The Writers Network Newsletter, August 20, 2006 http://ezezine.com
August 20, 2006
The Writers Network News
No Rules; Just Write!
Editor: Bobbie Christmas
Newsletter Sponsor
Zebra Communications: We help you write in style, so you increase your
chances of success. We write, edit, and evaluate fiction and nonfiction
manuscripts, book proposals, query letters, synopses, and articles.
Zebra Communications
230 Deerchase Drive, Suite B
Woodstock, GA 30188
770/924-0528
http://zebraeditor.com/
----------------------------------------------
Look! Next Roswell meeting date: Friday, September 1, 2006. Note the
early date!
No dues; no fees; no rules; just write!
See you at 12:00 noon at King Buffet.
If you happen to be in metro Atlanta on the first Friday of the month,
bring questions and business cards and network with us for an hour or
so.
We meet at King Buffet, 11060 Alpharetta Highway, Roswell, GA 30076.
The restaurant not only gives us a private meeting room, but it also
offers a buffet with a wide variety of food, primarily Asian. See more
detailed directions at the end of the e-zine. You are under no
obligation to eat if you attend the meeting, but if you do eat, you may
pay for your food and tip as you leave.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Welcome to this issue of The Writers Network News. I hope you love it,
forward it to your friends, and tell them to sign up. If you don't love
it, follow the simple instructions at the bottom to remove your address
from the mailing list.
In This Issue:
One: Kudos to Alice Hyche, Drew Stepek
Two: From the editor's desk--Someone profits by every loss
Three: Ask the Book Doctor--Where to go from here, and how not to get
bogged down
Four: Subjects of Interest to Writers
Five: Jobs, Contests, Grants, Agents and Markets
Six: Writing Assignment--Form a Relationship
Seven: Web Sites of Interest to Writers
Eight: Looking for Critique Circles
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To view past issues of The Writers Network News, go to:
http://home.ezezine.com/886_2/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Writer's quote of the day:
"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their
dreams." --Eleanor Roosevelt
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
One: Kudos to Alice Hyche, Drew Stepek
"I have written a new book of crochet baby fashions titled 'Cozy Baby'
for a publisher called Leisure Arts. The book will be on the shelves of
Michael's, Walmart, Hobby Lobby and many other stores throughout the
USA and Canada after publication in September 2007. I have already
received a sizeable advance. It is exciting to know that my mind and
fingers are still productive after age 80." --Alice Hyche
Eating disorders are a choice, not a disease, according to first-time
author Drew Stepek. Doing everything but providing the reader his
finger to purge, the seventeen-year bulimic claims to prove his theory
in his novel titled GODLESS. D, the primary character in GODLESS, is a
tormented soul. Underneath the torment, readers discover a secret so
horrific that D doesn't even remember it, until the day his father
makes known the root of D's suffering. To order:
http://tinyurl.com/kmutg
Congratulations to these folks. Your successes encourage others, so
please send in your accomplishments for our kudos section.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
Two: From the editor's desk--Someone profits by every loss
Dear Fellow Writers:
Always an optimist, my father used to quote Tussy and say,"'tis an ill
wind that blows nobody any good." The rest of the quote goes like this:
"Someone profits by every loss; someone is benefited by every
misfortune."
When my father said such things, I used to bristle. How could he say
that good would come from some of the tragedies I endured? Given enough
time, though, I often can look back and see how something good came
from even the worst losses I ever suffered.
Most recently, I lost a close friend, and I wondered what possible good
could come of Bruce's early death. To my surprise, something wonderful
happened. I looked outside my kitchen window one morning, and there sat
a parakeet. The bird let me approach, put my hand around it, and bring
it inside. I borrowed a cage and advertised for its rightful owner, but
no one claimed the bird. Within three days I had fallen in complete
love with that sweet parakeet with its bright blue body and cheerful
disposition. He made me laugh and sing and stay busy taking care of
him, so much so that I decided that my friend Bruce--who loved birds
and had several exotic birds himself--had sent me the bird to cheer me
up. I named the bird Bruce, and now Bruce's name is alive and used
every day, when I play with, talk to, feed, and enjoy my new parakeet.
Yes, of course I wrote up the story, and I'm sure I'll be able to sell
it to some inspirational publication, another way I'll profit. I know,
though, that someone else lost this bird, and I hope that person is
handling the loss well, for I have profited by that person's loss. I
wish I could have found the owner, but something in me says the bird
simply is supposed to be with me. Bruce sent him to me, and so it is. I
hope all your losses carry with them some surprise benefits too.
Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Let me hear from you when
you have questions, kudos, markets or any other information to share
with your writers network.
If someone forwarded this newsletter to you, please sign up to get your
own copy. Simply go to my Website, www.zebraeditor.com, and click on
"Free Newsletter." I never share your address or send out spam.
--Bobbie Christmas (Bobbie@zebraeditor.com or bzebra@aol.com )
Author of triple-award-winning Write In Style (Union Square Publishing,
an imprint of Cardoza Publishing), owner of Zebra Communications, and
director of The Writers Network
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
Three: Ask the Book Doctor--Where to go from here, and how not to get
bogged down
Q: I have some writings that I would like to be published. They are
short one-page and two-page essays (?) and I am not sure what steps I
need to take to become published. Honestly I'm not sure whether they
could be put together in a book or sent to a magazine. Could you
recommend someone who could give me some direction for free or low
cost? I am not sure where to start.
A: I would like to help, but it may be too early for me to help. At
this point you don't even know if you have written essays, apparently.
In all honesty, before you can find someone who will help you, you must
help yourself, and while doing so, you will almost definitely find
people who will help you for free.
My guess is that you have not taken any classes in creative writing, or
your teacher would have told you if your work was marketable and might
have steered you in the right direction toward specific magazines that
buy your type of writing. If you haven't taken any classes or gone to
writers conferences or joined a critique circle, your writing is
probably not up to the standard necessary to get published.
Because you have asked me, a person you haven't even met, I'm assuming
you have no support group around you, which says to me you have not yet
gotten any training in writing, or you would have built a foundation of
fellow writers to help you. In general we are helpful folks.
The submission process is long and detailed. It would take too much
time for me to explain it, because books have been written on it. Most
people don't have time to teach you all the information that fills a
book. If you do not want to take classes, join a critique circle; join
a writers organization; read books on how to write, edit, and submit
manuscripts; and apply the information to your work.
Writing is not as simple as some people think. Before you submit
anything, you must polish your work to be the best it can be through
many rewrites and edits. Accomplished writers met with success because
they spent many years honing their craft and learning how to write
better and better, until at last their work was good enough to interest
a publisher.
Q: How do you keep writing the rough draft without getting bogged down
in revision or self-editing?
A: This is a tough one. It takes discipline. Move forward. You might
want to print those words on a big piece of paper and put it where you
can see it from your computer. Whenever you feel drawn to stop, go
back, and revise, tell yourself to "Move forward." You'll have plenty
of time to revise later. Getting the first draft down, from beginning
to end, is vital; otherwise, the things you took so much time revising
might be unnecessary when you finish the draft and discover the book
took off in an unexpected direction.
If you have ever quit smoking, you know how tough it is to go against
an old, long-established habit. If you are in the habit of revising
while you write, you will need to break the habit, and it may be as
difficult as kicking nicotine addiction.
Perhaps you can reward yourself when you sit down and write without
revising for twenty minutes or a half hour. Get up and get a stick of
gum or play with the dog or simply pat yourself on the back for a job
well done before you sit down and write for another twenty minutes
without stopping and revising. Sure, a little revising will be
necessary on the sentences as you write, but don't go back to prior
paragraphs or chapters. Move forward. Always move forward.
To read more questions and answers, go to www.zebraeditor.com and click
on "Ask the Book Doctor."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
Four: Subjects of interest to writers
Bobbie Christmas seminars on CD: Travel Writing for Fun and (a little)
Profit, Write In Style and You Write to Win, and others
Take seminars in the comfort of your own home. Repeat as often as you
want. Invite your friends to join you. To order, call 770-924-0528 or
go to http://www.zebraeditor.com/tools.shtml.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Atlanta Women In Business Conference
In early September, I have a teaching opportunity close to home:
Atlanta Women in Business has asked me to speak at its Crossing Bridges
2006 conference (see information at www.crossingbridges.us). I will
address easy ways for businesswomen to write books that get them
recognized as experts in their fields.
Crossing Bridges 2006 is, I have been told, Atlanta's first
international businesswomen's conference. It is supported by an
impressive array of national sponsors and takes place September 8 to
10. I am pleased to have been chosen as one of the eminent speakers.
Check it out at www.crossingbridges.us and sign up for it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Atlanta Writers Club presents its first meeting of the fall on
September 16, 2006, at the Sandy Springs Public Library, 1-3 p.m.
The Independent Bookstore--Small but Mighty
Why are independent booksellers the author's best friend? How can
authors develop relationships with these influential sellers? Find out
at the first meeting of the new season, September 16. Meet
representatives from four Atlanta area booksellers and hear firsthand
how indie bookstores differ from the big-box book guys.
On our panel: Frank Reiss, A Cappella Books, Little Five Points; George
Scott, Chapter 11, Sandy Springs; Doug Robinson, Eagle Eye Books,
Decatur; and Laura Keys, Tall Tales Book Shop, Toco Hills.
Bring your questions and be ready to take notes during this expanded
multi-guest program.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ask an Agent
Sign up for the newest Google Group and get your questions answered by
an agent and an editor. Susan Graham and Bobbie Christmas host Write In
Style and Snag and Agent. To sign up or to read the Q&A, go to:
http://groups.google.com/group/Write-In-Style-Snag-An-Agent
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Poets, Authors, and Writers, share the third Wednesday of every month
at
the Melbourne (Florida) Barnes & Noble at 7 p.m., on US 192 (New Haven
Avenue). Participants do not need to be professional writers. Brevard
writer Valerie Allen, Ed.D will present a workshop on how to market
your books on Wednesday, August 16, at 7 p.m.
Dr. Valerie Allen writes fiction and nonfiction. Her work has been
published in newspapers; on-line e-zines; literary journals; and in
parenting, educational, and mental health magazines.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From BuzzWack.com: Relanguage--Term used by $300-an-hour consultants
when $5 words, such as reword, rephrase or rewrite, would work just as
well. "I think we can relanguage that to be more effective." You can
sign up for the buzzword of the day at: http://www.buzzwhack.com/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Member Mark Diamond shares this tidbit of interesting information: Tom
Robbins says that when he starts a book, he has no idea of what the
story will be. He never outlines and never revises. He just works on
each sentence until he thinks it's perfect, sometimes for more than an
hour, and then he moves on to the next one. He said, "I'm probably more
interested in sentences than anything else in life."
Novels by Tom Robbins include the following:
Another Roadside Attraction, Balantine, New York (1971)
Even Cowgirls Get the Blues, Houghton Mifflin, Boston (1976)
Still-Life with Woodpecker, Bantam, New York (1980)
Jitterbug Perfume, Bantam, New York (1984)
Skinny Legs and All, Bantam, New York (1990)
Half Asleep In Frog Pajamas, Bantam, New York (1994)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2006 MIAMI BOOK FAIR
November 12-19, 2006
Congress of Authors Street Fair
Want to visit, rent a booth, sell your book? See
http://www.miamibookfair.com/ for all the details.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hallmark Magazine: women's lifestyle magazine to launch: The magazine
will target college-educated women in their late 30s and early 40s,
with grade-school-age children. There will be no celebrity coverage.ÿ
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Chicago Manual of Style Online is coming September 2006.
Book publishers prefer that authors follow Chicago style for
punctuation, capitalization, and when to spell numbers out, etc., and
after Labor Day the Chicago Manual of Style Web site will become home
to the fully searchable text of the 15th edition of the Chicago Manual
of Style. The Q&A, table of contents, e-mail alerts, and tools will
remain free to the public. Access to the content of the Manual itself
will be by annual subscription at the introductory price of $25.00 for
all who subscribe before September 30, 2007. Visit the Members page to
sign up for e-mail announcements about changes to the Chicago Manual of
Style Web site and the release of the online edition. For more
information, go to www.chicagomanualofstyle.org.
From this month's CMOS Q&A:
Q. I am editing a novel that is written in the past tense, and a past
perfect question has begun to haunt me. When speaking of events that
took place in the more remote past, does every verb need to be
conjugated in past perfect, or only the first? For example, would one
write,
David had invited me to Los Angeles. "It will be fun," he had
said.
Or,
David invited me to Los Angeles. "It will be fun," he said.
A. Such a quick switch isn't perfectly smooth in this case, but you've
got the right idea;it becomes annoying to keep reading "had." Aim for
subtlety when you segue into the simple past. Usually it will feel
right at some point after a couple of sentences. You might manage it
here by the time you get to the third sentence:
David had invited me to Los Angeles. "It will be fun," he had
said. But it wasn't fun; it was a nightmare of sweltering smog and
sleeplessness.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SHOPSMART, a quarterly shopping magazine from Consumers Union intended
for women over 30, hit the newsstands August 1, www.nytimes.com
reported. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Florida Writers Association offers online writing workshops for
September
Spend two to four weeks learning the art, craft and business of writing
from award-winning published authors and industry professionals in the
comfort of your own home, at your convenience! Get personalized
attention to your writing goals and meet other writers with interests
similar to yours.
FWA courses are run on two Yahoo Groups listserves and feature two-week
mini (our Poolside classroom) and four-week standard (our Beachfront
classroom) workshops. The workshops are conducted via Yahoo Groups
only, so you need not be at your computer at a particular time as you
would with a live chat. Workshop lectures and participant comments
arrive in your email inbox. Participants are added to the listserves
for the period of the workshop and removed when it is over. Workshops
are open to anyone with email capability who wishes to participate, not
just FWA members. See
http://www.floridawriters.net/OnlineWorkshop.html.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Network launches new magazines: Metro Washington Home
Network Communications, Inc., the largest and fastest-growing publisher
of local print and online magazines for the real estate market, has
launched Metro Washington Home Improvement. The new monthly magazine
will provide homeowners in the metropolitan Washington, D.C., area with
information on decorating, design, landscaping, home building, home
repair and maintenance, ideas and products. See more about all the
publications Network Communications produces at
http://www.livingchoices.com/aboutus.aspx.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ask the Book Doctor: How to Beat the Competition and Sell Your Writing
e-book answers hundreds of writers' questions
Ask the Book Doctor: How to Beat the Competition and Sell Your Writing
is a 122-page e-book that answers all the questions you wish you could
ask an editing expert. Electronic bookmarks allow you to go directly to
your preferred subject, and clickable links take you to Internet
resources for additional information. Whether you write books, short
stories, articles, reports, or anything else, learn more about how to
write, edit, and sell your work, To order go to
http://www.booklocker.com/books/1906.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TravelHost plans to launch in Rockford, Illinois: A company that
publishes quarterly travel and dining guides has expanded to versions
featuring Northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin venues.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CALL FOR WRITER FEEDBACK
Joanna Masterson, editor of Guide to Literary Agents, wants to gather
some firsthand feedback on writers' conferences for an article in the
2008 Guide to Literary Agents. Here are some of the scenarios she's
especially interested in:
* A writer who successfully pitched a book idea at a one-on- one agent
meeting. How did you prepare? What was the result of the meeting? Did
the agent offer to represent you after seeing more materials? Did the
agent refer you to another agent or give other helpful advice?
* A writer who attended a "technical" session on writing (e.g.,
character development, dialogue, query letters, conflict, etc). What
was the session and how did it impact you? How did you apply the
information to your own writing?
* A writer who attended a particularly inspiring keynote address. Who
was the speaker? What was the message? How did you apply it to your own
writing life?
* A writer who socialized with other attendees and in doing so joined a
writing/critique group, found someone to co- author a book, got inside
information on an agent, etc. How did you meet? What was the result of
the meeting?
* A writer who is brand new to publishing and attended a conference
with the hopes of learning about the publishing industry. What did you
learn? What resources/sessions were most helpful? Did the conference
help jumpstart your career?
If you'd like to participate, please send an e-mail to
literaryagent@fwpubs.com with your name, the name of the conference you
attended, when you attended the conference (the more recent, the
better), and a short description of your conference experience.
Responses will be accepted through September 30, 2006.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Free Tools for Writers from Bobbie Christmas and Zebra Communications
Order e-mailed reports on correct manuscript format, how to form and
run a critique circle, how to identify weak writing and repair it,
self-publishing vs. traditional publishing, and much more. Fifteen
reports are available, and the list keeps growing. Go to
www.zebraeditor.com and click on "Tools for Writers."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Interested in writing for trade publications? Good money there.
Research the market by ordering free copies of trade magazines through
http://associates.tradepub.com/?pt=cat&page=Net
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Christian Authors Guild Fall Conference to be held in Metro Atlanta
Writers Conference: Authors Dr. Bonnie C. Harvey and R. T. Byrum are
scheduled to speak at the Christian Authors Guild Fall Conference
Saturday, October 21, 2006. Dr. Harvey has written more than three
hundred articles and twenty-two books. R. T. Byrum, past president of
CAG, has written a series of young adult adventure books, two
nonfiction books, and serves as staff writer for Christian Living
Magazine. Topics will include fiction and nonfiction, such as Writing
and Selling Magazine Articles, Writing Nonfiction Books, and Freelance
Writing for the Internet.
Short Story Contest: To be eligible to enter the contest, you
must be registered for the conference by September 1. Cash prizes and
certificates will be awarded to the first, second, and third place
winners. See www.christianauthorsguild.org for writing guidelines. The
Conference will be held at Prayer and Praise Fellowship, 6409 Bells
Ferry Road, Woodstock, Georgia. For more information please visit the
Web site or write to CAG, P. O. Box 2673, Woodstock, GA 30188.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Purge Your Prose of Problems: A Book Doctor's Desk Reference, Third
Edition, available as e-book at last! Easiest way to research all your
editing questions!
Save thousands of dollars by editing your own book. This one reference
book covers all you need to know to plow through the maze of the
editing phase. Find information on grammar, punctuation, word choices,
creative writing, plot, pace, characterization, dialogue, Chicago
Style, formatting a manuscript, and much more. Available in printed
form for $29.95 plus $4.99 shipping at www.zebraeditor.com (click on
Tools for Writers and scroll down) or save almost $5.00 in shipping
PLUS get the book instantly as an e-book--a downloadable PDF File with
clickable links and bookmarks that zip you directly to any subject you
choose. To order the e-book, go to
http://www.booklocker.com/books/2225.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest Winner announced
The San Jose State University Department of English & Comparative
Literature,
San Jose, California, recently announced the winner of the annual
Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest.
An international literary parody contest, the competition honors the
memory (if not the reputation) of Victorian novelist Edward George Earl
Bulwer-Lytton (1803-1873). The goal of the contest is the essence of
simplicity: entrants are challenged to submit bad opening sentences to
imaginary novels. Although best known for "The Last Days of Pompeii"
(1834), which has been made into a movie three times, originating the
expression "the pen is mightier than the sword," and phrases like "the
great unwashed" and "pursuit of the almighty dollar," Bulwer-Lytton
opened his novel Paul Clifford (1830) with the immortal words that the
"Peanuts" beagle Snoopy plagiarized for years, "It was a dark and
stormy night."
The 2006 winner is Jim Guigli, an engineer in Carmichael, California,
who submitting the following groaner:
Detective Bart Lasiter was in his office studying the light from his
one small window falling on his super burrito when the door swung open
to reveal a woman whose body said you've had your last burrito for a
while, whose face said angels did exist, and whose eyes said she could
make you dig your own grave and lick the shovel clean.
To see more award-winning entries, go to
http://www.sjsu.edu/depts/english/2006.htm.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
New magazine in greater Hartford, Connecticut: First Time Home Buyer.
See http://www.firsttimehomebuyermagazine.com/ for more information.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
For Loving Precious Beast available at discount prices
For Loving Precious Beast, a poetry anthology selected and edited by
Yolanda Coulaz (Purple Sage Press, 2006) will be available in
bookstores shortly. A quarter of the profits from the sale of this book
will be donated to Loving Touch, Inc. You can preorder your copy at
$15.00 each + shipping & handling*ÿ(NY state sales tax included, if
applicable). That's 25% off the retail price of $20.00. Delivery on or
about September 30. Send check or money order by August 22 to receive
discount
ÿ
*shipping & handling:
1 book - $3.00
2-3 books - $4.00
4-6 books - $5.00
ÿ
Make checks payable to: Purple Sage Press, 515 Secatogue Ave.,
Farmingdale, NY 11735-4310. Phone: 631-420-0425. Feel free to call with
any questions. Thank you for your support! --Yolanda Coulaz
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Write In Style: Using Your Word Processor and Other Techniques to
Improve Your Writing" by Bobbie Christmas teaches the Find and Refine
Method to locate words and phrases you can delete, upgrade or rewrite
to power up your prose. Bobbie Christmas reveals secrets only a book
doctor could know. First Place winner of the Royal Palm Award for
education, Best in Division (Georgia Author of the Year Awards), and
Finalist in USABookNews Best Books 2005. Union Square Publishing,
publisher; Simon and Schuster, distributor. Available in bookstores and
Internet retailers. To order at Amazon.com DISCOUNT prices, see
http://zebraeditor.com/bookstore.shtml
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
Five: Jobs, Contests, Grants, Agents and Markets
National Communications Magazine
Norm Schrein, Inc.
P.O. Box 291918
Kettering OH 45429
Phone: (937)299-7226
Fax: (937)299-1323
E-Mail: norm@bearcat1.com
Website: www.nat-com.org
Managing Editor: Peggy Lockhart.
Contact: Norm Schrein, editor
National Communications Magazine pays $75 or more for nonfiction
articles of around 300 words in length. This bimonthly magazine
covering radio as a hobby accepts queries by phone. The editor's
current needs include how-to, interviews and profiles, new product,
personal experience, photo features, and technical.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sourcebooks, Inc., publishes 150 titles per year. They publish books
for small business owners, entrepreneurs, and students. The editors
say, "A key to submitting books to us is to explain how your book helps
the reader, why it is different from the books already out there
(please do your homework), and your credentials for writing this book."
Recent business titles include 10 Simple Secrets of the World's
Greatest Business Communicators, by Carmine Gallo; and Lexicon of
Intentionally Ambiguous Recommendations (L.I.A.R.), by Robert J.
Thornton. See http://www.sourcebooks.com/.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CharacterS ~ Kids Short Story Outlet Second Annual Fiction Contest
Cindy Davis, Editor
P.O. Box 708
Newport, NH 03773
603-863-5896
fax: 603-863-8198
e-mail: hotdog@nhvt.net
www.cdavisnh.com
CharacterS publishes quarterly during the school year: October,
December, February and April. CharacterS stories are bold, energetic
and fun. We accept most genres, including mystery, comedy,
fantasy/sci-fi, romance, history, horror, adventure and nature, but we
particularly love mystery and adventure.
Prizes will be awarded in two categories; adult and child (to 16 years
of age). First prize in each category $50. Second prize, to be
announced. All winners will receive a one year subscription to
CharacterS. Deadline for entries September 1, 2006.
Seehttp://www.cdavisnh.com/contest06.htm for all guidelines.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FREDRICA S. FRIEDMAN AND CO., INC
136 E. 57th St., 14th Floor
New York NY 10022
Phone: (212)829-9600
Fax: (212)829-9669
E-Mail: fsf10@yahoo.com
Contact: Sophie McManus
Represents 75+ clients.
50% of clients are new/unpublished writers.
Specializes in: "We represent a select group of outstanding nonfiction
and fiction writers. We are particularly interested in helping writers
expand their readership and develop their careers."
Currently Handles 95% nonfiction books, 5% novels, including
anthologies
Does not want: Does not want religious/inspirational, computers,
textbooks, or juvenile.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MAXIMUM FITNESS is a recently relaunched magazine and is published by
the Canusa Group. Formerly called AMERICAN HEALTH & FITNESS, the new
publication changed its name and look with the January/February issue.
The editor-in-chief is Matt Nicholls. The magazine has revamped its
content to attract people who are interested in getting results from
their time at the gym. They cover new techniques of exercise, how to
get back into shape, stories about sports talent showing their prowess
by getting back into shape. Also of interest are interesting gyms, new
equipment, with everything being fitness related. In addition to
Nicholls, other editors are Robert Maurin, Lisa Hannam, Kara Aserud.
Maximum Fitness is reached at 5775 McLaughlin Road, Mississauga,
Ontario, Canada L5R 3P7; (905) 507-3545, email format is
firstinitiallastname@maxfitmag.com.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Seventh Annual Writer's Digest Short Short Story Competition is
accepting entries. We're looking for fiction that's bold, brilliant,
but brief. Send your best in 1,500 words or
less. Deadline is December 1, 2006.
The Grand-Prize winner will receive $3,000 (that's $2 or more per
word).
For guidelines, prizes and to enter online, visit:
http://www.writersdigest.com/contests/shortshort/
The 1st through 25th place manuscripts will be printed in the Seventh
Annual Writer's Digest Short Short Story Competition Collection.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Children's Books Agent
NANCY GALLT LITERARY AGENCY
273 Charlton Ave.
South Orange NJ 07079
Phone: (973)761-6358
Fax: (973)761-6318
E-Mail: ngallt@aol.com
Contact: Nancy Gallt
Prior to opening her agency, Ms. Gallt was subsidiary rights director
of the children's book division at Morrow, Harper, and Viking
Established: 2000
Represents 40 clients.
30% of clients are new/unpublished writers.
Actively seeking middle-grade and young adult novels.
Does not want rhyming picture book texts.100% juvenile books Query with
three sample chapters, SASE.
Accepts e-mail queries
Accepts simultaneous submissions
Responds in three months to queries.
Responds in three months to manuscripts.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PLENTY
This is a magazine for environmental-conscious consumers.
This is a magazine "for hip, savvy, environmentally conscious
consumers. They know that we live in a world of finite resources, that
the planet is a fragile system in delicate balance, and that there are
limits to how much we can extract from our surroundings without doing
irreparable harm. We believe that the technologies are in place and the
will exists to make a transition from a world of potential scarcity to
a world of plenty. Our editorial focus lies at the intersection where
concern for the environment meets quality of life: food, home, design,
architecture, cars, clothing, travel, outdoor recreation, and leisure."
Editorial includes "investigative reporting into topics with an
immediate impact on our way of living: Who are the environmental
leaders and technological master-minds, the ones who will make a
difference in our world? How can we make better use of available
resources - wind power, solar energy, fuel cells? What the individual
can do." The magazine offers news of cutting-edge products, along with
ideas for better living - with a positive attitude toward the planet's
future.
As with most new magazines, writers should contact the editors for
assignment.
There is not an editorial calendar and the magazine is too new to have
surveyed its readers for demographics.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SKYWEST
This magazine promotes the places and people served by SkyWest
Airlines, the nation's largest independent regional airline. They
publish two editions - Delta Connection and United Express, which
combined has 1,500 daily flights to 118 cities in 38 states and three
Canadian provinces.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CANTON SMITH AGENCY
Chamein Canton:
194 Broadway
Amityville NY 11701
Eric Smith: 11955 Parliament Rd., #1008, San Antonio TX 78216. Netta
Beckford: P.O. Box 507, Lindenhurst NY 11757.
Phone: (631)842-9476 or (210)379-5961
E-Mail: cantonsmithagency@cantonsmithagency.com
Website: www.cantonsmithagency.com
Contact: Eric Smith, senior partner (esmith@cantonsmithagency.com);
Chamein Canton, partner (chamein@cantonsmithagency.com); Netta
Beckford, associate (nettab@cantonsmithagency.com)
Member Agents: Eric Smith (science fiction, sports, literature);
Chamein Canton (how-to, reference, literary, women's, multicultural,
ethnic, crafts, cooking, health); Melissa Falcone (children's,
juvenile, young adult, teen, fantasy); Netta Beckford (cookbooks,
health, new age, metaphysical, holistic healing, astrology, numerology,
Eastern medicine).
Seeking New and established writers. We are currently focusing on
women's fiction (chick lit), Latina fiction, African American fiction,
multicultural, romance, memoirs, humor, and entertainment, in addition
to more nonfiction titles (cooking, how to, fashion, home improvement,
etc).
Prior to becoming agents, Mr. Smith was in advertising and bookstore
retail; Ms. Canton was a writer and a paralegal; Ms. Beckford attended
Johnson and Wales University
Established: 2001
Represents 28 clients. 100% of clients are new/unpublished writers.
Prefers e-mail queries (include synopsis).
Send nonfiction snail mail to Chamein Canton at New York address. Send
all other snail mail queries to Eric Smith at Texas address.
Accepts e-mail queries
Accepts simultaneous submissions
Responds in 5-6 months to queries.
Does not return submissions
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mother-Daughter Shopping Stories
I am currently seeking submissions for an anthology on the
mother-daughter shopping phenomenon. How do mothers and daughters
communicate when they are together in the marketplace; be it a Jersey
City mall, an Istanbul kiosk, or a boutique on Rodeo Drive? Surrounded
by the goods and services that define our self-image, mother/daughter
bonds are forged, conflict is revealed, and resolution sometimes comes
when the credit cards appear.
This anthology will explore tears in the dressing room, the secrecy of
addiction, the length of the miniskirt and the joy of seeing a mother
and daughter walking arm in arm down the avenue. We have shopped as
daughters, we have shopped as mothers, and our stories are priceless
and full of wisdom. Please email me for more information:
gigs-188695296@craigslist.org
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Travel Magazine seeks submissions
Pology, a national magazine dedicated to travel and cultural
exploration, is looking for contributors. We are currently accepting
submissions from both writers and photographers. See
http://pology.com/guidelines/ for guidelines.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Humor
The Door Magazine, at its most basic, is serious. Beneath the brilliant
humor, the wicked satire, the jaw-dropping interviews, the witty bon
mots, we've got an actual purpose for putting out the magazine. We're
the guys and gals who shout, "The emperor's got no clothes!" We're the
people who are all about busting idols. We're folks who are interested
in holding a mirror before the Church. We love hearing from freelance
writers. We're still 90% freelance written and proud of it -- proud in
a modest, life-affirming sort of way, of course. Alas, we rarely
commission articles or interviews. But if you'd like to tackle former
President Jimmy Carter or Stone Cold Steve Austin, by all means go for
it. Just let us know ahead of time so you won't waste your time
interviewing someone we've already interviewed (Steve Allen or Garrison
Keillor) or someone we've already interviewed who is dead (Sam Kinison
or Anton LaVey). For guidelines see:
http://thedoormagazine.com/wguidelines.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jorrest Teen Magazine looking for your articles. No pay, but byline
given. For more information see:
http://www.jorrest-teen-magazine.com/submit%20an%20article.htm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MandyKGoff@yahoo.com
I am working on a dating guide, scheduled to be completed in four
months. I need stories about strange, unusual, and downright creepy men
you've known (or even worse) dated. All submissions that are accepted
for this book will receive acknowledgement in the publication and all
my gratitude (for whatever that's worth). Send entries to
MandyKGoff@yahoo.com, and please include contact information.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
True Story, True Romance, True Love, True Confessions
Sell your stories to this online Website. See
http://www.truestorymail.com/ and click on the subject that applies to
you and you will find guidelines for each.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
Six: Writing Assignment: Form a Relationship
All stories center on relationships. The main relationship may be good
or bad; it may be adversarial or advantageous, but without a
relationship, no story exists. What sort of relationships can form in a
story? It can be a person and a sign of scorn from the community (The
Scarlet Letter), a boy and his injury (The Red Badge of Courage), a man
and a whale (Moby Dick).
I recently heard of a true-life story about a nun who left the order
and went to a rabbi to be converted to Judaism. Conversion takes quite
a bit of time and study together, and by the time the nun has converted
to Judaism, the rabbi and convert had fallen in love. He left his wife
and his synagogue and ran away with the former nun. That kind of story
is too bizarre to believe in fiction, yet it happened in real life,
just recently. See what relationships can do?
For this assignment, create an unusual relationship, an unexpected one,
and write a story about it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
Seven: Web Sites of Interest to Writers
http://www.monday9am.tv/index - Short films that intrigue and entertain
Share your favorite and helpful Web sites with folks in your network.
Send them to me today at Bobbie@zebraeditor.com.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
Eight: Looking for Critique Circles
Do you want to join or form a critique circle in your area or online?
In the body of an e-mail send me your name, general location, contact
information, and your preferences (fiction, nonfiction, short stories,
books, poetry, etc.). I will list your information here, to help you
find or form a group that allows you to get feedback.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Remember to ask me for Report #101 on forming and maintaining a
successful critique circle. Send your request to me at
Bobbie@zebraeditor.com.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Do YOU have news for The Writers Network News? Please send it in the
body copy, not an attachment, to Bobbie@zebraeditor.com. Deadline: The
15th of each month.
------------------------
Send a copy of this F-R-E-E newsletter to all your writing friends.
Tell them to join The Writers Network F-R-E-E by visiting
www.zebraeditor.com and clicking on "Free Newsletter."
------------------------
The Writers Network News--a newsletter for writers everywhere.
"No Rules; Just Write!"
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The Writers Network No fees. No officers. No Rules; Just Write!"
Information about the meetings:
Because it's a buffet, come into the meeting room, set down whatever
you brought, and go get food, if you plan to eat. While we eat, we have
introductions, and after that, we discuss questions and answers. After
the introductions are over, and at any time until we leave, you are
welcome to get more food.
Directions to meetings:
Our monthly meetings are held at noon on the first Friday of each month
at King Buffet, 11060 Alpharetta Highway, Roswell, Georgia. 30076. The
restaurant is on the left after you enter the Roswell Shopping Center,
on the same side of the strip mall as Patterson Furniture. Roswell
Shopping Center is on the left if going north toward Alpharetta, a few
blocks past the Mansell Road intersection and across the street from
Mattress King, about a block past Andretti's. Once you are inside, the
meeting room is through an archway on the left past the cashier.
Restaurant phone: 678-352-1606.
------------------------