The Writers Network News, November 20, 2006 http://ezezine.com
November 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/
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Look! Next Roswell meeting date: Friday, December 1, 2006 Yes, DECEMBER
the FIRST!
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.
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Welcome to this issue of The Writers Network News. 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 Marianne Lacey and Matt Parvis
Two: From the editor’s desk–Let the Magic Begin
Three: Ask the Book Doctor–about negotiating and lying
Four: Subjects of Interest to Writers
Five: Jobs, Contests, Grants, Agents and Markets
Six: Writing Assignment–Write While You Walk
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/
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Writer’s quote of the day:
"One ought, every day at least, to hear a little song, read a good
poem, see a fine picture, and if it were possible, to speak a few
reasonable words. –Goethe, author of Faust and founder of German
literature
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
One: Kudos to Marianne Lacey, Matt Parvis
“I just signed a contract with Postscripts Magazine (PS Publishing in
Britain) to publish a story--and I heard recently that a personal essay
of mine will be coming out in July 2007 in Kaleidoscope Magazine.”
–Marianne Lacey
“I am happy to announce that my book, Glimpses of Heaven, will be
published by Blue Ridge Press. I will have an initial printing of 1,000
hardcover copies.” –Matt Parvis
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—Let the Magic Begin
Dear Fellow Writers:
I just returned from a magical experience. I gave presentations at the
Florida Writers Association Annual Conference in Walt Disney World, and
in keeping with the Magic Kingdom, the theme of the conference was
“Writing is Magic in 2006.”
Here are a few of my magical experiences:
At least three professional people (a psychiatrist, professor, and
attorney) expressed surprise at the warmth, welcoming, and helpful
people among the world of writers. When I asked for details, they
explained that in the professional/bureaucratic world, people backstab
each other or attempt to take credit for your work. In the writing
world, however, those weary, wary folks found a genuine camaraderie
they had never seen anywhere else.
I did not plan to attend Open Mike Night, because I was tired and did
not want to listen to unpolished pieces. The speakers began before I
finished my dinner, though, and I found myself glued to my seat,
mesmerized by the quality of writing and excellent delivery of the
participants.
All around me, for three full days, I watched writers getting
information, feedback, encouragement, and prizes for their writing
efforts. I saw not a glum face in the group. Magic sparkled everywhere.
Even I, who could probably have given most of the presentations, still
enjoyed the ones I attended, plus I networked with important people,
sponsors of the event and more, who will be valuable to my career as an
editor.
Everyone gets something out of attending conferences, so I hope you
plan to attend at least one writers conference or seminar in 2007. The
magic is not limited to Walt Disney World. It’s everywhere where
writers gather.
Yours in writing,
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
P.S. 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.
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
Three: Ask the Book Doctor—about negotiating and lying
Q: My printer screwed up my last printing pretty bad. One PMS color
came out a wee bit paler than it should have on the cover, four
insignificant pages were dropped at the back of the book (duplicate
order forms – not necessary), there were extra glue beads in the gutter
behind the front cover, and the spine was slightly thicker than the
rest of the book because of the missing pages. These are problems
probably no one would notice, however. Do you think I should try to
make a deal with the printer, like I’ll keep the books if the printer
will give me fifty percent off or something like that? The printer said
it would give me a total refund, but I’d have to return all the books,
and I don’t want to go through another printing right now. It’s too
much of a hassle. Any suggestions?
A: Everything in business is negotiable. Knowing what you and your
opponent want and don’t want before you enter negotiation is vital to a
successful outcome.
You don’t want the hassle of going through another printing right now,
yet you are not happy with the order as it turned out. You know you can
sell the books as they are, and if you can pay less for the job, you’ll
make more money per book.
The printer wants all of the money, and is willing to go to the further
expense and hassle of another printing to get it. He runs the risk of
losing the whole job, though, if he returns all your money. You could,
conceivably, take your business elsewhere.
As a third party, all that information makes it clear to me that a
fifty percent compromise is logical; however, negotiations are rarely
logical.
Some have called me a master negotiator. Maybe it’s true; maybe not,
but I usually get what I want, and here’s how I would approach the
printer if I were in your situation. You’ve already told the printer
you’re dissatisfied, and the printer has told you what he is willing to
do.
Now, to get what you want, you must ask for more than what you would
actually accept. Tell the printer you don’t want to go through the
hassle of a reprint, but if he gives you a complete refund, you at
least have the option of taking your business elsewhere. Add that
you’re willing to negotiate, though, if he will take forty percent of
the price you agreed upon for a perfect job.
He has already completed the work, and he will lose everything, if he
won’t negotiate, so chances are he will counter with an offer of fifty
percent. Don’t jump at it the offer, or he will know your position and
feel duped. Say you’ll call him back with an answer. Later in the day
or the next day, call the printer back. In a dismal tone, say that you
relent; you’ll pay fifty percent.
What has happened? You both feel that you’ve won. He knows he gets some
money, yet he doesn’t have to reprint the job, and he knows he managed
to get you to pay an extra ten percent above what you first said.
You’re happy, because you don’t go through the hassle of a reprint, yet
you have a product that’s acceptable, if not perfect, and at half the
cost. See? In good negotiations, everybody wins.
Q: Is there an easy rule for remembering when to use “lie” and when to
use “lay?”
A: That’s the same darned problem I often have, and I always have to
stop and think. Lay, though, is an action, and lie is something that
has already happened. One of our members uses this memory tag: Chickens
lay; people lie. I think in terms of this: We lie in state, but we lay
our heads on the pillow.
Richard Lederer and Richard Dowis, two colleagues of mine who also
endorsed my book, Write In Style, have written a great book for the
grammatically challenged called Sleeping Dogs Don’t Lay (St. Martin's
Griffin, 2001). I’ll bet they cover the lay/lie subject well in their
book.
Do you have a question for Bobbie Christmas, the book doctor? Send it
to Bobbie@zebraeditor.com.for a personal answer. To read more questions
and answers, go to www.zebraeditor.com and click on "Ask the Book
Doctor."
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Four: Subjects of interest to writers
Forty-seven magazine launches were announced in the third quarter of
2006, according to trade organization Magazine Publishers of America.
This is an increase of thirty-four percent over last year for the same
time period. Among the new titles announced were: seventeen lifestyle
titles, fourteen magazines for the affluent sector, thirteen magazines
for men, twelve magazines for women, and nine titles targeting
African-Americans.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Writer Novel Builder offers free novel-writing and submissions-tracking
software. See
http://members.iinet.net.au/~simonh/spacejock/yWriter.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Florida Horror Writers - Mass Author Event
Feb. 3, 1-4 pm - Tampa, FL
Join us for a reading and book signing event with horror, fantasy,
paranormal romance, and thriller authors from all over the Sunshine
State.
Barnes & Noble - Carrollwood
11802 N. Dale Mabry Highway
Tampa, FL 33618
813-962-6446
Join authors: Jeff Strand, Jane Toombs, Andrea Dean Van Scoyoc, Lynne
Hansen, Carnifex Press, Belea T. Keeney, Richard Lee Byers, and many
more.
The Florida Horror Writers group functions primarily as a networking
organization for local authors. It provides peer support and networking
with a relaxed, informal atmosphere. The group also works to promote
horror literature and writing in the State of Florida. Check us out on
the web at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/flhorrorwriters/ Or contact
Aaron Bennett (813) 317-3276 or jlbenet@jeanloupbenet.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bobbie Christmas seminars on CD
“Write In Style and You Write to Win”
“Travel Writing for Fun and (a little) Profit”
“Write it and Reap: Make Money Selling Your Expertise”
“An Editor’s 10 Secrets to More Persuasive Writing”
“I’ve Finished My Book; What Should I Do Now?”
Take seminars in the comfort of your own home. Repeat as often as you
want. Invite your friends to join you. To order, go to
http://www.zebraeditor.com/tools.shtml to see all the seminars
available on CD. If the seminar you want is not listed yet, contact
Bobbie@zebraeditor.com.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Speedway Club Luxury Living is targeted at women NASCAR racing fans
interested in high-end entertainment, food, decorating and recreational
ideas, as well as the strides women are making in the motor sports
business. Colleen Brannan is editor-in-chief of this bi-monthly SLC
Publications magazine. 20,000 copies of the premier issue were mailed
to Speedway Club members and to homes and businesses in the
Mecklenburg/Cabarrus County regions of North Carolina. Distribution
will continue at race venues and be available by subscription in
February.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SALVO is a Christian magazine aimed at young people. Content is
designed to "raise questions about where we're headed as a society."
The quarterly title, published by the Fellowship of St James in
Chicago, debuted with its autumn 2006 science-focused issue. The second
issue will cover sexual healing. The publication is under the direction
of editor Bobby Maddex and is distributed by subscription. The website
is http://www.salvomag.com.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Simply Smart aims to be a one-stop destination for busy women who are
looking for information and money-saving tips about the best in dining,
shopping, travel and everyday fun. It will cover a range of topics,
including great style for less, vacation destinations and making smart
financial choices. Moira Harris is the editor and their website is at
http://www.simplysmart.com. The first issue, the Winter 2006 Holiday,
hit the newsstands October 1.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
&. MAGAZINE (yes, that is the title) features a specific world-view
topic with each issue. The debut Autumn issue reported on the harmony
between men and women and will be followed with coverage about
creativity, fashion, and travel. The quarterly magazine is published by
MaXposure Media Group and distributes 50,000 copies in the US. An
additional 10,000 copies reach markets in Dubai, Mumbai and Amsterdam.
The website is http://www.andpersandmag.com.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hachette launches comics and graphic novel imprint: The Hachette Book
Group is launching Yen Press, a new comics and graphic novel imprint
that will focus on titles for adults and young readers.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Viv: women's health and wellness magazine launches: Launching as a
digital magazine on December 1, Viv will target women aged
thirty-five-plus, with a focus on health and wellness. Editor-in-chief:
Anne Russell.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Naples Dog is for Floridians interested in breezy and upbeat coverage
of a dog's lifestyle. Topics include owner interviews, profiles of area
charities and businesses, homeless pet stories, shelter events, and
reviews of upscale toys, treats, services, and furnishings. Kim Kazemi
is editor of this quarterly magazine, which debuted with the Summer
2006 issue. Copies are distributed by subscription and can be found in
vet offices, bookstores, and resort destinations throughout Florida.
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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.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Gifts for Writers
It’s true; we've entered the holiday season. Below are suggestions for
writers on your list.
www.coolstuff4writers.com lists all sorts of necessary tools for
writers
www.zebraeditor.com offers writing seminars on CD as well as books for
writers, all by Bobbie Christmas
“Everyone Has a Story” is a unique method for developing your memoir or
family history. In a workbook format, you are provided with sections
that focus on every part of life plus helpful trigger phrases to
stimulate your memory of specific times and events. $35 + SH. Call
678-407-0703 or email
to order.
See < http://www.georgiawriters.org/EveryoneHasAStory.html>.
Purge Your Prose of Problems: A Book Doctor’s Desk Reference, Third
Edition, available printed or as e-book! 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: grammar, punctuation, word choices, creative
writing, plot, pace, characterization, dialogue, Chicago Style,
formatting a manuscript, and much more. More than 500 subjects covered.
Printed form lies flat for easy use: $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
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
Writers who love words and their meanings will love Unfortunate
English: The Gloomy Truth Behind the Words You Use, a book by Bill
Brohaugh. It uncovers previous meanings of words that would--if those
meanings were blatantly apparent today--offend the sensitive, discomfit
the squeamish, and irk the politically correct. For more information on
this title and others, go to
http://fwpubs.sparklist.com/t/2107377/3661368/1072/0/
"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; 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
Startup magazine looking for freelance writers
Relate Magazine website: www.relatemag.com
Relate Magazine is for fun-loving, motivated, and smart girls who are
interested in encouraging others and making wise decisions. Topics
cover design, beauty, entertainment, the future, faith, life, and fun.
Mary Dohack is editor of this quarterly magazine, which debuted with
its premier issue in May. The full publishing schedule launches with
the Holiday issue for November. Distribution is handled through
churches and Christian organizations. Dohack is actively seeking
freelance writers and offers monetary compensation for articles.
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Cold Spring Press: New imprint from established publisher seeks
sports/fitness, biographies, history, fantasy, and more
Open Road Publishing
P.O. Box 284
Cold Spring Harbor NY 11724
Phone: (631)692-7172
Fax: (631)692-7193
E-Mail: jopenroad@aol.com
Website: openroadpub.com
Open Road publishes travel guides and has expanded into other areas
with its new imprint, Cold Spring Press, particularly sports/fitness,
topical, biographies, history, and fantasy. Query with SASE
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Common Ties
Story blog pays for personal stories
Common Ties publishes personal stories, whether told in the first
person about you or in the third about others. For examples please
visit the “Lives” column in the New York Times Magazine or listen to
the sound clips on storycorps.net or from This American Life. Personal
stories can involve breaking news if you were a part of that story –
for instance, stories from 9/11. When writing about others please state
explicitly in your submission to us that you have obtained permission
from those in the story to publish, and if you cannot please do not use
their real names. The site does not accept stories longer than 2,000
words, and less than 1,000 is far preferred. Common Ties pays $200 per
story, but this is only a guideline. You may suggest a higher or lower
amount depending on what you think is an acceptable level given the
quality of the story and your past publishing experience. Stories
should be submitted to CommonTies@gmail.com and can be cut and pasted
into the email itself or using Word, jpeg, and/or mp3 attachments. For
all guidelines, see http://www.commonties.com/blog/submit-a-story/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Poets and Writers Contest
See http://welfare2wealth.com/writerscontest.aspx for all guidelines
welfare2wealth@yahoo.com
A call for poets and writers to submit work for a Mother's Day
Anthology book
Allen & Consultants Publishing Company is hosting a writers contest to
include independent and unknown authors in an anthology titled Welfare
2 Wealth, The Mother's Uphill Journey. This anthology is due to be
released prior to Mother's Day 2008. We are looking for inspirational
poems and stories for/and/or about mothers regarding their struggles on
the welfare system, their ups and downs, their perseverance to have
more and be more and the goals they attained despite obstacles.
Accompanying the anthology release in 2008 is a mother/daughter
cookbook. Send in recipes from your mother and yourself along with your
short story or poem.
One contest winner will be picked monthly. This contest will continue
until the editor has completed the book. Winners will be notified by
mail with their prizes. Selected author's names and poem or story
titles will be published each month on the home page of this Website,
as well as in the monthly online newsletter.
Contest winners will receive the following:
Publication in Welfare 2 Wealth, The Mother's Uphill Journey
Personal Web Page on www.welfare2wealth.com, to promote self and other
works
Free welfare 2 wealth Products
Free Welfare 2 Wealth, The Mother's Uphill Journey anthology Book (upon
publication)
Payment and Royalties TBD at time of publishing
Amazon.com Gift Certificate
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The Chrysalis Reader is a contemporary journal of spiritual discovery
published in honor of Swedenborg. Each issue focuses on a meaningful
theme that inspires current writings and artwork that address today's
questions on spirituality. Essays, fiction, poetry, and artwork give
fresh and diverse perspectives from many traditions, personal
experiences, and fields of study. For more information see
http://www.swedenborg.com/chrysalis/.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Writer's Digest Poetry Awards
The only Writer’s Digest competition exclusively for poets. 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 cold hard 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.
For guidelines and to enter online visit
http://fwpubs.sparklist.com/t/2132375/3661368/947/0/.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Corporate Connecticut Magazine
Corporate World LLC
P.O. Box 290726
Wethersfield CT 06129
www.corpct.com
Chris Brunson, editor
A quarterly, Corporate Connecticut Magazine offers regional reporting
and global coverage of corporate and business leaders and
entrepreneurs. Established in 2001, this quarterly regional business
magazine pays 35¢/word for nonfiction features. The editors say,
"Corporate Connecticut is devoted to people who make business happen in
the private sector and who create innovative change across public
arenas."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Not For Tourists is scouring the globe looking for non-fiction writers
to contribute to our website. At this point, we are only looking for
contributors for the cities that we publish guides to—Atlanta, Boston,
Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and
Washington DC. We have two sections that we need non-fiction editorial
pieces for—On Our Radar and Tracts. Chances are that you’re writing
about your city anyway. This is an opportunity for you to get paid (a
small amount) and also get some exposure. Your pieces will be published
with a bio and a photo.
We have openings in the following cities:
Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Philly, San Francisco, and Washington DC
You can find examples of Radars and Tracts on the NFT website
(www.notfortourists.com). Please do not send a submission without
viewing some of the existing editorial. And remember, we're only
looking for writers with attitude—sassy, irreverent, know-it-all,
honest, smash-mouth, world-weary, reverential, sarcastic. Don't hold
back. Be real. Be NFT. For submission guidelines see
http://www.notfortourists.com/jobs-at-nft-ww.aspx.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bugle
For information and guidelines see
http://www.rmef.org/bugle/pages/consguide.html. Seeks nonfiction,
fiction, columns/departments. Subjects: Elk hunting, conversation, and
poetry
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WD Short Short Story Competition Call for Entries
The 7th Annual Writer's Digest Short Short Story Competition is
accepting entries! We're looking for fiction that's bold, brilliant ...
but brief. Send us your best in 1,500 words or less. But don't be too
long about it--the 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://fwpubs.sparklist.com/t/2156167/3661368/478/0/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Cream City Review offers annual short story, nonfiction, poetry
contests
Cream City Review
Dept. of English
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
P.O. Box 413
Milwaukee, WI 53201
http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/English/ccr/index2.html
Deadline: December 1, 2006
Entry Fee: $10
Prize: $100 plus publication
Cream City Review contests are judged by established writers. Stories
must be no longer than thirty pages. Poetry entries consist of three to
five poems. Address submission to one of the following: The C. Prescott
Sobol Award for Fiction, The Erica F. Wiest Award for Poetry, or The
David B. Saunders Award for Non-Fiction. Submissions must be typed,
double-spaced, and include the author's name and address plus an SASE
(for results only). Simultaneous submissions are acceptable as long as
Cream City Review is notified in the event the manuscript is accepted
elsewhere. The reading fee, however, is non-refundable.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Southern Review publishes fiction, poetry, critical essays,
interviews, book reviews, and excerpts from novels in progress, with
emphasis on contemporary literature in the United States and abroad,
and with special interest in southern culture and history. Poems and
fiction are selected with careful attention to craftsmanship and
technique and to the seriousness of the subject matter. To download
submission information, go to
http://www.lsu.edu/thesouthernreview/submissions.html.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
THE MOUNTAIN MESSENGER
P.O. Drawer A
Downieville CA 95936
Phone: (530)289-3262
Fax: (530)289-3262
Email: mtnmess@cwo.com
Contact: Don Russell, publisher and editor; Ross Taylor; Damaris
Harbert.
"We prefer outrageously opinionated, funny stories. This is our
editorial policy from page one on."
Types of Articles: Essays, expose, features, historical/nostalgic, hot
to, humor, interview/profile, photo feature.
Special Issues: April Fools' edition (first Thursday of April).
Submission method: Query
Length: 350 - 1,200 words.
Pays $5-100
Pays in contributor copies.
Pays the expenses of writers on assignment.
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Six: Writing Assignment: Write While You Walk
Samuel Taylor Coleridge, the famous author of the poem, "The Rime of
the Ancient Mariner" (1798), was close friends with poet William
Wordsworth, who wrote many books of poetry. During their
thirty-seven-year friendship, they learned they both liked to write
while walking. Coleridge liked to walk on uneven ground and fight with
the branches and undergrowth, while Wordsworth preferred walking on a
straight, even path, but both produced their greatest works while
walking.
What a great concept! Most of us need to exercise more as well as make
time to write. We can do both at the same time, and it obviously has
great creative potential.
This assignment, then, is also a true exercise. Put on your walking
shoes, grab a pencil and pad or a recorder, and stroll somewhere. You
can walk around your neighborhood, walk around a park, hike up a hill,
or walk the beach. While you walk, let your mind launch into its
creative side. Ponder possible poems, plots for novels or short
stories, or personal experience essays. Give the method more than one
try. Try it five or six times and see what comes to mind while you
exercise your body and your brain at the same time.
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Seven: Web Sites of Interest to Writers
Contests for writers: http://www.writing-world.com/contests/index.shtml
Any Day in History Information
Want to plug real history into your novel or check a date for your book
or article? Here’s a great Website that tells you what happened on any
day of the year, including births, deaths, and major events. Scroll
down to the section you want. For example, I’m writing a novel set in
1972, and on this Website, I found out that on February 2, 1972, the
first scientific hand-held calculator (HP-35) was introduced at the
price of $395. Now I can make one of my characters want one, but wow,
the price! For more, see www.scopesys.com/anyday.
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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.
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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
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The Writers Network News--a newsletter for writers everywhere.
"No Rules; Just Write!"
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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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