off the record,” which means you can’t use the information they just told you, it’s off the record…unless they tell you it’s off the record after they tell you. That said, I honor their request that the information be off the record no matter when they say those specific words. I want them to trust me and to allow me to come back to them again, if I need them as a source again. I might go to another source and try to get them to give me the same information on the record.

Sixth, don’t change quotes. However, I often ask people if they’d like me to correct their grammar. No one likes to sound stupid, and my articles sound better with expert sources that use correct grammar. Most people prefer to have their quotes “cleaned up.”

Seventh, don’t quote someone out of context.

Eighth, don’t misquote anyone ever.

Ninth, at the beginning of an interview, always get the basics handled: get the correct spelling of the person’s name, their title, their address, etc. Doing this at the beginning is a great ice breaker. Plus, this ensures that you don’t forget to do sp at the end.

Tenth, treat the interview like a conversation, if possible. Take some time at the beginning to explain why you are interviewing them or to remind them of why you are writing the article or what your book is about. Ask them what the weather is like where they live. Do whatever you can to make your source feel comfortable and to relieve yourself of your own nerves.

Eleventh, it’s best to avoid agreeing to have your sources read what you’ve written, although they often ask to do so. You don’t want them to change their minds about what they’ve said once they read their words. If you must agree, let them read only their quotes and not the whole article, chapter, book, etc. If they want to read the whole piece to understand the context within which their quote is being used, make sure they understand that they have no say over your manuscript. They cannot edit or change it. Nor can they edit or change their quotes (unless it’s for the better).

Twelfth, remember to send your sources a thank you note and a copy of the finished product.

The best interviews I’ve conducted are the ones when my interview sources actually thank me for interviewing them when we are finished. Yes, that actually happens occasionally. Sometimes they find the subject interesting and enjoy the opportunity to think about it and discuss it with me. At these times, when I hang up the phone, I feel very grateful for the people who have agreed to let me interview them, have given me their time and have been willing to share their thoughts and expertise with me, and for the fact that my job as a nonfiction writer offers me the opportunity to interview such knowledgeable people on such fascinating subjects.

I focus so much of my time on editing my client’s nonfiction books and on writing and promoting my own nonfiction book projects that I sometimes forget that I’m trained as a magazine journalist. I still love writing articles, though, and I often use my skills as a journalist. I love to query magazines with ideas and to get assignments. I enjoy conducting the interviews and then taking the information I’ve compiled and putting it together into a cohesive and interesting article. And I enjoy seeing it in print, not just on the screen of my computer.

I use my journalism skills in other ways as well, including every time I promote myself on the Internet by posting free “news releases” to e-zine directories. I do this a few times a month. While it’s good for business, I get a lot more satisfaction out of writing an article that appears in good old fashioned print and for which I receive a big fat check.

There’s nothing like writing an essay or an article, submitting it to a magazine or newspaper and then opening up that publication to find your story published there — hopefully word for word — with your byline showing off the fact that you wrote every one of those words. And then to get paid for doing what you love…well, that’s even better.

And there are so many different types of articles to choose from. Profiles, news stories, trend pieces, human interest articles, personal essays, and opinion pieces — take your pick. Depending upon what you like to write about, you can surely find one or two article forms that you’ll enjoy using and numerous magazines, newspapers, trade journals, or e-zines that will be happy to have you write for them.

If you aren’t concerned about pay, of if you are looking to promote yourself or you other work (such as your nonfiction book), writing for the numerous e-zines provides great exposure. If you’re just starting out as a writer and need bylines and clips to prove that you can write and meet deadlines and article specifications, try writing for small or regional publications. They usually like “free” writers, and working for them can be a fun way to become a nonfiction freelance writer. Additionally, you might try writing for trade journals published on your area of expertise.

As I said, I interned every summer in high school and in college without pay. I ended up with some great clips that helped me land my first few jobs after graduation.

I teach Writing for Publication classes that expose attendees to a variety of article forms. As a magazine journalist, however, I love writing profiles of interesting people and human interest articles. I also love to pen a good essay, which is an article form I did not learn in college. Essays fit my lifestyle these days; I’m usually very short on time, and they don’t require me to do any research or interviews nor are do they have to be too long. My life experience is enough fodder to fill several pages with type since I’ve lots to say about what happens to me, why it happens to me and what others can learn from what happens to me. Getting paid for essays is fun. I write something off the top of my head and someone pays me for it. What could be better?

And as long as I didn’t make it up, it’s still nonfiction. (Ah…Those of you writing memoirs remember that.)

So, if you are trying to figure out what to write this month, try an article. It’s doable in a month, that’s for sure. Pick a topic and a form, then do whatever research is necessary, and start writing. You can easily finish an article in the days left in November.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to work on MY writing project…which, between writing this blog and my other blog and editing a book for a client, seems to be falling by the wayside. And I am determined to finish it before the end of the month.

(Okay…I technically wrote twice today, since yesterday’s blog was written after midnight this morning. I guess that makes up for technically missing Tuesday. If nothing else, I’m writing lots of nonfiction in this blog, that’s for sure!)