Good Marketing from the Past

On occasion I run across odd gems that deal with writing. One such is the 1922 pamphlet "The Short-cut to Successful Writing." I picked it out of a used book bin, its cover quite intact, thinking what a chuckle this would be. Surprise, surprise! Madam Elinor Glyn, the book's author, offered interesting encouragement to new authors. Here's a Glyn suggestion:

"Every one of the great writers and playwrights you have ever read about or heard of--everyone of them had to begin at a weak starting point. Every one of them was uncertain at the outset. Every one of them had to overcome his or her doubts or misgivings…When they started many didn't really know what they COULD do. The wonderful part about literary ability is that we do not know how much of it we have in us. Then, by persistency, by patient development, by proper guidance, we may some day bloom forth all of a sudden and surprise even ourselves!"

Fine words to remember, especially when embarking on a new project.

Why is this anecdote a marketing tip? Because that's just what Madam Glyn was doing. The entire thirty-two page (book size: 7.5" x 4.75") pamphlet was enticement from her publisher for people to buy her book about writing. It was an early 20th century INFOMERCIAL where on the last page the publisher exhorts, "Right this minute—NOW, when you finish reading this—is your chance to send for The Elinor Glyn System…"

It's good marketing with tidbits of advice, pages of endorsements, and a sincere promise of more in the complete book. Successful marketing develops from offering something to a client, not just hoping people will buy.

Beat the Blahs and Avoid the Block

Writers block is often talked about among writers and other creative artists, and is usually looked on as a great affliction unique to the profession. But think about it as two problems, not just one. The first is the moderate Writer's Blahs.

Dictionaries define blah as a feeling of boredom, lethargy or general dissatisfaction. It's a universal condition and not restricted to one profession or lifestyle. Many executives, secretaries, pilots, grocery clerks, teachers, doctors et cetera often get up some mornings and really don't want to go to work. It's an effort to get dressed and leave the house. It's hard for them not to catch a different bus or not to turn their car away from their employment. Nearly anyone with any job will at some time face this malaise and lack of desire to get to work.

Freelance writers get the blahs, too. Those mornings will arise when the brain just doesn't want to fiddle with words and headlines or story plots. The clack of the keyboard is nerve wracking. The manuscript seems just a heap of paper holding down one end of the desk.

There are several productive ways to get over the blahs, and many of them come from advantages freelance writers have over traditionally-employed people.

1. Adjust your thinking: Your most obvious advantage is that you don't have to "go to work." This doesn't mean you've given up on a task, or are shirking duty. If you decide not to write for one morning or day, you haven't committed some "writer's sin." Problems most often become greater with over analysis. You think, "I don't feel like writing today. Oh dear, I must have writer's block! Woe is me!" That thought could get lodged behind all other activities so that nothing seems satisfactory or productive. This creates a tension that could ruin a whole day.

2. Remember that your work is always with you: A freelance writer's main tool is thought. Even when you aren't transferring these thoughts as words to some medium, you're still working. A break from the physical act of "writing" can give a chance for the thoughts to percolate and become better defined.

3. Get some physical exercise: Whether it's a long jog, a trip to the gym or doing isometric exercises in your living room, the increase of oxygen to the brain stimulates thoughts.

4. Indulge in a luxury: Although a 24-hour day often doesn't seem long enough, it's important to pamper yourself on occasion. Have a leisurely lunch or dinner at a fine restaurant; visit a favorite scenic spot; get a massage. These are the types of extras everyone should give themselves. For those who work both a day job and also freelance, these perks are especially important.

I often get the blahs on sunny days. I'm lured to the outside; I think of many non-writing projects that could use my attention. I used to mope inside while urging myself to write, and not doing it; by day's end, I had neither been creative nor productive--inside or out. What a waste.

I've learned that trying to force myself to a task is often counterproductive; it increases discontent rather than lessening it. If you feel indifferent about your work, don't panic, take a break and try one or more of the suggestions listed above. In a short amount of time, a surge of creativity will take you back to your work and the dreaded Writer’s Block probably won't happen.

Punctuation ... --

Here are two elements of punctuation that are helpful in writing.

Ellipsis (…) is used in non-fiction to show where something has been left out of a quoted text. “Hey diddle diddle, the cat and the fiddle, the cow jumped over the moon” becomes “Hey diddle diddle, the cat…the moon.”
The ellipsis shows a reader something has been omitted from this sentence.

In a longer passage, the complete sentence is followed by a period and the ellipsis goes before the next line of text. “Hey diddle diddle, the cat and the fiddle, the cow jumped over the moon.…the dish ran away with the spoon."

In fiction the ellipsis can be used to represent hesitant dialogue. “You shouldn’t…you shouldn’t be doing that.”
Slate has an interesting article that examines this more.

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Dash (—), called an em dash in printer’s language, is often represented by two hyphen marks (--); many word processors automatically change this to an em dash. The em dash is most often used to set off a parenthetical clause. I could have written

"The dash—called an em dash in printer’s language—is represented by…"

In dialogue the em dash represents interrupted speech.

“You shouldn’t be doing tha—”
“Why not?” his friend demanded.

When an em dash is used to show interruption, no punctuation follows it.

No space should precede or follow an ellipsis or an em dash.