Writing Anger -- Some Helpful Insights

Writing about emotions can be more difficult than experiencing them. In Emotional Rollercoaster: Writing Anger, professional freelance writer Apryl Duncan makes clear the reasons why every writing teacher we've ever had says, "Show, don't tell."

Killer First Lines

A good first line gets your attention by striking a nerve. In this informative article, Susan Sundwall shares some insightful pointers on writing a first line that will get your reader's attention and quickly pull them into your story, making them want to learn more.

Local L.A. Event

Readings & Conversation: Red Hen's Monday Evenings at the Geffen

Monday, December 3 at 7:30 p.m.

The Geffen Playhouse, in an effort to reach out to the Los Angeles community, partnered with Red Hen Press to create our new series Red Hen’s Monday Evenings at the Geffen, hosted by Kate Gale and select moderators. Given the flowering of literature, music and theatre in this most auspicious city for the arts, we are pleased to give writers a stage to speak their voice. In the tangled palm trees and afternoon sun, some of us pause to pick up a pen, and with our pen to call for action. As the great Raymond Chandler so aptly put it, “When in doubt, have a man come through the door with a gun in his hand.” Sometimes that gun is a new way of looking at education, sometimes it’s an idea about poetry. Sometimes it isn’t a gun at all. We invite you to come through the door into our world of ideas. Welcome to Red Hen Press’s Monday Evenings at the Geffen.

Jennifer Egan is a novelist, journalist and short story writer. Her novel, The Keep, was a New York Times Notable Book for 2006, and Look at Me was a finalist for the National Book Award in 2001. Egan is the recipient of fellowships from the NEA and the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, and was a fellow at the Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center for Scholars and Writers at the New York Public Library. She lives in Brooklyn.

Janet Fitch is the author of the novels Paint It Black, published in 2006, and White Oleander, an Oprah Book Club selection. Her short stories have appeared in such publications as Los Angeles Noir, Black Clock, Room of One’s Own, and Black Warrior Review. She teaches creative writing at USC and the Squaw Valley Community of Writers.

Sarah Goodyear has written for the Village Voice, Time Out New York, Ms. magazine, and many other publications. View from a Burning Bridge, published by Red Hen Press in spring 2007, is her first novel. She lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her family.

Moderator: Jonathan Kirsch is the author of A History of the End of the World: How the Most Controversial Book in the Bible Changed the Course of Western Civilization and nine other books, including The Harlot by the Side of the Road: Forbidden Tales of the Bible He is a book reviewer for the Los Angeles Times, a broadcaster for NPR, and an attorney specializing in publishing law and intellectual property.

Geffen Playhouse
Audrey Skirball Kenis Theater
10886 Le Conte Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90024
For Tickets Call: 310-208-5454
Admission: General $20
Students & Seniors $15
Seating is limited and on a first come basis.

"Read this article," he said. "Why?" I asked. "It's good," he replied.

Both fiction and news writing work better when you let your characters use their own words to tell your story. This article by Andrea Di Salvo explains why, and gives some pointers on using quotes to give a creative twist to your writing.

Where Will Love Blossom Next In Your Life?

Life coach Melissa Rosati, whose clients are writers, authors and creative artists, shares this insightful essay about her experience in discovering her own writer's voice. If you believe that "there is no end to the journey inward," you will enjoy reading the starting places she provides for that endless journey.

How to Begin? Where to Go?

Need a little help getting started on your fiction writing? Annette Beveridge-Young, a freelance writer and editor at Savannah Publishing, has compiled this list of 15 suggestions to help writers flesh out your characters and bring the settings of your stories to life.

Eliminating Obstacles ~

If you're interested in writing but just can't seem to find time to indulge in your creative outlet, this article by Mui Tsun, the creator of Inspire Software, might help you to overcome some of the obstacles life places in our way.

Helpful Hints For Writing Better Poetry

Kara Ziehl has compiled this Top 10 list of tips for writing better poetry. Clear and to-the-point, these helpful suggestions can guide us to streamlining and strengthening our use of words to make them more forcefully felt.

Some Thoughts On Writing Free-Verse Poetry

Full-time author and anthologist Lawrence Schimel has published over 47 books in a variety of genres and media. Here he takes the time to share some thoughts about writing free-verse poetry. He includes useful tips & suggestions that, even if only one of them proves helpful to you, is surely worth the time to read.

Self Publishing and Print on Demand

We've heard a few amazing stories lately from people who've had success getting their books published at a traditional publishing house by self-publishing first. It's a controversial topic amongst writers. The people we've talked to all admitted that it was very tough, hard work, and that they might do it differently next time had they known more, so we've compiled a short list of resources on the topic. When a giant such as Amazon.com's BookSurge jumps on the self-publishing/book-on-demand bandwagon by offering programs specifically for self-published books, we thought we'd sit up and listen for a minute or two.

• The Writing Show has two very informative podcasts on the subject. The interview with writer Jeff DeRego is interesting in that he thinks self-publishing is akin to shooting oneself in the foot if one ever wanted to earn money as a paid writer, and he also talks about the work involved and the pitfalls, as well as the difference between self-publishing and print on demand.
• The Humane Self Publishing Blog by the folks at Blooming Twig Books, an internet book publishing house, has a blog from the publisher's perspective about self-publishing process.
• ASJA (The American Society of Journalists and Authors) has an article about one author's experience.
• Here is another article on The Writer Buzz blog on e-publishing versus self-publishing.
• This article on Beneath the Cover, a Web site devoted to "uncover[ing] the book industry" has some excellent information and even lists writers who've successfully self published.
• Here is an article in BusinessWeek about the self-publishing industry.
• This article from the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, Inc., offers an alternative to self-publishing, i.e., going directly to a book manufacturer.

There are also quite a few books out there on the topic that are easily found with a quick search on any bookseller site. Ultimately, it seems comes down to making an educated personal decision between going through the traditional submission process or becoming a publisher yourself. If you chose the do-it-all yourself route, you take on multiple roles: writer, editor, designer, layout artist, agent, promoter, printer, and marketer, to name just a few, and now you've become a book publisher as well as a writer, so the question is, how do you want to spend your time?

Let The Writer Beware!

We've all heard of the many scams that target the elderly. Surprisingly, there are also scam artists whose aim is to target the literary-inclined. Those of us interested in earning a little money or gaining a little recognition for our written words should be careful about selecting which contests to enter. Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, Inc. provides a webpage well-worth reading for poets and short-story writers alike.

A Question of Style ~ When To Use "That"

WritersDigest.com answers a few basic questions about writing style.

Writing Poetry ~ Helpful Guidelines

John Hewett, at Writer's Resource Center, compiled this list of suggestions which may help you to make your poems stronger and more memorable.

Anything You Say: Tips For Writing Effective Dialogue

Stephen D. Rogers, graduate of the Framingham Police Department's Citizen Police Academy and member of Mystery Writer's of America, Private Eye Writers of America and the Short Mystery Fiction Society, shares some informative guidelines and suggestions on writing dialogue for detective stories and mystery thrillers. Brush up on your Miranda rights and check them out.

12 Writing Tips From George Orwell

Some of George Orwell's 12 writing tips may seem obvious, but all of them are based on sound writer's judgment and experience and well-worth checking out.

Write what you know?

Some times we get cocky, and write about things that we really have little knowledge of, and beware, someone will notice. Here's a little piece where someone noticed. It reminds me of how nice the windows are in those ivory towers, but the view is always better when you bother to go outside. Enjoy The Worst Op-Ed Ever Written?

13 Helpful Ideas to Steer Your Poems to Publication

Jeffrey Levine, Editor-in-Chief of Tupelo Press, author of two poetry books and winner of many poetry contests, is kind enough to share a baker's dozen of tips and guidelines to help make your poetry the best it can be.

Critiquing Poetry

It's hard to be objective about your own work. Gwyneth Box has compiled these guidelines to help tighten up and strengthen your poetry before you submit it.

Trying to Find an Agent?

Avoid the common pitfalls of finding an agent. Pay attention to these tips offered by writer and editor Natalie R. Collins and you're sure to make your path to getting published easier to follow.

Contest Tips

Caroline Walton has compiled this very helpful list of contest-entry does and don'ts to help assure that your submission will be considered and accepted.