MY BEST TIPS ON WRITING:
1. Nobody became a writer who wasn�t a reader.
2. Read everything you can; it�s okay to copy the style of a writer you love until you find your own voice.
This could take many years.
3. Become proficient in English. Your best tools are words; always look for the right one. Work that
Thesaurus. Buy Warriner�s English Composition and Grammar Book, Complete Course.
4. Write, write, write, write, write�
5. Rewrite, rewrite, rewrite, rewrite�
6. You have to write a lot of bad stories until you get your first good one. Be prepared to fill a landfill.
ON REJECTION: hate it, still can�t stand it, won�t ever like it. Just don�t let it get in the way of writing, or
whatever you�re pursuing in life. Every writer has been rejected a million times. Some finally sell the very story
that had been rejected twenty times in a row, while others throw that one out and start anew. However, all keep
writing until one sells. Not all Editors, or all Readers if you�re in a slush pile, are correct about your stuff.
Sometimes it's just subjective, and being in the right place at the right time. But learn to recognize when a
story isn�t good enough. I�ve already tossed my first three childrens� novels out. And now I have three I really
like, but I�m working on another two, plus some picture books, and more short stories. Remember: keep
writing!
WHERE DO YOU GET YOUR IDEAS?" Everywhere. I got the idea for "The Smelly, Smelly Tennis Shoes"
after I read it in my old Junior High book under the joke heading: Last Will and Testament, "I leave my
smelly tennis shoes to some poor 7th grader who has my gym locker." I just wrote down Smelly Tennis Shoes and came up with a story for it. Same with my story "Snacks". I was reading a magazine, and it had a page on
snacks around the world. Thus, a story about a boy who loved snacks above all else. Stories are everywhere,
you just have to be open to them.
THAT SAID, below I�ll give an example of rewriting a story I�d written and sold to Boys� Life with some of the editor�s notes.
I won�t go over every detail of what I�d rewritten in a story, because that�d be boring. Sometimes I�ll do
something as silly as putting in a comma, then next day take it out! I do love to edit myself, and throwing out
that awkward sentence or word doesn�t give me the slightest grief. I love working on the computer; I can delete
the offending passage and never see it again. It�s the same as crumpling a piece of paper and tossing it into the
trash. Only you�re not tempted to go digging it out and gazing at it with regret.
Here�s how I began my story �Down and Out in C Major� (originally titled �Stuck�), then rewrote it according
to the editor�s notes. The beginning of a story is the most important to me, as without it, the story can�t take-
off. I like to say the final draft finally �Sings�. STORY CHANGES ARE WRITTEN IN RED.
THE EDITOR�S NOTES ARE WRITTEN IN PURPLE. I look at the editor as my best friend. He can see things
I can�t, and knows what the magazine is looking for. I believe in saying, �Yes! And what about this, also?�
Sometimes I love a challenge; and I know he�s not looking to hurt me, but wants to make the story the best it
can be. And who can argue with that?
Original beginning:
Once again, chaos had erupted in the cafeteria, and the two main culprits were sitting in the principal�s
office in chairs set side-by-side. They glared at each other, like novelty bookends, one big, one little. Jerome
Beef, the big fullback for the Spartans, and Vince Maronni, the little singer for the school music chamber
choir, had been warring with each other since the beginning of school.
LET�S TIGHTEN THIS UP, GET TO THE HEART OF THE MATTER. I NEED TO KNOW THE AGES OF THESE KIDS. SPELL IT OUT FOR
ME (NOT NECESSARILY HERE, BUT HIGH IN THE STORY. HIGH SCHOOL? JUNIOR HIGH?) ALSO, I�M NOT SURE THE NOVELTY
BOOKENDS� WORKS. I NEED TO BE ABLE TO PICTURE THIS, AND I�M NOT. MORE IMPORTANTLY, REALISTICALLY � BASED ON
MY OWN MEMORIES FROM BEING IN THE PRINCIPAL�S OFFICE, I DON�T BUY THE TWO KIDS GLARING AT EACH OTHER.
THEY�RE STARING STRAIGHT AHEAD, FEARING FOR THEIR LIVES.
�Here�s the way it�s going to be, boys,� Principal Raven said. �I have your records in front of me. Neither of
you have any prior problems for misconduct from school. But I can�t let these incidents go unpunished, either.
I�m willing to give you each one chance and place you under heightened probation. Understood?�
OK, IN THE FIRST PARAGRAPH, WE�RE TOLD ONCE AGAIN THEY�VE BEEN THE CULPRITS. NOW THE PRINCIPAL SAYS �NO
PRIOR PROBLEMS� SO WHAT�S THE DEAL HERE?
They nodded. Jerome hoped for detention. Vince favored paperwork.
THIS IS GOOD. BELIEVABLE. FITS THE CHARACTERS.
FINAL REWRITE:
Once again, chaos had erupted in the cafeteria, and the two main culprits sat in the principal�s office.
Jerome, the big fullback for the Spartans, and Vince, the little singer for the chamber choir, had been warring
with each other since the beginning of school.
�Your third time here, boys,� Principal Raven said. �And I hope to make it your last. Understood?�
The two ninth graders nodded, staring ahead in terror, as if bracing for a head-on collision. Jerome hoped
for detention, Vince, paperwork.
AND NOW IT�S SINGING!
