The Writers Network News, Shots in the Arm, February 2021
The Writers Network News, Shots in the Arm, February 2021
In This Issue
One: From the Editor's Desk: Shots in the Arm
Two: Ask the Book Doctor—About Front Matter
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 2021, Bobbie Christmas
No portion of this newsletter can be used without permission; however, you may forward the newsletter in its entirety to fellow writers.
Newsletter Sponsor
Zebra Communications
Excellent editing for maximum marketability since 1992
770/924-0528
https://www.zebraeditor.com/
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Some links in this newsletter may be 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
British romance writer Barbara Taylor Bradford’s first novel, A WOMAN OF SUBSTANCE, sold more than nineteen million copies. She said, "If anyone asks me whether I like being a popular writer, I ask them whether they think I'd rather be an unpopular writer."
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One: From the Editor's Desk: Shots in the Arm
Dear Fellow Writers:
I had an appointment for my first COVID-19 vaccine shot, but I felt apprehensive. I had seen mixed reviews and anti-vaccination warnings. I also felt concern that the vaccine had not undergone the usual years of trials. The thought of catching COVID concerned me more, though, so I arrived on time, held out my arm, and waited for the pain.
Nothing.
The tiny needle and small quantity of liquid didn’t hurt at all. After the nurse applied a Band-Aid to the spot, she rubbed it a little, massaging the medication into the muscle. I did the same when she quit, and throughout the day I massaged my arm whenever I thought of it, because I’d been told my arm would hurt the next day.
It didn’t. Did the massages help? Maybe.
All my fears disappeared. I had no reaction, no pain, and nothing to worry about. I now look forward to my second shot, scheduled in February. Two weeks after getting my second shot I will finally feel safe enough to hug my brother, my sister, and my friends. We’ll still wear masks and mostly keep our distance, as we’ve been advised, but I need ten or twenty seconds of hugs. Of all the things the pandemic has taken from me, I miss hugs the most.
I’m getting another shot in the arm of the virtual kind, lately. I’m having fun writing vignettes about things and people I’ve encountered over the many years I’ve worked. I’ve broken my memoirs into a series. The current book covers incidents related to my work. Another book covers my past relationships, and the third book will be about my encounters with animals over the years. With my workload a little lighter this time of year, I’ve been pounding the keyboards writing a memoir with the working title of WORK IS A FOUR-LETTER WORD: MY CRAZY CAREERS, COWORKERS, AND CLIENTS.
Whenever I write, I slip into a meditative state. I zone out, forget to eat, and forget to take a break and stretch now and then. I become mesmerized creating my own words, sentences, and paragraphs. I even wrote a travelogue that appeared in the magazine I also edit. When I saw my article in print, I grinned. The layout looks colorful, legible, and alluring. I hope my words are equally alluring to the thousands of magazine subscribers.
As for my memoirs, perhaps I can interest a traditional publisher, but even if I have no takers, I can fall back on self-publishing. Things have grown easier for writers over the years. My work memoirs date as far back as 1949, when I earned two cents for each soda bottle I turned in at the corner store. When I started my first official job around 1960, we didn’t have copy machines, scanners, printers, or the Internet. We didn’t even have correcting typewriters until years later. Some offices still had manual typewriters. I used carbon paper to make copies. I needed an eraser to correct typos. For research I went to a library. The chances of getting published were slim. Although self-publishing existed, it was called “vanity publishing.” People looked down on it, and it cost a fortune. Writing and publishing have come a long way since then.
Welcome, 2021!
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, coordinator of the Florida Writers Association Editors Helping Writers service, and senior editor of Enjoy Cherokee Magazine
If someone forwarded this newsletter to you, please sign up to get your own subscription. Simply go to https://www.zebraeditor.com/ to subscribe to The Writers Network News. My promise: I never share your address or send out spam.
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Two: Ask the Book Doctor: About Front Matter
Q: What’s the difference between a foreword, an introduction, a preface, a prologue, and an epilogue?
A: With the exception of the epilogue, all those items will appear in the front matter of a book. Each item has a separate function, though.
A foreword (often misspelled as “forward” in manuscripts I’ve edited) is an introduction to a nonfiction book and is written by someone other than the author of the book. The purpose of a foreword is to lend credibility to the book and praise the writer and the work.
A preface may also appear in nonfiction books. The author writes the preface. It should be a short statement that explains why the author wrote the book.
An introduction introduces readers to the material in a nonfiction book. It prepares readers for what to expect. The author of the book usually writes the introduction.
Let me note here that some publishers prefer to have only a preface or an introduction, but not both.
A prologue prepares readers for a story they are about to read in a work of fiction. It can be a scene that takes place prior to the opening of chapter one in a novel.
An epilogue may appear at the end of a novel. An epilogue is a scene that takes place after the main climax of the story. It gives an indication of where the characters’ lives will go from that point. In a book series, the epilogue can give a hint that more action, conflict, and tension is going to take place in the next novel in the series.
All these items—a foreword, an introduction, a preface, a prologue, or an epilogue—are optional.
Q: How does a writer decide if a book should begin with a prologue?
A: A prologue fills readers in with back story, something that happened before the story in the novel takes place. The prologue has to be powerful and hook readers as strongly as the first chapter does, from the first sentence.
On the downside, some readers skip the prologue, so if the prologue has vital information, the reader may miss out on the basis for the plot. Another disadvantage is that the prologue makes the writer have to hook the reader twice, once for the prologue as then again for the opening of chapter one.
Instead of a prologue, back story can easily be put into the body of the book as a flashback or in some other way, provided the information is vital to the plot.
When I polled fellow writers, the consensus was that the better choice is to avoid having a prologue. Most writers recommended starting novels with chapter one, especially considering that some readers skip all the front matter and start reading with chapter one anyway.
Q: How can I get someone to write a foreword to my nonfiction book?
A: The foreword should be written by an expert in the field covered in your book, so finding that expert and asking for a favor can feel intimidating. Some people may be flattered by your request, however, so don’t hesitate to ask. I have several recommendations for finding such a person.
If you had a teacher or mentor who helped you in in any way related to the subject in the book, he or she would be an excellent choice. If you didn’t have such a person, find books in your field and contact the author of one of those books. Explain what you need and encourage the person to mention his or her own book in the foreword. If you belong to a professional organization related to the subject of your book, you may contact one of the leaders or advisors of that organization and ask that person to write a foreword.
Be prepared to provide a copy of the well-written and edited manuscript or sample chapters before anyone will agree to write a foreword. Some may even want you to write the foreword as if they wrote it and have them merely approve what you wrote.
Remember, however, that a foreword is not essential. Many readers skip front matter and go straight to the content anyway. No one would notice if your book has no foreword.
Bobbie Christmas is a book editor, author of Write In Style: How to Use Your Computer to Improve Your Writing, and owner of Zebra Communications. She will answer your questions too. Send them to Bobbie@zebraeditor.com or BZebra@aol.com. Read Bobbie’s Zebra Communications blog at https://www.zebraeditor.com/blog/.
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 from Amazon at https://tinyurl.com/y7ppcdkd or buy it directly at https://tinyurl.com/y7p9xkbb.
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Three: Subjects of interest to writers
Members Write
Marlene Clark wrote, “Someone asked my opinion on writing. . . . He sent me a couple pages. I guess that the f-bomb is common, but I was offended. . . . I told him that the language cluttered his writing; it was hard to get to the meat of his message. Obscenity can be effective if used sparingly.”
I responded, “I'm not a fan of expletives in writing. Perhaps some writers believe such words add power, but they don't. Tight writing creates powerful writing.”
Many folks wrote with sympathy and empathy regarding my loss of a long-time friend to dementia. Below are a few of the comments.
Ruth White shared, “I can relate to your ‘loss’ of your friend of sixty years. My male friend (not lover) of seventy-three years, though we shared dancing, skiing, mutual friends, travel, etc. . . . no longer knows who I am and is very confused. Such a loss is devastating, and I am sorry for your same experience.”
Marsha Maurer wrote, “Over the years, I have come to know you through your willingness to share glimpses of your life with your readers. I am so sorry to learn of your advancing loss of your dear, dear friend. I know that condolences seem premature, but dementia is a relentless diminishment to an inevitable end and a steady suffering for both the afflicted and for those who care. I know you are grateful for all the memories you have stored together. They will sustain you in the days ahead and will be balm for the future.”
Tricia Pimental reported, “What a story you tell, with your sixty-year relationship! You both certainly had a deep connection, to return to each other so many times, and I'm sorry that you are losing/have lost him once again. But it is true we need to be grateful for what we did have. I'm feeling that way right now about my daughters in California. I haven't seen them for fourteen months. . . . When I see them and their children in photos and videos, especially around the holidays, I am as likely as not to cry a bit. Tough times.”
This came from Meredith Rutter Marple: “I'm so sorry to read about your beloved's slip into dementia. Such a loss. My husband went into a care facility just over a year ago, after a number of years of care here at home.” She added, “In my own sequestration, memoir writing about our courtship and marriage has helped me through the grieving process.”
Dr. Larry Hedgepath is a friend of mine from way back in high school. He’s also a subscriber and a client. He sent this message: “Your account of your lover's dementia touched me as one who lost his mother to this horrible disease, and now my mother-in-law lives with us and has it. When I was working in hospice we had so many cases it became my area of expertise, and I was a frequent speaker on the topic.” He added, “I still remember fondly my time spent with you ‘fixing’ my novel.”
“My heart grieves with yours over the waning of your beloved friend,” wrote Pam Lord. “Times shared may be dis-remembered, but my heart has told me all memories are held sacred and immutable.”
Julie Hanson reported something positive about the pandemic, but first she said, “I’m happy you found a beautiful love for so many years. You opened your heart again and again, and that is a lovely thing. I send you love and light as you grieve your loss.” As a longtime flight attendant, she said, “I have been flying all through the pandemic and have enjoyed the emptier flights and a slower-paced world. I am in Japan on a layover as I write this. I quit flying internationally ten years ago because I couldn’t handle the long, full flights with a short twenty-four-hour layover. COVID changed that, and we have two- to five- day layovers and the flights are extremely light. I’ve been enjoying going to Europe and Asia again. I took a tennis lesson here in Japan yesterday and loved it.”
From Pam Rauber came the following confusing headline: Arizona Republicans Criticize GOP Governor, Cindy McCain. She writes, “I'm not a political news junkie, so I had to Google the question of McCain’s position in Arizona, and all that came up was an American businesswoman.” She says that farther down the newsfeed, another headline read Arizona Republicans Criticize GOP Governor and Cindy McCain. She remarked, “The power of conjunctions.”
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Editing Tip: Incredible
“Incredible” is a word that often overused as well as used incorrectly. The first definition of “incredible” is “absurd, far-fetched, inconceivable, too extraordinary and improbable to be believed.” Examples: The test I took struck me as incredible, because it had nothing to do with the subject matter. The politician gave an incredible speech; no one believed a word of it.
“Incredible” has a second definition of “amazing or extraordinary,” but it’s a personal opinion, not a description. Strong writing does not use the word “incredible” to mean something so good as to be unbelievable. Instead of “incredible” to mean something is good, use clear adjectives with positive meanings. Incorrect if trying to say something good: We had an incredible time last night. Correct: We had a great time last night. Weak and nondescriptive: The view of the fall trees was incredible. Stronger and descriptive: The view covered almost a hundred miles of autumn leaves in dozens of colors.
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Manuslip
Meaning:
A slip in grammar, punctuation, or other error in a manuscript that results in humor; a manuscript blooper
Here’s this month’s manuslip:
Angie’s jaw dropped in amazement and was caught off guard by Sam’s frank admission.
[As written, Angie’s jaw was caught off guard.]
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Priceless Lessons from My Sixth-grade English Teacher
by Catherine Rampell in The Washington Post
Below are a few of her comments without her explanations. Read the entire article here:
https://tinyurl.com/yboydjjy.
1. Learn all the rules of language, even the stodgy-seeming ones. You will find freedom in structure.
2. If you must break a grammatical rule, do so on purpose, not out of sloppiness. Do so only if it serves your audience.
3. If a reader doesn’t understand what you are trying to say, that is your fault — not the reader’s.
4. Rewrite. Rewrite. Rewrite. No piece of writing is ever done; it merely meets a deadline.
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Be My Friend on Facebook
Follow my personal adventures, opinions, and observations: http://www.facebook.com/bobbie.christmas
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CMOS Online Q&A
This month someone posed the following question to The Chicago Manual of Style Online:
Q. In formal writing, it is always recommended not to use contractions. But what about the expression “what’s more”?
Get the answer to this question and many more based on Chicago style at http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/qanda/latest.html.
THE CHICAGO MANUAL OF STYLE sets the standard in book publishing for issues such as punctuation, capitalization, and much more. If you write fiction or nonfiction books, you will want to know about Chicago style or be sure to use a professional book editor intimately familiar with Chicago style. You can also get the basics of Chicago style as well as hundreds of tips on grammar, punctuation, and creative writing by ordering PURGE YOUR PROSE OF PROBLEMS at http://tinyurl.com/4ptjnr.
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Follow Zebra Communications on Facebook
Get news, writing-related cartoons, immediate updates, and other good stuff for writers.
Like and follow Zebra Communications at https://tinyurl.com/ydyn3pcu.
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Adjective Strings
While strings of adjectives can lose power and are not recommended in creative writing, have you ever read a sentence that made you sense something was out of order? Here’s an example that furrowed my brow: The blue large floppy two hats sat on a shelf. The sentence is awkward because the adjectives are out of order.
Generally, the adjective order in English is as follows:
• Quantity or number.
• Quality or opinion.
• Size.
• Age.
• Shape.
• Color.
• Proper adjective (often nationality, other place of origin, or material)
• Purpose or qualifier.
Instead of this: The blue large floppy two hats sat on a shelf.
Write this: The two large floppy hats sat on a shelf. Both were blue.
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Amuse Your Muse
Bobbie’s Creative Writing Exercise for February
New Perspectives
Read this assignment and then close your eyes, turn in your chair, wait a few moments, open your eyes slowly, and focus on the first thing you see. Is it the TV set, a staple gun, your dog, a bookshelf full of books, or a blank wall? Write a piece from the perspective of whatever you see first, as if the thing you spotted did the writing. For example, if the first thing you see is your paper shredder, you might write what the shredder feels after dutifully shredding bills, private papers, and old diaries for years. It might delight in all the secrets it knows. It might threaten to tell all its secrets if it doesn’t get its blades sharpened soon.
An exercise such as this one allows you see things from a different perspective. It helps you understand point of view and how changing the point of view gives readers a new slant on a subject and can often reveal information readers would otherwise not get to know.
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Help with Writing
This website claims to help writers envision a plot, flesh out a cast of characters, keep tabs on timelines, weed out stylistic missteps, and even self: https://www.papyrusauthor.com/about/
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What to Know in 2021
On WrittenWordMedia.com Clayton Noblit offers information about the publishing trends in 2021. Read the article here: https://tinyurl.com/y3szdfrs
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Read My Blog
https://www.zebraeditor.com/blog/
My blog offers tips for writers, personal pet peeves, observations, memories, and all sorts of things. For example, read what I say about my most memorable children’s book: https://www.zebraeditor.com/blog/my-most-memorable-childhood-book/
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Top Blogs on Writing
Self-Publishing School lists the top blogs to help writers learn their craft. See the list at https://self-publishingschool.com/best-writing-blogs/
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WRITE IN STYLE: How to Use Your Computer to Improve Your Writing
At around $15, this book is the perfect gift for your writer friends or for yourself. WRITE IN STYLE uses humor, wisdom, and expertise to show writers how to strengthen their writing style and create a fresh voice. Available as an e-book or printed.
Order your copy today at https://tinyurl.com/y8fp5nym.
FREE SHIPPING! For a limited time if you order the book directly from me, you’ll get free shipping. Send $15 by PayPal to bzebra@aol.com and order WRITE IN STYLE, and I’ll ship it directly to you at no further charge. Be sure to add your shipping address either to your PayPal order or in an email to me.
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Four: Contests, Agents, and Markets
Florida Writers Association Collection
Florida Writers Association Collection writing contest will open to submissions February 1. You must be an FWA member in good standing to enter. Watch the FWA website for full information. FloridaWriters.org
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World Nomads Seeks Travel Essays
Whether it’s a written travel essay or photo story, we’re looking for personal, authentic stories about life-changing journeys and experiences. We want the story behind the scenery: how that experience affected you. Did you meet locals who changed the way you view the world? What did you learn about yourself through what you saw and did?
We pay .50 USD per word for written stories. The desired length and corresponding fee will be confirmed upon commissioning. We pay on publication.
We are looking for stories that fall under these five categories:
Love: Whether it’s crossing borders for love, forming bonds that transcend boundaries, following your passion, moving on after heartbreak, or learning to love yourself, these stories explore how travel opens our hearts and expands our possibilities.
Fear: Sometimes travel is a test – of our wits, our nerve, our endurance, or all of the above – and it can take us far beyond our comfort zone. These are stories of nomads confronting their fears, testing their survival skills, and discovering just what they’re capable of.
Discovery: The best journeys don’t just show us the unfamiliar – they help us understand it. In these stories, our nomads dive deep into the local culture in search of the beliefs, desires, and history behind the customs.
Connection: An unfamiliar town that suddenly feels like home. A fleeting encounter that resonates forever. A stranger destined to become a friend. In these stories, our nomads share the moment the barriers fell away and they truly connected with a place and its people.
Transformation: People and places change over time – and often in very profound ways. These stories are about experiences that defy expectations, and how travel can shift our views of the world, one another, and ourselves.
Travel is a very sensory experience. It helps if your content also addresses sight, hearing, taste, smell, touch, time, pain/pleasure, balance, temperature (to name a few).
Read more specific tips and see examples of our published stories before submitting your pitch.
https://tinyurl.com/y42748et
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Saturday Evening Post
https://tinyurl.com/y4hn67ud
Our goal is to remain unique, with content that provides additional perspective on the ever-evolving American scene. Before sending us a manuscript or query, look through recent issues of the Post to get an idea of the range and style of articles we publish. According to a 2019 report, the magazine pays $0.03 a word.
We accept submissions for
Nonfiction
Fiction
Cartoons
We do not accept poetry outside of our regular limerick contest.
Please see specific guidelines for the category of your interest. Please allow ninety days for reply.
We prefer all submissions be electronic. Send your documents as Microsoft Word, PDF, or RTF attachments to editors@saturdayeveningpost.com with your category of interest in the subject line (e.g., Attn: Cartoons, Attn: Nonfiction). Please include contact information: name, address, phone number, email address, and Twitter handle (if applicable).
In lieu of email, hard copies may be sent to
Submissions Editor, Attn: [Category]
3520 Guion Rd, Suite 200
Indianapolis, IN 46222
Include a self-addressed envelope with proper postage to ensure return of all materials. Submissions sent by mail will not be returned without a self-addressed, stamped envelope, so please do not send original copies of your work.
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Do YOU have news for The Writers Network News? Send it in the body of an email to Bobbie@zebraeditor.com or bzebra@aol.com. Deadline: 18th 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 https://www.zebraeditor.com/ and signing up for The Writers Network News.
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With the exception of Zebra Communications, information in this newsletter is not to be construed as an endorsement. Research all information and study every stipulation before you enter a competition, pitch or accept an assignment, spend money, or sell your work.
The Writers Network News: a newsletter for writers everywhere. No Rules; Just Write!
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