Write From the Start

About the Book

Write from the Start is a proven program for writing and selling nonfiction magazine articles and books even if you’ve never been published before.

Now, from a professional writer and writing instructor, comes a foolproof method for writing and selling nonfiction articles to magazines and books to publishers.

Starting at the very beginning, Cork Millner shows how you can become a selling writer. Learn the craft of writing non-fiction, how to develop good writing work habits, come up with great titles and sell your work. Write from the Start charts a proven, practical course for becoming the writer you want to be.

Write from the Start has chapters on:

• Unleashing Your Creativity
• Writing Great Leads
• Fiction Techniques in Nonfiction Writing
• The Q’s and A’s of Interviewing
• Titles That Tantalize
• The Query Letter: Selling Your Magazine Articles

• The Book Proposal: Selling Your Book

Excerpts

Chapter One:  The Art of Interviewing

Writing has laws of perspective, of light and shade, just as a painting does, or music. If you are born knowing them, fine. If not, learn them.

—Truman Capote

 “Madam, I’m Adam.”

“Eve.”

And so began the world’s first “interview.” The ensuing question and answer session must have been fascinating. Unfortunately, there wasn’t a third party, a writer with a tape recorder on the scene to record it.

What if Barbara Walters had been on hand to chat with Cleopatra and Mark Antony? What if Mike Wallace had been able to confront Genghis Khan? What if Howard Cosell had been there to interview David and Goliath before their big fight? What if any of today’s interviewers had been there to question Shakespeare on the opening night of Hamlet?

I once asked actor Don Murray this question: “Of all the famous personalities in recorded history, who would you like most to have lunch with?” His quick response was, “Jesus.”

Jesus Christ is a fascinating enigma because no one with a tape recorder and a list of questions interviewed him. Would Jesus be such a mystery today if he had been interviewed by a newscaster from the CNN Network? Imagine sitting down for a talk with Moses. How about John the Baptist? Pontius Pilate? A Roman centurion?

Studs Terkel, whose interview books included Working and The Good War are virtually devoid of famous personalities, once said that his biggest fantasy was to be at the foot of Calvary with a tape recorder. What, he wondered, went through the minds of the masses when Christ was crucified?

Would these people have agreed to an interview? Would Shakespeare?” Would Napoleon? Would George Washington? (Yes, he did agree to an interview. I know because I interviewed him. The George Washington interview, “Valley Forge - The Crucible of Victory,” is included in this book in the section, “Celebrity Circus.”)

From the beginning of time people have delighted in talking about themselves. Answering questions gives an individual an air of importance and boosts his or her ego. As journalist/interviewer A. J. Liebling said, “We are an articulate people, pleased by attention, covetous of being singled about.” Fortunately for the writer, people love to talk about themselves, their work, and their personal expertise.

Quotes Lend Credibility

Getting firsthand, expert quotes will beef up any nonfiction work and make it more saleable. Learning the interviewing process will enable to writer to add vitality, credibility and an authoritative voice to a manuscript.

A writer can’t know everything. You may want to write an article on divorce settlements. Who to interview? A divorce attorney. Let’s say you are writing a story on Columbus’ perilous journey across the Atlantic to the New World. Who do you interview? An historian with expertise in that era. Want to write a piece on Mom and Pop grocery stores? Who do you interview? Mom and Pop.

A student writer decided to write about ATMs, the automatic tellers that banks use to provide patrons with day-and-night cash and deposit facilities. Who did the writer interview? Her husband—an ATM repairman! From him she got great quotes—“Look, Sarah, I told you so. There is a little man in that machine!”—and wrote the story.

Where do you find these experts? It’s as simple as running your fingers through the Yellow Pages. Anyone, from magicians to marble cutters, from wine consultants to zoologists, can be found in the telephone book.

Getting these “experts” to agree to a brief interview, especially a telephone interview is easy.Professionals like to make statements, to show their expertise, to see their name in print. Just explain what you are doing—“I’m writing an article on emergency care centers, called The McDonald’s of Medicine, and I’d like to get your opinion of their place in the medical profession.” You’ll get answers.

Learning to Write

She sat listening intently in the front row of my nonfiction writing class, a pleasant smile on her face. For several weeks she hadn’t turned in any of the weekly assignments. She just listened—and smiled.

After the fourth class she came to my desk. “I’m a licensed therapist,” she began. “I counsel wives of alcoholic husbands. I’d like to write a magazine article about my work.”

We talked about her idea, how to organize it, and I suggested she include case histories of women she had counseled.

The next week she turned in the first draft of the article. It was well written, with a balanced blend of narrative, anecdotes, character, dialogue and problem-solving concepts.

“This may sound silly,” she said, pausing, “but I have enough material for a book. Should I write it? I even have a title.”

“What do you want to call it?” I asked.

“Women Who Love Too Much.”

Robin Norwood wrote her book and it became a smash bestseller, propelling her into national fame and fortune.

How did Robin Norwood succeed when so many other writers fail? Quite simply, if you want to become published writer, you must learn the profession of writing. Like Robin Norwood.

Reviews

“Had Cork Millner written Write from the Start forty years ago, I’d have fewer rejection slips to bequeath to my grandchildren.”

Charles Champlin, Los Angeles Times

“Cork Millner is that rara avis—an excellent writer who can teach others to write excellently."

Barnaby Conrad, author and director of the Santa Barbara Writer’s Conference