Creative Writing In The Metaphysical Field
(This is an excerpt from a University Of Metaphysical Sciences course at www.umsonline.org,
please feel free to visit the school website)
Introduction
Review of Literature
The History of Language
Research Writing
Fiction
Nonfiction: Self-Help & Channeling
Footnotes & Bibliography
Editing
Publication
Self-Publishing & Vanity Press
Voice
Discussion
Conclusion
Written by Jamie Winn, MSW
Introduction
In her book, Bird By Bird (1994:97) Anne Lamott writes, "Writing is about learning to pay attention and to communicate what is going on." Creative writing is a skill that is useful in all areas of life. Whether as a student who needs to write academic papers or as a professional who wants to share their expertise, the ability to write creatively is essential. The fundamentals of creative writing will always be useful. This course presents an overview of creative writing. Since it is an immense field that could easily be studied for years, I encourage you to do your own research and look into the resources I present.
In this paper, we will cover the basics of writing fiction as well as nonfiction, research writing, self-help books and channeling. We will explore the editing process, copyrighting, publishing and self-editing. Finally, we will look at how writing has truly contributed to the development and popularity of the metaphysical movement. It is my opinion that the metaphysical field would not have the following it has without the many published texts that have spread the word. Therefore, writing will be invaluable to your practice as a metaphysical practitioner). To quote Stephen King, On Writing (2000:128), "Good writing is often letting go of fear and affectation."
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Review of Literature
Stephen King's On Writing (2000) is part autobiography, part writing manual and happens to be quite entertaining and informative. It is well worth reading just to learn about Stephen King and his life, but it is also a colorful invitation into the realm of writing. The one fault Stephen King mentions time and time again is lazy, timid writing and he emphasizes the need to trust your own voice and follow simple rules, like "Adverbs are not your friend." In Stephen King's words, "...practice is invaluable (and should feel good, really not like practice at all) and honesty is indispensable..."
The subtitle of Bird By Bird (1994) by Anne Lamott is Some Instructions On Writing And Life. Much like Stephen King, Lamott mixes anecdotes of her own experience along with a large measure of writing advice. This book is also easy to read and well worth the effort. Not only is it lucid and full of ideas, but Lamott has a wonderful sense of humor and I found myself laughing out loud at some of her observations. Read her work, and enjoy.
The Complete Guide To Writing Fiction And Nonfiction And Getting It Published (1990) by Pat Kubis and Bob Howland (1990) is arguably the best writing book on the market. It is chock full of excellent information, ideas and direction. To quote the flap, "This comprehensive handbook walks readers step-by-step through the craft of writing and the business of writing. Accomplished authors Pat Kubis and Robert M. Howland provide you with the tools you need to turn out marketable works of fiction and nonfiction¾regardless of your past writing experience." Or inexperience, I would add.
Techniques Of The Selling Writer (1965) by Dwight V. Swain is an oldie but goodie. The reason it has been around as long as it has is because it is as relevant today as it was in 1965 with its excellent advice and information. Like the Kubis and Howland book, it is a well-organized guide along the road of writing skills, taking the reader one step at a time through the basics of fiction and nonfiction. I highly recommend this book.
Goal, Motivation And Conflict: The Building Blocks Of Good Fiction (1996) by Debra Dixon is another writing manual no serious writer should be without. Ms. Dixon points out that goal, motivation and conflict are the essentials of all writing, especially fiction writing. She also shows how to use these tools to your advantage. This book is easy to read, straight-forward, and has innumerable examples to support her premise.
Self-Editing For Fiction Writers: How To Edit Yourself Into Print (1994) by Renni Browne and Dave King is another invaluable book for writers. Besides advice on how to proof your own material and correct your mistakes, there are exercises throughout the text that show you what you need to do to write well. These exercises are presented as unedited text and you are then given the tools and instructed to edit them. At the end of the book, the authors show how these exercises can be improved. This is probably the best hands on material I have ever seen. I have taken a couple of the exercises in from this book and used them in this paper.
While How To Write Romances (1998) by Phyllis Taylor Pianka may seen unrelated to the type of writing you intend to do, there is no writing as all encompassing and representative of mainstream literature today as romance writing. Yes, I know romances are formulaic, but they also follow all the rules of commercial fiction, and they follow these rules to a fault. In this book, Ms. Pianka shows the writer/reader how to find and develop story ideas, create warm, believable characters and create conflict.
In 12 Keys To Writing Books That Sell (1989), Kathleen Krull teaches her readers how to think like editors. Her goal is to show the writer how to look at one's own material through the eyes of the editor and develop a working knowledge of how publishing decisions are made. If you want to sell your manuscript to a publisher, or ever plan to do so, I recomend this book.
Donald M. Murray has been teaching writing for years and in A Writer Teaches Writing (1985). He puts all his experience and training on the page. His enthusiasm for writing, and teaching writing, shines through on every page. If you ever intend to teach writing, this book would be a valuable resource.
In The Writer's Journey: Mythic Structure For Writers (1998), Christopher Vogler's goal is to show writers how to use mythical structure to create powerful stories. The best writers use the principles of myth to create stories that are dramatic, entertaining and true. In Mr. Vogler's book, he gives the reader step-by-step guidelines for structuring plots and creating realistic characters.
There are many books available for help with English grammar, but I will only mention two, William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White's The Elements Of Style (2000) and The Princeton Review's Grammar Smart (1993). You can find others at your public library or bookstore that lay out clear and concise rules for being grammatically correct. Of course the spell checker and grammar checker in Microsoft Word and other word processing programs proves invaluable to the writer.
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The History of Language
The written language first appeared in the caves of our oldest ancestors thousands of years ago, where petroglyphs were painted on the walls of caves and told a tale of the people who were around at that time; their habits, their prey and their spiritual beliefs. It was only a matter of time, before people moved out of the caves and began to document their lives on stone tablets. However, stone was large and awkward. With a growing population and increasingly complex society, first the Phoenicians and then the Egyptians developed a system of writing using recurring symbols. The Phoenicians originated an alphabet that was later developed by the Greeks. The Egyptians soaked reeds and slit them into strips that were laid at right angles and pounded into sheets, called papyrus, that they used as we do paper. "The Middle Kingdom (in Egypt) is known particularly for its advances in literature and the art of writing. Long narratives from this time on have survived to the present...The art of writing reached new heights, and the written language and grammar became standardized." (The University of Oslo website, The Mummy Dives: Eternal Life In Ancient Egypt at www.uio.no.) The Greek era was the golden era of literature and academic life and saw many great philosophers, playwrights and novelists pen exceptional works that survive to this day. At the same time, Latin, the root of many modern languages took hold in the Roman world.
English is the conglomeration of Latin with Germanic roots. "The roots of English are both humble and exciting. English is a beautiful and unique fusion of the Teutonic and Latin tongues. The initial Teutonic input came from Anglos, Saxons, Jutes and Viking invaders. Then came 1066 A.D. with the Norman-French invasion and their vast vocabulary of Latin-based words." (Alec Gill, Evolution Of The English Language at www.hal.oc.ok.) The vernacular layered was eventually battered into shape by works like Beowulf in Old English and Shakespeare in Middle English. "During the Old and Middle English periods, the linguistic rules of gender, inflection and logic were broken and abandoned." (Gill, Evolution Of The English Language, www.hal.oc.ok.) What we speak and write today is a crazy, mixed-up, unruly stew of language. With the evolution of English, the rules and constructs have changed.
The most modern example of this change is the use of voice activated computer writing programs, Via Voice for Macs and Dragon Naturally Speaking for PCs, as well as other similar programs. One no longer has to sit at a desk and type a paper. One can simply dictate into a computer and the words will be typed into the document for you. It will be interesting to see how this change effects the written word of the future.
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Research Writing
Let us begin this course by speaking of research writing, since you will be using what you learn here when you pen your thesis or dissertation. For a good example of the structure of a research paper, you simply have to look at the format of this course, or any of the other courses you are taking at The University of Metaphysical Sciences. Follow the thesis structure, beginning with an Introduction, continue with a Review of Literature, include Findings, Discussion, Conclusion and a Bibliography, you will be on the right track for research writing of any sort.
In order to write a research paper, you have to know how to do research. In reality, research is important to all writing, even fiction writing, but is most notably essential in a research paper.
With the advent of the Internet, research has become easier and more accessible. You can now do a great deal of your research from the comfort of your own PC, using search engines such as google.com, yahoo.com or askjeeves.com to navigate the immense store of Internet information on your subject. However, the old bastions of information are as reliable as ever. These include the library, bookstores, interviews and the Library of Congress.
The Library of Congress (LOC) is at www.loc.gov and has the most extensive collection of books and articles available anywhere in the country. It is the ultimate library, the super-library, the place where almost every book in publication is listed. The website has an online catalogue, free research areas, people who will answer your research questions and a Federal Research Division, which specializes in fee-based research for government agencies. Their collections contain information on business, literature, law, history and genealogy, newspapers and periodicals, science and technology, performing arts, folk-life and an International Collection of Books. The LOC is a good place to begin your research and narrow down the sources you need to use.
You can also go to the Library of Congress website to copyright your material against plagiarism. By completing an application downloaded from the LOC website and adding a $30.00 fee, you can insure the safety of your manuscript or article. If you do not want to pay the money to copyright your book or article, you can do the "poor-man's copyright." In order to do this, simply send a copy of your material in a certified envelope to yourself and do not open it. This is considered an informal copyright, much like a common-law marriage, which can protect your intellectual property in a court of law.
Other sources for research include your local libraries and bookstores. Also make note of the Writer's Digest series on various topics for writers, which include topics such as romance writing, legal information for those writing police procedurals and suspense novels, medical procedures and conditions, etc. For grammar assistance there is the Bedford Handbook For Writers, WilliamStrunk and E. B. White's classic, The Elements Of Style (2000), and The Princeton Review's Grammar Smart: A Guide To Perfect Usage (1993).
Once you find your sources, the simplest way to do your research is to read the Table of Contents and find the chapters or pages related to your subject. In reviewing the information on these pages, you can read the first and last sentences in most paragraphs to get the gist of what is being said. You usually do not have to read the entire book or article, verbatim, but can skim the material you intend to use in order to distill the information you need.
Finally, in doing a research paper, it never hurts to interview an expert in the field. By structuring the interview and asking the appropriate questions, you can gain a treasure chest of knowledge about your subject.
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Fiction
According to Dwight Swain in Techniques of the Selling Writer (1965:1),
"You need to know only four things in order to write a solid story:
How to group words into motivation-reaction units;
How to group motivation-reaction units into scene and sequel;
How to group scenes and sequels into story pattern;
How to create the kind of characters that give a story life."
Let's start with the first; grouping words into motivation-reaction units. I think of motivation-action units as action exposition, dialogue and internal dialogue. Anne Lamott says in Bird by Bird (1994:25), "Very few writers know what they are doing until they've done it. You need to start somewhere—start by getting something—anything—down on paper." I used this quote to give you hope. Not even an experienced writer like Anne Lamott approaches a project knowing the outcome. We come to a project with excitement, trepidation and a willingness to learn. That's what writing is all about. We begin to tell a story by creating scenes made up of these motivation-reaction units. Something happens in our scene (motivation). A child is born, someone dies. Then our point of view character, or someone else in the scene, reacts to the event (reaction) and we're off and running. The story will then begin to unfold itself, naturally leading you to the next scene and then the next.
Dialogue, both between characters and internally, is the heart of good fiction. Through dialogue, even more than exposition, the character is portrayed and the story is moved forward. Dialogue in a book is more compressed than in real life so, "...weed out fancy polysyllabic words unless the use of them is right for the character," writes Browne and King in Self-Editing For Fiction Writing (1993:65)
Many writers are squeamish about dialogue, and are uncomfortable writing it, so they over-explain the story in long-winded passages of exposition that often lose the reader. One hundred years ago, it was perfectly acceptable for a novelist to go on and on in the omniscient point of view, describing every detail of a person or place ad nauseam. Today, if a writer does this, this writer would never find an agent or a publisher. In Self-Editing For Fiction Writing (1993:17), Browne and King tell us, "A good rule of thumb is to give your readers only as much background information, history, or characterization, as they need at any given point in time."
By telling the story through action scenes and sharp dialogue, the pace of the story moves along. When the story is moving at break-neck speed and you sense a need to slow down, you can use a sequel to slow the pace temporarily. A sequel is often the "Point of View" character ruminating over something that has just taken place, and it can work well if the author doesn't digress for too long. Writing is, as with most things in life, a matter of balance and awareness. Too much sequel can slow your story and lose your reader. A scene is a string of motivation-reaction segments placed back to back with a goal, a motivation, a conflict and a resolution which moves the reader into the next scene. Debra Dixon, GMC: Goal, Motivation, And Conflict (1996:108-9), says a scene should do at least one of the following:
- Dramatically illustrate a character's progress toward the goal or provide an experience that changes the character's goal.
- Bring a character into conflict with opposing forces.
- Provide a character with an experience that strengthens his motivation, or changes his motivation.
Dixon goes on to give a list of common reasons to include a scene in a book:
| Introduce suspect | Reveal secrets |
| Discover clues | Speed the pacing |
| Sexual tension | Establish trust between characters |
| Comic relief | Betray trust between characters |
| Foreshadowing | The list goes on...and on… |
Dixon dissects The Wizard of Oz as an example of a well-structured piece of writing. She starts with Dorothy's goal, to go back to Kansas. In the scene with the wizard, Dorothy's motivation is to convince the Wizard to help her with her goal, to be rid of the Wicked Witch and go home. Conflict arises when the Wizard refuses to intervene and sends Dorothy to face the Witch without his help, telling her if she succeeds, he will help her to go home. Dorothy, though disappointed, resolves to confront the Witch (her fears) and, through this, find a way home. This resolution leads to the next conflict, with the witch and her troop of flying monkeys.
In this story, the goal, motivation and conflict is clearly spelled out, moving the story along. Following the format of a well-structured story, the GMC format plays out in every scene. In some scenes, there is hope for success, in some only despair until, finally, at the darkest moment, there is resolution. This type of structure is often referred to as a W because of its peaks and valleys. Usually the story starts with a hook at the first tip of the W. Then there is a crisis, followed by a resolution. The next crisis is darker and deeper and after its resolution, the plot thickens until the darkest moment, when the hero has to make a choice. This leads to the final resolution. In the case of the Wizard of Oz, Dorothy returns to the Wizard triumphant only to be told he has no magic to help her home to Kansas. Just when things look the bleakest, Dorothy discovers she can click her heels together and go home. She had the ability to overcome her fears all along and just needed to discover it. She has faced her darkest feelings and can now be at peace.
This W also coincides with the formula in writing that there are always two "plot point turns" in a good story. Within the first few scenes of a story, the first plot point emerges, which is the challenge for the main character. The story cruises along and for the most part is about overcoming that challenge. Then the story takes a whole new twist, the second plot point turn, and turns another direction, the story becomes a deeper, bigger or new challenge for the main character. The Wizard of Oz had these two plot point turns. The first plot point turn came when Dorothy was displaced from Kansas and has to find her way home. The second was the issue with the wizard not having true magical powers.
When scenes are interspersed with sequels into a sequence, beginning with a clear character goal that meets an immovable conflict (with small resolutions and further barriers along the way), what you have is a plot. "Simply, plot is the harmonic design of the action (the events) of a story. There is a cause-and-effect pattern. Plot is the framework that holds the story together." Pat Kubis and Bob Howland say in The Complete Guide To Writing Fiction And Nonfiction And Getting It Published (1990:1).
In Christopher Vogler's, The Writer's Journey: Mythic Structures for Writers (1998:13), the plot is defined as The Hero's Journey. "At heart, despite its infinite variety, the hero's story is always a journey. A hero leaves her comfortable, ordinary surroundings to venture into a challenging, unfamiliar world." That journey can be an external one, into an actual place, or an internal one of the mind, the heart and the spirit. The strongest stories are often both external and internal struggles, where the hero must face new challenges on the outside that force him or her to confront conflict inside.
Stories must ultimately be character centered, character driven and your hero's motivation will effect where the plot goes. In order for the story to feel real, your reader must identify with a hero who simulates a real person, not a plot driven robot. The reader needs to understand what the hero is doing and why the hero does it. This is true identification. "Aristotle defined a weak plot as that which had a contrived mechanical ending in which outside forces step in and resolve the plot. Such an ending was called deux ex machina," say Kubis and Howland in The Complete Guide To Writing Fiction And Nonfiction And Getting It Published (1990:3). A way to avoid a contrived plot and ending is to know your characters well enough that you know how they would cope with or react to anything you, the author, may toss their way. Anne Lamott in Bird By Bird (1994:45) says, "...you need to find out as much as possible about the interior life of the people you are working with." In this way, you'll be able to grasp their motivation and actions.
Phyllis Taylor Pianka in How To Write Romance (1988:38) says, "Character is created through a layering process that develops over a period of years, rather than through a single set of circumstances. To create believable characters, we must establish a past history for them."
I like to think that getting to know my characters is like getting to know a friend. When I meet my characters in chapter one, I know very little about them. As I go along, I have an opportunity to know them better and better. I always go back after I've completed the first draft and rewrite the first few chapters based on what I've learned about the characters and the plot. To speed the process, you can write a history of your characters, especially your main characters, noting who they are, what they like and dislike, their habits and characteristic ways of doing things, as well as their fatal flaws. Flawed characters seem more real to the reader and have more to overcome through the course of the story. Unflawed characters are downright boring.
As I mentioned earlier, dialogue is one way the reader gains insight into your characters. Through sharp, accurate, natural dialogue, you can tell more about a character than through reams of exposition. "No one can teach you to write good dialogue. Basically, it takes a perceptive ear. If you want to be a good writer, sit back and listen to people talk." Kubis and Howland give this pointer in The Complete Guide To Writing Fiction And Nonfiction And Getting It Published (1998:78).
When developing characters, another important consideration is Point of View. There are three basic Points of View, the first person (or I), the third person (or he/she), or the omniscient, but the omniscient is less often used in modern fiction. According to Phyllis Taylor Pianka in How To Write A Romance (1988:21), "The Viewpoint Character is the person in the story who has the most to gain or lose through the outcome of the critical situations. It is also the specific character or characters with whom the writer wants the reader to identify. Romance novelists have a choice of using first person viewpoint, third person/singular, or third person/multiple viewpoints."
The element of fiction that ensures that the reader keeps turning the page is pacing. If the writer opens with a "hook," clearly states the hero's goal, and then turns up the heat by throwing what looks like insurmountable obstacles in the path of success, until the darkest moment near the end of the story when it looks like all is lost, the reader should have trouble getting to work or fixing a meal because he or she can't put the book down. At least that's the hope. With the use of action verbs, with few adjectives and even fewer adverbs, there should be a crispness and clarity to the writing and movement of the story. It has been said that writers should use adjectives like black pepper and adverbs like cayenne, a good rule of thumb. Sparse use of descriptive words leaves more to the reader's imagination, engaging the reader fully.
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Nonfiction: Self-Help & Channeling
Nonfiction is a hybrid between expository writing and fiction. Combined, you have part education and part entertainment. According to Kubris and Howland in The Complete Guide To fiction And Nonfiction And Getting It Published (1990:161), "Many fiction-writing techniques, such as characterization, setting and dialogue are used in writing fiction and nonfiction."
To write a nonfiction book, start as you would with fiction by doing research on your subject. Once you have your research, organize what you need to say in a lucid structure. The best way to do this is by outlining your book in standard outline form with major topics under Roman numerals, sub-topics under capital letters and so on. For example, take a book on depression:
I. The etiology of depression
A. Nature vs. Nurture
- Theories supporting the genetic origin of depression:
a. DNA, genetics
b. heritage
- Theories supporting the environmental origin of depression:
a. scientists
b. psychology
b. spiritual
And so on...
The outline will help you to organize your thinking and research, and is also a necessary tool in selling your book to an agent or publisher, which we'll talk about later.
Self-help books, a fairly recent phenomenon, have taken off like wildfire in the market and have become a popular entertainment and teaching vehicle in the Nonfiction field. Many Metaphysical practitioners use the self-help method to convey their teachings and information. Stephen King in On Writing (2000:130) points out, "In expository prose, paragraphs can (and should) be neat and utilitarian. The ideal expository graph contains a topic sentence followed by others, which explain or amplify the point.
If it wasn't for the self-help genre and its close relative, channeled writing, metaphysics would not have the wide-spread appeal and growing number of followers it does today. The books of Marianne Williamson, Deepak Chopra, Wayne Dyer and M. Scott Peck, just to name a few, have all been influential in motivating people to participate in metaphysical groups and churches. For many of us, we owe our initial introduction and understanding of metaphysics to these fine books.
Channeling is a special branch of Self-help. In order to channel, you must be able to go into your innermost self and call forth an inner voice, whether it be yours or another. Helen Schucman, who channeled A Course In Miracles, felt she was channeling Jesus Christ. Jane Roberts channels a spirit guide named Seth. Lee Carroll channels Lazaris. There are multitudes of helpful channeled books available. Channeled books no longer hold the appeal to publishers or the public the way they did in the 1980's, but they remain a cornerstone of the metaphysical section in every bookstore.
In the majority of self-help books, information is illustrated with personal stories. If you will pick up a Harville Hendricks book on relationships, such as Getting The Love You Want Or Losing The Love You Have (1994), you will see how the author weaves stories of his patients' lives throughout the book to illuminate what he is saying. One thing all successful self-help authors have in common is that their writing is clear and their message rings true. That is what makes their work so compelling.
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Footnotes & Bibliography
Many of you may remember that not too long ago the author of a book or paper would have had to footnote every quote by placing a number by the quote and writing out a complete footnote referencing the source at the bottom of the page. That is no longer done. To quote the Master's Thesis Guidelines at the University of Metaphysical Studies, "Instead, use the ‘year in parentheses' method. This is the new and acceptable way in the academic world to handle footnotes. There are two ways to use this method. You can include only the year after the title of the book or you can include the year and the page number after the title of the book. All book titles should be in italics."
The bibliography is a list of all references used in your research and is placed at the end of the text. This may include books, magazine articles, Internet resources or any other resource. Also in your thesis guideline, "Just because a book is in the bibliography, this does not mean that you have to read it from cover to cover. You only need to read the parts of the book that are necessary for your research and are related to your subject."
Alphabetize your bibliography, beginning with the last name of the author followed by the most recent copyright date, the name of the book or article, the publisher and place of publication. All this information can be found on the copyright page. If there are more than two authors, only list the first author followed by ‘et al' to signify there are more than two authors. With magazine articles, you must include the month of publication and, in some cases, the page numbers. Please refer to the bibliography at the end of the paper, and your other UMS courses, for an example. Internet resources must be listed separately beneath the list of books and articles.
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Editing
Editing is the most important skill you can learn in writing. Anne Lamott says in Bird By Bird (1994:21), "Now, practically, even better news than that of short assignments is the idea of [crappy] first drafts. All good writers write them." Isn't that a relief that you can sit down and write to your heart's content and know that whatever you've written doesn't have to be perfect? As a matter of fact, Lamott continues on page 39, "Writing a first draft is very much like watching a Polaroid develop. You can't—and, in fact, you're not supposed to—know exactly what the picture is going to look like until it has finished developing." The next step after completing the first draft is to go back and edit your own work, looking at it as though you're a stranger seeing it for the first time and being as brutally honest with yourself as possible. In A Writer Teaches Writing (1985:61), Donald M. Murray tells us, "Now the writer must step back and view the work as it will be seen by a reader." Although it is up to the writer to edit the manuscript, it may help to recruit the assistance of a professional editor or a group of fellow writers. A professional editor usually charges by the page, but it is well worth the money. Often it is difficult to have the objectivity needed to edit one's own work and most of us can use outside assistance. Stephen King says in On Writing (2000:197), "Toss it even if you love it," but that's not always easy to do. If you can, great, if not, recruit someone who can give you the motivation needed to slash and burn that favorite metaphor or scene.
Writer's Groups are a wonderful avenue for editing. Running an ad in your local newspaper will turn up many closet writers who would be happy to edit your work in trade for editing theirs.
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Publication
"Publication completes the act of writing," says Donald M. Murray, A Writer Teaches Writing (1985:61). Now that you've completed your book or article, where do you go from there? That's a question all beginning writers ask.
In order to sell what you have written, you will need marketing materials. The manuscript alone will not sell itself. You need a snappy query letter to catch an agent's attention. Why an agent? you might ask. It is almost impossible today to have your book read by an editor, unless it has been submitted by an agent. First, you have to entice an agent to look at it. Start by writing a one-page query letter that describes your book, the type of book, its length and a short synopsis of your story or text. Follow this with a paragraph about yourself that is relevant to your topic. For example, if you're writing about metaphysics, describe your interest, credentials and experience in it.
This might be a tall order on a single page, but it must be done. Equally important, you must make your letter look professional. Print it out on fine stationary and make sure the letter is edited for any typos. Nothing will get you rejected faster than a sloppy presentation. Along with the query, you may want to include a longer and more complete synopsis of your story or a book proposal for nonfiction. There are many books available that describe exactly what is needed and I mention a few in my bibliography. Kathleen Krull states in 12 Keys To Writing Books That Sell (1989), p.47, "For fiction, a proposal consists of the first three (not any three) chapters and a plot synopsis. For nonfiction, a proposal includes a chapter-by-chapter outline, a sample piece of writing, a list of your credits, a letter explaining your book, its market and competition, why you're the perfect person to write it, and when you can deliver the manuscript." Unlike fiction, where the book must be completed before trying to sell it, with nonfiction you only have to have a few chapters completed to sell the book. Once an agent has accepted your proposal, it's up to them to market it to editors. In The Complete Guide To Writing Fiction And Nonfiction And Getting It Published (1990), p.240, Pat Kubis and Bob Howland say, "The complete (nonfiction) proposal can have up to six parts:
- A cover letter (a two-page expanded query letter)
- A resume reflecting your publishing and business experience
- A preface, introduction, or prospectus
- A working outline and/or table of contents
- Sample chapter or chapters."
When you have your marketing materials, you can find a list of agents and editors in The Literary Marketplace. This reference book is updated yearly and is an invaluable resource. You can find a copy in the reference area of your local library or you can purchase a copy in a bookstore.
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Self-Publishing & Vanity Press
Another avenue for publication is self-publishing. There are two options in self-publishing, desk-top publishing or vanity presses. In desk-top publishing, the author publishes the book from start to finish, doing all printing, copyrighting, marketing, etc. All sales and receipts are hers too. One way to do this is to market a self-published book from a website. Everyone has heard the tale of one successful self-publication, such as The Celestine Prophesies (1996) by James Redfield, which became such a smash hit that Time/Warner finally picked up the tab for further publication. However, these tales are the exception. Self-published writers usually find that they are less successful with self-publication, but at least the book was published. Breaking even or making a small amount of money is the norm in self-publishing. The only way writers have success with self-publishing is when a large enough amount of money is available for consistent and well strategized advertising. Most writers do not have this amount to market a book.
Vanity publishers are presses who charge a fee to print and bind your book. Like vanity presses, subsidy publishers also charge a fee to print and bind an author's book, but they may also contribute a portion of the cost, as well as adjunct services, such as editing, warehousing, distribution or marketing. Beware of vanity publishers, as they have been known to take money for services they fail to provide. Do your homework before making any arrangements to have a vanity or subsidy publisher print your book.
One advantage of self-publishing over vanity publishing is that it's more cost-effective and, because the author has control over the finished product, the quality is often superior. "And unlike subsidy publishing, the completed books are the writer's property, and the writer keeps 100% of sales proceeds." www.sfwa.org
The Internet is a place where you will find a number of publishers. Look for e-publishers that do not charge an up-front fee and be wary of any sites that charge to publish you. Most legitimate publishers, and agents for that matter, do not charge a reading fee or fee for publication. The only publishers do that are the vanities mentioned above.
A buyer can download an e-book for a fee, or purchase it as a Print on Demand, which means that when you order the book, it is printed. These printed books are usually trade sized paperbacks and are sent via mail by the purchaser.
In Reader's E-Book Primer (2000), p.1, Jamie Engle says, "Electronic books, or e-books, are books in computer file format and read on all types of computers, including handheld devices designed specifically for reading e-books." So far, e-books are not as popular, or as widely read as their print counterparts, so I recommend you publish online only as a last resort.
Creative Writing In The Metaphysical Field: Index >>
Voice
It isn't unusual to hear as a writer that you need to find your own voice, but it's not clear where you find it. It's not something you can pick up at the grocery store and you can't even google it on the Internet. So, how do you find your voice?
The only way to do it is through practice and experience. You certainly can read other authors, and I encourage you to do so, but imitating their voice won't really help you find yours. Since you use your voice in different ways at different times, you might find you have more than one voice that comes through in your work. In the Exercise Section there are exercises that will help you to find and hone your voice.
Finding your writing voice can take some time and a lot of channeling energy. Creative finding voice writing is helpful in finding your voice. Try to contact your inner voice and let it become an active voice through your writing. In a metaphysical book, creative metaphysics can be channeled through finding your metaphysical writer voice.
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Discussion
Why a course on Creative Writing in the metaphysical field? How can it help you as a metaphysical practitioner? Your goals in Metaphysics may not seem to gel at all with a need for a course in creative writing skills. But, whether you become a minister, an educator, a motivational speaker or a workshop leader, or wherever else your degree leads you to, the ability to express yourself in writing in a lucid and entertaining way will only help to further your aims. You may write articles, books, lectures, lessons or simple grants and proposals, and in each case these skills will come in handy.
The metaphysical movement is often referred to as New Age, but the movement is not really new. Dr. Phil Stringer at www.usiap.org, mentions that, "Although the idea of a new age has clear precedence in Jewish apocalypticism, new age people derive their beliefs from religious and philosophical traditions originally outside the Western Mainstream, including the occult, some sects of Hinduism, Taoism and Buddhism... The Theosophical Society of the late 19th Century espoused many principles whose roots may be linked to present time New Age ideas." Since 1975, many texts have been written that explain the phenomenal growth of the New Age Movement in recent times. Without these writings, we can question whether we would have this Metaphysical movement at all. If it had not been for these fine books, I, personally, would never had been drawn into this marvelous and mysterious practice. Had it not been for a written text, The Course on Miracles. I would not have gone on to read and embrace many of the fine metaphysical books I mention in this paper.
There are those who believe that Metaphysics is the work of the devil. To quote The Freeman and Ahmediyya Connection on http://www.cephasministry.com in a description of what they call New Age Movements, "Their final objective is to worship Lucifer and to subject the entire world to his direct authority." It is this type of erroneous belief that needs to be contradicted by outstanding writing, enlightening the skeptics to the real purpose and raison d'etre of those who practice metaphysics. Therefore, the importance of well written material in Metaphysics is essential to quiet the critics and to enlighten the curious, perhaps even encouraging them to pursue further study.
With our world of rabid consumerism and preemptive warfare, it's hard to imagine this planet without a Metaphysical movement. What a barren and brutal place this would be without the teachings of love and tolerance found in our Metaphysical texts. I, for one, wouldn't want to go through the day without my Metaphysical program to teach me forgiveness and love and the acceptance of others. How would I have found my way without the many wonderful books that paved my path? I cannot think of many loftier goals than spreading the word about this simple yet mighty practice through the written word.
Creative Writing In The Metaphysical Field: Index >>
Conclusion
In conclusion, to quote Stephen King in On Writing (2000:134), "The object of fiction (and may I add, nonfiction) isn't grammatical correctness, but to make the reader welcome and then tell a story...to make him/her forget, whenever possible, that he/she is reading a story at all." My goal in writing this paper was not only to share with you the secrets of good writing, but to show you how essential writing is for your career and metaphysics as a whole. I hope I have convinced you to begin practicing your writing skills now, while you're in school, for use later.
Writing can be a frustrating and frightening practice but it can also be rewarding and exciting. What is more basic to our lives as human beings than the ability to communicate? Especially as metaphysical practitioners, we depend on our capacity to transmit wisdom and knowledge. In a world racked with war, illness and inequality, writing can make all the difference by spreading love and joy and the principles of metaphysics to those who are looking for light and love.
In Stephen King On Writing, the secret to writing a story is told. It is to practice writing skill with love joy and knowledge and wisdom. As a metaphysical writer your love light can be channeled into your metaphysical book.