The Writers Network News, September 20, 2006 http://ezezine.com
September 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, October 6, 2006
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 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 and tip as you leave.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Welcome to this issue of The Writers Network News. I hope you love it,
forward it to 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 Maria Hodges, Josh Batchelder
Two: From the editor's desk--What will you leave behind?
Three: Ask the Book Doctor--about self-publishing costs, logical order,
copyrights, and first rights
Four: Subjects of Interest to Writers
Five: Jobs, Contests, Grants, Agents and Markets
Six: Writing Assignment--Cliche Madness
Seven: Web Sites of Interest to Writers
Eight: Looking for Critique Circles
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To view past issues of The Writers Network News, go to:
http://home.ezezine.com/886_2/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Writer's quote of the day:
"Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by
people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all."
-Dale Carnegie
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
One: Kudos to Maria Hodges, Josh Batchelder
"My line of greeting cards are for sale at Bella Antiques on
Lawrenceville Highway in Lilburn, Georgia. Some of my designs are
composed of flowers from my yard or are digitally manipulated versions
of my original artwork. I have also created a variety of activity
greeting cards for children. Bella is having an evening event on
September 21 featuring wine, cheese, and activities. I'll be there with
my greeting cards and copies of my novel, The Promise." -Maria Hodges
Graphologist Josh Batchelder has published his second book, Personality
Profiling in 90 Seconds: a 15-Point guide to Quick Handwriting
Analysis. The book has a collection of real-life people and their
situations to illustrate the value of quick profiling in everyday life.
For more information, see www.quickprofiling.com.
Congratulations to these folks. Your successes encourage others, so
please send in your accomplishments for our kudos section.
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Two: From the editor's desk--What will you leave behind?
Dear Fellow Writers:
Sometimes I think in metaphors; I am, after all, a writer. As I walk my
dog and feel the advent of autumn in the morning air, I'm drawn to
think about life and its seasons. I am in the autumn of my life. Soon
my strength will ebb, my colors will pale, and I will enter my winter
years. How do I want to spend my autumn? Oh, I know! I will write my
memoirs, now, while I can still see the computer monitor. Okay, I'm not
that close to winter, but you get the picture.
Instinctively, I wrote even more personal essays this year than usual,
more memories of events I experienced, lessons I learned, funny
circumstances, painful tragedies, and all the things that make up the
total picture of what Bobbie Christmas has become. While each essay is
complete in itself, when I put them together, they will become my book
of memoirs. Individually, they make neat little essays I've submitted
to competitions, and I have even won a few honors. I need next to
submit the best essays to publishers.
How do you want to be remembered? What do you want to leave behind when
you move on to your next adventure? Make note of it now, write it now,
and it will remain for as long as your acid-free paper or compact disk
endures.
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--about self-publishing costs, logical order,
copyrights, and first rights
Q: How much will it cost me to self-publish my book?
A: Several people have asked that question, and the answer depends on
the specific book size, page count, cover type, how many copies you
order, and even paper selection, but do expect to pay at least $1,000.
In an effort to help, here's a Web site that lists a few printers and
their prices for a standard book so you can get a feel for what you may
pay and may get for your money. See:
http://www.dogearpublishing.net/whydogearcomparison.aspx
Q: When I prepare book proposals, I religiously follow the format from
Cynthia Laufenberg's (Writer's Digest) Formatting & Submitting Your
Manuscript. I find that the guidelines there are very consistent and
are presented in a way that is easy to follow.
When a publisher provides Author Submission Guidelines, however, and
asks for the same components but in a different order, do I send my
proposal in the same order the publisher requests it? I have written a
lot of successful business proposals, and in that arena the answer is
"yes," but does it apply to a publisher who says, for example, to send
the sample chapters, the table of contents, etc, rather than the more
logical order of the TOC preceding the three sample chapters?
A: I'm sure it depends on the publisher, but I agree with you that the
logical order seems better. I cannot imagine that an excellent
manuscript would be passed over or the proposal thrown out because of
the order in which the proposal pages were arranged, as long as the
order is logical.
Q: Before I submit a manuscript to iUniverse or some other printing
house (I plan to self publish), should I get it copyrighted? Do I need
someone else to handle it for me?
A: Because of the laws today, you don't have to register the copyright,
because you automatically own all rights and merely have to put the
copyright mark, year, and your name on the printed product.
If you would feel better if you actually registered the copyright, it's
not free, but it's a simple process. You won't need help. See
http://www.copyright.gov/register/literary.html and follow the
directions. Be sure to send the final version of the manuscript when
you register the copyright.
Q: When I submit something to a newsletter, is it okay to submit the
same thing to other newsletters, or would that not be correct? If I put
it on my Web site, can I still send it to other publications?
A: The answer depends on the wishes of the publications and the rights
they are willing to buy. That is, if a periodical wants first rights,
it would be incorrect to submit something that has been published
anywhere else, including a Web site, which is considered electronic
publication. It is okay to submit items simultaneously if they have not
been published yet, and the first to respond and pay for first rights
gets those rights. Other periodicals may pay for reprint rights (as
Reader's Digest does) or international rights, after you have sold
first North American rights. Check the guidelines and preferences for
each periodical before you submit anything.
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 seminar on CD: "Write In Style and You Write to Win"
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 to see all the seminars
available.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This Bookstore Wants Your Books!
To all published writers, regardless of whether your books are POD,
self published, small publishing house, or large publishing house:
I am accepting four or five copies of each title to place on my
shelves. I charge only 35 percent commission. I am also open to having
you come for signing events on Saturdays. Contact me to set up a date.
Send the books to Village Voices, 1010 10th Ave. West, Bradenton, FL
34205. Email me at DGOULD497@aol.com or call me at (941) 748-6865.
--Dona Gould, www.villagevoicesgallery.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Reader's Digest is launching a new magazine called Dazzling Delightful
Delicious. The magazine is based on an Australian title called
Delicious. Media Life reports that the magazine will focus on upscale
readers and that the launch issue includes tips from Jamie Oliver.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Atlanta Writers Club presents Darnell Arnoult - Author and Poet October
21, 2006 - Sandy Springs Public Library, Sandy Springs, Georgia - 1-3pm
As a young girl in rural Virginia, Darnell Arnoult dreamed of being a
writer. Last year, as she was about to turn 50, LSU Press, one of the
premier poetry publishers in the country, brought out her first volume
of poems, What Travels with Us. The book was named winner of the 2005
Weatherford Award for Fiction and Poetry, and recently won the SIBA
Poetry Book of the Year Award. In June2006, Free Press, a prestigious
imprint of Simon & Shuster, released her first novel, Sufficient Grace,
with a starred review from Publishers Weekly and glowing blurbs from
Kay Gibbons, Clyde Edgerton, and Lee Smith.
Darnell will read selections from her novel and poetry book, give us a
glimpse of her current project, share the curlicue path of her life,
and tell us what it's like, after 30+ years of writing, to be an
overnight sensation. Darnell will sign books after her presentation.
The Sandy Springs Chapter 11 bookstore will have copies of Sufficient
Grace and What Travels With Us for sale at the meeting.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Figure magazine has re-launched. The women's plus-size bimonthly is
still owned by Charming Shoppes, parent of retailer Lane Bryant, but
will now be published by Meredith, which produces other successful
magazines, such as Ladies' Home Journal, Better Homes and Gardens, and
American Baby. Figure has a new staff, overhauled editorial and a curvy
new logo. The tagline "Celebrating the Plus-Size Woman" expresses how
it aims to overcome the mistakes of other defunct plus-size titles. BJ
Towe is editor-in-chief.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Edible Boston has been added to the series of Edible Communities Inc
publications. Ilene Bezahler is editor-in-chief of this quarterly
edition. Edible Iowa will launch in October 2006, Edible Atlanta will
debut in November 2006, and Edible Memphis is planned for April 2007.
Each magazine focuses on local foods and the main philosophy: To find
artisanal producers, many of whom are doing things the old way -
unusual bakers, wine growers, and shellfish harvesters. The
publications are distributed free at farmer's markets and shops.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Should rejections bother you?
Ann Beattie, born in Washington, D.C., in 1947 was in grad school when
she showed some of her short stories to one of her professors, the
writer John O'Hara, He sent a few of her stories out for publication.
After a few acceptances, he suggested she try submitting to The New
Yorker. She got an encouraging rejection letter, so she kept
submitting. It took her twenty-two tries before The New Yorker took one
of her stories, but it wasn't so bad, because it had taken her only a
few hours to write each of those twenty-two stories. She published her
first collection, Distortions, and her first novel, Chilly Scenes of
Winter, in 1976. Her most recent collection, Follies, came out in 2005.
Ann Beattie said, "People forget years and remember moments."
(Excerpted from The Writer's Almanac, which is produced by Prairie Home
Productions and presented by American Public Media.)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Life's Inventions Magazine "explores the many aspects of life and how
ideas and products inspire us to live, create, buy, sell, eat and even
love," according to editor Billy Carmen.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Listen to the Interview Free: "How to Write and Self-Publish Your Book"
Listen online to a recent Bobbie Christmas radio interview. If you're
ready to add another dimension to your business, this information is
your ticket. Sherese Duncan and Bobbie Christmas outline strategic ways
not only to write your book, but also how to self-publish it. Listen to
this show and others at http://www.globaltalkradio.com/shows/realwomen/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Member starts writing business
"Write For You" is designed for those who need assistance preparing
cover letters, press releases, flyers, brochures, etc. I've directed my
own San Francisco-based public relations firm for more than 45 years,
and my firm started Charles Schwab when he had a small office in Marin.
I've had four novels published, received countless writing awards, and
have even been honored by the California State Assembly for my writing.
If you need something written for their business or undertaking,
contact "Write For Me" at atgpr@webtv.net. -- Alvin Guthertz
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Constantly updated information for writers of magazine articles
Want to know who to contact at some magazine? You can drive to a store,
buy a current copy of the magazine, if you can find it, and read the
information in the masthead. Here are two sources that allow you to get
the same information while you're still at home.
Masthead.org shows the mastheads for hundreds of magazines. Seven-day
access is $4; thirty-day, $7, and a full year is only $24. See
www.masthead.org for more information.
An even bigger resource is Wooden Horse, the media directory that
specializes in magazines, with more than 2,000 US and Canadian consumer
and trade magazines listed, including complete contact information,
Pay, word count, rights, and writer's guidelines, editorial concepts,
editorial mix, reader demographics, and best of all, editorial
calendars that let you know what types of articles to submit for
specific issues.
Wooden Horse claims you can't get all this information anywhere else,
not even in directories costing thousands of dollars. Cost: 24 hours:
$1.99 per day. Seven days: $1.42/day; 30 days, $1/day;six months,
$.49/day; one years, $.42/day. Check it out at
http://www.woodenhorsepub.com/moreinfo.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Southern Breeze Region of the Society of Children's Book Writers and
Illustrators Annual fall conference, Writing and Illustrating for Kids
'06, in
Birmingham, Alabama, on Oct 21. Includes workshops with several
editors, agents and published authors. See
http://www.southern-breeze.org/conf_fallconference06.htm or contact
Shelli Johannes-Wells, http://www.bilaninc.com/, 404-607-1735
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
What should you charge for your self-published book?
The retail price for your book depends on your goals (get more copies
out there at a lower price versus make more money per sale, etc.).
Outskirts Press offers a calculator that helps you make your decision,
but here's a warning: It clearly shows if you use their services, you
will make only 20 percent on each book. If you use a printer, instead
of a publisher like Outskirts Press, you can realize much greater
profits, but you have to pay for some of the detail work yourself. See
the Outskirts Press calculator if no other reason than to see the
suggested range of retail prices you might consider for your book. You
may choose to use their service or not; that decision is up to you.
http://outskirtspress.com/calculator.php.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Democracy: A Journal of Ideas seeks to "fashion a new progressivism for
the twenty-first century" with breakthrough thinking articles on any
large-scale issues of the day. Kenneth Baer and Andrei Cherny are
co-editors of this quarterly title. The debut Summer 2006 issue
launched June 20 and is distributed by subscription. The website is
http://www.democracyjournal.org.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Why So Many Freelancers Fare Well
Book authors spend years writing a book, then face dismal chances of
selling their manuscripts to the limited number of traditional
publishers available. Freelance writers who write articles for
magazines and newsletters, however, can finish an article in a few days
and not only have thousands of markets for their articles but also the
markets continue; that is, periodicals come out weekly, monthly, every
other month, quarterly, or yearly, and they always need material. The
Magazine Publishers of America says the number of magazines in the USA
total 18,267, and of those, 6,325 are consumer titles. The remainder
may be internal magazines or trade magazines; the article did not say,
but nevertheless, an extremely high percentage of magazines of all
types use freelancers.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
RV Xtreme Magazine is for recreational vehicle enthusiasts interested
in the latest news on models, technology, and accessory products.
Managing editor Jeff Dusing oversees this monthly publication from
Xtreme Publishing Group. The January 2007 debut issue will appear
December 1 on newsstands nationwide and also be available by
subscription as well as at RV dealers, parks and campgrounds
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Susan Gilbert Harvey will discuss and sign her book, "Tea with Sister
Anna: a Paris journal." Thursday, September 21, at 7:30 PM. Smyrna
Friends of the Library, 100 Village Green, Smyrna, Georgia. Telephone:
770-431-2860. There is no admission charge and books will be for sale.
For ten years, Harvey researched the Paris life of her great-aunt,
Georgia artist Anna McNulty Lester (1862-1900). The resulting book
contains some of Lester's charcoal drawings Harvey's talk will give a
behind-the-scenes glimpse into the making of Tea with Sister Anna: a
Paris journal. In June, Harvey was named 2006 Georgia Author of the
Year for independently-published memoir. For more information e-mail:
susan@susanharvey.com. or see
http://www.friendsofsmyrnalibrary.org/_adult.htm.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
E2K (Everything 2 Know) will present articles covering music, style,
entertainment, culture and business, with a focus on real women in real
life situations. Emma Ramos is editor-in-chief of this bi-monthly
magazine due to launch in September. Distribution is on newsstands and
by subscription
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I wrote the book on creative writing, "Write In Style," but does it
work? Listen to what a reader in Florida wrote: "'Write in Style' has
been my best no-nonsense source for help. When I recommend the book to
others, I tell them you take the gloves off. My copy is underlined as a
workbook. A second copy has already been shipped from Amazon and will
be used as a gift. When I see you in October, I want to purchase
another copy from you and have you autograph it."
"Write In Style: Using Your Word Processor and Other Techniques to
Improve Your Writing" by Bobbie Christmas teaches the Find and Refine
Method (tm) 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; Simon
and Schuster, distributor. Available in bookstores and Internet
retailers. To order at Amazon.com DISCOUNT prices, see
http://zebraeditor.com/bookstore.shtml.
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Five: Jobs, Contests, Grants, Agents and Markets
Family Business is a niche publication that focuses specifically on the
family aspect of businesses, and the business aspect of families. The
story we're interested in is how the business leaders at your company
have resolved issues of succession, sibling or cousin compensation,
family conflict, governance (e.g., inactive vs. active shareholders),
raising capital without relinquishing control, employment of family and
non-family members and other concerns involving the connection between
family and business. Pay rates vary, can go up from $500. For more
information, see
http://www.familybusinessmagazine.com/editsub.html#item_1
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Writer's Digest Poetry Awards
Regardless of style--rhyming, free verse, haiku and more--if your poems
are 32 lines or fewer, we want them all. Submit your entries by the
December 20, 2006 deadline, and your words could be worth cash!
First Place: $500
Second Place: $250
Third Place: $100
Fourth Through Tenth Place: $25
Eleventh Through Twenty-Fifth Place: $50 gift certificate to Writer's
Digest Books
Plus, the names and poem titles of all First- through Tenth-Place
winners will be printed in the August issue of Writer's Digest, and all
winners will receive a copy of the 2007 Poet's Market.
Entry fee: $10 for first poem, $5 for each additional poem. You may
enter as many poems as you wish, but all poems must be entered at the
same time.
For guidelines and to enter online visit
http://fwpubs.sparklist.com/t/2002946/3661368/947/0/.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Literary agent seeks new and established writers
Bert P. Krages,
6665 SW Hampton St.
Suite 200
Portland OR 97223
Phone: (503)597-2525
E-Mail: krages@onemain.com
Website: www.krages.com
Established: 2001; 80 percent of clients are new/unpublished writers.
"I handle a small number of literary clients and concentrate on trade
nonfiction (science, history)." Ninety-five percent nonfiction books,
five percent scholarly books
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Angry Poet
An Alternative Arts Showcase
The Angry Poet Press
1279 N. 10th Ave.
Hanford CA 93230
editor@theangrypoet.com
www.theangrypoet.com
Brent Brooks, editor
"We are looking for new voices--writers and artists who desire a venue
where anything goes. Average visitors/month: 1,000. Pays on acceptance.
Buys first North American serial and first electronic rights. Editorial
lead time 2 months. Submit seasonal material four months in advance.
Send queries by mail or e-mail submissions@theangrypoet.com
Responds in 1 week to queries.
Responds in 2 months to manuscripts.
Writer's guidelines online, by e-mail, or send SASE. Needs fiction and
nonfiction. Does Not Want anything whiny or sappy.
Send complete manuscript.
Nonfiction length: 200-500 words. Pays $10-50 for unsolicited
nonfiction articles. Fiction length: 100-500 words.
Columns (query first): Pays $10-50 for columns.
Buys 50-100 poems/year.
Submit maximum 3 poems. S
Length: 3-30 lines.
"This site is for the angry voice, so cleverly placed foul language is
king. Nothing is ever censored, so let go and have fun. Be to the
point, make sense, and don't be too serious. We like form, but not what
everyone calls style. We like originality, but it must be genuine. We
want attitude, but with a wicked sense of humor. If you want our
attention, whatever you submit had better make its case in the first
paragraph. If you have been reading mainstream literary publications
for the last 10 years, don't waste our time; however, if you are
slightly educated and have talent, send us something. Poetry
submissions need to be sent in small envelopes--please don't waste
paper. Don't bother us with your publishing and/or academic history. If
you read, try to find authors who have been genuinely marginalized, not
the sappy martyrs book publishers are peddling."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Write Humor? Write Greeting Cards!
Kalan LP
97 S. Union Ave
Lansdowne, PA 19050
Kalan is an alternative greeting card and novelty gift company looking
for good copy for its line. "The key to our product is humor; we want
people to smile, giggle or roar with laughter. Most importantly,
however, we want them to purchase our products. Our humor runs from
subtle to risque‚ to downright rude. We are looking for fresh humor
with
a twist, or humor that pushes the limits. We do not publish mush, puns,
flowery prose, teddy bears, butterflies or couples embracing on a
beach-unless it is to set up a joke. The front or cover of a card
should be intriguing enough to entice the card buyer to pick the card
off the rack and read the inside. The key to an exceptional card is the
punch line. The inside greeting cannot be cliche, flat, illogical,
negative or a let down. Our cards are sent primarily to friends and
family so the message should be positive, upbeat and funny."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Marriage Partnership seeks to provide realistic, challenging, and
practical insights into healthy Christian marriage. We offer hope and
help to our readers through practical how-to pieces; interviews with
experts; humorous articles; true-life, dramatic stories of couples
dealing with major life challenges; thoughtful essays; and couple
profiles. Pays $500 and up. For more information:
http://www.christianitytoday.com/marriage/features/info.html#writers
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Law and Order Magazine
We are geared toward police management, police supervisors, chiefs,
sheriffs, and officers with duties associated with the rank of sergeant
and above. The goal of Law and Order is to inform, rather than to
entertain. The purpose is to improve police operations in the widest
sense. Authors receive between 10-15 cents per word printed and $25 per
printed photo (up to four). All payments are mailed within four month
of the issue's print date. We strongly urge all authors to contact the
editor before sending any articles or information. We will review all
unsolicited articles within 30 days, but prefer to be contacted about
each article before submission. For full guidelines and contact
information, see
http://www.hendonpub.com/publications/lawandorder/submitarticles/freelancewriters.asp
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Better Drink
A Sparkling Wine and Living magazine
P.O. Box 410213
Cambridge MA 02141-201
www.thebetterdrink.com
Jennifer Barnick, editor
Bimonthly
"Sparkling wine is at the heart of The Better Drink, and sparkling
wine's celebratory quality informs our central purpose--to elevate the
spirit. Our readership shares an interest in wine, literature, art, and
rejoicing in life on a daily basis." Covers wine and literature.
Accepts queries by mail only. Accepts simultaneous submissions.
Responds in four months to manuscripts. Writer's guidelines online at
website.
"The Better Drink has specific topics in which it requests submissions.
Explicit descriptions are available in our Submissions Guidelines
section online. On occasion, we do accept unsolicited feature articles
either fully completed or in proposal form. Generally speaking, all our
features are related to sparkling wine."
Length: 500-5,000 words.
Pays $20-100.
Fiction needs: Interested in most fiction, but does not want
pornography or stories with graphic violence." Buys six fiction
manuscripts/year. end complete manuscript.
Length: 500-10,000 words.
Pays $50.
Columns open to freelancers: HelloGoodbye (first-person essay about
saying hello or goodbye to a person), 1,000-4,000 words; Passion Forum
(first-person essay about a writer's passion), 750-1,000 words; Under
the Goldlight (first-person account of an adventure/experience related
to sparkling wine), 1,000-5,000 words; Life Under Ten (first-person
essay about a childhood experience), 750-5,000 words; Drinker's Poetry
(2 poems by one writer in each issue--wine-related poetry is strongly
discouraged).
Buys 36 columns/year.
Submission method: Send complete manuscript.
Pays $20-100 for columns
Accepts poetry but "We will only consider poetry and writing of the
finest quality. Please do not send us clever wine-themed poetry."
Buys 12 poems/year.
Submit maximum six poems.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Cicada
Submissions Editor
Carus Publishing
315 Fifth Street
Peru, IL 61354
For teen and young adult writers: Cicada, a magazine for ages 14 and
up, publishes original short stories, poems, and first-person essays
written for teens and young adults. Pays up to 25 cents per word for
fiction and articles and pays up to $3 a line for poems.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Clarion Review
Classic Culture, Inc.
21293 Cameron Hunt Place
Ashburn VA 20147
Phone: (717)968-7787
E-Mail: price@clarionreview.com
Guidelines on Website: www.clarionreview.com
Managing Editor: Amy Gilbert.
Jonathan Price, editor-in-chief.
"We affirm embodied life in this world. Our writers tend to be
humanists of various stripes. We are not dualists and appreciate
paradox and complexity." Quarterly online publication covering
philosophy, theology, literature, dualism, conservationism
(environment). Average visitors/month: 1,000. Submit seasonal material
four months in advance. Accepts queries by mail or e-mail. Accepts
simultaneous submissions. Accepts previously published submissions.
Responds in two weeks to queries. Responds in one month to manuscripts.
Nonfiction needs: Book excerpts, essays, humor, inspirational,
interview/profile, opinion, religious. Query with published clips or
send complete ms. Length: 1,000-10,000 words. Pays $50-400 for assigned
articles; $50-300 for unsolicited articles.
Columns open to freelancers: Books In Review
(philosophical/theological), 750 words; Editor's Corner (opinion), 100
words. Buys 10 columns/year. Query with published clips. Pays $10-200
for columns
Buys 28 poems/year. Does not want: experimental or
stream-of-consciousness poetry.
Submit maximum 8 poems. Length: Length: 100 lines maximum.
Call ahead or go to the web site to see what the next issue's theme is.
"We plan one year ahead."
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New magazine Venture North America is looking for article writers and
companies to feature. The goal is "to create a forum for business
leaders to share their best practices, with a focus on the relationship
between the US and Canada." The typical audience is upper-level
executives at public and private companies in the United States and
Canada. Pitch John Krukowski, editorial director, via email at
jkrukowski@schofield-media.com.
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Four Weeks, a new online "women's monthly lifestyle" magazine at
http://www.fourweeksmag.com/ is seeking freelance writers to pitch the
shopping, food, travel and DIY departments. Pay is modest but you get a
byline. Please read the magazine and writer's guidelines before
pitching (fourweeksmag.com/writersguidelines.htm). Must be able to meet
deadlines. Send pitches to editors@fourweeksmag.com. No phone calls.
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Dana Literary Society Online Journal
P.O. Box 3362
Dana Point CA 92629-836
ward@danaliterary.org
www.danaliterary.org for submission guidelines
Robert L. Ward, director.
"The fiction we publish must be thought-provoking and well-crafted. We
prefer works that have a message or a moral." Average visitors/month:
8,000. Publishes manuscript three months after acceptance. Buys
one-time rights.
Accepts queries by mail. Accepts simultaneous submissions. Accepts
previously published submissions. Responds in two weeks to manuscripts.
Wants literary essays, 1,200 words maximum.
Fiction needs: Humorous
Does Not Want: "Most categories are acceptable if work is mindful of a
thinking audience. No romance, children's/juvenile,
religious/inspirational, pornographic, excessively violent, or profane
work. We would like to see more humor/satire."
Buys 36 manuscripts/year. Length: 800-2,500 words.
Pays $50.
Poetry: Submit maximum of three poems. Length: 120 lines maximum.
"Success requires two qualities: ability and tenacity. Perfect your
technique through educational resources, expansion of your scope of
interests and regular reevaluation, and, as required, revision of your
works."
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Six: Writing Assignment: Cliche Madness
We writers know to avoid cliches such as these: quiet as a mouse, cold
as ice, dead as a doornail, clear as a bell, sly like a fox, slow as
molasses, clear as mud, dumb as a box of rocks, etc. We know to avoid
worn-out phrases, too, such as these: scared to death, shook
uncontrollably, a deer caught in headlights, you bet your life, little
did he know, and such.
What if a cliche seems to fit perfectly, though? Sometimes they do, and
for that reason, they became overused. Let the urge to use a cliche or
worn-out phrase trigger the urge to be creative, instead.
For this exercise, create a situation in which you might have used a
cliche or worn-out phrase and rewrite it into fresh prose. For example,
instead of "quiet as a mouse," you might write, "He slipped out of bed
quiet as a corpse." You can repeat this exercise for any number of
cliches and worn-out phrases and then use your new similes and phrases
in future writing.
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Seven: Web Sites of Interest to Writers
Test your geography skills and become more familiar with the world,
playing with this intriguing (and embarrassing) Web site. I won't admit
how many wrong guesses I made before I finally completed the map. See
http://www.rethinkingschools.org/just_fun/games/mapgame.html
Want to get your kids interested in reading and writing? Together you
will enjoy the games, ideas and poems on Shel Silverstein's Web site:
http://www.shelsilverstein.com/html/home.html
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Eight: Looking for Critique Circles
Huntsville, Alabama writer creating a circle based on Bobbie Christmas
principles
Willard Holmes
Huntsville, Alabama 35802
Email: wmholmes@mindspring.com
Preferences: Nonfiction
Willard writes: "I participated in your workshop at the University of
Georgia in 2005 and found it very insightful. I obtained your Report
#101 on forming and maintaining a successful critique circle. I would
like to take advantage of your Writers Network News offer to help form
a critique circle here in Huntsville, Alabama. I participated in an
ongoing writing and critiquing group for almost a year, circumstances
changed, and the group folded. Looking back at the group operation and
your Report #101, it is obvious "The devil is in the details. The
guideline in Report #101 will be used as the general operating
approach."
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.
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Remember to ask me for Report #101 on forming and maintaining a
successful critique circle. Send your request to me at
Bobbie@zebraeditor.com.
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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.
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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 "Newsletter."
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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. After the introductions are over, we discuss questions
and answers. After the introductions are completed 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.
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