Patrick G. Whalen

“I try to leave out the parts that people skip.” – Elmore Leonard

If your a writer, you are also most likely a reader as well. As a reader you’ve probably come across too many books that seem to be chocked full of useless and irrelevant words. It truly is a fact that most book publishers pay for word count, but far too many authors fail to make those words count.

I attest to the fact that this area is one of the hardest for me to get a true handle on. When I write, I write from the heart and mind and soul and to me every single word counts. The problem is that many of your readers won’t agree with you.

You want your readers to read every single letter you jot down, but admit to yourself now that such a reality doesn’t exist. Pretty much all readers skim, just like you are doing right now, looking for the useful morsel or nugget that you can take away from these few minutes that I stole from your life.

My suggestion, which is admittedly sometimes very difficult to stomach, is to have others read your work before you wrap it up in a final draft. When they have read it they will most likely give you very valuable feedback, but you can also ask questions of them.

Specifically ask, “Did you find any of it to be superfluous? Did you skim any of it? Which part(s) did you skim?”

If you receive feedback to such questions, you will be able to remove the parts that others won’t read and be closer to achieving your goal. That is, if your goal is to remove “filler” from your masterpiece.

Are you kidding me? It can’t be that time again, can it?

Okay, so NaNoWriMo is still three months away, but when you think about how fast this year has gone already, November really is just right around the corner.

If you are one of the few writers who hasn’t stumbled upon this great exercise in applying your craft, NaNoWriMo stands for “National Novel Writing Month.” Each year thousands of writers from across the globe gather online, huddle into coffee shops or even curl up in their dark closets with a lap top to “pen” 50,000 words in just 30 days.

It isn’t necessarily a competition against other writers as much as it is a friendly challenge for individuals. Writing groups form from seemingly nowhere to support each other and help keep the creative juices flowing.

If you accomplish your 50,000 word goal, you are then eligible to brag about your own personal achievement and place badges on your website.

It is almost August so it would be a great idea if you do plan to participate in NaNoWriMo 2010 to get a basic framework together before November 1st. Don’t cheat by starting your draft just yet, but it is common (and suggested) practice to get some basic outline or sketch prepared beforehand.

One of my lifelong desires has always been to derive an income from my writing. For several years I worked on several novels in hopes of becoming a published writer. Last year I stumbled across a website for freelancers called eLance. I spent some time investigating the site trying to find some reason to pass it by.

The more I looked into eLance.com, the more impressed I became. One of the aspects of their site that sealed the deal for me was that they didn’t require any upfront fee to join. The make their money only if you sell your writing.

I signed up and dug deeper and deeper only to find myself even more impressed with their interface and the caliber of talent that was posting and seeking work. I had planned to wait until I had used the service for a full year to give an indepth and honest review, but I am already comfortable with promoting their services.

Whether you are a freelancing professional or a business owner that is seeking top-notch talent to fulfill your business needs, eLance is a professional and quality organization that will satisfy your desires.

The fees are very reasonable and although I have only used the site as a part-time income, I have earned hundreds of dollars and have enjoyed all of my experiences as a writer for all of my clients.

In recent years, my personal writing times have decreased in direct correlation to the amount of time spent with the family, at work, school and other various responsibilities and distractions. I actually put away my writing altogether for a considerable amount of time. However, because writing is my gift and my outlet, I had to find a way to get back to the craft.

Well, remember that list I gave at the beginning of the article? One of those time consuming items needed to go.  Family and work were not an option. School was not essentially an option, but it was a possible item to remove. Distractions on the other hand seemed like the perfect item to eradicate.

I did attempt to eliminate all distractions, but soon found that it is a natural need to have some other ways to relax and enjoy life. Filling every waking hour with productivity made for a big case of the grumpies. The solution was to “schedule” distraction” time so that there would be time to write.

In order to be more successful in this effort, I created a calendar on Google Calendar so that I would know my schedule (as long as I had internet access). This process has seemed to work well as some of my distractions include web surfing and research. When I’m online, my calendar sends me notification of scheduled events and let me know when it was time for distractions and time for writing.

I encourage anyone who seems unable to find time to write to create a schedule and then commit to it.

Ambrose Bierce was among the great many combatants during the US Civil War and it was that experience that led this prolific writer to expose his readers to a deeper and darker side. So much so that he became known as “Bitter Bierce.” His disdain for corruption and first-hand experience with the atrocities and maladies of warfare were a constant source of material and insight.

One of my favorite short-stories of all times has been Ambros Bierce’s “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge.” It has been some time since I last read the story, but this week it was required reading in one of my college courses. Having now returned to that story, it refreshes my memory as to why I like the story so much.

Bierce has a way with imagery, point of view and the English language that few writers, myself included, could ever dream of achieving. I have not read all of his works, but those that I have read pull you directly into the story and don’t let you go. Bierce has a message and he wants you to read it.

While we discussed the story in class, I found myself half in agreement and half in disagreement with the interpretation of the man and the story. Perhaps Bierce was bitter, who could blame him. I am certain there were many people who held onto bitterness following the end of the Civil War in 1865. While there was indeed much to be thankful for and to look forward to, there remained much to be bitter about.

I personally find a deeper, more thoughtful man in Bierce than most people I have spoken about him with. He had an adventurous spirit that propelled him way beyond simple bitterness. A bitter man would most likely sequester himself into a dark corner and never escape. Ambrose Bierce explored his bitterness and searched for more meaning. Perhaps the search is what led him towards bitterness. Regardless, his travels, exploits and written record of American History give us a picture of our land that was not seen through rose-colored glasses.

Perhaps that in itself is why I have so much respect for a man that many hold much disdain for. He sought out truth and exposed mankind for what it was. Biased, of course. Objective, perhaps not. Regardless, he did find and report about things that most people either glossed over or simply ignored. For all he lacked in fragrant prose he made up for with courageous and gritty tenacity. I find in Ambrose Bierce a kindred spirit, to a point.

To read more of Ambrose Bierce’s writing and to learn more about the man, visit:

http://www.ambrosebierce.org/