Join Joan Hochstetler, author of the contemporary women’s fiction bool, One Holy Night (Sheaf House ,April 2008), as she virtually tours the blogosphere in November on her first virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book Promotion!

J. M. Hochstetler writes stories that always involve some element of the past and of finding home. Born in central Indiana, the daughter of Mennonite farmers, she graduated from Indiana University with a degree in Germanic languages. She was an editor with Abingdon Press for twelve years and has published four novels. Daughter of Liberty (2004), Native Son (2005), and Wind of the Spirit (March 2009), the first three books of the critically acclaimed American Patriot Series, are set during the American Revolution. One Holy Night, a retelling of the Christmas story set in modern times, is the 2009 Christian Small Publishers Fiction Book of the Year and a finalist for the 2009 American Christian Fiction Writers Long Contemporary Book of the Year.

Hochstetler is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, Christian Authors Network, Middle Tennessee Christian Writers, Nashville Christian Writers Association, and Historical Novels Society. She and her husband live near Nashville, Tennessee.

You can find Joan online at www.jmhochstetler.com or at this book’s blog http://oneholynight.blogspot.com.

Could you please tell us a little about your book?

One Holy Night is a retelling of the nativity story set in 1967 in the Minneapolis area during the Vietnam War. It tells the story of a family torn apart by intergenerational conflict, war, and illness that is brought together again by the miraculous birth of a baby.

Who or what is the inspiration behind this book?

This story was the culmination of a lot of thinking I’d been doing over a number of years about the gritty issues that impact our lives—intergenerational and interracial conflict, addictions, war, illness, death, divorce. Brokenness of one kind or another affects every family and individual. And the more I thought about it, the more I questioned how we can make sense of our lives and find reconciliation in our relationships. Where do we find purpose, strength, and healing?

I first started tinkering with the idea for this story back in the late 1980s. I had pieces of it written down, but life happened, and I didn’t get really serious about it until after 9-11. Right around that time a young woman in our church was diagnosed with intestinal cancer, and died within a year. Then my parents both died as the result of a car accident. At that time the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq were in all the headlines, and opposition was growing along with the casualty count. Commentators began to compare the Iraqi war with the quagmire of Vietnam—a conflict I was well acquainted with since I was in high school and college during those years.

So all these things started to find their way into this story set during 1967 about a family in a small town in Minnesota that is faced with these issues while the son is away, serving in Vietnam. The conclusion I came up with is pretty well summed up in the little blurb for the book: As on that holy night so long ago . . . in a world torn by sin and strife . . . to a family that has suffered heart-wrenching loss . . . there will be born a baby . . .

What do you feel sets this book apart from others in the same genre?

One Holy Night isn’t just a story set at Christmas, as other Christmas stories I’ve read are. At heart it’s a retelling of Jesus’ nativity set in modern times, and it’s also really a story for all seasons, not just for Christmas. I didn’t try to “modernize” every detail of the Bible story to make it fit a contemporary setting, but to capture the overarching themes—how God comes down into our world and through the birth of a baby brings forgiveness of sin, reconciliation of broken relationships, and healing for hurting hearts.

What is the most important thing in your life right now?

Writing and developing my small press, Sheaf House, are currently taking up most of my time and, of course, are very important to me. But the most important thing in my life is to be faithful to God in my journey through this life.

What are you currently working on?

I’m always working on several projects at a time. For me it seems like switching from one project to another when I get bogged down sparks my creativity and keeps me from developing writer’s block.

Currently my most active project is Crucible of War, book 4 of my American Patriot Series. I’m also working on a romance based on my Mennonite background set at the end of WWII and the fictionalized account of my Amish Mennonite ancestors who came to this country in 1738. They were pacifists, but ironically they were caught up in the French and Indian War when their home was attacked by a band of Indians in 1757. And I have several other projects in various stages of development too.

What do you feel has been your greatest achievement as an author?

I’m most proud of the American Patriot Series, which is the only truly comprehensive historical fiction series on the American Revolution. It follows my characters, Jonathan Carleton and Elizabeth Howard through the entire war from the skirmishes at Lexington and Concord through the final battle of Yorktown.

The first 3 books are currently available: Daughter of Liberty, Native Son, and Wind of the Spirit. Crucible of War is set to release in Fall 2011, and it will be followed up by Valley of the Shadow, Refiner’s Fire, and Forge of Freedom. I’m kind of making a career of the Revolution, but there’s such exciting material to work with, and I’m passionate about reminding the citizens of our country of all our founding generation sacrificed to hand down to us the legacy of freedom we enjoy today.

What is your favorite past-time?

Reading a good book, especially with something good to eat. What could be better—good food and good prose?

What is the most important lesson you have learned from life so far?

The best advice I ever got it is to never give up. If Plan A doesn’t work, go to Plan B. Or C or D or right on down the line until you succeed at what you’re called to do. I’ve learned that if you can’t find an open door, find a window or make your own door. That’s how I arrived where I am today.

Is there anything else you would like to share with us?

I’d just like to thank you for the opportunity to do this interview. I’ve enjoyed it very much and appreciate being able to speak to your readers!

An unforgettable story of forgiveness and reconciliation, One Holy Night retells the Christmas story in a strikingly original way—through the discovery of a baby abandoned in the manger of a church’s nativity scene. Destined to become a classic for all seasons, One Holy Night deals compassionately with the gritty issues of life—war and violence, devastating illness, intergenerational conflict, addictions, and broken relationships. This moving, inspirational story will warm readers’ hearts with hope and joy long after they finish reading.

Read the Reviews!

“One Holy Night is J.M. Hochstetler’s fourth novel, and within its pages you will discover the most beautiful modern-day essence of Christ’s nativity, mercy, and grace you’ve read in a very long while!…She richly captures the turmoil surrounding the lives of those affected by the Viet Nam War, and the many emotional conflicts that raged on as a result of that war. I look forward to reading her other books, and I highly recommend this one to you!” —Kim Ford, Window to My World (berlysue.blogspot.com)

Join Garasamo Maccagnone, author of the expanded and newly illustrated version of his fiction book, For the Love of St. Nick (BookSurge, March 2009), as he virtually tours the blogosphere in November on his second virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book Promotion!

Garasamo Maccagnone studied creative writing and literature under noted American writers Sam Astrachan and Stuart Dybek at Wayne State University and Western Michigan University. A college baseball player as well, Maccagnone met his wife Vicki as a junior at WMU. The following year, after injuring his throwing arm, Maccagnone left school and his baseball ambitions to marry Vicki. After a two year stint at both W.B. Doner and BBDO advertising agencies, Maccagnone left the industry to apply his knowledge of marketing in a new venture in an up-and-coming industry. Maccagnone created a company called, “Crate and Fly,” and turned it from a store front in 1984 to a world-wide multi-million dollar shipping corporation by 1994.

In the mid 90’s Maccagnone decided to fulfill the promise of his writing career, by first penning the children’s book, The Suburban Dragon and then following up with a collection of short stories and poetry entitled, The Affliction of Dreams. His literary novel, St. John of the Midfield was published in 2007, followed by his For the Love of St. Nick, which was released in 2008. Maccagnone expanded the original version of For the Love of St. Nick and had the book illustrated for a new release in June 2009.

Garasamo “Gary” Maccagnone lives today in Shelby Township, Michigan, with his wife Vicki and three children. You can visit Gary online at www.garasamomaccagnone.com.

Interview:

Could you please tell us a little about your book?
A couple of brothers, struggling in their young lives after the death of their mother, move to northern Michigan after their father is transferred from his military base in San Diego. When the father must leave for an important cold war mission, the boys are left to pray for his return so that they can remain a family. On Christmas Eve, a chance encounter with the traditional Saint Nick reunites them.

Did something specific happen to prompt you to write this book?
It sort of incubated in my mind after having a conversation in a hospital I worked at. I was told a mother lost her life due to placenta previa. The doctor went on to explain what happened in the birth canal and how the surviving child, due to a weakened immune system, would suffer in his young life. Twenty years later I wrote the story.
Who or what is the inspiration behind this book?
I wanted to write something that has a feel for the traditional Christmas, something that opposed the secular – over commercialized Claus that has seized the holiday from us.
Who is your biggest supporter?
I have a family friend, who with her daughter and mother, push my books all over the city, state, and country. They’ve even made their relatives in England and Australia big fans.

Your biggest critic?
My wife doesn’t like anything that I write. However, her sharp-tongued critiques after my first draft are usually “spot on” and allow me to pursue the work in the right direction.

What cause are you most passionate about and why?
I’m always harping about “The exploitation of women”. I’ve said for a long time that you must judge a civil society by the way it treats women, the way it respects their rights, the way it portrays a woman in the best possible light. I, for one, am tired of the constant barrage of sexual images of females marketed in TV, the movies, art, or music. In my mind, we have demeaned them to the lowest denominator, whereby, the only way they can feel good about themselves is through how attractive they are, or by how much sexual pleasure they can bestow upon their male partner. I certainly understand the realities of life and am not prudish in any way. However, the emphasis of a woman’s image needs to be cultivated in a more sophisticated and more responsible way.
In the last year have you learned or improved on any skills?
I study descriptive words more. I also spend more time in the editorial process. I can actually say I double the amount of time in that capacity than I do writing the piece.

Do you have any rituals you follow when finishing a piece of work?
When I believe a piece is finished, I take two months off to let all the additional scenes I forgot come to the forefront of my mind. I then rewrite the piece and submit it.

Who has influenced you throughout your career as a writer?
I always liked F. Scott Fitzgerald. He was sort of my superhero of the literary world. Of course I like Hemingway, Dos Passos, London, and a host of others. I really enjoyed Dan Wakefield and John Kennedy Toole.
What is the most important thing in your life right now?
I’m a soccer coach and a club owner. We have about 60 teams in our soccer club, with an indoor and outdoor facility. I enjoy watching the kids develop their skills from the age of six all the way up through college.
What are you currently working on?
At this time, I writing a novel entitled, “The Fish and the Fox.”

Do you have any advice for writers or readers?
I advise writers to know their craft before submitting work. I also advise against trying to be a pioneer in the literary world. Focus on writing a story with credible characters that has a beginning, middle, and an end.
Is there an author that inspired you to write?
Stuart Dybek and Sam Astrachan. They were my writing teachers in college.
What are some of your long term goals?
I’m fifty. I don’t have any long-term goals.

What do you feel has been your greatest achievement as an author?
Selling a book to a non-family member.
What do you feel is your biggest strength?
I don’t write anything that is predictable

Biggest weakness?
My wordscape is a little limited. I’m constantly working on expanding it.

What do you feel sets this book apart from others in the same genre?
The location, the feel, the introduction of a more traditional Santa, hopefully makes for an interesting read.
You know the scenario – you’re stuck on an island. What book would you bring with you and why?
The Bible. Combine all the stories about military tactics, conquests, romance, lust, sexual misconduct, faith, perseverance, etc… And you have just about every writing genre covered.

If you could go back and change one day, what would it be?
The day my oldest son was crippled with a debilitating disease. Knowing he suffers is mentally taxing and causes fits of anxiety within me.
Are you a different person now than you were 5 years ago? In what way/s?
I’m more sedate and less confrontational.
What is the most important lesson you have learned from life so far?
Feel privileged that you were created and feel privileged in your work and your leisure.

What is your favorite past-time?
Golfing.

Is there anything else you would like to share with us?
Thanks for taking the time to interview me. This was fun.

Two California boys, coping with the loss of their mother, find themselves uprooted when their father, a Navy Commander, is transferred to a base in Northern Michigan. With the youngest boy continuously sick, the family must survive military life and the northern elements as they dwell in their little hunter’s cabin on Lake Huron. When the boys’ father must leave prior to Christmas to fulfill his secret mission for the United States Military, the boys are surprised by a chance encounter that saves a life, and reunites a family.

Typically, when Johnny wasn’t feeling well, I tried to lift his spirits by telling him stories about mom and dad. The commander, vigilant in his hope to preserve mother’s memory, told many of the tales to me. In our old home, I sat on his lap on many nights while he showed old photographs of their courtship days or read me letters mother had written when the two were briefly apart.

Johnny’s favorite story was about the little game mom and the commander played on me on Saturday mornings – the mornings I knew cartoons were on. Since the television sat up high on top of a dresser, they were the only two who could turn it on. To wake them, I stood at the end of their bed and tickled their feet with a wild turkey feather. When I tickled the commander’s big ugly calloused foot my mother laughed. When I tickled my mother’s smooth petite foot the commander laughed. Every time I told Johnny that story he smiled, even if he had a high temperature.

Before falling asleep, Johnny often asked me about our mother. One time, using my nickname, he said, “Tiger, tell me how purdy mommy was.”

Our favorite photograph of mother was placed on the fireplace mantel. We called it the “Big Rock Picture” since she was standing on a giant rock while taking a break from a hiking expedition in New England. From my viewpoint, Mother was looking directly into my soul. The autumn wind played with her long blonde hair and she was smiling, smiling like she was so sure of herself, so confident, so healthy and vibrant. It was a smile I kissed a thousand times during the tender moments of my dreams.

“See Johnny, see how pretty she was?” Johnny took the picture from me and kissed and held it to his chest.

“Mommy will protect me tonight,” he said to me. Then he added, “Love you Tiger.”

“I love you more ya big dope,” I retorted back.

“You think mommy got on that big rock with a hoptacopter?”

By the time I got around to explaining how mother ended up on the giant rock, Johnny was fast asleep.

Read the Reviews!

“The power of love and wonder of miracles are front and center in this delightful and heartwarming tale.” - Cafe of Dreams

“This is good ‘read aloud’ family time reading. The message of a child’s faith makes this a story that crosses denominational, ethnic, and cultural walls. This is must family reading for the Christmas season.” – Richard Blake’

About the Authors:

Bob Brooker and Kaye O’Dougherty have been adventuring together for a lot of years now. They first met at a recording studio on 42nd Street. Yes, that 42nd Street. They recorded a commercial for E.J. Korvette’s, who went out of business soon thereafter.

Bob is an old saloon singer who, as Bobby Brookes, recorded for Victor and Capital back in the day. Kaye has trouble carrying a tune in a bucket. Nevertheless, over the years, as Brooker and O’Dougherty, the two have collaborated on a variety of theater projects, performing, writing, directing, managing, and producing. In keeping with the changing times, they have even created a cyber alter-ego named eBobb.

Recently, Bob and Kaye both took long-overdue turns at being rather mature college kids. Kaye now holds a Bachelors Degree in the Humanities from St. Peter’s College in Englewood Cliffs, NJ. Bob was graduated magna cum laude from Montclair State University with a BA in Theater, and is a member of Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society.

You can visit their website by going to www.FootballforLovers.com.

Guest Post:

The subject is passion.

A recent blog post about Football is for Lovers expressed mild shock at the racy cover image on a book about football. Frankly, we were mildly shocked that anyone should be . . . well, mildly shocked. After all, both love and football are – or at least should be – subjects of passion, yes?

And here’s the thing: as we see it, one passion can be used to enhance the other.

It’s all about the sharing. Do any of you remember the song about Running Bear and Little White Dove, who had “a love big as the sky”? If you don’t, Romeo and Juliet is pretty much the same thing.

Anyway, in the case of both pairs of these doomed lovers, passion was enflamed to the point of meltdown by the shared fact that their families were determined to keep them apart.

Passion culminating in death by drowning (as in the case of Running Bear and Little White Dove, who tried to swim to each other only to have the raging water pull them down) or in death by double suicide (as in the case of Shakespeare’s star-crossed duo) is certainly dramatic. But passion culminating in a good time being had by all would certainly be our preference.

Football can give you this. Without raging water. Or poison. Or daggers.

Now, isn’t that a relief?

With football – once you’ve learned how to share it (like by reading Football is for Lovers, hint-hint) – you get to experience together the passion of the game itself. Action! Suspense! Dare-devil maneuvers! The thrill of victory! The agony of defeat! The ultimate reality show!

Gets the blood flowing.

And then, with the two of you cuddled up on the sofa, and all that blood still flowing away post-game . . . hey, you’ve got passion to spare.

Might as well use it, yes?

About the Book:

Can learning about football be sexy? According to Football is for Lovers, when it comes to your love life, football can be better than oysters.

The good news is that Football is for Lovers makes the basics so . . . well, so basic that learning the game is easy as eating an ice cream cone. And just as much fun.

With anecdotes, illustrations, and a lot of laughs, Football is for Lovers not only makes it easy to understand the game, but also shows you how to put an end to the TV clicker wars, improve your relationship, and spice up your love life.

It just takes looking at the game of football a little bit differently.

Then again, since Football is for Lovers contains references to football great Jerry Rice in a pink tutu, images of paintings by French artist Jean Dubuffet, an alert about the dangers of speaking Northeastern Mandarin, an explanation of the value of M & M’s in a relationship, and a Burma Shave sign, to say it looks at football “a little bit differently” may be something of an understatement.

But if your football-obsessed partner has been making you a ‘football widow’ from August NFL pre-season through the February Super-Bowl, thus convincing you that you hate football, this little book may be just the ‘different look’ you need to discover that, after all, Football really is for Lovers!

I’ve decided to give some challenges a go this year.  I have done this in the past and have failed miserably, but this is going to be one of my New Year’s Resolutions.  There are just too many great books out there that I want to read and I am GOING to do it.  25 is the number I am going to start with but I am hoping to blow by it.  Only time will tell.  Here is the info, to sign up click here.

I’ve been doing this challenge for the past couple of years and have had a lot of fun. However, this year, I’m going to try and be a little more consistent with doing monthly updates and what not. I don’t know about everyone else, but when I first started book blogging, I didn’t know that many authors in my favored genre, so I went looking. I gave myself a goal of finding 50 new authors and ended up reading 56 the first year I did this. I loved finding these new worlds and cultures, so I want to help others find new ones as well. Since 2007, I’ve tried over 100 different authors I may not have tried otherwise and I have found some great new authors.

The idea behind this is to find new authors that you’ve never tried before. They can be in your genre of choice or be brave and try something new. You never know what you’re going to like until you try it. If you’re looking for some suggestions, you can check out the Author page here at Literary Escapism or the 2009 Challenge page. With over 1000 reviews posted, I’m sure there will be something there for everyone.

Here are the guidelines:

The challenge will run from January 1, 2010 through December 31, 2010.
Since this is an author challenge, there is no restriction on choosing your novels. They can definitely be from other challenges. However, the authors must be new to you and, preferably from novels. Anthologies are a great way to try someone new, but only a third of your new authors can be from anthologies.
I want this to be an easy challenge, so you can pick to do either 15, 25 or 50 new authors. It all depends on how fast you read and how adventurous you want to be. For me, I’m trying another 50 new authors. If you reach your goal halfway through the year, don’t stop. Any new author you try can be added to Mr. Linky. We all want to know about your new experience.
After reading your new author, write your review and then come back here and add your link to Mr. Linky. Make sure you include your name and the author, but adding the title is completely up to you.
Bloggers or Non-Bloggers alike are welcome

I’ve been trying to catch up on my FeedDemon posts and I saw this.  I thought this was such a fantastic idea, and living away from my family it really felt like something I should participate in.  Here is some info:

If you’ll remember, I gave ya’ll the heads up on this!

The holidays are for celebrating and what better way to celebrate than with food? Unfortunately, we all live so far apart that we can’t get together but that shouldn’t stop us from celebrating in style! So Amy, Julie, and I put our heads together and came up with the Progressive Dinner Idea!

Here’s your Invitation:

Who: You, yes you! And all the other fab bloggers who want to join in.

What: A Virtual Progressive Dinner (in which each blog hosts one part of the meal)

When: December 7-11

Where: The hub will be at the Book Blog Social Club

Why: Because we are party animals! Hopefully the fabulous recipes and ideas for entertainment and decoration will give you everything you need for the holiday season.

How will it work?

We just need you to fill out this fun form and tell us what part of the meal you want to host. Don’t cook much? Don’t worry! We need people to give us ideas for decorating and entertainment, too! Then pretty please spread the word about the dinner via facebook, twitter, and your blog! We’ll go through and figure out which team we can put you on, and send you an email with your teammates names. Then, your team will figure out if you want to have a theme and who will post what. The week of the progressive dinner, we’ll host Mister Linkys up at the Book Blog Social Club, and you can put in your link. by the end of the week, we’ll have a fabulous collection of recipes and party ideas to celebrate with!

Head on over to Booking Mama or My Friend Amy to sign up on the sign in sheet!

Lynda McDaniel loves to get people fired up about writing. Whether she’s coaching, training, or writing books, she digs into her satchel of proven techniques and personal experiences to help them increase their confidence and catapult their creativity. As they work together, her clients can better access their own problem-solving and creative-thinking skills and draw from their strengths and stories—the ones that set them apart from the rest and help them excel at work.

In August 2009, Lynda published her latest book, Words at Work: Powerful business writing delivers increased sales, improved results and even a promotion or two. It draws on her lifetime of writing books, articles, and business documents with essays and instruction. More than how to dot Is and cross Ts, Words at Work teaches readers how to think big and write big. It explores how to mine their creativity and write their ideas in an organized and compelling way so that they can persuade, sell, teach, improve, guide, explain, change, contribute, motivate, praise, recommend, propose, and create.

Her next book is entitled Words at Work-Book. The companion to Words at Work, it takes readers deeper into the fundamentals of good writing. (Available fall 2009.) Too often today, business writing is like the literary equivalent of fast food: slapped together, full of fat, and hard to digest. Through interesting, short quizzes, and fun exercises, readers refresh their understanding of grammar, punctuation, and style. And by the time they finish Words @ Work-Book, they’ll be ready to write letters that get results, documents that demand attention, and proposals that persuade.

In 2005, she created and produced Compelling Communications©, a series of business-writing seminars. Her coaching and seminar clients include the City of Seattle, Cutter & Buck, First Choice Health, Kroll Security, Seattle Chamber of Commerce, Seneca Real Estate Group, Sound Inpatients Physicians, T-Mobile, U.S. Small Business Administration, University of Puget Sound, University of Washington, and YMCA.

She brings bring more than 25 years of writing experience to her seminars, presentations and books. National companies I’ve written for include DuPont, Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and Georgia Institute of Technology. Her long career as a journalist includes feature articles for magazines and newspapers such as Law & Politics, Associations Now, Southern Living, Country Living, Yoga Journal, University of Chicago Magazine, Atlanta Journal & Constitution, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, guideposts.com, andwashingtonpost.com.

Lynda spent years learning how to write and tell great stories, and she loves to share all the tools and tips she’s learned along the way. And she still writes, every day. She has an unflagging commitment to both the science and art of writing. www.lyndmcdaniel.com and www.lyndamcdaniel.com/blog.asp. Or www.afcbw.com

Review:

We can all benefit from  book like this.  Our words are sometimes the first impression people get of us, especially in the electronic age we all live in.  You may never even speak to the other person so you need to make sure that the impression you give is positive.  And this book will be beneficial to you in this way.

This book was a true eye opener and I am happy to say that I will be using a lot of the tips and techniques that Lynda suggests.  One of techniques I will be sure to use on a regular basis is the rough draft and self-critique.  Excellent tool for anyone, I will keep this handy as I believe I will be coming back to it regularly.

 
In her latest book—Words at Work: Powerful business writing delivers increased sales, improved results, and even a promotion or two—Lynda McDaniel shares tools and techniques she developed over her long career as a writer and business writing coach.

 Not taught in school

Words at Work helps fill in the gap between what’s taught in school and what’s needed on the job. Many topics covered in Words @ Work are very different from those in most business writing books.

Like these five unique ways to improve business writing:

  Eureka!—Tap into your creativity in just 10 minutes to improve your writing—and your career.

· Stories—Tell tales and keep your audience captivated. Stories appeal to our emotions, which is what makes us buy. Not selling anything? Think again. Everything we write is a sales piece.

· Projection—Pay attention to your thoughts about others—they’re telling you something important about your hopes, your dreams, and your writing.

· Deconstruction—Borrow from the best to make your writing better. Study the work of professional writers to learn how to make your own writing sing.

· Bad writers just stopped too soon—Edit in short, sharp bursts rather than one longer session. With each shorter session, your brain helps you find more mistakes and misstatements.

Step by step

Each chapter starts with a short essay from McDaniel’s life that illustrates a key issue about the writing process. The rest of the chapter includes detailed explanations and examples about that issue. Topics include:

· Listen to your gut

· Write for your readers

· Overcome the fear of starting

· Write fast first drafts

· Tap into your creativity

· Edit your way to success, to name a few

Lynda McDaniel loves to get people fired up about writing. Whether she’s coaching, training, or writing books, she digs into her satchel of proven techniques and personal experiences to help them increase their confidence and catapult their creativity. As they work together, her clients can better access their own problem-solving and creative-thinking skills and draw from their strengths and stories—the ones that set them apart from the rest and help them excel at work.

In August 2009, Lynda published her latest book, Words at Work: Powerful business writing delivers increased sales, improved results and even a promotion or two. It draws on her lifetime of writing books, articles, and business documents with essays and instruction. More than how to dot Is and cross Ts, Words at Work teaches readers how to think big and write big. It explores how to mine their creativity and write their ideas in an organized and compelling way so that they can persuade, sell, teach, improve, guide, explain, change, contribute, motivate, praise, recommend, propose, and create.

Her next book is entitled Words at Work-Book. The companion to Words at Work, it takes readers deeper into the fundamentals of good writing. (Available fall 2009.) Too often today, business writing is like the literary equivalent of fast food: slapped together, full of fat, and hard to digest. Through interesting, short quizzes, and fun exercises, readers refresh their understanding of grammar, punctuation, and style. And by the time they finish Words at Work-Book, they’ll be ready to write letters that get results, documents that demand attention, and proposals that persuade.

In 2005, she created and produced Compelling Communications©, a series of business-writing seminars. Her coaching and seminar clients include the City of Seattle, Cutter & Buck, First Choice Health, Kroll Security, Seattle Chamber of Commerce, Seneca Real Estate Group, Sound Inpatients Physicians, T-Mobile, U.S. Small Business Administration, University of Puget Sound, University of Washington, and YMCA.

She brings bring more than 25 years of writing experience to her seminars, presentations and books. National companies I’ve written for include DuPont, Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and Georgia Institute of Technology. Her long career as a journalist includes feature articles for magazines and newspapers such as Law & Politics, Associations Now, Southern Living, Country Living, Yoga Journal, University of Chicago Magazine, Atlanta Journal & Constitution, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, guideposts.com, and washingtonpost.com.

Lynda spent years learning how to write and tell great stories, and she loves to share all the tools and tips she’s learned along the way. And she still writes, every day. She has an unflagging commitment to both the science and art of writing. www.lyndmcdaniel.com and www.lyndamcdaniel.com/blog.asp. Or www.afcbw.com

Guest post:

Although my latest book, Words at Work: Powerful business writing delivers increased sales, improved results, and even a promotion or two, focuses on writing in the workplace, the principles it covers work for all writers—from novelists to journalists, essayists to poets. It explores inspiration, self-confidence, and creativity, and who couldn’t use a little more of that?

One of the best techniques I write about is “deconstruction.” At first this may seem dangerously close to plagiarism. It’s not. Deconstruction is a tool that can help you identify and more fully develop your personal writing style.

Copying, when used correctly, is simply a way to learn technique. I came to terms with this idea years ago while visiting an art museum. The exhibition text panel explained that Degas and Cassatt applied for permits to the Louvre to copy the Great Masters. I was stunned. It had never occurred to me that it was okay to copy greatness. Wasn’t that cheating? Eventually, though, I realized that this kind of copying is simply an exercise, not a finished product. We learn by example, by mimicking greatness until it feels natural to us.

Try deconstruction the next time you get excited about something you just read—whether it’s in your genre or not. The frisson you feel while reading signals a strong emotional message, something way more powerful than an intellectual idea. As you read, glean ideas you can bring to your writing. Explore your usual sources and add new ones. If you read literary novels, try mysteries (and vice versa). If you read blogs, pick up the New York Times (and vice versa).

When practicing deconstruction on writing you admire, look for:

1. How does the piece start? How does the writer grab your attention: describing a scene, telling a story, asking a question, creating a “what-if” scenario?

2. What’s in the middle? How did the writer organize the information? What techniques made the information flow seamlessly?

3. How does it end? Is there a notable denouement or call-to-action? Does it wind up with a twist or finish the “what-if” scenario started at the beginning?

Next, dig a little deeper. Are there:

4. A variety of sentence structures: short, long, in-between? And fragments? Together, they add punch that keeps us reading. Long sentences lull us to sleep.

5. Vivid verbs? Last week I read the verb “canoodle” and added it to my favorites list. Jettison 50 percent of those boring is-are-were verbs that plague most writing. Replace them with brandish, festoon, launch, ravage, rummage, shout, taunt, unfettered, wither, and wilt, to list a few.

6. Similes? Does the writer explain something complex with a comparison to something familiar? Similes help you bring your readers up to speed quickly. I keep a list of these, too, like this one from G.M. Ford in Black River: “Lost in thought, Corso watched the paparazzi move along the sidewalk like a meal going down a python.”

Rejoice when you read something of beauty. First, it deserves it. Second, it’s alerting you to a new level of writing just waiting for you to achieve.

About the Book:

In her latest book—Words at Work: Powerful business writing delivers increased sales, improved results, and even a promotion or two—Lynda McDaniel shares tools and techniques she developed over her long career as a writer and business writing coach.

Not taught in school

Words @ Work helps fill in the gap between what’s taught in school and what’s needed on the job. Many topics covered in Words @ Work are very different from those in most business writing books.

Like these five unique ways to improve business writing:

· Eureka!—Tap into your creativity in just 10 minutes to improve your writing—and your career.

· Stories—Tell tales and keep your audience captivated. Stories appeal to our emotions, which is what makes us buy. Not selling anything? Think again. Everything we write is a sales piece.

· Projection—Pay attention to your thoughts about others—they’re telling you something important about your hopes, your dreams, and your writing.

· Deconstruction—Borrow from the best to make your writing better. Study the work of professional writers to learn how to make your own writing sing.

· Bad writers just stopped too soon—Edit in short, sharp bursts rather than one longer session. With each shorter session, your brain helps you find more mistakes and misstatements.

Step by step

Each chapter starts with a short essay from McDaniel’s life that illustrates a key issue about the writing process. The rest of the chapter includes detailed explanations and examples about that issue. Topics include:

· Listen to your gut

· Write for your readers

· Overcome the fear of starting

· Write fast first drafts

· Tap into your creativity

· Edit your way to success, to name a few.

Does writing well still matter in a time of e-mail, texting, and Twitter?

You bet it does.

Writing is so much more than stringing words together. The process of writing can help you clarify your thoughts and uncover ideas you didn’t know you had. Writing well can deliver increased sales, improved results, and even a promotion or two.

I admit that as a professional writer for 25 years and a business writing coach for five, I’m hopelessly in love with words: their flow, their nuance, their message. At the same time, I appreciate what a boon to business e-mail and text-messaging can be. Quick questions, fast answers, no postage—I’m all for them! But somewhere along the way, we’re losing our ability to write.

When you write only short e-mail and text messages, your ability to develop your thoughts shrivels, along with your ability to persuade, sell, teach, improve, guide, change, contribute, and create. Words @ Work is about learning how to tap into your deepest thoughts and present them in an organized and compelling way. It’s about thinking big and writing big.

Nothing to fear but…
While living on my farm, I discovered a lot of things about writing by observing nature. My favorite lesson—there is a season for everything—taught me that there is a time to plan, a time to work, a time to rest, and a time to reap the rewards of all that effort. It makes perfect sense. No one sits down and writes something brilliant. It takes time pondering and planning, writing and editing. I learned that writing is more like picking blackberries than huckleberries. Huckleberries, heavy bunches hanging low in August, fall into your bucket with the slightest nudging. Every now and then that happens with writing—the words just tumble out. But more often, writing is like picking blackberries—thorny patches keeping your ideas just out of reach. But keep stretching, and you’ll get to the good stuff. Like that cobbler cooling on the windowsill. Most of these obstacles boil down to fear. Fear of getting it “wrong.” Fear of not finishing. Fear of finishing. And there’s nothing unusual about that. Everyone feels—some more often than others—that fear of a blank screen or empty pad of paper. Fear makes us think we have no interest in writing. Clients tell me they hate to write, but later I find that
they’re afraid to write because someone—their boss, client, or even that ornery editor in their own head—is standing by to criticize. It makes us freeze, procrastinate, even clean our offices before we write. But when that fear is lifted, when people understand how important writing is to their careers and that everyone can learn to write, incredible things happen.

Ornery Editor

In Chapter One, I mentioned a season for everything. That certainly applies to ornery editor (OE). Who’s that? As if we don’t get enough grief from bosses and know-it-alls, most of us carry around this voice inside our head, the one making annoying—even crippling—remarks like, “This is really bad. You’ll never get this article sold. Man, how can you keep doing this? You ought to quit!” And, of course, he picks on your first drafts. While I learned that I can’t make my OE go away, I’ve trained myself to ignore him while I’m writing early drafts. That’s essential. You need the space to experiment
and try again. Keep your OE as far away from the writing process as possible. Otherwise he’ll do his best to make you give up or churn out something tried and true like everyone else. But I also learned that I needed to let my OE back in during my editing process. That’s when he just might have something valuable to say. “That’s too long. That doesn’t feel right. Something’s clunky. I don’t think your readers will understand that. Can’t you find a more exciting verb than ‘is’?” I can’t tell you how often, when I felt tired or lazy, I’d ignore his promptings—usually an uneasy feeling in my gut about a certain paragraph—only to have an editor criticize that very paragraph.

Tools of the trade

I learned a lot from … journalists and copywriters. I enjoyed picking up the paper and reading their articles. And once I realized how much journalism meant to me, I set about learning all I could from them. So, let’s explore some of the best techniques journalism offers to writers in the business world.

Inverted Pyramid

This journalist’s tool looks like an upside-down pyramid—with the tip pointing down and the broad base at the top. It’s a great icon to keep in mind as you organize anything you’re writing—from a letter or e-mail to a report or newsletter article. It looks like what your document should look like—stacked right from the beginning with the best stuff on top and winding down to a well-rounded finish.

Six Wise Men

The Six Wise Men are classic reporter questions: who, why, what, where, when, and how. With some exceptions, they all need to be answered to make your document complete. I use them as a safety net—if I’ve answered all six in my writing, I feel confident that I’ve covered all the bases.

Deconstruction

The inspiration for deconstruction struck while I was visiting an art museum. The text panel explained that Degas and Cassatt applied for permits to the Louvre to copy the Great Masters. I was stunned. It had never occurred to me that it was okay to copy greatness. Wasn’t that cheating? Weren’t we taught in school never to copy? For writers, doesn’t that edge dangerously close to plagiarism? Eventually, though, I realized that deconstruction, like artists at the Louvre, was simply an exercise, not a finished product. Degas and Cassatt developed their own unmistakable styles—they just wanted to practice techniques and prime their creativity at the same time.

We learn by example, by mimicking greatness until it feels natural to us. To translate that for writing, instead of envying other writers, I needed to take a closer look at what I admired about their work. I needed to study greatness. While teaching myself to write, I spent hours poring over books and magazines. I made copious notes of how the writers handled their information. I earmarked pages until the magazine didn’t close right.

Corporatespeak

Today, as a business writing coach, I help people break off their love affair with six syllables when one works even better. I’ve read some paragraphs so convoluted I had to ask clients to explain what they were trying to say to their readers. When they start talking, their thoughts come out fresh and clear. I stop them before they forget what they just said and tell them, “Put that down!” I keep a file of bad examples because some of them are unimaginable. You couldn’t make it up if you tried.

1. “The purpose of this report is to clarify the communications endeavor we discussed and further develop the necessary components for review by the board, inasmuch as…”

2. “The process, if accelerated through the strategic channels in the allotted timeframe, will leverage our deployment as an immeasurable uniqueness in the marketplace.”

Relax. Be yourself. Use plain English. Write in an open, honest style. Don’t try too hard. Conversational writing is in. Large words and convoluted sentences don’t get the message across. Just talk to your readers. In turn, you’ll increase sales, eliminate misunderstandings, and achieve goals faster.

WIIFM – What’s in it for me?

That’s what all readers are thinking, consciously or not. And you’ve got 10 seconds to convince them you understand their needs. It’s easy to talk about yourself, your products, and your services and assume that readers make the jump to how those features will benefit them. They don’t. First, you need to ask, interview, and watch so you understand what they want and need. Then, you need to write to them, address their needs, concerns, and problems. As a result, you’ll grab their attention and keep them engaged.

How to get where you want to go

Think of your writing as a bus making its way through traffic. All the best words and phrases are on board, along with your features and benefits. And the proper use of commas, periods, and dashes (like road signs) are making the ride smoother for your readers. But who’s driving the bus? If it’s you (the writer), that bus is headed in the wrong direction. Put your reader in the driver’s seat, and that bus is speeding toward the results you both need. As you let the reader drive your bus, you’ll share benefits and results they care about (rather than all the features you’re so proud of).

Telling tales for fun and profit

Observation is one of the best ways to develop stories. Pay attention to anecdotes in everyday life—and write them down. (Your memory really isn’t as good as you think.) As a reporter, I’ve honed the skills of looking and listening. I eavesdrop at restaurants and on buses (and hear the most amazing things). One of my favorite observations took place on the highest summit in Georgia, Brasstown Bald (4,784 feet). Ten years later, I used their exchange for a lead in an article about wildflowers.

Two women walking in the woods stopped to investigate a shock of red against the muted forest floor.

“What’s that?” one asked.

“Oh, nothing,” the other said. “Just an old wildflower.”

I overhead this exchange almost 20 years ago, but I still can’t believe my ears. They stood before petals of red, dew-dotted emerald leaves, pistils laden with gold, fragrance as sweet as the senses can register—a flower that had returned year after year through too much rain and too little, through winter’s cold and summer’s heat. And they dissed it?

Listen to what your customers, employees, bosses—whomever you’re writing to—have to say. Eavesdrop. Ask questions. What do they like? What would make their lives easier? In a perfect world, what do they hope you can deliver? Shape your documents to respond to their needs. Remember that our biggest task in business writing is to write to our reader, not just dump our information on them. Stories increase your readers’ ability to grasp your information. Instead of deadly diatribes or boring PowerPoints, share stories, scenarios, situations, and case studies.

“As a professional, I have had the opportunity to read and use the wisdom from many self help books and the key is finding one that is timely, doesn’t demean and is immediately useful. McDaniel achieves this by teaching you the process from beginning to end, including the little used rough draft and self-critique. In order to become a good writer, you need to become your audience. McDaniel shows you how to see your writing through the eyes of others, how to target your audience and how to make more out of less.“

–Jeannie S. Saunders

“I just got the book yesterday and what’s wonderful about it is how grounded in real-life experience it is. No hocus-pocus or hokum. It’s going to be very valuable resource for those who want to improve their business and professional writing. And it was a nice refresher for me too! (I’m a professional writer/editor).”

–Annie Simpkinson

“A must-have for anyone who aspires to be a better writer — whether it’s to improve your performance on the job, land a better job, create snappier copy for your website, or write everyday communications without embarrassing yourself (or your company).

This is NOT a grammar book or a dry-as-dust business textbook. Words @ Work breaks new ground by showing you how to overcome “writer’s block” and organize your thoughts before your start writing. Then, once you’ve released a free flow of ideas, the book guides you through an editing process that shapes your message into an effective finished draft.

What surprised me was how entertaining and inspiring this book is. Lynda McDaniel uses stories from her own working and writing life to illustrate each chapter’s key concept — whether it’s about unleashing your creativity, or learning to avoid “corporatespeak” to find your authentic writing voice. It’s as if Strunk and White’s “The Elements of Style” merged with Julia Cameron’s “The Artist’s Way” to create something quite fresh: a guide to using your creative (”right-brain”) powers to write more effectively in a rational (”left-brained”) business world. “

–Gina E. Willis

Lynda McDaniel’s WORDS @ WORK VIRTUAL BLOG TOUR ‘09 will officially begin on Nov. 2 and end on Nov. 27. You can visit Lynda’s blog stops at www.virtualbooktours.wordpress.com during the month of November to find out more about this great book and talented author!

Join Willow, author of the children’s fantasy novel, Tirissa and the Necklace of Nulidor (Outskirts Press, Aug. ‘09) , as she virtually tours the blogosphere in November on her first virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book Promotion!

Willow grew up in Albuquerque, NM, in the late 1940’s and 1950’s, always with her nose in an Oz book or else out under the peach tree in the back yard, looking for fairies. After she grew up, moved to CA, and graduated from Occidental College, a few aptitude tests suggested she should be a novelist, but she didn’t try her hand at it until her thirties. By then she’d forgotten her childhood love of fantasy and over the years tried her hand at a variety of genres. None of the stories really captured her imagination and each time her interest petered out. But the years passed and one day, in her fifties, she felt a yearning to read Lord of the Rings, which she had never read. Halfway through, she knew that all along it was children’s fantasy she wanted to write. And so she began writing the tale of Tirissa, who loved to be out under the trees, and it turned into Tirissa and the Necklace of Nulidor.

You can visit Willow’s website at www.Tirissa.com.

One day twelve-year-old Tirissa discovers that everyone in her village is under a spell. Everyone but her! Then she sees a mysterious stranger change into a huge bird, a bird with a beak like a sword. Did he cast the spell? Desperate to find someone who can break it, she flees, leaving her village behind.
Soon she meets some wood nymphs and learns, to her surprise, that she is part wood nymph.

An old herbwoman tells her to seek help from a wizard who lives far away, a journey that will take her across the Three Kingdoms. Along the way she’s joined by a kindly troll and a reluctant palace guard. They are pursued by the twin princes of Kellayne, the best hunters in the Blue River Kingdom, as well as by the huge, dangerous bird.others—they’re telling you something important about your hopes, your dreams, and your writing.

Meanwhile, an evil wizard watches Tirissa and her friends in his magic mirror and plans a second spell that will kill everyone in the Three Kingdoms.

Read the Reviews:

“What a fun book to read! Magic, spells, enchanting journey and surprising friends. I thoroughly enjoyed joining Tirissa on her mystical journey. It was fun to escape into the world created by Willow, the author. Tirissa is a sweet young girl who takes on a magical journey along with the help of a newfound friend, a troll, to save her friends Will she be able to lift the spell? Will she complete the journey? This is the perfect story for a young teen or an even better bedtime story to read each night before bed to older children. The characters are well developed and surprising. Tirissa encounters the same feelings and dilemmas faced by many teens. She has the responsibility of an adult but is not far from a child herself. This is a perfect gift for a young girl but it will also appeal to children and adults. “
-Jennifer S.

“The wind blew and the earth trembled, and Tirissa a young girl of 12 becomes the only one around with true life in her eyes. She’s from the village of Oakenwood. She believes a bird, known as “the Beak”, cast a spell on everyone. She knows she must find help for the village. Here is where her magical journey begins in this book titled “Tirissa and the Necklace of Nulidor”.

Tirissa’s first stop after leaving the village, leads her to being captured by none other than a troll – “Oglo”, who becomes a very important friend to her throughout the story. She finds out she must travel to the palace and along the way and when she reaches the palace more than you can imagine will take place.

So, what do a necklace, deadening stone, crystals, and wizards have in common? The author, Willow does a wonderful job with these fantasy characters and magical items keeping you entertained and interested in this story. This is a very good fantasy read for a young adult.“
-M. Stanhope

WIN A CHANCE AT A FREE BOOK:

Willow’s TIRISSA AND THE NECKLACE OF NULIDOR VIRTUAL BLOG TOUR ‘09 will officially begin on Nov. 2 and end on Nov. 27. You can visit Willow’s blog stops at www.virtualbooktours.wordpress.com during the month of November to find out more about this great book and talented author!

Lynda McDaniel loves to get people fired up about writing. Whether she’s coaching, training, or writing books, she digs into her satchel of proven techniques and personal experiences to help them increase their confidence and catapult their creativity. As they work together, her clients can better access their own problem-solving and creative-thinking skills and draw from their strengths and stories—the ones that set them apart from the rest and help them excel at work.

In August 2009, Lynda published her latest book, Words @ Work: Powerful business writing delivers increased sales, improved results and even a promotion or two. It draws on her lifetime of writing books, articles, and business documents with essays and instruction. More than how to dot Is and cross Ts, Words @ Work teaches readers how to think big and write big. It explores how to mine their creativity and write their ideas in an organized and compelling way so that they can persuade, sell, teach, improve, guide, explain, change, contribute, motivate, praise, recommend, propose, and create.

Her next book is entitled Words @ Work-Book. The companion to Words @ Work, it takes readers deeper into the fundamentals of good writing. (Available fall 2009.) Too often today, business writing is like the literary equivalent of fast food: slapped together, full of fat, and hard to digest. Through interesting, short quizzes, and fun exercises, readers refresh their understanding of grammar, punctuation, and style. And by the time they finish Words @ Work-Book, they’ll be ready to write letters that get results, documents that demand attention, and proposals that persuade.

In 2005, she created and produced Compelling Communications©, a series of business-writing seminars. Her coaching and seminar clients include the City of Seattle, Cutter & Buck, First Choice Health, Kroll Security, Seattle Chamber of Commerce, Seneca Real Estate Group, Sound Inpatients Physicians, T-Mobile, U.S. Small Business Administration, University of Puget Sound, University of Washington, and YMCA.

She brings bring more than 25 years of writing experience to her seminars, presentations and books. National companies I’ve written for include DuPont, Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and Georgia Institute of Technology. Her long career as a journalist includes feature articles for magazines and newspapers such as Law & Politics, Associations Now, Southern Living, Country Living, Yoga Journal, University of Chicago Magazine, Atlanta Journal & Constitution, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, guideposts.com, and washingtonpost.com.

Lynda spent years learning how to write and tell great stories, and she loves to share all the tools and tips she’s learned along the way. And she still writes, every day. She has an unflagging commitment to both the science and art of writing. www.lyndmcdaniel.com and www.lyndamcdaniel.com/blog.asp. Or www.afcbw.com
Could you please tell us a little about your book?
The title, which is a long one, sums it up: Words at Work: Powerful business writing delivers increased sales, improved results, and even a promotion or two. A veteran writing coach shows you how. The book shows everyone from C-level to entry level how to jump-start their writing—and results. Each chapter starts with a short essay from my life that illustrates a key issue about the writing process. (My clients keep telling me how much my life experiences inspired them.) The rest of the chapter includes detailed explanations and examples about that issue. Topics include: Listen to your gut, write for your readers, overcome your fears, copy great writers, tap into your creativity, tell stories, and most importantly, trust yourself.

Did something specific happen to prompt you to write this book?
I heard a student tell another student as they left my writing class, “They sure don’t teach this in school!” That meant the world to me. I knew I had tapped into something special, and I wanted to share that with a wider audience.

Who or what is the inspiration behind this book?
I love taking all the things I’ve learned during my writing and writing coaching career—sometimes the hard way—to make other people’s lives easier. I am self-taught and struggled at times to learn and advance in my career—and I thought about how many more people I could help through a book. I wrote Words at Work for everyone who wants to write well, and especially for those who thought they couldn’t. They can.

Who is your biggest supporter?
My students and clients. They know the improved results—and self-esteem—they’ve enjoyed through our work together. And I’m pleased that Words at Work just won the top award in the National Best Books 2009 Awards in the category of writing/publishing. That really validates what I’m trying to say and how I said it.

Your biggest critic?
Me. I’m a tough editor of my writing, but over the years, I’ve learned to lighten up. I trust myself more now and write more often from my heart than my head. That’s how I wrote Words at Work, and I like the way it turned out.

What cause are you most passionate about and why?
I’m very politically involved, and I care very much about helping people live into their potential. Words at Work is a small contribution to that. I believe if people can express themselves better, they’ll achieve their goals faster and understand themselves better (which is how we live into our potential).

In the last year have you learned or improved on any skills?
Writing Words at Work this year really fine-tuned my own writing. Books are like that. Unlike the hundreds of magazine articles I’ve written over the years, books take a lot longer. Because of its length (compared to an article), Words at Work really made me think about fundamentals like planning, organization, tone, and style. Writing about writing kept me on my toes!

Do you have any rituals you follow when finishing a piece of work?
I eat out at a fancy restaurant. I can celebrate my accomplishments in a lovely setting with food that excites my palate. And who knows? Maybe I’ll see some crazy street scene on the way or some incident at the restaurant that inspires me to write another story.

In her latest book—Words @ Work: Powerful business writing delivers increased sales, improved results, and even a promotion or two—Lynda McDaniel shares tools and techniques she developed over her long career as a writer and business writing coach.

Not taught in school

Words @ Work helps fill in the gap between what’s taught in school and what’s needed on the job. Many topics covered in Words @ Work are very different from those in most business writing books.

Like these five unique ways to improve business writing:

· Eureka!—Tap into your creativity in just 10 minutes to improve your writing—and your career.

· Stories—Tell tales and keep your audience captivated. Stories appeal to our emotions, which is what makes us buy. Not selling anything? Think again. Everything we write is a sales piece.

· Projection—Pay attention to your thoughts about others—they’re telling you something important about your hopes, your dreams, and your writing.

· Deconstruction—Borrow from the best to make your writing better. Study the work of professional writers to learn how to make your own writing sing.

· Bad writers just stopped too soon—Edit in short, sharp bursts rather than one longer session. With each shorter session, your brain helps you find more mistakes and misstatements.

Step by step

Each chapter starts with a short essay from McDaniel’s life that illustrates a key issue about the writing process. The rest of the chapter includes detailed explanations and examples about that issue. Topics include:

· Listen to your gut

· Write for your readers

· Overcome the fear of starting

· Write fast first drafts

· Tap into your creativity

· Edit your way to success, to name a few.

Does writing well still matter in a time of e-mail, texting, and Twitter?

You bet it does.

Writing is so much more than stringing words together. The process of writing can help you clarify your thoughts and uncover ideas you didn’t know you had. Writing well can deliver increased sales, improved results, and even a promotion or two.

I admit that as a professional writer for 25 years and a business writing coach for five, I’m hopelessly in love with words: their flow, their nuance, their message. At the same time, I appreciate what a boon to business e-mail and text-messaging can be. Quick questions, fast answers, no postage—I’m all for them! But somewhere along the way, we’re losing our ability to write.

When you write only short e-mail and text messages, your ability to develop your thoughts shrivels, along with your ability to persuade, sell, teach, improve, guide, change, contribute, and create. Words @ Work is about learning how to tap into your deepest thoughts and present them in an organized and compelling way. It’s about thinking big and writing big.

Nothing to fear but…
While living on my farm, I discovered a lot of things about writing by observing nature. My favorite lesson—there is a season for everything—taught me that there is a time to plan, a time to work, a time to rest, and a time to reap the rewards of all that effort. It makes perfect sense. No one sits down and writes something brilliant. It takes time pondering and planning, writing and editing. I learned that writing is more like picking blackberries than huckleberries. Huckleberries, heavy bunches hanging low in August, fall into your bucket with the slightest nudging. Every now and then that happens with writing—the words just tumble out. But more often, writing is like picking blackberries—thorny patches keeping your ideas just out of reach. But keep stretching, and you’ll get to the good stuff. Like that cobbler cooling on the windowsill. Most of these obstacles boil down to fear. Fear of getting it “wrong.” Fear of not finishing. Fear of finishing. And there’s nothing unusual about that. Everyone feels—some more often than others—that fear of a blank screen or empty pad of paper. Fear makes us think we have no interest in writing. Clients tell me they hate to write, but later I find that
they’re afraid to write because someone—their boss, client, or even that ornery editor in their own head—is standing by to criticize. It makes us freeze, procrastinate, even clean our offices before we write. But when that fear is lifted, when people understand how important writing is to their careers and that everyone can learn to write, incredible things happen.

Ornery Editor

In Chapter One, I mentioned a season for everything. That certainly applies to ornery editor (OE). Who’s that? As if we don’t get enough grief from bosses and know-it-alls, most of us carry around this voice inside our head, the one making annoying—even crippling—remarks like, “This is really bad. You’ll never get this article sold. Man, how can you keep doing this? You ought to quit!” And, of course, he picks on your first drafts. While I learned that I can’t make my OE go away, I’ve trained myself to ignore him while I’m writing early drafts. That’s essential. You need the space to experiment
and try again. Keep your OE as far away from the writing process as possible. Otherwise he’ll do his best to make you give up or churn out something tried and true like everyone else. But I also learned that I needed to let my OE back in during my editing process. That’s when he just might have something valuable to say. “That’s too long. That doesn’t feel right. Something’s clunky. I don’t think your readers will understand that. Can’t you find a more exciting verb than ‘is’?” I can’t tell you how often, when I felt tired or lazy, I’d ignore his promptings—usually an uneasy feeling in my gut about a certain paragraph—only to have an editor criticize that very paragraph.

Tools of the trade

I learned a lot from … journalists and copywriters. I enjoyed picking up the paper and reading their articles. And once I realized how much journalism meant to me, I set about learning all I could from them. So, let’s explore some of the best techniques journalism offers to writers in the business world.

Inverted Pyramid

This journalist’s tool looks like an upside-down pyramid—with the tip pointing down and the broad base at the top. It’s a great icon to keep in mind as you organize anything you’re writing—from a letter or e-mail to a report or newsletter article. It looks like what your document should look like—stacked right from the beginning with the best stuff on top and winding down to a well-rounded finish.

Six Wise Men

The Six Wise Men are classic reporter questions: who, why, what, where, when, and how. With some exceptions, they all need to be answered to make your document complete. I use them as a safety net—if I’ve answered all six in my writing, I feel confident that I’ve covered all the bases.

Deconstruction

The inspiration for deconstruction struck while I was visiting an art museum. The text panel explained that Degas and Cassatt applied for permits to the Louvre to copy the Great Masters. I was stunned. It had never occurred to me that it was okay to copy greatness. Wasn’t that cheating? Weren’t we taught in school never to copy? For writers, doesn’t that edge dangerously close to plagiarism? Eventually, though, I realized that deconstruction, like artists at the Louvre, was simply an exercise, not a finished product. Degas and Cassatt developed their own unmistakable styles—they just wanted to practice techniques and prime their creativity at the same time.

We learn by example, by mimicking greatness until it feels natural to us. To translate that for writing, instead of envying other writers, I needed to take a closer look at what I admired about their work. I needed to study greatness. While teaching myself to write, I spent hours poring over books and magazines. I made copious notes of how the writers handled their information. I earmarked pages until the magazine didn’t close right.

Corporatespeak

Today, as a business writing coach, I help people break off their love affair with six syllables when one works even better. I’ve read some paragraphs so convoluted I had to ask clients to explain what they were trying to say to their readers. When they start talking, their thoughts come out fresh and clear. I stop them before they forget what they just said and tell them, “Put that down!” I keep a file of bad examples because some of them are unimaginable. You couldn’t make it up if you tried.

1. “The purpose of this report is to clarify the communications endeavor we discussed and further develop the necessary components for review by the board, inasmuch as…”

2. “The process, if accelerated through the strategic channels in the allotted timeframe, will leverage our deployment as an immeasurable uniqueness in the marketplace.”

Relax. Be yourself. Use plain English. Write in an open, honest style. Don’t try too hard. Conversational writing is in. Large words and convoluted sentences don’t get the message across. Just talk to your readers. In turn, you’ll increase sales, eliminate misunderstandings, and achieve goals faster.

WIIFM – What’s in it for me?

That’s what all readers are thinking, consciously or not. And you’ve got 10 seconds to convince them you understand their needs. It’s easy to talk about yourself, your products, and your services and assume that readers make the jump to how those features will benefit them. They don’t. First, you need to ask, interview, and watch so you understand what they want and need. Then, you need to write to them, address their needs, concerns, and problems. As a result, you’ll grab their attention and keep them engaged.

How to get where you want to go

Think of your writing as a bus making its way through traffic. All the best words and phrases are on board, along with your features and benefits. And the proper use of commas, periods, and dashes (like road signs) are making the ride smoother for your readers. But who’s driving the bus? If it’s you (the writer), that bus is headed in the wrong direction. Put your reader in the driver’s seat, and that bus is speeding toward the results you both need. As you let the reader drive your bus, you’ll share benefits and results they care about (rather than all the features you’re so proud of).

Telling tales for fun and profit

Observation is one of the best ways to develop stories. Pay attention to anecdotes in everyday life—and write them down. (Your memory really isn’t as good as you think.) As a reporter, I’ve honed the skills of looking and listening. I eavesdrop at restaurants and on buses (and hear the most amazing things). One of my favorite observations took place on the highest summit in Georgia, Brasstown Bald (4,784 feet). Ten years later, I used their exchange for a lead in an article about wildflowers.

Two women walking in the woods stopped to investigate a shock of red against the muted forest floor.

“What’s that?” one asked.

“Oh, nothing,” the other said. “Just an old wildflower.”

I overhead this exchange almost 20 years ago, but I still can’t believe my ears. They stood before petals of red, dew-dotted emerald leaves, pistils laden with gold, fragrance as sweet as the senses can register—a flower that had returned year after year through too much rain and too little, through winter’s cold and summer’s heat. And they dissed it?

Listen to what your customers, employees, bosses—whomever you’re writing to—have to say. Eavesdrop. Ask questions. What do they like? What would make their lives easier? In a perfect world, what do they hope you can deliver? Shape your documents to respond to their needs. Remember that our biggest task in business writing is to write to our reader, not just dump our information on them. Stories increase your readers’ ability to grasp your information. Instead of deadly diatribes or boring PowerPoints, share stories, scenarios, situations, and case studies.

“As a professional, I have had the opportunity to read and use the wisdom from many self help books and the key is finding one that is timely, doesn’t demean and is immediately useful. McDaniel achieves this by teaching you the process from beginning to end, including the little used rough draft and self-critique. In order to become a good writer, you need to become your audience. McDaniel shows you how to see your writing through the eyes of others, how to target your audience and how to make more out of less.“

–Jeannie S. Saunders

“I just got the book yesterday and what’s wonderful about it is how grounded in real-life experience it is. No hocus-pocus or hokum. It’s going to be very valuable resource for those who want to improve their business and professional writing. And it was a nice refresher for me too! (I’m a professional writer/editor).”

–Annie Simpkinson

“A must-have for anyone who aspires to be a better writer — whether it’s to improve your performance on the job, land a better job, create snappier copy for your website, or write everyday communications without embarrassing yourself (or your company).

This is NOT a grammar book or a dry-as-dust business textbook. Words @ Work breaks new ground by showing you how to overcome “writer’s block” and organize your thoughts before your start writing. Then, once you’ve released a free flow of ideas, the book guides you through an editing process that shapes your message into an effective finished draft.

What surprised me was how entertaining and inspiring this book is. Lynda McDaniel uses stories from her own working and writing life to illustrate each chapter’s key concept — whether it’s about unleashing your creativity, or learning to avoid “corporatespeak” to find your authentic writing voice. It’s as if Strunk and White’s “The Elements of Style” merged with Julia Cameron’s “The Artist’s Way” to create something quite fresh: a guide to using your creative (”right-brain”) powers to write more effectively in a rational (”left-brained”) business world. “

–Gina E. Willis

Lynda McDaniel’s WORDS @ WORK VIRTUAL BLOG TOUR ‘09 will officially begin on Nov. 2 and end on Nov. 27. You can visit Lynda’s blog stops at www.virtualbooktours.wordpress.com during the month of November to find out more about this great book and talented author!

Happy Sunday everyone!  Sorry for the slight delay in picking book winners – we were out of town yesterday for Halloween and didn’t get back until very late.  If you are picked as a winner, please shoot me off an email with your full mailing address so I can send it to the publisher.  Here are the winner:

Emily Waits For Her Family:
Julie L.

Cheating Death:
Jenera
Eva
Margay
Lisa A.
Karen K.

The Heretic’s Daughter
Beth BBRB
Lethea Benson
Vicki
Amanda
Amy

Life After Genius
Pam R.
etiriv
Sarah Emmerson
Karen K.
Beth BBRB

My Paper Chase
Beth BBRB
Karen K.
Julie L.
Susan
Andrea

Girl on Top:
Rachel W.
Pearl
Lisa A.
Benita
Karen K.

Thanks to everyone for leaving comments…it really means so much and makes this all worthwhile!