How to Start a Law Firm | Where I Get My Help

I'm going to cover several topics here again today, so I thought I'd give you a little preview here in the first paragraph before diving in. First, I'm going to talk about where I get my help from. Second, I'm going to answer a reader question about data backup and storage. And finally, I'm going to talk about what to do if clients won't pay (another reader question). So, here we go!

Where I Get My Help From

It may seem like I've got my stuff together, like I've got all the answers, but the truth is, I still have a lot of questions about running a law firm as a business and how to continue to take what I'm doing to the next level. Granted, I've had time to think about and answer many of the questions you all have had, but you'll notice as your practice continues to grow and with it your understanding of business, that your questions become more nuanced and complicated.

If you've read my past posts, you know that when I started out I had someone there to help me answer a lot of these early entry questions and give me some materials to help me start out. His name is RJon Robins and he runs a program called, surprisingly, how to start a law firm. When I started out I bought his program and it was worth every penny.

I was talking to him the other day (we talk about once a month) and I was telling him about how much fun I was having helping all of you. He then asked a very obvious question, "are you telling them to come and check out all of the free material I have" and I sadly had to say no. So I'm doing that again today. You should go and check out his material. There is a lot of free stuff out there and some paid stuff too. I've also put a link on the sidebar to one of his free publications, something that I think all of you should read.

Here's my disclaimer about this though. Remember in my post a few posts ago when I told you about taking down the adsense garbage that was up and pointing you toward things I thought could actually help? Well, I only have two things I'm going to recommend, and this is one of them.

In all fairness to you, though, if you end up buying anything from RJon I'm going to get a little bit of a cut from that. That's just the way the world works. But I wouldn't be recommending this product if I hadn't tried it myself (and I actually still use it). There's no obligation to seeing any of the free stuff, and I think you'll start to see the value he can provide you immediately, so go check it out.

If you hadn't read my previous posts about RJon you can see them here and here and here and here.

The other product I'd like you to know about I'll talk about next week.

Starting a Law Firm and Data Backup

I got a question about data backup and storage, and this is important so I thought I'd write a little bit about it. And actually, I'm going to write a very little bit about it. The same day I received this comment I saw a blog post from someone I follow that talked about the same product I used and did a great job of explaining it.

I use dropbox and that's it. Here's a great post about dropbox that tells you everything you need to know.

What to do with Clients that Won't Pay

I'm not sure if I talked about this much, but it's always worth talking about. So, here we go.

Before we get to what to do with clients that won't pay, what I'd suggest you do is try to set up a system where clients have no choice but to pay. If they don't make it past that initial hurdle, they don't even make it onto your client list. The system will be slightly different depending on what type of fee arrangement you have set up, so here's a brief overview of two.

If you charge flat fees (like I do) then it's important to do two things, first, agree upon a flat fee, and second, secure a method of payment to ensure that fee gets paid (if you are going to allow payments). What I do is typically ask for about a fourth of the fee up front and then set up a payment plan where the payment method has already been provided to me (post dated checks or a credit card number). I haven't had any problems with this way yet, though I know if people want to weasel out they can. If you don't have to track people down for payment then it's typically much easier to get paid as agreed.

If you charge by the hour, I would suggest getting enough up front to cover at least the first portion of the case (investigation and demand letter, filing of complaint, etc.). Then, in the fee agreement, you have a clause in there that when the retainer amount gets at or below "x" they've got to re-up to keep the representation going.

Now, here's the key to making both of these work, which answers the question "what do I do if clients aren't paying?" - if they don't pay you don't work. Simple as that. A check bounces or they fail to re-up their retainer, you simply write them a letter and tell them all work is suspended until they hold up their end of the fee agreement. Give them a week or so to comply, and if they don't you send them a letter letting them know the representation will be ended unless they get it in gear.

The key here is to have the guts to stop working if you aren't getting paid. For some reason that's a tough thing for lawyers to do (though it isn't tough for anyone in any other business), particularly when you are first starting out and maybe don't have a bunch of other work to fall back on. Just remember that just because you are busy doesn't mean you are running a successful law practice.

That's it. It's that simple.

Super Bowl Picks

I know you all are on the edge of your seat to get my Super Bowl picks. And if you aren't watching the Super Bowl in just about exactly two hours, then shame on you! Take some time off, at least watch the commercials, and have a beer or two. It won't kill you.

I'm a bit biased this year because my brother is a big Green Bay Packers fan, though I have no idea why since we grew up in Kansas and I'm pretty sure he's never even set foot in Wisconsin. So I think I've got to root for them, even though I probably would anyway. Put that team in a dome with turf and they are dangerous.

My score prediction, Packers 35, Steelers 24.

Have a great Super Bowl Sunday!! And, as always, if you've got questions, let me know.

Chic and Frugal Sewing

I have been sewing a long time, probably twenty-five to thirty years. In spite of that I am not very advanced. It’s because I’m relaxed and also possibly a little lazy. I like it that way.

I made more ambitious things when I was younger than I do now. As a teen watching movies like Pretty in Pink and Madonna’s one (with the lace singlet tops) I was inspired to make my own clothing and enjoyed wearing my creations out to the movies with friends. A few of us made our own clothing – we must have looked quite ‘creative’.

In my twenties I also made clothing but eventually drifted into dressing the home rather than dressing myself. The only problem with making your own clothing (when you’re as slow and exacting as I am) is that you can’t see what it looks like on. And if you don’t like it afterwards then tough luck.


My sister is the complete opposite, she started sewing when her youngest was born four years ago and is now such an accomplished seamstress she drafts her own patterns and sells online. I am happy to sit in the shade created by her capability and output and just continue on my own puttering way.

My chic and frugal sewing is what I use to make my house a home and create handmade memories along the way. I have recovered cushions, made simple patchwork cushion covers (like the ones above, and top), and even tried my hand at curtains. Curtains aren’t as easy as they look, even if they are all straight lines.


My recovered ironing board, above. Below, tablecloth made from a remnant of fabric, hemmed around the edges.


I made a duvet cover once from a sheet set I liked and (it was the nineties) it had ties all along the end. It already had ready-made pillowcases with it. It’s an easy way to get a duvet cover you like, although I would use buttons or domes rather than the ties these days. Imagine buying two sets of white sheets and using one of them to make a duvet cover. What a cloud-like sanctuary the bed would be then!

Every so often when I pass an upholstery or furniture store and notice piles of remnants and samples I take a look. I have found gorgeous, expensive English furnishing fabrics at a fraction of their original cost. These offcuts make great tablecloths, cushion covers, napkins (if thinner), placemats and pot-holders at a tiny price. They look very luxe (because they are) and make everything else around them look fancier.

Below, a table runner made from a piece of fine corduroy. I used the fringe-y selvedges to finish the pointed ends.


It’s funny how if you choose the offcuts that really appeal to you, no matter if you think they aren’t your colours or are too ‘out there’, they all blend together to make your taste. And they do all go together.

Sewing is such a great skill to have. A sewing machine is a fabulous addition to any home and they aren’t that expensive – you can buy them second-hand and have serviced (get a simple one that is mechanical rather than electronic – there’s less to go wrong). But even if you don’t have a sewing machine a basic sewing kit will help you sew on buttons, take up a hem and make minor adjustments to clothing.

Cushion covers below were made with the same $10 offcut I used for the ironing board cover.


Something like a t-shirt neckline you don’t like can be altered by hand-sewing a couple of inches of running stitch from the centre front down into the shirt. Pucker this up (or should I say gather) and you will have created a new look. I also did this with a singlet top where I felt the strap tops were too wide (it looked quite dowdy). I gathered along the shoulder seam on each side and it looked a lot prettier.

Recently a friend of my mother’s gave me two summer skirts. They were mid-calf length and a-line. I shortened them to just on the knee and now I have two new skirts. I have also finally discovered a skirt style that I like on me.

Do you make home items yourself, or reshape clothing you have bought or been given?

Storyboarding--Using the W Storyboard Structure to Chart Stronger Conflict in Your Book

With the help of one of my students and the Loft Literary Center in Minneapolis, I created the video below.  Watch it to learn how to use the W storyboard structure to create a strong emotional arc in your book, via stronger conflict.

Enjoy!

Interested in learning more?  I'll be teaching storyboarding in two-day workshops this spring:


Saturday/Sunday, April 9-10, at Southern New Hampshire University, sponsored by NH Writers' Project.  For more details visit www.nhwritersproject.org.

Friday/Saturday, May 6-7, at the Loft Literary Center, Minneapolis, www.loft.org or call 612-379-8999 for details.

How to Start a Law Firm | That's What Pros Do

Starting a successful law firm and running a successful law firm takes a lot of work and a lot of effort. There are a ton of things to do that you won't even have thought about as you get to work. But, if you are in determined to be successful, you'll get everything done that needs to get done and everything done that you want to get done. I saw a blog post today that reminded me of that and I wanted to share.

The author of the blog is a guy named Jonathan Fields. It's an entrepreneurship blog more than anything else. He's not a lawyer (though I think he maybe was in a former life). Now he just talks about what has to be done to be successful in work and in life. I highly recommend you read it.

The post I read today is titled "That's What Pros Do." The post begins with a rundown of what he did last month. Here's what he wrote:

1. Published 17 blog posts

2. Organized, promoted and conducted four conference calls

3. Processed more than 6,000 emails

4. Updated my Facebook status dozens of times

5. Tweeted hundreds of times

6. Read hundreds of posts, articles, and a few books

7. Had 14 skype/phone meetings and interviews

8. Attended 5 face-to-face meetings and events

9. Meditated, moved my body and played guitar every day

10. Ate breakfast and dinner with my family nearly every day

11. Wrote 25,000 words and completed the manuscript for my next book

That's a lot of stuff. But that's what it takes if you want to be successful at what you do. It's probably a bit cliche, but you get out what you put in. Nobody gives you anything for free. Put in a little sweat equity, though, and the returns can be limitless.

Here's how Jonathan answered the question "How do you get so much done?"

Because that's what pros do.

There's no magic to it.

There's nothing superhuman or even exceptional about it.

Being prolific is how I earn my living.

Being ubiquitous is how I earn my living.

Building relationships, online and offline, is how I earn my living.

Helping people with whatever time I have is how I earn my living.

Listening and devouring knowledge is how I earn my living.

Solving problems and adding value is how I earn my living.

I get so much done BECAUSE IT'S MY JOB and I LOVE IT!

Tools, strategies, tactics, apps and vehicles are all great.

But, it starts with being willing to hunker down.

Day in, day out, regardless of the weather.

Show up. Dig in. Own the work.

Because that's what pros do.

I loved this post because I think it really speaks to what it takes to be successful at anything you're going to do in life, even starting a law firm. And, by the way, if you think you make your living by applying the law to a set of facts, no matter what area of law you practice, you're destined for failure. What you and I do is in many ways exactly what Jonathan does.

We are constantly producing.

We are building long lasting relationships.

We are helping people with whatever time we have.

We are listening and devouring knowledge on a daily basis.

We are solving problems and adding value to our clients.

When you own your own law firm you aren't just another cog in a wheel. You aren't even the manufacturer of a "well oiled machine." In today's day and age you are the inventor of the machine. You are creating something from nothing in whatever way you see fit.

That takes a lot of work. It takes a lot of time. But that's what pros do.

Starting a Law Firm Mailbag

I know this isn't the usual Wednesday/Friday installment your used to, but I got a little behind. To make it up to you, this is going to be a super post - I don't know how many words it's going to end up being, but it's going to be big. Hope you're ready for it.

The theme of this post is a mailbag. Don't know if any of you are into sports, but if you are, then I'd hope you'd know about Bill Simmons. He's one of the best sports columnists I've ever read. He incorporates politics, pop culture, and even his own family when he writes. I'm not nearly as talented so I probably won't do any of that, but I will treat this post as a mailbag of sorts - reader questions and comments. So, here we go.

How to Start a Law Firm in a Different City

Ah, a question true to my own heart. This is what I did. Moved about 1,800 miles or so to open my own firm. And though I knew a couple people (literally) I didn't have any ties to the city through school or youth or anything. I was starting with a clean slate.

Here's what I did. First, I decided what I wanted to do - settled on eminent domain and criminal defense. Second, I thought about how I'd get clients in those two practice areas (turns out eminent domain is something you can get a lot of referrals to - not many people do it; and criminal defense is consumer driven). Third, I started putting together my systems for getting clients according to how I'd determined to get clients (eminent domain - meet attorneys in the biz and let them know I was around; criminal defense - internet marketing).

That's what you should do. It's just that easy!

Update on the Book

I've people ask me about this, so I'll just tell you. Yes, I'm going to write it. Yes, it's going to be good. But to be good takes a little bit of planning. If you want to tell me what you'd like to see in the book let me know.

What I'm thinking about right now is a starting a law firm with a slant for the twenty-first century. I've got Foonberg's book, How to Start and Grow a Law Practice (or something like that) and no offense to Foonberg, but three-quarters of it is crap. Not crap like bad writing crap - it's just outdated. And who publishes a book anymore anyway? This is going to be an ebook. From the top of my head, this is what it would look like:

1. Should I Start a Law Firm? Common Hurdles.

2. The Business Plan - Essentials to Starting Off on the Right Foot.

3. The Groundwork - Your Marketing Plan.

4. The Foundation - Executing Your Marketing Plan (or SEO 101).

5. The Nuts and Bolts - Phones, Office, Paperless.

6. Opening Day - 5 Things You Must Have.

7. Oh My God the Phone is Ringing, What do I do?

8. First Year Expectations.

9. Second Year Goal Setting.

10. Hiring Employees - When's the Right Time?

And then a couple of bonus chapters.

11. So You Want to Play Golf Every Day? Making Your Law Firm Work for You.

12. 10 Things You can do to Make Your Law Firm Attractive to a Buyer.

I literally just made those up, so don't ask me any questions about what's going to be in them - I don't yet. Except that I'd imagine it will be a lot of the information that's already here. Stay tuned. I plan on getting to work on this in the next couple of weeks (so maybe a summer release?).

Adsense and Me

When I noticed that people were actually reading this, the internet marketer in me couldn't resist, and I put some adsense ads up here. Every time I actually look at the site the ads I see are pretty ridiculous. I can only imagine what you see. Law firms with bad marketing companies, random stuff, and occasionally a product about starting a law firm.

I've finally come to realize you are much more important than that. I don't really know many of you, but I know where you are and I hope you join me in the future. Because of that, I'm only going to put products up here that I'd actually recommend you use (and that will be happening shortly, because I've got some stuff I recommend.

Now, some of the stuff I'll get paid for if you buy it. That's just the way the world works. But I promise I'll always let you know if there's an agreement with me and the person on the other end of the link. And I'll let you know exactly why I endorse the product and whether or not I've actually used it. If you want to know more about something just comment - I'll respond and that way everyone can know exactly what's going on. Fair?

Update on My Plan for Multiple Sites

I got an email (or a comment, I can't remember) about the status of my plan to roll out websites for all of the cities surrounding my major metropolitan area. So, here's the update.

I should have done this sooner since I made a radical change here. I actually scrapped that plan. It was going to be way too much work for way too little a return. And, I was overlooking a major asset that I'd created that could do the work of all of those little sites by itself - my DUI website.

I don't know if I've told any of you this, but my website ranks nationally for DUI searches. Yep, if you are in Boston right now, or Minnesota, or Iowa, and you search DUI attorney, there's a pretty good chance my site's going to pop up on the first page (and I'll guarantee you it's on the first two pages). Yep, I know, you can find out who I am if you want (I guess the like button on the sidebar isn't enough - I'm an idiot!!). I'll give you a hint. Mine is the only site that isn't anywhere near any of those locations.

Because this site is so strong, all I have to do is have the other cities listed on the site, throw some links to my site with those keywords, and I'll immediately start getting picked up in those cities. Pretty crazy, right? So that's the new plan. I'm tackling one city at a time (the links will continue to grow and gain more power over time, so when I get to spot one for a city it should stick for a while).

I just realized it's probably important to update stuff from time to time. Why don't we do a quarterly review of my goals and where I'm at? Book it.

The Job Market and New Attorneys

This is a bit of a sticky situation. I don't really want to tell you what I think about this because anything I say will be completely anecdotal and based on what I think the future of law practice is. But I think it goes without saying the market is tight (and that might be the understatement of the night).

There are really two things I guess I want to say to new attorneys out there that are thinking about opening a law firm right out of law school (three - the third being it can be done and you can be extremely successful). But they each deserve their own paragraph.

First, if you're going to do it you've got to commit. What I mean by that is I know there are people out there that don't really want to do this. They can't find a job, they are freaking out, bills are piling up, and opening a law firm starts to look like a pretty good option. And maybe it is a good option for you. But you decide you are going to open your own shop you've got to commit to yourself that you are going to whatever it takes to be successful.

Thing is, I know that some of you don't have it in you. Yeah, I know, that hurts. But it's true. We weren't all born to be bosses, to be self-starters. Some of us enjoy the security that comes with working for someone else. If you're that someone, just keep looking for a job. You'll find something (the first one is always the hardest to get). Just hide the desperation when you interview - they can smell it (that's a joke, sort of, they know you're all desperate!).

Second, now that you've committed you've got to come to grips with something - you are going to be freaked out for at least a couple of years. You are going to be afraid of several things. First, you're going to be afraid that you are going to mess someone's case up beyond all recognition and you're going to go down in flames. And, I don't mean to make you more afraid, but that's a legitimate fear.

You're also going to be afraid that you are going to go broke, fail as an attorney and a business attorney, and wind up flipping burgers at McDonald's (and there's nothing wrong with this, it's just going to feel like a step down). And again, that's a legitimate fear. I can promise you there are a lot of attorneys out there that opened their own shop years ago and they are just getting by. And that could be you.

Fired up yet to hang your own shingle?! :)

But here's the great thing about fear. Channeled the right way, it can pay huge dividends. Let's take the fear of messing up someone's case. The easiest way to mess up is to try to do something you don't know how to do. So, let that fear push you into learning the areas you want to practice in (that's also why it's important to pick one or two and go with them). Since the day I've opened I've done two kinds of cases - criminal and eminent domain. If anyone ever calls me about something else, I send them to someone that knows that area of law.

To learn the ropes, there are several things you can do. First, if you are still in law school, go volunteer at someone's firm. Yep, I said volunteer. It's got to be volunteer work for one specific reason - you are there less to do work and more to learn. While you will be doing the legal research and stuff that's required, you'll also negotiate an hour a week to just talk about the practice - learn the ins and outs that aren't in the statutes and cases. And, whenever there's something going on (client meeting, strategy session, court) you get to be there. You don't get to talk, but you get to be there.

And, I think it goes without saying, pick up all the practice guides you can get.

Second, and finally on this topic, the fear of the business failing. First, you're going to be less afraid of this (at least at times) because you are going to have a plan and you are going to execute it. You are going to acknowledge early that free work is not the kind of work you want to do and instead of caving to that person that "can't afford" your fee, you are going to market the shit out of your practice. You are going to do things you think might work but are cheap and get your name out there (see my old posts about the flea market and fraternity presentations). Bottom line, you're going to hustle and get some work.

When you start to think about the money you are going to make in the first six months, just automatically cut it in half. It's going to be slow at the beginning. Accept that. Don't let that fear make you act irrationally. Allow it to push you to work harder.

Okay, the Last Thing for All New Graduates Out There

Law school is good for a couple of things. It's great for keeping old law professors feeling great about themselves, and it's great for creating some of the most pessimistic people out there. From day one we are taught to do pretty much one thing - fix problems or foresee potential problems. Over three years of law school you see a lot of big problems and diagnose a lot of potential problems.

That's what lawyers do, so it's an important part of your education. But it's not always great for the business side of owning a law firm.

By the way, here comes the motivational portion of this post, so prepare yourself for it.

If you want to be successful at this, you're going to have to stop worst case scenarioing everything. Yes, I said scenarioing - it's a word I just made up. Do you know what I mean by that?

For example, it's easy to think about the phone not ringing, you going bankrupt, and living in a van down by the river for the rest of your life. That certainly wouldn't be a fun experience. It's easy to think about messing up someone's case. It's easy to think about all of the reasons your marketing plan won't work. It's easy to think about all of the ways that this thing could fail. But at some point you're going to have to take the leap and dive in head first.

This can be done. It isn't easy. There are a million reasons and ways you could fail. But if you're successful you'll likely have made the best decision of your life. And if it doesn't work out, you'll be a better person and a better lawyer for it.

You can control your own future. You can practice the kind of law that you want to practice. You can practice law the way you want to. And, at the end of the day you get to put all the money you make from your hard work in your pocket.

If you've made it here, congratulations. Let me know what you think about what I've said. Comments are always welcome.

On Contentment

Be mindful of what you read. I often feel dissatisfied with my own life when I read glossy magazines, ‘show-off’ blogs and peruse luxury brand websites.

And it’s not their fault, the magazines are just trying to make money by showing glamorous people and promoting purchasing, as are luxury websites.

When I choose to read mostly that which aligns with my values and the direction in which I want to steer my life I feel so happy and content that I can’t imagine wanting more.

What inspires and motivates us is different for everyone, but for me I find that words rather than pictures give me a sense of what I can do. I enjoy beautiful visuals, but they often leave me thinking ‘I’m not that thin so the outfit won’t look like that’ or ‘we don’t live in a home with antique wooden doors and a picturesque set of French doors leading to the balcony’. Beautiful to look at, not so good for being content.

Words on the other hand, conjure up ideas in my head. And then when those ideas come to fruition, whether it’s a makeup style, outfit or way to arrange the living room, I’m not comparing it to someone else’s perfectly styled ideal.

For many years, since I first started clicking onto the internet I’ve collected snippets which have been pasted into various word documents. Sometimes it might be a whole article, maybe a paragraph or even a single sentence. Out of everything I have to read when at home (many favourite books and magazines), I think these printed-out ‘personalised books’ (housed in clearfiles) are my number one.

When I read them, I am reminded of my happiness with a simple life.

How to Work with the Four Levels of Transition in a Book: Smoothing the Reader's Ride

Successful transitions allow a reader to move through your book, from beginning to end, without getting frustrated or bored.  Or taking two steps back to reread something that wasn't clear.  But transitions are the last thing we think about when we're creating our books.  It's only when we read the manuscript at draft that we discover awkwardness, sections that jump around, or are too fast or slow.

How does a writer craft good transitions?
How do we bridge  from then and elsewhere, to here and now, manipulating the move from past to present?

Because these little bridges connect one idea and the next in a way that a reader can follow without any stumbles, I wanted to spend this week's discussion on the four levels of transitions.  The goal is to make it easy on the reader, always.  It's a horrible thought that a reader would grow bored and frustrated with your writing, enough to put it down.

Carefully considered transitions avoid any confusion.

The Four Levels of Transitions
In most books, transitions exist on four levels.  We need to honor the sequence of how we approach them, as we're planning, writing, and developing our books.

The first and most important level of transitions is addressed during the planning stage of a book--when you are writing the "islands" or scenes, then storyboarding them into a logical sequence for a reader.  If you don't create strong transitions between the large elements in your story, such as how someone gets from here to there, the reader will probably put down the book.  People like being intrigued.  But they hate being confused.

So how are you structuring your overall movement of your book's plot/theory/idea/journey?  How will your journey move from the opening chapter's quest or question to the ending chapter's resolution or next step?

If you're at this stage, pre-first draft, and you'd like more information on how to manage it, go to the Search box at the top right corner of this page and type in "storyboard."  You'll get a lot of past posts where I discuss the structuring process, the big picture, and its necessary transitions. 

Level Two:  Chapters
The second level of transitions in a book is the smaller movement that takes place between one chapter's ending and the next chapter's beginning.  I loved the insights I gained on this during my M.F.A. program.  One of my advisers asked me if I wanted to finish each chapter with a sense of closure or did I want the reader to keep reading into the next chapter, unable to put my book down.  Well, that was a no brainer.  Of course I wanted a page turner.  She suggested, then, that I break my habit of closure.  Don't wind up everything at the end of a chapter.  Leave a hook, an unfinished situation, a new dilemma.

Being a 12-year veteran of writing weekly newspaper columns, this was kinda hard for me.  So I did it very slowly, like untangling a skein of yarn.  I worked through my manuscript and untied the beautiful knots I'd created.  And, lo and behold, it made a huge difference.

I still have the emails and letters from readers:  "I stayed up all night reading your book."   

Level Three:  Paragraphs
So you've got your chapters flowing pretty nicely.  The overall book is working.  Then comes the moment when you get a nudge to look at the smaller parts within each chapter.  Are they even connected?  As one reader from Minnesota wrote me recently:  "I have been making a steady progress with my memoir, and realizing now that I am in desperate need of good paragraph transitions."

Well-crafted paragraph transitions create a seamless ride.  Simply, you look at the last sentence of the paragraph and the first sentence of the following one and ask yourself, What image carries?  If there is no strong transition, create a carrying-through of image.  As easy as inserting one or two words to make it smooth, as in the example below ("But summer passed" and "still" make the transition):

End of paragraph 1:  "John knew he'd have to make some changes by the end of the summer."
Beginning of paragraph 2:  "But summer passed, and he was still standing behind the cash register at the hardware store."

This transition works on a fairly obvious, outer level--marking time passing.  Not only that but this transition repeats the word summer.  So it creates a bridge for the reader on two levels, both very accessible.  I like making these kinds of edits in my writing when I am first working on the paragraph transitions.  I look at each paragraph in a chapter, especially one where a lot happens or we move around in time and space, and I insert this kind of obvious transition.  Then, after I feel the movement is quite easy to follow, I'll go back and remove some.  Make things more subtext, less obvious.

Level Four:  Language
The final arena of transitions in a book relies on image, or language.  This is the most subtle work a writer does, but often the most fun too.

Your images create a immense undercurrent in your book.  They aren't something to play with too much early on, but later, at revision, you can develop them to weave more closely with your book's "inner story," or meaning.  They are subtext, the undercurrent that we sense rather than the outer river we see.

I revel in these when I read literature where the writer has paid close attention to language transitions.  Recently I finished Colum McCann's Let the Great World Spin, and the image of the tightrope-walker threads through all the lives of the characters, but not just outwardly as they marvel at his feat.  Also, inwardly, because each of these people is walking an intense tightrope in their own lives.

Study this in your favorite books.  Note how the writer weaves a recurring image, or how the language feels like a unified painting no matter where we are in the story.  Because this level of transition work only happens when there is coherence in the type of language, or voice, or style of writing chosen for the book as a whole.  You must be using a similar voice (type of words--academic, playful, lyrical?) throughout to be able to use this subtler level of transitions and be successful.  The reader can follow you if the language carries it.


How does a writer work with this in her own book?  First, locate one strong image that could recur in many forms.  A bowl of oranges in the center of a kitchen table on the day of a funeral, for instance.  Maybe time passes, and the image repeats as the orange of a sari at a secret meeting.  What images repeat in your writing, that you could play with?   

This Week's Writing Exercise1.  Print out a chapter or a section and read it out loud, loud enough to be able to hear your own voice reading the words.  This is key; it brings a level of detachment that moves you from the writer's to the reader's viewpoint.

2.  With a yellow highlighter, mark any place where the transitions feel awkward.

3.  Ask yourself at what level the transition needs work:  on the larger structuring level?  on the chapter to chapter transition?  on the paragraph or word level?

4.  See what you can do to smooth out the bumpy ride.