*****************************************************************
W R I T I N G W O R L D
A World of Writing Information - For Writers Around the World
http://www.writing-world.com
Issue 5:19 15,300 subscribers September 15, 2005
*****************************************************************
SPECIAL NOTICE: Please DO NOT REPLY to this e-mail; any messages
sent to the listbox address are deleted. See the bottom of this
newsletter for information on how to subscribe, unsubscribe, or
contact the editors.
*****************************************************************
CONTENTS
=================================================================
From the Editor's Desk
WRITER TO WRITER: Hurricane Katrina Relief
by Peggy Tibbetts
News from the World of Writing
FEATURE: Back Up Your Writing -- and Your Life!
by Moira Allen
The Write Sites -- Online Resources for Writers
JUST FOR FUN: Are You Creative? by Michele Pariza Wacek
WHAT'S NEW at Writing World
MARKET ROUNDUP/Writing Contests
*****************************************************************
EARN AN MFA IN WRITING through the brief-residency program at
Spalding University in Louisville, KY. Call (800) 896-8941x2423
or email mfa"at"spalding.edu and request brochure FA90. For more
info: http://www.spalding.edu/mfa
*****************************************************************
WRITERSCOLLEGE.COM has 57 online courses. Prices are low.
If you can reach our web site, you can take our courses.
http://www.WritersCollege.com
*****************************************************************
DISCOUNTED SOFTWARE FOR WRITERS -- PowerWriter, DramaticaPro,
StoryCraft, WritePro, MovieMagic, StyleWriter, plus many more.
HUGE SAVINGS! GREAT SELECTION! Save online at:
http://www.MasterFreelancer.com
*****************************************************************
THE WELL-FED WRITER by Peter Bowerman - Learn how you can make
$50-100 an hour as a freelance writer and easily earn $1000 a
week or more working 2-3 good days. Details:
http://www.writingcareer.com/pb001.shtml
*****************************************************************
LOOKING FOR PAYING MARKETS? Absolute Write Can Help! Subscribe
to the Absolute Markets PREMIUM Edition for just $15 a year and
get all the writing markets we can cram into your inbox! We've
got calls for freelance writers, screenwriters, editors, greeting
card writers, translators... http://www.absolutemarkets.com
*****************************************************************
CHILDREN'S WRITERS - Read by most children's book and magazine
editors in North America, this monthly newsletter can be your own
personal source of pointers, market tips, and editors "wants" to
help you sell more manuscripts in this growing segment of the
publishing market. Free sample issue.
http://www.thechildrenswriter.com/N2223/
*****************************************************************
FROM THE EDITOR'S DESK
=================================================================
One Thing Leads to Another...
-----------------------------
All things considered, it will be a miracle if this issue goes
out on time! It all began when Peggy and I decided that we would
dedicate a sizeable chunk of the issue to information on how
writers can help with Katrina relief efforts, specifically aimed
at things having to do with books and writing. That turned into
a column all by itself. At the last minute, after Peggy had sent
me the issue, I received information on two anthologies that two
writers are setting up to raise funds for relief efforts, so I
decided to add them to the end of Peggy's column. Then I noticed
that proceeds from one of the anthologies would be going to
something called "Noah's Wish," which sounded like it had
something to do with pets, so I had to go check that out.
As a pet owner and pet writer, the plight of animals stranded
during disasters has long been a concern of mine. In the past,
rescue organizations have not been very helpful in this area.
Most emergency shelters will not accept pets (citing health
concerns), even if those pets are in crates. I've heard that in
the New Orleans situation, many evacuation vehicles (e.g., boats
and buses) have "bent" the no-pets rule, since many of the later
evacuees had refused to leave the city without their pets
(indeed, that was often the reason that people stayed).
So I checked out Noah's Wish, which is an organization that
focuses entirely on the issue of pets and disasters, and that led
me to other websites, and then I decided that I really needed to
add this information to my Pet Loss Support Page (you can find
this info at http://www.pet-loss.net/katrina.html), and the next
thing I knew, my tummy was rumbling ominously as I'd completely
forgotten about lunch and was headed toward dinner time...
I'd also realized that the topic I had planned to use as an
editorial was getting out of control and turning into an article.
Which isn't written yet -- but will be as soon as I attend to
that tummy rumble!
So this has turned, somewhat unexpectedly, into the "Katrina"
issue. We always are happy to have readers pass this newsletter
on to friends, discussion groups, etc. -- but we would be
especially happy if you pass this issue along to anyone that you
think might be interested.
Which brings me to one last item -- a note from a reader, who
wants to remind newsletter editors and ANYONE who forwards e-mail
to a large number of people, to please protect your readers' or
correspondents' privacy by putting their addresses in the BCC
(blind copy) section. Otherwise, anyone who gets hold of that
e-mail, or who passes it along, is putting all your friends' or
readers' e-mail addresses out there for any spammer to find. (It
also helps the rest of us by precluding the need to scroll down
through pages of forwarded addresses before we get to the actual
content of your e-mail.)
-- Moira Allen, Editor
*****************************************************************
RETIRE THIS YEAR... WRITING! Imagine a writing job in which you
set your own hours, and live wherever you please: at the beach,
in the mountains, in an apartment in Paris, London, or Berlin. As
a copywriter, you can. Learn more:
http://www.thewriterslife.com/rty/wworlda6
*****************************************************************
WRITING A HISTORICAL? Need Research material? Check out Life in
the 1800's: A Writer's Guide CD Reference Library. Over 30 actual
books from the 1800's for one low price of $32 (Writing-World
readers: Special discount price of $19.99). Check it out!
http://www.onioncountryguide.com/1800swritersguide.html
*****************************************************************
WRITER TO WRITER: Hurricane Katrina Relief
=================================================================
by Peggy Tibbetts (peggyt"at"siltnet.net)
Nearly three weeks after Hurricane Katrina and the devastating
flood, the need is ongoing. While we watched on TV the horror of
human lives shattered and lost, on top of the enormous property
damage, what isn't as visible is the great losses to libraries,
schools, bookstores, and newspapers across the Gulf Coast. These
are the foundations of our writing world and they need our help.
I've compiled a list of organizations, businesses, and
associations seeking your help. Books are also needed for the
thousands of people still housed in shelters, and I have provided
a list of volunteers who are accepting book donations. These are
just a few of the many ways you can help:
ABA Bookseller Relief Fund
--------------------------
Created by the American Booksellers Association (ABA) to assist
storekeepers whose businesses were damaged or destroyed.
http://www.news.bookweb.org/3804.html
Texas Library Association's Disaster Relief Fund
------------------------------------------------
Collecting donations for libraries in the Gulf Coast area. 100%
of donations will be sent to the state library agency or library
association in the state of your choice.
http://www.txla.org/temp/DisasterRelief.html
Friends of the Times-Picayune
-----------------------------
As many as half of New Orleans Times-Picayune staffers and their
families lost their homes in the horrible aftermath of Hurricane
Katrina. Newhouse Newspapers, which owns the paper, has extended
salaries for a period of time and offered other benefits.
Heroically, the employees continue to publish online and in
print. Seeking donations to help employees re-build their lives.
http://www.businessjournalism.org/content/7051.cfm
A Book in Every Backpack
------------------------
Books, school supplies, and backpacks are needed.
http://www.booksyoucanclickwith.com
Booksxyz
--------
This Louisiana-based Internet bookstore is accepting donations to
help rebuild school districts in the hurricane and flood ravaged
areas, and to assist school districts that have added hundreds of
new students. https://www.booksxyz.com/katrina.php
Louisiana Library Association Disaster Relief Fund
--------------------------------------------------
Accepting donations to assist school, public, and academic
library restoration efforts in southeastern Louisiana.
http://www.llaonline.org/
First Book
----------
Every $5 donated will be matched with one book that will go to
children in the devastated areas. http://snipurl.com/hmr9
The Geaux Library Project
-------------------------
Attempting to meet the information needs at hurricane evacuee
shelters around Louisiana and beyond. Using computers and
networking equipment donated to the Red Cross and others by large
commercial and local IT companies, Becky Hebert and Addie
Fletcher will be setting up small computer labs at Red Cross
shelters and staffing them with librarians and other trained
volunteers. Pilot locations in Louisiana will include the
Gonzales, Baton Rouge, and Acadiana (Lafayette) areas. They have
openings for several volunteer positions: coordinators,
librarians, techs, couriers, searchers, writers and a webmaster.
For more information: http://www.geauxlibrary.org
Books needed for shelters
-------------------------
Features Editor for The Daily Advertiser and RWA member Cherˇ
Coen is collecting books for shelters in Lafayette, LA:
bacoen"at"cox.net
Fellow RWA member Connie Rachel is collecting books for shelters
in Baton Rouge: ddracha"at"aol.com
Toni Causey is coordinating efforts to distribute books to
shelters in Baton Rouge, including the Baton Rouge River Center,
housing 45,000 people: toni.causey"at"gmail.com
The Louisiana Library Association can also direct you to
multiple shelters in the Baton Rouge area: office"at"llaonline.org
Two women in Houston have arranged for local Borders and
Waldenbooks locations to serve as collection points for book
donations for people currently housed in the Houston Astrodome:
Operation Books for Refugees from Katrina (Phone: 713-524-0200)
c/o Borders Books, 3025 Kirby, Houston, TX 77098
Primer Publishers is compiling a library for people at Arizona's
Veteran's Coliseum: bill"at"primerpublishers.com
The Colorado Child Rescue Foundation is collecting children's
books and educational materials only: childrescue97984"at"aol.com
Two Anthologies Planned to Support Relief Efforts
-------------------------------------------------
Writers S.A. Parham and W. Olivia Race are preparing two
anthologies to be published in PDF and print-on-demand paperback
format (via Lulu.com); all proceeds will be donated to Hurricane
Katrina relief funds.
Southern Comfort - Stories for this anthology should be set in
Southern states. Preference may be given to stories set in
Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. Science fiction, fantasy,
dark fantasy, retold fairy tales, and horror will all be
considered. While a happily-ever-after ending is not required, we
do ask writers to avoid tales that reek of despair. Proceeds from
this anthology will be donated to the American Red Cross Katrina
Disaster Relief Fund.
Animal Magnetism - Stories for this anthology should feature an
animal either as a main character or as a key element of the
story. Werewolves and animal shapeshifters will be considered.
Science fiction, fantasy, dark fantasy, retold fairy tales, and
horror will all be considered. While a happily-ever-after ending
is not required, we do ask writers to avoid tales that reek of
despair. Proceeds from this anthology will be donated to Noah's
Wish.
All contributors will receive one PDF copy of the anthology their
story or artwork appears in. Please direct any questions
regarding the anthologies via email to sfh.anthology"at"gmail.com
More details about the anthologies are available here:
http://www.indigorage.com/anthologies/submission-guidelines/
>>-----------------------------------------------------<<
Peggy Tibbetts answers your questions about writing for children
in her monthly column, Advice from a Caterpillar:
http://www.writing-world.com/caterpillar/index.shtml
She is the author of "The Road to Weird" and "Rumors of War".
Visit her web site at: http://www.peggytibbetts.net
Copyright (c) 2005 by Peggy Tibbetts
*****************************************************************
YOUR BOOK CAN NOW BE AVAILABLE AS AN AUDIO BOOK
Spoken Books Publishing is now accepting submissions
for inclusion in their audio book publishing program.
For a complete explanation of how the program works
visit http://www.spokenbookspublishing.com
*****************************************************************
DO YOU HAVE A BOOK TO SELL? Are you trying to get published?
Respond to Calls for Submission or post your book proposals and
manuscripts. Personal blogs, video broadcasts, podcasts, jobs
board, email and more. Go now to http://www.BookPitch.com
*****************************************************************
NEWS FROM THE WORLD OF WRITING
=================================================================
Florida Press Club entries lost in hurricane
--------------------------------------------
According to Florida Press Club President Stephanie Slater,
nearly 300 entries in the club's annual journalism contest, which
were sent to members in New Orleans for judging, were lost due to
the hurricane and flood. Slater attempted to contact the members
and was unable to determine if the entries were salvaged: "We
assumed they were lost because we could not track them down. We
decided that they would not be worried about grabbing our entries
while they were evacuating so we decided to forgo those
categories." Because of the circumstances, the contest will not
include those categories, which encompassed about 25% of the
awards. "All of the other categories will get awards," Slater
said. The awards will be given at the press club's banquet on
October 15. The press club plans to donate the $4,155 collected
from the lost entry fees to a fund set up to aide Times-Picayune
staffers affected by the hurricane. "We decided to give the money
to those who really need it."
Publishers show support for hurricane victims
---------------------------------------------
As residents of the Gulf Coast cope with the destruction of
Hurricane Katrina, publishing houses have come forward with
pledges. Scholastic will donate $100,000 to the American Red
Cross Disaster Relief Fund, and also announced plans to donate
books and other material to local schools affected by the
disaster. News Corp., which owns HarperCollins, pledged $1
million to the Salvation Army. And Viacom, Simon & Schuster's
corporate parent, is giving $1 million to the American Red Cross.
In an open letter to Random House employees, company CEO Peter
Olson said that Random House will also donate $500,000 to the
American Red Cross Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund and match
employee contributions, to the relief organization of choice,
dollar for dollar.
Booksellers, authors, publishers help hurricane victims
-------------------------------------------------------
Booksellers and others in the book industry have responded to the
catastrophe of Hurricane Katrina. After first watching the loss
of life and homes with horror, independent business owners have
felt additional distress for those who face the daunting task of
repairing damage done to their bookstores, or the prospect of
abandoning their ruined enterprises and their livelihoods.
Bookselling This Week has compiled a list of the ways booksellers,
publishers, and book-related organizations are trying to help
those in the affected areas. For more information:
http://news.bookweb.org/3806.html
Book TV Bus hits the road
-------------------------
On September 24, C-SPAN2's Book TV Bus will kick off its debut
tour at the National Book Festival in Washington, DC. From there,
the Book TV Bus will head out to visit book festivals, local
libraries, and bookstores in conjunction with local cable
affiliates. As part of its tour, Book TV Bus representatives will
regularly interview local bookstore owners. Connie Doebele,
Executive producer of C-SPAN2's Book TV, said: "We're eager for
Book TV to get on the road, visiting communities where nonfiction
readers and our viewers live. Whether a reader is interested in
biographies, political, public affairs, or historical works, we
want nonfiction enthusiasts to know that they have a home at Book
TV." For more information: http://www.booktv.org/BookTVBus/
*****************************************************************
BECOME a CREATIVITY COACH or be certified to Teach Creativity
Workshops with author and creativity expert Jill Badonsky, M.ED.
Contact jillbadonsky"at"hotmail.com, http://www.themuseisin.com
*****************************************************************
INTERESTED IN WRITING FICTION OR NONFICTION? Find inspiration
and ideas for that next project at Profitable Pen's newest
forums! Register for free at http://www.profitable-pen.com.
*****************************************************************
BACK UP YOUR WRITING - AND THE REST OF YOUR LIFE!
=================================================================
by Moira Allen
At the grocery store the other day, I succumbed to the temptation
to pick up a copy of People Magazine to read its coverage of the
effects of Hurricane Katrina. One article in particular caught
my eye: A photo feature on the items evacuees felt they
absolutely had to take with them, even when they had to leave
everything else behind.
As a writer, to me this question would be a no-brainer: My
laptop! Not because I have a particular fondness for that piece
of hardware, but because that laptop holds something very
important to me: My work. I can replace clothes, books,
household items -- but I can't replace the words that I've
written over the years, particularly those that haven't been
published.
My laptop holds a great deal more than words, however. It also
holds my entire output of digital photography. It holds my
business records. In fact, it holds a rather large chunk of my
life -- a chunk that I no longer have to worry about losing in
the event of a disaster.
Hurricane Katrina is a wake-up call to all of us, a reminder that
in an instant, you can lose everything you own. But if you plan
ahead, you can ensure that some of the most important elements of
your life are protected against just about any kind of disaster
-- even if you CAN'T take it with you. Here's some tips on the
types of things you can preserve.
Back Up Your Work!
------------------
Every writer knows how important it is to back up files of your
"work in progress." But how often do we actually do it? (I say
"we," because I've realized that I have gotten lazy and
complacent about making frequent backups.)
I've found that the easiest way to remind myself of what needs to
be backed up at the end of the day, or the end of the week, is to
keep two separate "backup" folders/directories on my hard drive.
One folder is titled "Daily Backup," and is for those files that
get changed as often as every day, such as my spreadsheets that
track business expenses and income. At the end of the day,
before shutting down my computer, I make a copy of each file that
I've worked with and drag it to the backup folder.
The second folder is titled "One-Time Backup." This folder is
for items that are unique -- i.e., that don't get changed every
day. When I write a new article or column, it goes into this
folder. If I download an article of interest from the Web, it
might go here. If someone sends me a photo that I want to keep,
it will go here. I keep these items separate because, once this
folder has been transferred to my laptop, it will be emptied for
the next batch of items, unlike my "daily backup" folder.
Ideally, I know that I should transfer these files over to
storage every night, but of course I don't! Instead, about once
a week I use a flash storage drive or "data stick" to copy the
two backup folders. My "work" computer is downstairs; my laptop
(which is my photography and "play" computer) is upstairs, and
the flash drive is perfect for transporting files from one to the
other. There's no way I could easily disconnect the hard drive
of my main computer in an emergency, but I know that I can easily
grab my laptop -- and that it will always be no more than a week
behind in archiving my records.
Back Up Your OLD Work!
----------------------
It's easy to see the need to back up your work in progress: The
last thing you want is to lose the work you've done on that
article that is due in a week, or half the novel that you've been
sweating over for the past year. But it's also a good idea to
back up your older work. If you haven't made a backup copy of
older articles, stories, or whatever, consider doing so, even
though you may not think that you'll ever "need" them again. If
something happens to your hard drive, that work could be gone
forever. This is especially true of anything that you've written
but haven't published.
You can also back up work that you created before you had a
computer. My older writings have been lurking in my file boxes
for years, typed on all sorts of interesting scrap paper. A part
of me likes to imagine the day when archivists will be thrilled
to discover the genuine, original, hand-typed copy of the Gothic
novel I started to write in college -- and that is typed on the
back of some of my old college essays -- but the practical side
of me says "scan it and toss it!" The same applies to a host of
other literary efforts that will mean nothing to anyone but me.
It's also not a bad idea to scan your clips. With a color
scanner, you can create Adobe PDF files, which you can then use
as attachments when submitting to a publication that is willing
to review clips electronically.
Back Up Your Business Records
-----------------------------
My grand archival project actually started when I began to back
up my tax records. At the time, I wasn't thinking of disasters;
rather, I was thinking of moves. When you've moved nine times in
twenty years, you look for any means possible of "lightening the
load." Scanned copies of business receipts and other tax records
are considered acceptable documents by the IRS. And if you're
one of those folks who is afraid to throw out tax records no
matter how old they are, backing them up electronically provides
the perfect solution. At the same time, scanning your recent
returns and receipts provides peace of mind: you're secure in the
knowledge that if the IRS decides to audit you ten minutes after
your house burns down, you're covered.
I also recommend backing up important personal documents, such as
deeds, birth certificates, marriage licenses, passports, etc.
Unlike tax records, these will NOT be considered valid documents
if you lose the originals. However, such backups WILL give you
all the information you need if you should ever have to replace
those originals. Scanning your credit cards and other
identification cards can help if your wallet or purse is stolen.
A word of warning, however: It may be unwise to leave this kind
of material on a computer that is connected to the Internet,
unless you have a good firewall. The last thing you want is to
put your identity papers in a place where hackers can find them!
Back Up Your Photos
-------------------
Whenever people lose their homes in any sort of disaster, one of
the things they say they miss the most is their family photos.
Today you don't have to take the risk of losing those precious
memories: You can back them up!
Since my laptop has 30GB of memory, it's the perfect place to
store all my digital photos. But I don't just use it to hold
pictures I've taken with my digital camera. This summer, I began
what is coming to be known as "the project that will never die"
-- the task of archiving all my pre-digital family photos on my
laptop. I've been scanning my old albums. I've also been
scanning my "ancestral" archives -- including my husband's family
black-and-white archives, and a box full of family transparencies
taken as much as 50 years ago. (Actually, I cheated; I sent most
of those out to a professional slide scanner, along with the
transparencies and negatives of my honeymoon; otherwise, I
figured I'd be spending the next ten years hunched over my
scanner.) This project gave me the added benefit of being able
to restore photos that had become severely discolored with age;
my electronic archives are now a better record now than the
original photos.
Back Up Family Treasures
------------------------
Just as a scanner can be the ideal way to preserve your photo
albums, it's also a great way to preserve other family treasures.
My grandfather was an artist -- not a terribly good one, but his
few surviving paintings are something I wanted to archive in such
a way that I could share them with other family members. So I've
been scanning the smaller paintings and taking digital photos of
the larger ones, and this Christmas everyone in the family is
going to get a nice CD-ROM in their stocking. But more
importantly, I know that I've preserved this artwork not only
from a possible disaster, but also from the ravages of time.
You may not have an official "artist" in the family, but what
about those works of art by your children that you've used to
wallpaper the refrigerator? Those, and just about any other sort
of ephemera that you'd like to protect, can be scanned and
archived. You can scan old letters, diaries, cards, recipes --
anything that you've collected or saved over time. An archived
copy will never replace the original if the original is lost --
but it is still better than having nothing left at all.
Back Up Your House
------------------
If your home IS damaged or destroyed by a disaster, large-scale
or personal, having a record of your household goods can be
important when it comes time to convince your insurance company
to replace them. Traditionally, insurance companies have
accepted photos as proof of ownership. But if those photos have
been destroyed along with the goods theselves, that won't help
you much!
Therefore, it's not a bad idea to go through your house with a
digital camera and take DETAILED pictures of your possessions.
Open your cupboards and closets, and photograph what's inside.
Download those photos to your computer, and make sure that the
download includes the date that they were TAKEN. (This generally
means using the photo download program that comes with your
digital camera.) Repeat this process about once a year, or if
you move, or if you add anything major to your inventory. This
way, even if your house is obliterated from the face of the
earth, you can still prove that you did, indeed, have a library
of 3000 books, or a collection of 420 glass unicorns. If you're
truly obsessive-compulsive (I am), you might even want to do a
written inventory of your goods, such as books, CDs, DVDs, and
any collections of significant value.
Save It and Share It
--------------------
My own archive project arose not out of fear of disaster, but out
of a desire to be able to share some family treasures with other
family members. By making CD-ROMs of my archives, I will be able
to give everyone in the family a copy of grandfather's art and
grandmother's photos. But more importantly, by making CD-ROM
backups, I can DISTRIBUTE my archives to different locations
around the country. By doing so, I ensure that even if I can't
grab a thing in the case of an emergency, the majority of my
files will still be saved. I may lose the most recent versions
of my work and my business records, but I won't lose my older
articles, my half-finished novel, my photos, or the family
treasures.
If you embark upon an archiving project, make regular backups of
your work. A major archive-scanning job can take weeks (mine is
taking months) -- and the last thing you want is to have to do it
all over again because your hard drive crashed. CDs are cheap, so
burn them -- often.
When your project is complete, organize your files so that you
can easily determine where everything is, and burn several
archive-quality CD-ROMs or DVDs (depending on the amount of
information you need to store). Do NOT use rewritable CDs! If
you have more material than you can fit on a single CD, use a
DVD. Label your disks with a notation of what they contain and
the date they were made. (I've heard warnings that press-on CD
labels can damage your disks, so I just scrawl the info with a
permanent marker.)
Then, give or send copies of these disks to people who can store
them for you in a safe location away from your home -- the
farther, the better! My husband keeps a set of my archives in
his office, but I also send a set to my mother-in-law, who lives
on the other side of the country. Be sure that you choose people
you can trust (after all, these archives may contain personal
information that you don't want others to share), and people who
are reliable enough not only to put them in a safe place, but to
remember where that place is if you actually need them again.
The day hasn't yet arrived when we can download and backup our
entire personality electronically. However, we CAN back up a
huge chunk of our history, our past, our memories, and our most
important achievements. Today, all it costs to preserve some of
the items that are most precious to you (or most vital to your
business) is a handful of CDs and a chunk of time. By making
that investment, you can ensure that no matter what happens to
your home, you are no longer at risk of "losing everything."
>>-----------------------------------------------------<<
Moira Allen has been writing and editing professionally for more
than 20 years. A columnist for The Writer, she is also the author
of "Starting Your Career as a Freelance Writer", "The Writer's
Guide to Queries, Pitches and Proposals" (now available as an
e-book) and "Writing.com: Creative Internet Strategies to
Advance Your Writing Career". For more details, visit:
http://www.writing-world.com/moira/moira.shtml
Copyright (c) 2005 by Moira Allen
*****************************************************************
GET SAMPLE COPIES OF HUNDREDS of magazines from MagSampler.com.
Magazines are $2.59 each, postage included. Find new titles or
old favorites such as The Atlantic, True Confessions, Ms. and
Psychology Today. Check us out at http://www.magsampler.com.
*****************************************************************
CHASING BOOK ENDORSEMENTS? You need The Endorsement Quest! This
eBook explains what endorsements are, why you need them and how
to get them. Includes tips for choosing, researching and
contacting potential endorsers. http://www.EndorsementQuest.com
*****************************************************************
THE WRITE SITES
=================================================================
Hurricane Katrina News
----------------------
Ongoing news coverage on how Hurricane Katrina has affected
librarians, libraries, and collections, from the American Library
Association.
http://snipurl.com/hmqv
Who's There?
------------
Download new free ebook, "Who's There? Seth Godin's Incomplete
Guide to Blogs and the New Web."
http://snipurl.com/hkcy
The Book Venue
----------------
Reviews, discussion, and newsletter for bookaholics.
http://www.geekvenue.net/bookvenue/index.html
Bookjobs.com
------------
If you're looking for a job in the publishing industry, this site
is an excellent starting point.
http://www.bookjobs.com
The Phrase Finder
-----------------
An index of over 2,000 English sayings, phrases, and idioms.
http://www.phrases.org.uk/index.html
Flowchart for Determining When US Copyright Expires
---------------------------------------------------
The law firm of Bromberg and Sunstein has created a useful
flowchart for determining whether or not a work is in the public
domain.
http://www.bromsun.com/practice/copyrights/flowchart.html
*****************************************************************
LONG STORY SHORT SCHOOL OF WRITING - Classes begin October 5;
Register NOW! Highly qualified instructors. Courses include
fiction writing, promoting your book, writing poetry, developing
characters, and much more. Visit our website at
http://www.LssWritingSchool.com
*****************************************************************
HUMORPRESS.COM'S AMERICA'S FUNNIEST HUMOR" contest invites YOU!
$150.00 in cash prizes, plus publication online & in print! Prev.
pub. material ok. Entry just $5. Length: 250-750 words. Deadline
Sept. 30th! Don't miss out! Enter at http://www.HumorPress.com!
*****************************************************************
JUST FOR FUN: Are You Creative?
=================================================================
by Michele Pariza Wacek
Worried you may not be creative, or you may not be creative
enough? Take this quiz and find out just how creative you are.
Get a piece of paper and number it one to seven. For each
question, write down the corresponding letter of your answer.
1. When you come across a rose, you immediately:
A. Smell it
B. Quote every rose poem you can remember
C. Write your own poem
D. Sketch the rose
E. Step on the rose
2. One of your dreams in life is to:
A. Write a novel
B. Become a painter
C. Travel the world
D. Climb all the famous mountains
E. Just once, get everything done on your to-do list
3. Your desk:
A. You have trouble finding as it's buried under everything
including the kitchen sink
B. Resembles a natural disaster
C. Is a bit of a mess, but you know where everything is
D. Is basically neat -- you use the stacking method
E. Is in perfect order -- everything in its place
4. The person you admire most is:
A. Einstein
B. Walt Disney
C. Your mother
D. Jane Austen
E. Anyone who can get everything crossed off their to-do list
5. You consider yourself:
A. Extremely creative
B. Creative
C. Somewhat creative
D. A little creative
E. About as creative as a turnip (actually, come to think about
it, turnips may be more creative then you are)
6. You get new ideas:
A. All the time
B. Several times a week
C. Several times a month
D. Once or twice a month
E. You dimly recall getting a new idea when Clinton was in office
-- or maybe it was the first Bush
7. You dream in:
A. Color
B. Black and white
C. Both black and white and color
D. You can't remember now
E. Nothing -- you don't dream
Scoring:
Throw out all your answers except the one for number five -- "You
consider yourself:". If you answered:
A. Extremely creative -- Then you're extremely creative.
B. Creative -- Then you're creative.
C. Somewhat creative -- then you're somewhat creative.
D. A little creative -- Then you're a little creative.
E. About as creative as a turnip -- then you're about as creative
as a turnip.
Okay, this was a bit of a trick. But it's true. How creative you
think you are corresponds with how creative you are.
There was a famous study done that illustrates this. A big
company wanted to increase creativity in its employees. So it
hired a group of consultants to come in. The consultants started
by thoroughly testing all of the employees. They discovered the
only difference between the employees who were creative and who
weren't creative was how creative they perceived themselves.
Even more telling was what happened to the group that wasn't
creative. The consultants focused on helping them nurture their
creativity, and at the end those employees were actually more
creative than the ones who had initially considered themselves
more creative.
And that means you too can become more creative. In fact, how
creative you become is entirely in your own hands.
Creativity Exercise -- Assumptions
----------------------------------
Ready to become more creative? Here's an exercise.
Write down all the reasons why you're not creative. Go on. Write
them all down. Every negative reason you can think of. Things
like:
I've never been creative in my life.
I haven't had a new idea in over a year.
I don't have time to be creative.
Now reverse those negative assumptions and make them positive.
Like so:
I am a creative person.
I have lots of new ideas all of time.
I don't need time to be creative because I already am creative.
Do this every day and see what happens. This is a great way to
start getting rid of those inner demons that keep all of us from
realizing our true potential.
>>-----------------------------------------------------<<
Michele Pariza Wacek is the author of "Got Ideas? Unleash Your
Creativity and Make More Money." She offers two free e-zines that
help subscribers combine their creativity with hard-hitting
marketing and copywriting principles to become more successful at
attracting new clients, selling products and services and
boosting business. Visit her web site at:
http://www.TheArtistSoul.com
Copyright (c) 2005 by Michele Pariza Wacek
*****************************************************************
LIVING LEGENDS E-COURSE. Life-writing exercises and feedback.
6 weeks; starts Sep 30; other dates TBA. Find your unique voice,
make progress with your memoir and have fun doing it!
http://www.memorybooks.ca
*****************************************************************
TAKE THE TEST -- IT'S FREE! Has that novel been rejected too many
times? Worried that reviewers will notice poor grammar more than
the story? Present a professional image: hire a professional
editor. See the difference editing makes with a free test edit.
Visit http://www.scripta-word-services.com
*****************************************************************
WHAT'S NEW AT WRITING-WORLD.COM
=================================================================
ARTICLES:
---------
Twenty Ways Writers Can Save Money, by Mridu Khullar
http://www.writing-world.com/basics/save.shtml
*****************************************************************
WRITE IN STYLE AND SELL MORE! We edit and evaluate manuscripts,
proposals, synopses and more. Bobbie Christmas (author of Write
In Style) BZEBRA"at"aol.com. Sign up for our free tips/markets
newsletter! Zebra Communications: http://www.zebraeditor.com.
*****************************************************************
MARKET ROUNDUP
=================================================================
CYBER-AGE ADVENTURES
Frank Fradella, Editor
EMAIL: Submissions"at"ihero.net
URL: http://www.ihero.net
Seeking ground-breaking, thought-provoking fiction in a superhero
setting. The first, and biggest, mistake that writers make in the
stories they submit to us is that they try to tell us a superhero
story. Superheroes aren't a genre. They're a setting, like deep
space or underwater. As long as you obey the conventions of that
setting, you can tell any kind of story you want. Mystery.
Adventure. Horror. Suspense. Romance. We don't do parody here,
and we don't poke fun at the setting. Yes, there are clichˇs in
superheroes. But instead of pointing them out, find a way to make
it fresh. We have the reputation we do because we understand that
people never outgrow their love of superheroes, even if they drift
away from the comic book medium.
LENGTH: 3,000 words or less
RIGHTS: Non-exclusive print rights
REPRINTS: No
SUBMISSIONS: Submit text in body of an email, no attachments
GUIDELINES: http://www.ihero.net/subguides.html
>>-----------------------------------------------------<<
COINCIDE PUBLISHING
Vanessa Sands, Editor
Coincide Publishing, LLC, PO Box 2466, Liverpool, NY 13089
EMAIL: queries"at"lowcarbenergymagazine.com
URL: http://coincidepublishing.com
Coincide Publishing currently publishes three print magazines:
LowCarb Energy, Cooking Smart and the new Diet & Fitness. Please
read about the magazine for which you're interested in writing
before sending us your query. We look for articles that display
excellent writing skills, typically backed by primary sources.
For LowCarb Energy and Cooking Smart, articles are geared toward
both men and women, while Diet & Fitness readers are primarily
women. We cover many topics beyond (but in addition to)
straightforward diet, fitness and cooking -- such as beauty,
inner health, relevant products, etc. See web site for style
guide and other submission details.
LENGTH: 800-1,000 words
PAYMENT: Website articles: $25-$50; Magazine articles: $50-$125;
Essays, 1st person pieces, fiction & poetry: $50-$100
RIGHTS: First serial rights
REPRINTS: No
SUBMISSIONS: Query first by email, no attachments
GUIDELINES: http://coincidepublishing.com/lce/guidelines.htm
>>-----------------------------------------------------<<
NATIVE PEOPLES MAGAZINE
5333 North Seventh Street, Suite 224, Phoenix, AZ 85014
EMAIL: dgibson"at"nativepeoples.com
URL: http://www.nativepeoples.com
Native Peoples strives to offer a sensitive portrayal of the arts
and lifeways of the Native peoples of the Americas. We seek
writers and photographers -- Native and non-Native -- who have a
unique expertise about their subject. If you are Native, please
let us know. Competition is stiff: The magazine receives numerous
unsolicited manuscripts and hundreds of queries a year. The only
departments open to freelancers are our travel section
"Pathways," opinion section "Viewpoint", and artists mini-profile
section "Discovering." The magazine seeks stories reflecting
Native life throughout the Americas, from the Arctic Circle to
the southern tip of Chile, though our prime focus is on subjects
set in the United States. Stories need to be illustrated with
high quality photography. Writers are asked to suggest, or work
with, professional photographers.
LENGTH: 1,200-2,000 words
PAYMENT: 25 cents/word
RIGHTS: First publication rights
REPRINTS: No
SUBMISSIONS: Query first by email
GUIDELINES: http://www.nativepeoples.com (Click on "Editor's
Guidelines")
>>-----------------------------------------------------<<
Please send Market News to: peggyt"at"siltnet.net
"FNASR": First North American Serial Rights, "SASE":
self-addressed, stamped envelope, "GL": guidelines. If you have
questions about rights, please see "Rights: What They Mean and
Why They're Important"
http://www.writing-world.com/rights/rights.shtml
*****************************************************************
WRITING CONTESTS
=================================================================
This section lists contests that charge no entry fees. For more
contests, check our online contests section.
http://www.writing-world.com/contests/index.shtml
>>-----------------------------------------------------<<
Oakes Award for Distinguished Environmental Journalism
DEADLINE: November 1, 2005
GENRE: Nonfiction
OPEN TO: Newspaper and magazine journalists
LENGTH: No word length requirements
THEME: The 2005 Oakes Award will go to the author(s) of an
article or single-topic series on an environmental issue
initially published between October 1, 2004, and September 30,
2005. A series must be designated as such by the publication when
it is printed. A regular column may also be submitted as a
series. Only newspaper and magazine articles are eligible. If
photos and/or illustrations substantially strengthen the winning
piece, the judges may divide the award among the writer and the
photographer or illustrator. Fiction cannot be considered.
PRIZE: $5,000
ELECTRONIC ENTRY: No
ADDRESS: Arlene Morgan, 2950 Broadway, Room 705, New York, NY
10027
URL: http://www.jrn.columbia.edu/events/oakes/how_to_enter.asp
*****************************************************************
New Listings on THE AUTHOR'S BOOKSHELF:
---------------------------------------
How to Bounce When You Want to Shatter: Steps to Resilience
in the Writing Life, by Dara Girard
Life in the 1800's: A Writer's Guide, by Tammie Gibbs
Zephyr Unfolding, by Nicole Givens Kurtz
Find these and more great books at
http://www.writing-world.com/books/index.shtml
Advertise your own book on Writing-World.com:
http://www.writing-world.com/books/listyours.shtml
*****************************************************************
ADVERTISE in WRITING WORLD or on WRITING-WORLD.COM! For details
on how to reach 50,000 writers a month with your product, service
or book title, visit
http://www.writing-world.com/admin1/adrates.shtml
*****************************************************************
FR*EE ebook with subscription. Newsletter includes Paying
Markets, Freelance Jobs, Classes, Workshops, Contests, Articles
and more! Subscribe at http://writerssuccess.com/ to receive the
Writer's Success weekly newsletter and get your fr*ee ebook.
*****************************************************************
EXPAND YOUR NETWORK--DEVELOP YOUR SKILLS--NURTURE YOUR CREATIVE
LIFE! Visit the National Association of Women Writers Web site at
http://www.NAWW.org! Weekly Inspirational/How-To E-zine:
http://www.naww.org/homepage.html Membership Information:
http://www.naww.org/generic1.html
*****************************************************************
SPAWN (Small Publishers, Artists and Writers Network) is
launching local networking Chapters. Check with us to find a
Chapter near you. Contact us if you'd like to start one.
Patricia"at"spawn.org. Subscribe to newsletter http://www.spawn.org
*****************************************************************
WRITERS: FIND MARKETS EASILY - Worldwide Freelance has a NEW
fully-searchable Markets Database. Discover writing markets from
North America, Europe, Australasia and other places. It's free,
so come and try it out here: http://www.worldwidefreelance.com
*****************************************************************
WRITING FOR DOLLARS! - the FREE ezine for writers featuring
tips, tricks and ideas for selling what you write. FREE ebook,
83 WAYS TO MAKE MONEY WRITING when you subscribe. Email to
subscribe"at"writingfordollars.com http://www.WritingForDollars.com
*****************************************************************
PUBLISH AND PROFIT FROM YOUR BOOK OR EBOOK: Learn how to write
and sell your book idea online. Join others from around the world
who are making a good living selling their book or ebook online.
http://www.zizzoo.com/guides/ebook
****************************************************************
WRITERONLINE is an e-publication dedicated to writers and lovers
of writing. Fiction, poetry, business and technical writing,
how-tos, articles, reviews, freelance markets, jobs for writers
and much more, published biweekly. Completely renovated! Visit
us at http://www.writer-on-line.com
****************************************************************
Writing World is a publication of Writing-World.com
http://www.writing-world.com
Editor/Publisher: MOIRA ALLEN (writing-world"at"cox.net)
Managing Editor (Newsletter): PEGGY TIBBETTS (peggyt"at"siltnet.net)
Copyright 2005 Moira Allen
Individual articles copyrighted by their authors.
Back issues archived at
http://www.writing-world.com/newsletter/index.shtml
Writing World is hosted by Listbox.com - http://v2.listbox.com
*****************************************************************
Subscribers are welcome to recirculate Writing World to
friends, discussion lists, etc., as long as the ENTIRE text
of the newsletter is included and appropriate credit is given.
Writing World may not be circulated for profit purposes.
*****************************************************************
Do not reply to this message to subscribe or unsubscribe! To
subscribe to Writing World, send a blank e-mail to
subscribe-writing-world"at"v2.listbox.com. To unsubscribe, send a
blank e-mail to unsubscribe-writing-world"at"v2.listbox.com.
To change your address, please unsubscribe your old address and
subscribe your new address. You can also use the subscription
box at the top of the page at http://www.writing-world.com
Copyright © 2010 by Moira Allen. All rights reserved.
Copyright to individual articles held by authors.