Manuscripts Made Easy

Debbie Elicksen

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Taking ideas from other writers

PlagiarismPermissionsCredits

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Write a paragraph

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Write a paragraph

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The blank page

Have something to say

What do you know that others do not?What is your expertise?What is the trend in your industry?What are you most known for?What do you do that is different from everyone else?What isn’t being said about your industry?

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Conquer Your Fear

• Break down into sub-categories• Find a reason• Face the challenge and do it anyway• Take small steps to build stamina• Mix it up• Look at other formats: audio, visual…

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Where to Start

• Get used to writing• Journal• Blog• Just get words on “paper”

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Getting Kick-started

• Watch people, commercials, TV, YouTube, birds, pictures…shop

• Blend: poetry and songs; pick a song you like and Google the lyrics, write your own words

• Re-write something• Find a novel and copy part of a

chapter and write what you think will happen next

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Your book’s resume

TitleDescription – general overviewWhat’s on the marketTarget audienceAuthor’s qualificationsPreliminary table of contentsMarketing plan

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A manuscript is like a sculpture

It starts as a slab of stone

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• Be meticulous in your proofing. Don’t let anything leave your possession until you know it’s your best work.

• The good writer seems to communicate without exertion.

• Grow a thick skin.• Really mean every word you write.

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Tools

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Research’s best friend

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Break it down into topics

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Main topics and sub topics

Topic

Sub

Sub

Topic

Sub

Sub15

Fiction: keep track of characters

Terry Clark• Career minor leaguer• First shot at pros for 6 games – 6 wins

Jamie McLennan• Career back-up goalie• Goaltending coach

Theoren Fleury• Nearly didn’t get drafted• Suspended and reinstated at age 41

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Tools for writers’ block

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Writing

• Practice writing• The first draft will have errors and

flaws• Your work is more than likely great, it

just needs polishing• There is no right or wrong way—it’s

about developing the story the best way you can

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Stories do not have to be in written format

• Audio• Video• Words• Photography• Painting• Comic

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Writing

• Show, don’t tell• Use all five senses• Give your eyes a break after a long

stretch of writing• You don’t have to write in sequence

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Editing

Grammar and punctuationSpellingPoor constructionFlowRedundancy

Writing is 99 percent sweat equity

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Common Errors

• .” not “. -- quotation AFTER period, comma

• Mom, my mom• Language• Tense• Spacing after period• Spelling consistency

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Editing tips

Simplify your language. Don’t use five words when one word will do. Never assume everyone knows your industry jargon or is impressed with fancy foreign phrases and scientific words. Be consistent. Commas, dashes, quotations, possessives, and titles – when in doubt, look it up. All right is two words not one. Don’t take words and names for granted. Practice your editing on emails & social media.

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Go and find your voice

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My Books

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