Online picture-to-text converters or image to text converters are tools or technologies that can transform text contained within images or scanned documents into machine-readable text.

Online picture-to-text converters recognize and extract the textual content from pictures, photographs, handwritten notes, printed documents, or any other form of graphical representation of text.

Nowadays, conversion from image to text has become an immensely important task for different concerns. There are several reasons that involve making image text extraction that ranges from Information or data extraction to accessibility enhancements.

Read: 5 Tips for Becoming a More Eloquent Writer

Online image to text converters depicted as the super-fast source that uses OCR (Optical Character Recognition) technology for turning visual content into actionable text files. 

This handy content comes up with the best image to text converters that excel in this conversion regard. They offer a step-by-step transformation process. Let’s explore their basic definitions along with how they perform.

Smallpdf

Definition: SmallPDF is an online web-based solution for your PDF files that is loaded with a few, but best tools. It includes the best tool that comes with the OCR process for the ease of converting your pictures to text files.

Step-by-Step Image Text Conversion:

• Fetch smallpdf official web-based site
• Make an instant click on the given “All Tools” tab and choose its “PDF to Word” option
• Now, you have to drag & drop the image file that you decided to export as editable text format
• This web-dependent online tool will initiate the process of conversion
• Finally, you can be able to download the extracted text file by clicking the “Download” option, which is given on the main interface

Theonlineconverter

Definition: It is one of the superb online OCR-based tools that is taken into account to make conversions from image to text without any hassle. 

Also, users can grab (extract) text from multiple images at once while retaining the original text embedded within images. 

Step-by-Step Image to Text Conversions:

• Go to official website > theonlineconverter.com” > search bar > Image to Text Converter
• Drag and drop one or multiple images to make text-extraction swiftly
• Once image files are completed uploaded into this online OCR tool, click on the given “Convert” button
• Wait till the image to text conversions is completely proceeded, then simply copy the extracted text one-by-one or click on “Download All” to save the extracted text files at once

OnlineOCR

Definition: OnlineOCR is the (Optical Character Recognition) platform that functions for converting image to text without any huge hassle. 

Also, this converter lets you extract text from different languages while maintaining the formatting as well as the layout of the text. 

Step-by-Step Image to Text Conversion:

• Move to OnlineOCR website using your browser
• Hit “Select File” option, which assists you to add image file without any hassle
• Now, simply choice for the language of the text loaded in image
• Select the export format including Word, txt, xls or more
• Click “Convert” button and wait for a while till the picture to text conversion is get completed
• Download the converted text from this OCR source with a single click

Google Drive

Definition: Google Drive is one of the best and easy to navigate cloud storage services around the internet, which is Google native source. 

Besides that, it offers super-fast OCR capabilities that takes care of swift conversions from images to editable text formats.

Step-by-Step Image to Text Conversion:

• First, sign in or login in to your Google account and simply navigate to Google Drive
• Second, make an instant click on the given “+New” option and simply choice for “File Upload” option
• Third, make a selection for the image file that you want to export as text format using Google Drive and click on the given “Open” option
• Fourth, just right-click on the added image file and choose “Open with” > “Google Docs”
• Fifth, this online utility quickly processes the image with OCR and shows the extracted text. Then, make a review and editing according to your need into the extracted text
• Sixth, save the newly converted document in Google Docs or start exporting the text into various formats

ABBYY FineReader Online

Definition: Use this handy version of online OCR source that lets you make sophisticated conversions from photo to text without any quality distraction. 

Step-by-Step Image to Text Conversion:

• Visit the ABBYY FineReader website > finereaderonline.com
• Click on the designated “Choose File” button and add image, and then choose the language for the text
• Choice for the output format that includes word, pdf, excel and more
• Hit “Convert” for initiating the conversion from picture to text format
• Download the converted text in a selected format

Final thoughts on Online Picture-to-Text Converters

Start using the above-mentioned image to text conversion sources that offer a variety of options for turning visual content into actionable text. 

Just a couple of clicks lets you harness the power of OCR process for exporting images as text file format. 

The post Top 5 Online Picture-to-Text Converters: Step-by-Step Conversions appeared first on Creative Writing News.

Have you been struggling to write your personal statement or SOP? Reading some good statement of purpose examples and MFA personal statement samples can make your application season easier and less stressful. Also, it helps to read practical advice by professors who have sat on MFA in Creative Writing Admissions Committees, particularly professors who know what makes a good MFA personal statement.

This article will take you through the process of writing an SOP. Attached, herein, are 10 statement of purpose examples (or 10 MFA Personal Statement examples, if you like), contributed by writers who gained admission into fully-funded MFA in Creative Writing programs. We’ve also shared tips from creative writing professors on how to write a personal statement. 

The purpose of this article is to help you write a personal statement that will wow the admission committee members in the English, Literature and Creative Writing programs you’re applying to. 

What is a Statement of Purpose or a Personal Statement?

A statement of purpose, in the context of applying to a graduate writing program, tells an admission committee about who you are, what your work focuses on, why you are applying to their program, and what you will do in the future.

Writing a statement of purpose is akin to attending an audition or an interview or a workshop. You need to stamp your suitability and prospects as best as you can.

Owing to this, a statement of purpose or personal statement should do more than what it is called. It has to show your purpose.

Before you start the process of writing your graduate school essay, take note of the following:

Focus on your Interest.

Know what you are interested in as a creative person, or what your work focuses on. For example, if you are interested in Memoir writing, Travel writing, or Speculative Fiction, or Historical fiction or Ancient Greek poetry, you should be able to write a few words regarding your approach to that area. 

Many writers cannot really point a finger to what they are interested in because of their fecundity. And that’s okay.

In fact, writing tutor, Daniel Galef, with his untrammeled imagination wrote in his SOP:

“It’s difficult to describe what kind of fiction I write, because I’m not sure there is a kind of fiction I write. No two stories I’ve written have been alike. One of them is alike, but none of the others are.”

Research the Programs you are Applying to.

Read widely about the programs you are applying to and note your findings systematically. There is no escaping from this exercise because you need to know about the schools of your interest. In turn, that knowledge needs to reflect on the pages of your SOP.   

This will tell the admission committee that you care about their creative writing program and that your SOP is not generic.

For instance,

• Who is on the faculty of XYZ arts program?
• What are their specializations?
• Have the faculty members published any books or stories or poetry collections?
• If yes, what works have they published?
• What fascinates you about their English and creative writing program?
• What are their acceptance rates of this MFA or PhD in Creative Writing Program?
• How does their funding work? Does the MFA or PhD program provide full-funding for students who want to study creative writing? 
• How many years will it take to complete the MFA program? Do they allow students to run an MFA and PhD joint program?
• What is the workload like?
• Where are they located?
• What are your general thoughts of their Creative Writing program?

Knowing these will help you decide whether a grad school program is best for you.

This article has been broken into four parts with headings of no consequence.

(Note: The headings mean nothing. They are just to stimulate understanding. You should not break your SOP into headings. Very few, if any, creative writing programs will be impressed with a segmented statement of purpose or personal statement.)

We’ll Call The First Part ‘The Open Window’

The initial part of your SOP should make a commanding entry with the essence of your being. It should offer little windows into you, and reveal profoundly what you are about as a person, and as a creative, taking into consideration where you are from.

This is that place you afford the admission committee a brief uncensored moment about your ‘who’. It should be so transparent that they can look through it and see your world.

One of the most transparent “window” statements I think I have heard about oneself is from Shane Patton in the movie ‘Lone Survivor’. At the tail end of his speech, Shane, while trying to join a band of war brothers, says with gusto,

”

Pardon the asterisks. Your SOP does not have to be Shane-Pattonesque. However, it has to have some art-mosphere. It must be written in a style and voice that are unique to you. However, your SOP should employ the ‘story approach’.

Important Questions These Statement Of Purpose Samples Address.

This guide will help you to address the following questions in your personal statement or letter of intent:

• What kind of a storyteller or poet are you?
• Where are you coming from?
• How has your socialization/environment/formative years/job experience informed the way you view the world?
• What are your motivations?
• Also, what feeds your imaginations?
• More importantly, what inspired you to start writing in the first place?
• What has sustained it? 

Here, Okwudili Nebolisa gives us a perfect window statement in this sample statement of purpose. Here’s how he opens his grad school essay:

It’s one of the most insightful MFA personal statement examples I’ve read in a while.

From the foregoing, Okwudili created a short background of himself and gave an idea why he had first chosen a path outside the art. It’s one detail many Creative Writing admission committees would be interested in.

He went further (though, not included in this article) to tell the committee how he found his way into the arms of poetry.

Here is another statement of purpose example that has a compelling window ‘personal’ statement:

Simply put, this MFA applicant talks about her approach to writing fiction, speaks of how it has become a tool in her hand against societal norms, mentions her writing influences, and states what draws her to them.

Note: You should be able to say who and what influences you, and clearly express the ways in which they do.

This sample statement of purpose opens with a vivid and memorable story.

Here’s another opening statement from another MFA personal statement example or letter of intent. It also exemplifies the important point I was trying to make. It says:

We’ll call the second part ‘the Briefcase’

Here, you supply the gist of your educational experience. You may add your professional interest and inform the admission committee about relevant activities you have been engaged with recently.

Assuming you work as a content writer/creator, how has it helped your craft? The same thing applies if you work in any other endeavor outside the literary sphere.

For example, an applicant says in this MFA in creative writing personal statement sample:

Note: Non-writing related jobs and experiences are important. Think about the many ways they can give you insight about your craft. They are worth the mention in the sense that they set you apart because of the experience you must have had, and add to what your craft can gain.

Here’s how a teacher explained her experience in her MFA statement of purpose example. It can also work in a teaching statement:

Going further, you may emphasize on your literary achievement and recognition here. Here’s another good example of a statement of purpose. Here’s how this MFAyer stated his/her literary achievement:

Note: you may say one or two things about your publishing history.

Let’s call the third part “the Knock”

You must exemplify clear-headedness here in talking about why you are seeking this degree now.

In one of the grad school statement of purpose examples we received , one MFA in Creative Writing applicant wrote:  

.

Another sample statement of purpose for an MFA in Creative Writing Application put it this way:

Write About Your Dreams, Hope and Intentions

Next is to inform the graduate committee on why you are knocking on their doors.

Are there members of the faculty you want to work with? If yes, state why. Is it something about their academic tradition or vision? Does the school’s location appeal to you? Or is it about their commitment to diversity?

You should end this part of the statement of purpose with an idea of the project you hope to write during your time on the program. This will inform the professors that you already have an idea of what kind of book your thesis will be.

It shows seriousness. Also it shows that you’re more likely to begin once you arrive. We have more statement of purpose examples to illustrate how this can be done in your MFA portfolio.

Note: Your intended project should contain the promise of presenting something fundamentally new and important to the literary world.

For example, in her statement of purpose, this MFA in Creative Writing applicant wrote:

Here’s an excerpt from another sample statement of purpose for a graduate school (MFA) application:

We’ll Call The Last Part The Telescope

Here you have to be futuristic. Talk about the big picture. What do you intend to do with the knowledge and network you would have acquired in the MFA program? 

Do you want to go on to teach creative writing professionally, (If yes, where do you have eyes one?) Do you want to start a publishing outfit or a literary magazine?

What other career plans do you have? Do you want to go back to your job? (If yes, how would the degree help in making you better at your job?)

Note: Ensure you close your grad school statement of purpose on a hopeful note. Show preparedness to start. Exude confidence. Express anticipation on getting in. 

Hopefully, these statement of purpose examples have given you a clear idea of what a successful personal statement looks like.

But that’s not all. Some MFA Admission Committee members have shared a couple of tips on Twitter. So we’ll share more of them alongside tips sent in by some generous past and current MFA students..

Tips For Writing A Good Statement of Purpose or Letter Of Intent .

If you’re applying to graduate creative writing programs, pay attention to your writing samples first. More on this later in this article. Be sure to craft your SOP with the following tips in mind.

There Are No Hard and Fast Rules To Writing An SOP.

There is no hard and fast rule in writing an SOP. Just ensure that yours is well-knit, with flowing ideas and a fantastic rhythm. Keep it organized and clear. Stick to the manuscript formatting guidelines. As with everything else, make your submissions error free.

Here’s what MFA Admission committee member has to say:

Now, on to our next point.

Ensure That Your Writing Samples and SOPs Are Creative, Well-written and Workshopped.

Your writing sample largely pre-determines the success of your SOP. The admission committee may not open your SOP if your samples aren’t any good.

So, ensure your writing samples matter and are on the verge of saying new things. The renowned writer and professor Alexander Chee had the following to say about writing samples:

If you’re eligible, you may apply to get feedback from volunteer MFAyers at the MFA App Review.

And if you’re lucky, the MFA App Review might match you with a reviewer who will send you more unique statement of purpose examples.

More from Elizabeth McCracken who, if you don’t already know, has been a longstanding member of the admission committee at the University of Texas’ MFA in Creative Writing program.

Be Original.

Resist the temptation to copy other writers’ personal statements or statement of purpose examples and samples you might find online.

Trust your story, your style and voice. The adcoms can tell when everyone sounds the same. And they don’t like it. Here’s a quote from Elizabeth McCracken’s Twitter page:

Consider Starting With a Story 

“While your personal statement can’t be wildly creative, it is important to show your storytelling skills if you want to get into a creative writing program,” advises Elyse Hauser.

“One way to do this is to open with a story, giving you a chance to “show, not tell” your writing abilities. This also helps your personal statement stand out from the rest. [Also] admissions staff are likely to keep reading a statement of purpose that has a unique and exciting beginning.” 

Don’t Be Afraid To Assert Yourself. In Your Statement Of Purpose.

MFA programs are avant-garde compared with other university grad school and undergrad programs so feel free to assert yourself even if you feel you are without the “right” credential and publishing history.

Another tip from Matt Bell Of making your statement of purpose stellar.

What you think serve as your ‘shortcomings’ can work for you if you stir them properly. It matters so much that you have the right motive and that you show promise. Do not play small. Play confident. 

More from Matt Bell.

Employ A Memorable Tone.

“The standard Personal Essay Voice, like the droning and soporific Poetry Reading Voice, is forgettable and undermines its own content,” says Daniel Galef. “Trying for a different tone is a gamble—nothing is so unfunny as someone trying to be funny and failing—but if you can pull it off it makes you stand out.”

Comply With The Creative Writing Program’s Submission Guidelines.

Check for specific information required by the English and creative writing program you are applying to and ensure you stay within the shores of their requirement.

Get Feedback From Current and Past Students.

It is important to get feedback from people who may be on writing programs or who have extensive knowledge of graduate school application processes.

A couple of MFA groups on Facebook offer beneficial company. For example, join the MFA Draft ’25 if you intend to apply this Fall. This Facebook group offers support and advice to anyone applying to get into a writing program next year.

Wrap Up On Statement of Purpose Examples, Samples and Tips:

At this point, you’re no longer asking questions like: what is a statement of purpose? How can I write a good MFA or PhD statement of purpose that will earn me a spot in that fully-funded Creative Writing program.

The aforementioned grad school statement of purpose examples will guide you in your journey. As one of the professors advised, take a deep breath. 

The next step is to start writing that personal statement or letter of intent, because quite frankly, it won’t write itself. You can always edit your SOP. 

Please edit it. Remember, the admission committee members are also accomplished writers and writing teachers. They’re primed for spotting and frowning at grammatical errors.

While writing and editing your personal statement, take note of the admission committee’s advice above. What are they often looking for in a good statement of purpose for graduate school? If in doubt, you can always return to the great statement of purpose examples we’ve published above.

More Ressources For MFA in Creative Writing Applicants.

Wondering if you need an MFA in Creative Writing to be a writer? Then you should definitely read our take on the topic. Also, you can simply click to find the ultimate guide to understnding creative writing scholarships .

Still feeling overwhelmed? Don’t worry. Here’s a compiled a list of essential resources tailored to MFA in creative writing applicants like you. You’ll definitely find all you need to craft an outstanding application for the upcoming admission cycle.

If you’ve written a successful statement of purpose for a creatIve writing program in the past, please leave a comment below. MFA applicats are always open to adding more tips to their toolkits.

Authors’ Bios: 

Tega Oghenechovwen has published work in  Longreads, The Rumpus,  Black Sun Lit, Litro UK, and other venues. He tweets @tega­_chovwen.

Chioma Iwunze-Ibiam is a lecturer in Cornell University’s MFA in Creative Writing Program. Her work has appeared or is forthcoming in Mukana Press Anthology of African Writing, MTLS, Fiction 365, Asterix Journal and elsewhere. She tweets at @chiomaiwunze_

Interested in writing for Creative Writing News? See our Write for Us page. We look forward to hearing from you.

The post 10 Statement Of Purpose Examples: How To Wow The Admission Committees Of Fully-Funded MFA Programs With Your Personal Statement (Guide + Samples +Tips) appeared first on Creative Writing News.

Every writer will, at some point, be presented with the opportunity to write creative non-fiction. In this article, the prolific biographer. Mike Ekunno, teaches us how to write an autobiography, biography, and memoir. Ready to learn from this maestro? Keep reading.

To understand how to write an autobiography, you must consider how a biography differs from an autobiography. 

A biography is the story of one’s life which when written by the subject becomes an autobiography. A memoir is also a biography or autobiography but concerned more with the subject’s career and public life. Understanding these terminologies will help you on your journey to learning how to write an autobiography.

While late Owelle Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe’s My Odyssey is a good example of an autobiography, Malam Nasir el-Rufai’s The Accidental Public Servant is a memoir. Michelle Obama’s Becoming is another good example of a memoir. 

Autobiographies and memoirs are often written with the assistance of professional freelancers. By prior mutual agreement, this fact can be hidden. When anonymous, the paid author or co-author becomes the ghostwriter. He/she is paid off and loses all future claims to authorship or co-authorship of the work.

A Detailed Guide On How To Write An Autobiography.

At this point, you’ve probably ascertained that there isn’t much of a difference in the process of writing an autobiography and a biography.

Below is a step-by-step guide for writing that award-winning autobiography or biography.

Draw Up The Outline For Your Autobiography Or Biography.

Generating an outline is like drawing the building plan for a construction project. As with building construction, the outline is of existential consequence for the biography or autobiography project.

 In the classical biography, the outline follows a chronological order beginning with family genealogy, birth, childhood, education, career, and so on. 

But with a memoir, the outline is episodic dwelling on the milestones in the subject’s career path and public life. The freelancer must work with the subject-client to tease out a workable outline. 

Since the chapters of the resultant book will mimic the outline, a grouping of topics in the outline is to be done with an eye for coevality and volume. By coevality, I mean those events that occurred around the same period of time. 

These should naturally be grouped together. However, the chances of overlap of references to the same event are always there. And this shouldn’t be a worry at the outline stage.

How To Group Your Headings and Sub-Headings.

While grouping the headings and sub-heads, the writer should be sensitive about achieving approximate uniformity in the volume of each chapter. This is to forestall a scenario where one chapter is five pages long, while the other is twenty-five pages long.

The autobiographer or biographer has a duty at this stage to tease out as wide a range of events and occurrences as possible. This should include their ramifications done by asking the kind of searching questions that will help the subject clarify fuzzy connections. 

In other words, this is not the time for minimalism. Rather, it is the time to be expansive.  Understand that the outline will form the compass for the project. Just as architects take one section of the project and blow it up for details in the plan, the biographer also has to explore the detours and subheads to the main headings and events.

Embarking On Background Research For Your Autobiography, Biography, and Memoir.

In the run-up to beginning the biography or autobiography and having drawn up the outline, one should prepare oneself with background research. This step is important for autobiographers, biographers, and memoirists. 

Many writers wonder how to find materials for their autobiographies and biography projects. If you’re such a writer, you should consider exploring the most popular sources of research materials. 

Sources of background research can be divided into: 

• Written 
• Oral. 

How To Use Written Sources During Your Background Research.

Written sources include files and diaries relating to the period under consideration. Also, newspaper cuttings if the issues involved were captured in the media. There would probably be pictures and other graphic records. 

As social media becomes a prominent part of our lives, future biographers may also have recourse to social media archives. Clients who had public service careers should be mindful of the Official Secrets Act. Also, be well advised on excerpting official documents.

The oral sources would include relations and workplace colleagues of the subject. However, these sources needn’t be approached at the onset until the outline progresses and these sources’ perspectives become relevant. 

The ethics of the business demands that the freelancer must obtain the client’s fiat before speaking with these third-party sources. In the sub-genre known as unauthorized biography however, the freelancer operates more like a sleuth to unearth what may not be favorable to the subject which makes the requirement for the subject’s prior approval unnecessary. 

One of such unauthorized biographies happened by serendipity in Nigeria in relation to a man of letters who fell out with his biographer. Interesting right?

The Quest for Volume and Why It Should Matter To The Writer.

During the outlining and research phase, think about the volume of the project. The volume will determine how successful you’ll be in your quest to figure out how to write an autobiography or a biography.

Most biography-writing projects are faced with a mortal threat in the quest for a sizeable volume for the resulting publication. This is caused by the subject-client overestimating the quantum of the story he/she has got.

Also, the volume is often a source of worry to many writers who are in the process of figuring out how to compose an autobiography or biography.

Many prospects for autobiographies think because the story of their life appears huge to them, it can actually make a good volume in book form. For others, it is a question of not having the ability of a raconteur to tell their story in a compelling way. 

One client of mine ended up with essay-type print-outs of her life’s story which were useless to me. I had to subject her to a re-telling of the narrative in order to give it flesh as a story.

Many who think of their story as vast start off well, but end up with something very scanty. This is where the professional freelance biographer comes in to help achieve your dream of writing a biography.

Again, many biography prospects do involuntary self-censorship of their stories or adopt a minimalist approach believing the reader would not be interested in the details. 

It is the duty of the professional biographer to tease out these details glossed over by the subject during recorded interviews with follow-up questions.

If you’re experimenting with styles and ways to write an autobiography, you can adopt the strategies of professional biographers. Put in a lot of details.  It is better to over-write and cut than under-write and look for augmentation. 

Handling The Interview Session.

For a freelance biographer whether writing overtly or ghostwriting, the interview sessions with the subject are of utmost importance. The freelancer should pre-arrange each session in consultation with the subject-client and agree as to venue and time. 

Over time, all parties will come to know what works best for them as to durations, venues, and times. Many biography prospects are senior citizens and would be managed as such. 

I remember having to pre-order one such client’s favorite wine to be at the ready at our rendezvous. With a glass of this drink, he came alive in his best narrative elements and began to ‘sing.’

More tips on having a successful interview session.

• The freelancer should come to each interview session prepared with extra batteries for the voice recorder and a clear idea of where the day’s session stood on the outline. 
• Also, there should be a way of identifying the voice files with alphanumeric codes in the transcription file in order to be able to access the right voice file at the right time knowing the approximate time count of anything needed on playback. 
• Files that have been transcribed and vetted by the subject should be deleted to free up space in the recorder. 

In working as a freelance biographer, progress comes incrementally. It comes through many continual cycles of the interview – transcription – vetting – final drafting – vetting until the work is complete.

Narrating one’s life story can be an emotional rollercoaster and freelance biographers should come loaded with a good swathe of emotional intelligence to manage their clients. 

The major part of managing clients comes in their tardiness with timelines. He is expected to vet and approve a transcribed section in one week but he has not got back to you after one month.

How To Get Payment For The Writing Project.

Except the writer has achieved name recognition in the trade of biographing, there’s always the prospect of being regarded with suspicion by most clients. One way to assuage this suspicion is to agree to a Pay-As-You-Go arrangement. 

This aspect might come in handy for anyone who’s in the process of figuring out how to write an autobiography. Chances are that you might want to employ the services of a professional biographer.

In a Pay-As-You-Go arrangement. the client pays on a pro-rata basis as the manuscript progresses according to the outline. (This is another raison d’etre for the outline). If the project does not go to full term and gets aborted midway, neither party would feel short-changed.

When the full manuscript is ready, a professional book editor should be engaged to edit it. This goes beyond spellings and typos and nothing can fully capture all the ways in which a good editor can improve a literary piece.

 Sections of the story with legal implications should be shown to a lawyer. An experienced lawyer will do a good job of vetting your book for possible libel. It is the duty of a good freelancer to not presume to be a Jack of all Trade in these matters. It is wise to advise the client as a fiducial power.

Talking of the fiduciary relationship between the client and freelancer on a biography project – this cannot be overstated. The implication of this for the freelancer is that all information received in the process should be treated as privileged and of confidential nature. 

A contractual agreement should be endorsed by both parties at the beginning with provision for arbitration if things don’t go well.

Backing Up Files For The Book And Why It Matters When Learning How To Write An Autobiography..

Backing up files is of acute importance in writing a biography. The freelance should use the client as a veritable back-up resource, in so far as the relevant section of the manuscript has been paid for. 

No writer should depend solely on their digital devices for back-up of sensitive work. Always use email to send your drafts. Emails provide an unwitting but reliable back-up in the event of any system crash or loss. 

What’s The Purpose Of An Autobiography or A Biography?

One of the first things the subject-client must determine is the goal of the proposed memoir, biography, or autobiography. Reviewing the goal of the project will help you determine if you really should go through the long haul of learning how to write an autobiography or a biography.

People embark on writing autobiographies for different reasons including:

• vanity  
• financial gains 
• setting the records straight 
• leaving a legacy for posterity. 

Most memoirs from past public officers are written for posterity and to court the favorable judgment of history. However, past American presidents and entertainment industry celebrities write for financial gains also. 

The more common thing is to find a combination of these goals undergirding one’s excuse for penning an autobiography, biography, or memoir. In Nigeria, if one hasn’t lived in the public space, one has no business writing an autobiography or expecting any commercial success from the publication. 

Also, any expectation of massive financial returns has to be highly moderated except one were ready for an elaborate launch at the book presentation.

Wrap Up On How To Write An Autobiography, Biography or Memoir.

Writing a book is not an easy feat. You have to plan, strategize, and give a lot of thought to the literary elements at your disposal. While drawing up your outline and unearthing background information, take note of subtexts, themes, and plotlines that you can play up.  

Don’t overestimate or underestimate the volume of the material. To do this is to risk boxing yourself into a corner. Remember, it is better to overwrite than to underwrite.

Have you written an autobiography, biography, or memoir? Let us know in the comments section. Your experience might help those who are learning how to pen down an autobiography, memoir, or biography.

Author’s Bio: Mike Ekunno is a creative writer, book editor and freelance biographer with copious credits in reputable literary journals including The Blue Nib, Nzuri Journal, Written Tales, Bridge Eight, The First Line, Crack the Spine, The Hamilton Stone Review, Creative Writing News, Dugwe, Gambling the Aisle, Warscapes, bioStories, The African Roar Anthology, Ebedi Review, Rigorous, Thrice Fiction Magazine, Dark Matter Journal, Bullet Pen and Storymoja, the last two coming with wins in continental contests. 

His career path has passed through film, television, radio and newspaper. He was Senior Speechwriter to late Prof Dora Akunyili as Information and Communications Minister and Special Assistant to DG of Radio Nigeria. His children’s book, Cowboy Lamido, is on the approved text for schools in the FCT and across the states.

Interested in writing for Creative Writing News? Our submission guidelines are on the Write for Us page. We look forward to hearing from you.

Photo credit: Stephen Phillips – Hostreviews.co.uk on Unsplash

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Recently, I reached out to six of the most amazing poets on the Nigerian literary scene at the moment and asked then how they deal with editing, rejections, and books they’ll recommend.

These poets are: Sillerman Book finalist Nome Emeka Patrick; Brittle Paper Award winner for poetry and author of Sky Raining Fists JK Anowe; the editor and curator of Memento: An Anthology of Contemporary Nigerian Poetry and author of The Arrival of Rain Adedayo Agarau; winner of the 2019—2020 Hellebore Poetry Scholarship Award Michael Akuchie; author of Gospels of Depression Pamilerin Jacob; and CAAPP finalist Wale Ayinla.

Considering that editing poetry is not an easy task, here are their responses on editing, rejections, and books they’ll recommend.

What’s the process of editing a poem like for you? Is there a process?

Pamilerin Jacob: For me, the editing process entails a lot of free writing, rephrasing, experimentation with form, letting the poem lie fallow for a while, and reading aloud (to an inanimate object: chair, mirror, or moon).

In my poems, half the work is in finding new mental pathways for language to wobble through. And this comes with its own frustrations, which is why I relish the fallow period and free writing sessions.

Often, amidst all these, I step away from the computer to go gaze at the banana trees in the backyard, even tracing the leaves with my hands. It helps center myself.

There’s no precise order to the process though, but these are the major components.

Wale Ayinla: Writing is an art, and editing is the disruption of the art. It is the most important, and most tedious, process of making a poem look like the poem it is.

Editing involves all senses to be at work. The nose to smell which part should be replaced, the ears to hear a word that does not fit, the eyes to see through the lines, the brain to serve as the blade that opens the poem and puts it back after the writer (editor) chooses to take a break.

Editing never ends. It is a continuous process. You edit till the draft reads like a poem. Just like writing is an atmosphere, editing is an atmosphere of chaos. You show no mercy, but pure artistry.

Michael Akuchie: Well, this question happens to be timely. At the moment, I am editing a packet of poems written between January and March this year. The packet contains twenty nine drafts. It’s not safe to address them as poems especially when their direction is highly uncertain.

That, my friend, is the purpose of editing. Whenever I have my heart set on editing, I usually have music playing softly in the room. I eat a lot so snacks have to be available. I question the structure of the draft. I visualize what I must have felt, the kind of feeling(s) I harbored as I drafted, and I begin work.

Last year, Wale Ayinla, a loving writer friend, showed me how to make the middle line the opening line and vice-versa. He showed me how to make my poem anything I wanted as long as it appeared a perfect fit. Now, while editing, the primary goal is not to check punctuation or spelling mistakes but to make clearer an idea, a line, an expression.

I like to think of editing as an activity that pimps the draft and draws out a clean, fluid piece of writing. I am by nature a loner so I don’t have to worry about anyone walking in and disrupting my thought process. The music is my recognized company. Nothing else.

Adedayo Agarau: My editing process is to edit as I write. Not every writer has mastered the concept of patience, to give a work the time it needs.

I actually go back to works when they have been rejected. Sometimes, I do not touch them. The miracle of poetry is that it bears witness with our spirit upon perfection.

JK Anowe: Is there? I’m not sure there is, at least not in the conventional sense of the word. I’m not a very deliberate poet.

I mean, don’t get me wrong, I’m deliberate in my reading, whether of books or of the world around me, & there’s a certain level of control I imbibe when I write, or rewrite (I do agree with the person, whoever they’re, that said much of writing is rewriting) but this isn’t at all encompassing, this deliberateness.

I call to mind the child-genius in the movie “The Kindergarten Teacher” & how one minute he could be building LEGOs & the next he’s pacing about reciting remarkable poetry that suddened upon him from within himself. I relate to that character because that is how poetry, which is for me something akin to a calling, happens to me.

I do not write with a linear stream of consciousness, something I’ve come to refer to as “Schizo-Poetry”, i.e. moving rapidly from one thought process or train of thought to another without finishing or expanding on the one prior.

And because my work is obsessed with the existential as it relates to the psyche, to the self & everything else outside & between, not to mention my own struggles with mental illness, it seems rather appropriate, doesn’t it, this unlineal rendition of my thought process? Which is to say, most times, the editing is in the writing, the editing is just as continuous as the writing itself.

I spend months making notes & waiting to stumble on that junction where language meets experience. And since I’m primarily an autobiographical poet, much of my writing, & rewriting, is accomplished in waiting; long, sometimes tiresome bouts of waiting.

Nome Emeka Patrick: I believe editing has a process. Normally, editing can be a conscious examination of the syntax, semantics, and aesthetic flaws of a poem.

I think one of the steps towards editing, for me, is leaving a draft for a while before going back to it. It helps me identify the loopholes in the form, the style, the tense, the application of metaphor, imagery e.t.c.

Editing, like many say, is hardwork. But for me, it all just depends on what I am working on. Some poems come out just great without changing anything; while some others take a day, a week e.t.c. And, I must add this, some get deleted.

How many times is a piece rejected before you give up on it, or do you keep polishing and sending it out still?

Adedayo Agarau: I don’t know but I think I stop sending a set of poems out once I have new sets. But if I believe in a certain work so much, I will keep sending it out. And yes, rejection sometimes reminds me to polish the work.

Nome Emeka Patrick: Honestly, if I don’t trust a work, I’m never sending it out. One thing I do is send works that have gone through rigorous editorial process. Though, not at all times—especially during contests. I also make simultaneous submissions; it is rare for five different magazines to reject a pack of poems, but when this happens, I know there is something that needs to be done.

I hardly polish rejected poems. Did I send them as drafts? NO. Which means they are already polished works. For instance, my work on POETRY magazine got rejected six times elsewhere. I should have withdrawn it right? But I just felt, a polished work is a polished work. No need polishing what is already polished. The magazine doesn’t like it, that’s why they rejected it.

If a magazine wants your poem, they would accept it. Then they’d point out errors they notice(d) before they go ahead to publish it.

If I believe in a work, I’d keep sending it out.

Michael Akuchie: Well, say four to five times. You must note that different magazines have varying aesthetic tastes and some poems will not find a place, not because they are bad poems but because where they are submitted to isn’t the right place. Editors’ tastes are subjective.

Though I tend to revisit a poem if it is rejected four to five times. I tend to look for loopholes, a loose end, something I didn’t quite do justice to. I like to look for what appears to be hidden. It takes patience and wit to deal with some rejections. Especially the ones you were certain to receive an opposite response for.

Pamilerin Jacob: Not going to lie, it depends. Wary of over-polishing, I only ever adjust titles or the poem’s form after a rejection. Rejections are super exhausting, but they also instill endurance. So I don’t really fall out of love with a piece even if it gets rejected multiple times. By the tenth time though, I leave it in the unpublished stash, for the time being.

Wale Ayinla: Writing is subjective, and you cannot determine which journal or editor will love your piece before sending. If only we know, there will be less rejection emails. But it is not so. I believe that most times, rejection of a particular piece doesn’t devalue you or your work.

Some journals would even drop several notes and suggestions to make the piece work. For me, the first thing I do after getting a rejection is look back into the batch of poems. I’ll read and read again with an open mind. If it needs a little more polishing, I do that. Art is timeless. Writing is an art.

JK Anowe: I think the day I give up on a poem just because it was rejected by a publisher or literary journal is the day my hands should be severed, albeit figuratively, from writing altogether. And this I can say because I am greatly aware of & have determined the kind of poet I am.

I believe to be able to write a poem, one must first become the kind of poet that can write & be worthy of said poem. I mean, most of these journals do not even offer concrete feedback, mostly due to the number of submissions they deal with on a daily basis.

They tell you it’s not a good fit & that is that. Now, that’s an awfully sorry reason to give up on a piece, don’t you think?

Recommend some poetry books (you could also include some on writing poetry).

Nome Emeka Patrick: I would always recommend old poets. And these: Memento: An Anthology of Contemporary Nigerian Poetry, edited by Adedayo Agarau; 20.35 Africa: An Anthology of Contemporary Poetry, edited by Ebenezer Agu; The January Children by Safia Ehillo; Calling a Wolf a Wolf by Kaveh Akbar; Deaf Republic by Ilya Kaminsky; Night Sky With Exit Wounds by Ocean Vuong; Stag’s Leap by Sharon Olds; Unfortunately, it was Paradise by Mahmoud Darwish; There Are More Beautiful Things Than Beyoncé by Morgan Parker.

On writing/understanding poetry: In the Palm of Your Hand by Steve Kowit; The Poet’s Companion by Kim Addonizio and Dorianne Laux; The Art of Daring by Carl Philips; The Sacred Wood by T.S Eliot (I haven’t been able to finish this since I started because of its complexity).

Michael Akuchie: On writing poetry:  In the Palm of Your Hand by Steve Kovit; The Art of Daring by Carl Philips; The Poet’s Guide to Life by Rainer Maria Rilke; Long Life by Mary Oliver. Poetry collections: Ilya Kaminsky’s Deaf Republic; Chris Abani’s Sanctifictum; Kaveh Akbar’s Calling a Wolf a Wolf; Logan February’s Garlands.

Pamilerin Jacob: Ok, I think these are lovely lovely books: Red Bird by Mary Oliver; Memento: An Anthology of Contemporary Nigerian Poetry, edited by Adedayo Agarau; The Heresiad by Ikeogu Oke; The Art of Losing: Poems of Grief & Healing, edited by Kevin Young; Here is Water by ‘Gbenga Adeoba; The Poetry Home Repair Manual: Practical Advice for Beginning Poets by Ted Kooser; The Arrival of Rain by Adedayo Agarau; Letters to a Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke.

Wale Ayinla: Letters to a Young Poet by Reina Maria Rilke and A Poetry Handbook by Mary Oliver. When it comes to books that I like and return to often: Night Sky with Exit Wounds by Ocean Vuong; Kingdom Animalia by Aracelis Girmay; Bestiary by Donika Kelly; Deaf Republic by Ilya Kaminsky; Pastoral by Carl Phillips—among others.

Adedayo Agarau: My current read is Aimee Nezhukumatathil’s Oceanic, which is an amazing read. Gripping, urgent, yet subtle in the way it drives you through.

JK Anowe: Contemporarily, I return to Kaveh Akbar’s Calling a Wolf a Wolf and Ocean Vuong’s Night Sky with Exit Wounds. These books, especially the latter, literally saved my poet life. I’ve been reading the works of Franz Wright (and also the works of his father, James Wright), currently on his Pulitzer-winning collection, Walking to Martha’s Vineyard, & it is nothing short of glorious.

I love Hala Alyan’s The Twenty Ninth Year, she’s such a wise poet, & everything by Ilya Kaminsky. I think every poet should be a disciple of Mary Oliver. Any poet who can capture language at the barest minimum as she did is a genius. She was a genius.

Less contemporarily, I’m obsessed with Rilke, The Complete Works of Anne Sexton, Sylvia Plath’s Ariel & Baudelaire’s Fleurs du Mal (Flowers of Evil) which I was introduced to in my undergraduate years studying French. As for books on writing, there were aspects of Francine Prose’s Reading Like A Writer that I found helpful, even though it limited its scope to prose writing.

Carl Phillips, whose style of poetry I greatly admire, has a wonderful book, The Art of Daring: Risk, Restlessness, Imagination, on the craft of writing poetry. Ben Lerner’s The Hatred of Poetry was and is still a wonderful read. Finally, Ondaatje’s The English Patient and Ocean Vuong’s On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous are prose works that I return to for their elevation of language.

Read: On How Best To Handle Rejections

Author Bios:

JK Anowe, Igbo-born poet, is author of the poetry chapbooks Sky Raining Fists (Madhouse Press, 2019) and The Ikemefuna Tributaries: a parable for paranoia (Praxis Magazine Online, 2016). He’s a finalist of the 2019 Gerard Kraak Award. He lives and writes from somewhere in Nigeria.

Wale Ayinla is a Nigerian poet, essayist, and editor. He is a Best of the Net and Best New Poets Award nominee, and his works appear or are forthcoming on Guernica, Ruminate Magazine, McNeese Review, Waccamaw, Poet Lore, Palette Poetry, and elsewhere. In 2019, he was a finalist for the Brittle Paper Award for Poetry, and his manuscript, Sea Blues on Water Meridian was a finalist for the inaugural CAAPP Book Prize. He is @Wale_Ayinla on Twitter.

Michael Akuchie is an emerging interviewer/poet of Igbo-Esan descent who lives and studies in Lagos and Benin-City, Nigeria, respectively.  He is a final year undergrad of English and Literature in the University of Benin, Nigeria. Michael is a recipient of the 2020 Roadrunner Review Poetry Prize and The 2019-2020 Hellebore Poetry Scholarship Award for his chapbook manuscript, “Wreck”, forthcoming Fall/Winter 2020.

Adedayo Agarau’s chapbook, Origin of Names, was selected by Chris Abani and Kwame Dawes for New Generation African Poet (African Poetry Book Fund), 2020.  He is a human nutritionist, documentary photographer, and author of two chapbooks, For Boys Who Went & The Arrival of Rain. Adedayo was shortlisted for the Babishai Niwe Poetry Prize in 2018, Runner up of the Sehvage Poetry Prize, 2019. Adedayo is an Assistant Editor at Animal Heart Press, a Contributing Editor for Poetry at Barren Magazine and a Poetry reader at Feral. His works have appeared or are forthcoming on Glass Poetry, Mineral Lit, Ice Floe, Ghost City, Temz, Linden Avenue, Headway Lit, The Shore Poetry, Giallo and elsewhere. Adedayo was said to have curated and edited the biggest poetry anthology by Nigerian poets, Memento: An Anthology of Contemporary Nigerian Poetry. You can find him on Twitter @adedayo_agarau or agarauadedayo.com.

Pamilerin Jacob is a Nigerian poet whose poems have appeared in _Barren Magazine, Agbowó, Poetry Potion, Ghost City Press, Elsieisy, Feed Lit Mag, Rattle_ & elsewhere. He was the second runner-up for _Sevhage Poetry Prize 2019_, co-winner _PIN Food Poetry Contest 2018_. His poems also appear in _Memento: An Anthology of Contemporary Nigerian Poets, 2020_. Author of the chapbook, _Gospels of Depression_; he is a staunch believer in the powers of critical thinking, Khalil Gibran’s poetry & chocolate ice-cream. Reach him on Twitter @pamilerinjacob.

Nome Emeka Patrick is a blxck bxy; he graduated from University of Benin, Nigeria, where he studied English Language and Literature. His works have been published or forthcoming in POETRY, Poet Lore, Black Warrior Review, Strange Horizons, The Malahat Review, Beloit poetry journal, The FIDDLEHEAD, Notre Dame Review, Puerto Del Sol, McNeese Review, FLAPPER HOUSE, Gargouille, Crannóg magazine, Mud Season Review, The Oakland Review, Up the Staircase Quarterly and elsewhere. A Best of the Net, Best New Poets, and Pushcart prize nominee. His manuscript ‘We Need New Moses. Or New Luther King’ was a finalist for the 2018 Sillerman First Book Prize for African Poets. He writes from Lagos, Nigeria.

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It used to be the case that most people who ventured into writing with money on their mind ended up becoming very disappointed.

Experienced writers are usually swift to advice young writers not to be in a hurry to make it big. According to them, if your sole purpose is to make quick bucks from writing, then you are in the wrong career.

But all that has changed as the internet has opened up vast windows of opportunities for writers to make good money. The question is, are you ready to work hard and take advantage of these opportunities?

The internet has opened up vast windows of opportunities for writers to make good money.

So if you are ready, here are some ways you can make good money from writing:

Freelance Writing.

Freelance writing is writing for other people for money, without being fully employed by them. Many successful lawyers, doctors and other professionals are all making extra income through freelance writing.

The main duty of freelance writers is basically to write articles or produce written materials according to their client’s specifications.

There are tons and tons of people online looking for writers to work for them. These opportunities are open to writers with the necessary skills who are willing to deliver jobs on time.

Having your own blog is one of the best things that can happen to you as a writer.

Blogging

Having your own blog is one of the best things that can happen to you as a writer.

Your blog is like your writing curriculum vitae. Employers looking to hire online writers can easily access your blog and see the quality of your works.

Apart from advertising your works, you can advertise other people’s products and earn some money from it.

Product Reviews

Many companies rely on product reviews as a vital part of their branding and marketing strategy. By reviewing their products and services, producers can gain the trust and patronage of their customers. This is one of the best ways to make money from writing.

If you have the necessary skills to review products, you can earn a decent income doing it online as many online sites constantly seek to hire the services of product reviewers.

Product and Brand Promotion

Billions of people around the world use the internet every day. Businesses are aware of this and are constantly in search of writers who will regularly promote their products and services online.

Content writing has emerged to be a great marketing tool, and it’s a major reason writers are in high demand today. To make money from writing, you can start writing contents, too.

Content writing has emerged to be a great marketing tool, and it’s a major reason why writers are in high demand today.

Get a Virtual Assistant Job

Many businesses today are hiring virtual assistants who work remotely instead of the traditional office staff who work from the office.

Writers can make good money as virtual assistants by employing their skills in writing reports, composing and sending emails, preparing proposals and meeting materials, handling contact lists and customer spreadsheets, maintaining a calendar and setting up meetings, handling correspondence etc.

Write and sell e-books

Many writers with great ideas do not realize their dreams of sharing them with the rest of the world.

The hurdles of getting a publisher who will help in promoting, publishing and selling the book become too much for many writers to handle, making them to abandon the idea.

Even some writers who manage to get publishers for their books end up getting very little remuneration for their efforts.

But thanks to the internet, writers can easily write e-books, advertise, sell them online and make some money.

So make good use of your writing skills by taking advantage of the above opportunities and reap the consequential financial benefits.

You can also check out our article on Ways to Find Beginner Freelance Writing Jobs from Home.

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Following the Fiction and Non-Fiction Editing Workshop, which held in Lagos in September 2019, the Board of Trustees and Management of the Society of Books and Magazine Editors of Nigeria (SBMEN) announce the fourth and last editing workshop of the year, 2019. The workshop is themed “Literary Criticism: Judging Dynamic Creative Writing in All Forms”, and will be delivered through lectures, interactive sessions, class exercises, case studies and breakout sessions. It is scheduled to hold on the 23rd of November, 2019.

Who should Participate:

• Editors who evaluate the slush pile.
• Content developers.
• Established and aspiring book reviewers.
• Writers who desire to take a critical approach to improve in their craft.

What will You Gain from Participating:

• Learn the basics of literary criticism.
• Understand the techniques of analytic reading.
• Learn how to write great reviews.
• Get resources on freelance opportunities available for you as a reviewer.
• Participate in writing and reading exercises.

Facilitators:

• The award-winning culture critic, Oris Aigbokhaevbolo.
• The founding editor of BMS Editorial Services, Adebukola Bassey.
• The ED/co-founder, SBMEN, Anwuli Ojogwu.
• The writer, journalist and literary critic, Adewale Maja-Pearce.

How to Apply:

• Interested editors and writers should send an email to training@sbmen.org.ng or send a WhatsApp message to 08120055823, requesting more information on how to enroll for the training.

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The Society of Book and Magazine Editors of Nigeria (SBMEN) will be holding another career-changing editing workshop in September, 2019. This upcoming workshop will be its third for the year.

This edition has been themed: The Fundamentals of Fiction and Non-Fiction Editing.

If you have always dreamed of becoming a professional editor, here’s your chance to learn from the best editors in the industry. This course is also fantastic for creative writers who are interested in learning to edit their own work. So if you’re tired of the rejections and the bad reviews, perhaps, you should consider taking this course. It might be all you need to get your break through. Again, at the end of the course, you might find that you like the idea of making money as an editor.

According to the press release:

This workshop is valuable to established editors who desire to refresh their knowledge; budding editors eager to hone their craft; proofreaders who want to transit to developmental editing; writers looking to learn how to expertly self-edit their work and people who love literature and want to learn a new skill-set.

What areas will this course cover?

This editing workshop/ training seminar will cover a wide range of topics such as:

• The process of creative writing,
• The best practices for editing creative fiction and creative nonfiction;
• The art of managing author-editor relationships
• How to give constructive feedback;
• How to find and pursue business prospects and opportunities
• Practical experience of a professional editor.

The course has been scheduled to hold from 21 to 22 September 2019.

At this point, you’re probably wondering who the facilitators are.

This workshop will be facilitated by the following editorial experts:

• Adebukola Bassey, Founding Editor, BMS Editorial Services;
• Otosirieze Obi-Young, Deputy Editor, Brittle Paper;
• Tahirah Sagaya, Senior Editor, Quramo Publishing;
• Eghosa Imasuen,  Co-founder, Narrative Landscape Press,
• and Anwuli Ojogwu, ED/co-founder, SBMEN.
• The guest expert is  Cheluchi Onyemelukwe-Onuobia, the author of The Son of the House (2019), which has recently been received with wide acclaim by international critics.

The workshop will be delivered through lectures, interactive sessions, class exercises, case studies, and breakout sessions.

Editors and writers from all over the world are encouraged to apply. There are no geographical restrictions.

So, are you ready to learn The Fundamentals of Fiction and Non-Fiction Editing? Here are the application guidelines.

• Send an e-mail to: training@sbmen.org.ng
• Alternatively, you can send a WhatsApp message to 08120055823.
• To learn more about SBMEN, visit  www.sbmen.org.ng

About SBMEN

The Society for Book and Magazine Editors of Nigeria (SBMEN) is a new educational and professional association that represents and supports aspiring and existing editorial professionals to develop editorial skills that meet global best practices. It is also extended to other professionals who work within publications, broadcasting, digital media, legal services, communications, public relations and academia. The organisation provides training and resources for professionals to increase their proficiency in editing.

You might also like: Attend Best-selling Author Mary Karr’s Memoir Class on Skillshare / How To Get A Free Code To Attend

How To Write A Great Short-Story: Lessons From A Short-Story Day With TJ Benson.

The post Register For The Upcoming SBMEN Fiction and Non-Fiction Editing Workshop for Editors and Writers Billed To Hold This September appeared first on Creative Writing News.

The short story form is in high demand. Many writers want to learn how to write a short story. Also, many writers wonder how long is a short story?

In this article, Tega explains everything he learned from prolific writer TJ Benson. Wrapped in short story examples are nuggets on short story outlines, elements writing hacks, and more.

Ready to learn how to write a short story? Ready to learn how long a short story should be.? Read on. This article starts with a vivid short story about a writing festival.

How To Write A Short Story: Lessons Learned From TJ Benson’s Short Short Story Day Africa Workshop. 

It’s the Jos Museum Festival. It means the celebration of ancient cultures and histories to keep the future breathing. 

I want to roll with the massive crowd gathering at British-America Junction. I want to soak the raw banging of the local drums and the seismic blast of horns scattered everywhere.

Another thing, the popular Terminus Market is falling flat today. I want to see Chinese engineers setting demolition charges to the quiet sprawl of mossy buildings that were once the economic pride of Jos.

I have also been invited to a Cast and Crew Party at the Jos Repertory Theatre. The party means Jollof rice and baked chicken and groundnut oil. It means moi-moi, and chilled juices and evergreen high-life music.

But guess where I am headed with Lardo, YoungLan and our copies of We Won’t Fade into Darkness?

To a short story workshop taught by fiction writing maestro, TJ Benson. There I intend to learn more about how to write a short story.

For the uninitiated, here’s a definition of a short story.

A short story is a work of prose fiction (sometimes prose poetry) that can be read in one sitting. It can also be defined as a piece of fiction that focuses on a specific moment in a character’s or group of characters’ lives.

On my way to this workshop, someone begged me to ask how long is a short story. But I said, I already knew about the word counts of short stories.

A short story is usually as long as it wants to be. Or as short as it wants to. Thankfully, the short story market is flexible. It can accommodate stories that are as short as six words and as long as 10,000 or even 20,000 words.

Ernest Hemmingway famously wrote a beautiful flash fiction or micro fiction story that was six words long. It read:

TJ Benson had interesting things to say about how long a short story should be. More on that later.

A Short Story About Meeting The Other Workshop Participants.

nHUB is all vintage lamps, impossible warmth, and brilliant graffiti. Poets move up and down, asking for the central Wi-Fi password.

I feel strangely related to all of them even with their mad varieties of accents. I broach one.

“What’s your name?”

“De General.”

“Bro, I mean your real name?”

He observes a long pause as though trying to remember his birth name. “Nuel,” he says, almost with a grudge. He is a performance poet, he says.

Performance poets prefer their stage names. He mourns his lack of earphones. Poets need their earphones, especially spoken word poets. Please, do I have any spare earphones to lend?

In the spacious lobby, Younglan and other poets find belonging in navigating the memories of a Pulitzer photographer who killed himself. Someone makes light of the tragic issue.

“Have you ever been in a deep depression?” Miriam asks the person, her voice bellicose.

“Depression is depression.” The person says, in a quiet shout. “Nothing like deep depression.”

An argument on depression follows. It flows sadly, loudly.

I move away from them to a flower girl filling herself with music by a concrete balustrade. Her name is Sonia.

Her lips are soft passion fruits. Like passion fruits, maybe they will produce some sweetness. Maybe they will be comforting.

Hello, Sonia! What genre do you mostly write? Poetry too? Okay. So, Sonia what was your last poem about? Depression too? Mo gbe! No, pleeeease don’t show me. Thank you! I leap into the hall.

Arriving At The Short Short Story Day Workshop Hall.

The hall is the milk veneer tables, which strangely turn purple when the white lights trip on.

The hall is also a rainbow of neatly arranged chairs and weird wall paintings. I jog my hands across the cold expanse of tinted glass windows that mute the daylight.

But I do nothing to mute the raucous sound downstairs. I roll back one of the windows.

I lower my gaze and take in the reckless movement of cars, and people in ridiculous tribal clothes. They’re dancing their way to British-America Junction for the festival. Someone, an old man with a brilliant toothy smile, waves at me. I wave back.

Write Your Story Immediately The Idea Comes To You.

We sit facing a whiteboard that reads, ‘WRITE IT NOW. SOMETIMES, LATER BECOMES NEVER.’ I feel attacked.

I know I shouldn’t. But I can help myself. Learning how to write a short story isn’t for wimps.

Rudolph, an ingenious spoken word poet and one of the organizers of the workshop, performs a poem while walking around our tables.

I find it hard to catch up with his experimental style. He talks about theme, coherence, plot, rhythm and diction. All the elements of a short story.

He talks as if these elements are things from outer space. I don’t understand much of them, maybe because I am not a poet.

I look at my wristwatch and scribble on my right palm: Where. Is. TJ Benson?

Crafting A Character Profile Of The Workshop Facilitator

TJ Benson breezes into the hall in the cool height of a Toyota Hummer bus, in swaying ash trousers and a white T-shirt that is MALAWI.

His eyes are focused on everyone. He owes Jos some years of his writing life, he says.

TJ’s movement is a lot like Salsa. The way his hands swim, and the way his shoulders swing back and forth when he says he has nothing against people who beer out their bellies. His movements are all endlessly fascinating.

He has the soul of an intricate Tiv song, this TJ. He imagines himself as the character he is writing. And by that way, he is able to find specific things about that character. He stalks himself. Applaudissez! We clap for him.

Straight to the matter. What are your names? He asks. Tell the house something about you.

The first writer is trying to love again. Wow. Bold of him to say that, TJ says. Isn’t writing about churning bold expressions when other art forms are reticent? Be bold. Know and say what you want. Write it. Don’t worry about the short story length. Just write it. Next!

The second is a psychologist who doesn’t socialize.

Her character is unique, TJ points out. She is wearing a shouty blue lipstick to draw our attention. And she doesn’t like socializing, huh?

An accurate irony, something writeable! “It’s green,” she says to TJ, smiling, “my lips are green.” It’s all a story, TJ says. That’s the long and short of it. 

Depictions don’t have to be factual. Just make them interesting and believable. Okay? Next!

Someone wants to situate deep humour inside a short story strictly on pain. More like distilling perfume from garlic. Why not! It’s possible. Everything is. There is something called Speculative Fiction, and there is Fantasy, TJ says.

Someone wants to write a book about life.

‘WHAT PART OF LIFE?’ TJ writes on the whiteboard. Life is too broad, he says facing us, his voice a decibel higher.

Avoid blanket statements. Don’t think of life when writing. Think about specific experiences in life. Good writing thrives on specificity.

But avoid the obvious, he adds. Like poverty, disease, hunger, and other clichéd subject matters that are copious in most African Literature.

Write something new. Write from a fresh and unique angle, he admonishes. Writing is not a tidy experience, he adds. We must avoid the urge to put the process into a small or bland space.

What about urban markets? Bank Vault? About BRT buses? About the surface of the moon? About Maximum prisons? About afterlife? Research. Tell outgoing stories.

Someone says he is a writer who is mostly too lazy to lift a pen. But when he does, OMG happens. For example, he helped a secondary school student write an essay and the essay is taking the student to the USA.

TJ tells him to trust his lazy process as long as it gives him OMG results. He proceeds to ask a moral question: Do we think it was wrong of him to have helped the student write the essay?

An argument breaks out between two participants.

“Oh! It’s cheating.”

“EVERYONE cheats one way or the other.”

“I don’t cheat!”

“He was just helping an underprivileged kid get to the USA!”

“It was a competition for school kids.”

“And so what? What of ghostwriting?”

“What about ghostwriting!?”

“Are you not a ghostwriter?”

“That’s none of your business!”

“Why?”

“Zed.”

Someone says he photographs for a local newspaper.

TJ Benson asks him to give a picture of the newspaper office. The person says it’s conducive, beautiful –

Keep your opinion to yourself, TJ cuts it. Just paint a picture. Show what the place looks like then let the reader say whether it’s conducive and beautiful. Show. Don’t tell.

Next! Next!…

Determining How Long Your Short Story Should Be.

The short story is a compact wonderful literary form. Yes, there’s a lot of contention about the aptest short story length. This explains why budding writers are often asking, how long is a short story?

According to TJ, short story lengths are dynamic. In some cases, they overlap.

Many short story journals and contests often publish short stories with word counts between 2000 – 5000 words. Some flash fiction magazines and contests prefer stories that are less than 1000 words. Some prefer sudden or microfiction stories that are under 500 words.

There is no easy answer to the FAQ, how long is a short story. But below is a yardstick you can use to determine the correct short story length.

Microfiction or sudden fiction: 500 words or less.

Flash fiction (also called short, short stories): 1,000 words or less.

Short story: 1000 to 20,000 words (the style is often cyclical. There are often echoes strewn throughout the story)

Short novel or a novelette: 7,500 to 25,000 words

Novella: 10,000 to 49,000 words

Novel: 50,000 words or more.

More Of TJ Benson’s Tips On How To Write A Good Short Story.

If you’re learning how to write a short story, you must take the following tips seriously.

Your Story Should Haunt The Reader.

Your short story supposed to make the reader feel a strange sense of wonder. There are a bunch of amazing short stories out there. But there will also be a space for yours. Simply make your reader truly feel that strange sense of wonder.

Create Seminal Moments Of Change.

For a short story to be successful, there has to be a profound change. Our lives are stories of changes.

We are born. We die. We change senses. We change our minds. We change our clothes. We change levels.

Something has to change in the story you are writing. The more major and unpredictable the change is, the better the sense of wonder.

Ask Yourself The Following Questions After the First/Second Draft of Your Short Story:

• What makes this piece different from every other piece?
• How does it capture a specific moment or consciousness?
• Why should people give up their precious time for it?
• How can I cut it down? This question is important is you’re wondering how long your story should be.

Practice The Art Of Word Count Economy. Say A Lot In Few Words.

A good short story isn’t unnecessarily wordy. The best short story writers often employ a rare technique called word economy.

Your short story should be able to convey as much meaning as possible in few words. And this must be neatly done –else, it becomes a burden to the reader.

Don’t forget that word count and length matter in short stories. But rather than ask, how long is a short story, pause. Compress your sentences. Delete unnecessary and repetitive words.

Aim For A Rythmic, Voice Driven Tale.

A good short story should flow and show. Don’t spend too much time describing to your readers. Or you will leave them with roadblocks and no story.

Show your reader a picture of the unfolding events. When you show, your readers experience and absorb your story.

Pay Attention To Your Mode Of Representation

There is a certain form of erasure of groups that do not belong to the mainstream in every part of the world.

There is no one-way to being human. Humanity is complex. Showing complexity and difference in your work matters.

Write the marginal in with dignity. But don’t be preachy about it.

Good Short Stories Don’t Waste Words On Stereotypes.

As a writer, assume no default identity. Rise above preconceived notions and unbridled traditional beliefs.

There are no fixed restrictions as to what should be or not be. Always be on the verge of saying something new. Work against stereotypes.

Resist The Temptation To Italicize Non-English Words.

Don’t italicize or explain indigenous words for the West. Your job isn’t to beg people to like your culture.

Your indigenous words aren’t exotic. Exhaust materials peculiar to your culture. Use folktales, songs, riddles, proverbs and so on. Enrich your works with these things.

Your experience is worthy of representation.

Give Your Story Context

Context is the ecosystem of your story. Context matters. It adds believability to your piece. Always check with context.

Pay Attention To Intent and Language

Your intent is the ocean wave that carries your words. It is the guiding spirit of the story.

It is the energy behind each word, the feeling. If your intent is to create a love story let it be clearly felt by the reader. Be intentional.

Favor language simplicity. Don’t rely on heavy or complicated language to tell your story.

Rely on yourself as an artist. Build a confident voice (and you do this by continuous writing practices and of course, reading)

 Watch a video of the workshop. Learn how to write a short story.

Create Moving Dialogue

Characters are different people. The way they talk should mirror their differences. Your characters shouldn’t speak like you. Study the cadence of people.

For example, assertive people talk with curt and short sentences or long rants.

Less self-assured or nervous people beat around the bush or ramble.

Never enter into a writing project without absorbing the sounds of various kinds of people.

 Choose Your Characters Names Wisely.

Humanize your story with names, profound names. Let diversity and color richly show in your characters’ names.

Often, writers assume that readers won’t remember indigenous names. The irony is that such names make them more memorable.

Remember Ralia, the sugar girl? Ali and Simbi? Who can ever forget Ifemelu or Okonkwo or Jagua Nana?

Your Title Should Tell The Reader Something About Your Short Story. 

Your title may cast an informing light on the story but should not give it away. You could get a title from when a major change occurs in the story.

If the essence of your story cannot be contained in its first and second paragraphs then let it be contained in the title.

Read Materials That Make You A Better Short Story Writer. 

To read is to think and to think clearly is to write wonderfully. It opens and renews the mind. 

Reading is the surest way to learn how to write a short story. It gives you more words, more ideas, and consciousnesses.

When you read, you add heft to your voice. You know what is true to you. You know what is not. You know the right length for the short story you’re working on.

Read widely. Don’t look down on any genre. Have an acute consciousness. Read and absorb your environment. Be aware.

Bonus Tips: How To Care For Your Creative Health

• Be kind to your mind.
• Don’t let rejection letters get to you.
• Remove market pressure from your worktable.
• Don’t do it for prizes or for validation. Do it for you. Write at your pace.
• Control your work. Be in charge of the process. Be in charge of how much of yourself you put into your work.
• Network with friends. Have a support system that will insulate you from dark moods.
• Be deliberate about the environments you expose your mind to. Some environments will never be good for you as an artist.
• Don’t disappear into the world you are trying to create on paper.
• Create time to stretch and do some physical exercises. Remove yourself from your manuscript once in a while, and seek out psychical spaces that are new to you.
• Traveling is very essential to the craft. Travel out of your experience and embody other consciousnesses.
• Don’t conform. Find your own formula. Don’t let how any writer writes to be your absolute way.
• You may experience the imposter syndrome sometimes. You may feel you are not worthy of the attention you receive. You do, and you deserve even more.

Because TJ Benson says we deserve more, and because we do, Lardo and Rudolph skip forward bearing a pack of meat pie and frosty coke for each one of us.

Wrap Up On How Long Is A Short Story?: Understanding The Basics Of How To Write A Short Story.

The short story is a unique art form. It is almost as technical as drama and screenplay writing. But it is interesting still.

The easiest way to figure out how to write a short story is to read many, many stories. There are a lot of great short stories you can read for free online.

Rather than worry about the length of your story, simply write. Focus on getting the voice right, on plugging plot holes. Focus on making the most of the elements of the short story.

The tips above will help you write the perfect short story. And hopefully, you now know the answer to the FAQ, how long is a short story.

Have you written a short story lately? What was your experience? Did you have to worry about the short story length? And does reading and analyzing poetry make you a better writer?

Please leave a comment below. Click, if you’d like to learn how to write a novel.

 The workshop was co-organized by Just Create, Tales Afrik and Custodians of African Literature. It held on the 18^th of May, 2019, in Jos, Nigeria.

Bio: Tega Oghenechovwen has attended Short Story Day Africa workshop, Aké Festival writing Workshop, among others. He has published work with the Rumpus, Black Sun Lit, Litro Magazine, Arts and Africa, and elsewhere. He tweets @tega_chovwen

The post How Long Is A Short Story?: A Guide On How To Write A Short Story. appeared first on Creative Writing News.

Do you yearn to work as a writer or editor of a print and digital magazine? Do you often dream of designing your own magazine or blog? Are you interested in learning the basics of launching successful websites? Then you should register for the upcoming course titled, SBMEN Practical Editing Workshop for Magazines and Digital Platforms.

What will participants gain from attending this course?

At the end of the workshop, participants will:

• create their own unique magazine concept
• learn the entire process of planning, creating, writing, and developing editorial content for print or online platforms.
• learn how to design an editorial mission
• learn how to use digital tools to advance your craft
• explore the fundamental of writing content for blogs, websites, and interviews
• Participants will be given a foolproof guide for generating unique content ideas, and developing editorial tools to meet required standards.

Bonus: Participants will get a chance to expand their networks. If you want to connect with the world’s leading editors and publishers, simply register for this course.

Bloggers, journalists, content developers, vloggers, and everyone involved in digital publishing/marketing are strongly encouraged to apply.

This course is being organized by the board members of the Society of Book and Magazine Editors of Nigeria (SBMEN). Editing for Magazines and Digital Platforms is its second editing workshop for the year. The first workshop was a resounding success. This forthcoming workshop promises to be a lot better than the first.

Editing for Magazines and Digital Platforms is slated to hold from 26 to 27 June 2019.

This course will be taught by the following facilitators:

•  Adesuwa Onyenokwe, founder/editor-in-chief, Today’s Woman magazine;
• Kola Tubosun, writer and founder of award-winning blog, “Ktravula”;
• Chiagozie Fred Nwonwu, founder/editor of Omenana e-magazine, which has published award winning stories;
• Enimien Etomi, a marketing specialist and art photographer.

How To Enroll For This Highly Selective Course:

•  Send an email to: training@sbmen.org.ng
• Alternatively, you can send a WhatsApp message to 08120055823

Want to check out this organization? Visit  www.sbmen.org.ng

This program is being supported by the British Council Nigeria and Quramo Publishing Limited.

About SBMEN

 

The Society for Book and Magazine Editors of Nigeria (SBMEN) is a new educational and professional association that represents and supports aspiring and existing editorial professionals to develop editorial skills that meet global best practices. It is also extended to other professionals who work within publications, broadcasting, digital media, legal services, communications, public relations and academia. The organisation provides training and resources for professionals to increase their proficiency in editing.

The post Register For SBMEN’s Practical Editing Workshop for Magazines and Digital Platforms (It’s Set To Hold This June) appeared first on Creative Writing News.

Are you a freelancer, searching for remote job ideas?

Deciding your schedule the way you want, working from any place that has Wi-Fi and being your own boss—here are a few remote job ideas, and some advantages of a remote job.

When working as a blogger or copywriter, you have the best opportunity to work outside of the office and contact your customers online.

Indeed, remote positions and freelance are milestones in today’s job market and progressive young professionals choose them more frequently than full-time options. 

So if you are looking for some ideas and need advice about starting your freelance career/online business, take a look at this list of the best options for the upcoming year.

Remote Work Positions and Job Opportunities for Writers

Marketing copywriter

The main purpose of a marketing writer is to encourage readers to buy products. Companies usually hire remote copywriters to increase sales. As a rule, these writers are required to know the strategies of efficient marketing writing. They compose landing page texts, whitepapers, e-mails, sales texts, etc. Usually, they are paid well.

To start working as a marketing writer, you will have to learn how to compose copies that improve sales first. Your potential clients expect you to already have an idea about how to make their conversion grow with the help of texts.

You might have to work with a remote team of other marketing consultants. If you have the right team communication software, scheduling meetings should be easy and manageable.

Course writer

If you are a professional in one subject or another, you can always systemize your knowledge and share it with others. For money. Course writer is a trend of the upcoming year and a good opportunity for those who are looking for an interesting and well-paid position.

Companies and educational programs may need someone to compose lessons for their courses and if you can boast of being a pro in a particular subject, then this might be a perfect option for you.

The good thing about course writing is that it’s broad. If your background is in cisco engineering, you can still find a job as a course writer in this field. This is an opportunity to consider if you’ve spent most of your time Google-searching for jobs cisco engineer.

Blogger

Many commercial companies have blogs, where they engage with the audience and share some interesting and valuable information with customers. These articles are mostly informative and work as a part of a general lead generation strategy. These companies are more likely to hire remote writers to save money.

A potential salary for professional writers who tailor blog posts will depend on the quantity and quality of texts. You can make more money if you have enough time and inspiration to write more. One of the most significant benefits of such a job is that it is more permanent and long-lasting than marketing copywriting.

When a marketing project is done, your tasks are over (unless your customers liked your work that much that they are ready to invite you again and again). Like I said earlier, you can blog about topics within your field of expertise, whether it’s medicine, business, technology, or even engineering.

Transcription

Some services, especially those related to medicine and business, oftentimes need people who will watch videos and convert speech to text. Also, popular YouTube channel owners and online media may hire people to present live podcasts or interviews in a text form.

In a word, you don’t need to strain yourself too much and have any background knowledge to complete such orders. This might be a good start for a beginner, who wants to work as a distant writer but has a lack of specialized skills.

Quiz maker

Have you seen those quizzes your Facebook friends regularly post on their pages? Well, guess what, someone writes them and this could be you.

Tests and quizzes are usually ordered by businesses, bloggers, and educational resources. Some entrepreneurs use them as a form of communication with clients to learn more about their opinion.

Becoming more experienced in this sphere, you will be able to compose well-thought quizzes that are paid really well.

Translator

If you know any other language besides English, you can work as a remote translator. A lot of foreign companies want to expand their audience by providing content in English, which is no doubt an international language today. The rarer and more exotic language you know, the larger your payment will be.

As a translator, I expect you to rewrite a text by converting it into another language, saving its stylistic properties and main ideas. To make your texts sound natural, you need to feel the flow, which differs from one language to another.

This job option will suit those who already have sufficient knowledge and perfect language command. Nothing attracts customers that much as a good portfolio and positive feedback.

Editor

Editing texts written by other writers requires deep review and revising. When editing, you are expected to find and fix all grammar, stylistic, logical, and other mistakes.

In a word, your aim is to make the content’s quality significantly higher. You need to check if the ideas are relevant and well-structured.

Also, this is your responsibility to make sure that all sentences make sense and work well together. Most editors get paid for the time they devote to the orders.

Proofreader

The work of a proofreader is less deep than editor’s. While an editor needs to make the text better on all levels, proofreader’s work doesn’t require any context changing.

It means that a proofreader has to fix grammar, spelling, and formatting but doesn’t have to work with structure or logic. They don’t go far beyond errors in words and sentences.

Luckily, advanced checking tools are not always enough to fix the documents and sometimes they really need a human touch.

Therefore, you can get hired as a proofreader in a company that needs someone to polish important documents.

Platforms to find Freelance Job Offers

There are many employment sites and platforms for freelancers online. In fact, there are so many of them to confuse a newcomer. To make your search easier and faster, we have composed a list of the most popular and reliable resources you should try:

• LinkedIn
• Glassdoor
• Indeed
• ZipRecruiter
• TranscribeMe
• Enago

When you choose to make your passion a source of income, this is always a perfect idea. Getting money when doing something you really like is a blessing.

Finally, on Remote Job ideas

So don’t hesitate to get a writing job and monetize your favorite activity. As you can see, there are many well-paid remote job ideas and options for people who have a good command of language.

Hopefully, this post will make your searching process more pleasant and simple. So get the writing job of your dreams today! Good luck!

About the author:

Jennifer Pauli graduated from Corvinus School of Management and finished the faculty of Journalism at Corvinus University of Budapest. Currently, He is an editor, business writer, and copywriter, working with different well-known companies, blogs, and personalities. Follow her on Twitter, G+ and read the personal blog

The post Top Remote Job Ideas To Consider in 2019 appeared first on Creative Writing News.