Guest post on Punctuation marks

Some helpful advice from that excellent site, Indies Unlimited. Melissa Bowersock has set it all out for you.

Those Pesky Punctuation Marks

Posted on June 17, 2014 by Melissa Bowersock

In my reading, I often see questionable usage of a few related punctuation marks. I know (1) that grammar is not every writer’s strong suit and (2) the rules for grammar are more often gray rather than black and white, with lots of room for subjective variation, but a short primer on a few of the more confusing marks might be in order.
Semi-Colon 
Many writers today seem to either hate or distrust the semi-colon, and that could be because they are not clear on the usage (and I won’t even go into the discussion about the spelling, with or without a space and/or dash). Cathy Speight did an IU piece on this persnickety punctuation mark a while back, but I want to talk about it along with some other marks that are sometimes confused, so I’ll recap the semi-colon here as well. Interestingly enough, in the mid-19th century there was an organization of writers in Cincinnati, Ohio called the Semi-Colon Club. Members included Harriet Beecher Stowe and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Salmon P. Chase, among others. I would guess from their choice of name for their group that they were not afraid to use the much-maligned mark.
The semi-colon has two primary uses:
a)      Between two closely related but independent clauses, usually complete sentences in and of themselves. The two clauses may also be contradictory.
John chose the yellow kitten; Samantha picked up the calico.
I thought the drizzly rain was uncomfortably chilly; my daughter found it to be invigorating.
b)      In a series or list that includes other, internal punctuation that would make the use of commas confusing.
I’m going to have a sandwich of ham, which I got at Trader Joe’s; jalapenos, which came from my own garden; and bell peppers, which were given to me by my neighbor.
Colon
I’ve seen colons and semi-colons used interchangeably, but they are very different and denote different things. The main difference between the two is that the semi-colon is used to link two independent clauses, while a colon is used to introduce an explanation.
The colon has four main uses:
a)      Before a list.
Hank packed everything he could think of: shirts, shoes, pants, socks, underwear, books, and his laptop.
b)      Before a description.
She loved the look of the vase: its translucent glass caught the light and the yellow color seemed to glow.
c)       Before a definition.
He said I was audacious: recklessly bold and extremely original.
d)      Before an explanation.
Crossing the Atlantic was hell: the wind howled the entire time and the waves rolled ceaselessly beneath the ship.
Dashes
There are two dashes, the en dash and the em dash. The en dash is a single, short dash (-) while the em dash is a longer dash or two en dashes put together (– or —). The en dash is primarily used to hyphenate words, like space-time. The em dash, however, can be used in much the same way as a colon or a set of parentheses as shown in the following four ways:
a)      To denote an abrupt change of thought or feeling.
I was going to say—but, no, I don’t think I will now.
b)      To set off a clause.
He was wearing the scarf I knitted for him—the purple one with the green spots—and I realized he was trying to please me.
c)       To indicate an interruption, especially in dialog.
“But how do you—”
“Wait! Let me explain.”
d)      As the inverse of a colon, i.e. after a list or description.
Black, red and yellow—these colors on insects often denote poisonous species.
There, is that all clear as mud? Just remember that we’re trying to get our ideas across to our readers in as clear a manner as possible, so giving them the right visual clues to follow our line of thought is essential. Happy punctuating!


Indies Unlimited has all sorts of useful advice for all aspects of writing and self publishing. I recommend a visit!

How to get a US Tax Number (without tears!)

Once you start getting royalty cheques from overseas sales via the USA fairly regularly, you may want to reduce the amount they grab in taxes. Here are helpful hints from a couple of writers who have been through the process, along with my own experience from this week.

Amazon and Smashwords will charge you 30% withholding tax on your royalties, which is the IRS’s directive, not theirs. But, courtesy of a tax treaty New Zealand has with the US, we can reduce that rate to 5%. Here’s how you do it.

First, you need an EIN (Employer Identification Number) from the US.

Smashwords will suggest you get an ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number), but based on info I’ve found, you don’t have to. EIN’s cover lots of scenarios, including non-residents earning royalty-type income. Which is good, because an ITIN can take weeks or months to attain, and involves sending certified copies of passports, driver licences etc, to the US. In comparison, I received my EIN in less than twenty minutes, over the phone, with little more information than my name, address, that I was a Sole Proprietor of my business, and that I needed an EIN for Royalty purposes. She even wished me luck with my book! How’s that for service.

To get your EIN, call the following number 001 (267) 941-1099 between 7am and 7pm US time. I made my call at about 10.30am NZ time. I was on the phone for around nine minutes. It was quick and painless. I answered a few questions (which you can see on the IRS form SS-4 on their website), and they gave me my EIN there and then.

In summary:

1. Call the IRS at 1-267-941-1099 (and press 1 on the computerized menu).
2. Tell them you are applying for an EIN for a foreign entity.
3. If they tell you that you need a Form SS-4, hang up and start again. If not…
4. Tell them that you are a sole proprietor (or whatever is applicable).
5. Give your details (name, address, etc.)
6. They will ask if this is for compliance with witholding – say yes.
7. They will ask if this is for e-books – say yes.
8. They will give you your EIN!!!

Go to the IRS website and download or print the following form:

*  W-8BEN Certificate of Foreign Status of Beneficial Owner for United States Tax Withholding

Part 1, Number 3, ‘Type of Beneficial Owner’: Tick ‘Individual’.

Part 1, Number 6, ‘U.S. Taxpayer Identification Number’: Tick ‘EIN’ and type/write your EIN in the space.

Part 1, Number 7, ‘Foreign Tax Identifying Number, if any (optional)’: Leave blank

Part 1, Number 8, ‘Reference Number(s)’: Leave blank

Part 2, Number 9a: Tick the box and type/write New Zealand in the space

Part 2, Number 9b: Tick the box

Leave c, d, and e, blank

Part 2, Number 10, ‘Special Rates and Conditions’: In the space after ‘Article’ type/write the number ‘12’, as in, ‘Article 12’. In the space after ‘to claim a’ type/write the number ‘5’, as in ‘5%’. In the space after ‘(specify type of income)’ type/write ‘Royalty Payments’. In the space after ‘terms of the treaty article’ type/write ‘Citizen and resident of New Zealand’.

Part 3, Number 11: Leave blank

Part 4: Sign, date, and above ‘Capacity in which acting’ type/write ‘Beneficial Owner’.

Once completed, post a copy to:

Amazon Digital Services

Attn: Vendor Maintenance

PO Box 80683

Seattle, WA 98108-0683

 

And another to:

            Smashwords, Inc.

 Attn: Tax Compliance Dept.

            PO Box 11817

            Bainbridge Island, WA  USA 98110

It can take 30 days or so to hear back from them, in the form of an email, telling you that you are now paying 5% withholding tax instead of 30%.

Royalty payments.

You’ll get your royalty payments sent to you in the mail, by cheque, when you reach $100. They cost very little to deposit in your own bank but do take 21 working days to clear.

Keep writing, keep publishing, and let that passive income roll in!

Good luck!

Bev

Bev Robitai

https://www.facebook.com/BevRobitai

The Book Show - soon on TV in NZ

It will be hosted jointly by Graham Beattie and Carole Beu and will include reviews, interviews with authors; and news about books and writers. Carole Beu is well known from the Women’s Bookshop in Ponsonby Road and Graham Beattie’s blog is the most widely read book blog in New Zealand. A superbly knowledgeable pair, who is there better qualified to establish such a timely initiative?

Initially there were not enough funds to enable the show to start; and so Carole and Graham resorted to appealing for funds through their crowd funding site ‘Boosted’. Wonderfully, within weeks the funds needed to get things going had been raised. They are now able to start planning an extended season for the show as funds continue to be donated.

If you are interested in having publishing issues discussed, would like to hear a range of authors talk about their work, would appreciate the opportunity to make comment on any aspect of the book publishing and selling industry, go to THE BOOK SHOW or www.boosted.co.nz.

It seems to me this is an idea which has found its time. It is impossible for two or more writers to get together without the challenges relating to publishing and finding a readership being discussed.  Should we persevere with trying to find an established publisher; if we do, what can we do about the ‘bleeding’ of our hard won earnings into the hands of agents, cover designers, editors etc?  If we persevere with independent publishing, how and where do we find our target readership?

 If we support Graham and Carole with this show, we will sustain a forum where our concerns can be voiced, not only to the converted within our own ranks, but that wider audience –  who often don’t  know  how many good books they are missing out on – the enthusiastic readers of New Zealand.

Erin McKechnie

Can you live on a writer's income?

If you wonder if the tales of new writers making it big by self-publishing are just referring to a few individuals, take a look at the extensive list of happy writers who posted at the link above when invited to say if they'd been able to quit their day job and support themselves by writing.


Here's the brief -

Passive Guy on The Passive Voice
Indie Authors Quitting Their Day Jobs
“What if you put up a post that asked anyone who has recently been able to go “full time”, quit their day job and write, to post their name. Maybe they could also put when or how soon they are planning to do it.”

http://www.thepassivevoice.com/06/2014/indie-authors-quitting-their-day-jobs/#comments

It's a real eye-opener! I've been reading the comments for the last twenty minutes and am only halfway down the page. There are writers out there in every country, in every genre, doing what they love and getting a realistic return for their efforts.


I'm pleased to see that - it's an inspiration to continue what I'm doing - how about you?


Off to finish my sixth novel now and it's so close to the end I'm excited! I'd tell you all about it and do a little sneaky promotion but I haven't quite settled on a title yet. It'll probably be something like "Sunstrike: Bradley's Journey". Keep watching!


Bev


www.bevrobitai.co.nz
https://www.facebook.com/BevRobitai

Maureen Green on the Structure of Revenge Plots.

Master Plot, Revenge

 

A revenge plot which has as much power today as it had thousands of years ago consists of three phases:

                                                The crime - the first dramatic phase.

            The hero, faced with an injustice, is unable to defend himself.

                                                Revenge

            The hero makes plan to extract revenge. Several people must pay for the injustice dispensed during the hero's youth. Revenge deals with pursuit as well as preparation for revenge.

                                                Confrontation

`           His motivation single minded, the hero confronts his enemies. This the moment of triumph for the protagonist.

In Consequences, my first adult novel, the plot is loud and clear. This work, a typical revenge plot in which we bristle against injustice, has its retaliation outside the limits of the law. The work published by Literary Road is now available on Amazon and Smashwords. Below is an excerpt from Consequences, the work's prologue.

 

One minute Donald Bracken was riding along on his way home from swimming humming his favourite tune and the next his bike was pulled from under him spilling him onto the asphalt.  “Jesus. What? What the hell?”

The town bullies moved from the shadows and surrounded him cornering him in the deserted school grounds.

A shudder starting at the top of his head rippled down to the tip of his toes when he saw the menacing look on their faces. His body wracked with terror he began panting and heeling his way across the asphalt until his progress was impeded by a picket of legs. Sweat pilled on his brow. His heart beat a zany tattoo in time to the music wafting up the hill from the valley below. Ears straining, he listened for sounds that would signal help was at hand, but heard nothing other than the excited wheezing of the group surrounding him.

The leader of the pack, the one with the most patches on his silken jacket, was a tall gangly pock marked boy older than the other five.  The fat one, the bully most feared in the neighbourhood, kicked him in the ribs. “Gottcha,” he sneered as he spat a gooby into his face.

“Teach ya to kill my grandma’s dog,” hissed the leader as he grabbed Donald by the collar and slammed him against the school building and pinned him there.

“I didn’t.” Donald protested as he squirmed like a worm on a hook in an effort to free himself, “A car hit him.”[…]

The fat one pushed Donald’s head down to the ground and held it there with his shoe perched on his neck as if he were propping his foot on a desk. Through the slits his eyes had become a shadow moved towards Donald and grabbed his hair and lifting his head to within a hair’s breadth of its face, said, “Did you say something, dickhead?” The bullies laughed. 

The lookout posted outside the school grounds hooted like an owl and called in his tinny fluting voice. “Someone’s coming, someone coming.”

“We’re out of here,” said the fat one. “Come on.”

Five of them ran, but the sixth, the leader of the gang leaned over Donald brandishing a switch knife and whispered, “Talk and I’ll kill you, you creepy piss pants.”

Donald’s steel grey eyes narrowed. “Kill me,” he whispered as the leader moved off. He did not move. He did not move for a long time as he lay gasping, hugging his battered body and thinking about revenge. He had to find a way to get back at them. They were always picking on him. Bullied him every day and now they had beaten him up and smashed his bike. Tomorrow he would have to deliver the papers on foot.[…]

“Had the shit beaten out of me because of a bloody yappy dog,” he muttered as he picked himself up from the ground where he had lain catching his breath. Filled with a burning hate he shouted into the still air. “I’ll kill those bastards.”

Killing them he knew would be a difficult assignment but succeeding would be an accomplishment. It would take much practice if he was to succeed, but he would be patient. It takes time to learn to kill, just like learning a musical instrument he thought, but I can wait until I’ve honed my skills.

 

Excerpts from Consquences by Maureen Green.

 

On a less threatening note, here’s a link to an excellent article by Beth Bacon on writing a great book blurb. It’s one of the hardest things for most authors, and the MOST important to get right if you want to attract readers. You can find the full article here - http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2014/book-blurb-as-salesperson/

Crime – for fun and profit - by Jenny Harrison

The cosy crime story is a subgenre of crime fiction that gives a reader the opportunity to be an armchair-feet-up-glass-of-wine kind of detective. It also gives them the chance to vicariously enjoy a good killing without all the messy stuff.

It is therefore no surprise that Agatha Christie is still considered the best-selling crime writer of all time. And it is no surprise to read that cosy crime is a better selling genre than the grisly sort. In spite of an increase in cosy crime, Natalie Rosenstein, senior executive editor of Penguin’s Berkley Books, says there is ‘a great untapped market for cosier mysteries that [is] not being met.’

Cosies have a specific formula: a protagonist who is an amateur and usually female and a police force just not up to scratch. The crime is often a small-town murder and the heroine solves it without flash forensics and by using plain old logic and cunning. There is always justice on the last-but-one page.

Probably the most important part of a good cosy crime novel is the ‘happy ending’ when the criminal has been brought to justice by the little old lady who works part-time in the library. We need our happy endings. We don't get enough of them in real life and that’s why we turn to books in the first place. Cosies fill the bill admirably.

Many cosy mysteries have some sort of theme; decoupage, quilting, cats (very popular), baking (with recipes), etc. The writer who can think up a series based on something quite different, can very likely break into the Big Time.

There are a few tips on writing the type of cosy that will bring a publisher panting to your door with at least a 3-book deal:

1. Modern readers require a faster-pace than the typical Christie novel. Like any good book, the reader must be compelled to turn the pages not with gore and spilt blood dripping down the spine, but with intriguing clues and characters they can relate to.
2. Publishers (and readers) like a series. Think the Elm Creek Quilts series by Jennifer Chiaverini. Think Kerry Greenwood and her Phryne Fisher books. Think our very own Theatre Mystery series by Bev Robitai.
3. While detection is still the core of the cosy, the characters need to be solidly ‘real’ and ones the reader can relate to.
4. If you can, join a group that is specifically for crime writers. Heck, join any writing group. Writers need shoulders to cry on.
5. New Zealand is poverty-stricken when it comes to a popular cosy crime series. This is a market ready to flourish. Be the one to crack it.

So, Brothers and Sisters in Crime, get going, kill off somebody, invent a sassy, intelligent protagonist to solve the crime – and go forth and make millions.

Jenny Harrison

May 2014

[Editor's note: Jenny's own comedy crime series is deserving of attention too. Check out Rusty & Slasher's Guide to Crime, and Rusty & Slasher and the Circus from Hell. The protagonists are far from sassy, intelligent or female but are vivid and entertaining characters to read about!]

Matthew Wright on NZ Book Sales

History writer Matthew Wright posted a telling snapshot of the NZ bookselling industry on his blog this week. Here's an excerpt of his post and a link to the entire piece. Well worth a read, and Mairangi Writers get a mention in the comments!


"The New Zealand experience isn’t unique. It’s been a ‘perfect storm’ worldwide, a combination of reduced discretionary spending on the back of the general financial crisis, coupled with the explosion of e-book readers, hand-held tablets and phones. Their rise wasn’t coincidental – readers didn’t have $500 to fork out annually on books, but they did have $99 for an e-reader and $3 each for titles.
For New Zealand the issue was complicated by the implosion, a few years back, of the old Whitcoulls chain. The chain was purchased and has since been reconstructed under new ownership, but for a while it looked as if New Zealand might lose a third of its book outlets. That provoked some risk-averse decision making in publishers’ editorial offices. The change was palpable.
On top of that has come the typical Kiwi rush to technology – a requited love-affair with online shopping. Book retailers here can’t compete with Amazon or The Book Depository – it’s an issue of volume coupled with the fact that overseas purchases don’t attract local sales tax.
One of the casualties has been the old publishing model with its sales-by-rep to bookstores. As a distribution and sales mechanism, that was marginal here at the best of times – the New Zealand market was always miniscule, pushing up the cover price on books.
Growth is going to have to pivot on the new principles of book publishing and selling – nimbleness, presence through multiple channels – electronic and print, and an ability to adapt quickly. It’s going to demand innovation, lateral thinking, and creativity.
As for me? I’ve been told history is dead as a genre in New Zealand – yet my history of railways sat for three months at No. 3 on the Whitcoulls best seller list last year and my Bateman Illustrated History of New Zealand sold better than any of my other books have in years. Dramatically so.
At a time when some publishers are shutting their doors, I’m getting approaches from others wanting me to write for them. I have four titles coming up in the next ten months. Only one of them is history. The other two are on popular science. Which, I guess, won’t be too surprising to long-time readers of this blog. And there’s a biography.
As far as I am concerned the need for innovation has never been greater. We must not just re-invent; we must re-conceptualise. I think that’s not just true for me – it’s true for all writers.
Thoughts?
Copyright © Matthew Wright 2014


http://mjwrightnz.wordpress.com/2014/05/11/why-we-must-re-conceptualise-writing-and-book-publishing/#comment-10237