How to Write Effective Query Letters

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The query letter shows an editor your
writing style, knowledge of the
publication, spelling/grammar
awareness and professionalism.

The editor grabbing article query
letter displays, in a page,
qualifications to write a specific
piece. You become qualified to write
for the publication after reviewing
writer's guidelines, and an examination
of several issues to understand
the target market.

Most editors prefer a query letter
over the completed manuscript. They
get tons of information, manuscripts,
thrown at them, daily. Editors have
turned to "no unsolicited submissions."

The article query letter is a way to
introduce you, your writing, to editors.
The query letter shows the editor your
writing style, knowledge of the
publication, spelling/grammar awareness
and professionalism. A query letter,
too, allows an editor to peel-in his/her
feedback. He/she may suggest a different
view-point to cover, for example.

Sometimes, if an editor liked your
writing style, he/she will offer you
another assignment, even though your
idea didn't make-it in the door.

The query letter is written in standard
business form. Your name, address and
other contact information is typed at
the top. Date the query letter. Address
it to an editor, actual name.

Hook the editor in sentence one with
an interesting idea. The hook can ask
a question, provide information, be a
personal experience anecdote or spot-
light a problem.

The editor is reading about your idea.
Make the pitch.

The pitch, second paragraph, explains
what you're offering. You'll expose
what's to be included in the piece,
article length and how your piece fits
his/her publication.

Paragraph three mentions your credentials,
samples, that makes you the only one to
write the article. Point-out work
published in like publications.

The query letter ends with a thank you
for an editor's time.

In closing, when an editor is interested
in the article, send it right away.
Remember, remind an editor of the request
for your article. Article titles are cited
in query letters and reminders.

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Source: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/8268623/attention_grabbing_query_letters.html?cat=35#comments

Twi-Haiki

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Micro-Poetry

Twi-Haiku, known as Twitter poetry,
is micro-poetry or short poems.
Twi-Haiku is described by how brief,
short, it is. Brief, not long ago,
usually referenced Haiku.

Micro-blogging changed that. Micro-
blogging created a new place for
Twi-Haiku, and an option for today's
poet.

Our society, for the most part, is
fast-paced. Micro-poetry fits a need.
People live life multi-tasking, but
enjoy expressing themselves poetically.
Longer poetic forms don't appeal for
any number of reasons.

It takes time to get comfortable with
a longer poetic form. People are short
on time, and there's not enough hours
in a day to learn the various poetry
forms. Some people want to do more
relaxing than learning in their free
time.

People are looking to stress down in
the small amount of free time
available to them.

The idea of writing micro-poetry is
fun, and it allows to the point
thoughts without spending tons of time.
Editing, if necessary, is brief too.

Twi-Haiku publishes poetry to a large
number of people. It provides an
audience, and a different audience
for poetry.

Twi-Haiku promotes micro-poetry, gives
an opportunity to hone the craft and
reach-out to other poets, people.

A Twi-Haiku must be written in 140
characters or less. Twi-Haiku is a
Twitter organization.

Twi-Haiku is a place where Twitter
and poetry come-out to play, be seen.

It's an online application, and the
process to get an account is simple.
Type-in a user name, pick a password
and answer the security question.

Twi-Haiku is for poets to discuss,
read, contribute, rate and follow.
Users can vote and search for poems
that grab their attention, like other
social networking web sites. Twi-Haiku,
in this way, users influence content/
quality.

Twi-Haiku's mission statement "is to offer
free, alternative and authoritative
literature resource and one stop environment
for everyone looking not only for new
reading experience, but also for opportunity
to shape that experience by taking active
role in its creation."

The link for Twi-Haiku is:

http://www.makeliterature.com/twihaiku/twitter-poetry.

================================================================

Beautiful colors,

wings flutter in air or land,

on you brings fortune.

by

Marcella Glenn

Source: http://hubpages.com/hub/Twi-Haiki

Passion Not Shared

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People Who Don't Share Your Passion

Writing, as with any passion, is as
unique as an individual. It's not
un-common to be around people who
don't share your passion. Passion
not shared has been around since
humans were required to do specific
tasks, work together, if only for
the time to get a task done.

The advice is not complicated.
Learn to tolerate those who don't
share your passion. Be fair with
them. He/she could be a friend.
The two of you could agree to
disagree.

The choices for you: Live with it
or depart from his/her company.

True friends are hard to find, and
no one should end a friendship
without careful thought.

A friend who nags you about your
passion can be grounds to depart
from his/her company. Have you
been asked the following?

"Why do you write?" A friend/
relative. "I mean you've been
doing it forever and you're
nowhere."

"I don't look at it that way."

"Yeah, yeah."

"Many writers in literature..."

"But you're not one of them." The
friend/relative cut you off and
laughed.

If how you're wasting time with a
passion is the topic of conversations
with a friend/relative, it's time
to move away from that person.

An option is to not share your
passion with someone who dislikes
it. Enjoy the company of a friend/
relative, if you can. Keep quiet
about new developments in regard
to your passion.

Realistically, passion not shared
can hurt a relationship, even
destroy it. Comments, remarks,
made about passion not shared
becomes stressful, and will stir-up
doubts. You'll wonder if a change
of passion is needed. Is the
discomfort worth staying in a
relationship when passions aren't
shared?

Passion is as different as each
person. A choice has to be made:
Passion or your disagreeing friend/
relative?

Haiku

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Closer Look At The Haiku

The Haiku, known as Hokku before the 19th century ended, is a form of Japanese poetry.

Masaoka Shiki (1867-1902) was the writer credited for Haiku's name. He was influenced by Western culture. Shiki leaned toward the European notion of plein air painting, and he adjusted a style of Haiku, nature drawing in words.

The words plein air painting is french which means "in the open air." It describes out-door painting.

Shiki's verse columns, essays and views became popular in newspapers.

Shiki made Haiku his own by peeling away any resemblance to Buddhism and collaborative poetry. He moved away from the term Hokku, and put forth the term Haiku. The name Haiku has been used in English and Japanese to reference this poetry form, even though the term was around before Shiki.

The traditional Japanese poetry form spoke of nature and what place humans had in it.

Haiku poems are written in 17 syllables, moras. The mora is a sound unit, like a syllable. Moras don't translate well. So, syllables are used.

Haiku poems are 3 un-rhymed lines. The first and last lines holds 5 syllables, and its middle displays 7 syllables.

Some people read nature tales, take hikes or nature walk to prepare for Haiku poetry writing.

Haiku Poems

An old silent pond...

A frog jumps into the pond,

splash! Silence again.

--------------------------------------

the first cold shower

event the monkey seems to want

a little coat of straw

by

Basho Matsuo

===================

Over the wintry

forest, winds howl in rage

with no leaves to blow.

-------------------------------------

how many gallons

of Edo's rain did you drink?

cuckoo

by

Issa

======================

The wind driven storm

blows an ocean upon land,

splitting it in half.

----------------------------------------

jump 'way grasshopper

the blades will cut you down too-

its bag swallows.

by

Marcella Glenn

Source: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/8226893/haiku.html?cat=38

To Write Or Not

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Secret Writers

Writers, people, have the choice to
write or not as with any option.
Passion has to be mixed into
writing, to do it well. Passion
is a key factor for writers.

Passion, strong feelings, encourages
a writer to jot down four paragraphs
or more on the don't-feel-like-writing
days. It's the igniter when a writer
wants to edit tomorrow, next week.
Passion pulls a writer back to a
writing project.

Passion insures that a writer gets
pass the haters and nay-sayers.
Haters and nay-sayers force secret
writers to stay in closets. They,
too, crush a writer's ability to
stand-up as a writer.

"Get a real job." A hater said to
a friend or relative.

"You can't write." The nay-sayer
sneered. "'Cause you ain't gettin'
paid."

Many jobs, positions, exist where
people don't receive payment, money.
The term for it is intern or internship.

The writer provides writing talent,
and an organization benefits from
a writer's skills. The writer learns
a new skill. Sometimes, the writer
learns more than originally agreed on.

Writers, for the most part, are curious
and like learning new skills. Stir-in
passion with a writer's curious
nature and word pictures happen.

Secret writers shouldn't deny themselves
an opportunity to openly write. If you're
a secret writer, you've made the choice
to write. It's one step out of the closet.

A rejection slip is a part of the writer's
life. It's in the same category as haters
and nay-sayers.

Look through work rejected by a publisher
to find reasons it didn't get published.
Occasionally, publishers will explain
why you received a rejection slip,
rejection of the piece.

Secret writers expressing themselves
in blogs or using social web sites
have half-stepped out of the closet.
Simply, writer-up and be read.

I know from experience how hard it is
to quiet the passion for writing. It
refuses to be still and unexposed.

I can't imagine the plight of the
secret writer.

I, personally, look for positions that
will teach me a new skill, and where
my talents roll-out successes.

People, writers, have the choice to write
or not. Writers shouldn't let haters and
nay-sayers push them into being secret
writers. Call on your passion for help.

Source: http://hubpages.com/hub/To-Write-Or-Not

Inspire-cise

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Exercise to Inspire Writing

I'm always looking for writer
inspired exercises, methods,
techniques. I stumbled on
inspire-cise, like to take credit
for its creation, by free writing.

Free writing, as you know, is
scribbling down anything that
comes to mind.

Inspire-cise can be used for
writing fiction, non-fiction or
poems.

Inspire-cise uses your living-space,
anything within that space, to
inspire writing. Inspire-cise is
a writing exercise that's easy
and fun to work with.

Let's get started. Look within
your living-space for an inspired
writing idea.

Living-space is a room, car,
trailer, cabin, house or basement.
Focus on the difference that makes
your space unique. Is there something
in your living-space that has to be
written about, or you have specific
knowledge to share.

A step-by-step guide to building
a shelf, replacing a floor or earning
money as a window washer is under
inspire-cise.

Sometimes, your creative flow, attention,
lands on a fixture that ends in a
writing idea.

My eyes ran to the window, within my
living-space. The window isn't big,
but not average size either. The
following took shape.

I yawned several times as wind driven
rain tapped at the window pane. My
clock beamed two thirty a. m.

"Take today off." A voice in the depths
of my mind said.

I splashed back onto the bed and
pondered if Darkid would execute his
threats against my employer, Burger Mart.

Darkid worked every position at Burger
Mart, even the manager's job. What
happened to turn Darkid on Burger Mart?

My buzzing cell phone broke into my
thoughts, and the caller was Darkid.

"Don't do it, Darkid."

"Do what?"

"Everybody knows about your threats."

He laughed.

The line went dead.

My creative flow mixed window into
paragraphs of fiction, to move in any
direction or path.

Often, you'll begin inspire-cise with
one thought, and end with new thoughts.

Inspire-cise works with old and current
writing ideas too.

It's done by selecting a word, phrase
or line that's related to the subject.
Simply, start writing about the word,
phrase or line. Focus on the unique
aspect of the subject or just write.

Sit the writing project aside when
you're done. Go-back in a day or two.
You'll be refreshed and ready to
work with the new writing ideas.

Inspire-cise is a writing exercise
that uses your living-space, anything
within that space, to inspire writing.

Source: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/8184945/inspirecise.html?cat=4#comments