The Writers Network News July 2012 Issue http://ezezine.com
The Writers Network News, July 2012
In This Issue
One: From the editor's desk--Enjoying Life
Two: Ask the Book Doctor--about Hyphenation, Writing Fiction, and
Following Genres
Three: This Month's Easy Editing Tip from Bobbie Christmas--One Word or
Two?
Four: Subjects of Interest to Writers
Five: Contests, Agents, and Markets
Six: Got Muse?--Take a Hike
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The Writers Network News
No Rules; Just Write!
Editor: Bobbie Christmas
Contents copyright 2012, Bobbie Christmas
No portion of this newsletter can be used without permission; however,
you may forward the newsletter in its entirety to anyone who may be
interested in subscribing.
Newsletter Sponsor
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1992--2012: Celebrating twenty years in the business of editing books
(We must be doing something right!)
As book doctors, we write, edit, and evaluate fiction and nonfiction
manuscripts, book proposals, query letters, and synopses. As book
shepherds, we guide writers through the process of self-publishing. We
are a top-rated Better Business Bureau Accredited Business.
Zebra Communications
230 Deerchase Drive
Woodstock, GA 30188
770/924-0528
http://zebraeditor.com/
Follow my "Write In Style" creative-writing blog at
http://bobbiechristmas.blogspot.com/
Follow my "Don't You Dare Call It a Diet" weight-loss blog at
http://dontyoudarecallitadiet.blogspot.com/
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Meet Fellow Writers
Do you live in or visit metro Atlanta? Sign up for local meeting
notices today! Send your name and e-mail address to
Bobbie@zebraeditor.com.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Past Issues Available
To view current and past issues of The Writers Network News, go to
http://tinyurl.com/c4otf6.
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Some links in this newsletter may include "tiny url" with the help of
www.tinyurl.com, which takes long Web addresses and converts them to
short ones.
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Writer's quote of the month
"There are some themes, some subjects, too large for adult fiction;
they can be dealt with adequately only in a children's book." --Philip
Pullman, author of The Amber Spyglass, the first children's novel ever
nominated for Great Britain's prestigious Booker Prize
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One: From the editor's desk--Enjoying Life
Dear Readers:
Okay, the truth can be told; on May 9, I underwent major surgery. I did
not tell many people, because I considered it a private matter, and I
still do. The good news is that I came through like a champ, and I'm
healthier than ever. Facing major surgery is a life-changing event,
though. I had to be prepared not to survive; anything can happen in the
operating room and in the hospital, after all.
To prepare, I made sure my son knew how to find my will, power of
attorney, advanced directive, banking and investment information, and
other things necessary if anything went wrong. I gladly put everything
away again, when I got home the next day. Nowadays even major surgery
is almost drive-through. I stayed in the hospital less than twenty-four
hours and went home with the order not to go on complete bed rest, as
if I had to be told. I got home and happily went back to work.
The result of my "survival," however, has been major. Losing a few
friends within months of each other and then facing potential death
myself, I clearly fathom the importance of life, and I want more of it.
I am determined never again to put off doing something I want to do. As
a result I signed up for several trips, including a writers conference
in Orlando (the Florida Writers Association always puts on top-notch
events), a trip to Canada (to see Niagara Falls, Lake Erie, and Ontario
for the first time), and a short trip to the mountains in the fall, to
see the leaves turning.
I also sprang for the massage chair I've always wanted, and I'm
enjoying a daily much-earned and relaxing massage.
I've also begun clearing out my files, considering that when I leave
this earth, someone else will have to deal with the hundreds of files
and reams of paper in my four file cabinets. Many papers date back to
the early 1990s. When I began my business back then, everything was
printed. Even my newsletter used to be designed, printed, folded,
stamped, and mailed monthly.
In the past few days, I pulled out notes, invoices, and correspondence
I will never need again. I created a large recycling pile. I hope to
reduce my file drawers from nine to two or three by the end of this
year. I store most things digitally now, but one of those file drawers
will have to hold my appliance manuals and automobile service records.
Oh, yes, my service records take up a great deal of room. My car is a
zebra-striped 1990 Honda Accord. I intended to keep that car a long
time when I customized it a month after buying it in 1990, but I never
thought it would still be going strong after twenty-two and a half
years. The service records show I have taken good care of the car, too.
Anyway, I wrote this long note to say that life is short. Every day is
a precious gift. We must play with our toys with joy, love our dear
ones with all our hearts, and recycle what we no longer need.
Yours in writing,
Bobbie Christmas (Bobbie@zebraeditor.com or bzebra@aol.com )
Author of Write In Style (Union Square Publishing), owner of Zebra
Communications, and director of The Writers Network
If someone forwarded this newsletter to you, please sign up to get your
own copy. Simply go to www.zebraeditor.com, click on "Free Newsletter,"
and follow the prompts. I never share your address or send out spam.
Scout's honor.
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Two: Ask the Book Doctor: about Hyphenation, Writing Fiction, and
Following Genres
By Bobbie Christmas
Q: Which is correct, self-publish (with the hyphen) or self publish
(without the hyphen)?
A: If writing a book, you should follow Chicago style, and in section
7.85, page 382 of CMOS Sixteenth Edition, the hyphenation guide for
compounds and words formed with prefixes says both noun and adjective
forms are hyphenated, except where self is followed by a suffix or
preceded by un. It gives the following examples: self-restraint,
self-realization, self-conscious, the behavior is self-destructive,
selfless, and unselfconscious.
If all that information is confusing, the simple answer is this: in
books, anyway, "self-published" should be hyphenated, always.
Q: I have an interest in writing fiction. The unknown has always
terrified
me, but I am determined to overcome this fear. The desire to be an
author is stronger, therefore pushing me not to give up. Any advice for
someone like me?
A: We fear only those things with which we're not familiar. Once you
learn more about writing fiction, your fear will change to anticipation
and excitement. For that reason, I suggest you do what all writers of
fiction have done, and that's learn the craft. Read books on how to
write fiction. Take classes. Join organizations for writers. Attend
conferences and workshops. Subscribe to magazines and e-zines for
writers (I hope you will go to my website and sign up for my free
e-zine, "The Writers Network News"). Study the fiction you enjoy
reading and decide what makes it fun for you to read.
Next practice, practice, practice. Use contests, prompts, and
assignments to tempt yourself to write short pieces and then longer
pieces. Be willing to work on a piece until it is the very best you can
make it. For that reason, after you write (not while you are writing),
revise, revise, revise.
Next get feedback from other writers. Join a critique circle.
Never stop learning about writing; it's an endless subject.
Go ahead. Dive into writing. It is nothing like diving into an abyss.
Other writers, books, magazines, and e-zines will be all around to help
you, and you will find yourself in the company of many other writers,
the most interesting people in the world.
Q: I am in the process of editing my novel. I gave it to some people to
edit, and one person came back to me thinking that the genre was not
the genre I had intended the book to be. He thought it was a young
adult novel, when I meant for the story to be an adult
romance/suspense. I was surprised when he thought it was young adult,
because of some of the sexual scenes. How can I create the story to be
more adult, like those of Nora Roberts, so people won't confuse the
genre?
A: Each genre has specific attributes that set it apart, such as a
mystery usually involves a crime and the solution to it. Other factors,
however, determine the intended audience. Those factors include such
things as word count, complexity of language, and whether the subject
matter and language are age appropriate.
If only one person thought the manuscript was a young adult novel, you
have the opinion of only one person. Don’t make sweeping changes based
on the opinion of one reader. Get feedback from others familiar with
your intended age level and genre. Perhaps you should even pay for an
evaluation from a professional book doctor.
If you want to write something that reaches the same audience as Nora
Roberts, be sure to read plenty of Nora Roberts novels and examine how
she develops her stories and characters. Analyze her techniques and
word choices. Pick apart her work until you understand what she does.
After studying her techniques for developing characters and revealing a
story, apply the same techniques to your own plots, but in your own
writing style.
Bobbie Christmas, book editor, author of Write In Style (Union Square
Publishing), and owner of Zebra Communications, will answer your
questions, too. Send them to Bobbie@zebraeditor.com. Read more "Ask the
Book Doctor" questions and answers at www.zebraeditor.com.
Would you like to read, save, or share the Ask the Book Doctor column
as a PDF file? At http://zebraeditor.com/files/ask_the_book_doctor.pdf,
the newest column is posted around the first of each month.
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Three: This Month's Easy Editing Tip from Bobbie Christmas--One Word or
Two?
Many of the errors I find in manuscripts relate to words that should
have been one word, rather than two or hyphenated. I don’t have a pat
answer on how to tell when a word should be one word, two words, or a
hyphenated word, and a computer spellchecker will not help. Only a
human brain can decipher the difference.
Although I cannot provide an all-inclusive list, a few of the words
I’ve seen most often misspelled as two words or hyphenated words when
they should be one include the following:
Armchair
Backpedal
Backup (as a noun)
Bestseller (noun)
Bloodstream
Bookstore
Breakneck
Cannot
Cheekbone
Coastline
Cutthroat
Daybreak
Doorknob
Downstairs
Downstream
Downturn
Easygoing
Facelift
Fingerprint
Firepower
Firewood
Firsthand (adverb or adjective)
Getup (noun)
Girlfriend
Gravesite
Gunshot (as a noun)
Halfway
Handgun
Handmade
Heartbeat
Heartfelt
Hillside
Hotheaded
Intact
Laughingstock
Lifelong
Lightheaded
Lighthearted
Lowdown (as a noun)
Midsection
Mindset
Multinational
Nanosecond
Nonfiction
Nonstop
Notepad
Ongoing
Onlooker
Overdo/overdid
Overconfident
Overlook
Runoff
Schoolgirl
Shirttail
Sidetracked
Singsong
Somehow
Splashdown
Stepfather
Takeoff
Timeline
Trashcan
Upstairs
Upstream
Wastebasket
Watercraft
Wellbeing
Womenfolk
Workhorse
Zigzag
Use my trademarked Find and Refine Method to locate uses of the above
words written as two words, for example, water craft instead of
watercraft. Go to the Find function on your computer, and under Find
What, type the two words you think you might have used and click on
Find. Read the list above and address each potentially incorrect word
in your own manuscripts.
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Four: Subjects of interest to writers
Darlene Pitts has published her book, Let's Talk Intuition, 121
Questions & Answers to Help You Use More of Your Inner Guidance Every
Day. How do I trust my intuition? Can my intuition help me reduce
stress? How do I use my intuition to find a good relationship? Darlene,
an intuition consultant, speaker, and author, shows readers how quick
and easy it is to use intuition at home, work, school, and play. To
order go to www.intuitionconnection.com or www.amazon.com.
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Member Dona Lee wrote, "Our book, Published! The Complete Guide to
Nontraditional Publishing, is now available on Amazon ($18.99) and
Kindle (9.99). Published! is 460 pages of information writers need to
know to save themselves time, money, and frustration." The authors are
Dona Lee and Al Musitano. DGould497@aol.com
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Write In Style Soon to be Unavailable, but Do NOT pay $156 for a copy!
Write In Style by Bobbie Christmas is the first book to teach you how
to write tighter, stronger, and more creatively, PLUS you will learn
how to speed through your editing phase. Write In Style won the Royal
Palm Literary Award for education, Best in Division (Georgia Author of
the Year Awards), and was a finalist in USABookNews Best Books 2005.
Hurry! I have only a few copies left of Write In Style. After I sell
all my copies, you will have to pay the prices on Amazon, from about
$73 to $156 for a new copy on Amazon. To pay the high prices, see
http://tinyurl.com/4hc2bxu, but to pay only the original cover price of
$12.95 plus shipping, go to
http://zebraeditor.com/book_write_in_style.shtml. I will even autograph
the book.
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From The Chicago Manual of Style Website Q & A This Month
Q: Does it matter what font style and size are used when submitting an
essay for contest consideration?
A: Contest rules usually give guidelines for submitting work.
Otherwise, it is standard in publishing to use 12-point type in a serif
font like Times New Roman. Use one-inch margins on all sides, no
colors, no ALL CAPS anywhere. Indent the first line of each paragraph.
Don't add space between paragraphs. Type a single space between
sentences (not two). Editors want the text to be clear and to speak for
itself. Prose decorated with bold and italics and caps looks
unprofessional. If you are entering a contest, good luck!
Q: I've always thought that to avoid confusion a pronoun should rename
the closest noun to it, but an author says "the pronoun it is most
naturally taken to repeat the subject of the sentence." The pronoun in
question renamed a noun that immediately preceded it (not the subject).
Is the author correct? Should it always refer to the subject rather
than to the closest noun or pronoun?
A: "Always"? Of course not. Your author has in mind a sentence where it
does not refer to the subject and we sense an awkward ambiguity: The
money in the pool of blood reddened as it spread. But it's just as easy
to write a perfectly clear sentence where it does not refer to the
subject—or for that matter to the nearest noun: Did you see the eclipse
last night when it peaked? Both you and your author would do well to
stop searching for a rule to govern all your sentences and simply
rephrase if it isn't crystal clear what it refers to.
Q: I've always thought that when you use any as a pronoun it should be
treated as singular. But in the following sentences, "Do they all
match? Is any missing?" using is feels awkward. Does any in this case
refer to they in the previous sentence?
A: Yes, it does. Any can be singular or plural (which I'm sure by now
you have learned from checking the dictionary you keep at hand): "Have
you checked the pizza? Is any missing?" or "Have you checked the
Twinkies? Are any missing?" Both are correct (and around here, most
likely missing).
The Chicago Manual of Style is the reference that book editors use. For
more CMOS Q & A, see http://tinyurl.com/2xscwn.
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Purge Your Prose of Problems
A Book Doctor's Desk Reference, Fifth Edition
Save thousands of dollars and edit your own book! Order my proprietary
book-doctor desk reference book online at http://tinyurl.com/4ptjnr.
In alphabetical order and in easy-to-understand language, Purge Your
Prose of Problems covers all you need to know to revise and edit
fiction and nonfiction books, including grammar, punctuation, word
choices, creative writing, plot, pace, characterization, point of view,
dialogue, Chicago style, format, and much more. The spiral binder lets
the book lie flat in front of your computer, for easy use. Available
printed or as a PDF e-book that allows you to keep all this vital
information on your computer for ready reference.
To save thousands of dollars by editing your own book, order Purge Your
Prose of Problems today at http://tinyurl.com/4ptjnr.
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Terminology Writers Should Know
Correlative Conjunctions
Correlative conjunctions are conjunctions used in pairs, and they often
depend on each other to form a complete thought. According to the
Chicago Manual of Style, some examples include as-as; if-then;
either-or, neither-nor; both-and; where-there; so-as; and not only-but
also. I find the last pair--not only-but also--to be misused most often
in manuscripts I edit. The use of "not only" must always be followed by
"but also."
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Free Tools for Writers from Bobbie Christmas and Zebra Communications
Order PDF reports on writing-related subjects, including correct
manuscript format, how to form and run a critique circle, how to
identify weak writing and repair it, self-publishing versus traditional
publishing, and much more. Go to
http://zebraeditor.com/free_reports.shtml. Newest report: Genre: A
Slippery Subject Essential to Fiction: Learn about genre fiction
categories and the benefits of complying with genre specifications.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
How Can You Find a Qualified Editor (and get an initial discount as
well?)
The Florida Writers Association offers an initial discount to new
clients to the Editors Helping Writers service, plus you have the
reassurance that you are dealing with fully vetted professional editors
who are overseen by a coordinator of the service as well as the strong
Florida Writers Association itself.
To learn more about the Editors Helping Writers, go
http://www.floridawriters.net/, scroll down to the section on the
service, and click the links. If, after reading all the information,
you want to participate in the service, contact me. You will have to be
a member of FWA, but the membership fee is low, the advantages of
membership are many, and you don't have to live in the state or even in
the country, to qualify.
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Ask the Book Doctor: How to Beat the Competition and Sell Your Writing
answers many of the questions you wish you could ask an editing expert.
Whether you write books, short stories, articles, reports, or anything
else, learn more about how to write, edit, and sell your work.
Paperback: $14.95 plus $4.99 S & H (total: $19.94 US) E-book: $8.95, no
S & H, with almost instant delivery. You'll save almost $10 by buying
the e-book! To order either, go to http://tinyurl.com/lexp7n.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Want to see how a manuscript should be formatted? See
http://www.shunn.net/format/story.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Keep up with Bobbie's activities on Twitter:
http:twitter.com/BookDoctor4u
Become Bobbie's friend on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/bobbie.christmas
New! Zebra Communications on Facebook: http://tinyurl.com/7vcxaxu.
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Five: Contests, Agents, and Markets
Wisdom of Woodstock Anthology
Call for Personal Experience Essays
Were you living at the time the world came together in peace, love, and
harmony for the infamous Woodstock concert? If so, you have spent
enough years on earth to have learned some valuable lessons and
experienced unique, pleasant, or even unpleasant events that resulted
in wisdom. It is time to share that wisdom in the Wisdom of Woodstock
anthology. We are looking for original personal experience essays that
reveal any incident that took place anywhere, at any time, that
resulted in wisdom, revelation, or comfort. For details, see
http://zebraeditor.com/writing_competition.shtml.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ALONDRA PRESS, LLC
4119 Wildacres Dr.
Houston TX 77072
lark@alondrapress.com
www.alondrapress.com
Send fiction mss. and queries to Pennelope Aletras-Leight.
Send nonfiction queries and mss. to either Armando Benitez, Solomon
Tager, or Henry Hollenbaugh.
Accepts unagented submissions and simultaneous submissions. Accepts
nonfiction and fiction submissions. In nonfiction, needs anthropology,
archaeology, history, philosophy, psychology, and translation. In
fiction, looks for literary fiction in all genres. We do not have any
specific guidelines in regard to the type of literature we are looking
for. Our principal criterion is that the work be well-written, and
targeted for thoughtful and reflective readers.
We will give an extra careful look at submissions that show that the
author would be actively involved in the publicity and marketing of his
or her work, and that he/she has read our guidelines.
We recommend to the authors who decide to submit their works to Alondra
Press that they make sure they are submitting their manuscripts in the
best form they are capable of, that they not handicap themselves by
submitting a work riddled with grammatical and typographical errors. On
our part, in order to assist those writers as far as we are able, we
invite them to send their work by email, in a Microsoft document. In
this age of modern technology, there is no longer any need to waste
paper, ink and postage, or to wait several months for an acceptance or
rejection. Send a very short synopsis – not more than 300 words – and a
few pages of your novel or book. If your book is accepted, you will be
asked to sign a standard publisher's contract. At present we are not
offering an advance, but we do offer a generous 20% of royalties on net
proceeds. A book of not more than 75,000 words will have a better
chance of acceptance by us. Be sure to read our guidelines before
sending a submission. We will not respond to authors who do not observe
our simple guidelines.
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
First: Send either a few pages, or the entire manuscript, as an e-mail
attachment.
Send the attachment as a Microsoft Word document, preferably
single-spaced.
Second: Do not send pdf files. We may want to make annotations in the
manuscript.
Third: Use conventional paragraph spacing. Indent each paragraph in the
conventional manner. DO NOT insert a blank line between paragraphs,
unless it is intended to be preserved that way.
Fourth: Do not include blank pages, a copyright page and other such
extraneous material.
Fifth: Include your name and e-mail address at the top of the first
page, left corner,
above the title of the book, which will be in the center. We may want
to save your
submission in our document files and examine it at a later date
Sixth: Make your synopsis very short, not more than 300 words.
Seventh: Enter the name of the novel or work in the subject line of the
e-mail.
Eighth: We would rather not see any more fantasy or science fiction
novels, or
novels in which the main ingredients are drugs, murder, body piercing,
rape, etc
Ninth: Do not include headers and footers, which includes page numbers.
The above guidelines are intended to make the editor's job easier. Any
work that is accepted and published will be formatted by Alondra Press.
At this time, we favor works of not more than 75,000 words. If the
author can propose a marketing plan, this will also be a factor in the
acceptance of the work. Depending on circumstances, and the potential
value we see in a book, we might offer a small advance. We will respond
to all e-mails promptly. For your submissions use this link:
lark@alondrapress.com.
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Boyds Mills Press
815 Church St.
Honesdale PA 18431
www.frontstreetbooks.com
We welcome unsolicited submissions from published and unpublished
writers and artists. The review procedure is time consuming. In order
to review fairly the large number of submissions we receive, we are
unable to acknowledge their receipt. To the same end, should we decide
that a manuscript is not for us, we will respond to the sender with a
form letter. We review each submission in the order that it was
received and try to respond within three months.
Please submit your manuscript with a cover letter of relevant
information, including your own experience with writing and publishing.
Label the package "MANUSCRIPT SUBMISSION" and include an SASE if you
would like the manuscript returned.
Picture Books: We accept submissions from both writers and
illustrators. If you are an author, you do not need to send a query
first. Please submit the entire manuscript of your picture book. If you
are a professional illustrator submitting a picture book or if you are
an author working with a professional illustrator, please include the
manuscript, a dummy, and a sample reproduction of the final artwork
that reflects the style and technique you intend to use. Do not send
original artwork, as we cannot be held responsible for its damage or
loss.
Poetry: Please send a book-length collection of your own poems. Do not
send an initial query. Keep in mind that the strongest collections
demonstrate a facility with multiple poetic forms.
Middle Grade Fiction: Please submit the first three chapters (do not
include chapters from the middle of the book) and a plot summary. We
will request the balance of the manuscript if we are interested.
Nonfiction: Include a detailed bibliography with your submission. We
highly recommend including an expert’s review of your manuscript and a
detailed explanation of the books in the marketplace that are similar
to the one you propose. References to the need for this book (by the
National Academy of Sciences or by similar subject-specific
organizations) will strengthen your proposal. If you intend for the
book to be illustrated with photos or other graphic elements (charts,
graphs, etc.), it is your responsibility to find or create those
elements and to include with the submission a permissions budget, if
applicable. Finally, keep in mind that good children’s nonfiction has a
narrative quality—a story line—that encyclopedias do not; please
consider whether both the subject and the language will appeal to
children.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BRICK ROAD POETRY BOOK CONTEST
Brick Road Poetry Press, Inc.
P.O. Box 751
Columbus GA 31902
706-649-3080
editor@brickroadpoetrypress.com
www.brickroadpoetrypress.com
Contact: Ron Self and Keith Badowski, co-editors/founders.
Offers annual award. The First Prize winner will receive a publication
contract with Brick Road Poetry Press, $1,000, and 25 copies of the
printed book. The winning book will be published in both print and
e-book formats. "We may also offer publication contracts to the top
finalists." Submissions must be unpublished as a collection, but
individual poems may have been previously published elsewhere. Submit
70-100 pages of poetry. Guidelines available by e-mail or online.
Competition receives 150 entries/year. Judged by Ron Self and Keith
Badowski. Winners notified February 15. Copies of winning books
available for $15.95. "The mission of Brick Road Poetry Press is to
publish and promote poetry that entertains, amuses, edifies and
surprises a wide audience of appreciative readers. We are not qualified
to judge who deserves to be published, so we concentrate on publishing
what we enjoy. Our preference is for poetry geared toward dramatizing
the human experience in a language rich with sensory image and
metaphor, recognizing that poetry can be, at one and the same time,
both familiar as the perspiration of daily labor and outrageous as a
carnival sideshow."
Costs: Entry fee: $25
Poetry: Offers annual award. The 1st Prize winner will receive a
publication contract with Brick Road Poetry Press, $1,000, and 25
copies of the printed book. The winning book will be published in both
print and e-book formats. "We may also offer publication contracts to
the top finalists." Submissions must be unpublished as a collection,
but individual poems may have been previously published elsewhere.
Submit 70-100 pages of poetry. Guidelines available by e-mail or
online. Entry fee: $25. Deadline: November 1. Competition receives 150
entries/year. Judged by Ron Self and Keith Badowski. Winners notified
February 15. Copies of winning books available for $15.95. "The mission
of Brick Road Poetry Press is to publish and promote poetry that
entertains, amuses, edifies and surprises a wide audience of
appreciative readers. We are not qualified to judge who deserves to be
published, so we concentrate on publishing what we enjoy. Our
preference is for poetry geared toward dramatizing the human experience
in a language rich with sensory image and metaphor, recognizing that
poetry can be, at one and the same time, both familiar as the
perspiration of daily labor and outrageous as a carnival sideshow."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Epiphany Magazine
www.epiphmag.com
"An unpretentious publication where Art, Poetry and Prose come together
to create A Visually and Creatively Stimulating Experience"
Epiphany (epiphmag.com) is currently calling for submissions in the
following categories:
Short Fiction (4,000 words maximum)
Short shorts - fiction or nonfiction (800 words or fewer)
Creative Nonfiction (4,000 words maximum)
Nonfiction (3,000 words maximum)
Poetry
Photo essays
Columns - have an idea for a column you would like to write? Send us a
query about the topic and a sample of your writing.
We do not accept submissions that include quoted material, unless you
have acquired permission from the publisher and author to use the
quotes.
Please send submissions as e-mail attachments to:
submissions@epiphmag.com
All prose submissions should be double spaced, include word count and
name of author on the attached document.
Contributors retain rights to their published pieces BUT must:
1. Confirm that no one has limiting rights to the submitted pieces.
2. Grant Epiphany - epiphmag.com permission to publish their submitted
piece.
(material published in epiphmag.com will remain archived online
indefinitely).
Provide us with a brief bio about yourself/your work and links to other
sites that have published your material (if applicable) to be published
with your accepted submission unless stated otherwise.
Simultaneous submissions accepted for consideration, BUT you MUST
notify us if they are accepted elsewhere first.
Epiphany was started in 2010, solely to be an online venue in which
writers and artists can display their works. Epiphany - epiphmag.com -
puts out six issues a year - February. April, June, August, October,
and December.
In order to publish your work epiphmag.com, Epiphany needs you to:
Confirm that no one has limiting rights to the pieces you are
submitting, and Epiphany needs your written permission to publish your
work. This can written in the body of an e-mail (you retain all
rights).
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
5 AM
Box 205
Spring Church PA 15686
715-284-0328
www.5ampoetry.com
Contact: Ed Ochester and Judith Vollmer.
5 AM is a semiannual tabloid covering American poetry, writing from the
best small press writers of our time. "5 AM is a poetry publication
open in regard to form, length, subject matter, and style. Does not
want religious poetry or "naive rhymers." Has published poetry by
Virgil Suaarez, Nin Andrews, Alicia Ostriker, Edward Field, Billy
Collins, and Denise Duhamel. 5 AM is 24 pages, tabloid size,
offset-printed. Receives about 5,000 poems/year, accepts about 2%.
Subscription: $12 for 2 issues (one year), $20 for 4 issues (two
years)."
Sample copy for $5.
Responds in 4-6 weeks to mss.
Tips
"We read all year. Manuscripts cannot be returned without SASE with
sufficient postage."
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Six: Got Muse?--Take a Hike
This writing exercise really is an exercise. Put on your comfortable
walking shoes and walk somewhere. It can be somewhere familiar, such as
tramping down your street or through a shopping mall, or it can be
somewhere unfamiliar, such as a hiking trail that is new to you. The
location does not matter; just get out and walk.
While you walk, pay attention to things you see, hear, smell, and feel.
How does the air feel on your skin? What do the things around you smell
like? What sounds do you hear? Reach out and touch some things. How do
they feel and smell? What do you see close to you? What do you see
farther away, outside your touch? What do you see up, down, and across
from you? Make mental notes or actual notes, whichever you prefer,
while you get in touch with four out of your five senses. If you are
somewhere that you can safely taste things, too, such as at a mall with
a food court, then add your sense of taste to the mixture as well. Get
in touch with your sense of sight, hearing, and smell and your tactile
sense, at the very least. Return to your favorite writing place or sit
down with a notebook and pen and write down all that you saw, felt,
smelled, tasted, and heard.
Write a scene about that has you or another character walking through
the same place you walked, and show in the scene all the senses and
what the character saw, felt, smelled, tasted and heard.
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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 "Free Newsletter."
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With the exception of Zebra Communications, 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.
The Writers Network News: a newsletter for writers everywhere. No fees.
No officers. "No Rules; Just Write!"
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