Oh, Brother: Selecting the Right Printer for Your Home Office Needs

August 28, 2013 0 Modern Writer v1.0 , , , Permalink 0
 

Cabinet InteriorMy wife and I share a home office, and recently, the All-in-One Kodak printer we purchased last year has started acting up.

Its wifi connection to our router is temperamental; and coupled with the fact that we replace its expensive ink cartridges at an alarming rate, we are looking for a new printer.

However, I have a few criteria that this new printer needs to address:

  1. As I prefer editing on paper, I need the printer to be cost effective. Since ink cartridges are a necessary evil, like gasoline, I’d like the new printer to print at a cost of three or four cents per page.
  2. I hope to have a rough draft of my novel completed sometime next year, so I’m anticipating that I will print approximately 320 pages per draft. I need a printer designed to handle lots of paper. Our current printer can only hold 25 pages at a time, so I always need to reload the paper tray before the print can continue.

Additionally, my wife has other criteria of her own:

  1. She needs the printer to also function as a reliable scanner and fax machine. (Late night runs to Kinko’s are no longer a viable option for us!)
  2. Aesthetics are important, so the printer should look at home on a bookshelf among our other possessions. (We would like to stash our printer and router and wiring out of view.)
  3. Space is also a concern to us. We’d ideally like the new printer to fit in a space measuring 17″ x 13″ x 19″. (This rules out most laser printers for us.)
  4. Price. We want to stay under $500 for the actual printer. And the ink cartridges should be reasonably priced, too, since they will be a regular expense. I don’t know how many of you have been bamboozled into buying a “cheapo” printer, like us, only to find out that its ink cartridges were ridiculously overpriced… [Shaking my fist at the sky]

After doing a little bit of research online, I have found a printer that meets all of our needs and more–the Brother Business Smart Series Inkjet All-in-One MFC-J4610DW. Note to Brother: How about simplifying your product names?

 

 

As writers, properly investing in a good printer can increase our productivity and lessen stress and frustration. (Oh, first world problems!)

What do you consider when buying a new printer? Have you found the right one for your home office needs? Please send me a comment below.

That’s it for this week. Until next time, write and print your heart out!

 

Photo credit: Thomas R. Stegelmann / Foter.com / CC BY-NC-SA

Judging Books by Their Titles

August 21, 2013 0 General Advice, Modern Writer v1.0 , , , , Permalink 0
 

Banned Books Week Banner

It probably goes without saying that strong titles are absolutely necessary to catch the attention of editors and readers alike.

A while ago, I read somewhere that people purchase books after first studying their covers and then reading their titles. (Though this doesn’t account for the power of positive reviews and word of mouth!)

If you’re like me, you probably spend a lot of time worrying about the titles of your stories/books. And it seems like every writer approaches titles a little differently: Some will create a title from the very beginning of a new writing project; it just comes to them. Others will wait until the project is completed.

I fall into the latter category. I hardly ever have the foresight to name my work before it’s finished.

Here are a few of my thoughts on this tricky business:

  1. List all of your favorite titles from your favorite authors. Analyze what they have in common. See if you can find patterns to steal. More than likely, each title uses active, specific language. You should, too! (I particularly like titles from Kurt Vonnegut and Haruki Murakami.)
  2. If you’re having real trouble naming your story/book, it could be that it just isn’t quite finished yet. Generally, when a story knows itself, it’s easier to name.
  3. Scan your work for a line or phrase that you could use as a title. Listen to what your characters say or think.
  4. Your title should give a hint as to what it is about, but it should also give a slight indicator of its tone. The most important aspect, though, is its ability to intrigue readers.
  5. Sometimes editors will rename your book to something that has more promise of selling.
  6. On a similar note, short story collections are not always titled by the best story in the collection. I used to spend lots of time analyzing title choices of some of these books, only to hear authors uncandidly confess that weaker stories often supplied a collection its title just because it sounded cool.

For an alternative approach to titling a book, you can also use Lulu’s Titlescorer. It will score the likelihood of commercial success for your book by referencing data from past bestsellers’ titles. (Although I’ve played around with this, and some of my favorite books fail to score well by its standards.)

So how about it? Do you place a high importance on titles for your work, or the books that you read? What are some of your favorite book titles? Please send me a comment or two below, and thank you for reading.

Write your heart out!

 

Photo credit: DML East Branch / Foter.com / CC BY-NC-SA

Choose a Mentor Wisely, You Must

August 14, 2013 5comments General Advice , , Permalink 0
 

Yoda's PlaylistOne of my students just told me a story about how he enrolled in a music course being taught by a renowned pianist. This student of mine, having been a huge fan and supporter of the pianist’s work, enthusiastically enrolled in this course.

However, this student went on to say that it was one of the major letdowns of his life! Not only was the pianist arrogant and unapproachable, he was incredibly lazy and uninspiring with his teaching.

 

Today, I’d like to share a word of caution with you if you are considering enrolling in a writing course being taught by a very skilled and successful writer:

The best writers don’t always make the best teachers.

Now don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying all successful writers are bad teachers. What I am saying is that writing and teaching are two completely different skill sets. Just because someone might have the bona fides to teach creative writing, doesn’t necessary mean the person can–or is willing to–share her knowledge in any kind of clear and meaningful way. Also, understand that her teaching probably takes time away from her writing, so more successful writers may even cut corners teaching to create more time for writing.

If possible, I suggest emailing, or (better yet!) visiting your intended faculty member’s office during office hours. Introduce yourself. It’s OK to admit your fandom. (Everyone’s a sucker for flattery, right?) Express your interest in her course. Ask a question or two designed to “feel out” the course.

If you receive no response by email, or a rude response in person, this could be a predictor of the quality of your interactions should you become a part of the course.

However, if all goes well with either of these attempts, you hopefully completed the first step toward establishing a fruitful student-professor relationship!

And when in doubt, you can always read other people’s experiences on Rate My Professors, too.

What do you think? Do you have an experience you’d like to share with us? If you do, please don’t hesitate to leave a comment below.

And, as always, use the force write your heart out!

 

Photo credit: Orange_Beard / Foter.com / CC BY

My Dad Gets Nonfiction Essay Published!

August 11, 2013 4comments Announcements , , , , Permalink 0
 

Night Driving

My family received a pleasant surprise yesterday night through an congratulatory email from pixelhose, a variety blog that aims “to build a supportive community where members can help each other improve their inner-creative by offering constructive comments and feedback.”

My father, Glenn Shiroma, submitted his first nonfiction essay, “Deja Vu at the Range,” to the magazine’s Second Writing Competition, and we learned yesterday from Publisher Bob Dourandish that it has qualified for an entry. “Deja Vu at the Range” chronicles my dad’s struggles to accept his retirement as well as his views on golf, life, and family.

It is posted on the pixelhose website, and it is being considered for one of its prizes! Click here if you would like to read his essay. (Community commentary impacts their final decision, so please show him some love!)

My dad is 63 years young, and he wrote the essay entirely on his own.

You are never too old to begin writing your heart out!

 

Photo credit: dktrpepr / Foter / CC BY-ND

Workshop Etiquette 101

August 7, 2013 0 General Advice , , Permalink 0
 

Dangerous SurfingIn fiction workshops, writers prepare stories for the rest of their classmates to critique. Faculty facilitate round-table discussions over these stories. And by the end of the course, the hope is that all writers will leave the class with a greater understanding of their individual strengths and weaknesses, as well as a greater understanding of the writing process itself.

If you’ve ever attended a writing workshop, you know there are some things you just shouldn’t do. Like surfers, writers attending a workshop should adhere to a specific code of behavior.

The following are suggestions for you to get the most out of attending any writing workshop.

When workshopping someone else’s story:

  1. Never assume that the writer’s narrator or characters are, in fact, the writer.
  2. Before giving feedback, read the story at hand straight through without making any prescriptive commentary. Read it just to understand what the writer was intending to do. Then, and only then, should you prepare feedback for the writer.
  3. It’s OK to praise someone for a particular moment, scene, or entire story. This is not The X Factor. Don’t be Simon Cowell.
  4. Do not dominate the conversation with your own comments.
  5. Wait for your peers to finish sharing their opinions before you launch into yours. It’s rude to cut people off (unless, of course, they won’t shut up).
  6. Lastly, it’s OK to sit quietly, listening to everyone else–especially if you have nothing helpful to share.

When preparing a story to be workshopped:

  1. Proofread your shi. Unnecessary, repetitive grammar and punctuation errors will never ingratiate you with your peers.
  2. Only workshop a story when it is nearly finished. The feedback you receive will be much more specific and helpful. If you bring in work that is incomplete, you could receive comments as generic as, “Finish it.” And you knew you’d have to do that before bringing your story to class anyway. Also, hearing too much prescriptive feedback could potentially destroy the energy you will need to finish the story.

Finally, when your story is being workshopped:

  1. Take notes of any helpful feedback and suggestions. Your peers may not have written these down for you.
  2. When receiving feedback, don’t get defensive and explain reasons why everyone misunderstood your genius.
  3. Take all of the comments and notes home with you, and don’t read them right away. Give yourself enough time and space to approach them objectively. This way, you will be able to remove yourself from any emotional excitement or frustration you may have experienced. When your mind is clear, you will be able to see what is best for your story.
  4. Remember that it is your story. You don’t have to listen to anyone if you don’t want to.
  5. If you received a couple smart suggestions for improvement, you got your money’s worth.

 

If you adhere to these rules, you will be primed to make the most of any creative writing workshop you attend. And with any luck, you will forge long-lasting friendships with other writers who share your appreciation and dedication for the craft.

Thanks for reading. Please leave me a comment below if you have any of your own rules for workshops that you’d like to share.

As always, I hope you have a productive week. Write your heart out!

 

Photo credit: Lefty91 / Foter.com / CC BY-NC-SA

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