Writers Network News, July 20, 2008 http://ezezine.com
July 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: With the exception of the sponsor, 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 Jennifer Evans, Diana Thurbon, Nicky VanValkenburgh,
Robert Gilbert, and Dan Anderson
Two: From the editor’s desk – The Inner Muse versus the Inner Parent
Three: Ask the Book Doctor – about It’s or Its, Numerals, and Self
Publishing versus Traditional Publishing
Four: This Month’s Writing Tip from Bobbie Christmas – Farther or
Further?
Five: Letters from Members
Six: Subjects of Interest to Writers
Seven: Jobs, Contests, Grants, Agents, and Markets
Eight: Writing Assignment – Brush with Fate
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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[Note: Some links may include “tiny url,” because through
www.tinyurl.com, long Web addresses can be converted to short ones.]
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Local Meetings Cease
The Writers Network has stopped having local meetings in metro Atlanta.
The Writers Network is international, with subscribers around the globe
from Australia to the USA and back again. Rather than showing
favoritism to writers in Georgia, The Writers Network intends to serve
all members equally.
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Writer’s quote of the day
Donald Barthelme, author of _Come Back, Dr. Caligari_ and other books,
said, "Write about what you're afraid of."
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One: Kudos to Jennifer Evans, Diana Thurbon, Nicky VanValkenburgh,
Robert Gilbert, and Dan Anderson
“I was awarded a Georgia Author of the Year Award for my book, _What
the Locusts Had Eaten: The Nikki O'Baire Story_ in the biography
category. I'm humbled by the recognition and challenged by the
opportunities the prestige of the award could offer.” --Jennifer Evans
Member Diana Thurbon of Victoria, Australia, reports receiving the
following notification: “Congratulations! You are the winner of the
April 2008 Raspberry & Vine Short Story Competition for your entry
titled ‘The Halfway House.’” The prize was $300, and she reports that
the entry fee was only $5.
"I recently wrote two e-books that are available at no charge online.
They are called _Seven Turn Ons for the Brain_ and _Six Myths about
Stress_. You can download them both at:
http://www.20minutestolessstress.com.” --Nicky VanValkenburgh
I have a new romance novel out titled _Megan's Love_ that takes place
near Albuquerque, New Mexico. I also have a new CD single out, a piano
orchestration I wrote to go along with the book. Go to
www.robertlouisgilbert.com and you'll see a photo of me along with the
front cover of the book. —Robert Gilbert
Dan Anderson announced the publication of his first novel, _Bad
Vibrations_ (ISBN: 9781601455437), a romp through the noir underbelly
of Southern California and a serial killer on the loose in La-La Land.
Bad Vibrations was selected by Rockway Press as Best Novel in its
annual International Writing Competition. It also garnered a Florida
Writers Association Lighthouse Book Award in the Mystery-Suspense
category. It is available through local bookstores or on the Internet
at www.amazon.com or www.barnesandnoble.com. Visit Dan's Web site at
www.murdermayhemmalice.com or contact him at dananderson305@gmail.com.
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 —The Inner Muse versus the Inner Parent
Dear Fellow Writers:
Some successful writers wake up at four in the morning to write. Some
write after the children are in bed. Some start promptly at nine a.m.
with a cup of coffee. Talk to twenty successful writers and you’ll get
twenty answers about when and how they write. What’s the common
denominator, though? They picked a time, made a schedule, and wrote.
That’s why they were successful.
Other remaining writers make time here and there, and still others
“hope to find the time.” Some get inspired, write something, and then
stop for long periods. A few may be successful, but their chances of
success are clearly reduced by their haphazard behavior.
I’m a combination; sometimes I set a schedule and stick to it, but
after a while I get embroiled in other activities, and the book
languishes. _Write In Style_ has been my most successful book, however,
and it is the result of discipline, hard work, a schedule, and a
deadline. Without those things I might never have finished the first
draft.
A schedule resulted in my most successful book? Duh! The schedule made
all the difference in the world.
Does it sound like I’m lecturing you to set a schedule? Actually I’m
not. I’m admonishing myself, because I was gung ho on a book in
December that has slowed way down in July. Sure, I have a partial draft
I occasionally pull out, read, and edit a few pages, but I’m not
producing any new words, and the book isn’t finished. Maybe I’ll
actually listen to my own advice, give my book the priority it
deserves, and put it back into my daily schedule. Yes, maybe my inner
muse will listen to my inner parent.
Maybe.
Or maybe I’ll inspire my readers to do better than I do. I hope so.
Looking for inspiration? Attend any conference for writers. In June I
taught creative writing at the Southeastern Writers Association
conference on beautiful St. Simon’s Island, Georgia. Not only will that
setting inspire and uplift you, but the presenters and attendees will,
too. See http://www.southeasternwriters.com/ for information on the
next SWA conference.
Yours in writing,
Bobbie Christmas (Bobbie@zebraeditor.com or bzebra@aol.com )
Author of triple-award-winning _Write In Style_ (Union Square
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 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 It’s or Its, Numerals, and Self
Publishing versus Traditional Publishing
Q: Explain to me this: it's, its, and its'.
A: I always have to stop and think about it, too. The answer depends on
usage, except that its' is never acceptable. Here’s the information
from _Purge Your Prose of Problems_, my reference book for book
doctors:
It’s/Its
It’s (with the apostrophe) is the contraction for “it is.” Example:
It’s okay if John comes along. (Can be written, It is okay if John
comes along.)
Its (without the apostrophe) indicates the possessive. Example: The
seminar had its own schedule.
The “its” words often get confused because they break the rules of
possessive apostrophes. If you confuse these two words, you are not
alone. Here’s a helpful hint: Every time you use it’s or its, ask
yourself, “Am I saying IT IS?” If so, only then do you use the
apostrophe (it’s).
Q: In my novel that you edited, you seem to have changed all numbers
under 101 to be spelled out in text. Why is that? Also, do all the
numbers with two words have a hyphen?
A: Chicago Style calls for numbers one hundred and under to be spelled
out, and yes, numbers such as ninety-five and forty-nine are
hyphenated. Dates are the exception, especially the year when it stands
alone, except at the beginning of a sentence. Examples: The second
chapter begins in AD 30. Nineteen ninety-two was the year the designer
created seventy-three new gowns. The book was updated for the fifteenth
time this year.
All numbers should be written out in dialogue, with the exception of
dates. For example, “I won three hundred dollars for a
four-thousand-word essay in 1994.”
Q: Should I continue shopping for a publisher or should I self publish?
What kind of profit can I expect from the two methods?
A: Self-publishing is an ambitious endeavor, and before you do it,
learn about the various types of self-publishing and conduct a personal
inventory on how much time, money, and effort you want to spend on the
undertaking. Do you want to be a publishing house and oversee design,
production, distribution, order fulfillment, warehousing, invoicing,
and all that? Do you want to have a few copies to take with you when
you speak, so you can sell a few here and there? Do you want the book
to appear in brick-and-mortar stores? You must ponder quite a few
questions before you make your decision.
Send an e-mail to freereports@zebraeditor.com to get a link for my free
report on self-publishing versus traditional publishing. Read it
carefully to learn the advantages and disadvantages of both paths.
I wrote _Write In Style_ and sold it to a traditional publisher because
my motivation was to reach as many people as possible with my tricks
and tips on creative writing. Simon & Schuster distributes the book in
America, Canada, and Australia. My profit? Less than a dollar a book,
but the book reaches more people than I could have reached as a self
publisher. Selling the book to a publisher, however, took me several
years.
On the other hand, anyone can self publish. I self-publish other books,
because I sell books wherever I speak. I make more money per book on
the ones I print myself, but because I sell maybe ten books a month, I
make mere pocket change, plus I reach fewer people with those books.
In the long run, I make more money on the traditionally published book,
because more copies are sold than I could sell myself, even though I
get less money per book. You can see how the decision to self publish
or not can become a complicated one.
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 newest column
is posted around the first of each month.
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Four: This Month’s Writing Tip from Bobbie Christmas – Farther or
Further?
Many of the manuscripts I edit use the word “farther” and “further”
incorrectly. The two words are not interchangeable. Be sure not to
confuse the two words. Here are definitions and examples to clarify:
Further: Refers to abstract situations. Example: Her disease had
debilitated her further.
Farther: Refers to concrete, measurable distances. Example: The school
is farther away than I thought.
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
letters “rther” into the Find function in your word-processing
software. Each time the computer stops on a word with those letters,
check to see if it is “farther” or “further” and be sure you have made
the correct word choice for that sentence. Examine the whole sentence,
too, and decide whether you can otherwise improve it.
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Five: Letters from Members
The newsletter is wonderful. --Marie Gualtiere
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I signed up to receive your e-mail newsletter at a writer's seminar in
Smyrna, Georgia, and find it to be very helpful. --Jackie Warren
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Six: Subjects of interest to writers
Where is Bobbie Christmas speaking next?
Hurry! Sign to up to take these free telephone seminars.
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 be appearing in person at the following events:
September 9, 2008
Carrollton Creative Writers’ Club
Carrollton Community Arts Center
251 Alabama Street
Carrollton, GA 30117
10:00 - 12:00
Carrollton, Georgia
For more information contact Joann at planter630@aol.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 below or www.floridawriters.net for more information
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The 7th Annual Florida Writers Association Conference
November 14 -16
Join the heart of Florida’s writing community at the Lake Mary Marriott
for the biggest three-day event FWA has ever presented.
Fourteen experienced agents, publishers, and writing mentors will be
coming from all over the country to offer thirty information-packed
sessions over three days in a three-track plan tailored for full-time
pros, serious hobbyists, and determined beginners.
Learn how to improve your writing skills, package your work for
selling, and go on to make the sale.
November 15 is the annual Royal Palm Literary Awards dinner. The Royal
Palm is an awards contest for all FWA members, and anyone can become a
member. Hurry! The contest closes August 1, so go to
www.floridawriters.net for the rules.
Make your conference reservation before July 31 and save $50 over the
full registration price of $299. (For hotel reservations, call 1-899
380-7724 and ask for the FWA discount rate. First come, first served.)
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What good are copy editors? Read the Washington Post editorial at
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/19/AR2008061902920.html
and take the challenge for yourself.
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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 proprietary reference book is not available in stores; only a few
copies are available. The information 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. Spiral binder lies flat for easy use: $29.95 plus
$4.99 s & h at http://www.zebraeditor.com (click on Tools for Writers
and scroll down).
Save almost $5.00 in shipping PLUS instantly get _Purge Your Prose of
Problems_ as an e-book with clickable links and bookmarks that zip you
directly to any subject. Go to
http://www.booklocker.com/books/2225.html.
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Author of _Doc Hollywood_ and coauthor of _Get Between the Covers:
Leave a Legacy by Writing a Book_ invites you to be in his newest movie
Neil Shulman M.D. sent me a link to an interactive site where you can
put yourself in a movie. He says, “It’s a romantic comedy I produced,
directed, and acted in. Your feedback would be great.” The URL for the
site is http://www.phdgaming.com/WhoNose/index.shtm. It will prompt you
to respond to a series of about five questions about relationships with
your Webcam, and once you've finished the five or so answers, it will
give you a link to see the movie with yourself in it.
Neil adds: “It would be great if you could send your personalized movie
link to us. We recommend copy and pasting the link into an e-mail
before you click on it to watch the movie with yourself in it. Also,
you can forward this link to anyone who might like to see themselves in
this interactive movie. You can call my partner, Zoe, at 404-417-9780
if you have any trouble working the site.”
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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.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Yolanda Coulaz poetry workshop, reading, and book signing
Sunday, September 14, 2008
2:00 PM - 3:30 PM Workshop (fee applies)
4:00 PM - 5:30 PM Reading & Book Signing (free & open to the public)
The Village Bookshoppe
7 North Village Ave.
Rockville Centre, NY
516-764-1395
Workshop participants will craft poems using prompts and samples to
unlock the pen, open the gates, and let loose our creative creatures.
There is a $15 workshop fee ($20 after August 31). To register, send
check or money order to The Village Bookshoppe. Include contact
information. Class size is limited. Register early.
This event was funded in part by Poets & Writers, Inc. with public
funds from The New York State Council on the Arts, a state agency.
Yolanda Coulaz is a poet, photographer, editor, founder of Purple Sage
Press, and a member of The Writers Network. Contact her at
yolandacoulaz@msn.com or 631-420-0425.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
_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
Soon to be available in print! By popular demand, _Ask the Book Doctor:
How to Beat the Competition and Sell Your Writing_ will soon be
available in print. To order your copy today, go to www.wwaow.com and
search for Bobbie Christmas.
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Listen, Do You Want to Know a Secret…?
The Guinness Book of World Records lists Paul McCartney as the
best-selling composer in popular music history. "Yesterday" is the most
recorded song ever, with more than 2,000 versions. McCartney also
authored a book of poetry called Blackbird Singing: Poems and Lyrics
1965-1999 that was released in 2001.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
_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 prices, go to
http://tinyurl.com/5yncfw.
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Britain Wants Age Guidance on Children’s Books; Authors Rebel
In England the decision to introduce something called “age guidance”
was taken in April by the vast majority of children's publishers,
including Hachette, Penguin, Random House, Scholastic, and
HarperCollins. They will implement the system this autumn, starting it
on black and white fiction and eventually rolling it out to all
children's categories. It will see a black and white design placed on
the back of the books, near the bar code, with the categories of 5+,
7+, 9+, 11+ and 13+/teen. Authors, however, call it censorship and that
it will keep children from stretching and reading books that might be
of interest to them. To see more, go to http://tinyurl.com/622com.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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
Abilene (Texas) Writers Guild Annual Contest
Our annual contest, open to the world, happens at a new time this year.
Entries will be accepted from September 1, 2008, until October 31,
2008, and prizes will be awarded at a workshop in March 2009. Watch for
details at http://abilenewritersguild.org/index.html#annual.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rhino: The Poetry Forum Founders Poetry Prize
Rhino, The Poetry Forum
P.O. Box 591
Evanston, IL 60204
http://www.rhinopoetry.org/pages/contests.html
New contest open to all poets with a distinctive voice. One winning
poem will receive $300 and publication in the next issue. Two runners
up will receive $50. The poems selected will be posted on the Web site.
Send up to five unpublished poems (no more than 5 pages total).
Submissions must include a cover letter listing your name, address,
email address and/or telephone number as well as titles of the poems.
No identifying information should appear on the poems. Manuscripts will
not be returned. Include a SASE for notification of results.
Enclose a $10 entry fee (make checks payable to Rhino). Label your
contest submission: "Founders Contest." Submissions must be postmarked
between June 1 and September 1. No electronic submissions.
All contest submissions will also be considered for regular publication
in the
2009 edition of Rhino.
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MyBusiness wants your article queries
Small business today is no longer merely a job or a business, but a
movement, a cause, an adventure, a lifestyle. MyBusiness is a guide to
survival and success in this new small-business economy. We seek to
highlight and celebrate the people and ideas making this movement a
reality. That’s why the experiences of real small-business owners are
essential to every story.
MyBusiness is sent bimonthly to members of the National Federation of
Independent Business. These small-business owners range from at-home
sole proprietors to heads of companies with up to 500 employees. Our
research shows our readers’ companies average an annual sales volume of
$454,100, and a mean number of 19 employees. Yet success for MyBusiness
readers is not measured merely in year-to-year revenue growth, but also
with such radical measures as year-to-year personal growth, health and
happiness.
Rather than unsolicited articles, we prefer to hear story ideas. It is
strongly encouraged that writers check several recent issues of
MyBusiness to find if their proposal is suitable. The most successful
queries are tightly focused and contain unique information about the
small-business experience.
Send proposals in writing to Editorial Department c/o MyBusiness
magazine, 3322 West End Ave., Ste. 700, Nashville, TN 37203, or e-mail
to feedback@mybusinessmag.com. Include your resume and two to four
clips, preferably business-related.
Because of the large number of inquiries we receive, we accept written
queries only. You can send your query by e-mail or regular mail. No
phone calls please. We will contact you if your pitch is a fit. See
http://www.mybusinessmag.com/about/guide.php for full guidelines and an
editorial calendar.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Proofreaders Needed
We are always looking for qualified people to assist us with our
overloads. You may do this work from home provided you are familiar
with Word or WordPerfect. If you can provide a "quick and accurate
read" this arrangement may be very profitable for you. We keep our
proofreaders long-term.
Proofreading/Entering Corrections to Diskette: This is the majority of
the work we have available. (Marking hard copy in red-primarily short
stories, novels, a bit of poetry.) No major editing is required.
Proofing for grammar, punctuation, making certain things make sense,
etc. In addition, entering proposed corrections to diskette in
WordPerfect format. Most of our work comes to us in good shape. We
receive no handwritten manuscripts and most clients send us their work
on diskette or laser printed hard copy. We pay our proofers $2.00 per
page.
Turnaround required is one week or less, but longer for book
manuscripts. Our clients are used to fast turnaround, and they get
restless if we take too long.
Writer's Relief has been in business for over twelve years. We act as a
submission service for writers. We prepare and submit book manuscripts,
short stories, essays, children's books, and poetry for our clients. No
two are alike. Our proofreaders generally enjoy the work we send
because it is so varied. We like to work with people who function as
entrepreneurs and we encourage and support women and men working
independently. No calls please. Go to
http://www.writersrelief.com/Proofers.asp to receive written grammar
test.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Poetry Society of New Hampshire wants your entries
The Poetry Society of New Hampshire
Lynne Birdsall
PO Box 1615
Concord, NH 03302-1615
Next deadline: August 15, 2008
Limit is forty lines. Name and address must appear in the upper right
corner of the copy. NO identification is to appear anywhere on the
second copy.
The Poetry Society of New Hampshire sponsors four national contests
open to all poets, members or not. Judges for the contests are not
members of the Poetry Society of New Hampshire. Prizes are awarded to
four places, 1st place, $100, 2nd place, $50, 3rd and 4th places $25
each. Winning poems will be published in a quarterly magazine, The
Poets Touchstone, and winning poets receive one copy. Rights revert to
the author after publication.
Entries that do not meet the guidelines will not be considered or
returned.
Poems must be postmarked by the deadline date.
Subject and form are open.
Length limited to 40 lines.
One poem per page.
Poems must be typed.
Two copies of each poem, one with NO identification (no name, no
address), the other with the name and address in the upper right
corner.
#10 SASE for winners list only. Poems will not be returned.
Entry fee is $3 for the first poem, and $2 each for others. Entries
limited to 5 poems per poet per contest.
Poems must not be previously published, have won a prize, or be
currently entered in another contest.
Poems must be postmarked by the deadline date. Deadlines are: August
15, November 15, February 15, May 15.
Mail poems and check payable to the Poetry Society of New Hampshire.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Cancer Book to be published March 2009
We are looking for true stories and poems about your experience with
cancer––as a patient, a relative, friend, or coworker of someone with
cancer or as a medical professional or clergy engaged in treatment.
We prefer stories and poems written in the first person of no more than
1,200 words.
Here are some suggested topics:
- The Initial Diagnosis –– What a Patient Hears, What a Doctor Says
- Learning to Say the C Word –– breaking the news to loved ones,
friends and co-workers
- Relationships – how cancer affects family ties, friendships, and
professional connections
- Securing a medical team and creating a support system
- What’s happening to my body? Living through treatment and an ever
changing self-image
- No Hair Days –– Embarrassing and humorous moments
- Discovering new faith and spirituality
- Cancer and Sexuality
- Life gets bigger –– Rising above the suffering and fear
- Facing mortality for the first time
- Regaining strength and seeing life anew
- Letting go of a loved one
- Life’s not fair but it’s my one and only
- What I’ve Learned –– from both sides
If your story is chosen, you will be a published author and your bio
will be printed in the book. You will also receive a check for $200 and
10 free copies of your book, worth more than $100. We will copyright
your story in your name and you will retain the rights to resell it.
Send submissions to
http://chickensoupforthesoul.com/form.asp?cid=submit_story
Deadline is August 31, 2008 although we may accept stories after that
date if we have room.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Morton Marr Poetry Prize
Southwest Review
Southern Methodist University
P.O. Box 750374 . Dallas TX 75275-0374
The Southwest Review gives annual awards of $1,000 and $500 for poems
by writers who have not yet published a first book of poetry.
Contestants may submit no more than six poems in a traditional form
(e.g., sonnet, sestina, villanelle, rhymed stanzas, blank verse). Entry
fee is $5.00 per poem.. Postmarked entry deadline is September 30,
2008. The poems will be published in the Southwest Review. For full
submission guidelines, go to
http://www.southwestreview.org/SubmissionGuidelines.htm.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Casagramde Press wants your Wedding Misadventures
Deadline: Sept. 15, 2008
We are seeking stories, articles, and essays on the subject of wedding
day misadventure for publication in Wedding's Greatest Misadventures.
We are looking for nonfiction, first-person stories about wedding
meltdowns, bad judgment calls, ex-boyfriend or ex-girlfriend crashing
the event, cheating during the ceremony, fights, pranks, comical/ironic
episodes, disaster, animal attacks, bizarre injuries, regretful toasts,
temper flare ups, crazy in-laws, natural disaster, misfortune, loss of
wit, or other episodes that surround the marriage day. We want stories
that: 1) tell a good tale, 2) reflect the bride’s/groom’s culture (your
family, religion, or national culture and customs) as it relates to the
wedding 3) develop the depth of the characters involved, 4) have a
tight narrative tension, and 5) have a payoff at the end. There is no
fee to submit a story. Open to writers, newlyweds, and divorcees of any
level. Writers will be paid $100 and four contributor copies upon
publication if the story is selected for publication. For full details
see http://www.casagrandepress.com/wedding.html.
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Short Stories and Essays Wanted
Stephen Raburn Publishing is accepting submissions for its fall 2008
collection of short stories and essays. About 10 to 15 submissions will
be included in the debut issue of this new quarterly anthology.
The publisher is looking for intelligent, thoughtful, provocative,
witty material. Nothing too dark or pornographic. Particularly
interested in new, emerging writers.
For consideration, please e-mail as an attachment in a Word Document.
Deadline is August 1. Send to stephenraburn@yahoo.com.
Contributors’ biographies will be listed in the front of the journal,
along with contact info/Web site address, etc., if you choose to do so.
Additionally, contributors will receive copies of the book and
consideration in future publications that may be in a position to
compensate monetarily.
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GGC Publishing Expands Career Diary Series
202-541-9700
www.gogardner.com
info@ggcinc.com
Do you have a cool job? Can you write? We want to hear from you. GGC
Publishing is looking to expand its Career Diary series. We are looking
for professionals with the following careers, with at least five years
of experience.
Interior designer
Chiropractor
Psychologist
Nutritionist
Lawyer
Meteorologist
Nurse
TV Newscaster
Model
Computer Programmer
Zoologist
Paralegal
Pharmacist
Architect
Music Producer
Game Designer
Illustrator
Translator/Interpreter
Professional Athlete
Stuntman
Screenwriter
Event Planner
Actor
Personal Trainer
Firefighter
Recruiter
Medical/Physician Assistant
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The Hollins Critic seeks poetry and essays
The Hollins Critic
Cathryn Hankla, poetry editor
P.O. Box 9538
Hollins University
Roanoke, VA 24020
Note: The Hollins Critic will not read poetry submissions again until
September 1, 2008. Submissions received at other times will be returned
unread.
Poetry submitted to The Hollins Critic should be typed or word
processed. There are no rules about style or subject. Submit one to
five poems to The Critic. We cannot reply without a self-addressed
stamped envelope. We do not accept e-mail submissions.
The Critic pays $25.00 per poem, upon publication. All rights revert to
the author following publication, but if the poem is reprinted
elsewhere, The Critic should be credited.
Besides poetry, The Critic publishes an essay on a contemporary author
in each issue and book reviews as space permits. The Critic does not
accept unsolicited essays. Rarely do we accept unsolicited book
reviews. When a review is published, the author receives a copy of the
issue, and two copies are sent to the book publisher.
For more information see
http://www.hollins.edu/grad/eng_writing/critic/critic.htm.
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The Creative Writers Notebook Short Story Contest
Deadline: November 15, 2008
1st Place $200; 2nd Prize $100; 3rd Prize $50 and publication in The
Journal of the Creative Writers Notebook
Entry Fee: $10 per short story entered
Send three copies of each entry and your check to:
The Creative Writers Notebook
Short Story Contest
7043 SE 173rd Arlington Loop
The Villages, FL 32162
--Length: up to 3,000 words in any genre for adults/young adults (no
porn, picture books, or poetry)
--Format: two cover pages (1st with name, address, phone, e-mail, title
and word count; 2nd with title and word count only). Body of
manuscript: 12-point Times Roman, double-spaced, title and page number
at the top of each page and no name. See
http://c.w.notebook.home.att.net/cwn_web_2_005.htm for more details.
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Eight: Writing Assignment – Brush with Fate
How many times have you almost had a car accident, almost fallen,
almost dropped something valuable, or almost taken a wrong turn? Think
of one or more incidents and write a story as if what didn’t happen
actually did happen. Follow the story to its new conclusion. Remember,
something good can also come from something bad, so don’t limit
yourself.
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Nine: Web Sites of Interest to Writers
Poe War is a great writer’s resource center: http://www.poewar.com/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Check out all your word options: The Visual Thesaurus is an interactive
dictionary and thesaurus that creates word maps. Say you have a meaning
in mind, like "happy." The VT helps you find related words, from
"cheerful" to "euphoric." The best part is the VT works like your
brain, not a book. You'll find the right word, write more
descriptively, free associate, and gain a more precise understanding of
the English language. http://www.visualthesaurus.com/
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Do you want to send a large number of Web links to friends, fans, or
clients? Go to www.urlbunch.com, enter the list of sites, and click
“Bunch Together.” The site publishes a simple Web page with all your
links, and you have to send only one link to your intended receivers.
The receivers can click the one link to go to the site and then click
on any or all the links. The site stays up, too, so receivers can
bookmark the site and return to it later.
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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 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 fees.
No officers. “No Rules; Just Write!"
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