National Association of Independent Writers & Editors
Member Benefit #35
PerfectIt helps deliver error-free documents. It improves consistency, ensures quality, saves time, and helps to enforce style guides. PerfectIt is used by thousands of editors around the world because it lets editors control every change, giving you the assurance that documents are the best they can be.
NAIWE members receive 30% off the software, and there’s a free 14-day trial available!
Visit the NAIWE website to see all of the member benefits.
Today’s podcast episode is a Member of the Month episode, where we get to know one of our fellow NAIWE members.
Our guest today is Claudia Riess.
Claudia Riess, a Vassar graduate, has worked in the editorial departments of The New Yorker and Holt, Rinehart and Winston and has edited several art monographs. Her earliest recollections of word-spinning are of her father, an English professor, telling stories at bedtime—funny stories about a little girl and her daddy going on riotous adventures. These were interspersed with lively readings of Winnie the Pooh and Mary Poppins. Other times the two would sit around the kitchen table and discuss Will and Ariel Durant’s The Age of Reason.
Q: Please share a little of your professional history with our readers.
Before I began writing in earnest, I worked in the editorial departments of The New Yorker and Holt, Rinehart and Winston, and edited a number of art history monographs. And for a brief stint, I taught at the New York Institute for the Education of the Blind. I wrote my first novel when I was in my mid-forties: Reclining Nude. I’d categorize it as a psycho-sexual odyssey. An experiment, really, to see if I could suspend my inner censor and write freely about a subject that I otherwise felt rather prudish about. The book was published by Stein and Day and subsequently by houses in the UK and Germany. It was a boost in both my joy of writing and confidence, and yet the determination and discipline required to make writing an occupation remained latent for years. When they finally awaked, I discovered that my earlier experiment had affected my writing ability more broadly than I’d expected. I found that I was able to enter a fictional character’s mind, whether it be that of a woman, a man, a cop, or a killer, without barriers or restraints.
Q: How and when did you make this business a reality?
After the debut-novel hiatus, I self-published Semblance of Guilt, a mystery, followed by Love and Other Hazards, a romance, and Stolen Light, an art suspense. Level Best Books picked up Stolen Light and re-released it in 2019, offering me a three-book contract to create an “art history mystery series.” I was off and running. Last year, I signed another three-book contract to continue the series. The fourth book, To Kingdom Come, was released May 31, 2022.
Q: What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned so far in your career?
To be true to my core values, but open to criticism—including my own! To be as objective as possible when going over a rough draft, and not be possessive of words or phrases or expository ramblings that either don’t add to the story or detract from it. (It takes some bravery to be vulnerable.) To sit down at the computer even when the ideas are not percolating. If I write a bit of dialogue, sometimes it gets the protangonists’, as well as my own, juices flowing.
Q: Are you working on any personal writing projects at this time?
Yes, book five in the series. Pivoting on Monet and his contemporaries, leading to present-day murders. As ever, amateur sleuths, Erika Shawn, art magazine editor, and Harrison Wheatley, art history professor, are in the mix. Their burgeoning romance began in book one. They have since gotten married and now have a toddler son. Although the couple’s relationship continues to evolve (I’m an incurable romantic), each book stands on its own.
Q: Are you working on any special projects you’d like to tell us about?
Back in 2008, when I was the president of Friends of the Westhampton Free Library, I started a K-12 poetry contest for the schools in the library’s community. Even though I’m mostly in Manhattan now, I still try to keep up with the continuing project.
I’m also trying to do what I can to raise awareness in a subject that sparked the idea for To Kingdom Come: the return of art and artifacts looted from African during the colonial period.
Q: What are some of the teachers, books, or authors who have influenced your professional life in a positive way?
Authors that have influenced me indirectly, by inspiring me to hone my skills to the best of my ability: Umberto Eco, with his sheer brilliance, as in The Island of the Day Before. David Mitchell, for his wildly creative and provocative ideas, as in The Bone Clocks. (BTW, a long passage in his Cloud Atlas, “The Ghastly Ordeal of Timothy Cavandish,” is the most hilarious writing I’ve ever come across.) Anita Brookner, for her ability to describe the intricacies of the human spirit and the constraints of society. (Also her ability to write three-page sentences that make perfect sense.) Philip Roth, who cuts to heart of the matter—and to the soul—with seeming effortlessness, as in Everyman. It’s not that I want in any way to emulate any of these diverse writers’ styles. It’s just that they stir my desire to write. Much like when you hear beautiful music, you want to sing.
Q: As a seasoned professional, what advice would you offer an independent writer or editor who is just beginning a career?
If you love to write or helping writers perfect their work, never be discouraged. The journey toward achievement is as valuable as its attainment, both for developing your sense of self and for the experience itself. Don’t be afraid to reach out for advice, contact a person or organization you imagine might not be forthcoming. In a word: Network!
Q: What inspires you?
Passionate creativity in all areas—writing, art, music, dance.
Heroic or simple attempts at righting wrongs.
Morality without zealotry.
Q: How has your membership in NAIWE benefited you professionally?
Camaraderie—mostly virtual during the COVID-reclusive period—has been like a shot in the arm at times (no pun intended). The members are very friendly and open, and it’s nice to know like-minded individuals are always there to exchange ideas. Publicity outlets which boost one’s on-line presence are always available, too.
We wanted to get to know Nicole Evelina (NAIWE’s Novel Writing Expert) better, so last month we sat down with her. Here are some thoughts she shared with us.
What does it mean to you that “everyone has a book in them”?
It’s a common saying and I truly believe most people do have a story they’d like to tell. They just don’t know how to go about it or feel intimidated by the process of writing an entire book. The good news is, you can start small with a short story, blog post, or poem. That may be all you need. If not, your skills will develop over time or you can decide if you want to hire a professional ghostwriter.
What would be a first step to transform corporate skills into creative abilities?
The most important thing is to just start. I would say how is two-fold: 1) get in touch with your inner creative — often the best way to do this is by thinking about what you enjoyed as a child. Did you write poems, stories, read, draw pictures, paint, etc.? Try bringing that back into your life without any pressure to produce. Just do what you enjoy. And 2) study the creative process. You can read books on it, search the internet, or take classes (in person or online). You’ll find that the process itself isn’t all that different from what we do in corporate communications. The key is to remember how much imagination plays a part in any creative pursuit. Anything you can do to stretch your imagination and get it really going again will help. After that, I’d advise joining local or online writing groups. You can learn a ton from those who are actively writing.
Will this feel like a revelation, a transformation, for the newbie?
It could be both. You may realize you have talents you never thought you possessed or your felt the need to repress. When you get back in touch with these talents or discover them, you’ll begin seeing yourself as creative person, an artist, if you will. That can impact every aspect of your life. I’ll give you a personal example. When I went into college, I didn’t think I was creative enough to be a writer. This is why I shied away from creative writing classes (that and I find it hard to write fiction on demand). But I nurtured my creativity in other ways—by writing stories for myself and my friends. Some are so bad that I treasure them. The day I shared one with my English advisor and he told me he thought I had talent was my revelation. The transformation came the more I practiced the elements of good fiction writing like description, dialog, and developing plot and character arcs. The first attempts were terrible, but it didn’t matter; I was doing them just for me. Eventually I realized I had gotten better, to the point that I could sustain longer works and I started to share them with friends and family. My life gradually became more and more about writing until now, when it is about half my day job and half about my writing. As time goes on, I hope to be able to embrace my writing as a full-time career. That path isn’t for everyone, but it is one path transformation can take.
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They say everyone has a book in them, or maybe some short stories or poetry. As a corporate communicator, you may have the ability to write but may not feel creative enough to break out of your business-minded mold. Niki Burgdorf, a 20-year veteran of business communication and a USA Today bestselling author who writes under the pen name Nicole Evelina, will show you how to tap into ideas and talents you didn’t know you had. Whether you want to write the next great American novel or just want to learn to be more creative, she will show you how to get started.
You can join in this conversation on October 24, at 7:00 pm eastern, when NAIWE will host a discussion on using your day job skills to increase your creativity. The cost for NAIWE members is only $10! Nonmembers can join for $30. Register today!
NAIWE is always looking for those who excel and who may want to be an asset as a member of the Board of Experts.
The Board of Experts offers great insights for NAIWE members. Each member of the Board of Experts leads one webinar and writes one article for the Member’s Library — creating a vast wealth of knowledge for NAIWE members to learn from!
Who do you know who would be a good addition to the NAIWE Board of Experts? Please feel free to recommend yourself and your peers, or even topics, you would like to see covered by the Board.
April Michelle Davis has been the executive director of the National Association of Independent Writers and Editors (NAIWE) since 2018. Prior to that, she was NAIWE’s Social Media Marketing Expert. NAIWE is an association that focuses on career building for writers, editors, and other professionals in the publishing industry by developing multiple streams of income; it helps its members market their products and services through social media, newsletters, and more.
She is also the coordinator for the Virginia chapter of the Editorial Freelancers Association, a lifetime member of the American Copy Editors Society, and a freelance editor, indexer, proofreader, and author. April Michelle has taught courses through her own company, Editorial Inspirations, as well as for associations and colleges on topics such as editing, indexing, grammar, writing, and creating macros.
Her credentials include a master’s degree in publishing from George Washington University and a bachelor’s degree in English from Messiah College, as well as certificates in editing (University of Virginia), book publishing (University of Virginia), and professional editing (EEI Communications).
April Michelle has shared her insights about her career development by contributing quotes and vignettes to several books. She has presented sessions on various editorial topics to many groups, including the Virginia Writers Club, the Communication Central conference, Randolph-Macon College, the Christian PEN: Proofreaders and Editors Network, the EFA, Copyediting newsletter, RavenCon, and the Hanover Book Festival. In addition, April Michelle has published three books.
October: National Book Month. Curl up on the couch with a good book.
October: National Reading Group Month. Gather a group of friends, and meet weekly to discuss a great book!
October: National Work and Family Month. Focus on one way to improve your work/life balance. The Be a Better Freelancer conference recordings include suggestions to help with this.
October: Self-Promotion Month. Promote your skills to gain some new clients. Some of the Be a Better Freelancer conference recordings are of sessions on this topic to help with this.
October 2-8: Mystery Series Week.
October 2-8: National Newspaper Week.
October 3-7: Customer Service Week. Take notice of other industries and the good customer service they provide and strive to provide the best customer service you can.
October 4: National Fruit at Work Day. Take a break today to enjoy a piece of seasonal fruit at work.
October 5: National Do Something Nice Day. Do something nice for one of your clients today!
October 9: National Bring Your Teddy Bear to Work Day. Spend a day with a cuddly friend to make you smile. 🙂
October 9-15: National Work at Home Week. Reevaluate your home office for functionality and ergonomics.
October 16-22: National Business Women’s Week. Is there a woman in business who you have looked to as a mentor?
October 16-22: National Friends of Libraries Week. Use this week to support your local library.
October 22: National Make a Difference Day. Do something to make a difference in the life of someone else.
In the 1950s, my interest was captured by Carolyn Keene’s Nancy Drew series. Each holiday, I would request the latest Nancy Drew title, and on receiving it, I would curl up in an oversized chair and begin reading the fast-paced adventure.
Whereby, I dabbled at creating my own mystery stories at an early age. My first effort detailed a long, frightening chase by a sinister man. A dark tunnel appeared, leading to (of course) a haunted mansion. The not-so-brilliant ending had me saved by the man of my life at the time — my father.
My parents and teachers would often tell me, “Patty, you are a dreamer. You have a vivid imagination. Put it to good use.” It was at that point, in lieu of playing with friends or watching the new small-box-wonder — TV — I sat at an old desk in the kitchen and wrote mystery stories. I also drew stick figures to illustrate the action in the stories. The discovery of boys replaced pen and paper. The telephone became my favorite instrument, and I lost interest in reading and writing until a formidable nun taught me English in high school. With her teaching skills and persistence, she developed writing skills in me that I never knew I had. I won a major writing contest at school that year, shining a bright light on the school, teacher, and myself.
With a revival of interest from my childhood, I picked up where I left off, writing saleable poetry and a variety of articles, essays, and short stories. Presently, I am penning novels to include mainstream stories and my favorite, mysteries.
Two favorite characters I have created for general entertainment are Gert Carver and Nina Westacott. Friends for many years, the two women pursue bottle mining and flea market quests. I was fortunate to have a close relationship with two aunts. The idea came to mind to express how their uniqueness affected me as a child. I wished to pass the essence of their warm and zany personalities on to others and I fictionalized them.
In writing mystery stories, I am determined to have justice served. My recent sojourn to the Rensselaer County Courthouse for jury selection impressed upon me that perpetrators have more rights than victims. It confirmed what I already knew: people are victimized once during the actual crime and once during the detailing of the sordid events leading to the crime at the trial. Can anyone blame a person who refuses to go through a debilitating trial? Hence, the perpetrator gets away with a plea bargain or less and walks away a free man. Often, he/she commits a similar crime. I would like to shadow dedicated professionals of the justice system and put into writing the need for more honesty and integrity.
Ideas for a writer’s fanfare are everywhere. Newspapers are a good source for material; just study the headlines. What if …?
Patricia Crandall has published eight books as well as numerous articles and short stories in various magazines and newspapers. In November 2022, she will publish Lacy O’Dunn, The Rookie, a crime/thriller involving drugs and car bashing senior citizens on icy winter roads. She is also working on a book of short story mysteries to be published in 2023. A member of Sisters in Crime (Mavens) and National Association of Independent Writer & Editors, she lives with her husband, Art, and a rescue cat, Bette, at Babcock Lake in the Grafton Mountains near Petersburgh, New York. She has two children and three grandchildren who live nearby.
Member Benefit #34
JSTOR provides access to more than 10 million academic journal articles, books, and primary sources in 75 disciplines, and its JPASS is an easy way to access the world’s leading academic research. You’ll have superior reference materials from a wide range of subjects available to you to help ensure the accuracy and quality of your work.
NAIWE members receive 25% off annual memberships!
Visit the NAIWE website to see all of the member benefits.
We wanted to get to know Ruth Thaler-Carter (NAIWE’s Networking Expert) better, so last month we sat down with her. Here are some thoughts she shared with us.
What benefit of online networking can we count on in our businesses?
Online networking can create visibility that leads to new clients and projects that we can count on to sustain and grow our businesses, along with connections with colleagues who can provide advice, referrals, and shoulders to lean on.
How do we go about linking online platforms for networking purposes?
We can post versions of the same message or news to various platforms to expand the reach and impact of every networking effort and professional achievement.
Can we over-network?
When you’re spending more time on networking than on working, and not seeing any benefits from those networking efforts, you might be over-networking. When networking feels like a demanding chore rather than an enjoyable activity, you’ve probably been doing too much.
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You can join in this conversation on September 27, at 7:00 pm eastern, when NAIWE will host a discussion on using online networking and more. The cost for NAIWE members is only $10! Nonmembers can join for $30. Register today!
Today’s podcast episode is a Member of the Month episode, where we get to know one of our fellow NAIWE members.
Our guest today is Alfred O’Neill.
A.E.S. O’Neill grew up going to private school paid for by a mobster father, rocks out to the Grateful Dead and Beethoven for inspiration, reads comics to never lose his inner-child, and disregards most of society’s rules—except for the importance of decency, empathy and humanity. From a childhood marked by wiretaps, mob dinners, and FBI agents following his father, O’Neill learned to understand the complexities of love, crime, and human behavior that drives right and wrong. Despite all of his own life’s more challenging lessons, O’Neill knows that love will always win.
Q: Please share a little of your professional history with our readers.
As a marketing executive, communication in all forms was crucial to developing and articulating conceptual ideas and strategies – and in the last decade or so, travel blogging, fiction, and poetry also honed those skills. But writing and a chameleon’s ability with language for so many different audiences was a critical skill I was fortunate to have. I have written dozens of industry B2B articles, blogged for more than 15 years, and written a million presentations, dozens of public speeches, poems, and now novels. The influence of my working on a vaccine during the pandemic made extrapolating what could happen with Covid a few years out; l made it a mundane everyday danger and how we would adjust.
I tried to create a side career to be a travel writer because my wife and I were traveling to so many fascinating and magical places – like the New Years’ private Golden Eagle train trip through central Europe ending in Vienna. The travel blog’s motto was “Equal in praise and damnation.” It was also an expression of how she inspired me: www.outspokentraveler.com. Life got in the way of that pursuit, though the years of blogging honed my voice.
Q: How and when did you make this business a reality?
The two LLCs are AESON Publishing for my novels and writings and HarbingerAssociates.net for marketing consulting, which involves a fair amount of writing. Every month, I refine the juggling act on how the latter pays for the former.
I am fortunate that my marketing network is good, but it takes a lot of work to chase any project. AESON Publishing is still in an early phase, with the marketing falling into place as I move to finish book 2 in the series, “Even Climate Change Can’t Stop Love and Murder. Book 2, Paying the Price”. Publishing LLC is in the marketing and writing phases of establishing my voice in the crowd.
Q: What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned so far in your career?
Nothing is a straight line, so you need to be open, really open, to opportunities. Self-doubt can be a visitor, but not stay over, you have work to do. Always stop and recognize, in a humble and quiet way, your accomplishments. That is not Ego, it is healthy pride.
Q: Are you working on any personal writing projects at this time?
Number 2, in the 3-part romance crime thriller novel, “Even Climate Change Can’t stop Love and Murder.” Climate change is as evil and destructive as the bad guy white supremacists. Book one was “Even A Pandemic Can’t Stop Love and Murder”. www.evenapandemic.com
Ginger and Alby venture to Arizona. The road trip is wild and their Sedona escapades caught between love, bad guys and bad climate, flavored by their 1930’s-style banter make the story more humorous and heartfelt.
Q: Are you working on any special projects you’d like to tell us about?
National Gallery of Kindness. A side hobby but personally important. In my lowest moments of grieving, I became attuned to the kindness of people and wanted to celebrate it. Gallery of Kindness is the Facebook page, it is me being part of a community.
Q: What are some of the teachers, books, or authors who have influenced your professional life in a positive way?
Having a mother as a psychologist, archetypes and human behavior have always been a fascination, and Jung is a big influence.
My favorite books in the genre that influenced me are Dashiell Hammett, especially the Continental Op. Also, the Swedish detective writer from the 1960s, Maj Stowell, who was brilliant on all levels.
Back to the archetypes: on an ongoing basis I am always re-reading sections of Ulysses by Homer and a wide range of modern poetry. Last, I dabble in the ancients – Suetonius, Caesar, Agricola, Livy, Plutarch, Thucydides, Herodotus, Pliny – I enjoy dipping into the history pool for how stories are told.
Q: As a seasoned professional, what advice would you offer someone who is just beginning a career?
Focus on two or three – no more – skills that match what you do best with what the market is looking for. We live in an age where nuance or a passion/specialty is appreciated.
Network endlessly but sincerely. Authenticity is what will make you memorable. Your personal brand will not succeed without a human side to it.
You can have a dream, but you do not need to start at the end result. You need to pave the road first to get there.
Q: What inspires you?
Besides my two children and a score of amazing people I am lucky to know? People I meet every day. Small interactions. Nature rules. Listening to the wind in the trees. A slow hike with a majesty all around. Rich experiences: The first bite of a great entrée. Being in love. Loving just Being. Waking up and saying “Hello World!” Always waiting for someone to yell back.
Art, paintings mostly. Love everything but true abstract.
Live classical music.
Poetry.
Q: How has your membership in NAIWE benefited you professionally?
Having just joined, the community aspects look very good.
Q: Is there anything else you’d like to share?
The world of language and the written word is one of the pinnacles of human achievement. How great we are all part of it.
This summer, NAIWE is challenging you and your fellow NAIWE members to be the best version of yourselves. You may personalize this challenge to fit your needs and summer goals. Choose a book to read that you classify as a self-help book even though its genre is far from that. Choose a project that has been nagging at you but will also produce great reward upon completion. And finish the challenge by spending some quality time with our experts learning how they mastered creating multiple steams of income. Throughout the challenge, be true to yourself and your goals!
As you brainstorm your new project, leave a comment below and we will help you with some ideas.