The Writers Network News, February 21, 2007 http://ezezine.com
February 21, 2007
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, March 2, 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.
See more detailed information at the end of the e-zine.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Welcome to this issue of The Writers Network News.
In This Issue:
One: Kudos to Carol A. Miller, Mary Brotherton, Kathleen Craft Boehmig,
Yolanda Coulaz, George Weinstein, and me! (Bobbie Christmas)
Two: From the editor’s desk–Doors Closing, Doors Opening
Three: Ask the Book Doctor–About Categorizing Manuscripts, Handling Pet
Names and Terms of Endearment, Recommended Manuscript Lengths, and
Hiring Practices
Four: Subjects of Interest to Writers
Five: Jobs, Contests, Grants, Agents, and Markets
Six: Writing Assignment– Sniff Out a Good Description
Seven: Web Sites of Interest to Writers
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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:
"Authors are sometimes like tomcats: They distrust all the other toms
but they are kind to kittens." --Malcolm Cowley,
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
One: Kudos to Carol A. Miller, Mary Brotherton, Kathleen Craft Boehmig,
Yolanda Coulaz, George Weinstein, and me! (Bobbie Christmas)
Carol A. Miller has just won first place in the unpublished children's
manuscript category for Maurice the Mole in the 2006 Royal Palm
Literary Contest sponsored by The Florida Writer's Association in the.
Carol is publishing Maurice, which is the first in a Can You Guess
series. It is available to preorder through Atlas Books 1-800-537-6727.
Mary Brotherton has been named acquisitions editor for the Literary
Liftoff, a magazine produced by the Space Coast Writers Guild. (SCWG)
Her professional writing experience comes from five years as features
writer for Senior Life of Florida, a monthly publication. She is also
active in other SCWG outlets, such as the children's writer's group, a
marketing group called Blueprints, and an online critique group.
I've been submitting pieces to "The Writer's Radio Show" (WAWL/95.1FM
Chattanooga) for a while. This month producer Joan Hetzler invited me
on for the February show, along with Carol Crawford, coordinator for
the Blue Ridge Writers Conference. I got to read two of my favorite
pieces. Although its broadcast radius doesn't reach metro Atlanta,
appearing on this radio station is one of my longtime dreams come to
fruition. The show aired Saturday, February 3. For information visit
www.geocities.com/thewritersshow/thewritersshow.html. --Kathleen Craft
Boehmig
My interview with Alicyn Leigh in the Long Island Press Pets Column is
in the Feb. 1 issue. You can also read the article here:
http://www.longislandpress.com/?cp=167&show=article&a_id=10912.
–Yolanda Coulaz
George Weinstein’s true story, “23½ Love Letters,” has been chosen for
inclusion in the upcoming Cup of Comfort for Writers to be released by
Adams Media Corporation.
The Guru Program of AllExperts.com has named your editor, Bobbie
Christmas, a guru on the subject of writing books. This designation
recognizes exceptional volunteers by giving them the power to shape the
AllExperts.com site by giving them the power to accept or reject people
who apply as experts.
Congratulations to these folks. Your successes encourage others, so
please send in your accomplishments for our kudos section.
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
Two: From the editor’s desk—Doors Closing, Doors Opening
Dear Fellow Writers:
In the past six months I have experienced many ups and downs. Let me
share some of my rollercoaster ride:
In June I lost a dear friend, but weeks later, I rescued a parakeet
from my deck. I named the bird Bruce after my lost friend, only to
learn the bird is a female, a girl named Bruce. The dear, tiny creature
fell ill in January. While friends laughed at me, I spent hundreds of
dollars for an avian vet to treat my free parakeet, allegedly
replaceable for $14 at any pet store. I refused to think in terms of
replacement value, though. Instead I lugged the sad bird twenty
some-odd miles back and forth to a specialized vet and medicated her
twice a day, although she does not like to be held. That’s the
downside. The upside is that she is much better and sings to me in the
morning again and makes me laugh. Every penny and pound of sweat was
worth it.
On the downside, I have not finished or submitted a book proposal I
started more than a year ago. I have many excuses, but the end result
is the same. I haven’t put out a new book in several years. On the
upside, the Small Publishers, Artists, and Writers Network (SPAWN) just
added my 2004 textbook on creative writing, Write In Style, to its list
of recommended resource books for writers and publishers. It’s an honor
to have my book ranked with classic resources I often recommend to
others. To join SPAWN, go to http://www.spawn.org/member.htm.
The story I submitted to A Cup of Comfort for Writers (Adams Media) was
not chosen to be published, but the good news is that one written by my
friend George Weinstein, who is also the president of Atlanta Writers,
was chosen (see the Kudos section).
My long-term relationship, which had been struggling for survival,
finally reached its nadir, and I ended it. On the upside, making that
sad and difficult decision gave me hope and opened me to other
possibilities. Well, folks, someone interesting contacted me through
the Internet, and we enjoyed a glowing conversation by e-mail and
finally met in person recently. Now we both have hope that it might
grow into something good. It’s too early to tell, but it proves that
when you close one door, another one opens.
As this newsletter goes to press, I just received word that my story,
“My Son Max,” which originally was scheduled for inclusion in the
upcoming Cup of Comfort for Dog Lovers, has been deleted, because the
publishers decided it was too sad for the collection. Downer.
All these ups and downs remind me that the world of a writer is riddled
with rejection and tempered by acceptance, and our only hope is to keep
writing, keep learning from our mistakes, and keep moving forward.
Successful writers never quit!
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 Web site, www.zebraeditor.com, and click on
“Free Newsletter.” I never share your address or send out spam.
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
Three: Ask the Book Doctor— About Categorizing Manuscripts, Handling
Pet Names and Terms of Endearment, Recommended Manuscript Lengths, and
Hiring Practices
Q: I am writing a book proposal. How do I categorize my book beyond
nonfiction? It is a family saga with issues related to custody, mental
illness, individual challenges faced by two young boys and others, and
the failure of social services agencies.
A: You are correct in thinking that your proposal will have to clearly
define the label on the bookstore shelf where the book should be
displayed. My first thoughts are to say that it falls under biography,
relationships, and psychology, but I’m not an expert in this field. To
be sure, visit a bookstore, find other biographical books on
relationships that deal with mental health issues, and see how those
books are categorized. I think psychology may be the winner, because
it's also a popular category, but to be sure, do your homework by
visiting a store.
Q: How and when should one capitalize pet names used in dialogue? Not
Fluffy or Rover-type pet names, but things like: dear, honey, sweetie,
dear lady, kind sir, baby, babe, etc.
A: According to The Chicago Manual of Style 15th Edition, which applies
to book-length fiction and nonfiction, pet names are always lowercased.
It gives as an example, "Sorry, sweetheart."
This guideline goes against traditional wisdom, which says that if a
term of endearment or pet name replaces a name, it should be
capitalized.
Q: The length of my story is 162,000 words. If I trim the word count to
120,000 words, would that be of acceptable length for potential
publication?
A: I always recommend staying between 50,000 to 100,000 words for a
first novel, so 120,000 is pushing the envelope, but it may be okay if
the novel warrants it. Literary Agent Susan Graham (About Words Agency)
agrees with me. She says that 120,000 is the maximum, but it's better
if it's less, especially for first-time authors.
She continues: "What I always tell the author is this: Cut, edit, and
shape the novel until it's in the best shape it can be in, and it
almost always works out to be the right length. If it's still too long,
get some advice on big things that can be cut to make it work, but
sometimes it isn't possible. In fact, I prefer for authors to forget
the word-length issue while editing and instead, focus on making it the
best they can."
Q: I want to become a writer. What are some common hiring practices?
A: Because of the many ways writers can be employed, this question is
too broad for a simple answer. I can answer only regarding the hiring I
have done in my career. Back in the 1970s, I was the news editor of a
weekly newspaper, and many wannabe writers applied for work there. At
first I interviewed each one, studied their portfolios, and spent a
great deal of time with them. If I thought they had potential, I
assigned a sample article.
To my dismay, most folks never turned in the assignment. I started a
new technique. When people said they wanted to write for my paper, I
did not waste any of my time; I simply assigned an article. I used the
same subject ten or twelve times before someone would finally return
with an article on deadline. Those were the people I hired. Perhaps the
other folks needed someone standing over them cracking the whip and
checking the clock. I needed people who could work independently and
fulfill my needs.
Later, I managed the communications department of a large construction
firm, where my writers were expected to come to work each day and not
be independent contractors. When I hired corporate communicators, I
requested an interview and looked over their portfolios, no matter
where they had been published. I looked for writers who could not only
take an assignment and fulfill it, but they also had to project the
right corporate image and fit in well with the rest of our team.
Hiring practices and requirements vary depending upon the company and
whether you are expected to be in an office, in the field, or working
from home. Find other writers doing the type of writing you would like
to do and ask them how they got their jobs. Most will gladly tell you.
Q: I am writing a book proposal. How do I categorize my book beyond
nonfiction? It is a family saga with issues related to custody, mental
illness, individual challenges faced by two young boys and others, and
the failure of social services agencies.
A: You are correct in thinking that your proposal will have to clearly
define the label on the bookstore shelf where the book should be
displayed. My first thoughts are to say that it falls under biography,
relationships, and psychology, but I’m not an expert in this field. To
be sure, visit a bookstore, find other biographical books on
relationships that deal with mental health issues, and see how those
books are categorized. I think psychology may be the winner, because
it's also a popular category, but to be sure, do your homework by
visiting a store.
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 http://zebraeditor.com/ and click on "Ask the Book
Doctor."
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
Four: Subjects of interest to writers
This Month’s Tip from Bobbie Christmas: Start/Started/Begin/Began
In this spot I address subjects based on whatever I’m editing at the
time our newsletter goes out. Watch for tips you can put to use every
day.
How often do you use forms of the words “start” or “begin” in your
writing? While nothing is wrong with either word, both often replace
stronger verbs and lead to repetition, so they represent an opportunity
for improvement. If you want to be a strong writer, use “start/started”
or “began/begin” only when something actually does start.
Here are examples from the manuscript I just edited, along with my
suggested revisions. Note I always change or delete names, to keep the
identity of the manuscript confidential:
He jumped up and began banging on the wall. (Revision: He jumped up and
banged on the wall.)
The room started spinning, conversations of everyone’s warnings and
advice began to flood her brain. (Revision: The room spun;
conversations of everyone’s warnings and advice flooded her brain.)
He regained his balance and began to dance a happy jig. (Revision: He
regained his balance and danced a happy jig.)
Find and Refine
Find opportunities for improvement in your own work by using my
trademarked Find and Refine Method. With your file open on your
computer, pull down Edit, then Find, then type in the word you want to
find, and your computer will stop on each one and allow you to ponder
whether you can improve or delete that usage. For more opportunities
for improvement, read my textbook on creative writing: Write In Style
(Union Square Publishing).
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bobbie Christmas, Live, Around the World!
Hear Bobbie Christmas and Carole Madan (Momma Nature) on
internationally available Radio Sandy Springs at
www.radiosandysprings.com, Monday, February 26, 2007, from 2:00-3:00
p.m. If you live in Sandy Springs, you can also tune in to 1620 AM on
your radio.
We’ll chat about many subjects related to writing and living the
writing life, and you’re invited to call in, ask questions, make
comments, and participate. Please take part and tell all your friends
to listen and call in, too!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Power of Positive Publishing, a two-day writers event in Atlanta
You're invited to the Spring Book Show 2007 seminar at Atlanta's World
Congress Center on March 23-24, 2007. The seminar theme is “Writing a
Book Is the Easy Part–Getting It Published and Marketing It Is What’s
Hard.”
Presenters include Noel Griese, editor, Southern Review of Books;
Marilyn Rothstein/M. E. Kemp, novelist; Tony Burton, Wolfmont
Publishing; Dr. Marcia Riley, author; Bobbie Christmas, the Book
Doctor, and author of Write In Style; David Ryback, Ph.D., author; Fran
Stewart, novelist;Patricia M. Terrell;Angela K. Durden, business writer
and children’s book author; Mark Reitz, video production company owner;
Maggie Stapperfenne, publishing house owner and mystery novelist; Joan
Phelps, author, ghostwriter, book reviewer, editor, indexer, co-editor
and proofreader; Peter Bowerman, author and freelance writer; Annie
Payne, realtor and feng shui author; Dr. Tom Williams, principal,
Williams & Co., Publishers, and author of Publish Your Own Magazine,
Guidebook, or Weekly Newspaper; Will Ennis on Arranging for Signings
and Getting Your Books Stocked by Barnes & Noble. For more information
and to register, see
http://www.anvilpub.net/author-publisher_seminar_2007.htm.
Sponsor: Anvil Publishers, 3852 Allsborough Drive, Tucker, GA 30084
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Purge Your Prose of Problems: A Book Doctor’s Desk Reference, Fourth
Edition! 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
http://www.zebraeditor.com (click on Tools for Writers and scroll down)
or save almost $5.00 in shipping PLUS get the third edition 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
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chris Roerden, author of DON'T MURDER YOUR MYSTERY, to speak in Smyrna,
Georgia
Sat. March 10, 10 am - 12 pm
Open to all writers in all genres and mainstream
Chris Roerden will be speaking on "What editors look for in a
manuscript and how yours can pass its screen test"
Smyrna Library, 200 Village Green Circle
Smyrna, Georgia
Chris is a friend of mine, and I respect her work as an editor. She
adds this special note, if you would like to contact her: “I'd also be
interested in meeting with a group of writers on the evening of Friday,
March 9. Traveling with me will be my tech-writer/science friend who
speaks to organizations on finding work as a tech writer.” To tell
Chris you’re interested, contact her at CRoerden@aol.com.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mini Conference for Writers is no Mouse
What published or aspiring writers need for success
March 10, 2007 - 10:00-5:00
Pelican Beach Clubhouse
1495 Highway A1A, Satellite Beach Florida
Cost to Members $39.00
Cost to Non-members $59.00
This is a local, one-day, "mini" conference for writers seeking
information and inspiration from dialogue with successful writers.
Presented by Mary Brotherton and Daniel Griffith, Members of Florida
Writers Association & Space Coast Writers Guild. Sponsored by: Florida
Writers Association. For more information see the Florida Writers
Association at http://www.floridawriters.net/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Event: Write In Style: Put Technology to Work on Your Words
Date: Mar 13, 2007
Time: 9:00 am - 10:00 am
Location: TELECLASS—no charge!
8AM Pacific / 11AM Eastern
Give your work the polish it deserves using sound writing principles
while incorporating contemporary technology. In this class you'll
learn:
How to use technology to objectively spot opportunities for improvement
in your work.
How writers, from beginner to pro, can use almost any word-processing
program to improve their writing.
How to drive home a point and avoid pedestrian prose.
Bobbie Christmas is the owner of Zebra Communications in Atlanta, GA,
and is an editor, ghostwriter, book doctor, copywriter, consultant,
seminar and workshop leader. Her book, Write In Style, is a featured
text in many college-level writing programs. Her resume boasts hundreds
of projects she has contributed to, and she has earned countless
awards. Learn more about Bobbie at: http://www.zebraeditor.com
Hosted By:
AuthorSmart.com
AuthorSmart.com is a community of tools, info and education for authors
seeking navigational assistance on their publishing journey.
Register Online:
More information and online registration:
http://writeinstyle.eventbrite.com.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sent by a friend and worth repeating
We could learn a lot from crayons. Some are sharp, some are pretty, and
some are dull. Some have weird names, and all are different colors, but
they all have to live in the same box.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Capitalize or not? From the Chicago Manual of Style Website, we get the
following Q & A:
Q. Throughout a book I am editing, there are numerous references to
rules and laws that the author defines, for example, the Law of Cause
and Effect, the Rules of the Game. She also capitalizes other words
that are normally lowercased: Light (as in “toward the Light”) and
Habit (when referring to a behavior that keeps us from following the
rules of the game). I realize that she is capitalizing to place an
emphasis on these words and make them stand out, but I am not entirely
comfortable with this. Do you have any suggestions?
A. Depending on your level of confidence, you can try to talk the
author out of the caps. I recently addressed this problem in a
manuscript with slashes through the caps on “Cultural Movement” and a
cheerful note: “I’m going to be slashing away at these kinds of
caps—only Plato still gets to cap Truth, Beauty, and Cultural
Movements.” My note was intended to suggest that such capping is
old-fashioned, and my author understood and agreed. Another comment I
like to use (usually with regard to italics for emphasis, but it might
also work for excessive capping) is “Your prose tends to provide
emphasis naturally and absolutely does not need these crutches.”
For more questions and answers regarding the Chicago Manual of Style,
go to
http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/CMS_FAQ/new/new_questions01.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Terry Kay, best-selling author, screenwriter, and Southern literary
icon, will address The Atlanta Writers Club on March 17 at 1:30 pm. Mr.
Kay has written beloved novels such as _To Dance with the White Dog_,
_The Runaway_, and _The Valley of Light_, all of which have been made
into movies. In 2006 he was inducted into the Georgia Writers Hall of
Fame, and he won the Townsend Award for _The Valley of Light_ in 2004.
Don't miss this chance to hear Terry Kay's wisdom and to get your
questions answered about the craft and business of writing by one of
the masters. The Atlanta Writers Club meets on the second floor of the
Student Building on the Dunwoody campus of Georgia Perimeter College.
For more information and directions, please visit
www.atlantawritersclub.org.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Free: "How to Write and Self-Publish Your Book"
Listen online to a 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/.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Longstanding Member and fellow writer Kathleen Handziuk is
participating in Hike for Discovery. Its goal is to raise funds for
leukemia and lymphoma research and financial aid for patients. “Our
local hiking group in Atlanta will be raising funds for eight-year-old
Elijah Cox, who was diagnosed with lymphoblastic leukemia in 2004. To
make a contribution and/or to honor someone who is a survivor or
someone who has lost the battle with cancer, visit her personalized
fundraising page with a link to donate online at
http://www.active.com/donate/hfdga/kathleenhandziuk or send a check
made out to The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, to her home address,
1830 Fair Oaks Place, Decatur, Georgia 30033.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AuthorSmart Exclusive Teleclass Recordings free for download through
March 15.
Getting Unstuck and Getting Started with Gail Richards
Help! I Need Money for My Book with Jenifer Madson
Build a Book That's Ripe for Incentive Marketing with Terry Roberts
Building & Keeping Momentum with Alecia Huck
Audio Recordings of the 2007 Author’s Intensive Virtutal Publishing
Conference
Your Book Development Plan with Jan King & Gail Richards
Your Publishing Plan with Jan King & Dawn Putney
Your Marketing Plan with Jan King & Gail Richards
When audios are no longer available at no charge, charge a nominal
download fee to cover our costs in providing this inspiration and
information to you. See:
http://stores.authorsmart.com/page.bok?template=vpcaudios.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"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.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Never give up! Mary McGarry Morris took ten years to write her first
novel, Vanished. It was rejected by almost 30 publishers and agents,
but when an agent finally agreed to take the book, it was purchased by
Viking Press just a few weeks later. It came out in 1988 and got great
reviews, becoming a finalist for a National Book Award. Her third
novel, Songs in Ordinary Time (1995), sold more than a million copies.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Do you agree with this writer?
Georges Simenon, who wrote about 400 books and sold more than 1.4
billion copies from 1935 to 1997, said, "What you have not absorbed by
the time you reach the age of eighteen you will never absorb. It is
finished."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Florida Writers' Association Melbourne Area meets at the West
Melbourne Public Library located at 2755 Wingate Blvd in West Melbourne
on the Third Wednesday of each month at 7:00 P.M.. The next meeting
will be on Wednesday, February 21. Mary Brotherton will present a short
program on the basics of grammar.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Southern Breeze Region of the Society of Children's Book Writers and
Illustrators presents its annual Springmingle conference called Opening
Doors at Closed Houses. The conference will be held here in Atlanta,
Georgia on March 2-4. "Opening Doors at Closed Houses" offers you keys
to open closed publishing doors! Speakers include three editors from
Random House's Yearling and Laurel Leaf imprints, Delacorte Press,and
Harcourt Children's Books.
For information and registration see the Web site at
http://www.southern-breeze.org/conf_springmingle07.htm.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The eWomenPublishingNetwork Conference in Dallas, Texas, June 7 through
10, 2007. http://www.ewomenpublishingnetwork.com/2007PubConf.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ty Pennington, host of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" is expanding
into the magazine market. TY PENNINGTON STYLE will "probably cover"
topics such as "renovation, decoration ideas and labor-saving tips."
The magazine is being published by Hachette Filipacchi and debuts in
May.
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Five: Jobs, Contests, Grants, Agents and Markets
Get experience as a ghostwriter!
My name is Nino Buffa, and I am looking for someone who might be
interested in helping me write a book about my life experiences as an
Italian immigrant. I have already written a memoir and have pages of
information and wonderful stories. Unfortunately, I am not a good
writer, and I don't speak English very well. Please e-mail my niece
Cathy at cbergeron21@hotmail.com if you are interested in helping me
with this project for a nominal fee.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NEA - Creative Writing Fellowships: Fiction/Creative Non-Fiction
CLOSING DATE: March 1, 2007
AMOUNT: $25,000
ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS: Creative writers who are citizens or permanent
residents of the United States.
AGENCY/DEPARTMENT: National Endowment for the Arts
SUMMARY:
Fellowships are available to exceptionally talented, published creative
writers. Fellowships, operating on a two-year cycle, enable recipients
to set aside time for writing, research, travel, and general career
advancement. LISTED IN: www.grants.gov. For detailed information see:
http://www.arts.gov/grants/apply/Lit/index.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Gather.com First Chapters Writing Competition
Authors who have not previously published a full-length book (excluding
self published and vanity press) are eligible to compete in the First
Chapters Writing Competition. Deadline 11:59 PM (EST) Thursday, March
15, 2007. Manuscript submissions must be original, previously
unpublished, completed book-length manuscripts in the commercial
fiction genre. Grand Prize: $5,000 cash prize from Gather.com and a
book deal with Touchstone/Fireside (an imprint of Simon & Schuster).
Rules are explicit, to be sure to check them out at
http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.jsp?articleId=281474976881664.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Arts & Letters, the literary journal from Georgia College and State
University, is sponsoring a contest for writers. The Arts & Letters
Prizes Competition offers publication and a $1000 Prize for winners in
the following categories: Fiction (Short Story); Poetry; Drama (One-Act
Play); and a NEW prize for Creative Nonfiction (Essay). A $15
submission fee, payable in U.S. dollars, includes a two-issue
subscription to Arts & Letters. Please make checks or money orders
payable to “GCSU” (note “Arts & Letters” in the memo section). All
submissions will be considered for publication. The deadline for
submissions is March 15, 2007. For more information, please check the
Web site: http://author.c.topica.com/maafLL4abwq4nbT3WQPe/
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Assistant Editor needed at Wooden Horse
We need an assistant editor to help with the news gathering for the
Wooden Horse newsletter. It is a paid (albeit not as much as we would
like) position as an independent contractor, typically 1-2 hours per
day Monday through Friday.
Requirements:
Journalism or research experience
Computer literacy (PC-based preferred)
Familiarity with magazine industry terms
Demonstrated writing ability (for possible future work assignments)
"Nose" for news
Prefer:
Magazine industry experience
Magazine contacts
Benefits:
Work your own hours, in your own home
Send resume via e-mail to mweaver@woodenhorsepub.com
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SKIRT!, a woman's lifestyle magazine covering work, family, health,
style, profiles and local products, will begin publishing a Knoxville,
Tennessee, edition beginning in March. Currently this magazine is found
in Charlotte, NC; Charleston and Columbia, SC; Atlanta, Augusta and
Savannah, GA; and Jacksonville, FL. The tone is "a little edgy, a
little out of the box" as well as fun and uplifting. Janet Testerman is
editor of the new monthly publication, a partnership of the Knoxville
area News Sentinel and Morris Publishing Group
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mary Evans, Inc. Literary Agency
242 E. Fifth St.
New York NY 10003
Phone: (212)979-0880
Fax: (212)979-5344
Member Agents: Mary Evans, merrylit@aol.com (no unsolicited queries);
Tanya McKinnon, tanyamckinnon@yahoo.com (children's, humor, journalism,
multicultural, graphic novels, African-American fiction and
nonfiction); Devin McIntyre.
Represents nonfiction books and novels
Query with SASE.
Query by snail mail.
No fax queries.
Obtains new clients through recommendations from others and from
submissions
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CHAUTAUQUA LITERARY JOURNAL ANNUAL CONTESTS
Chautauqua Literary Journal
P.O. Box 2039
York Beach ME 03910 (for contest entries only)
E-Mail: cljeditor@aol.com
Web site: writers.ciweb.org
Contact: Richard Foerster, editor.
Offered annually for unpublished work to award literary excellence in
the categories of poetry and prose (short stories and/or creative
nonfiction). Guidelines for SASE, online, or via e-mail. Prize: $1,500
in each of the 2 categories of poetry and prose, plus publication in
Chautauqua Literary Journal.
Deadline: September 30 (postmarked)
Eligibility: Open to any writer
Entry Fee: $15/entry
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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Six: Writing Assignment: Sniff Out a Good Description
The bestselling book Perfume: The Story of a Murderer by Patrick
Suskind has recently been released as a movie. I haven’t seen the
movie, so I have no idea if it is true to the original story, but I
don’t see how a movie can possibly succeed in doing what Suskind
accomplished in his book. I consider it a masterpiece for several
reasons, including the way the author handled the sense of smell
throughout the story. As a reader I could almost detect scents
emanating from the book, although they were a figment of my
imagination, stirred up by Suskind’s carefully crafted descriptions.
Although creative writers know they must appeal to the senses of the
reader, most authors stick to the most obvious of the five senses:
sight, hearing, touch, and taste. Rarely do writers boldly delve into
the sense of smell, but when they do, they add depth and dimension to
their writing.
For this assignment, write narrative that describes the following
scenes, and let the sense of smell play heavily into the description:
Sifting through the remains of a house that burned to the ground
Walking along the beach on a windy day
Opening a new bag of potting soil
Discovering a decaying mouse in a hot attic
Stepping into your grandmother’s house on Christmas Day
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Seven: Web Sites of Interest to Writers
In The Company of Writers offers Teleseminars and Webinars in real-time
classes by some of the best writers, poets, editors, publishers, and
book marketing experts in the US and elsewhere.
http://www.inthecompanyofwriters.com
Web promotion for your book?
Book Treasure House offers you your own Web site where you can sell
your book through the Internet. Frankly, I’m not sure how this site
works and I’m shocked at the typos and errors on the site, but if you
create your own pages using this site, you have control over the
content. It’s worth checking out, if you want to publicize your book on
the Internet: http://booktreasurehouse.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. 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.
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 or
leave when you need to do so.
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 not only gives us a private meeting room, but it also offers
a buffet with a variety of food, primarily Asian.
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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