The Writers Network News, December 2017 issue
The Writers Network News, December 2017
In This Issue
One: From the Editor's Desk: The Metaphoric Black Eye
Two: Ask the Book Doctor about Proof Marks, Sexist Language, and Getting Published
Three: Subjects of Interest to Writers
Four: Contests, Agents, and Markets
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The Writers Network News
No Rules; Just Write!
Editor: Bobbie Christmas
Contents copyright 2017, Bobbie Christmas
No portion of this newsletter can be used without permission; however, you may forward the newsletter in its entirety to people in your network.
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Follow my Write In Style creative-writing blog at http://bobbiechristmas.blogspot.com/
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Meet Fellow Writers
Do you live in or visit metro Atlanta? Sign up for notices of local (but sporadic) meetings today! Send your name and e-mail address to Bobbie@zebraeditor.com.
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CHANGING YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS?
If your address changes, you must sign up again with your new address. We cannot change your address for you, because of our double-opt-in, no-spam policy. Go to www.zebraeditor.com, click on the yellow box, and sign up with your new address.
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Some links in this newsletter are shortened with help from www.tinyurl.com, a free service that converts long links to short ones.
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Writer's Quote of the Month
“You must remember that a writer is a simple-minded person to begin with and go on that basis. He's not a great mind, he's not a great thinker, he's not a great philosopher, he's a storyteller.” —Erskine Caldwell
The following information comes from http://id.mind.net/~fletch/biography.html.
Erskine Caldwell is one of the most widely read authors of the twentieth century, with eighty million books sold to readers in forty-three different languages. His novel God's Little Acre alone has sold over fourteen million copies. His books have been made into three movies, and the stage adaptation of Tobacco Road made American theater history when it ran for seven and a half years on Broadway.
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One: From the editor's desk: The Metaphoric Black Eye
Dear Fellow Writers:
When I was about eight, my aunt and uncle took me on vacation with my cousin Lita. She was my best friend, and I’m sure her parents realized she would have more fun and be less trouble if she had someone to play with at the beach.
Off we drove with the two of us girls in the backseat trying to harmonize on “You Are My Sunshine” for seven hours during the drive to Florida. Whenever we thought we had it right, we asked her parents to listen, as if they had not heard us singing and practicing all along. We were kids; we had little perspective on reality.
After loading luggage into our motel room, we left to find a seafood restaurant, of course. Off my uncle drove with his wife in the front and two kids still filled with energy in the backseat. During our wait for a seat at the restaurant, my cousin and I raced around the grounds, running up and down the ramps to the boat-shaped restaurant and circling the grounds in the sultry evening air. I barely remember how it happened, but because we could not see well in the dark, I ran full tilt into a railing and nearly knocked myself unconscious. When I collected my wits, we ran to my aunt.
She inspected my eye and forehead and said, “It looks okay.”
My uncle added his two bits: “You’re going to have a big shiner, though.”
Shiner? I had never heard the word. Too afraid to ask what it meant, I glumly sat and waited until dinner, too much in pain to run around anymore.
Indeed the next morning when I looked into the mirror to brush my hair, I saw a huge black eye staring back at me. “What the —?”
I spent the next week trying to hide. I didn’t want anyone to see the black-and-blue bruise that advertised my clumsiness. I hated that my uncle mentioned again and again that I had a great shiner. I kept my head down and turned away from anyone who looked at me. The week I thought would be a glorious one at the beach with my cousin turned into a nightmare of eight-year-old embarrassment.
How does that eight-year-old’s black eye relate to the writing life? Well, I’ll tell you. When writers have not yet sold a story or when they have a story rejected, they react like that eight-year-old, ashamed and horrified, as if they’ve done something wrong and people will know about it. Not so. When I was eight I was being myself, expressing joy and releasing pent-up energy. I should have seen that black eye as a sign of pride that I was being a typical eight-year-old, but that’s asking too much of a child.
Now that we are adults, though, we can think like adults. When something we’ve written gets rejected, we have the choice of hiding our embarrassment or simply accepting the rejection as a part of the writing life. “He who does not submit his writing does not get rejected.” He does not get accepted, either. When we write we are releasing our pent-up ideas, our creativity. Writers write. Most writers face rejection at some time or other. It’s part of being a writer, just as running around and getting hurt is part of being a kid.
Let us all celebrate our setbacks and rejections. Let’s see those metaphoric black eyes as proof we are still trying, improving, and looking for acceptance. We are still writing. Be proud! Write on!
Yours in writing,
Bobbie Christmas Bobbie@zebraeditor.com or bzebra@aol.com
Author of two editions of WRITE IN STYLE, owner of Zebra Communications, director of The Writers Network, and coordinator of the Florida Writers Association Editors Helping Writers service
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.
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Two: Ask the Book Doctor about Proof Marks, Sexist Language, and Getting Published
By Bobbie Christmas
Q: I just received my edited manuscript, but in a few places I see a # (hash) mark. I don't know what to do. Adding a number wouldn't make sense, so I'm stuck.
A: Ah, your manuscript was edited in its printed form. More editors today edit the electronic file, instead. If the editor had edited the electronic file, he or she would have fixed the issue for you, and you would not have to try to decipher proof marks. You would only have to accept or reject the editor’s changes.
Nevertheless, many writers and even editors prefer the old-fashioned way of editing, in which case editors work on the printed copy, often called hard-copy editing. When editors edit hard copy, they use proof marks that can mystify writers.
In hard-copy editing, the # (hash) mark means to add space, often as a transition between subjects or scenes.
To show a scene transition in fiction, we add an extra line between the paragraphs, but we can also write a transition from one subject or scene to the next. For example this: Although those events took place three years earlier, on this day Harry had to face his opponent in the courtroom.
In nonfiction we can not only add space between subjects to show a transition but we can also add a subhead detailing the new subject. For example this:
In this paragraph we finish talking about one subject.
Next Subject Subhead
Now let’s talk about the next subject…
Because extra space between paragraphs indicates a transition, book manuscripts should not have extra space between every paragraph. Most Word documents default to extra space between paragraphs, perhaps because letters (and even this column) employ a block format. Block format does not indent the first line of each paragraph, so a space indicates a paragraph shift. In standard manuscript format for books, however, each paragraph begins with a five-space indent, and the only time extra space should appear between paragraphs is when there is a transition from one scene or subject to the next. Writers must learn how to format a manuscript correctly.
Q: Are there any statistics on whether women are offended by sexist terms such as “policemen?” What is your opinion?
A: I can answer this question only from the perspective of writing and editing; I don't specialize in psychology or statistics.
Regardless of whether we insult anyone, writers have an obligation to avoid sexist terminology. In so doing, though, writers must still apply good grammar. I hate seeing sentences like the following, written in an effort to avoid sexist language: A school-age child should pack their own lunch.
In such a case, the writer is trying to avoid an awkward use such as this: A school-age child should pack his or her own lunch. To keep the sentence simple, nonsexist, yet still grammatical, writers can make the noun plural: School-age children should pack their own lunches.
The seventeenth edition of The Chicago Manual of Style notes that in informal writing the use of “their” to refer to a singular noun is gaining in popularity; however, it does not endorse such use, and it discourages such use in formal writing.
Occasionally no clear alternative exists for words that appear sexist. In such a case, writers should not create new words or use awkward terminology. One word that comes to mind is manmade. Don't try to use person-made. Use manmade, if necessary, and move on. On the other hand, writers can often find a gender-neutral term. For example, instead of this: We had difficulty manning our booth at the trade show, use this: We had difficulty staffing our booth at the trade show.
Q: [The following question is written verbatim, as received.] Hi. Im fifteen and i just finished writing a short story. I really have no experience whatsoever in the publishing business, and i'm wondering what the best way is to get myself out there, and find a publisher, and all that.
A: This question is far too broad for me to answer in a simple way. Entire books have been written on the subject of how to get published. Please find a book on how to get published. Be sure it addresses your type of writing, whether short stories, essays, novels, or nonfiction books.
Before getting published, though, writers must learn the basics of grammar, punctuation, and capitalization, or their manuscripts will be rejected. The email I received had major flaws that made me suspect the short story needs careful editing as well. You may need to pay a professional editor to repair the flaws before you submit the manuscript anywhere for potential publication.
Some publishers think that fifteen-year-olds do not yet have enough experience to be publishable writers; most writers practice and polish their craft for many years before they are able to sell their work. Do not let such a fact stop you. First of all, once you have polished your work and follow the advice in one of the books on publishing, you may focus on finding publishers that specialize in the writings of young adults. Secondly, if your writing is excellent, your age won't matter. If you do try to sell to an adult market, though, my advice would be not to reveal your age.
Here are other valuable things you can do to increase your knowledge about writing and publishing:
Join a writers association that has regular meetings and speakers. Network with those writers and learn how they found publishers for their writing (there are many ways).
Join a critique circle that meets regularly to get feedback on your work and give feedback to others. You will not only learn much more about writing but also help other writers.
Attend conferences and seminars for writers. Listen to the speakers and chat with attendees to learn their methods for successful publishing.
Read magazines about writing, such as Writer's Digest. Read books on writing, such as The Elements of Style by Strunk and White; Stein on Writing by Sol Stein; On Writing by Stephen King; and my book, Write In Style.
Never stop honing your skills. Keep writing, reading about writing, and reading the writings of authors you like.
Bobbie Christmas, book editor, author of Write In Style: Use Your Computer to Improve Your Writing, 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.
For much more information on these subjects and hundreds of others of vital importance to writers, order PURGE YOUR PROSE OF PROBLEMS, a Book Doctor’s Desk Reference Book at http://tinyurl.com/4ptjnr.
Bobbie Christmas’s award-winning second edition of WRITE IN STYLE: How to Use Your Computer to Improve Your Writing is available at http://tinyurl.com/pnq5y5s.
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Three: Subjects of interest to writers
FROM FELLOW MEMBERS
“Nooooo!” Marlene Clark wrote. “Please don't tell me that "Each child turned in their homework" is acceptable! I hate, hate, hate it. Other than that, my day is going well.”
I responded, “Those of us who object can breathe a little easier for now, anyway. As I read more from THE CHICAGO MANUAL OF STYLE, I see that while it acknowledged the use of ‘their’ in the singular to address gender equality, it does not accept it in formal writing. It says that as editors we should respect the author’s wishes regarding the use of ‘their’ in the singular in informal writing, however. The language is changing, though, and CMOS recognizes that the use of the singular ‘their’ is gaining in popularity. Groan.”
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Forrest Schultz agreed with my comments that writers tend to encourage each other. He explained, “In the late 1980s and all through the 1990s I attended Dragon Con and other Sci-Fi conferences held in or near Atlanta, and I personally witnessed many instances of established science fiction writers helping novices. Secondly, since 2012 Arc Manor has been publishing what it calls The Stellar Guild series of books, in each of which established Sci-Fi authors team up with novice Sci-Fi authors. The established author writes the main story, followed by a sequel novelette by the novice.”
Regarding my comment on making funny errors in writing, he said, “I cannot recall anything [in my own writing] but I did read the funniest error I have ever seen. The author referred to Pontius Pilate as ‘Pontius Pilot,’ which was so funny that I was blasted out of the story as I laughed and imagined Pontius piloting his plane above the Mediterranean Sea reminiscing of the great time he had with Caesar back in Rome and dreading his return to his crummy procurator job. He sees the Judean coastline coming up and picks up his microphone to call Mt. Zion to get permission to land at the King David Airport.”
I told Forrest he had the outline for his next novel, right?
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MORE MANUSLIPS
In my Manuslips file I keep a list of errors I find that either tickle my fancy or prove a point about clear, correct writing. Read the example below a few times and determine if you saw any errors.
My dad went off into the woods with his shovel, rifle, and dog on a leash.
Remember the ABCs of strong writing? Always Be Clear. As written, his shovel and rifle were also on a leash. To repair this error in listing items, the sentence might be recast this way: My dad went off into the woods carrying his shovel and rifle and with his dog on a leash. How would you recast the sentence for clarity?
Have you ever found any funny errors in your own work? If so, share them with me by e-mail. If I use them I won’t use your name, should you wish to remain anonymous.
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DISABLED WRITERS SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCES
See https://tinyurl.com/yafcccdt
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GET YOUR OWN NEWS-WRITING ROBOT
Automated Insights has launched a beta version of its new free service based on Wordsmith, the technology it uses to generate stories for companies like the AP. Typically Automated Insights, much like its competitor Narrative Science, works with large customers to create the templates that the Wordsmith software fills in. This new service allows everyone to create their own templates and dump data into them on their own.
It’s a bit like a more complex version of Mad Libs meets mail merge. Read more at
https://tinyurl.com/y84pfwb8.
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NEED TO FIND A QUALIFIED EDITOR? FWA CAN HELP
Are you a member of the Florida Writers Association? Did you know FWA will help you find an ethical, professional book editor? See
https://floridawriters.net/membership/editing-service/. In the interest of full disclosure, I am the coordinator of the Editors Helping Writers service, so you will first hear from me when you contact the service, and then I choose the right editor for you. It could be me or it could be any of our other vetted and ethical professional book editors.
You do not have to live in or near Florida to be a member of FWA. You may decide it will benefit you to join, even if only for its many membership benefits. See https://floridawriters.net/membership/join-renew/ for all the benefits you will receive.
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SAVE THOUSANDS ON EDITING
Editing is costly, because editors must charge for their time and expertise. What if an editor put all her time and expertise into a book that allowed you to edit your own book? You could save thousands of dollars using such a book. PURGE YOUR PROSE OF PROBLEMS, A Book Doctor's Desk Reference, is that book. In fact it’s the resource that many book editors use.
PURGE YOUR PROSE OF PROBLEMS covers all you need to know to revise and edit fiction and nonfiction. Get information on grammar, punctuation, word choices, creative writing, plot, pace, characterization, point of view, dialogue, Chicago style, format, and hundreds of other subjects.
Order PURGE YOUR PROSE OF PROBLEMS today at http://tinyurl.com/4ptjnr.
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American writer George Saunders has won the 2017 Man Booker Prize for his novel, Lincoln in the Bardo. He is the second U.S. author to win the award which carries a £50,000 cash prize.
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BOBBIE’S BLOGS
Neurotica: Crazy Stories of Love, Lust, and Letting Go—If you like relationship stories, I’ve got a ton of them. Some are funny, some a little sexy, and all true. I reveal some of my stories at https://neuroticastories.blogspot.com.
In my Write In Style blog, you’ll find more tips on creative writing and other subjects. For my latest blog on a recent mix-up with my medications, see http://bobbiechristmas.blogspot.com/
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TERMINOLOGY WRITERS SHOULD KNOW
Auxiliary Verb
Auxiliary verbs include verbs such as have, had, can, could, will, and would. Auxiliary verbs accompany a main verb in a clause and help make distinctions in mood, voice, aspect, and tense. One use of an auxiliary verb is usually enough to set the tense. Repeating the auxiliary verb leads to repetition.
For example, the following would be repetitious:
On Thursdays I would bowl with my brother and sister. Sometimes my sister would win, and sometimes my brother would win. Mostly I would lose to both of them, but I would eventually become a better bowler. After bowling we would all go to lunch together.
Potential rewrite:
On Thursdays I would bowl with my brother and sister. Sometimes my sister won, and sometimes my brother won. Mostly I lost to both of them, but I eventually became a better bowler. After bowling we usually went to lunch together.
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Follow my adventures, opinions, and observations: http://www.facebook.com/bobbie.christmas
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Get news, writing-related cartoons, immediate updates, and other good stuff for writers.
Like and follow Zebra Communications at http://tinyurl.com/7vcxaxu.
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CMOS ONLINE Q & A
Someone wrote to the Chicago Manual of Style Online to ask the following question:
Can you please answer definitively whether miss should be capitalized in direct address? Let me help you with that, miss. Or this: Let me help you with that, Miss.
If you write books, you will want to know the answer to this question. To get the answer and many more questions and answers based on Chicago style, go to http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/qanda/latest.html.
THE CHICAGO MANUAL OF STYLE sets the standard in book publishing for issues such as punctuation, capitalization, whether to spell out numbers or use numerals, and much more. If you write books, you will want to know more about Chicago style or be sure to use a professional book editor intimately familiar with Chicago style. The newest edition was just released, changing some old issues, so be sure your editor is familiar with the seventeenth edition of Chicago style, rather than an older version.
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WRITE IN STYLE: How to Use Your Computer to Improve Your Writing
My book on creative writing titled WRITE IN STYLE has won seven big awards. Copies are selling fast on Amazon, but please order it here, directly from the publisher: http://tinyurl.com/zeq6z5g. WRITE IN STYLE is not about grammar. It teaches writers how to find their fresh voice. If you want a book on grammar, order PURGE YOUR PROSE OF PROBLEMS, mentioned elsewhere in this newsletter.
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Four: Contests, Agents, and Markets
THE FIDDLEHEAD
The Fiddlehead
Campus House, 11 Garland Crt
PO Box 4400, University of New Brunswick
Fredericton NB E3B 5A3
Canada
fiddlehd@unb.ca
www.thefiddlehead.ca
The Fiddlehead is open to good writing in English or translations into English from all over the world and in a variety of styles, including experimental genres. Our editors are always happy to see new unsolicited works in fiction (including novel excerpts), creative nonfiction, and poetry. We also publish reviews, and occasionally other selected creative work such as excerpts from plays. Work is read on an ongoing basis, the acceptance rate is around 1-2% (we are, however, famous for our rejection notes!). We particularly welcome submissions from Indigenous writers, writers of colour, writers with disabilities, LGBTQQIA+ writers, and writers from other intersectional and under-represented communities. If you are comfortable identifying yourself as one or more of the above, please feel free to mention this in your cover letter. The Fiddlehead's mandate is to publish accomplished poetry, short fiction, and Canadian literature reviews, to discover and promote new writing talent, to represent the Atlantic Canada’s lively cultural and literary diversity, and to place the new and established Canadian writing in an international contest.
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ROGUE AGENT SEEKS POETRY
http://www.rogueagentjournal.com/
Rogue Agent strives to publish a range of poetic styles and forms. The most important things we consider are craft and how well the work fits the theme of our journal.
Rogue Agent is published monthly with ten poets, one poem apiece.
We want your skin, your liver, your viscera. We want your joy and your frustration. We want to be surprised by your elegance and stunned by your forthrightness. We want to be impressed with your craft and your commitment. We are much less impressed with grand proclamations than we are by specific vulnerability. Please send up to 5 poems (10 pages maximum) in a single .doc, .docx, .rtf, or .pdf file attached to an email. Only use .pdf file type if your poem has extremely specialized formatting that will not come across in one of the other file types. In the subject line of the email, type [FIRST INITIAL] [LAST NAME] POETRY SUBMISSION. In the body of your email, include a cover letter with a short biographical statement and your contact information. Send that email to rogueagentjournal@gmail.com. See website for much more information.
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LOOKING FOR A GRANT OR FELLOWSHIP?
Here’s what’s available in 2018.
https://tinyurl.com/ydgwyr95
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OXFORD AMERICAN
http://www.oxfordamerican.org/about/submission-guidelines
This publication seeks new writers until December 1 after which it will consider other submissions, as well. For that reason, this is a two-part notice.
DEBUT FICTION SUBMISSIONS
Deadline December 1
The Oxford American welcomes fiction submissions from new writers. We are eager to feature a writer in our 100th issue who has not yet published fiction in a print publication with a circulation over 5,000 copies. Stories under 10,000 words will be considered, and the selected writer will be paid $1000. The 100th issue will be on newsstands starting March 2018.
Our primary consideration is quality, though we would be especially pleased to include the work of an author with ties to the South and/or a story that furthers our mission of exploring the complexity and vitality of the South.
Simultaneous submissions are welcome, though we ask that stories are immediately withdrawn from consideration following acceptance elsewhere. We accept submissions via Submittable. (There is a $2 processing fee.)
GENERAL SUBMISSIONS WILL REOPEN DECEMBER 1
The Oxford American welcomes fiction, nonfiction, and poetry submissions, as well as proposals for articles. We accept submissions via Submittable. (There is $2 processing fee.) The Oxford American does not accept submissions on paper and cannot return manuscripts sent to the office.
Please familiarize yourself with recent issues of the magazine before you submit.
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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 enter a competition, pitch or accept an assignment, spend money, or sell your work.
To access past issues of The Writers Network News, click here: http://live.ezezine.com/feeds/ezine/886_2.
The Writers Network News: a newsletter for writers everywhere. No Rules; Just Write!
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