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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 7:01 17,150 subscribers January 8, 2007
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SPECIAL NOTICE: Please DO NOT REPLY to this e-mail; any messages
sent in reply to the newsletter are deleted. See the bottom of
this newsletter for information on how to subscribe, unsubscribe,
or contact the editors.
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CONTENTS
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From the Editor's Desk
NEWS from the World of Writing
THE INQUIRING WRITER: Paper Mountains
by Dawn Copeman
FEATURE: Time Off For Good Behavior by Denene Brox
The Write Sites -- Online Resources for Writers
BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO... Planning Your Writing Career
by Dawn Copeman
WHAT'S NEW at Writing World
WRITING CONTESTS with no entry fees
The Author's Bookshelf
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FROM THE EDITOR'S DESK
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Change is in the Wind!
----------------------
There are some big changes ahead for Writing-World.com in 2007 --
because there are some big changes ahead in the life of your
intrepid editor!
Last year was a bit frustrating for us, and particularly for my
husband, who kept having projects cancelled and coverage
disappearing. Finally, by the end of summer, he'd had enough;
time, we agreed, for a change. A big change! And so he sent his
resume to another branch of the company, had an interview, flew
out for a visit, impressed everyone, and...
Well, to make a long story short, this spring WE ARE MOVING TO
ENGLAND! Pat will be transferring to the UK branch of the
company, and the packing has begun.
Needless to say, this means that for the next six months or so, I
am going to be a very busy person. The house goes on the market
in February, so the next three weeks will be a frantic rush to
purge clutter (or rather, box it up and stuff it into the
garage), paint doors that have needed painting for the last five
years, clean scuff-marks off the walls, and in general make the
place look as if it were inhabited by normal, neat people instead
of people who surround themselves with mountains of papers and books.
Then more packing, not just for one move but really for two, as
most of our goods will be going into storage for the next two to
three years. (I don't trust movers to pack; I've lost too many
fragile stuff to the siren song of "but if you pack it, we can't
insure it!")
If all goes according to plan, Pat will be moving out sometime in
February or March, and I'll be following with the cats at the end
of April. (Cats no longer have to go into quarantine, but still
have to wait six months after having a rabies vaccination and
blood test.)
Once I arrive, it all starts over again in reverse: Finding a
place to live, unpacking, getting settled. It's a process I know
well, as we've moved nine times in 22 years of marriage!
That means, however, that I'm going to have a lot less time to
deal with "work" -- and once I GET to England, I plan to spend a
lot less time hunched over my keyboard and a lot more time out
there doing and seeing things. So that means some changes to
Writing-World.com as well.
The first change is that Writing-World.com is going to have a new
editor. Dawn Copeman, who has been the Managing Editor of the
newsletter for the past year, will now step up to become the
Editor of the entire site (and newsletter). I fondly imagine
myself stepping back into a sort of "editor emeritus" role, where
I remain on hand to provide gems of wisdom and advice, without
having to roll up my sleeves and be quite so involved in the
day-to-day administration of the site. Of course, I have an
active imagination, so whether I will (a) be able to keep my nose
out of things or (b) Dawn will LET me keep my nose out of things
remains to be seen!
Dawn's first reaction to the idea of being site editor was
something along the lines of "can we redesign the site, PLEASE??"
So that will be the second big change. We're going to get real,
professional help this time, so sometime around March 2007,
Writing-World.com will get a new look and become easier to
navigate. We're also planning new sections and features; Dawn
has a lot of great ideas, and it looks like the site is just
going to keep getting better and better.
Now, here's where serendipity steps in... I hired Dawn last
winter to work on the newsletter, having been impressed by her
columns and articles for TimeTravel-Britain.com. Dawn lives in
Sussex, England, while I live in Chantilly, Virginia -- so this
has been a truly international project. Now, Dawn and I are
going to be neighbors! Turns out, our company's UK branch is
located in Hastings, or more accurately, St. Leonard-on-Sea. I
asked Dawn if she knew where that was; "Oh, yes," she said.
"It's about half an hour away."
Which should be a good thing, because international projects
sometimes fall prey to international communication issues. This
month's issue is late because, for reasons Dawn and I have still
not fully figured out, she was completely unable to e-mail it to
me for about a week. Things seem to be working now, but in a few
months, I'll be able to just drive over and get it! Assuming, of
course, that I'm not out visiting a castle somewhere, or a manor,
or a Roman ruin, or a museum...
That should give me a few things to write about!
-- Moira Allen, Editor
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WANT MORE WRITERS TO ATTEND YOUR EVENT? If you'd like more
writers to know about your upcoming conference, seminar or other
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Visit http://www.writing-world.com/admin1/adcontract2.shtml or
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NEWS FROM THE WORLD OF WRITING
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Increase In Number Of Journalists Being Jailed
----------------------------------------------
2006 saw an increasing number of journalists from around the
world being jailed as a result of the stories they'd written.
According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, 134
journalists were imprisoned in 2006, nine more than in 2005. Of
these, 67 were print journalists, 49 internet journalists, eight
television reporters, eight radio reporters and two documentary
filmmakers. China still imprisons more journalists than any
other country; they jailed 31 in 2006, but Cuba is close behind;
having imprisoned 24. The US government and military have
imprisoned three. For more information visit:
http://www.asiamedia.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=59374
2006 Also Deadliest Year For Journalists
----------------------------------------
The International Federation of Journalists has also confirmed
that 2006 was the deadliest year for journalists, with 163 being
killed around the world. The announcement came as the United
Nations signed a resolution to protect journalists in combat
zones. The resolution "urges all parties involved in situations
of armed conflict to respect the professional independence and
rights of journalists, media professionals and associated
personnel as civilians." It also urges warring parties "to do
their utmost to prevent violations of international humanitarian
law against civilians, including journalists, media professionals
and associated personnel." "At last the international community
has woken up to the crisis caused by targeting of media staff,"
said Aidan White, IFJ General Secretary. "Now we want to see
these fine words turned into action with the naming and shaming
of countries that turn a blind eye to impunity in the killing of
media workers and journalists." For more information visit:
http://www.ifj.org/default.asp?index=4517&Language=EN
UK Police Use Reporter's Phone Records to Track Down Sources
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The European Federation of Journalists and the UK's National
Union of Journalists have both condemned British police after it
emerged they had obtained the mobile phone records of a British
journalist in an attempt to track down his sources. Suffolk
police obtained the records of Mark Bulstrode, a reporter for
East Anglian Daily Times, after he had approached them with
information regarding the reopening of a case, information which
was not in the public domain. The paper decided not to run the
story due to its delicate nature, but Bulstrode became suspicious
and applied for the police records under the Data Protection Act.
It took seven months for the police to admit they had accessed
his phone records. British police are permitted to obtain phone
records if they believe a criminal act has been committed, but in
this case there was no criminal act. The EFJ and the NUJ are
concerned that such actions will make it harder for journalists
to contact whistleblowers and convince them to tell their story.
For more information visit:
http://www.nuj.org.uk/inner.php?docid=1554 and
http://www.ifj.org/default.asp?Index=4470&Language=EN
Profits Down at Waterstones
---------------------------
Waterstones, one of the UL's biggest book retailers, has
announced that its profits might not be as high as anticipated
following a drop in sales. It is now predicting profits of
around £70million, which is at the lower end of city estimates.
Like for like sales were down 3.7% on last year and overall sales
were down by 1.3% for the period ending December 12. High
discounting by some of its rivals has been blamed for the sales
slump. For more information visit:
http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2006/12/21/2190335.htm
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THE INQUIRING WRITER
=================================================================
by Dawn Copeman (DawnCopeman"at"Write-away.biz)
I remember sitting in my business administration class at
university in the late eighties and being told that the computer
would lead to the creation of a paperless office. Hah! If
anything, the use of the computer has increased the amount of
paper we use. Which is why I was intrigued to find out what my
fellow writers would have to say in response to Mary Cassells'
question regarding the 'paper mountains' she finds she has in her
apartment.
Some of us, it seems, still suffer from paper mountains and
aren't quite sure how to deal with them, including writers such
as Susan Chronister: "I have 'paper mountains'. I think my paper
is worse since I got my computer, but not knowing much about the
computer makes it difficult too. I find that I am printing out a
lot of things so I can read after work in bed. I usually work
from 3PM-2AM. So sitting at the computer is not my 1st choice.
How is everyone filing and organizing? That's my biggest
challenge."
It is a challenge facing other writers too, like Victoria
Kennedy: "My husband built me a beautiful oak file cabinet where
I've started setting up files for all my paperwork. I have
files for submissions, published work, accounting info, story
ideas, poetry, greeting cards, writing info, reference material,
writing groups, receipts, tracking sheets, correspondence,
submission guidelines, etc.
"I try to be organized, but sometimes I slack off in my filing
and the office becomes a disaster zone. Even though I use the
computer and back up my work on discs or Cd's, I feel more
comfortable having paper copies too. This only increases the
amount of paper I use and the ink cartridges I go through."
In fact many of you said that mistrusting your computer is one of
the reasons why you have paper mountains. Says Joanne Hall: "I
find having a computer has only added to the snowy drifts of
paper sweeping their way across the office floor. A nasty
incident with a scratched hard disc that led to me losing many
minor-but-still-important files resulted in paranoia, which means
I have to print out everything! It's meant to be filed in a
series of color coded lever arch files on a shelf above my desk,
but most of the time that's just wishful thinking. I print
things out with the noble intention of filing them, and then find
something else more interesting to do and, before I know it, I'm
swamped!"
Another writer feeling swamped is Sue Lick. "I definitely am
surrounded by paper mountains. I could save a lot of information
on the computer, but I don't completely trust the computer and
paper is easier to work with, so I print everything out. It goes
into trays for future attention or into my filing cabinets. One
thing that helps me is that I set aside things to be filed, set
the timer for 15 minutes each workday morning and spend that time
filing. If I don't have anything new to file, I go into my
cabinets and sort what's there. Usually I can find something to
throw away, like those pre-World Wide Web printouts from 1983. It
keeps me from disappearing altogether under the piles of paper. I
recycle all paper, after using the backside for drafts and
notes."
But many of you have taken steps to cut the 'paper mountain' down
to size and have provided us with your tips on how to do it.
Here's what Phyllis M Hanlon had to say: "The question of what to
do with those ever-growing paper piles really hit home with me. I
am the type of person who needs to read my work -- or anyone
else's, for that matter -- in hard copy and not on the computer
screen. So I tend to print out several variations of an article
or essay on which I am working, thus creating mountains of paper.
To do my part in saving the trees, I always use both sides of the
paper. When only half a sheet remains blank, I cut it up to use
as scratch paper. Otherwise the blank side goes back into the
printer. This way I also save on trips to the office supply store
to purchase another case of paper.
"I often get junk faxes, in spite of efforts to stop them. These
papers also go into the recycling pile and eventually make their
way into my printer tray. I'll add junk snail mail to this pile
as well.
"I also keep a recycling box near my desk to capture all the
thoroughly used sheets of paper. At least when they are thrown
away, I feel they've been used to the max. Many other writers
probably use this same method but I thought I'd throw my two
cents into the discussion."
Far from fearing her computer, Janis I Soucie uses it as a vital
backup for all her work: "Every writer is faced with the question
of what to do with the paper they use in the craft. Do they reuse
it, recycle it, file it, or do they just keep electronic records
so they don't have to worry about the piles of paper that build
up over time. I lost account of how many times I was faced with
this situation until I finally decided what to do. With important
papers I would file them away after making electronic copies to
make sure I have a back up should fire start in my home; I can
just grab my laptop with all of the information I need and exit
the house.
"When it comes to crafting stories, articles, poetry or lyrics, I
may write them electronically, but more often than not I write
longhand and then type up the work I have finished. Once I have
typed up what I have written, I run my written work through the
paper shredder and then recycle it. I do the same when I print
out hard copies of work to edit. After I have made the
corrections on the computer, I shred and then recycle the printed
copy. I find shredding and recycling the paper I have used
eliminates the paper mound that would otherwise develop. This
method also reduces the increased fire potential I would have
with an abundance of paper products cluttering the house.
Shredding my work keeps others who may find it in the garbage
from being able to copy my work and take credit for it. This may
be a little paranoid, but I feel safer doing things this way. So
far the method I have used to keep the paper clutter down has
worked. I hope it continues to do so down the road."
Editors must receive and create more paperwork than most writers,
and our own beloved editor, Moira has shared her tips for dealing
with it all. "First, I try to keep as much as possible in
electronic format to begin with. Once, I kept paper copies of
every draft of every manuscript, as well as the final draft. Now
I don't even keep copies of my final drafts; I just keep the
final electronic document. Similarly, 95% of my correspondence
is e-mail; the tiny remainder that exists on paper is stored in
one file folder marked 'correspondence.' When I do research on
the Web and want to keep a copy of a web page (in case it
disappears later), I simply do a 'save as' and store it in a
folder associated with that particular project (even if I
temporarily print the information to have handy while working).
"Next, when something isn't digital to start with, there's often
no reason why you can't MAKE it digital. I've recently purchased
an excellent sheet-fed scanner that converts documents to
searchable PDF files. This is a great way to store research
notes and other documents that you MIGHT need again someday --
but that, in the meantime, simply clutter up the file drawer.
It's also a good way to save your notes and background
information on articles you've already written, in case they are
needed.
"I've also been scanning my clips. I used to keep a box not only
of clips but of the actual magazines that those clips came in.
I'm now scanning each clip and converting it to a PDF file, which
will make it easy to either print out and send with a query, or
to send as an attachment. I'm saving paper copies of my best and
most recent clips, but I'm tossing stuff from years ago, as well
as clips of reprints.
"At the end of each year, I scan my tax receipts and, later, my
tax forms themselves, primarily to provide a secure backup in
case anything happens to my originals. Scanned copies are now
considered acceptable by the IRS, so after about three years, I
throw out my folders of receipts.
"Finally, what happens to all that paper that I'm no longer
using? Well, my husband and I are fanatical 'Boggle' players,
and we always need more paper. So all that lovely "printed on
one side" stuff goes into the Boggle drawer first, and once we've
used the other side, it goes into the recycle bin.
"I used to laugh at what I considered the 'myth' of the paperless
office -- but mine is becoming more and more paperless every
year! Now if we could just stop the holiday influx of
catalogs...
Another writer who is on her way to a paperless office is Wendy
Tomlinson: "I have blitz days every couple of months. When I
recycle everything possible, save one hard copy of all
manuscripts doing the circuit and everything else is filed into
relevant computer file. I had absolutely loads of papers a
couple of years ago. I could never find anything. I have forced
myself to be more organized. But as writers we do tend to hoard
things don't we?"
For those of us still struggling to get organized and looking for
ways to get rid of our paper mountains, Mamta M has provided
these five tips.
"1. Make good use of the PC/Laptop: As far as possible, store
documents online, with backups for the important ones on CDs.
This will considerably reduce the amount of paper.
"2. Stack or file the papers into relevant aptly named folders
such as 'Genre Markets', 'Ideas List', 'Publisher contacts' and
so forth. Once a piece of work has been submitted and published,
there's no more need to retain the older drafts. Keep the printed
copy of the article/story and discard the rest.
"3. Set aside some short amounts of time every week or fortnight
to sift through the paper and discard unwanted ones. The papers
that were needed a month ago may no longer be required today but
unless you take a look at it, you will never know. Call it a
'Weekly or Fortnightly paper review' activity.
"4. If you don't want to discard sheets that still have one sided
blanks, you can recycle and reuse them.
"5. Donate the unwanted sheets to recycling organizations or
charities that make use of such material and earn some goodwill."
So, no more excuses then! Now onto this month's question. It's
a new year, time to reflect on the past year and focus on the
next. For me the past two years have started with me undertaking
a new and challenging writing role. This has forced me to think
long and hard and make writing based resolutions. Not that
they've always worked - my resolution for this year is the same
as last year - to increase the number of clips I have to 100.
(Last year I failed; my time got squeezed but this year I'm
determined to do it.) So, what I want to know from you is: What
are your New Year Writing Resolutions? Do you have any? Did you
make any last year and did you stick to them? If so, what
happened? Or do you prefer to review more frequently, say
quarterly and set yourself mini-goals? Share your thoughts with
us. Email your responses to me DawnCopeman"at"Write-Away.biz with
the subject line "Writing resolutions".
Till next time,
Dawn
For more advice on how to become a more organised writer visit:
http://www.writing-world.com/basics/campbell.shtml
>>-----------------------------------------------------<<
Dawn Copeman is a freelance writer based in England. She is the
editor of http://www.newbie-writers.com, a site for new and
aspiring writers, as well as a contributing editor and columnist
at http://www.timetravel-britain.com. Visit her website at
http://www.write-away.biz
Copyright (c) 2007 by Dawn Copeman
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TIME OFF FOR GOOD BEHAVIOR
Successful Freelancers Share Tips for Planning a Vacation
===============================================================
by Denene Brox
You've been good - sending out queries, landing great
assignments, turning them in on deadline, wooing editors who keep
coming back for more of your great work. You deserve a vacation,
right?
Full-time freelancers know one of the major perks of working for
themselves is the freedom to make their own schedule. But if
writers want to step away from their business for a vacation (no
writing allowed) it takes careful planning to ensure that upon
returning home, they won't be struggling to get back on track.
I've gathered some tips from successful freelancers to find out
their vacation secrets. For example:
Plan Ahead
----------
Keep your vacation dates in mind before accepting any new
assignments. You should finish as much work as possible before
you leave and make sure that future deadlines are far enough out
that you can finish them when you return. For a busy freelancer
this can take some juggling, but it can be done.
Writer and consultant Ally E. Peltier (www.ambitiousenterprises.com)
likes to take on more work than usual in the weeks leading up to
her vacation. "I earn some extra money and it helps make up for
the week or two of work lost."
"I believe freelancers often make the mistake of not treating
themselves like true working professionals," says Diana Lambdin
Meyer, a freelance travel writer based in Parkville, Mo. "In a
traditional workplace setting, a minimum of two weeks vacation is
provided each year and no one questions the validity of that, so
I believe clients and editors should reasonably expect writers to
take a vacation. But like the traditional workplace setting, that
requires planning around projects and assignments. Mark the
vacation on your calendar and plan accordingly. In a traditional
workplace setting, there's usually a mad dash to get everything
done prior to vacation, and a huge workload to deal with when you
return, so that is no different for freelancers."
If you decide to take on extra assignments, be careful that you
can complete them before you leave. The last thing you need is a
deadline looming the day before your trip when you should be
packing.
Consider the Season
-------------------
Work loads for writers can be slow during certain times of year
especially during the heat of summer and around the holidays. Use
these slow periods to take a break. "I generally take all of
August and most of December off," says freelance writer and
teacher Jennifer Lawler, author of the Dojo Wisdom series. "Book
publishing is at a virtual standstill in August and slows down a
lot in December, so it makes sense for me to take off when all
the editors are gone. Depending on what kind of writing you do,
there may naturally be slow times like this when you could take
advantage of the lull and take a break."
Inform Your Editors
-------------------
"I always let my editors know far in advance when my vacations
are. If you don't, you end up with people wanting to send you
page proofs the day before you leave. I also make it very clear
that I will not be working while I am away. I've found that if
you don't do that, they want to send you work. Also, I don't give
out my cell number to editors," said freelance writer and author
Brette McWhorter Sember.
Linda Formichelli, co-author of The Renegade Writer's Query
Letters That Rock (Marion Street Press 2006), advises writers to
use their upcoming time off as a marketing tool. "A couple of
week's before I leave, I like to mass e-mail all my editors --
including ones I haven't worked with in a while -- to let them
know I'm going on vacation. This alerts them that you won't be
available for work, but it's also a great excuse to contact your
editors and remind them that you exist. Make sure you blind copy
their addresses to keep them private."
Utilize Technology
-------------------
Another useful strategy is to make sure you turn on your
auto-responder message on your e-mail and change your voice mail
message. "If an editor should write or call with an assignment,
she will know to wait until you get back instead of thinking
you're blowing her off," Formichelli advises.
Pitch Your Destination
----------------------
Going on vacation is a great opportunity to write about something
new. When you inform your editors that you'll be on vacation,
mention your destination and ask if they are interested in
article ideas. If you haven't broken into the travel writing
arena, query new editors telling them where you'll be and what
you'll be doing.
When you get to your destination, look for interesting things
about the culture that would peak an editor's interest. Your
destination alone is not an article, but a unique restaurant or
custom might be.
Clean Up
---------
"Another important tip is to clean your office before you leave.
There's nothing worse than coming back to a disaster zone after
time off. It totally ratchets up your stress level immediately,"
says McWhorter Sember.
Relax
------
The whole point of a vacation is to relax, right? This can be
difficult for writers who are paid and praised for coming up with
great ideas.
But by forcing yourself to leave writing at your office, you'll
actually be helping your writing career. "Chances are, if you
don't push yourself to work or generate ideas, the creative
juices will start flowing on their own," says Formichelli.
"You're likely to return home with renewed motivation and plenty
of new ideas."
Lawler agrees in taking time completely away from writing.
"Although I do my best to be responsive and professional at all
times, I do not represent myself to clients as someone who is
available 24/7 via phone, cell phone, email and instant
messaging. Thus, when it's time for a long weekend, it's pretty
easy to accomplish. Earlier in my career, I think I was too
readily available to people and could never really relax on a
break. So I got rid of the electronic leash and no one has
complained."
>>-----------------------------------------------------<<
Denene Brox is a freelance writer based in Kansas City. Her
articles have appeared in numerous print and online publications
including Monster.com, Business Xpansion Journal and Kansas City
Magazine. She can be reached at Denene_78"at"yahoo.com.
Copyright 2007 by Denene Brox
If you fancy getting away on a writer's retreat, read this
article by C. Hope Clark:
http://www.writing-world.com/freelance/retreats.shtml
However, if you can't get away on a break right now, but still
feel you need one visit:
http://www.writing-world.com/basics/wavers.shtml
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CAN'T GET PUBLISHED? Be a Well-Fed Self-Publisher and make a
living! Control the process and timetable. Keep the rights AND
most of the profits. Here's the step-by-step blueprint used to
create a full-time living from ONE book! By the award-winning
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THE WRITE SITES
=================================================================
ScribblePad.co.uk
-----------------
A site dedicated to creative writing, with loads of useful
articles and tips.
http://www.scribblepad.co.uk/
Lightningbug.com
---------------
A new website conceived to help young adults engage with story
writing. Lightning Bug has been deliberately written with a focus
on fostering inspiration, finding voice, developing structure and
encouraging an interest in writing. The site is intended to be a
writing companion and a resource to draw on as you craft a
narrative.
http://www.Lightningbug.com.au
Whatsonwhen.com
-----------------
Great site to help you plan features in advance. Covers upcoming
events from around the world for the entire year.
http://www.whatsonwhen.com/
Famousbirthdays.com
-------------------
Another useful site to help you plan features.
http://www.famousbirthdays.com/
Corsinet.com
------------
And another feature planning site. This one helps you find out
famous firsts - who did what and when.
http://www.corsinet.com/trivia/1-triv.html
Angelaharms.com
---------------
Writing site with articles on how to improve your grammar and
writing style.
http://www.angelaharms.com/
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NEW AND ESTABLISHED MARKETS FOR YOUR WRITING. Up-to-date
SUBMISSION Guidelines/Leads for poetry, short prose, and book
projects. You'll receive your FREE report TODAY via email
NEWSFLASH. Call toll-free (866) 405-3003 or Click Here
http://www.wrelief.com Absolutely no subscription or purchase
necessary. We'll share our know-how with you. In our 13th Year!
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THE BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO... Planning Your Writing Career
=================================================================
by Dawn Copeman
On the Newbie-Writers website I ran a poll asking about Writing
Business Plans; "Do you have a writing business plan to help you
plan your writing?" And almost 87% of those who voted didn't.
To be honest, this didn't surprise me. For the first year of my
writing life I didn't have a plan either. "Writing is a creative
exercise," I reasoned to myself, "therefore, I shouldn't try and
fit it into a plan." But my, was I wrong.
You see, without a plan for your writing career, it is hard to
keep track of how much writing you do. It is difficult to push
yourself to achieve further writing credits, to pursue new
markets, to successfully enter contests or even to achieve your
targeted word counts for that novel you're working on.
Without a plan, your writing will simply drift along and you can
find that at the end of a week you haven't actually written a
thing. This is not good if you are ever going to sell your work
or finish your novel. To help your career take off, you really
need a Writer's Business Plan.
So what is a Writer's Business Plan?
To read the rest of this column, go to:
http://www.writing-world.com/dawn/dawn12.shtml
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Expand Your Network, Develop Your Skills, Nurture Your Creative
Life at the National Association of Women Writers! Membership
includes books, teleseminars, legal advice, meetings, hotel
discounts, critiques, and much more! Plus, get two free eReports:
101 BEST RESOURCES FOR WRITERS and INFOMARKET YOUR BUSINESS &
PROSPER. http://www.naww.org
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WHAT'S NEW AT WRITING-WORLD.COM
=================================================================
JANUARY COLUMNS:
------------------
The Beginner's Guide to... Planning Your Writing Career
by Dawn Copeman
http://www.writing-world.com/dawn/dawn12.shtml
Writing for Young Readers, by Eugie Foster
A Writer's Resolution: I Will Submit!
http://www.writing-world.com/foster/foster06.shtml
NEW ARTICLES:
-------------
Contests: To Enter or Not to Enter? - Kathe Gogolewski
http://www.writing-world.com/contests/articles/kathe.shtml
People and Steeples: Writing Church Histories - Wendy Hobday Haugh
http://www.writing-world.com/freelance/church.shtml
Twelve Ways to Make More Money - Patricia Fry
http://www.writing-world.com/freelance/money.shtml
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RECOMMENDED WRITING CLASSES
*****************************************************************
Freelancing for Newspapers, by Sue Fagalde Lick. 8 weeks, $100;
http://www.writing-world.com/classes/newspapers.shtml
Fundamentals of Fiction, by Marg Gilks. 8 weeks, $150; enroll at
any time! http://www.writing-world.com/classes/fiction.shtml
*****************************************************************
WRITING CONTESTS
=================================================================
This section lists contests that charge no entry fees. Unless
otherwise indicated, competitions are open to all adult writers.
For more contests, check our contests database.
http://www.writing-world.com/contests/index.shtml
STAGE INTERNATIONAL SCRIPT COMPETITION
--------------------------------------
DEADLINE: January 15, 2007
GENRE: Scripts/Screenplays
THEME: Submitted plays must explore scientific and/or
technological stories, themes, issues and/or events.
LENGTH: Minimum running time: 70 minutes.
PRIZE: $10,000
URL: http://www.cnsi.ucsb.edu/stage/guidelines/guidelines.html
EMAIL: stage"at"cnsi.ucsb.edu
PEN AWARDS
----------
DEADLINE: January 16, 2007
GENRE: Poetry, Nonfiction, Books, Screenplays,
OPEN TO: US Citizens only.
PRIZES: Vary per category, from $5000 to $35,000.
URL: http://www.pen.org/page.php/prmID/1351
SCARLET MARKER FICTION CONTEST
------------------------------
DEADLINE: January 24, 2007
GENRE: Short stories
LENGTH: up to 10,000 words
PRIZE: $50 & publication
URL: http://www.scarletmarker.com/ShortStoryCompetition.aspx
QUATRAIN POETRY CONTEST
------------------------
DEADLINE: January 25, 2007
GENRE: Poetry
THEME: Write an "Quatrain" poem for this contest.
PRIZE: $100 and other prizes
URL: http://www.fanstory.com/contests.jsp#poetry
EMAIL: ensguard-5"at"fanstory.com
WRITE ABOUT THIS
-----------------
DEADLINE: January 29, 2007
GENRE: Short stories
THEME: Use the artwork shown in the announcement for
inspiration. View the announcement to see the image provided.
PRIZE: $100 and other prizes
URL: http://www.fanstory.com/contests.jsp#whatisthis
EMAIL: ensguard-5"at"fanstory.com
HARVARD WORKLIFE SHORT STORY CONTEST
------------------------------------
DEADLINE: January 31, 2007
GENRE: Short Stories
THEME: You Won't Believe This
LENGTH: 750 words
PRIZE: Harvard WorklifeWizard travel mugs (and recognition!)
URL: http://www.worklifewizard.org/
EMAIL: janastasopoulo"at"law.harvard.edu
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AUTHOR'S BOOKSHELF: Books by Our Readers
----------------------------------------
Toby Potts in the Temple of Gloom, by David Osborne
Find these and more great books at
http://www.writing-world.com/books/index.shtml
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just click on the link below to list your book.
http://www.writing-world.com/books/listyours.shtml
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ADVERTISE in WRITING WORLD or on WRITING-WORLD.COM! For details
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Writing World is a publication of Writing-World.com
http://www.writing-world.com
Editor/Publisher: MOIRA ALLEN (writing-world"at"cox.net)
Newsletter Managing Editor:
DAWN COPEMAN (DawnCopeman"at"write-away.biz)
Copyright 2007 Moira Allen
Individual articles copyrighted by their authors.
Back issues archived at
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