Page 7 - Boca ViewPointe - September '24

September 2024 Viewpointe, Page 7
Looking In The Writer’s Window

By William A. Gralnick Then there’s editing. Editing is a pain, a science, and luck, though.” That feels like being on the merry-go-
torture. Writers love every word they write. As only he round as a kid, reaching out for that brass ring that nets
Many of you know could, Stephen King said that editing one’s words is like you a free ride, and just as the prize feels within one’s
that I am a writer. That killing one’s children. It’s a bit of a stretch, but that’s grasp—the ring goes up and the horse down, or the ring
would seem to be stating Stephen King. goes down and the horse up, or you just fall off the horse
the obvious, which, by the One has to love to write. I do. However, even if one while reaching.
way, breaks a cardinal rule isn’t writing to make a living (Neil Simon, who I lost in So, I will wait. Like every writer, I will go on to what’s
of writing. If it is obvious, it probably does not need to be a divorce, wrote his first play, Come Blow Your Horn, 14 next. In about two weeks, I will get a Terry Gross itch
said. Anyway, I’ve written five books and over 900 published times, first capital letter to last period. He waited tables that no anti-histamine will cure. I will either scratch it
opinion/editorials for newspapers around the country. Add to survive.} Finding someone who not only likes what is raw, cover it, and it will heal, or it will cause me fits of
a magazine and academic journal or two. One was even in written but is willing to be an agent and try and sell it is both anger and sadness, or it will raise again the every
Spanish. It was awful. Thank God for bi-lingual editors. like finding hen’s teeth, unless of course, you are Neil writer’s self-doubt. “The damn thing cost me a couple of
Writing is a blessing and a curse. Simon or Stephen King. An author is always trying to find bucks to mail. I should have known better. Who do you
The blessing is when someone pays a compliment to the a new pitch and a new person to whom to pitch it. That’s think you are?”
writer about something that was read and liked. It gives the what I’ve just done and I’m holding my breath. By the way, can you believe the price of stamps is
feeling that a kid gets when his coach or parents pat his head I’m a long-time fan of NPR and a listener to my fellow going up again?!? But that’s for another article.
and say, “good job!” The curse I liken to what Lincoln said Brooklynite Terry Gross’ Fresh Air program. About five Anyway, maybe I’ll get an answer. It’ll probably be a
about politics, that it’s a virus and when once bitten, one months ago, I heard a program and said to myself about nice “nice try” letter or maybe it’ll be a tryout. A producer
becomes infected with an incurable illness. Seeing one’s the subject, “You know…you’re as interesting as that guy. will call and say let’s talk. Hope that doesn’t happen too
name in print, except maybe on a police blotter, is addicting. Why not see if you can get her to interview you?” I figured soon. Right now, I have laryngitis. But who knows?
So, a writer writes. an 80-year-old into his third career having just finished I’ll let you know. In the meantime, root for me.
It is an almost never-ending learning experience. I write a three-part humorous memoir each book of which has a
monthly for the Brooklyn Eagle, my once upon a time neat title might be a good hook—and hell, I’ve been on Columnist and author Bill Gralnick was born and
hometown paper. It is one of the oldest continuing publication radio and TV a lot in my career. So, I set about to craft her raised in Brooklyn, NY. He recently finished a humorous
papers in the nation, since 1885 I think. After writing for it a letter replete with writing samples. I got it all finished memoir trilogy. The first book is “The War of the Itchy
for a few years, my editor told me that they were using only and that voice came back. “Who do you think you are? Balls and Other Tales from Brooklyn.” The second is
the Associated Press writing format (to that point I was using Terry Gross? You? Nonsense.” “George Washington Didn’t Sleep Here.” The recently
the Gralnick style manual…), that nothing referenced from Self-doubt is a writer’s poison. Only today, did I go published third is, That’s Why They Call It Work.” He
Wikipedia would be allowed (I see Wikipedia as a savoir of back to what I’d written her. I polished it up, packaged it is currently working on a novel. His books are available
sorts), and that AI was verboten. Most publications use a up, and tomorrow will mail it. That’s an accomplishment on Amazon and his other writings at https://www.
specific style manual. Many universities have their own. The because the odds of even hearing back are miniscule. I williamgralnickauthor.com. 
Associated Press manual is well regarded and well used. As liken seeking out people like this to applying to college.
a style manual, it tells you, well, its version of correct style. Waiting for the rejection letters, which far outnumber
Does a comma go here? Is it PHd or PH.d? Where one uses the acceptances, can cause one to seek another kind of
a colon or semi-colon would be another example (intimating professional help.
that of course you already know what those are). One of the things a writer learns from reading about
There are programs that help out. One popular one is editors and talent professionals is that they often don’t
Grammarly. It’s free and it corrects errors of spelling and even ever (Grammarly will have a field day with that)
syntax. It even offers up better alternatives to sentences answer. Some are kind enough to send form letters most
written. It detests writing in the passive voice and tells you of which say. If you don’t hear from us in four weeks, you
not to. It also analyzes the writer’s style, leaving it to the won’t—ever. And oh yes, please don’t contact us about
writer to decide if he/she has written in the tone being aimed this again.” Very, very occasionally comes the personal
for or is the work atonal because of inconsistency in tone. rejection letter. “Hey Bill, nice stuff, but not for us. Good

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