writing

Jewish magazines still jockeying for market share

beccakinla chareidi, Jewish, magazines, marketing, newpapers, Orthodox, publishing, writing Leave a comment
Hamodia front page.jpgYated Neeman
In the last few years, English-language Orthodox (charedi) periodicals have proliferated. (A little disclosure is appropriate here–I’ve written for both Aim! and Mishpacha Junior, am a long-time subscriber to HaModia.) Interestingly, as new publications show up, the older ones change formats (sometimes repeatedly) in order to improve their market share.
For example: HaModia came out with an online edition and now so has the Yated (honestly, I don’t know which happened first, but I heard about HaModia’s first). HaModia came out with a unique format for the kids’ mag that competes more with Weekly Reader than with any other charedi publication and sets it apart. Supplements targeted towards kosher “foodies” are in vogue almost across the board. Most recently, I noticed that Binah Bunch is now divided in two–one half “Clubhouse” (which seems designed to compete with Mishpacha Junior) and one half a tween magazine (more similar to Aim!).
Watching these “renovations” is sometimes entertaining (trying to guess the reasons behind different editorial decisions, for example), but it’s also a little depressing because these magazines HAVE to compete in order to make money. I enjoy all of them, but I can’t afford to purchase all of them on a regular basis. Neither can the average Jewish consumer, so these magazines and newspapers have to compete for our subscriptions.
It also has implications for us writers. If there’s more variety out there, there are more niches writers can develop for their writing…which is fabulous. But if everyone just tries to do the same thing, just better, (how many food magazines do we really need?) writers get locked in. I’ve seen a little of both in these format changes.
On a happier note, I think the competition has forced all the magazines to strive for a level of excellence that I don’t think has been reached before. Not only are there more magazines, but they are better than ever, I think.

10 Ways to Use Your Words to Spread Love and Peace

beccakinla comments, kindness, love, online, peace, respect, speech, Tisha B'Av, words, writing Leave a comment

This time of year is known on the Jewish calendar as the Nine Days, which culminate in the saddest day of the year, Tisha B’Av. This fast day is the anniversary of many tragic events in Jewish history, the most important three being the evil report given by 10 out of 12 scouts sent into the land of Israel by Moshe; the destruction of the first Temple in Jerusalem by the Babylonians; and the destruction of the Second Temple by the Romans.

Two out of three of these events are blamed by the rabbis on the use of words to harm others. By improving our speech, avoiding gossip and hurtful language, we can help bring the Moshiach and his reign of peace. If we build people with our words instead of destroying them with our words, we are adding bricks to the Third Temple.
In this digital age, we use words all the time. As a writer, I’m practically obsessed with them. But the more you use words, the more you must be careful with them. It is truly shocking how often we find people online misusing their words. People insult, use profanity, spread xenophobia and hatred with aplomb. People spread hurtful and offensive comments based on hearsay, rumor, or untruths and act like they’re doing a public service.
The amazing thing is that a level-headed comment that respectfully disagrees is more influential, and a kind word or compliment makes people want to hear more of what you have to say. The more you use your words for good, the more blessing G-d gives them. If more people used their words to spread love and peace in the world, the world would be that much of a happier place to be.
Here are some positive ways you can use your words:
1) Apologize in a more meaningful and detailed way than a simple “I’m sorry,” to someone you harmed.
2) Write an affectionate letter to a spouse, parent, child, teacher or friend.
3) Thank someone you haven’t seen in years for something they did to help you a long time ago.
4) Write a positive review of a book or product.
5) Write a recommendation for a person to get work.
6) Write a letter complementing a company on the fine qualities of their product, or…
7) on the excellent service you received from an employee.
8) If you feel you must disagree with someone, make the comment respectful. For example:
“With all due respect, I must disagree with the idea that…”
“I’m not sure that the evidence supports your comment…”
“You make an interesting point. Can you defend it with some evidence?”
“I’m impressed by your…, but think your statement that…requires more thought.”
“While I think that…is a wonderful…, I have to respectfully disagree with their notion that…”
NEVER insult a person, even if you must attack their ideas. (And, frankly, you usually don’t really need to do that, you’re just itching to.)
9) Leave a note in your spouse’s or kid’s lunchbox with a funny joke or mentioning something you look forward doing with them when they return home.
10) Write a (true or not) story or poem that reflects gratitude to G-d or to a person for the blessings they have brought into your life.

Self-doubt, or the Intimidating Activity Called "Writing a Novel"

beccakinla how to write, novels, terror, writing, writing process Leave a comment

I’m both distractedly excited and painfully terrified. As I mentioned in a previous blog, I’m trying to change a short story I have written previously into a novel in response to the advice of friends and colleagues. I’m completely overwhelmed by the task at hand, but I want to try to get a rough draft written in the next couple months just so I can get these characters’ voices out of my head, at the very least.

If you don’t want to write a novella–you’re committed to a novel–you have to crank out AT LEAST 30,000 words for middle-grade or YA readers, 50,000 for adults.
At the same time, you don’t want to be “bore-geous,” what Ayelet Waldeman calls writing that is long, lush and vivid but does nothing to further the story line. Neither do you want to add subplot upon subplot upon unnecessary scene upon unnecessary character just to make deadlines, fill up a word count, pad the pocketbook, or all of the above. (The latter often happens with books that start as serials, like those of Charles Dickens, to point out an example that will hurt no one’s feelings and probably not constitute lashon hara.)

The problem is that I HAVE A LIFE, and not a very convenient one at the moment. I have more immediately remunerative work to complete, a husband and children to feed (bli ayin hara!). Tushies to wipe! Candyland to play! I am haunted by the desire to fill in the story of these characters, but have been cruelly separated from my PC.
Even when I resort to writing in a notebook while supervising my children’s play, self-doubt leaves me thinking, “Can I think of enough details and plot twists to fill a novel? And what if I’m just plumping this goose up so it’s ready for the rejection-letter-shaped ax!”
Sometimes, I finally sit down at that PC and can’t even figure out where to start. To prompt me a bit, I’m now improvising a bit on the Snowflake Method, invented by Randy Ingermanson. I’m going over every hinted-at back story, every interesting character, every “off-page” alluded-to event that appears in the initial short story and trying to extend, extend, extend. I am now at just under 7,000 words…and I can’t imagine how this baby is ever going to get done!
I know I’m not alone on this. A quick Google search about novel-writing included an article subtitled “The quiet h*** of 10 years of novel writing,” by Susanna Daniel, and a blog entitled “The Long Path to a Novel” by Rachel Connor.
Check back with me in two months to see if I’m any closer to the “Great American Jewish Sci-Fi Novel’s” completion.

Jewish Women’s Writing Conference in Jerusalem

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There is a wonderful Orthodox women’s writing conference in Jerusalem, which I fantasize about attending yearly. Many fabulous writers and editors appear, and I wish I could hear them speak about

This year was particularly appealing to me, as there was a workshop about making writing a (somewhat) profitable career. B”H someone recorded the presentations and Naomi Elbinger posted them on her blog.

How do you do it? part 2

beccakinla how to write, trying, writing, writing groups, writing process Leave a comment

I realized after I wrote about my writing process that I left a lot of steps out that other people might find helpful.

1) Write regularly. This can mean once a day or once a week. Give yourself a deadline even if no one else is giving you one. It’ll force you to get SOMETHING down on paper.
2) When you have no ideas, don’t say, “I have writer’s block,” and give up.

a) Write down everything you’ve done today. If you have a strong emotional reaction to something or want to go on a wacky tangent, do it.

b) Pick up one of the lists you’ve written (I mentioned this in the last blog). Write about one of the topics you listed.

 c) write a list of three reasons you simply cannot write today.

3) Also, read your “completed” work out loud even if it’s just to yourself. You will probably catch a lot of grammatical errors or typos that way. This is even more effective if you’ve printed out. If you’ve been looking at the same document so much that it dances in front of your face, wait a couple days, change the font, THEN print out and re-read aloud.
4) Don’t worry about whether a rough draft is good or not. Just get it out. You can always fix it (or hide it) later.

“Out of Town:” 1 sure-fire way to drive Jewish Angelenos crazy

beccakinla in-town, Jewish, out-of-town, stereotypes, writing Tags: , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

I’ve long found myself annoyed with the expression that if an American Jew resides in New York, they live “in town,” but if they reside outside of New York (or maybe New Jersey), they live “out of town.” This is true even if they live in Chicago, Cleveland, or Baltimore–all of which have influential yeshivos–or if like me they live in L.A., home of the second-biggest Jewish population in the country.

It’s enough to make you want to scream. Even secular Jews are not immune to it…think of the stereotypical American Jew straight out of an episode of Seinfeld or a Woody Allen movie.
As a result of this lop-sidedness, I have tried to compensate. Any piece of fiction I’ve written that has a clear setting has taken place in either L.A. or Baltimore (my hometown)…unless it’s on another planet, which has happened twice, so far.
My eldest son, Aryeh always gets very excited reading about HIS hometown, and when I write a story set in L.A., he lets me know he approves loud and clear. Unfortunately, his disapproval can be just as vociferous. You see, my attitude has rubbed off on my son. Yesterday, he told me that he hated the library book I’d so carefully selected just for him. Why? “Because the author lives in Los Angeles, but he sets the story in New York.”
Lucky for us, he plans on being a writer (and rocket scientist, and automotive engineer, and world traveler….) himself. Expect lots of stories from him in about 15 years. They’ll all be set in L.A.