Writer's Digest Columnist/Editor ~ Brian Klems

Brian Klems is the online managing editor of Writer’s Digest and editor of WD’s weekly newsletter. His advice column, “Questions & Quandaries,” has been a WD fixture for more than four years. Brian has also served as the executive editor of Writer’s Digest’s Scriptwriting Basics, Spiritual Writing, Yearbook and Yearbook Extra. He received his B.S. in Journalism from the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University, and has held editorial positions with Sporting Goods Business and Health & Fitness Business in New York City, and Supply House Times magazine in Chicago. He joined WD in the fall of 2003.

Check out Brian’s blog for the WD “Questions and Quandaries" In his free time, he writes a humorous blog-The Life of Dad about his new-found life as a father.

So Brian, you don’t sport silver hair (hard-earned wisdom) and a pinkie ring (power), so how exactly did you land this gig at Writer's Digest? In other words, share a bit of your story.

I'd like to say they recognized my brilliance and scouted me out, but really it was one of those good-timing situations. I'd been working on a plumbing trade magazine in Chicago when a good friend of mine who worked for Writer's Digest mentioned to me that she was leaving. She suggested I apply. Three weeks later I was sitting in a WD editor's chair.

When you converse with someone, or read, do you find yourself gathering more grammar atrocities for your column? Can you even read for pleasure anymore? What kind of books suck you in and make you forget you’re an editor?

Honestly, I don't catch the missteps in speech nearly as much as I do on paper—which is probably a good thing. Most of my grammar questions really do come from our readers and I try to help out as many as I can. If I find a common theme, I'll make sure I answer it.
I can read for pleasure, though small errors can ruin it for me. It's kind of like watching a movie in a theater where someone occasionally stands up and starts screaming. The movie may have been good, though I was too distracted to notice.
As far as books that suck me in, I love humor. I'll read (and worship) anything by Dave Barry, and I loved Steve Almond's Candyfreak. Also, I'm a fan of Chuck Klosterman's books (particularly Sex, Drugs and Cocoa Puffs) and his columns in Spin. There are others whom I read regularly and deserve a mention (Bill Simmons on ESPN.com, Whitney Matheson of USA Today's Pop Candy blog). And, of course, my favorite bloggers at Writer's Digest, especially Maria Schneider's "The Writer's Perspective." (Wonder if that'll get me a raise?)

Is there an upcoming author you are really excited about?

I don't know if you'd call him an up-and-coming author because he's been around for a few years, but Joe Meno is great. I loved Hairstyles of the Damned and How the Hula Girl Sings. Still waiting to get my hands on The Boy Detective Fails.

What is your number one pet peeve regarding word usage?

People who write "supposibly." And you'd be surprised how often it happens. Also, people who spell my last name with a "C." I've been dealing with it for years and it's still as irritating as ever. If you're going to misspell it, at least be original and include a "q" or a "7."

Okay. Give us the low-down on colons, semi-colons, hyphens, em-dashes, commas and ellipses. Is there one or two hard and fast rules that can help us all embrace proper punctuation?

I don't really have any hard or fast rules on these things (though maybe I should think about that for the column). The basic principle to remember is that all punctuation was created for a defined reason. Make sure you learn that reason before inserting em-dashes or ellipses where they don't belong.

What are your favorite writing how-to books?

The Writer's Digest Grammar Desk Reference is great (and the book division will probably give me a hug for mentioning it). It honestly is a great resource that's worth a look. If you'd prefer to buy something where its publisher isn't signing my paycheck, I recommend The Elements of Style by Strunk and White. I own both. If you have the cash, you should too.

Novel Journey was nominated for a place in the top 100 writing websites…what can the Novel Journey gurus do to grab a slot next year?

Keep up the great work—and make sure someone nominates it. That's the number one reason a site doesn't make it; no one nominates it. Also, be sure to keep it fresh. Often sites fall off the list because they haven't offered anything new in the past year or two.

If a writer wanted to make a great online showing…what’s a must-do?

Be professional. Remember, your website and blog are a representation of you as a writer. This is more of a prelude to my answer in the next question, which is chock full of can't-miss advice!

Is there a trend or online ugly that we should avoid, avoid, avoid? What is it?

The online trend is to write more loosely than in print. While it's definitely OK to write your blog or online column in a more casual tone, don't forget that grammar rules still exist. If you want to be taken seriously by an agent or publisher, you'll want your copy to be clean.

Most freelancers/novelists have limited funds. Are there any free blog and/or website hosts you’d recommend?

There are plenty of free blog hosts (LiveJournal, WordPress, MySpace), but the one I'm most familiar and comfortable with is Blogger. I've been using it since 2002 and have had only great experiences (You can see my Blogger blog at TheLifeOfDad.com). It's quick to set up, has plenty of options and is so easy to use that I'm pretty sure my 3-month-old daughter could do it.

Best place to invest money when building a web presence?

Realistically, you don't have to spend much money these days to have a successful Web presence. With the free blogging options available, you can have a presence for practically nothing. I do recommend purchasing your own domain (www.yourname.com) and also the name of your book (if you have one). These don't cost much, usually no more than $10 a year. Then keep your site fairly simple and user-friendly.

As an editor, you’ve had to do your share of ripping through articles and maybe ripping out some hair. Give us some huge signs of amateurishness (is that a word? If not, it is now, you saw it first on Novel Journey, folks!).

I hate the word amateur because most of us have been writing since we were about 6 years old, so I call people who obviously don't have much publishing experience "green." The easiest way to spot a green writer is that he always offers to write first-person narratives. On a magazine like Writer's Digest, we're looking for content-driven pieces based on information and resources. Personal experience can come into play, though they are few and far between.

Has anyone ever handed you a manuscript at a really inappropriate time? What is your favorite worst writer story?

While I haven't necessarily been handed a manuscript at an odd time, I have been pulled aside at conferences and "pitched." I truly enjoy writers' enthusiasm for their work, but it's important to know the environment. I don't think people realize that I have no pull on what gets published and what doesn't—agents handled that. I do receive manuscripts in the mail, but again it's a misunderstanding of what I do. If you're looking for a free manuscript critique, find a peer-to-peer forum or join a writing group. If you want a professional critique, it's likely going to cost you. Sending the manuscript my way is really just a waste of your money. A well-researched writer would already know that.
As for horror stories, I'd rather not share them for fear that the writers would recognize themselves. I already get enough unsolicited spam.

What are you currently working on? What can we expect to see from Brian Klems in or out of Writer's Digest?

You'll see plenty of me on my blog, e-newsletter and WD forum. As far as features go, I don't have many lined up in the near future. These days I spend most of my time editing, updating material on our website and getting our editor her morning coffee. OK, that was a joke. Maria would never drink coffee, only lattes. :-)

Is there anyone you’d like to sic or sick (ooh which word am I going for here, Brian?) us on for a future Novel Journey interview? If so, give us a hint with which to begin the stalking.

Oprah. And if you land her, please give her my number.