A writing and editing advice post that explores one of the most important questions a writer can ask. In “What Does The Audience Know?,” Greg Luti discusses how deciding what readers know versus what characters know can shape tension, humor, and the overall effectiveness of a story. Superman and What the Audience Knows There is a question regarding one of pop culture’s iconic heroes that a writer can use in order to better understand their own story. The knowledge that Superman is, in essence, a disguise for the real man is not a surprise. The very idea is so well-known that many mock that one person can fool everyone by taking off his glasses. But there is a storytelling device that we can use. The Superman Situation First though, let’s discuss the situation. In the story of Superman, the audience knows his identity. That is, in fact, part of the charm to it all. He is helping people, but not really doing it in a way to draw attention to his real identity. We know that as we are following him, he is kind of also tricking people too. He is saving people; no one knows who he is. It creates a light-hearted dynamic. When Clark Kent becomes Superman, we as the audience are not expected to be taken aback. Why the Audience Needs to Know In other stories, you may see this tactic of split identities used as a way to tell the story, but in superhero stories, this tactic of the main character’s identity is never hidden from us. For example, imagine if you were not told that Superman was Clark Kent, and that only at the end of it all, you are told that reveal. Well, that kind of takes away from it all. Rather than being with the hero, we are following the story, not him. When you know the story from the perspective of Superman, his actions become the important part, not his identity, since we obviously already know it. What the Characters Don’t Know The other key part of the knowledge of the character is that the characters in the story, those that know Superman, don’t really know he is Clark Kent. They only see a man doing incredible feats of strength, not aware that the guy is nothing more than the average journalist in his spare time. That is deliberate, by the way. If the characters in Superman know that he is also Clark Kent, the story is kind of ruined. (Yes, I do know that some recognize him, but for the most part, the world he lives in does not) The characters become the audience, downplaying the very actions the character does, since they see him as not the Man of Steel, but as Clark Kent. The hero then has to answer an uncomfortable question: why even be Superman? This then shifts the light-hearted actions to something more serious. And why? Because the characters in his world figured out he is Clark Kent. The Two Rules of the Story The entire framework of Superman is built on two very important storytelling components. 1. The audience knows his real identity. 2. The people he is with, those in the story, do not. (for the most part) Every plot point, every scene, every interaction goes back to those two things. If the story deviates from this, then the very character created shifts. The Key Question for Writers That leads us to the important question every writer should ask themselves before they write a story: “What exactly does the audience know?” Whether it is a tragedy between two Italian lovers, a thriller about a patient on an island, or the actual identity of a superhero, the audience’s knowledge of the characters plays an important role in how you create them. How Other Stories Handle Audience Knowledge Once a writer answers that question, the writer can then decide on what they want to do with that information. Shakespeare tells us about the deaths of the two main characters, so we are following the story with that in mind. Shutter Island keeps it vague so you are unsure of the mental state of the main character, creating suspense throughout, and Superman wants you to go along for the ride with the hero as he saves the day, rather than having his character put on trial. And why can this happen? Because the writers clearly defined what information the audience would know in the story, making the story itself easy to navigate, because every plot point went back to that original idea. Practical Advice: Write It Down Early I would suggest that a writer write out a line or two when they outline their book of what the audience is aware of, so that the writer never gets too far from that. I can give two examples from stories I wrote. My Own Examples The first is when I wrote my first novel, Day in the Life. I decided the audience would only know what the narrator tells them. There is no other person jumping in to correct the narrator. That means there are times when the real story, or what is actually happening, is different than what is being told to the reader. Yes, the narrator can learn from his journey because he is the one the reader is with and naturally closely attached to it, but that also means he may miss a few things along the way too. I knew that I had to have the narrator believe his story more than anything else. The second is for a story in my short story collection, Everything Must Go. In it, I had a character meet some sort of mysterious vendor. Right away, I knew the vendor was meant to be an almost-ghost-like figure. The hero does not know if the person he is speaking to is real or not, and neither does the audience. That means that when the vendor character spoke, I knew I had him speak in a way that was realistic but could be seen as ominous too. I did both of these when I wrote my stories because I knew what the audience was going to know. To use another example from a flash fiction piece I wrote that will be in my latest collection, Little Fires, I had a joke in a flash piece that is for readers of my stuff. I noticed that I wrote a handful of flash pieces that had a quirky message at the end of them, so I decided to subvert that expectation in one of them by not having a message at all and having the narrator of the story almost disappointed by the absent trope. The audience, who are readers of my stories, should get the joke. They just read 5-6 stories in a row of people meeting in an everyday setting and learning something deep from a random encounter, so when a story doesn’t present that, the readers should recognize the pattern. Why could this happen? Because the answer to what the audience knows was answered early on. Don’t go back to what the audience knows in your story. Have an answer for that right away. Why Superman’s Glasses Actually Work Oh, and to answer the myth about how stupid it is that Superman is Clark Kent. I think that is an easy thing to say, and funny as a joke, but really fails to see the story being presented. Think about it like this: how many people in the Superman world see Superman up close? Maybe a handful? It is not like it happens all the time. Isn’t the guy mostly flying around or punching things? And when people are seeing Superman up close, what are they doing? Probably being saved, right? He is holding a building up, saving you from a fire, or doing something else where you are like, “What the hell is going on right now?” That means Superman is a guy who is rarely seen up close, and when he is seen by people, he is saving them from dangerous situations. Let’s be honest, most would probably remember the big S on his chest and his cape, and not even look at his face, because moments ago, they thought they were going to die. If you were ever saved from a fire, would you be able to tell the face of the firefighter who saved you? Probably not.

A writing update can mark a major shift in how an author shares their work. In “Blogging Here - Writing Update,” Greg Luti explains his decision to move all his content from Patreon to his own site, bringing unpublished stories and poetry with it, while planning a shop for books and editing services. Why I Started Blogging Here I decided to start a blog in order to update you guys on what I am doing with my books and other writings. Right now, I am all about adding more stories to this site. There are stories from my Patreon that I have not published yet that I wish to add to this site. Moving Everything from Patreon I was going over making a blog one day, and what I would like to write on it, when I realized that writing on a blog is basically the same thing as my Patreon page. “Wait? Why don’t I have everything on my site?” If the Patreon page, which has shorter stories I write and some poetry, can all be put on my site, then why am I not doing that? The decision was made. I would then take on the painstakingly annoying task of transferring the stories on my Patreon page to my site. I am still slowly completing that task. Adding a Shop to the Site Eventually, I want to add a shop to this site, one in which you, the reader, can purchase items related to my writing. Those can include anything from the services I provide, meaning editing, to the books I write. And because I can’t do everything all at once, I am going to slowly implement that aspect of the site. Hit of Henry Update I have not focused on my books as much as I would like, given that the stories being transferred and the site modifications have taken priority. The book I am working on is called “Hit of Henry,” which is about a baseball player accomplishing an incredible feat. I will include some chapters on this blog for you guys to read eventually. I have no date set here. Member-Only Content There is a catch to my blog, and that is that some of it will be for members who pay a small fee every month. Remember how I said that I was taking the Patreon page and putting it as my blog? That includes the pricing, too. For 3 dollars a month, you can be a member of my site, and get exclusive stories and previews of what I write, and yes, eventually that will include deals on the items in the shop. Of course, if you don’t want to do that, then you don’t have to. You can read the free poems and flash fiction I include here every so often and be on your way. Hey, I get that decision too. I am not trying to put everything behind a paywall. Poetry Collection in Progress I have a poetry collection that has a bunch of poems completed waiting to be edited. I have a title for this collection, too, but I don’t want to get too far ahead of myself. Reviews for My Published Books Concerning my current published books, I am going to get a few more people to review them, as I never got around to doing that when they were first released. I recently got a nice review of my first novel, Day in the Life. The reviewer said how the book was surprisingly profound. I must admit that sort of insight into the book was one of the more rewarding. I knew the book had a certain level of heart, but I guess I didn’t expect a reviewer to notice it, too. (I am not sure my logic here) Recommendations for New Readers If you are new to my writing, then I do suggest either my poetry book, Collected Poems, or my novel, Day in the Life. You can read my short story collection, Everything Must Go, but I should warn you, I did take storytelling risks in that book, as compared to the other two, which seemed to be more grounded in their approach, and hence more readable to more readers. Frankly, the writing in my novel is very candid and honest; if you like that sort of storytelling, although the story itself is nonexistent. The writing is better in my poetry collection. I honestly think the best poems there hit better than the novel or the short story collection. The novel has a consistent message and journey, so you are captivated by that, more than the stellar writing, if I am honest. This is not to say that I don’t think any of my books are not worth reading. They are. You should read them, because I think you would enjoy them. Most of the time when I write, I record words that I believe the reader would be able to take something with them afterwards. It is rare for me to sit down and write and then get to the end and say to myself, “Well, that was awful. No one will even like this.” I take a lot of pride in my writing and can proudly say I don’t think that often. Everything I write has a purpose, even if I am not able to accomplish that purpose through technical manipulation or storytelling devices sometimes. My Editing Services I mentioned my editing services, and that is because I am a capable editor and someone others have gone to in the past to improve their writing. I was just talking to a parent earlier in the day about when I helped her son write his college essay. I also outlined a book with a potential new client earlier in the week. (I will never give you guys the names of these people, out of respect to them) I am available to be contacted about editing if you are looking for someone to review your book or anything else you are writing. Shop Designs in Progress I have a guy who is going to make designs and other images for the items for the shop. I just got done talking to him the other day, and I am excited to see what he is going to do. He made the pictures for my book, Collected Poems. My Approach to Social Media One last thing is my social media accounts…. I have a love-hate relationship with social media. First off, I don’t do all that video nonsense. I never did, and I never will. That is not really my vibe. I put images of random thoughts I have up, because I figured talking about my stories, website, or career all the time can be a bit boring for anyone interested in my writing. I also get overwhelmed with life sometimes and frankly forget to schedule posts, which is why there are times when I don’t have any posts up on my social media pages for a week or so. I was running around for that time, so I just never got to it.

A writing update that offers insight into the final stages of preparing a book. In “Proofreading,” Greg Luti discusses refining his flash fiction collection *Little Fires*, adapting covers for different formats, and balancing personal creative work with the realities of publishing. Proofreading Little Fires I have been proofreading my recent book, Little Fires, for the past few days before I publish it. The thing that always gets me with proofreading is not the minor errors in the story, or even the phrases, but the time and place the story is in. As much as I like to think that I am writing for every era, and for anyone, it feels as though every story is latched to a physical setting and place, and that is seen no matter what I do about it. Sure, I can add lessons and themes that can be appreciated later on, but the actual setting is something that, when I am writing the story, feels as though it is only natural to what I am saying, but is in reality a chain I am attached to, whether I want to be or not. Stories Are Tied to Time and Place I would look over a piece I wrote, and notice how I wrote it from a certain perspective or from a certain place, and that is really a marker on how I felt and thought about it at that time. I find that part of writing fascinating. Ebook vs Paperback Covers I noticed when going over the book covers for the ebook and the paperback edition of my next book that the ebook cover has to be a little different due to the format. I normally make my covers based on the reader holding the book in their hands, but I noticed that an ebook needs to have larger font and fewer pictures because the screen for the actual cover is not as big. I am actually going to work on this with the current book before I publish it. Ignoring Trends and Focusing on My Own Work I don’t worry about other writers or the trends in the industry, because I am having a hard enough time writing all that I want to produce. I look at each story I write and try to make the best of it in the way I know how. I don’t get why writers are thinking of others or what is popular, since I am a big believer in doing your job to the best of your ability, and I guess that mentality goes against it. I think I said this before, but as far as what is trending and what is going on with the publishing world, I can honestly say I don’t really care. I got my own books to worry about. That takes enough of my time. Learning from James Patterson’s Model If there is a writer I would say that I have learned from over the years, it is James Patterson, and not for the reason you may think. I use his business model as an example of my own. He writes a lot, and he writes them fast. People know what they are getting too. And they buy. I am trying to adopt that system to my own books, rather than sitting around and writing just one book every few years. Write a lot. Write often. And stop worrying about whether the book is perfect or not. (And yes, I know that Patterson doesn’t really write his books at this point) The Inspirational Phase I have noticed that there is an inspirational phase when I have a new idea. I get the idea, I then outline it, and then I write what I can of it, but then after about a week, the inspiration is gone. The idea is still there, and I still work on it, but then I become more of an investigator, putting the pieces of the story together, deciding what works or doesn’t, rather than having that same spark for the story. This happens with every story that I write, honestly. I used to think I should write the entire story in that inspirational phase, but that is not realistic. I have learned to use the inspirational phase as needed, to really understand the story better, so when the inspirational phase leaves and I am left with just the story, I have a roadmap to completing it. Update on the Unnamed Novel I think the last time I wrote one of these updates, I was explaining how excited I am about an unnamed novel I am working on. I still love the idea for the book, and I still have not decided the major cause of a big event in the story, but as far as me jumping up and down for the story, that phase is over. I guess it would be a bit odd and against what I am trying to do as a writer if I was excited all the time for everything I wrote. Plus, I also don’t have the energy for that. Reader Feedback and Encouragement Some of the readers have given me nice feedback when I send out the newsletter, and I am always happy to hear the kind words from them. If you are one of those readers, know that I do see and read the responses, and they do help me along. I think that sometimes people are quick to point out all the bad, but I prefer to remember the few good remarks people leave me as signs of encouragement. When I used to work in retail, it was easy to note all the annoying customers, but no one ever brought up the kind customers who asked a question, got what they needed, and went on their way. I like to think of those people when I do stuff, more than the people who gave me a headache. Common Decency And now for something for me to leave you with: How about we all try to have some common decency? I don’t think that is asking too much of anyone. I am talking about the little things that everyone knows are wrong. I mean, there are so many videos I see of people stealing, knowingly too. They walk into a place and then grab a few things and walk out. Or how about cutting someone off when driving or being mean to a kid. We all like to blame the leaders of the world and say that they are the reasons everything is wrong, but none of us like to look within and admit a harsh truth: “I can be a little bit better of a person today than I was yesterday.” Next time you are unsure of doing something, ask yourself this simple question, “If someone did this to me, would I be fine with it?” If the answer is no, then you know not to do that thing.

A writing update that offers insight into a busy creative period. In “A Few Projects Now,” Greg Luti discusses juggling several book projects at once, including finalizing one collection and starting new work, while reflecting on the excitement of moving deeper into publishing. A Few Projects Now In my writing update last week, I had no idea what I was doing, and I even had to take a second to ask about the very question. Now, I am not asking myself the question but wondering how I am going to get the stuff done. I got a laundry list of stuff to do, only so many hours in the day, only so much coffee, and not to mention actual laundry to do. I'd better buckle up my seatbelt. Little Fires and Hit of Henry The first good piece of news is that I am finishing up my book, Little Fires, which is a collection of flash fiction pieces from this site. I expect to be done with the book sooner rather than later, honestly. I announced the book in my newsletter recently. I only have a few more things left to do before the book is available for purchase. Then there is the current novel I am working on, Hit of Henry. Although I will be honest with you in that I have not really looked at the book as much as I should have recently. Whenever I am working, and it gets time to look at the book, another assignment always seems to get in my way for some reason. The book is done in that the outline is done. I just need to write up a few major scenes. Starting a New Novel I started a new novel, one that I am very excited about now, even more than Hit of Henry, even though I do think the Henry book has a certain charm to it. I don’t want to give away any more details about this, but the new book has a plot I think the readers will like. I will give more details on this story as I get closer to completing it. Still Building Clearance Then, because I apparently think I have all the time in the world, I am still putting together poems for my next poetry book, Clearance. I have already included some poems on the site in my book updates. Sheesh, did you get all of that? I don’t even know if I did. I may have to look back at the notes I wrote about all the stuff I am working on, like I do when I write down the previews of movies when watching a movie in theaters. Can you believe that I liked four previews the last time I saw a movie? That has nothing really to do with anything, but I just thought you should know. Moving Into Book Publishing I told you guys that the publication of books would eventually come into play on the site, and I am happy that I am in that part of it. I will still be writing up blog posts on the site, but the books will also be written, which I am excited about. Still Dealing With Facebook Spam I am still in Facebook spam hell, where I am blocking everyone I can to get the page somewhat normal. I will let you know when I get out of that disaster. I guess I can only do a block at a time. I am trying to get this done, since I know for authors, Facebook is the best social media platform. Why I Love the Different Parts of Writing I think the transition to adding the books to the writing schedule will be a nice challenge for me. There is something fun about having a story and creating it, and seeing the parts that can go into it, rather than writing up a two-page story and making a message and a fun character for people. I love both parts, but sometimes when I just write up the flash fiction or poetry on this site, I find I am not really being the writer in the creative sense where I am putting a story together. I will relate this to the two novels. For Henry, I cut out a part in the latter part of the story that I felt was not needed. It would hurt the flow of the story. In the unnamed novel I am working on, there is a major plot point I just haven’t figured out. It really decides the entire story, and I just don’t know why it happens. Those are what I am talking about. I don’t think it is editing or writing as much as being more of a storyboard creator or an outliner of the plot. Technically, you can call that writing or editing, but I view what I am talking about as different. There is always a part in the stories where I say, “Ah, now this would work in this. This makes sense to what I am doing.” In Henry, when I originally wrote it, I didn’t really have the inspiration for the character’s certain actions. I just knew that the character would do the task. It was only when I was creating the outline of the story that the inspiration came to me. I guess I am describing why I love being a writer. I love writing up short pieces that are spur-of-the-moment write-ups. I love editing the works to improve them. I love outlining the stories to make them complete. They are a part of the writing process, and I appreciate each in their own way. Learn to Listen Okay, so now I'm going to tell you something to take with you. Listen. That is the advice from me. Learn to listen more. If you listen to people more in your life and give them the time of day, I bet your life will improve. When someone talks, give them the same attention you would want from them. It seems like such a simple thing to do. I mean, who can’t listen? But the more you look around, the more you see there are too many who would rather state their views than listen to what others have to say.

A writing update that offers a candid look behind the scenes of the creative process. In “What Have I Been Doing?,” Greg Luti shares his established blogging routine, his tendency to start new projects, and how he navigates both creative impulses and everyday life. What Have I Been Doing? There is always a question each week that I ask myself: “What have I been doing?” Now, most times, the answer is obvious, in that I can tell the reader whatever it is that has been on my mind. But there are some times when I look and think, “Wait, have I been doing anything at all?” I spend all this time thinking about writing, and yet no words are coming out of me. Talk about needing your muse, (or not needing your muse, if you don’t like that sort of stuff) Luckily for me, and I guess, also the reader, I have been doing something this past week. The first thing is that the blog is in good hands, mostly because it is in my hands. I have settled in with the writing schedule and the routine. I am very happy with where the blog is. For some reason, I have been lazy this past week with social media, and every time I have to put up some stuff, I decide against it. Yeah, so I have to get into doing that. Family Concerns and Hospital Questions Oh, and one of my family members asked if I was okay after reading the lines of one of my poems. It was one of those dark poems. For the record, I am actually alright and only ever lean into that stuff for the sake of the stories. I know that for my first novel, the narrator was a jerk, but I leaned into it and made him a little bit more of a jerk than originally intended. So when I write up a poem that is sad, I lean into the sadness. Which, I am not going to brag, but I like the recent things I posted here, the one with the Founding Fathers and the two guys talking about being dead. They were really fun to write. Remind me down the road to go back to the Founding Fathers discussing stuff, or having the personification of something talk to a human who feels that way also. That is good stuff. I actually remember being in the hospital, and they asked me, “Are you suicidal?” I think that is just what they ask people after asking about weight and taking a blood test. Which, the more I think about it, is kind of all over the place. Step on the scale, let me take your pressure. Have you thought of offing yourself anytime recently? They might as well ask what my favorite lottery numbers to play are, and if I like to wear certain clothes in the summertime. Those make as much sense. Oh, and by the way, I was not in the hospital for weight-related issues or depression. I guess they feel the need to get a profile of me before actually helping me with my current issue. Not cool, doc. Not cool. Anyway, I laughed and told the nurse I was not suicidal. I cut out the part that I enjoy singing the lines from that pop song where the guy says the words in the lyrics. That seems a bit frivolous to me. Letting the Story Lead the Way I guess I always let the story lead the way, as though there is a map I am trying to navigate through. If the story says that inspiration is the way, then I am going that way. If it says that sadness is the choice, then I guess I am getting out the tears. What is actually funny about that is that I really don’t like to use GPS. They annoy me, since they always have me going on a highway where I have to cross four lanes to get to an exit. It is also always funny to me when people are worried when they read sad things I write, as though I am going off the cliff. You know they never mention how happy I am when I write the funny stories. As you can tell, I have a fairly sensible mindset about this. I write so many freaking stories and words that I don’t even worry about everything readers do with them. I do the best I can with the story I have, and then move on. Always Starting New Projects Talking about stories, I actually have not gotten to look over my current books that I am working on. But in typical author fashion, I have an entire outline for a new book that I have not even started yet. I want to say I am surprised, but I am not really. If there is one thing a writer is better at than finishing their story, it is creating a whole new one that they may never finish. Changing the Newsletter Day? Regarding the newsletter, I am thinking about changing one of the days it goes out. I like sending out the newsletter on Sundays. I just do. But I know that no one really reads emails on Sundays. There is data to show this. I am then forced to change around my writing schedule for that. For now, I am keeping Sunday, but don’t be surprised if I experiment with another day. Figuring Out Newsletter Content I am not sure what exactly the readers want from the newsletter in terms of content. I thought that they liked having multiple pieces, and then I dropped a free poem with two guys talking about death, and that did better than most of the other newsletters. I know that I want to give the readers a lot to read in the newsletter, but I just don’t know where that happy medium is right now. I am working on it. Working on Better Subject Lines Just like how I am working on the subject line for the newsletters. Look, I won’t lie to you about them. I don’t care to think much about them, and most times I write something like “a poem about (something), a book update about (something).” I am not sure if that is what the readers want, though. That can be my signature, I guess. I am going to play around with this in the coming weeks. Life Moves Fast As usual, I will leave you with something to take with you. Life goes too fast for most of us to comprehend. I mean, I know that I look back on the posts I wrote and think, “Damn, I wrote that three months ago. That felt like last week.” Don’t stress so much because it goes by so fast; try to enjoy it as much as you can. One day, you will be like, “Damn, that went fast.” And then before you know it, you will be pulled right back into life, as though that moment didn’t even happen. We all think we are going to be here forever, and that is just not the case.

A writing and editing advice post that encourages self-awareness during the revision process. In “What Type of Editor Are You?,” Greg Luti discusses the importance of understanding your natural editing tendencies so you can strengthen your craft more effectively. The Most Important Question Before You Edit There is always advice that you hear about improving as a writer, but I think there is a basic question that can be addressed by a writer to help them with their writing before they go into the details of the writing process. This question is, “What type of editor are you?” If a writer can answer this question and then act on it, they are already going to improve with their craft. Now, I don’t mean editor in the way that I do when I edit books for clients, as I tell them the difference between copy editing and developmental editing. I am talking about the writer’s ability to know what they do as they edit. Vague Advice Doesn’t Help If I tell you that to be a better writer, you should just become a better editor, then I would feel as though I am not really giving you anything of value. Vague advice without practical application is nothing more than empty words. It is like telling someone to be a better person, and they should be kind. I mean, do you have any examples of what that means? Are we talking about donating to charity or saying hi to a stranger, because those are two very different ways of being kind? But on the other hand, if I say that to be a better writer, you need to do one specific thing, then I am being a bit too particular at the moment, where a writer may not find that advice useful. I admit that later down the line, I can go into specific moments of editing, but for this piece, I think it is best to start with a simpler concept. To relate it to the better person analogy, it would be like giving someone the exact way to say hi to someone and giving them a recommended amount for the donation. It is a little much. The details are not needed in the beginning, especially if the intent and purpose are not defined. Most of Writing Is Editing When you write, most of the writing is actually editing. Think about that for a second. We call it writing, but it is not really writing if you edit the piece one hundred times. This means that you need to know what you see when you edit your work. If you don’t know what you are looking for when you edit, then I don’t know how you are expected to improve with it. My Own Editing Style I will use myself as an example here. I learned that I am a writer on the first draft who likes to get the idea on the page, in a very straightforward manner. That means no imagery or metaphors on the first try. This also means that when I am editing, I am to actively look for areas where the stories can be more artistic. I then add subtext to the stories, not on the first draft, but on the second, third, and so forth. Instead of blindly saying I am editing, I know that I am looking for a few things. What I Look For When I Edit What can I say that I am not saying right now? – Is there a character that can have something going on that I never mention to the reader, or perhaps another meaning to the entire piece I don’t actively promote? Are there areas where I can improve the language, with metaphors and imagery? – Is there a spot that can use some poetic flair to add to the value of the piece? Did I miss any gaps in the story so far? – Are there parts that I originally wrote that don’t make any storytelling sense, and do I have to connect the parts? Are the beginning and ending good? – I always like to see if the beginning and ending are good, since the beginning pulls people in and the ending is what they leave with. If I have any good lines in me, I try to put them there. Once I know what I am saying and I put it down in the first draft, the next edits are all about adding to what was said and refining it a little bit better. Know Your Editing Patterns This is why I stress that a writer should know what they are looking for when they are editing to make their overall pieces better. Maybe you misspell a bunch of words on your first draft, then you know that you are going to be spell-checking for one of your edits. Maybe you realize that you never really have much of a story for your first draft, and you allow the mood and tone to do much of the work. You then know you should focus on a coherent tale for your edits. Whatever you are doing in your edits, it is not what you did in your first draft. Know that, and then adjust accordingly. Simple Advice Is Still Worth Following This advice is rather obvious, but I relate it to something I have told my SAT students before. The first thing you should do to improve on the test is to actually not omit any questions. That is obvious, right? Yes, it is, but that does not mean you are not to address it. The questions the student omitted are areas of possible growth. The same goes for learning your editing style. It is obvious that one has to edit after their first draft and should know the style they like. But if that is the case, then how come there are writers out there who do not know or understand their editing style? Yes, it is simple, but that does not mean it is to be ignored either. Tying your shoes every day is basic and boring too, but you can’t really go walking without them. Next time you write, have a list of things you want to do with a piece. Then, when you write up something, see how many of those things you did in the first draft. Whatever you didn’t do is what you are to focus on in your edits. If you are like me, you will start to see a pattern with your editing, in that there are certain things you should focus on, for no other reason than that you naturally write your first draft a certain way. The Bottom Line Sure, becoming a better editor will help you with your writing, but it would be helpful if you actually knew how to do

A reflective poem that examines the feeling of being emotionally and spiritually dead while still alive. In “Two Dead Men,” Greg Luti portrays two men sitting in a park, each lost in their own internal sense of emptiness and disconnection from life. Two men sit on a park bench, neither really looking at the other. They are speaking to each other, for no one else is there to even care. The sky is bluer than the ocean, and it would have you comment on the lack of clouds in the sky. The weather is just right, at a temperature where you can feel warmth and coolness at the same time. The weatherman on TV has told people that this is the kind of day to get outside and enjoy themselves. Smell the richness of the new seasonal flowers. Take in the calmness of the day set forth by the weather. Breathe in the fresh spring air as you not only take in the air, but also a newness in life. Enjoy the day. That is what most would do on this day. But not these two. Both men spoke in an honest voice, as though they accepted their cruel words before they uttered them. They were not talking to each other as much as they were to themselves, and the other person just so happened to be there. None of the world mattered to them, aside from the dark cloud they created over their heads. They have both accepted a harsh truth: you can live in this life long after you die in it. When they bury you is not the only time you may die. “I am dead because life passed me by. Now there are kids who the world focuses on, and tries to help along with their journey. We all act as though their mistakes are no big deal, and tell them how much life they have ahead of them. You know I used to be one of those kids. Now, look at me. An old bum who complains about the world having problems, As if I have not been living in it for the past 20 years.” “I hear that… I am dead too. Would you believe that?” “You dead? I don’t believe it… “Yeah, as a doornail. Everyone used to be on me. I was the place to go. The cool hip thing to do. But not anymore. Now, what am I? An empty abyss for the soulless who are so blind they don’t even see the emptiness they have.” “I feel the emptiness in me. It is somewhere in between my tears and some profound moment I have.” “Really?” “Yeah… I cry about my life, and the failure I am. What I basically messed up on. If I think about certain things for too long. The tears come. Then…. It stops. And I feel empty. Just a hollowness in my chest, as though I am sick. Like, I know there is nothing there. Sometimes I think I may have accidentally dropped my soul while living. I probably dropped it at a park or some parking lot and then never went back.” “You at least had a soul. What do I have? What did I ever have? I was created to share information, but somewhere that information got lost and perverted. I mean literally perverted, like all sex….” “Oh…” “Yeah… so what happens after the emptiness sets in…. You said you then get a profound moment. I remember those.” “Yeah… I cry. I doubt, and then I reason. It’s weird. It is like my brain gets so rewired that I then come up with an idea I never thought about. I don’t know if I can’t be happy, or if this sadness is what inspires my thinking.” “You go from tissues to a shotgun to a theory on life. Damn, that’s a lot. Most of what I deal with is bullshit. Bullshit… that is all I have become now.” “It’s not a shotgun. You can’t kill yourself with a shotgun. How does that even work?” “Fair…. Sometimes I think I was a mistake to even be made. All anyone ever says about me are bad things I have enabled. You hate yourself because you failed. I hate myself for who I am. I just… I just don’t know if I am anything anymore. I used to be myself; now it feels like I am overrun with nothingness. And you know what hurts the most? Those who use me don’t even know about it. They think I am fine. They think I am healthy. But I am not. I am dying, and all anyone wants to do is use me for directions or porn.” “Don’t forget pointless posts.” “You can kill yourself…. I can’t. I have it so bad that people say if I get rid of myself, the world would go into a dark age. I am not who I used to be. I am dead, and those who use me don’t even know it. And when I am brought up, the world defends me, not even seeing my tears.” “You can cry? How does that work?” “I can’t. But I can feel less of a realness. What used to be full of life is a feeling of nothing now. I share information, but now I am making information and then sharing it… And with who? With who? Myself. I have become a joke. A punchline those guys on the roasts say.” “Eh… I don’t watch those things. The most joke I know about those things is when I imagined a line I would say about how no one would care if the fifteen heathens on stage all went down in a plane crash.” “Damn, bro… That’s dark.” “Well yeah… I know. I guess that is part of the joke.” “I don’t get it.” “Neither do I. Neither do I.”

A humorous flash fiction story that reimagines a pivotal moment in American history. In “United Name,” Greg Luti brings the Founding Fathers together as they debate — sometimes heatedly — what to name their new country. I would like to think that there was one conversation between the Founding Fathers about the development of our country that had more to do with its name and what exactly they would call the country than any pressing matters. As though the back and forth got thrown into the mix because they were in the room together for too long. They seemed to have spent so much time talking about everything else regarding life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness that I imagine one of them would get up and submit the question, “Do we really want to call ourselves the United States of America? Does anyone have a better name than that?” This is one of the conversations we are never taught in school. It probably happened on a Tuesday mid-morning meeting, in between important matters, too, like how many troops George Washington still has, and how to get the French to help us in the war. Dickinson, a lesser-known Founding Father, but one nevertheless, stood up and spoke to the room, “Now, gentlemen, I believe we have missed a very basic question for this new nation we dream about. A question so obvious, I am almost insulted to have to bring it up. That is, ‘Do we even want this nation to be called America, or the United States of America?’ I, for one, feel the name is bland and ineffective in telling about what we are all about as a country. We are united states, so we are to call ourselves the United States. That is redundant, and I object to our new nation being called such a thing.” “Would you rather we be called New Britain?” John Adams responded with a certain roughness that made you wonder if he even liked Dickinson. Adams always had a lot to say in these meetings. Dickinson ignored Adams. “I only think a nation of great people, who have overcome a great war, deserves a great name, and we are falling short of that expectation.” “I believe the expectation of any new nation is survival. For if we don’t make it through our creation, what is the use of a catchy name? Can you tell me that?” Adams challenged Dickinson. “I have never heard anyone compliment the name of a nation rather than the merits of its government.” “We are all intelligent men in this room, for the most part.” Dickinson didn’t mention who on the opposing side he was insulting, but everyone in the room knew it was aimed at John Adams. “Can we not agree that our nation needs to win this conflict to be created? There is not a soul in this room who feels otherwise. I am saying that the name of this nation is not one we all agree with, and we should therefore get to a conclusion we all like.” John Hancock, who sat at the front of the room, spoke up, “Do you have a name for this nation, aside from the one that has been previously stated by Mr. Jefferson?” “We do not, Mr. Hancock.” John Adams rebuked, “Oh, so you have the audacity to mock Thomas’s name, but not enough to come up with your own name?” “I am not saying I don’t respect the work that Mr. Jefferson has done for this nation. In fact, I think we can all agree that the words he has put down have inspired us all. But that doesn’t mean he is to be the judge, jury and executioner in the name of this nation.” Ben Franklin took a second to get up out of his chair and responded, “Mr. Dickinson, are we not in America? Do we not live in states? And are those states not united? It appears to me the name United States of America is only natural for our new nation.” John Adams got up and added, “Either come up with a better name, or we’re keeping it.” John Hancock got the room’s attention. “Unless Mr. Dickinson or any party in this room can submit another name for the nation, we are going to keep it as is.” Dickinson bowed his head. “That is fair. I just thought the room should be given an opportunity to speak on the matter.” Ben Franklin, still standing, spoke to the room. “May I interest this room in another mundane issue troubling my fragile mind?” Dickinson smiled back and said, “Mr. Franklin, that list may be a bit too big for this congregation.” Franklin nodded at the other party, noting the harmless joke. “I submit having a bird be the nation’s animal.” “If we all like the bird, then yes, why not?” Dickinson quickly responded. “I propose a turkey as the nation’s animal.” Franklin insisted. Both sides started to boo Franklin’s proposal. Even John Adams was shaking his head at the choice. “Very well. I see I may have overstepped my boundaries of efficient banter for this meeting.” John Hancock got the room’s attention once more. “Very well. We agree that the name of this nation is America, or the United States of America. And we all, most importantly, agree that the nation’s animal will not be a turkey. Can we all move on to more important matters? Possibly about the very war we are still fighting?”

A writing and editing advice post that explores the practical side of the creative process. In “Understand Your Tool,” Greg Luti discusses how choosing between typing and handwriting can affect both your creative flow and your ability to edit effectively. The Handwriting vs. Typing Debate There is a lot being said about the use of handwritten words that go on a piece of paper compared to typed words that go on a computer. The normal conclusion is that when you write with a pen, the words you write are, in fact, better. The process you have to use to get those words out of your head is more effective in creating smoother prose for people to read. You will then have someone ask how young people can’t know how to write, as though that person wrote a classic novel by hand, which they didn’t, by the way. Being a man who has experience with both the pen and the laptop, I thought I would shed some light on this topic. Most Writers Use Technology Let’s get a few things out of the way here. The writers you read, the creative people you know, probably wrote up their stories on a laptop or a typewriter. Yeah, I hate to break it to you, but the idea that the modern novel is for some reason written on a notebook and then given to the printer as though everyone is Charles Dickens is just not how writing works today. These words I am writing for this post were not written down on a piece of paper and then put on the screen. Sorry, they weren’t. Most writers have adapted this style of writing. (There are a few writers today, I am sure, who write by pen still, but I will explain how and why that is as popular as you may think) Throughout history, there were a few notable writers who used typewriters and laptops as their main tools for their stories. I am talking about Mark Twain, Ernest Hemingway, and Stephen King. They did not sit all day with a pen and paper. So, the idea that the quality of the work is worse when you type up the words is not the case. I don’t think that the classic writers who used typewriters were any less great because of the typewriter. There is a practical reason they typed their words, too. The Real Advantage of Typing When you type up words on a laptop or a computer, the editing process is ten times faster. Yeah, you try writing out a thousand words, and then edit it over and then edit it over again, and then again. It will take forever. I actually did this for a novel I started years ago, and my biggest problem was that I got to the fourth edit of the page, and I could barely read anything. That is why you see professional writers type up their words, because they are more about the production of the words than anything else. Handwriting Still Has a Place Does this mean that there is no usefulness for a person to write with a pen? I do believe that is where this conversation gets mixed up. If you are talking about the average person who will never write a novel in their life, then they should be able to write legibly a few words and not only focus on the typing of it all, but if you are talking about writers who create books for a living, then frankly, why the hell do you care how they write their books? Hey, if writers want to be like Jack Kerouac with their books, then go right ahead. The reason people feel the need to have the youth literate with a pen is that there are many cases where a kid will not know how to do something a senior does, in this case, signing their signature. I think that is where this discussion gets confused, though, since that has nothing to do with the productivity of a professional writer. The Confusion in This Conversation What are we talking about here? Are we talking about literary history involving technology, the ability for a youth’s brain to develop creatively, or a certain skill to be fostered in our kids? Those are different questions, but when this is brought up, we make it one conversation. Understand Your Tools Now, let’s bring this to you, the reader, and what you can do about this issue. I say the best thing to do is to understand the tools you have. Believe it or not, you are able to write down words in a notebook and then later on write down other words on your laptop. Yeah, you don’t have to be exclusive with your use of the language. The Pros and Cons of Each Tool The use of the laptop makes it easier for you to edit whatever it is you are doing. That is the best advantage you have. You should also know that too much screen time may give you headaches, and there is a possibility your work may not be as good as if it were written out. Although that last point may not even be true, I would not worry all that much about that one. Do you really think that when Mark Twain wrote out Huckleberry Finn on his typewriter, he was concerned his overall writing quality would go down? The use of the pen helps you develop more of an artistic flow with your motion. You behave more like a painter with words than when you type them up. This can help you develop that way of writing, which for some can bolster their overall creative ability. You should know that the editing process for this is a pain and can get so bad for you that you may even give this part up so you can complete the material you are working on. Writing with a pen is good for an exercise, but I wouldn’t use it for a novel, since that would take you ten times as long to complete. Don’t Write a Whole Novel by Hand There are many times I have heard from clients that they want me to help them edit their books, and the original copy is… in a notebook somewhere. Now, the process has nothing to do with writing or editing, but transcribing the words to a place where they can be edited. That is a hole no writer wants to find themselves in. Focus on the Creative Mindset If you are a writer and you value stories or the written word, then the tool you use should never be as important as the creative mindset you bring to the table. I don’t care if you are typing up something on the laptop or writing something in your notebook; you have to be creative either way, and if you can recognize that mentality as part of being a writer, then don’t worry about the rest of the conversation. People will say a lot about this topic, since it is a very trendy thing to talk about, but know there are many different sub-topics here, and the one that matters most to writers is the tools they use. Know when you are to type up things so that it can be easier to edit them right away. Know when you want to write up some things, and accept the longer editing process involved with it. Both ways work. You have multiple tools to help you complete your story. I say find the tool you are most comfortable with and develop that method until it is second nature. Let everyone else answer the question about what is better: a pen or a laptop. You have a book to complete anyway.

In this book update, Greg Luti shares his latest progress on the novel *Hit of Henry* and his poetry collection *Clearance*, featuring a teaser scene where Sam teases Tom for pursuing the elusive Henry. Progress on Hit of Henry and Clearance I am working on Hit of Henry, my novel about a mysterious ball player, and Clearance, my poetry collection. Hit of Henry has the plot basically outlined, and I just have to go over a few parts. The story is done. Clearance is about 80 pages or so done so far, so I am happy about that. I know that I have been giving you a few poems from Clearance, so I thought I would give a few pages from my next novel, Hit of Henry In this scene, Sam, the friend of the protagonist, Tom, mocks him for trying to find the man who the book is named after. (The entire chapter can be read by literary club members) Sam Mocks Tom Tom headed back to the office satisfied with the interviews being complete, but still unsure of the results of them. If anything, he thought, he can interview them again, or perhaps interview other baseball people around the area. The coaches may not have been as much of a help that Tom wanted them to be but that does not mean that he is anywhere close done. The office was empty, as the only one there was Sam, who was busy with typing up an article she was given this morning by Ivan, who also told her of some news about the Tom’s interviews. She jumped up out of her chair, when she saw Tom approach his desk. She was excited to see him, but not to congratulate him or even motivate him. Unlike Tom, Sam doesn’t believe in this story at all. In fact she is about as against this chase Tom is on as anyone. Not because she doesn’t want Tom to find it, only because she is used to stories that have concrete material and facts that can be proven. Sam is a material girl and won’t be fooled by some exaggerated fantasy of the locals. “Oh there is my little investigative reporter. How is the search coming along? I told Ivan that I don’t think you should be going after this story. I mean why not go after something even better? Something even more significant than this game?” “Like what?” Tom answered unsure of where she was going with this. “Why not go and find Thor’s Hammer, while you are at it?” Sam mocked Tom’s attempt at credibility with this story. “I hear that you can go to a few of the North lands in Europe and ask around. Maybe someone will know a guy with a hammer, that can point you in the right direction. Just remember if you are going, Thor’s hammer is not big, because it broke when they were making it. If a guy comes up to you and says that he knows where Thor’s Hammer is and that thing is a large hammer, then you know he is wrong! See, because you want the truth when you investigate something, not just any hammer.” Tom stood there as Sam was having her fun. “You can then go and find Excalibur too.” She spoke in a British accent. “The legendary sword of the great King Arthur, King of the Brits, one of the bravest men who ever lived, and” She switched back into her normal voice. “A complete lie! My advice when you are going after the sword of the king that didn’t exist is to make sure you find the right one. There are two of those babies!” She motioned around as if she was swinging a sword. “On guard!” She stopped pretending to be a knight and continued. “One is from the stone and the other is from the lady in the lake. So there is two Ex-Calibur’s, one fake king, and not single Tommy after the story. Too bad.” Tom sat down in his desk, as his co-worker continued, “While you are really at it, you should put on a fedora, get a whip, and go off and find some artifacts before the Nazis get to it. Just remember that the true Holy Grail is the meaning you find in it along the way. Or that you should hand on to the damn cup when the earth splits in time. Seriously that is basic archeology.”

A writing update can offer insight into the ups and downs of the creative process. In “Go with the Flow,” Greg Luti discusses his efforts to regain momentum after a period of illness and reflects on the value of adapting to circumstances while turning ideas into real projects. Getting Back Into the Flow I have been trying to get back into the flow of my writing since I kind of missed a few days there last week being sick. What is funny is that I was just talking to someone about flow and how you have to get into it when you are doing something. I normally call it the flow or rhythm of the day. Each situation has its own flow or way you have to go about handling it while also addressing there is something you are to do in that situation. I learned that it takes time for someone to get into the flow of whatever that place is. From the park, to retail, to school, or wherever, each place has a certain flow that you need to get used to, and once you do, you will find the experience will be better for you. I always try to get into this mindset when I do things, since it allows me to focus. How I Get Into the Flow The irony here is that I really don’t know how to get into the mindset. I literally just say to myself, “Get into the rhythm of the day. Get into the flow of things.” There are no quotes to remember, or stretching to do. I know that if I am in the situation long enough, I will naturally get into how things are in the situation and be able to handle it better. I know that the change of mindset is there, but I would be lying to you if I said I have a great solution for finding it. I just wait and that normally does it for me. Excited to Get Back to Writing I was unable to get into the flow of my writing as I was sick and I am excited to get back into it in the coming weeks. If you read me you know I am not a guy who waits around for things to happen. I am writing now. I am doing stuff now. I am a pretty active person in that regard. Not only am I happy to be healthier but I know that my energy will be back to where I want it to be so I can get stuff done. Adding More Perks to the Literary Club I am working on getting more perks for the membership of the literary club. Right now, I offer access to all the posts on the site. I think I want to add a monthly workbook for the club, something where I share a story I wrote, and a writing lesson involved with it. You can learn how I wrote whatever it is I wrote, and take a lesson from it as well. I also want to add a discount for any of you who want to get some editing services from me. I want to have something for the books, like a deal you guys can get for them, but that is not something I can do right now. Other Projects I’m Working On I would like to add more workbooks to the site, so that people can get a better idea of what I do as an editor. I will probably write up a few workbooks for anyone interested. Another thing I am working on is a survey on the site, or something visitors can fill out when they find the page. I like when sites have fun surveys to fill out, so I would like to bring up something like that to my site. Being an Ideas Guy As my assistant said, I am really an ideas guy. I don’t normally view myself in that fashion, but I guess that is what I am. I learned that ideas without implementation are nothing more than dreams, and if the idea takes up more time in your head then time being created, it is no longer a dream, but a wasteful fantasy. Don’t Underestimate Small Ideas That is all I really have for now. I will end this with something you can take with you. Don’t underestimate the creation of a minor idea. That idea may not be much at first, but over time, if given time to develop it can become something else entirely, something very useful for you. Every tree was a seed at one point. If you were to look at the seed without knowing about its eventual growth, you would think nothing of it. Don’t be afraid of creating things that at the time only show slight improvement for the environment. One day that seed will become a tree, but it can’t ever become one if you never plant the damn thing.

A writing and editing advice post that draws on wisdom from an unexpected source. In “John Lennon’s Advice on Writing,” Greg Luti explores the idea of finishing creative work during the initial burst of inspiration instead of delaying it in pursuit of perfection. John Lennon’s Advice on Finishing Your Work There are times when a person’s advice can stay with you longer than it should. The words they say are so damn profound you hang on to them, like an old photo. I am not even sure if we mean to hang on to these statements, but they are with us anyway. One of the most useful pieces of advice I ever heard from an artist regarding their work is from the Beatles' John Lennon, and it showed the guy not only understood the music, but that there is a business side to all of this you can’t ignore. First, let’s get to the advice. He basically said that you should try your best to finish whatever you started. When he started writing a song, he tried his best to record it all in that one sitting. Now, did he do this for all of his work? No, of course not. Nobody can do that. But the idea behind it is why I think you should try to replicate that approach with your own art. The Creative State When Inspiration Hits There is something about how you are thinking, or your mentality when you first come up with an idea or a story, that is different than when you are editing it. Your mind literally is functioning in a different way than it will later on. In that moment, you should milk all the creative juices you have, because, let’s face it, you might not have them later on. I think the reason for this mentality is that our brains respond differently to the newness of inspiration. You are naturally going to think differently for that brief of time, because there is a story, or a song, or a poem, or whatever, that you just came up with, and you are responding to your own inspiration. Not only are you inspired, but you are responding to being inspired. Think of it like an athlete who is all overcome with adrenaline and just playing out of their mind. They are not really reacting as they normally would, nor do they want to, because that would get in the way of their adrenaline. I think something happens to artists when they first have inspiration for their art. When that happens, capture that feeling, because you may not have it again. Why Finishing Right Away Helps You Improve I also support this way of thinking about your art, because it forces you to improve at it right then and there. You are in the lab putting together your stuff. You are not planning out the story, or thinking about the outline, or pretending to write. No, you are there, actively trying to use your own ability as an artist, with the sudden burst of inspiration you got. The only way to get better at that is by doing it. There are no motivation posts or cliched quotes you can read that are better than the first-hand experience. Life Can Change — Capture It While You Can Another reason I like this way of handling your work is that you just don’t know where you will be tomorrow. I don’t want to be a downer here, but your life may change drastically (perhaps even in a good way), and that story, that inspiration, is all gone. You no longer feel that way, so the art will not be as authentic as it would be if you were to write it down, or as much of it as you can down, right away. My Own Experience with Lost Inspiration I have an example of this for myself. I wrote a YA novel when I was just out of college. It is about a punk kid, basically being a wiseass to everyone he meets. He hates people and then learns something at the end. I wrote it at a time when I hated the school system, and I had an edge or a roughness that I just didn’t like people, for no other reason than that is how I was. Now, I can’t write that story because I don’t have that fire or cold streak of sarcasm in me. I grew up. I am sure I can put on the writer’s hat, as John Lennon did with his music, and write a book with the character again, but the original emotion would be gone, so much so that I am not sure if the character would even be the same as when I started with him. You can always go back and edit, but you can’t always go back and capture the way you felt about a moment or event. Your Art Is Also a Product The last reason I appreciate the advice by Lennon is that it addresses something that is not talked about enough, I feel. Your art is a product. It is to be consumed by people. You don’t have all day here. There is a time limit, and that deadline needs to be met. If you think that you are going to go about this life and make art as you please and never worry about bills or the actual business side of the field, then you should not consider yourself a professional. I am all for writing for the love of it, as I have given you the advice to write to improve your natural word flow before, but that doesn’t mean you are to completely ignore the sales side of things. You gotta release this art to the world eventually. It won’t be perfect. Don’t expect it to be. If John Lennon can release a song that he feels he underperformed on, and wasn’t his best work, then I am sure the world can live with your art being released before you are ready. The Bottom Line So let’s wrap things up: Do your best to finish your art when you start it, for inspiration is fleeting and it may not come back to you again. By doing this, you are also forcing yourself to produce something then and there, which can only help you improve as an artist. You should know that life can get in the way, too, so this moment of inspiration may be more of an opportunity than you think. And don’t forget that your art is a product at the end of the day, and you should not sit on it forever. Heck, if this approach was good enough for John Lennon, then I think it will be fine for you, too.