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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 3:22 12,500 subscribers October 30, 2003
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SUBSCRIBE/UNSUBSCRIBE INSTRUCTIONS AT END OF NEWSLETTER
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SPECIAL NOTICE: Please DO NOT REPLY to this e-mail; any messages
sent to the listbox address are deleted. If you wish to contact
the editor, please e-mail moirakallen[at]writing-world.com.
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CONTENTS
=================================================================
From the Editor's Desk
News from the World of Writing
FEATURE: Facing the First Draft, by Moira Allen
(Excepted from "Starting Your Career as a Freelance
Writer")
The Write Sites -- Online Resources for Writers
WRITING DESK: What should I charge for an anthology
reprint? by Moira Allen
WHAT'S NEW at Writing World
MARKET ROUNDUP/Writing Contests
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Get published! Get published! Get published! Get published!
Get published! Get published! Get published! Get published!
Get published! Get published! Get published! Get published!
Visit http://www.1stbooks.com/getpublished/no_rejection.html
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or e-mail gradadmissions[at]spalding.edu and request brochure FA90.
For more info: http://www.spalding.edu/graduate/MFAinWriting
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WRITERSCOLLEGE.COM has 57 online courses. Prices are low.
If you can reach our web site, you can take our courses.
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HUGE SAVINGS! GREAT SELECTION! Save online at:
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FreelanceWriters.com is the only global online directory of
freelance writers. Your writing skills, experience and contact
information can be listed in the database so that clients and
editors will have your information at the touch of a button. Go
to: http://www.freelancewriters.com/writers_faqs.cfm
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1500 ONLINE RESOURCES - UPDATED WITH HUNDREDS OF NEW LISTINGS!
Get your copy with any contribution of $5 or more to Writing-
World.com (normally sells for $6.95). Contributions accepted via
Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/paypage/P2UTPRKYGU4AA1) and
PayPal; for more details about this info-packed e-book, visit
http://www.writing-world.com/books/moira.shtml#1500
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FROM THE EDITOR'S DESK
=================================================================
COMPUTER EQUIPMENT FOR WRITERS!
-------------------------------
I'm upgrading computer systems and have the following for sale:
* REDUCED! Dell Pentium 8200 with Windows ME and XP, EXCELLENT
CONDITION, $400
* Lexmark Z65 printer, $35
* Coming soon: Apple G3 Laptop, 10 GB, CD-R drive, runs on OS9
or OSX (i.e., you can start up from either system). EXCELLENT
CONDITION, $750. (Should be available by next week, so contact
me if you're interested in reserving it!)
Contact moirakallen[at]writing-world.com for details; reasonable
offers will be considered! (Prices include shipping.)
IT COULD HAPPEN TO YOU!
-----------------------
I thought the following e-mail was worth sharing!
Dear Moira,
I wanted to tell you what happened to me recently...
An editor of a new start-up magazine accepted a query of mine.
But when she e-mailed me the contract, it called for me to
"relinquish all copyright rights" (sic). And I thought it would
never happen to me! After agonizing over the weekend, I wrote a
very businesslike e-mail back to her asking to negotiate, as I
didn't wish to sell all rights.
She e-mailed me back saying that wasn't what she intended and she
would have the clause rewritten.
The rewrite might have appeared better to her, but it was still
basically calling for all rights. I was beginning to believe she
had simply hired some lawyer who knew nothing of copyright law or
publishing contracts to write this contract for her. So this
time, rather than try to explain it myself, I e-mailed her links
to two of your articles on your website -- one on copyright, one
on contracts.
The third version of the contract has the correct language, she
accepted the article, I'm getting a check, and everybody's happy.
She thanked me for the links... I was correct in my lawyer
theory. She said "we are writing this clause together."
-- (A Reader)
This reader's experience is far from unusual -- at least, in
terms of dealing with a clueless editor! Unfortunately, far too
many editors today have absolutely no understanding of copyright
law, rights, or the meaning of contract terminology. Take, for
example, this "rights clause" I recently found in a magazine's
guidelines:
"First British Rights for articles accepted for publication. This
includes your permission for (magazine title) to publish now and
in the future your article in paper, electronic or other media,
our World Wide Web site, on full-text CD ROM, and in future
issues. You retain the copyright of your article; however,
(magazine title) has copyright of the material published within
the magazine, preventing reproduction of material without
permission."
Now here's an editor who obviously doesn't know what FIRST rights
means (no, it DOESN'T mean you have the right to use the article
perpetually in any medium), or the difference between the
author's copyright and the magazine's COLLECTIVE copyright (or
the fact that buying "first rights" does not in any way restrict
a writer from selling subsequent reprints).
What we need to remember is that such contracts are NOT
necessarily written in stone -- and that, with tact and
diplomacy, we may indeed be able to negotiate better terms, and
educate our editors in the process.
With that hope in mind, let me make it clear that you are all
welcome not only to refer editors to my articles on rights and
contracts, but also to print those articles out and MAIL them to
an editor. Here are some useful links:
Understanding Rights and Copyright
http://www.writing-world.com/rights/copyright.shtml
Protect Your Electronic Rights
http://www.writing-world.com/rights/erights.shtml
Understanding Contracts
http://www.writing-world.com/rights/contracts.shtml
Rights and Why They're Important, by Marg Gilks
http://www.writing-world.com/rights/rights.shtml
(I can't give blanket authorization to print and distribute this
article; if you would like to send a copy to an editor, please
contact Marg directly.)
Remember, if you don't fight for your rights, no one else will!
-- Moira Allen (moirakallen[at]writing-world.com)
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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
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NEWS FROM THE WORLD OF WRITING
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Barnes & Noble closes Book Magazine
-----------------------------------
Book Magazine, which profiles authors and their works, will cease
publication after the November/December issue because co-owner,
Barnes & Noble, has withdrawn financial support. Founded in 1998,
the magazine has lost more than $1 million this year. At its
peak, Book had nearly 1.4 million subscribers, but only because
Barnes & Noble offered a free subscription to customers who
signed up for the Readers Advantage program. After the free
subscription program ended in March 2002, circulation declined to
150,000. Editor-in-Chief Jerome Kramer said, "If you're a public
company beholden to your shareholders and you're responsible for
providing good quarterly reports, experimenting in the magazine
publishing industry is not the best place to be." However he
still believes the magazine's formula could be successful if
given enough time.
Amazon launches "Search Inside the Book"
----------------------------------------
On October 23, Amazon.com launched "Search Inside the Book," a
new way for customers to find and discover books by searching the
text inside them, instead of just matching author or title
keywords. In collaboration with publishers, Amazon allows
customers to find books based on every word inside more than
120,000 books -- more than 33 million pages of searchable text.
Customers can also preview the inside text of these books. Search
Inside the Book is integrated into Amazon's standard search and
includes books from all genres. "Innovation drives customer
experience," said Jeff Bezos, founder and CEO. "With the help of
publishers, we're offering a completely new way for people to
find the books they want." Customers can find titles from more
than 190 publishers. "The customer in me loves this," said
Maureen Egen, president of Time Warner Book Group.
Authors Guild searches Amazon's new database
--------------------------------------------
In an October 24 statement to members, The Authors Guild outlined
their concerns about Amazon.com's launch of "Search Inside the
Book." After reviewing contracts from major trade publishers they
concluded: "[T]hese publishers do not have the right to
participate in this program without their authors' permission."
Most publishers disagreed with the interpretation but said they
would remove any author's work from the database upon request. In
addition, The Guild found that while fiction works would probably
benefit from the search engine exposure, college textbooks,
reference books, travel and cookbooks clearly would not. Their
statement says: "[W]e thought that it would be impossible to read
more than 5 consecutive pages from a book in the program. It
turns out that it's quite simple (though a bit inconvenient) to
look at 100 or more consecutive pages from a single lengthy book.
We've even printed out 108 consecutive pages from a bestselling
book. It's not something one would care to do frequently, but it
can be done. So a reader could choose to print out all the fish
recipes from a cookbook in the program. Or the section on Tuscany
from a travel book. We believe readers will do this, and the
perplexing question is whether the additional exposure for a
title -- and the presumptive increase in sales -- offsets sales
lost from those who just use the Amazon system to look up the
section of a book when they need it." For more information:
http://www.authorsguild.org/news/amazon_launches_full.htm
State attorney fined for writing novels at the office
-----------------------------------------------------
On October 10, the Massachusetts Ethics Commission fined state
attorney Michael Fredrickson $5,000 for writing mystery novels
during office hours. They ordered him to pay an additional $5,000
civil forfeiture to reimburse the board for the time and office
resources he used in writing two novels, "Witness for the Dead"
and "A Cinderella Affidavit." According to the Commission's
report, Fredrickson spent "substantial time" writing the books
while he was at work and had his administrative assistants
perform "novel-related tasks" for him, such as making
photocopies, telephone calls and sending faxes and mail. In doing
so, he violated the state's conflict of interest law, which bars
state workers from using state resources for personal business.
Fredrickson told the commission that he worked on board matters
at home to offset the time he spent writing his books at work.
But he never told his superiors at the board about the situation,
the Commission said.
Senate approves anti-spam bill
------------------------------
On October 22, the US Senate voted to outlaw deceptive "spam"
email, and set up a "do-not-spam" registry. Internet "spammers"
who flood inboxes with pornography and get-rich-quick schemes
could face jail time and million-dollar fines under the bill,
which passed by a vote of 97 to 0. The vote marks the first time
the Senate has taken action against an online scourge that now
accounts for 50% of all email traffic. Similar legislation in the
House of Representatives stalled as lawmakers try to hammer out
differences between two competing bills. The Bush Administration
said it supported the bill. Senators noted that spam has become a
top constituent concern and could overwhelm the Internet if left
unchecked. The bill would not outlaw all unsolicited commercial
email, focusing instead on the fraudulent or deceptive messages.
Marketers would have to label sexually explicit messages to allow
users to filter them out. The bill would also prohibit marketers
from sending unsolicited messages to consumers who place their
email addresses on a "do-not-spam" registry, similar to the
"do-not-call" anti-telemarketing measure launched this month by
the FTC. Other tactics, such as hijacking users' identities,
using multiple accounts to evade filters, and sending messages to
millions of randomly generated email addresses, would be outlawed
as well. State and federal law enforcers and Internet service
providers, such as EarthLink Inc., would be allowed to pursue
spammers, but individual users could not sue. More than half of
the states have passed anti-spam bills of their own, many of
which set tougher regulations for marketers. The bill would
preempt most state laws, but would allow states to set higher
penalties for deceptive or fraudulent activity if they wished.
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Tell Book Buyers Why They Need Your Book! Putting It On Paper:
The Ground Rules for Creating Promotional Pieces that Sell Books
shows you how to create a book press kit that gets results.
http://www.cameopublications.com or
http://www.booklocker.com/books/1307.html
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FACING THE FIRST DRAFT
=================================================================
by Moira Allen (moirakallen[at]writing-world.com)
(Excerpted from "Starting Your Career as a Freelance Writer,"
now available from Allworth Press. For more information, see
http://www.writing-world.com/moira/freelance.shtml)
Few things are more intimidating than the blank page (or screen)
when you have a deadline. You may have known exactly what you
wanted to say when you wrote your query, but now, perhaps, you
have a stack of research notes and no idea how to get started.
Or, perhaps you're stuck on the first sentence. This doesn't just
happen to "new" writers; it happens to us all. Here are some ways
to get that article going.
Step One: Identify Your Subject
-------------------------------
The first step is to ask yourself whether you know exactly what
your article is supposed to be about. Now that you've done your
research, your brain may be stuffed with all sorts of information,
and you're having trouble "sorting it out." It's time to go back
to the basics.
Make sure you can state the central concept (or "thesis") of your
article in a single sentence. Make sure, as well, that this
sentence has no more than one "and" in it. For example:
TITLE: Your child's first hike
Market: Family-oriented travel or hiking publication
Good Topic Sentence: "How to introduce your child to hiking
safely and enjoyably."
Bad Topic Sentence: "How to introduce your child to hiking,
and what to pack, and where to go, and a look at my own
experiences taking the kids on hikes, plus a look back at my
first hike when I was a child ..."
TITLE: Discover the new Olympic sport of skeleton!
Market: Winter sports publications
Good Topic Sentence: "What 'skeleton' is and how to get
involved."
Bad Topic Sentence: "What 'skeleton' is, how to get involved,
profiles of some notable skeleton athletes, a history of
skeleton and the Olympics, and places where you can learn how
to do it, plus some of the risks ..."
The purpose of a topic sentence is not only to help you focus on
the central point of your article, but also to limit you.
Everything in your article should relate to that topic sentence.
If it doesn't, then it doesn't belong in this article, no matter
how interesting it may be. A tightly focused topic sentence will
keep you on track; a rambling topic sentence will get you lost.
Another way to define your topic sentence is to turn it into the
question that would be asked by the reader. For example:
* How can I introduce my child to the sport of hiking?
* What is "skeleton" and how can I get started in this sport?
By turning your thesis into a question, you know exactly what
your article has to "answer." Here are some other sample
questions that would make good "core concepts" for articles:
* Should I refinance my home?
* How can I learn to crochet?
* How do you cook chestnuts?
* How can I communicate more effectively with my spouse?
* What do I need to know about "natural" vitamins?
* Where can I stay in New York for less than $100 a night?
* What are some romantic things I can do for less than $20?
* How can I keep the kids entertained on a rainy day?
* What would be an ideal gift for my mother-in-law?
Not every article idea can be expressed as a question, but you
might be surprised by how easy it is to turn MOST ideas into
questions. From there, the process becomes much simpler: Your
goal is to ANSWER the question.
Step Two: Identify Your Subtopics
---------------------------------
Once you've defined your topic statement, identify subtopics that
support the original thesis. For example, your article on a
child's first hike might cover:
* How to make a trip enjoyable
* How to make a trip safe
An article on whether to refinance one's home might include:
* Circumstances in which refinancing is a good idea
* Circumstances in which refinancing is a bad idea
* How to get more information
Each of these subtopics may lead to more logical subtopics.
* Child's hiking trip -- Safety -- Risks: Common trail hazards,
including sunburn, dehydration, toxic plants, insect bites,
animals/snakes, injuries such as cuts, bruises, sprains.
* Child's hiking trip -- Safety -- Precautions: Warning your
child about hazards, things to pack in case of hazards, how to
protect against sunburn, etc.
* Child's hiking trip -- Safety --Remedies: What to do if any of
the hazards are encountered (e.g., how to treat poison ivy,
snake bite, etc.)
If you have too many subtopics, remember that you can always pull
one out and use it as a sidebar. The key is to make sure that
everything you're trying to cover in the article DIRECTLY relates
to your core topic. If it doesn't, save it for another piece.
Step Three: Identify Your Audience
----------------------------------
Besides establishing the question your article will be answering,
you also need to know who will be ASKING that question. If, for
example, your article is covering "How to plan for retirement,"
you need to know who will be reading the piece. The questions
asked by a twenty-year-old single woman would be very different
from those asked by a forty-year-old man with children about to
enter college, or a recently divorced woman, or someone who is
self-employed.
Going back to our "child hiking" article, you would want to know
whether you're writing for experienced hikers, or a more general
magazine whose readers may not be that experienced. You'll have
to explain many more basic concepts to the latter audience, while
the more experienced audience might be more interested in
high-tech equipment suitable for kids, or the best hiking trails
for kids in a particular region.
Step Four: Identify Your Limits
-------------------------------
Be sure you know how long your article is supposed to be. You
have only so many words to allocate to each "point" in your
article. The more points you want to make, the fewer words you
can budget to each point. The fewer points you need to cover, the
more "in-depth" your coverage can be on every point.
While there is no hard-and-fast rule about how many words you
should devote to a single subtopic, I feel that for an in-depth
article, you need a budget of at least 300 to 500 words. A
2000-word article would give you room for four major subtopics.
If you need to cover a larger number of subtopics, your article
will become more of an "overview." Overviews often work well as
"list" articles. For example, you might write an in-depth piece
on "how to keep your children entertained on a rainy day" -- or,
a list titled "Ten ways to keep your kids entertained ..."
Step Five: Identify Your Structure
----------------------------------
Next, determine the best order in which to present your
information. Often, once you know the question, a logical "order"
for the answer may be intuitively obvious. You may also have
defined this order in your outline. Here are some typical ways to
structure your article:
* Logical Order. What comes first, what comes next, what comes
after that? What is the first question a reader would ask, the
second, the third, and so on?
* Chronological Order. What happened first? What happened next?
What happened after that?
* Instructional Order. What should the reader do first? What does
he do next? What is step one, step two, step three?
* List Order. Lists work well for articles like "Ten ways to
entertain your children on a road trip" or "Twenty ways to
clean up stains and spills." Shorter lists work fine without
numbers; longer lists often benefit from numbering. Your number
can also become your title.
If all else fails, try what I call "sculpting." Just write down
paragraphs, at random, based on your research information. Don't
worry about putting them together in a logical sequence, or
polishing them; the goal is to get something on the page. I call
this "sculpting" because it reminds me of the process of throwing
wads of clay into a pile that will eventually become a sculpture.
The first step is to simply get all the clay in the right place.
THEN you can worry about shaping and smoothing.
>>-----------------------------------------------------<<
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"
(just released!), "The Writer's Guide to Queries, Pitches and
Proposals," and "Writing.com". For more details, visit
http://www.writing-world.com/moira/index.shtml
Copyright (c) 2003 by Moira Allen
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CAN YOU WRITE A LETTER LIKE THIS ONE?
http://www.thewriterslife.com/a72j If yes, you could be in big
demand, earning big money, writing just a few hours a day from
anywhere in the world. Take a risk-free look now and learn the
secrets of this little-known, lucrative writer's market.
*****************************************************************
THE WRITE SITES
=================================================================
National Novel Writing Month
----------------------------
Ready! Set! Go! A fun, seat-of-your-pants approach to novel
writing. Participants begin writing November 1. The goal is to
write a 175-page novel by midnight, November 30.
http://www.nanowrimo.org
I Love to Write Day
-------------------
The second I Love to Write Day will be celebrated on November 15.
Find out how you can participate.
http://www.ilovetowrite.com
Words Without Borders
---------------------
Promotes international communication through translation of the
world's best writing and publishing, and promoting these works
on the web.
http://www.wordswithoutborders.org
Craftsmen of the Written Word
-----------------------------
An association of young writers seeking exposure, resources, or
a place for others to view their work.
http://www.wordcraftsmen.org
Scriptologist.com
-----------------
Would you like to write a screenplay that will sell? Check out
these screenwriting exercises.
http://www.scriptologist.com
Online Journalism Review Job Board
----------------------------------
Job seekers and potential employers post available job listings
from around the world, as well as post resumes for potential job
candidates.
http://ojr.usc.edu/jobsboard/header.cfm
*****************************************************************
"The Easy Way to Write a Novel". This popular writer's resource
shows you, step by step, how to achieve your dream of writing a
great novel in the shortest possible time. Suitable for any level
of expertise. Free writing courses. http://www.easywaytowrite.com
*****************************************************************
THE WRITING DESK
=================================================================
by Moira Allen (moirakallen[at]writing-world.com)
What Should I Charge For An Anthology Reprint?
----------------------------------------------
Q: I have had a request from an author to reprint a short story
from my self-published book. I will have a byline. The author
states that she plans to sell 20,000 copies of her book. Is this
a good idea for me to do or not?
A: Is this author self-publishing her book? While anyone can PLAN
to sell 20,000 copies, that doesn't mean that it will actually
happen!
However, if the author actually believes that she's going to sell
20,000 copies of her book, then she obviously believes that it's
going to make money. That being the case, I would say that she
should be offering at LEAST a flat fee for material that she is
reprinting the book. Otherwise, this strikes me as something of
an insult -- "Hi, I want to use your story in a book that should
sell 20,000 copies, of which you're not getting a penny!"
There are two ways to compensate someone for inclusion in a book:
a flat fee, or a percentage of royalties. The second option can
be risky, especially if there are a LOT of contributors. For
example, if there were 100 contributors to this book, and the
royalties are, say, 50% of the cover price, you'd have to first
subtract whatever the author expects to get (let's say 25%), and
then divide the remaining 25% between 100 people. No one would be
likely to get very much.
I prefer using a flat rate. When I wrote my book, "The Writer's
Guide to Queries, Pitches and Proposals," I purchased chapters
from several different authors, for a flat fee depending on
length. I also made sure that the authors retained the right to
use their material elsewhere. (Make sure that YOU will still own
the right to that material.)
The bottom line is -- do you think this person is competent?
Professional? Do you feel that it would benefit you to have your
story reprinted in this book? Or is this someone with big dreams
but not a lot of experience? The decision is yours!
>>-----------------------------------------------------<<
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"
(just released!), "The Writer's Guide to Queries, Pitches and
Proposals," and "Writing.com". For more details, visit
http://www.writing-world.com/moira/index.shtml
Copyright (c) 2003 by Moira Allen
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WHAT'S NEW AT WRITING-WORLD.COM
=================================================================
NOVEMBER COLUMNS:
-----------------
Advice from a Caterpillar, by Peggy Tibbetts
Breaking into illustrating; arts and crafts books for
preschoolers; sending an art portfolio
http://www.writing-world.com/caterpillar/cat34.shtml
Murder Ink, by Stephen Rogers
Knock 'Em Dead -- Laughing!
http://www.writing-world.com/mystery/murder12.shtml
Press Kit, by Debbie Ridpath Ohi
Networking 101
http://www.writing-world.com/press/press16.shtml
Romancing the Keyboard, by Anne Marble
How NOT to Yank Your Reader Out of the Story!
http://www.writing-world.com/romance/marble/marble12.shtml
Self-Publishing Success, by Brian Jud
Hints for Performing on Television
http://www.writing-world.com/jud/jud24.shtml
*****************************************************************
MARKET ROUNDUP
=================================================================
INKSPIN
Em Kersey, Editor-in-Chief
EMAIL: Editor[at]InkSpin.Com
URL: http://www.inkspin.com
InkSpin is an eclectic online literary journal that will publish
noteworthy short stories (and flash fiction) in June and
December. We are open to all genres except children's literature.
Each issue will contain up to ten stories depending upon the
quality of manuscripts received. Send us your best. Dazzle us,
enlighten us, move us. Write with passion and conviction. We seek
work from established authors and welcome submissions from
writers whose unpublished work shows exceptional promise. We are
not interested in polemical prose or didactic politicizing. We
look for stories that are firmly rooted in character, display a
distinctive narrative voice and appeal to a wide audience. No
pornography. No erotica.
DEADLINE: November 15, 2003
LENGTH: 250 - 5000 words
PAYMENT: $20
RIGHTS: First world-wide serial electronic rights
REPRINTS: No
SUBMISSIONS: Submit in plain text in the body of email. We will
not open attachments. Single space text, double space between
paragraphs and dialogue. Place the title of the story and genre
in the email subject line.
GUIDELINES: http://www.inkspin.com/submit/index.htm
>>-----------------------------------------------------<<
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: A CUP OF COMFORT
Colleen Sell, Editor
PO Box 863, Eugene, Oregon 97440
EMAIL: wordsinger[at]aol.com
URL: http://www.cupofcomfort.com
We are seeking submissions for the following anthologies:
A CUP OF COMFORT FOR SISTERS
Celebrating the magical and sometimes maddening bond between
sisters. Possible themes include: life-defining or cherished
experiences shared by sisters; finding or reconnecting with a
lost or estranged sister; amazing examples of kindness,
unconditional love, kinship, loyalty, devotion, fun and
adventures between sisters.
DEADLINE: November 15, 2003
A CUP OF COMFORT FOR SPIRITUALITY
Celebrating enlightening or inspiring, miraculous or simply
glorious experiences or teachers encountered along one's
spiritual journey. Other possible themes include soul-nurturing
practices or relationships; discovering a spiritual path, truth,
or kindred spirit; receiving and actualizing (putting into
positive action) a spiritual lesson or epiphany; divine
intervention and direction.
DEADLINE: December 31, 2003
A CUP OF COMFORT FOR MOTHERS AND SONS
Celebrating the powerful bond between mothers and sons. Possible
themes include: positive impact of mother on son or son on
mother; cherished or challenging experiences shared; connecting
or reconnecting with one another; unique and uplifting aspects of
mother-son relationship.
DEADLINE: January 31, 2004
LENGTH: 1000-2000 words
PAYMENT: $500 Grand Prize will be awarded to one story per
volume; $100 will be paid for each story published. Payment on
publication.
RIGHTS: The publisher (Adams Media Corporation) reserves limited
use rights for a specified period of time. Rights retained by the
author include serial (periodical) rights, live performance, and
film right. Authors also retain the right to publish the story in
a book comprised solely of her/his original works.
REPRINTS: Yes
SUBMISSIONS: By email: In the subject line, cite the volume (for
example, Courage). Copy and paste the story (from your word
processing program) or type the story into the body of the email.
No attachments. One story per email. Send to:
cupofcomfort[at]adamsmedia.com
By mail: Send a computer disk or CD and a printed copy of the
story to: Adams Media Corporation, A Cup of Comfort, 57
Littlefield St., Avon, MA 02322
By Fax: Include a cover sheet addressed to A Cup of Comfort and
citing your story title(s), the number of pages being submitted,
and the volume(s) for which the (each) story is being submitted.
Fax to: 1-508-427-6790.
GUIDELINES: http://www.cupofcomfort.com/share.htm
>>-----------------------------------------------------<<
ANTHOLOGY: CLOAKED IN SHADOW
Fantasist Enterprises, PO Box 9381, Wilmington, DE 19809
EMAIL: cloaked[at]fantasistent.com
URL: http://www.fantasistent.com
Seeking Dark Tales of Elves. Is anyone else tired of green
cloak-wearing, blond-haired, bow-wielding, tree-hugging elves?
Yes, I will always love "typical" elves, but I'd like to see
something a little different. Elves who worship death instead of
nature. Elves who hunt down and kill humans for sport. Twisted
elves. Psycho elves. Any kind of elf with a dark nature deserves
a shot at getting in this anthology. The anthology will contain
fifteen to twenty original dark short stories about elves, from
both new and established writers. Works that cross genres are
okay, but the focus will be on dark fantasy. No pornography. No
poetry. Stories may contain sex and violence, but it must be
tasteful (that is subjective, I know) and integral to the story.
DEADLINE: May 1, 2004, or when filled
LENGTH: up to 8000 words
RIGHTS: First World Publication Rights in the English Language in
Perpetuity
PAYMENT: 1-3 cents/word upon acceptance, as an advance on pro
rata share of 50% of the royalties
REPRINTS: No
SUBMISSIONS: No email submissions. By mail only.
GUIDELINES: http://fantasistent.com/Submissions.html
>>-----------------------------------------------------<<
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
>>-----------------------------------------------------<<
Felix Morley Journalism Competition
DEADLINE: December 1, 2003
GENRE: Nonfiction
OPEN TO: 25 years old or younger as of December 1, 2003, and
full-time students
LENGTH: No word length requirement
THEME: In honor of the Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Felix
Morley, who emphasized private property, volunteerism, and a
non-interventionist foreign policy, the Institute for Humane
Studies will award cash prizes to outstanding young writers whose
work best demonstrates and communicates an appreciation of
classical liberal principles. Classical liberal principles
include inalienable individual rights; their protection through
the institutions of private property, contract, and the rule of
law; volunteerism in all human relations; and the self-ordering
market, free trade, free migration, and peace.
Submit 3-5 articles, editorials, opinion pieces, essays, and
reviews published in student newspapers or other periodicals
between July 1, 2002, and December 1, 2003, for consideration. Go
to the URL below for competition guidelines and a form which must
accompany each entry.
PRIZES: 1st: $2,500; 2nd: $1,000; 3rd: $750; Runners-up: $250
ELECTRONIC ENTRY: No
ADDRESS: Felix Morley Journalism Competition, Institute for
Humane Studies, 3301 N Fairfax Dr, Suite 440, Arlington, VA 222O1
EMAIL: IHS[at]gmu.edu
URL: http://www.theihs.org/pdf/materials/176.pdf
>>-----------------------------------------------------<<
Flash in the Attic Contest
DEADLINE: December 5, 2003
GENRE: Short Story
OPEN TO: All
LENGTH: 750 words or less
THEME: The contest is sponsored by Fiction Attic, the journal of
elegant wit, that publishes short stories by emerging and
established writers. The winning entry will be published in
Fiction Attic.
PRIZES: $25 gift certificate to Amazon.com
ELECTRONIC ENTRY: Yes, send entire story in the text of email,
include name, address, phone number, and story title.
EMAIL: editor[at]fictionattic.com
URL: http://www.fictionattic.com/contest.html
>>-----------------------------------------------------<<
The Arthur C. Clark Award
DEADLINE: December 12, 2003
GENRE: Science fiction novel
OPEN TO: SF novel first published in Britain during 2003.
LENGTH: No word length requirement
THEME: The Arthur C. Clarke Award is the most prestigious award
for science fiction in Britain. Send one copy apiece of each
submitted novel to each judge and the administrator. Submissions
should be marked: "Arthur C. Clarke Award." The judges are listed
on the web page. There is no entry fee. However, the publishers
of the shortlisted novels will be asked to make a contribution of
£50 per title towards the cost of advertising.
PRIZES: £2004 Award
ELECTRONIC ENTRY: No
ADDRESS: The Arthur C. Clark Award, Sir Arthur C. Clarke, 60
Bournemouth Rd., Folkestone, Kent CT19 5AZ, UK
EMAIL: arthurcclarkeaward[at]yahoo.co.uk
URL: http://www.appomattox.demon.co.uk/acca/Information/rules.htm
>>-----------------------------------------------------<<
Thomas Merton Poetry of the Sacred Contest
DEADLINE: December 31, 2003
GENRE: Poetry
OPEN TO: All
LENGTH: 100 lines or less
THEME: Kathleen Norris will be the judge. Winning poems will be
published in The Merton Seasonal, a publication of scholarly
articles about noted spiritual leader Thomas Merton and will be
posted on the Merton Foundation web site. Poems will be judged on
literary excellence, spiritual tenor, and human authenticity.
Winners will be announced in March 2004. Please visit the web
site to read past winners.
PRIZES: 1st Prize: $500; 3 Honorable Mention Prizes: $50 each
ELECTRONIC ENTRY: No, by mail or fax to: 502-899-1907
EMAIL: info[at]mertonfoundation.org
URL: http://www.mertonfoundation.org/programs_events_poetry_guide.ext
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Editor/Publisher: MOIRA ALLEN (moirakallen[at]writing-world.com)
Managing Editor: PEGGY TIBBETTS (peggyt[at]siltnet.net)
Contest Manager/Research: Judy Griggs (writeupsetc[at]yahoo.com)
Copyright 2003 Moira Allen
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