HEARTICLES: Articles with Heart

What is the definition of an editor? According to Miriam-Webster Dictionary : One who edits especially as an occupation. What does it mean to edit? Again, according to Miriam-Webster Dictionary : T o prepare (as literary material) for publication or public presentation. Also: To alter, adapt, or refine especially to bring about conformity to a standard or to suit a particular purpose. In both cases, this relates to editing a manuscript for publication. And it requires a professional editor. What do editors do? "Book editors are responsible for one of the most important steps in book publishing. They take a manuscript and turn it into a polished product ready to be printed. This requires many things of an editor, as there are several aspects of editing that go into producing a market-ready book." { WiseGeek } This does not mean turning on the text editor on MS Word. This means doing a word-for-word, line-by-line eyeball read of the work to ensure the work i...

When considering what kind of story you want to write, does the idea of the Seven Basic Plots every come to mind? If so, do you know what they are? Here's the basic breakdown of the Seven Basic Plots put into context, using some of today's best loved movies -- The Quest -- Think The Lord of the Rings . The protagonist, Frodo Baggins, goes on a journey with a seemingly difficult or impossible goal . . . collect a few magic rings. He must overcome obstacles and opposition before emerging victorious. This plot can also be called The Search because the protagonist is looking for something. Consider the movie Taken . Liam Neeson's character goes in search of his kidnapped daughter. Let's not forget the classic Somewhere in Time . Here we see Christopher Reeve's character, Richard Collier, *going back in time* to find the woman he loves. Tell me there aren't difficult and impossible obstacles Collier has to go through to reach Elise McKenna!! Voyage and R...

Back in 1989, I had the pleasure of attending one of Mr. Vonnegut's lectures. It's been more than twenty years now so I don't remember the whole lecture. But I do remember where I was, where I was sitting, and the feeling Mr. Vonnegut gave me as I listened to him pour out his innermost thoughts and secrets. He talked about his life, his work and what inspired him. I learned the truth behind Slaughterhouse Five and why he chose to write Breakfast of Champions. It was an incredible experience that would have been made even more incredible had I the chance to actually speak with him. Sadly, he passed away in 2007, at the peak of his 85th year. Gone in the physical form he may be, but he left a lasting legacy behind him. Not just with his Humanistic involvements, but mainly with his writings and his advice to would be writers. To that end, one of his most famous pieces of advice comes from his book, Bagombo Snuff Box: Uncollected Short Fiction , in which Mr. Vonnegut listed ei...