|
|
Greetings!
Do you remember back in grade school when
your teacher used to say, "Now class, let's
all put on our thinking caps." Well,
WOW! says Put on your writing
cap -- It's time to explore new avenues
with your writing.
When I pondered the theme of "Put on Your
Writing Cap" it made me think of all the
things we can do with our writing. Many of
us are working on novels but there are so
many other choices to consider. This month
we only scratch the surface of the options
available. I hope you enjoy reading this
issue as much as I enjoyed putting it together.
New Newsletters are
available:
In our continued efforts to bring you
the best content available to writers, we're
now offering a new selection of newsletters
to choose from:
WOW! Magazine Newsletter: well,
you already know about this one if you're
reading this ;-)
Writer's Markets: Monthly. If you
enjoy the markets column of our magazine,
this newsletter will give you even more!
We'll also include unique markets and special
markets geared toward women writers.
WOW! Boutique: Periodically. When we
receive new items, highlight a special, or
send out a coupon made especially just for
you, you'll be the first to know.
FF Contest Newsletter: Periodically.
Updates on our flash fiction contest,
schedules, and other contests as well!
Workshops & Classes: Periodically. Due
to popular demand, this is something we'll be
launching very soon. Stay tuned!
Event Listings: Occasionally. If you
like book signings, conferences, author
readings, and online events, then this
newsletter will provide you with the skinny.
We'll only send out when there are special
events of interest to women writers.
Special Offers from Affiliates:
Occasionally. If we find an unbelievable deal
we'll include you in on our secret find. Only
the best deals will be made available to you.
----------
NEWSLETTER Q: I already get the
monthly newsletter, but how do I get the
others?
A: Scroll to the very bottom of this
newsletter and click on "Update Profile/Email
Address" and you will be taken to a sign-up
screen. Enjoy!
For more Q & As on newsletter topics, visit
the Editor's
Desk.
Thanks goes out to our Freelancers:
Special thanks to Rita Connelly, Holley
Gerth, Nadia Ali, Barbara Shine, and Hailey
Ratigan. It was a privilege to work with you
ladies. C. Hope Clark, thanks for another
great column. And extra special thanks to
Sue Donckels (my editorial right arm) and
Angela Mackintosh (our graphics genius) for
taking time from their busy schedules to
bring us great features.
Special thanks also go out to our interns,
Joanne, Cher'ley and Chynna for the great job
they did with the contest entries and all the
proofreading. Thanks guys. You make my job
so much easier.
WOW! A Call for Writing
Prompts:
Fall Flash Fiction Contest Prompt! That's
right, it's your turn to help with our
contest prompt. Send us an idea for our Fall
Flash Fiction Contest and you could win
either a copy of Eats, Shoots and
Leaves or What Would Your Character
Do by Eric and Ann Maisel.
Here's the rules:
-- Prompt must be original, meaning you
thought of it, no stealing from books!
-- Keep prompt word count to no more than 100
words.
-- Deadline to enter is Aug. 20th. Judges
decision will be final.
-- Send prompt to jean@wow-womenonwriting.com.
Be sure to include the word "PROMPT" in the
subject line to prevent being discarded as spam.
Contest Updates:
Spring winners, your prizes are now on their
way! When you receive them, we'd love to hear
from you.
The 2007 Summer Flash Fiction Contest is
Now OPEN:
CHECK
OUT THE NEW PROMPT
Get a TOP Literary Agent's Attention:
Jennifer
DeChiara is our guest judge for the
Summer
2007 Contest! Learn from this
remarkable woman and have her read your
entries!
NOTE: Ladies, this Summer season has
been a
little slow. Are you all waiting until the
last minute? We surely hope not! Let's stir
some competition and get those entries in
early!
----------
They say variety is the spice of life, so when
the words just won't flow on your current
project, take a break from it. Try writing a
review on your latest great meal out or dig
into your center of emotions and write a card
for that upcoming birthday, holiday or
special family occasion. And don't forget to
make note of that catchy saying that pops
into your head when you least expect it. Who
knows, you might discover another writing
passion.
-- Jean
Now, onto the issue. Enjoy!
 |
|
|
Markets: A Little Bit of Everything
Put On Your Writing Cap
Step out of your normal writing genre and try
something new with this month's markets.
Sample Listing:
THE ANGRY POET
1279 N. 10th Ave.
Hanford, CA 93230
E-mail: editor@theangrypoet.com
Web site: www.theangrypoet.com
This is a weekly publication. "We are mostly
looking for new voices--writers and artists
who desire a venue where anything goes."
QUERIES: Responds in 1 week
SUBMISSION: Send complete manuscript
for nonfiction; send query for columns (see
website for guidelines)
LENGTH: Nonfiction: 200-500 words;
Fiction: 100-500 words
PAY: $10-$50 for unsolicited
articles; $10-$30 for fiction
Freelance Potential: 90% freelance written
MORE>>
|
|
|
|
|
Brenda Hill's Grammar Quiz
Exercise your brain!
Quizzes are great to keep that brain active
and healthy. I read somewhere the other day
that after the age of 20, we lose 50,000
brain cells a day. Pretty scary huh? It's not
surprising I can't remember where I heard
that one! So, here's a quiz from Brenda Hill
to keep you on your toes.
Some Grammar Troublemakers.
Which is the Correct word? Pick
a) or
b):
a) If you could invite anyone,
WHO would you invite?
or
b) If you could invite anyone,
WHOM would you invite?
---------------------
ANSWER:
It's whom. Think of who/whom as
the same as he/him. Then try turning the
sentence around into a declarative:
I would invite __________.
a. he - who
b. him - whom
Since the answer here would be "him," you'd
use "whom."
---------------------
Another troublemaker is LIE or
LAY.
a) No matter how many times I chase my
dog,
Sparky, off the furniture, he loves to
LAY on
the sofa.
or
b) No matter how many times I chase my
dog,
Sparky, off the furniture, he loves to
LIE on
the sofa.
---------------------
ANSWER:
It's lie. When your character, human or pet,
reclines, it lies. Shanna was
lying on the sleigh bed.
To place something, i.e., silverware
on the
table, you lay it. The hen laid
the golden
egg, because she placed it somewhere.
lay laid laying: I'll lay the
silverware on
the table. I laid the silverware. I am laying
the silverware.
lie lain lying: I want to lie down.
She has
lain there since early this morning. She is
lying on the new sleigh bed.
---------------------
Brenda Hill is an expert editor, instructor,
and author. She offers first chapter analysis
and plotting help. Visit Brenda's site to
find out more: http://www.brendahill.com
|
|
|
|
|
WOW! BLOG: THE MUFFIN
Find out the latest from the Bakers of WOW!
Have you checked out what we've been baking
for you in the daily Muffin? We've stirred
together some traditional ingredients with
new ones to deliver more interviews, fresh
enlightenment, thought-provoking ideas, and
inspirational messages to help you through
those "gray" writing days.
Would you like to see your thoughts posted on
the WOW! Blog? Join Friday Speak
Out!
Share your thoughts on writing, how you
balance your writing within your "other"
life, or how you find and maintain
inspiration. Of course, you might have
another idea spinning in your mind. Go for
it. We'd love to read your work and hear your
voice.
This is a great free promotion for authors!
Please submit your posts of approximately 500
words with a 100 word or less bio to: wowblog@wow-womenonwriting.com
Recent Interviews:
Interview with M. L. Cordle on her
forthcoming novel, Silencing Sarah.
Marla is a success story, and WOW! is proud
of her! She won an honorable mention in our
Winter 2007 Flash Fiction Contest, and now is
coming out with her first book. Read the
interview here.
Marci Mangham placed 3rd in our Spring
2007
contest with her story, "The Wedding Zinger."
Find out more about Marci here.
C. J. Mouser is the 2nd place winner
in the
Spring 2007 contest. Find more about CJ and
the new novels she's working on here.
Meet Lauri Griffin, our 1st Place
Winner of
the Spring 2007 Contest. Find out her
inspiration behind her story and more about
this amazing woman! Here
MORE>>
|
|
|
|
|
A Writer's Guide to Magazine Articles For Book Promotion and Profit
A Writer's Guide to Magazine Articles
For Book Promotion and Profit
by Patricia Fry
Do you dream of becoming a professional
article writer? Do you want to write for
magazines in your spare time? Would you like
to promote your books through magazine
articles?
This book offers the inspiration and the
tools to help you get started.
Patricia Fry is a full-time freelance writer.
She has contributed hundreds of articles to
125 different magazines during her 27-year
career, including Writer's Digest, Canadian
Author and Bookman, Freelance Writer's
Report, Writer's Journal, Writer's
Connection, Entrepreneur, The World and I
Magazine, Kiwanis Magazine, Walking Magazine,
Woman's Own, Your Health, The Artist's
Magazine, Teaching Tolerance, Catholic Digest
and many, many others.
Here, Patricia teaches you the organizational
and business skills needed to succeed as a
professional freelance writer. She tells you
how to:
- Come up with good article ideas
- Locate Experts
- Discipline yourself to write
- Find the right markets
- Conduct interviews
- Understand contracts
- Write a good query letter
- Do research
- Work with editors
- Write the article, and recycle your
articles
A Writer's Guide to Magazine Articles for
Book Promotion and Profit (Matilija Press, 2000)
ISBN: 0-9612642-6-8, 70 pages.
Our Price:
6.50
USD
Shipping:
4.95
|
|
|
|
|
From the Articles Section:
Sandy Tritt is the founder of Inspiration for
Writers http://users.wirefire.com/tritt/,
a manuscript critique service for writers.
She is the fiction editor for Confluence and
the president of the Ohio Valley Literary
Group. Sandy frequently gives writer
workshops and public readings.
Her website if filled with great information
for writers of all craft levels. Topics
include dialogue, characters, POV, and
grammar tips. Be prepared to spend some time
here.
Sandy's Articles:
- Show Don't Tell
- Breathing Life Into Dialogue
- Character Trait Chart
- Pacing
- Comma Usage
- Seven Deadly Sins of Writing
READ THESE ARTICLES HERE>>
|
|
|
|
|
ANNOUNCEMENTS from WOW! ALUMNI:
WOW! Intern Chynna Laird
tells
us her story Kids Amaze Me will be in the
newest Chicken Soup for the Soul release,
Chicken Soup for the Soul: Children with
Special Needs. Release date is Sept. 3rd.
Pick up your copy at all the online websites
and brick and mortar stores that carry the
Chicken Soup books. Way to go Chynna!
Find out more about Chynna by visiting her
site: http://www.lilywolfwords.ca/
----------
Morbid Curiosity by Deborah LeBlanc
Deborah is a master of promotion and shares
her knowledge with WOW! in her interview here.
Deborah is putting that knowledge to work
promoting her Five Strokes to Midnight
anthology. Click on over and enter
her contest.
----------
Sell More Books: Write a Post-Publication
Book Proposal
Are book sales slow? Perhaps it's because
you're targeting the wrong audience, you
haven't established a platform or your
promotions plan is weak. But it may not be
too late to experience publishing success.
How? Follow Patricia Fry's FREE guide
to writing a Post-Publication Book Proposal.
Request this FREE report today. PLFry620@yahoo.com.
----------
One Night in Boston by Allie
Boniface
Allie is a previous contributor to WOW! For
those of you who missed her great article,
here's the link.
Check out Allie's website
for more info on where and how to purchase
One Night in Boston.
----------
Are you an Alumni Member (previously featured
on WOW!) who'd like to be in
our announcements section?
We'd love to hear what you've been up to!
Drop us a note: buzz@wow-womenonwriting.com
|
|
|
|
|
WOW!'s Website Find of the Month
As a freelancer, do you really know what you
should be charging?
Most of us find it hard to accurately
calculate all our time and expenses, but you
don't have to
do it alone! This nifty tool is a
freelance calculator that helps you
come up with your hourly rate.
It's based upon your costs, number of
billable hours and desired profit. Give it a
shot and see if you think it's accurate!
Visit the Freelance Switch Hourly Rate
Calculator at: http://freelanceswitch.com/rates/
|
|
In Closing:
We hope you enjoy this issue and are inspired
by the variety of places you can take your
writing. From food writing, to greeting card
writing, to slogans, and serial book
markets--the avenues for your writing are
endless!
When it comes down to it, every idea,
plan or business starts on paper. And
writers are in the prime position to seize
these opportunities and see them through to
fruition. We hope you do that and share your
success stories with us.
Warmest regards,
|
|
