The Writers Network News, May 20, 2008 http://ezezine.com
May 20, 2008
The Writers Network News
No Rules; Just Write!
Editor: Bobbie Christmas
Contents copyright 2008, Bobbie Christmas
No portion of this newsletter can be used without permission.
Disclaimer: Information in this newsletter is not to be construed as an
endorsement. Be sure to research all information and study every
stipulation before you accept assignments, spend money, or sell your
work.
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/
Bobbie’s Blog:
http://journals.aol.com/bzebra/BobbieChristmasBlogforWriters/
----------------------------------------------
Welcome to this issue of The Writers Network News.
In This Issue
One: Kudos to Terry Mominee
Two: From the editor’s desk – Hummingbirds and Other Metaphors
Three: Ask the Book Doctor – About zingers, synopses, colons, and
semicolons
Four: This Month’s Writing Tip from Bobbie Christmas – Myself and Other
Reflexive Pronouns
Five: Letters from Members
Six: Subjects of Interest to Writers
Seven: Jobs, Contests, Grants, Agents, and Markets
Eight: Writing Assignment – One Picture
Nine: 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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Local Meeting Reminder and Venue Notice
The Writers Network meets next on Friday, June 6, at noon
No dues; no fees
No rules; just write!
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, starting at 12:00 noon.
Our venue is Lucky China, 11680 Alpharetta Highway, Roswell, GA 30076.
See more detailed information at the end of the e-zine.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Writer’s quote of the day
Scott Turow wanted to be a writer from an early age and got into a
writing program at Stanford, but he was newly married and living on
food stamps. He said, "It finally dawned on me that I was not James
Joyce." He went to law school and became a prosecutor before eventually
writing _Presumed Innocent_. It became a bestseller and was made into a
movie.
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One: Kudos to Terry Mominee
“Although I primarily consider myself a (budding) novelist, I had a
poem of mine place twelfth in the Writers Digest Poetry Contest. While
the poem won't be published in
the magazine, I will be listed with the other winners in the August
issue.” --Terry Mominee
Congratulations!
Your successes encourage others, so please send in your accomplishments
for our kudos section.
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Two: From the editor’s desk — Hummingbirds and Other Metaphors
Dear Fellow Writers:
Way back in the 1990s a friend showed me that if you hang it, they will
come. I’m talking about hummingbird feeders and hummingbirds. Up to
that time, I had spotted only about three hummingbirds in my life, and
they fascinated me, yet I had never thought to hang out feeders. I
didn’t believe I could actually attract those Lilliputians right to my
window. I’m glad my friend proved me wrong, and I’ve been hanging out
feeders every season since.
He told me that hummingbirds always made him think of love, and ever
since then, I’ve felt the same way. Each hummingbird sighting is like
receiving a love letter from God.
Writers think in metaphors that way; metaphors come naturally to us.
Sometimes we need to rely on those metaphors to get us through the dark
times. I know, because I recently suffered the traumatic loss of my dog
through an unprovoked attack of loose dogs. I have tried to keep my
chin up and keep going after my loss, but I’m tormented by the memories
of the sights, sounds, and trauma of the event. I’m also grieving the
loss of my significant other, the one who woke me each morning and gave
me a reason to go home each night. It’s been difficult to drag myself
through each day without her, especially knowing she was murdered right
before my eyes.
At my darkest moments, though, sometimes I lift my sight to the window,
and there, hovering in air, is an iridescent miniature creature sipping
from my hummingbird feeder, and my heart fills with love, joy, and
happiness once again. Yes, hummingbirds are our gift for enduring the
hardships of life. Love comes to us in many forms, and I feel blessed
once again.
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 zingers, synopses, colons, and
semicolons
Q: I pulled the following sentence out of your newsletter, and I assume
you didn't write it: “Publications International is looking for writers
to contribute to a massive book on, well, anything that's interesting.”
My question concerns the use of the word “well” as a zinger. I've seen
this device in the local paper and it's also popping up in fiction I am
critiquing. I think it's an attempt to stop readers and get their
attention before saying something "real important." I also don't think
it's fine writing. What is your take on the use of “well?”
A: Well, I think that anything overused is, well, ill advised. A
well-placed “well” can, as you suspect, add a little power to a
statement, but, well, it can be abused, as well. As I’ve shown, one
word can pile up until it becomes distracting, and that’s the problem I
find with the use of the word “well” as an introduction or to emphasize
something. When it is used for its normal purposes, as in “all’s well
that ends well,” adding it for emphasis too drives readers to
distraction.
A conscientious writer, though, can use “well” in a brief article for
effect or have one character specifically in a novel who overuses it in
speech, and it’s okay. What I find, though, is many novelists abuse the
word “well” in dialogue, as in this example: “Well, Charlie, I guess we
should leave now.” Nothing is wrong with that dialogue, because we do
speak that way, but when all the characters use the same introductory
word, that’s, well, too much.
Q: I’m ready to submit my middle-grade book, but I have no idea how to
write a synopsis or how to format it. Can you tell me?
A: Basically it should be in present tense and tell the entire plot
from beginning to end without any hyperbole or comments about the story
itself. In other words, it should not say anything like this: “This is
an exciting read,” or “Readers are intrigued by the characters.” Do not
leave a cliffhanger ending in the synopsis, either. Tell how the plot
is resolved.
The format and length varies according to the person to whom you are
sending it. Research the requirements of the agent or publisher you are
targeting and follow those guidelines. If you cannot find specific
guidelines, write the synopsis in one page or less, single-spaced, and
most agents and publishers will be happy.
Q: Proper use of colons and semicolons in narration is a challenge for
me, although I think I am slowly getting the hang of it. Do the same
rules and practices apply when using them in dialogue? My gut feel is
that semicolons should not be used in dialogue; the sentence should be
broken, even if it seems choppy.
I also sense that colons do have a place in dialogue, but should be
used sparingly. Example: “I know my problem: I’m crazy.”
Recommendations?
A: You make a good point that narrative and dialogue are separate
issues in fiction. Whereas narrative has strong guidelines, almost no
hard-and-fast rules apply to dialogue, except that it should sound
natural. For example, most people do speak in short, choppy sentences,
but pompous people or those giving a lecture speak in longer sentences
that might require semicolons. As a result, if you are trying to show
that a speaker is pretentious, you could use semicolons in his or her
dialogue.
As for colons in dialogue, although the example in your question is
fine, it could also be written with a period and still be fine: “I know
my problem. I’m crazy.” The choice is up to the author.
Here’s the rule of thumb: never overuse any literary device. With that
rule in mind, if you find colons and semicolons too often in your
dialogue, something is amiss. Two or three uses in dialogue within an
entire novel would not raise the eyebrow of any editor I know, though.
Send your questions to Book Doctor Bobbie Christmas for a personal
answer. Contact her at Bobbie@zebraeditor.com. Read more “Ask the Book
Doctor” questions and answers at www.zebraeditor.com.
Would you like to read or save the Ask The Book Doctor column as a
clear PDF file? Now you can! See
http://zebraeditor.com/files/ask_the_book_doctor.pdf. The column will
be available at that address until about the twentieth of each month,
after which it will be replaced with a new one.
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Four: This Month’s Writing Tip from Bobbie Christmas – Myself and Other
Reflexive Pronouns
Of all the words in English, I see mature, intelligent, educated people
misuse the word “myself” the most. Perhaps they are afraid to say “I”
or “me,” because it sounds self serving, or maybe they think myself
sounds more intellectual. They are wrong, though. A reflexive pronoun
(such as “myself”) cannot replace a first person pronoun.
Incorrect: Write to the chairman or myself.
Correct: Write to the chairman or me.
Incorrect: Manual and myself will meet you Thursday.
Correct: Manual and I will meet you Thursday.
Incorrect: I, myself, will take the responsibility
Correct: I will take the responsibility.
Incorrect: I hurt me.
Correct: I hurt myself.
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 or
punctuation you want to find, and your computer will stop on each one
and allow you to ponder whether you can change, correct, improve, or
delete that usage. For more opportunities for improvement, read my
textbook on creative writing: _Write In Style_ (Union Square
Publishing). Buy it in your local bookstore or order it from Amazon.com
by clicking here: http://tinyurl.com/2ayh2m.
Time to Find and Refine
To take advantage of this month’s tip from Bobbie Christmas, type the
word “myself” into the Find function in your word-processing software.
Each time the computer stops on that word examine it and decide whether
you can delete, change, or otherwise improve it.
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Five: Letters from Members
I continue to receive your Writers Network News. This is the best
service of its kind. –Lamarr Parr
(By the way, a free copy of Lamarr’s book _Snippets From Daydreams_
will be sent to anyone by e-mail attachment, when requested with your
e-mail address to LPARR@Worldnet.att.net )
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I’m writing in response to my cursory and inaccurate statement last
month that said that in American English the punctuation marks almost
always go inside quotation marks. Example: “What did you eat today?”
I beg to differ with this:
In American English, commas and periods go inside the quotation marks;
semicolons and colons go outside the quotation marks; question marks go
inside or outside, depending on whether the quote and the sentence are
or are not questions.
--Flo Selfman
[Ed. Note: She’s right. I oversimplified the entire issue, trying to
avoid giving the details of punctuation, but Flo’s eagle eye caught my
gaff, and I appreciate it.]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Your _Purge Your Prose of Problems_ is one of the best writing manuals
I have ever acquired, and I regularly recommend it to both novice and
seasoned writers. My own copy looks like a case of Post-It notes
exploded on it. Thank you for sharing your vast wealth of experience
with us in this wonderful work!
Sandra J. Cropsey
C Works, LLC
P.O. Box 1006
Griffin, GA 30224
sjcworks@aol.com
http://www.tinkerschristmas.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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Six: Subjects of interest to writers
[Note from Bobbie: Some links in this newsletter may include the words
“tiny url,” because I simplify long addresses through www.tinyurl.com.
It takes long addresses and converts them to short ones that still
work.]
Where is Bobbie Christmas speaking next?
Hurry! Sign up for these free seminars by phone.
TELE-CAST: Tricks You Didn’t Know Your Word Processor Could Do
Monday, October 27, 2008 5:00 pm ET - 6:00 pm ET
http://www.eventbrite.com/event/103898764
TELE-CAST: Self-Editing Techniques You Can’t Live Without
Monday, November 17, 2008 5:00 pm ET - 6:00 pm ET
http://www.eventbrite.com/event/103900770
All these tele-classes are given at no charge through AuthorSmart.com.
Sign up for any and all of them today!
Did you miss the tele-cast called “Write In Style and You Write to
Win?” that aired in April? Download it for only $5 and listen all you
want by going to http://stores.authorsmart.com/Detail.bok?no=134.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bobbie will also be appearing at the following events:
June 15 - 19, 2008
Southeastern Writers Conference
For complete information and to register go to
http://www.southeasternwriters.com/
--
September 27, 2008
Catch the Wave Conference
Christian Authors Guild
Woodstock, Georgia
See www.christianauthorsguild.org/10.html.
--
November 14, 15, 16, 2008
Florida Writers Association Annual Conference
See www.floridawriters.net for information
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
New Q and A from The Chicago Manual of Style Online
What is The Chicago Manual of Style? It’s the bible to publishers and
editors; it standardizes technical details in books. If you want to
write like a pro, you’ll learn more about CMOS. Here is a recent
question and answer that appears on CMOS online.
Q. What position does Chicago take on numbered lists within sentences?
I’m editing a document in which the author frequently sets apart
elements of a series with (1), (2), and (3). The enumeration rarely
indicates a progression, and it is used in short and long sentences,
even when only two elements of a series are listed. I think this
practice is burdensome to the reader in many cases and makes the
document appear too technical, but haven’t found anything to support my
claim.
A. If there are so many of these that they begin to look silly or
distracting, I would edit them out. Gently point out to the writer that
although such numbering is useful in complex enumerations, his or her
writing is clear enough without the crutch.
For many more CMOS Q & A see http://tinyurl.com/2xscwn. Sign up to be
alerted when new questions and answers are posted.
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_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 instantly get the e-book with
clickable links and bookmarks that zip you directly to any subject. To
order the e-book, go to http://www.booklocker.com/books/2225.html.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
New Quarterly Magazine Launches
According to Wooden Horse Magazine News:
The Gospel Magazine is a relative newcomer that bills itself as "the
official voice of gospel entertainment." Partners Yusuf Vernon and
Aundre Franklin, age 27 and 29, respectively, are targeting an equally
young demographic of readers with features that include interviews with
gospel entertainers; reviews of movies, Cds, and stage productions; and
testimonies. Advertising is restricted to religious topics. This
quarterly publication has a print run of 40,000-50,000. Its
distribution is currently limited to Atlanta and all of Florida, with
mass mailings to radio stations, music conferences, and record labels
across the country.
To be added to the mailing list of Wooden Horse and stay abreast of
publishing news, go to go to http://www.woodenhorsepub.com and click on
"Sub/scribe" in the left column.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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 and scroll down to see all the
seminars available on CD.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Is Amazon requiring that all print-on-demand books be printed inside
Amazon's fulfillment centers, and if so why? Will Amazon allow you to
use any other POD printer if you want to sell your self-published book
on Amazon? The answers to both questions are yes, but for all the
details and requirements, see the open letter from Amazon here:
http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=176060&p=irol-printondemand.
Read the angry rebuttals and legal actions being taken by reading the
Writers Weekly blog here: http://www.writersweekly.com/amazon.php.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
_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 the e-book go to
http://www.booklocker.com/books/1906.html
NOW AVAILABLE IN PRINT! By popular demand, _Ask the Book Doctor: How to
Beat the Competition and Sell Your Writing_ is finally available in
print. To order your copy today, go to www.wwaow.com and search for
Bobbie Christmas.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
How much should you charge for your editing, proofing, or writing
services? Read the enlightening article on the Writersmarket.com site
at
https://www.writersmarket.com/assets/pdf/How_Much_Should_I_Charge.pdf.
I learned I’m not charging enough for my editing. My fees are lower
than the average, but I prefer to stay busy rather than to rake clients
over the coals financially. Still, it’s good to know what the market is
bearing so you can make your decisions based on facts.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
_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.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Don’t Marry Your Working Title
Of course you should have a working title for your novel, but the final
name may be far from the one you envisioned. While visiting France one
summer, F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote a novel about an American. He
considered calling it "Under the Red, White and Blue," "Among the Ash
Heaps and Millionaires," and "The High-Bouncing Lover." When he sent
the draft to his editor Maxwell Perkins, Fitzgerald thought the novel
should be called "Trimalchio in West Egg" or just "Trimalchio." Perkins
suggested _The Great Gatsby._ As so it was.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Special Bonus Offer: notes from Barbara Florio Graham's sold-out
workshops on book promotion and humor writing for a small fee with book
purchase. See www.SimonTeakettle.com for details.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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. Sixteen
reports are available, and the list keeps growing. Go to
http://zebraeditor.com/free_reports.shtml. Newest report: How to choose
the correct editor for your manuscript. Surprise! It may not be me!
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Seven: Jobs, Contests, Grants, Agents and Markets
MaryElise.com seeks freelance writers
MaryElise.com is currently searching for talented writers with a
sincere interest in bettering the lives of women around the world.
“Each article we write has a positive message while being honest about
the present state of society; they are structured within the confines
of moral and ethical authority. Creative expression is encouraged and a
motivational tone is welcome. Submit curriculum vitae, personal
introduction, and at least two or three writing samples to:
jobs@maryelise.com.” For full guidelines see
http://www.maryelise.com/jobs.htm.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CWN Fourth Annual Short Story Contest Guidelines
Short Story Contest
The Creative Writers Notebook
7043 SE 173rd Arlington Loop
The Villages, FL 32162
New Deadline: November 15, 2008
Entry Fee: $10 per story. Make checks to The Creative Writers Notebook.
You may enter more than one short story, but a $10.00 fee is required
for each entry. If entries are submitted together, one check for all
entry fees is sufficient, i.e., 3 entries = $30.00. Also, please send
three copies of each short story entered.
See http://c.w.notebook.home.att.net/cwn_web_2_005.htm for full
information.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Splurge Seeks Submissions
Splurge is looking for submissions for the next issue. If you'd like to
have your voice heard, read through the submission guidelines at
http://splurgezine.blogspot.com/ and see what you can come up with.
Splurge welcomes any and all critiques, comments, or ideas concerning
the nature of the articles, the general effect of the publication
personally or otherwise, and even on the ezine itself. We also
encourage submissions of anything you feel worthy and fitting within
future issues of a literary, photographic, otherwise visually artistic,
or sardonic nature. The worst we can do is find out where you live,
break in, and leave a cordial note on your fridge about how and why it
didn't fit.
Splurge is a zine that decodes and defaces the ostentation of
contemporary consumer culture, pulling back the thin veneer of our so
called "modern" existence to show the ugly truth of what lies beneath
our daily actions and inactions, revealing the depths of depravity
inflicted by this Disney-replica of reality that demands the sacrifice
of the real for the hyper-real.
Prose, Poetry, Fiction, Nonfiction, and Creative Nonfiction are all
acceptable. No set essay structure needed and quotations optional
(although citing of Web/publication sources is encouraged if used). It
can include personal experiences, observations, anything. Most
important are your thoughts and feelings on the state of society and
the effect of consumerism on modern culture. Please limit word count to
2,000 words or less.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards
Announcing the call for entries into the second annual Moonbeam
Children’s Book Awards, designed to honor the year's best children’s
books, authors and illustrators. The new book awards program is
accepting entries until August 16, 2008, for books with 2007 or 2008
copyrights or books that were released in 2007 or 2008. Open to
authors, illustrators, and publishers of children’s books written in
English and intended for the North American market. For more
information see http://www.moonbeamawards.com/.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Inscribed Poetry and Short Story Competition
Inscribed is hosting one poetry and one short story competition in
2008.
Deadline for submissions in December 1, 2008, for both contests.
1st Place: $50
2nd Place: $25
3rd Place: $15
All winners receive a copy of the printed anthology.
Send all submissions to submissions@inscribed.org with
"Poetry Contest" or "Story Contest" in the subject.
See http://www.inscribed.org/contests.html.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
http://scratchcontest.net/ the monthly writing contest itching to
discover new talent
If you've been writing quality short fiction that isn't getting
noticed, here's your opportunity to submit to a contest that WANTS to
help. The judges of scratch select monthly winners, award cash prizes
and help you build publication credits.
Submission criteria:
Any subject short fiction, 2,500 words max. Include name, address,
phone, title, and word count
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Fate Magazine
Seeks lively, personal, and informative articles on a wide variety of
strange and unknown phenomena. Pays $25. Articles accompanied by
high-resolution, clear photos are the ones most likely selected for
use. For full guidelines and e-mail address see
http://www.fatemag.com/WritersGuidelines.pdf.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rate Other Stories, Post Your Own; Perhaps Win a Cash Prize
The editor of the Cup of Comfort series passed along the following
message and said she herself may enter. Before you enter any of your
personal experience essays, though, be sure to read the submission
guidelines to clearly understand what rights you are giving up and what
rights you will be keeping.
“I’m helping launch a new Web site that will award significant cash
prizes for great pieces of personal writing. The site is going into an
invitation-only beta launch with $40,000 to be awarded on July 1. We
don’t expect the beta period to have a very large attendance, so the
odds are high that people who submit their stories now will win.
“The site is called FieldReport http://www.fieldreport.com, and the
contest is for true-life storytelling (2,500 words or less). It is
judged through a member ranking system that is new on the Internet; to
post a story, participants must become judges in the competition. This
way the stories are ranked by quality, not popularity. The top prize
during the beta period is $20,000 for the best overall submission, plus
seventeen prizes of $1,000 to $2,000 each in categories from Love +
Hate to Travel + Nature and everything in between. For your submission
to have the best chance in the contest, you probably need to submit
within a couple of weeks.
“If you think you might be interested, go to FieldReport
http://www.fieldreport.com and explore the site. The beta password is
“truelife.” If you have any feedback about the site, contact
info@fieldreport.com.” --Stephanie
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Being Single seeks submissions.
beingsinglemag@msn.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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Eight: Writing Assignment – One Picture
Get out of the house and visit an art museum or go to the library and
find a book of photographs or paintings. View the paintings and
photographs one at a time until one speaks to you. Write the story it
tells you in a thousand words or fewer.
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Nine: Web Sites of Interest to Writers
Trying to name your characters and want to be sure you’re doing it
well? Go to http://www.zelo.com/firstnames/namesall.asp for a list
first names, and click on any name to see what it means. You’ll get
thousands of ideas and loads of information.
Freelance Writers Union offers group insurance and other benefits to
independent writers, and membership is free. See
http://www.freelancersunion.org/advocacy/index.html.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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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.
…………………………………………………………………………….
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.”
…………………………………………………………………………….
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:
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. To keep things moving
along, we may have to order food while we talk, but here’s the order of
our meetings:
First we have introductions. When you introduce yourself, we ask that
you also say, “and I am a writer.” In this way we affirm why we are all
here and what we do. After saying, “and I’m a writer,” you can tell the
group what kind of writing you do and what you are working on. Be as
brief as possible. During introductions you’ll also have an opportunity
to write down questions and put them in the question pot. After the
introductions are over, we discuss the questions and answers. We do not
have an absolute ending to our meetings, so you may leave when you need
to leave, but we have the room until 2:00.
Our monthly meetings are held at noon on the first Friday of each month
at Lucky China, 11680 Alpharetta Highway, Roswell, Georgia 30076. Our
meeting room is on the left side of the reception area. (See
http://www.luckychina.info/)
Coming from South of Atlanta: Take GA 400 North. Exit Mansell Road
(exit 8), take a left onto Mansell Road. Take a right onto Alpharetta
Highway. Lucky China is located on left side across from North Fulton
Regional Hospital.
Coming from North of Cumming: Take GA 400 South. Exit Old Milton
Parkway (exit 10). Take a right onto Old Milton Parkway. Take a left
onto Alpharetta Highway. Lucky China is located on right side across
from North Fulton Regional Hospital.
Restaurant phone: 770-740-1360.
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