Tina Haapala, Excuse Editor

Karl Binder / FreeDigitalPhotos.net While watching an episode of CSI one night, I realized that this kind of storytelling entails using many more elements than you would think. After all, watching TV is a place where you just kind of zone out and have the story thrust upon you, right? All of the hard work needs to be done prior to hitting your cable box, so you don't have to work at all. For example, in this particular scene, the investigators were preparing to 'do their thing' with a car--the plan was to take it apart in order to find evidence. If I would have hit 'mute' right at that time, I would not have felt the gravity of the situation. Without the music, the dialogue, the familiar characters, and the sound effects (you know, as the camera zoomed in at the crucial piece of fuzz stuck on the steering wheel), this scene would have been nothing more than some dude walking around a car with a flashlight. Even if you are not writing a screenplay, you st...

More than likely, you've been there, pounding the pavement for a job, or, hoping to retain the one you have. You'll come across plenty of tips for job security; even what to wear. The common mantra is: Dress for the job you want, not the job you have. Dressing for Success is supposed to reflect your professionalism to the outside world, while making you feel confident enough to continue moving forward. As a writer, you don't often get the chance to influence editors or publishers or even readers in this way. The threads that adorn you are woven with your words on the page or on the screen. Make them count... Write for the Market you Want ...not (only) for the one you have Appropriate Attire... Make sure your work is a good "fit" and doesn't clash. Your sci-fi story is out of place in the personal essay market. Choose your Accessories wisely... Make sure your bright and shiny metaphors reflect your work-- everything should be held together in a fitting ...