Writing for posterity. How long will your words be around? In the past writers hoped their words would outlast the worms that ate the paper and glue in their books. Now, our words could easily outlast several generations of our families, friends and co-workers. Kind of a funny feeling to think you might be talking about yourself long after you're gone.

Does it make you feel paranoid? Do you suddenly want to edit every email you ever wrote? Get over it. None of us are perfect. Our flaws will be what we are remembered for more than our perfections.

That doesn't mean you should be careless about it. Think about what you write, write it better, clearer. Make it last. If you keep your writing clear it won't become outdated any time soon. Clear, concise language is always in fashion.

Using obscure words, fad words will really date everything you type. Dated language is necessary if you are writing about a certain time period. It's part of bringing the reader into the scene, and maintaining the atmosphere through the story. If you pick up an old paperback at Goodwill or some likely place, can you guess the age of the paperback by the writing style alone? How many of those trendy words have since been retired? How many did you not even understand or remember?

You can't do anything about big changes like computers, space flight and child proof bottle caps. But, you can watch your language, avoid trendy words.

Happy writing.

We all have some goals as a writer. Whether you have written them down or just keep them somewhere in your head, they are there. Are they good goals, goals that inspire you to keep going or are you making goals into a torment for yourself? Having high goals may actually keep you from getting where you want to be. If your goals are too high you may not really think (expect) you can reach them. In that case you need to adjust your goals. Set them up as a path you can follow rather than a pinnacle you can't reach.

These are some goal setting guidelines based on those I read in "Writing for Magazines: A Beginner's Guide" by Cheryl Sloan Wray.

Start simple. If you are beginning your goals won't be the same as a writer you has been published a few times and has contacts with editors/ publishers already. Simple goals are comfortable, attainable for as long as you need them.

Challenge yourself. Having simple goals doesn't mean you won't be working, challenging yourself to do better and try bigger. Make goals simple so you won't give up in frustration but challenging enough to be taken seriously, worthy of working for.

Set goals that suit your personality. Don't try to make yourself into some other writer. Make the goals work for you, your style, your routine, etc.

Be concrete and specific. Goals shouldn't be too broad or lacking in detail. Don't have a goal of submitting an article to the local paper. Be specific, plan an article topic and set a date for submitting it.

Share your goals with a few writer friends. Pick a few people who encourage you and let them know what you're planning. They will help keep you on track.

Check your progress. Mark your progress somehow, keep a goal calendar to show yourself how you are making progress in keeping each of your goals. This way you can look at how far you have come when you need to keep yourself going, along to the next goal.

Stick to it. Remember you made the goals to help you become the writer you want to be. If the goals you set aren't working for you change them, use the guidelines here to set goals that will work.

Some good goals you could try are: I will write at least a page every day. I will be ready to write by 10:00. I will submit at least 2 of my articles every month. I will challenge myself with the goal of submitting to one big publication each month.

Good luck and happy writing.

"It is only through hard work that I can give an impression of ease and simplicity." Henri Matisse

It certainly is true that your life has an affect on your writing. Right from the first time you hear "Write what you know" to the first time you fall into despair and can't find the words to string together to say what you think. But, as writers we do need to get past these pot holes in the road.

I'm not saying it's easy. It's sure not fun either. When is it ever fun to pull yourself up and dust yourself off and admit you've been letting yourself procrastinate for something that would sound silly, even babyish, if you had to explain it to someone else. Of course, no one else will ever understand. But you do and that's enough. It has to be enough cause the words will wait for no one.

I've fallen into a pot hole lately. My personal life is catching up with me and I'm letting the negative feelings of others hold too much importance. I've been feeling like a piece of driftwood on the ocean of someone else's life. But, tonight I'm trying to get on with things. I hope you are doing the same if you fell into a pot hole or have been discouraged lately.

I wish all of us the best of good luck. Next week I will actually have something worth your reading time. I've been reading some interesting writing ideas. I think that helps to bring you back into focus when you stray. Also, I have set myself a goal. I'm writing a romance novel for Avon or Harlequin, which ever of them thinks it's do-able. Hoping, of course, that one of them will.

Good luck and keep writing.

I don't feel like writing cause my bra strap is too tight. I don't feel like writing cause I'm not in the mood. I don't feel like writing cause I'm too tired. I don't feel like writing cause I don't have anything really brilliant to say today. I don't feel like writing cause my typing is worse than my penmanship tonight. I don't feel like writing cause my asthma is bugging me. I don't feel like writing, I just don't feel like writing. Can't I just not feel like writing?

I can always come up with reasons why I don't feel like writing, some of them are real reasons. But, in the end, later I'll still be trying to catch up on everything I didn't write the night before. Time keeps passing, you can't politely ask everything to stop for you.

What do you do to get back on track when you don't feel like writing? Sometimes I have a shower. Going for a drive or a walk also works, weather and gas money permitting. Even just taking yourself away for the time it takes to make a fresh coffee is now and then enough to get yourself back into a writing frame of mind.

If not, maybe you need to make a list instead. Lists are a short form of writing. You don't have to obey rules of punctuation, grammar or spelling. You just make notes for yourself. List your plot developments for fiction you're working on. List possible spin off articles if you're writing non-fiction. Make a list of ideas you could work on if you felt like writing.

In the process of making a list I usually find I suddenly really feel like writing again. In fact, I often start writing right on the back of my list.

We're writers, we know the words, so why is it so tough to write a query letter? Why do we second guess every word on that page? Why do we agonize over the punctuation, the grammar and the spelling? Why do we "just die" when we realize a typo was missed in our proofreading of that all important query letter?

Because we are bundles of self conflicted maniacs. Geez... I thought you had that figured out by now. Anyway, I thought it was time I wrote something about query letters. We know how important they are, giving prospective editors and publishers (clients) that vital first impression. Plus, of course, the actual idea you're pitching them.

A query letter is a proposal, describing an article or book you would like to write for a particular publication or publisher. Queries should be kept short, a readable length, one page. A couple of paragraphs to sell the story, a line or two to actually ask for the sale and another paragraph to describe your qualifications.

If you get no reply after a month send a follow up letter. Of course, you kindly ask if they read your first query and remind them of the particulars. You know yourself how hard it is to catch up with an idea you brushed against a month ago. Keep that in mind as you write your follow up. Make a copy (or keep a copy) of your letter. You'll sound foolish if you finally hear from the editor only you don't remember what you queried about, exactly.

The basic elements of a query letter:

Start with something to catch their interest and make them read on. An anecdote, statistic or something you can enclose in the envelope along with the letter. Chances are you won't have anything to send other than your words but if you can come up with something more go for it.

In a paragraph or two explain your idea, why you want to write about it, why their publication would be interested in publishing your article. Gear your idea to the market you have chosen. Of course, you have already spent time picking out your target market. Make sure you also get the editor's name right (and spelling counts!) and the name of the publication. This would also be an important part of researching your market.

Draw them in with your special angle, slant or hook on the topic. It's likely true that everything has already been written about at least once. So you need something new to say about it or say the old stuff in a new way. Show them how your slant is new and interesting. Let them know if you can include photographs or other illustrations to go along with your article.

If you have clips (copies of previously published articles) offer to send them. Remember, you're selling yourself too. Add any other credentials that would help. Are you an expert in the field or have some related experience?

How many words will your planned article be? The editor will know how much space they can offer and you'll have to work with that. But, start by giving them an idea of what you plan, how much content you can provide. Tell the editor what format you will be using- plain text email, Word document, double spaced, etc. Maybe these seem trivial things at the beginning but to someone working on filling space and keeping a layout they matter and make life easier.

If your query isn't being emailed or faxed you need to send a SASE (self addressed, stamped envelope) for return mail. This is part courtesy and part hoping making a reply easier will make it happen sooner. We always have our wishful thinking, they can't take that away from us. Also, make sure the editor accepts email queries, some people still don't like or use email. Email queries should also have an email signature which sticks to the rules of email etiquette: not more than 4 lines or approximately 60 spaces wide. Please, don't send an email where your return address shows up as "CutsiePie69". Unless you're writing about online chat or some such thing you want to project a professional image. That means no smilies too.

In the end sell yourself and don't be too modest. What makes you the right writer for this job? How can you (especially) bring this story to life for their readers. Enclose your writer's resume if you have one and it seems relevant enough.

Don't forget the letter writing basics. Add your return address and the date to your letter. Start and finish your letter with salutations, something suitable, not too personal. Don't forget to proofread and proofread without using spellcheck on your computer. Be meticulous, even down right nitpicky, check your spelling, punctuation, grammar and the typo factor. Don't ever send a query letter you haven't checked more than a few times and don't ever write one when you're too tired (or just not in the mood) to check it as well as you know you need to.

"A publisher is simply a useful middle-man." Oscar Wilde.