Beyond Craft to Publishing Confidential

In this issue, I cover inspirational quotes, writing tips and tricks and opportunities, plus a special extended podcast with the founder Publishing Confidential for paid subscribers.

Photo by Brigitte Tohm on Unsplash

As writers, we need to find ways to keep telling our stories, even when — especially when the world is falling apart, as it has after the barbaric terrorist attack by Hamas on Israel, and the subsequent lives lost. For a bird’s-eye view from Israel, don’t miss this piece: It’s Too Much: An Israeli Dispatch from a Midlife Mom.

So I’m going to share some quotes I’ve found that may give you the added strength you need during these dark days, with my pro tips following.

“The road to hell is paved with works-in-progress.” — Phillip Roth

Estelle’s Edge: Keep a file of all your works-in-progress on your computer. You can do a spreadsheet if you think that way (I don’t), or put it in your drafts emails (that’s what I do). Either way, make sure you can easily access it.

“Writing a book is a horrible, exhausting struggle, like a long bout of some painful illness. One would never undertake such a thing if one were not driven on by some demon whom one can neither resist nor understand.” — George Orwell

Estelle’s Edge: Having worked hard to complete Writing That Gets Noticed in 9 months, I understand that one completely. Make sure to take time for self-care, as I write in the book. Do yoga, work out, meditate, give yourself affirmations, sing (I love to sing), dance to music, spend time with your partner, play with your kids and/or your pets. Read and take social media breaks.

“We are all apprentices in a craft where no one ever becomes a master.” — Ernest Hemingway

Estelle’s Edge: Keep taking classes and learning. I have several of mine for Writer’s Digest and NYU that you can find here, including other events I’ll be speaking at. I also recommend other writing teachers who I have interviewed on my podcast Freelance Writing Direct. Also, don’t forget to sign up for my next NYU Editor-on-Call on November 15th with Derrik Lang of Shondaland. Sign up here.

“Every secret of a writer’s soul, every experience of his life, every quality of his mind, is written large in his works.” — Virginia Woolf

Estelle’s Edge: It’s true that nothing is ever wasted in life. I believe that is a tenet from the Talmud. I recommend that you journal, write notes to yourself every time you have an experience worth telling a story about, so that you can have ready access to it, and your accompanying emotions when you are ready to write about it. For example, when I took a vacation with my family when my daughter was little and she acted up, I wrote down the notes of what she was doing. Then I put a framework around it (which I talk about in my book), so that it wasn’t just a series of anecdotes. The result was a piece that went viral in The Washington Post. My Child is Out of Control. It was so popular that it was syndicated, talked about on the view, and resulted in a follow-up piece a year later.

“For your born writer, nothing is so healing as the realization that he has come upon the right word.” — Catherine Drinker Bowen

Estelle’s Edge: Words matter and are a big part of the craft. I tell my students to look at what they are writing and ask themselves, so what? If each sentence doesn’t move the story forward, then scrap it. Active verbs and strong nouns make a story sing. Too many adverbs (mostly ly words) and adjective don’t strengthen a story, but nouns and active verbs that are unusual and elicit attention (sashay instead of walk, accelerate instead of increase) do.

“Do not hoard what seems good for a later place in the book, or for another book; give, give it all, give it now.” — Annie Dillard

Estelle’s Edge: I think sometimes we are afraid to share our most profound and life-changing stories, but those are often the ones that will transform people’s lives. It’s the hard ones that are even harder to write, but that must be told. That’s why I included stories from my life as a magazine editor in my book, and also covered getting married later than most (in midlife), my bout with infertility, losing my creativity after childbirth, and the mistakes I’ve made as an editor and a writer. Yes, I could have saved it for my memoir (one day), but I didn’t want to wait. You shouldn’t either.

Opportunity Knocks

Here are some writing opportunities found by people reaching out to me sharing them, and on social media.

Traveling Man

A former editor of Catapult, Matt Ortile has landed at CNTraveler as an editor and columnist. He writes: hello! i'm an editor at Condé Nast Traveler and i'm looking to expand my rolodex w/ travel writers, reporters, photographers, illustrators, etc. Please send over your contact & portfolio/clips *via this form*.

Get Your Place in The Sun

Anna Gazmarian of The liteary magazine The Sun is still looking for essays about important objects in your life. She writes: Do you have a lucky charm or a cursed knickknack you’re superstitious about? Send your essays to annagaz@thesunmagazine.org. by November 1st.

New on the Block at Guardian US

Sarah Rense has joined as deputy features editor. She would like you to send over feature pitches or just say hi, and is eager to work with new people. Her email: sarah.rense@guardian.co.uk

Writing/Interviews/Events

I was thrilled to be interviewed in Inc. by Minda Zetlin on 17 Small Changes That Will Your Writing Irresistible, According to an NYU Writing Professor.

I wrote What to Do To Maximize Your Launch Week and Get Your Book Published for Writer’s Digest.

I will be on the Writer’s Bridge chatting with Allison K. Williams (Seven Drafts) about all aspects of publishing your writing and getting it noticed next week. Go here for information and to sign up (and if you sign up for my newsletter, you will get my free pitching guide).

This next section is for subscribers only. Upgrade your subscription to receive access to my extended podcast episode with Kathleen Schmidt of the popular substack Publishing Confidential. She talks about what she is reading, watching, buying and more in this extended version, and you don’t want to miss it. I do the work of curating content and information so you don’t have to, based on my 3 decades of experience in publishing on both sides: as a journalist, essayist, author and magazine editor. Lots more goodies coming for this section. Hope to see you there.