test march http://ezezine.com
March 20, 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, April 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.
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 Sharla Rae Jahnke, Ellen Ward, and Patricia E Patterson
Two: From the editor’s desk–Do You Want to Know a Secret?
Three: Ask the Book Doctor–A Few Questions about Agents
Four: Subjects of Interest to Writers
Five: Jobs, Contests, Grants, Agents, and Markets
Six: Writing Assignment–Stand and Deliver!
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/
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Writer’s quote of the day:
“Nothing gives an author so much pleasure as to find his works
respectfully quoted by other learned authors.” —Benjamin Franklin
(1706-1790), author, printer, scientist and statesman.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
One: Kudos to Sharla Rae Jahnke, Ellen Ward, and Patricia E Patterson
Sharla Rae Jahnke’s short story, “Our Horse of Peace,” was chosen for
inclusion in The Healing Touch of Horses, a short story collection
published by Adams Media Corporation. She says, “Nice to know dreams
really do come true!”
Ellen Ward's short story titled "How My Fat Rear-End Almost Killed
Brandy the Dog" will appear in Cup of Comfort for Dog Lovers, published
by Adams Media.
“I have a short story, ‘A Grasp for Love,’ published in the March/April
2007 issue of Muscadine, A Southern Journal at
www.asouthernjournal.com, and my three-part series on friendship has
started with the March 2007 issue of Simple Joy and will continue
through April and May. www.simplejoy.org. --Patricia E Patterson
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—Do You Want to Know a Secret?
Dear Fellow Writers:
The Secret—the CD, the book—it’s all the buzz among my friends these
days, as if it’s a new idea or information undisclosed for centuries
and recently revealed. (see http://www.thesecret.tv/) The concept,
however, is old hat to many of us. In a nutshell, the point is this:
The law of attraction says you bring into your life the things you
concentrate on the most. Napoleon Hill said similar things in 1937 in
_Think and Grow Rich¬_. Emile Coue said it even earlier, when he wrote
about autosuggestion in the 1800s. (see
http://www.emilecoue.com/method.html)
People who know me or who have been to my seminars know I used “secret”
methods to sell my book, _Write In Style,_ to a publisher. I went into
a bookstore, found the place in the Reference/Writing section where my
book should appear on the shelf, and stood and visualized the book
there. A year later, that place on that shelf is exactly where I saw
the actual book, and I took it from the shelf and signed it for the
store manager.
What do the concepts of visualization, autosuggestion, or the law of
attraction mean to writers? First, all three concepts are much the same
thing. Second, if writers truly want to succeed, are willing to hone
their skills, will spend the necessary time learning the details of the
craft and the market, and can clearly see themselves succeeding, they
will succeed. It really is that easy.
A fledgling writer friend sent me a stream-of-consciousness piece the
other day and wanted my opinion of it. Fraught with typos, missing
words, and errors, the piece obviously was a first draft. I explained
that it might have merit, but until a writer spent time crafting the
work, I could not and would not evaluate it. Good writers not only
write; they also go back and get every point perfect, every sentence
powerful, and every detail clear. Those are the writers who can see
themselves succeeding, and therefore those are the writers who succeed.
What’s their secret? It's visualization, the law of attraction,
autosuggestion, and lots of perspiration and elbow grease.
If you want to succeed as a writer, you’ll do whatever is necessary to
bring about your success, and—oh, what a surprise—you will actually
succeed.
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—A Few Questions about Agents
By Bobbie Christmas, author of Write in Style, the triple-award-winning
textbook on creative writing
Q: Is it proper to resubmit an improved manuscript to agents who have
previously rejected it? If it is proper, what additional information or
explanation should I include?
A: If an agent has specifically stated that you may resubmit the
manuscript if you make particular changes, then it is proper to
resubmit to that agent. In such a case, the cover letter should thank
the agent for the opportunity to resubmit and give a brief explanation
of what has been changed. Include a copy of the agent’s request, to
trigger the agent’s memory.
If an agent did not request that you resubmit the manuscript, don’t
waste that agent’s time. Many other agents are out there. Submit the
revised manuscript elsewhere.
Q: I have written a historical fiction that envelops both the Vietnam
War era and my college days. It involves true experiences of government
intervention in college antiwar factions. In trying to find an agent to
assist me with publishing this novel, I have experienced those who
profess interest and yet are allegedly unable to help me. What do I do,
and how should I address this situation?
A: It’s hard to answer without knowing why the agents were unable to
help. Is the book thoroughly and carefully edited and ready to go? Does
it need more work? Did the agents submit it anywhere and get any
feedback you could use? Did the agents not submit it anywhere? Did the
agents charge you a fee? All the answers to these questions would
require a different response from me, so without knowing why the agents
could not help, I can’t really solve the problem.
What I can do, though, is warn against paying a literary agent any sort
of fee. They should get paid by the publisher, not by the writer.
Legitimate agents take their commission out of the advance and
royalties and send the rest to you. If you pay agents up front, they do
not have to sell manuscripts to make money; they can make a living
charging fees, so they never have to bother to submit your work
anywhere. It’s scary, and it’s a scam that’s going around, so writers
beware!
Q: My story placed tenth place for the Fifteenth Annual Writers Digest
awards out of more than 19,000 entries. How would I write that in my
writing resume and is this a good enough accomplishment for an agent to
represent me?
A: I'd probably write it this way: Placed tenth in the Fifteenth Annual
Writers Digest awards out of more than 19,000 entries.
Is it enough to make an agent represent you? Who knows what makes an
agent decide? Usually it's because they absolutely fall in love with
your novel or nonfiction book; they have to be passionate about it, to
sell it to a publisher. Will awards make an agent passionate about your
manuscript? Probably not, but awards like this one may at least make an
agent take your writing more seriously and actually read it and
consider it.
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:
The most overused word in writing is also one of the simplest: As
As has many definitions and uses, including the following: To the same
extent or degree; equally: The baby smelled as fresh as a new morning.
For instance: domestic animals, as the cat or dog. When taken into
consideration in a specified relation or form: this report as opposed
to the first one. To the same degree or quantity that. Often used as a
correlative after so or as: The crash was not so bad as the news media
described it. In the same manner or way that: Walk as a model walks.
At the same time that; while: tore my stockings as I danced on the
rough floor. For the reason that; because: I read the reports, as I
was interested. With the result that: He was so foolish as to lie.
Though: Skilled as the athlete was, he exhibited poor sportsmanship In
accordance with which or with the way in which: The business trip was
boring, as expected. That; which; who. Used after same or such: Mary
ordered the same meal as John did. In the role, capacity, or function
of: stepped in as teacher. In a manner similar to; the same as: the
students protested as one.
Look at the length of that list of definitions! Obviously, if an author
uses the word as to mean all the above, the word becomes repetitious.
Don’t be afraid to use while, when, like, because, though, and all the
other alternate words available to writers.
Find and Refine: Type into the Find function: As(space). The space
afterwards keeps the computer from stopping on every word with “as” in
it, such as aspiration, lass, association, etc.
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).
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Writers Conference in Maine
Look into the upcoming Down East Writers Conference to be held June 14
through June 16 on Deer Isle, Maine. See www.downeastwriters.com.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Letters from members
The Writer's Network News continues to be outstanding.
I don't know if this might be of any interest to your readers but I'm
now celebrating my 50th year of writing. During that time my writing
has gotten me to such places as a Royal wedding (Prince Andrew and
Sarah); to the Academy Awards; England's "Trouping the Colors" with
the queen seated on a balcony just behind me; into Scotland Yard's
Black Museum, not open to the public; even to a nude beach in Tahiti.
I've headed my own PR firm with clients that included such authors as
the late James Clavell and Rhona Jaffee; Belva Plain and Margaret
Truman. Have worked with endless Hollywood stars including Robert
Taylor, Maureen O’Hara, Shelly Winters, and John Forsyth. Have found
time in recent years to have four novels published: Low Fog in Eden,
Namanga-The Place Where Dreams Died; Where Innocents Die, and Magnets
for Love.
At the moment I'm seeking a new literary agent (if) any who read
Writer's Network might be interested. They can reach me at:
atgpr@webtv.net.
Writing has been my life--your Writer's Network only makes it
better--THANKS! --Alvin Guthertz
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Great board game for writers and others who love words
Ever wonder why we don't just talk, we chew the fat? Derivation, a
hilarious game about word and phrase origins. A great gift!
http://entspire.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BookExpo America 2007, Jacob Javits Center, New York City. Writer's
Conference – Wed., May 30; Educational Program – Thurs., May 31, to
Sun, June 3; Exhibition Halls – Fri., June 1 to Sun., June 3;
International Rights Center - Fri, June 1, to Sun., June 3. There will
be two parallel meetings: the traditional BEA, at the Javits Center,
and the satellite ABA gathering, headquartered at the Marriott at the
Brooklyn Bridge For more information see http://tinyurl.com/2bz3hl.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Los Angeles Times/University of California Los Angeles Festival of
Books, scheduled for Sat.-Sun., April 28-29, is expected to attract
130,000 book lovers. The festival features presentations by a slew of
best-selling authors on six stages, one of the top awards dinners in
the country plus booths where book buyers interact with vendors and
lesser luminaries. http://www.latimes.com/extras/festivalofbooks/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Building Your Author Platform
Thursday, March 22, 8:00 A.M. Pacific / 11:00 A.M. Eastern
Who do you know? The marketability of your book depends on it! In this
teleclass you'll learn: Why your author platform matters; how to take
stock or your author platform and identify its strengths and
weaknesses; techniques for growing your platform with impact and, how
to leverage your author platform for success. Then, we'll take a close
look at a platform building tool that we all have at our disposal and
how to use it effectively with an email marketing guru.
Deb Daufeldt has assisted companies ranging in size from ground floor
startups to the Fortune 500 in a variety of industries to provide
results-oriented on- and off-line marketing strategies and solutions
for acquiring, retaining, communicating with, and engaging customers
through e-mail/Web convergence technologies.
Gail Richards is the founder of AuthorSmart.com and a veteran marketing
communications strategist. To register, go to
http://platform.eventbrite.com/.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sleuthfest 2007, Miami Beach Hotel & Spa, April 19-22, 2007.
Headliners: author Linda Fairstein and Rene Balcer, writer/producer,
“Law & Order.” http://www.mwa-florida.org/sleuthfest.htm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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 only all our books could sell like this . . . the first-day advance
orders on Amazon.com for J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Deathly
Hallows were 547 percent higher than for its predecessor, Half-Blood
Prince. The book will be released July 21.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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/.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Knock-Their-Socks-Off Book Publicity Workshop will be held on
Saturday, April 21, 2007, at Pocket Sanctuary, near Phoenix, Arizona.
One of the presenters will be Jerry Simmons, retired VP of Marketing
for Warner Books. Visit his Web site at WritersReaders.com to sign up
for his free newsletter. For more information or to register for this
all-day workshop, email lwiesesneyd@russellpublic.com or telephone Lynn
Wiese at 520-575-8302.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
_Ask the Book Doctor: How to Beat the Competition and Sell Your
Writing_ is a 122-page e-book by Bobbie Christmas 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
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A U.S. appeals court rejected a bid by Internet activists that would
allow them to scan out-of-print and out-of-copyright works and make
them available free in the Internet.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
_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.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Authors and Publishers Beware!
According to The Author’s Gazette, produced and distributed by Infinity
Publishing, individuals posing as booksellers based overseas have been
contacting U.S. publishers and placing bogus orders for two dozen
copies each of a dozen or more titles. The con is that they falsely
claim to have made arrangements to pay for the shipping, and the catch
is they want a wire transfer for the targeted publisher in the amount
of $1,000, which will then be added to the invoice for the books.
Naturally, their only interest is to fleece publishers out of the money
for the shipping. They have no interest in the books, and their
(supposedly) official shipping agent never makes arrangements to pick
up the ordered books. You can see how this is a scam; in some cases,
however, the phony booksellers have actually emailed several authors to
say that they are ordering 24 copies of their books from the publisher.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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Five: Jobs, Contests, Grants, Agents and Markets
The Dabbling Mum Essay Contest
Amateur and professional writers are welcome. There is NO entry fee to
win these great prizes. See
http://thedabblingmum.com/contests/essay.htm.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Governing
1100 Connecticut Ave. N.W., Suite 1300
Washington, DC 20036
Fax: 202-862-0032
E-mail: ajordan@governing.com
Governing magazine publishes articles on subjects of interest to
elected and appointed government officials at the state, city and
county levels. The magazine seeks lively, comprehensive articles
covering politics, personalities, issues and management. Relatively few
Governing articles focus on a single place, and those that do must have
some broader relevance that will interest the magazine's diverse
audience. Articles comparing how officials in a variety of places
tackle a problem or face a management issue are more likely to have
broad appeal.
Governing articles are written by its staff writers and by independent
paid freelance writers. Story proposals are welcomed; they should be
accompanied by writing samples and should be addressed to Managing
Editor. For more information see http://www.governing.com/wrguide.htm.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Heart Insight is a new quarterly magazine published by the American
Heart Association and Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. It covers
information for patients, their families, and caregivers. For
information on the publisher, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, see
http://www.lww.com/.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Share Some Comfort
The bestselling Cup of Comfort book series is actively seeking
inspiring true stories for six new volumes (see below). We seek
narrative nonfiction stories that read like fiction. Stories must be
uplifting, original, in English, typed, titled, and 1000-2000 words.
$500 grand prize; $100 ea. all other stories; copy of book. No entry
fee.
Email submissions to wordsinger@aol.com. No attachments; one submission
per email. Include full name, mailing address, email address, phone
number.
For detailed writer’s guidelines: www.cupofcomfort.com.
A Cup of Comfort for Single Mothers
As Oprah Winfrey has often said, parenting is the most difficult and
important job in the world. It can be even tougher for single mothers,
who face all the usual parenting challenges plus a whole set of unique
ones. But single motherhood also brings many untold rewards. For this
anthology honoring single mothers, we seek inspiring personal stories
that speak to the challenges, positive experiences, and extraordinary
relationships of single mothers and their children. The majority of
stories in this collection will be written from the single mother’s
point of view, but the book will also include some stories written by
children of single mothers as well as by third parties with intimate
knowledge of the single mother and her children.
Submission Deadline: 3/20/07
A Cup of Comfort for Horse Lovers
This anthology celebrating the powerful, almost magical, bond between
horses and humans will feature inspiring true stories that reveal the
extraordinary impact these magnificent creatures have on the people who
ride, own, raise, train, race, care for, and rescue them. We want
stories that portray horses as companions, helpers, messengers,
healers, teachers, heroes, and inspirational forces in people’s lives
as well as stories about the incredible things that people do out of
love for a horse or horses.
Submission Deadline: 5/15/07
A Cup of Comfort for Cat Lovers
Cats are among the most fascinating, entertaining, and endearing pets
on earth. For this collection, we seek the best cat stories never
told—original and compelling testaments to the deep connection between
cats and the people who love them as well as heartwarming and humorous
tales about truly amazing felines. Most of the stories in the book will
be about domestic cats (pets), but we are also interested in stories
about feral and exotic cats.
Submission Deadline: 7/01/07
A Cup of Comfort for Breast Cancer Survivors
It has been said that “stories are medicine” and that “one of the most
valuable things we can do to heal one another is to share our stories.”
This volume gives the healing power of story to women (and men) who
have survived breast cancer, enabling them to share their inspiring
triumphs and courageous trials with others who have beat breast cancer
as well as with those who are currently dealing with breast cancer. We
want uplifting stories about the experiences and emotions involved in
battling and surviving breast cancer. Possible story themes include but
are not limited to: diagnosis, treatment, emotional impact, support
systems, healing practices, coping mechanisms, effect on loved ones,
effect on personal and/or professional life, life after recover,
prognosis, positive post-cancer outcomes.
Submission Deadline: 8/15/07
A Cup of Comfort for Spouses & Children of People with Alzheimer’s
What happens when the person who raised you or the person with whom you
raised your children slowly becomes a child who doesn’t know you? What
if that loved one changes so drastically that he or she is virtually a
stranger to you? What if that person is difficult to deal with and
requires substantial assistance? How will the reality of having a
spouse or parent with Alzheimer’s affect you and your
family—emotionally, financially, physically, socially, personally,
professionally? The inspiring stories in this collection will answer
those questions and more—and will show how love prevails and how lives
thrive when a spouse or parent has Alzheimer’s.
Submission Deadline: 10/15/07
A Cup of Comfort for Divorced Women
Divorce in the 21st century should come with an instruction manual, a
release valve, and a support system. This anthology will serve
essentially those three purposes, in the form of comforting,
insightful, and inspirational stories about surviving and thriving
during and after divorce. We seek uplifting, contemporary stories on a
wide range of topics of importance to divorced women—including but not
limited to: dating, children, relationship with ex, in-laws, finances,
friends, solitude, personal transformation, healing, revenge, mending
fences, the ex’s new wife or lover, freedom of self, empowerment. The
majority of stories will be written by women who are or have been
divorced. Stories can be poignant, irreverent, humorous, witty, or
wise.
Submission Deadline: 12/31/2007
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Simple Touch of Fate is collecting stories for a potential sequel.
They may be submitted in the body of an e-mail through
http://www.thefatesite.com/sequels.htm. “We will be in touch with you
at a later date if we wish to use your story. The stories should be
true stories involving either people who were in the right place at the
right time or not in the wrong place at the wrong time. We suggest 500
to 2,500 words. We are particularly interested in Fate stories
involving children, animals, stories in foreign settings, and stories
involving people who put their life at risk for other people. Read the
The Simple Touch of Fate for examples of the type of stories we look
for.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Zamoof! Magazine
Dream Wave Publishing, Inc.
644 Spruceview Place South
Kelowna, B.C., Canada V1V 2P7
In creating this magazine for preteens, the publisher says the magazine
has the following goals: To encourage discussion, provide direction,
educate, and prepare youth to keep them safe and healthy now and the
teen years ahead; for fun and entertainment; to encourage reading; a
place where children can feel empowered by having their thoughts,
creativity, and imagination shared with each other’ provide a
publication that is equally valued by its readers, parents, schools,
and the community.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Op-Ed Guidelines for The Wall Street Journal
If you would like to submit an article for consideration, it must be
exclusive to the Journal. Your article should be a strong argument
about an issue in the news. And it should not be a response to a
Journal article; that is a letter to the editor. For an idea of what we
are looking for, read the Journal's editorial page on a regular basis.
See full guidelines see http://www.opinionjournal.com/guidelines/.
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
Six: Writing Assignment: Stand and Deliver!
Every morning, Victor Hugo stood at a lectern facing a window with a
view of the English Channel and wrote at least twenty pages of prose or
one hundred lines of poetry. He wrote his masterpiece, _Les Misérables_
(1865), in that fashion.
Have you ever tried writing while standing up? If you don’t have a
lectern, and who does, use a kitchen counter or breakfast bar. Belly up
with your paper and pen and write at least twenty pages of prose in
longhand. Chances are this method will access deeper parts of your
brain than you realized, because you are stepping out of your comfort
zone, standing instead of sitting, handwriting instead of typing, and
when you write in longhand, you don’t have a spell checker stopping you
or correcting for you as you go along, so you are more likely to “stay
in the creative zone.” Keep moving forward and don’t worry about
editing or revising, just write twenty pages of prose or a hundred
lines of poetry, and see what comes out. You might like the method
enough to use it to write your next full novel or poetry collection.
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
Seven: Web Sites of Interest to Writers
Help with word choices
Nauseated or nauseous? Barb wire or barbed wire? Ensure, assure, or
insure? Which is right? See
http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/errors.html for Common Errors in
English to check your word usage. The site is a bountiful blessing to
all writers who are serious about clear writing.
Stumped on how to write your book proposal? What if you had a template
you could fill in and produce a marketable book proposal?
AuthorSmart.com offers many products for writers, and this one looks
extra special. It isn’t free, but if it saves you weeks or months of
agony, it’s worth much more than the price tag. See
http://stores.authorsmart.com/Categories.bok?category=Templates.
The World Fact Book: CIA information on other countries, including
maps, demographics, government information, etc. Fascinating and
helpful information. www.odci.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index.html.
Strange Deaths
Morbid but amazing stories about what “done ’em in.” A treasure trove
of gory details that may spawn an idea for a story, poem, or book.
http://www.aintnowaytogo.com/home.htm
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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 and
High Point 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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