How to Write What You Want & Sell What You Write
BY YVONNE PERRY
Skip Press! You may be wondering if you are allowed to skip ironing your pants today. That’s definitely an option — I wear wrinkled clothes and find them quite fashionable; however, Skip Press is a writer and a darn good one at that. Yes, Skip Press is his real name and he has the credentials to support a name with literary acquiescence. He has taught at UCLA and the Academy of Art College. His online screenwriting course is internationally available at colleges and universities. He is the author of three books: The Ultimate Writer’s Guide to Hollywood, The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Screenwriting and How to Write What You Want & Sell What You Write.
Skip is a benevolent person who shares his talent and love of writing in that third book, a book of simple formulas and writing examples. I picked up the book on the bargain table at Barnes & Noble for less than eight dollars but it was worth well more than that. While the book is directed toward beginning writers and writer-wanna-be’s, I found it helpful and informative even after earning my living as a full-time freelance writer for nearly three years. I suppose I’m still considered a newbie since according to Skip and the experts he mentions in his book, it may take 10 or more years to become a successful (and somewhat famous) writer.
The book gives examples of how to make money writing for the movie screen, radio, the theater, TV or newspaper, and there is an entire chapter on how to make big bucks through business writing. Want to write a novel? It’s the first thing a new writer should attempt because it helps accumulate the all-important 100,000 words needed to hone a writer’s skills and help determine the genre that best suits him or her.
Skip also gives a tremendous amount of information about advancing a career as a writer by joining writing groups and networking with other writers. You never know who another writer might be able to connect you with, and vice-versa. Networking is not a one-way street; it is a win-win for everyone. Especially when the demand for good writers is greater than you might imagine. All you need to get started is a good portfolio that showcases your ability. Mr. Press tells how to build a portfolio by taking writing jobs that offer enough money to barely pay the bills while networking your way to bigger and better projects through the relationships you make and the experience you gain.
Do you want to be a published author? This book tells how to write articles and books, and then sell them to a publisher with or without an agent. You’ll need to know how to write an excellent query letter and an extraordinary proposal, but Skip has that covered too. Maybe you want to self-publish your book but you don’t know where to begin. The “how-to†is in the book. Skip touches briefly on numerous types of writing and offers a tremendous amount of useful information that will help seasoned as well as novice writers see the big picture.
Make sure you have a highlighter or paper and pen handy when you read this book. You’ll want to take notes and mark sections for follow up. I’ve dog-eared at least one-third of the pages and spent hours on the Internet researching the links to URLs he gives in the book. The author asks the reader to contact him when finding success using anything in the book, and if you do, you will get a prompt response from a real person who is true to the promises he makes about helping people achieve their goals as a writer. On page 130, he shows the reader how to set goals. It can’t get much simpler than that!
Skip’s vast knowledge on writing, publishing and marketing is straightforward and simple to grasp. His personality shines through his subtle humor. His encouraging words make the reader want to take action to improve his or her skills, or step out in faith to pursue a career in writing while sharing knowledge with others along the way.
If you’ve been wanting to get started as a writer, never mind ironing your pants. Your butt is going to be glued to the chair anyway. Instead, get a copy of the book and do what Skip Press tells you. In addition, make visit his website.
Yvonne Perry is a freelance writer and the owner of Write On! Creative Writing Services based in Nashville, Tennessee. She and her team of ghostwriters service clients all over the globe by offering quality writing at an affordable price. If you need a brochure, Web text, business document, resume, bio, article or book, visit her site. While there, subscribe to the RSS podcast feed and the free monthly newsletter about writing, networking, publishing and marketing. Read more on Yvonne’s blog.
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One Response to “How to Write What You Want & Sell What You Write”
By Bob Caulkins on Nov 13, 2006 | Reply
This is a bit off subject, but the following words from Yvonne Perry’s article brought forth a memory: “I picked up the book [by Skip Press] on the bargain table at Barnes & Noble for less than eight dollars…”
Some years ago I purchased a book at a bargain book store for a dollar or two, and the author created such an deep impression on me that I tried to locate him and pay him the full amount that was printed in the inside of the dust cover. Unfortunately, he had passed away.
To make a long story short, I’m alway a bit sad to see books wind up on bargain tables, knowing how many authors put their soul into their work.
Just a thought. Thank you.