Watch Less, Read More
January 2008 
 WOW! Women On Writing
 Issue #17: Watch Less, Read More
In This Issue:
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Greetings!

We all started out as readers. And as our love for literature grew, we wanted to write too. The more we read, the better writers we became.

As we finished our short stories, essays, or perhaps a novel, we yearned for readers to appreciate our work. It's the main reason we write--to entertain, to inspire, to find a home and a heart for our pieces--in hopes that we can touch someone with our words.

Readers are growing in numbers. The Internet is all about reading and writing, sharing and communication. So, this month we appreciate our readers, and celebrate the gift of literacy.

Whether you're an avid reader in search of a book club, or an author looking for her audience, this issue is bound to inspire and motivate you to watch less, and read more!

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Is Hollywood out of original ideas?

That's what you'd think from the box office smashes--movies based on remakes, sequels, video games, Disneyland rides, and bestselling books. Could this all be because of the writer's strike, or the death of Hollywood? In a nutshell, No. The truth is, Tinsel Town is just like any big publishing conglomerate--they want to bet on a sure thing.

Check out the Editor's Desk to see just how many movies were made from books last year. You'll be amazed!

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A big, warm, thank you goes out to our freelancers:

To Beth Morrissey, for reminding us that before we put pen to paper, it's a good idea to research our target audience--especially, when it comes to children readers. And to Jennifer Wright, who gives us the ins-and-outs of what you'll need to break into freelance reading. We welcome back Allie Boniface, who gives us some fun tips on "Netiquette," and teaches us how to play nice in the cyber-sandbox. And to C. Hope Clark, for doing it again! Don't miss Hope's article on how to wrangle readers online. We also welcome back Tina Marie Frawley, who shows us how to build a successful book club! And if you're a romantic at heart, Sue Donckels' interview with Cathy Bueti will pull on your heartstrings and inspire you.

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To the WOW! Staff:

A warm thank you goes out to Annette Fix, our Senior Editor, for providing us with three fabulous articles! For her interviews with Wendy Kamenoff, Ann Kent, and her article on resources for authors looking to garner online book reviews.

I'd like to thank my interviewee, Patsy Rodenburg, one of the world's leading voice and acting coaches, for chatting with me last minute for our 20 Questions Column.

Stepping up!

This past week we've spent time individually chatting with all of our new team members, and we've still got quite a few ladies up to bat on our phone chat schedule.

It's been so wonderful getting to know everyone--their personalities, dreams, goals, and level of involvement. We have such a diverse and spectacular team! I've had a ball chatting with you, and look forward to the great things to come. Although we haven't completed our phone chats, we do have a few announcements:

We are thrilled to announce that Janet Paszkowski is officially our Team Premium-Green Group Leader and Managing Editor of PG. In addition to her WOW! position, Janet is also an editor for Flash Me Magazine: http://www.wingedhalo.com/flashme.html, as well as her own blog: http://diaryofaliteraryfictioneditor.blogspot.com/ when she's not blogging for The Muffin.

Also on the Premium-Green staff is our long-time contributing editor, Chynna Laird, who heads up our ITT: In the Trenches With Chynna column, and our Get Writing, Mamas! Column, exclusively to the Premium-Green Markets. To find more about Chynna, visit her website: http://www.lilywolfwords.ca/

And talk about a ball of energy! Carrie Hulce manages our markets research staff of Team Premium-Green. Carrie's enthusiasm is unbridled, and we're super lucky to have her be a part of WOW! We adore her! Carrie's essay was featured in March's Inspiration Column, and her winning flash fiction story, The Sign, can be read on our Winter 2006-2007 Contest Winners Feature.

Welcome to our new Blog Mistress, Marcia Peterson! Now that we have a group of ladies writing for The Muffin, it takes a special woman to organize the group--and we're thrilled to have Marcia on board!

If you readers want to submit an article etc. for the WOW! blog, please query [email protected], and we'll be sure to let you know if your post matches our needs. And thank you for your interest!

And to Susan Eberling, for taking charge of our Quarterly Flash Fiction Contest, and for authoring our Must-Haves Column. Sue has introduced us to some fabulous finds!

Stay tuned for more updates about the WOW! Women On Writing Team. And happy reading!

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New to the WOW! site:

Over the past year and a half, we've tried to keep all of our advertising in-house. That allows us more control... but also, creates more work in creating, implementing, etc. So, for us to keep the site healthy and alive, we've taken on an advertising firm, which will, in turn, help the site continue to provide freelance jobs and opportunities for women writers. That's the big leader-board banner you see at the top of all our pages. So, if any of the various advertisers displayed up there interest you, be sure to click and pay them a visit.

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Announcement:

Several editors have passed through the halls of WOW! Women On Writing, and it's always sad to see them depart. But, this is a happy occasion!

We're proud to announce that Sue Donckels has started her own business: InkBridge (www.inkbridge.com), a website dedicated to emerging writers wanting to break into the publishing business.

InkBridge will offer unpaid internships for rising writers who intend to volunteer their time with reputable online publications. In exchange for the intern's time, the publisher will offer assistance with publishing that often-elusive, first clip--but only quality writing that fits the publication's style, voice, and specific needs.

This is an excellent opportunity to gain experience in a fast-paced industry. Unlike the database websites that publish most articles, InkBridge's internships will provide industry experience for one's resume, plus the first clip with a specific publication.

Emerging writers should take a stroll across InkBridge in February 2008 to see all it can offer.

Read my personal letter to Sue Donckels on the Editor's Desk.

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WINTER '07-'08: BACK TO FLASH FICTION:

This season we're going back to flash fiction and we're opening up the contest to ANY TOPIC!

That's right, this is your chance to shine, and get creative. You can write about anything, as long as it's within the word count and fiction. So, dig out those stories you started way back when and tailor them to the word count.

We're open to any style and genre. From horror to romance! So, get creative, and most of all, have fun.

Our honorable sponsor this month is W.W. NORTON, the indie publisher that packs a punch! We urge you to check out their website and sign up for their newsletter. Did you know they publish compilations on Flash Fiction? These books give you excellent examples of flash fiction writers who are making a living off of FF!

Our guest judge this season is the remarkable Literary Agent, Kristen Nelson! Sue interviewed Kristen in November's Literary Agents issue. We urge you to check out that interview for insider tips on your guest judge. Best of luck! Get those entries in EARLY. Early entries make our preliminary round table of judges happy and eager to read your submissions.

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Now on to the issue, enjoy!

 Fall 2007 Essay Contest Winners Announced!
 Drum Roll....

2007 Fall Contest Winners Congratulations goes out to everyone who entered the Fall 2007 Essay Contest, Sponsored by skirt! All your entries were incredible this round, and our esteemed guest judges, C. Hope Clark, and Nikki Harden, did not have an easy job:

-- 1st Place Winner: Nancy Wick

-- 2nd Place Winner: Pam Hawley

-- 3rd Place Winner: Dianne Greco

Runners Up (in no particular order):

-- Julie Anderson Slattery
-- Sangeetha Narayan
-- Stephanie Haefner
-- Marketa Oliver
-- Maria Chythlook
-- Ellen Murphy
-- Sheryl Winters

Read the top 10 winner's stories in our contest feature!

Honorable Mentions (in no particular order):

-- Kelli Wheeler
-- Gail Dickert
-- Pauline Flavel
-- CJ Mouser
-- Carol L. Gee
-- Susan Tornga
-- Kelley A. Swan
-- Willma Willis Gore
-- Laurie Strucke
-- Peggy Emhardt
-- Carol E. Ayer
-- Pamela Cosel
-- Carole G. Creekmore
-- Joan Leotta
-- Joanne T. Lewis
-- Lori A. Kennedy
-- Tina Weaver
-- Vickie Clasby
-- Dana McLemore
-- Gretchen Allison
-- Marie Cortez
-- Pamela Maddin
-- Melissa Ohden
-- Jan Coad
-- Felicia Smith

Congrats ladies! And congrats to everyone who hit the send button -- we know it's not easy, but each season provides a rebirth of opportunity!

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A HUGE thank you goes out to Jaclyn Wilson, of the Globe Pequot Press' skirt! books, for her generous prize-packs that you ladies will be receiving. When you finish reading the books, and would like to thank the skirt! authors, please thank them by writing a review on Amazon.

Also, visit skirt! magazine to see Nancy Wick's winning story posted!

MORE >> 


 Reader's Theater
 Bring Your Personal Essays to Life

Wendy Kamenoff Discover a trend that is sweeping from New York to Los Angeles. Wendy Kamenoff, founder of Tasty Words, will show how you can share your stories with an audience and bring spoken-word theater to your neighborhood. Wendy's story on how she started Tasty Words is an amazing inspiration, and a must-read for anyone who is considering reading their work before an audience. She makes it sound so easy that even shy writers will want to get involved!

Also, Annette Fix goes in-depth to bring you some great resources for spoken-word venues, and shares her first experience tackling the stage!

MORE>> 


 Accessing Your Audience
 Reaching Children Readers

Beth Morrissey Identifying one's audience of readers is simple. But writing for them is the challenging, yet, critical task. In order to succeed, a writer must go beyond identifying her target market; she must access her intended audience of readers.

Beth Morrissey shows us how to keep up with childrens' ever-changing trends, and provides us with unique ideas for researching our children's book market.

MORE>> 


 Breaking into Freelance Reaading
 By Jennifer Wright

Jennifer Wright Talk about a dream job!

If you're an avid reader, and love books, satisfying your obsession can put a dent in your pocketbook. So, why not get paid to read?

Jennifer Wright shares the inside scoop about what it takes to turn your bibliophile passion into cash. Find out how you can get paid to do what you love--READ! By following these steps you will gain insight into the process, find out what this market pays, and learn how to land yourself a reading gig.

MORE>> 


 Book Groups Unite! Ann Kent of Book Group Expo
 By Annette Fix

Ann Kent All across the nation, women in neighborhood book groups gather to discuss their favorite authors and books. Now, one woman has created a way to bring them all together. Ann Kent, founder of Book Group Expo, has created a unique venue for authors and book lovers.

It's the ultimate experience for those who love wine, food, chocolate, and a comfortable salon-style chat with authors in a friendly environment. Whether you're an author seeking the perfect venue to showcase your book, or an avid reader, this interview will inspire you! Ann is a blast, and a remarkable woman as you'll see in this interview.

MORE>> 


 20 Q: Patsy Rodenburg
 Author of The Second Circle

Patsy Rodenburg Patsy Rodenburg is recognized as one of the world's leading voice and acting coaches. She has worked regularly with the biggest stars of film and television such as Daniel Day-Lewis, Ralph Fiennes, Nicole Kidman, Orlando Bloom, Hugh Jackman, Ewan McGregor, Keira Knightly and Natalie Portman to name a few.

Patsy's latest book, The Second Circle, shows you how to focus energy and improve your life--at home, at work, and in every situation. Her remarkable program transforms your negative patterns of energy into a positive presence through easy-to-apply exercises. Join us as we chat with Patsy about her latest book, and kick off your New Year with a journey that will help revitalize your life!

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 Freelancer's Corner: Virtual Friendships
 By Allie Boniface

Allie Boniface It seems that as we grow older (did I say older? I meant, more fabulous!) we have less and less time for making friends. But, we need to remember it's an important part of our growth as a writer.

Author, Allie Boniface, examines the importance of developing virtual friendships and cyber connections. Learn how to make the most out of online writing groups, forums, and chat rooms with this fun article! Allie's tips on "Netiquette" are a good refresher for anyone.

MORE>> 


 Wrangle Your Readers Online
 C. Hope Clark's Funds 4 Writers

C. Hope Clark Have you forgotten the most important part of being a writer? No, it's not plot, dialogue, or grammar... it's something far more valuable: the ones who read our writing.

C. Hope Clark shows us ways to build our audience online, and gives us the tools we need to rock their worlds! Websites, blogs, emails, newsletters, press releases, talk radio, podcasts, articles, and columns... Hope gives us the skinny! This is a fabulous article, and I urge you all to read it. Take f*r*e*e* advice from our favorite pro, C. Hope Clark.

MORE>> 


 How 2: Build a Successful Book Club
 By Tina Marie Frawley

Tina Marie Frawley Want to start a book club? Here are 12 Secrets to Your Success!

Tina Marie Frawley shows us how to start, run, and maintain a successful book club that will keep your members coming back for more!

Tips include themes, handouts, organization, food, and creative ideas to take your book club to the next level. Written with easy to pick out points and take-away knowledge!

MORE>> 


 Cathy Bueti: In Search of a Happy Ending
 Inspirational Interview by Sue Donckels

Cathy Bueti Do you believe in fairytale endings?

Spend some time getting to know Cathy Bueti, a young widow who, once diagnosed with breast cancer, refused to give up on her quest for a happy ending. Learn how her relentless search for romance during the darkest days of her life, and find out how this story turns out!

This is a beautiful interview with a remarkable woman... If you're seeking inspiration, Cathy's book, Breastless in the City and her amazing story, will tug on your heartstrings and motivate you to never give up on romance...

MORE>> 


 Give Yourself the Ultimate Gift that Gives Back
 ALL YEAR ROUND!

Premium-Green Are you tired of markets newsletters that simply "list" a bunch of markets without any personal guidance?

Get the Guide that Helps you Grow your Freelance Writing Career!

PREMIUM GREEN MARKETS

The Ultimate Guide for Freelance Women Writers

Will Show You the GREEN!

Premium-Green isn't just market listings, it's a guide with community benefits. For only $2 a month, you get a 100+ Page Ebook delivered to your inbox every month, and you'll have access to a private community of women writers just like you!

We know that becoming a freelance writer takes more than just market listings. You'll need the opportunity to network with your peers and have a support system to help you reach your goals. And that's exactly what your Premium-Green Markets Subscription will do.

Here's what you get when you subscribe to PREMIUM GREEN:

  • Monthly 100+ page ebook in friendly PDF format: Easy to print, easy to save. No need for storing emails to find links and articles you missed!
  • Articles to grow your Freelance Career: These are articles not found anywhere else: More than Your Magic 8-Ball, I.T.T. In the Trenches, Tips & Tricks, Meet Your Mentor, Get Writing Mamas!, Project Workbook, and more...
  • Access to the PG Subscribers Group: Network with your peers, post discussions, ask questions, and receive insider tips.
  • Documents for PG Subscribers: Upload, download, and share content with the group. We put up f*r*e*e* articles, contracts, and ebooks for the group each month, so take advantage!
  • First Calls from WOW!: We give you immediate calls for what we need on the spot (or when we're in a crunch) to fill each issue. Get on the ground level and write for us!
  • Pink & Green: Find women's markets only, and get insight from the editors and what their needs are right now.
  • Markets, markets, and more markets. We provide markets for all aspects of freelancing. One example is, "Niche Quiche," which includes greeting card markets, slogans, and anything you can write a few words for and get paid! Check out our markets page for more details.

Spend less in an entire year than you would for a few cups of coffee, and get a real support team who will help you grow your freelance career.

This subscription price will last for a lifetime if you sign up now. It's only $24 a year at this introductory offer. The price will go up. Putting out over a hundred pages a month is quite time-consuming and expensive! But, as dedicated subscribers, you will always be in on the ground level.

We want to support you! Let's make this a banner year for all women writers. We can only do it by helping each other and creating a strong network and community for ourselves. Together, we can do it!

VISIT OUR MARKETS PAGE >> 


 Dress Up Your Reading Room!
 Must Haves: By Susan Eberling

Homemade Journal Welcome, Sue Eberling! Our fabulous seeker of must-have finds for writers.

Sue guides you through the tasty treasures and must-haves for your reading room, your favorite arm chair, or your nightstand.

Wherever you read the most, these products will help you get organized, bring a smile to your face, or a delicious product to add to your wish-list.

Want to write about your Must-Haves?

We're collecting them all for compilation! Write about yours by emailing us at: [email protected] and tell us about your favorite product, website, gadget, retreat, or relaxation tool--anything that's helped your writing experience. We're open to suggestions!

Want to submit your product for review?

Email [email protected] and ask for details on how to snail-mail your product for consideration in a f*r*e*e* advertorial. Please note: we will only review products that we like. If we don't like it, well, we won't say a thing. Take advantage of this great opportunity and email Susan for details.

MORE>> 


 Get Your Book Reviewed Online
 
By Annette Fix

Research Collaboration: Annette Fix & Carrie Hulce

Annette Fix With more and more book review sections being cut from major newspapers and magazines, find out where you can go to build the word-of-mouth buzz your book needs. But, where do you get your books reviewed?

If you're an author, check out this invaluable resource for getting your books reviewed online. This article gives you instruction on what to look for, what not to do, how to submit your book for review, and where to go to garner an online book review that will help your buzz spread like wildfire.

Also, if you'd like to review books for online publications, this is also a great resource to start out your freelance reviewing career!

MORE>> 


 WOW! BLOG: THE MUFFIN
 Find out the latest from the Bakers of WOW!

The Muffin

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, enlightenment, thought-provoking ideas, and inspirational messages to help you through those gray writing days.

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Pump Up the Book Promotion!

Schedule a Blog Tour with WOW! Women On Writing, and our Sister Blogs:

We love to promote women authors! If you're interested in finding out more details, please email us with "Blog Tours" in your subject line.

Send your request to:

WOW!'s Blog Mistress, Marcia Peterson:
[email protected]
or to the Editors:
[email protected]

Please include:

  • Book Title
  • Publication/Launch Date
  • Author Bio and Links
  • Tour Dates: First Choice
  • Any Additional Info--to help us help you!
We love working one-on-one with authors to create the best possible campaign and exposure. Promotion is our expertise!

We receive over a million hits per month, 700,000 unique--and that's not to mention, our sister sites. So, pump up your book promotion by contacting us. We're here to help, and our prices are very reasonable. Our goal is to promote, and support, you as an author.

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2007 BLOG RECAP:

By Angela Mackintosh

In light of the New Year, I'm taking Editor Sue Donckels' suggestion and recapping my favorite blog posts from 2007. Some of these posts I'd completely forgotten about, and when rereading them, I remember where I was (of course, sitting in the same chair I'm sitting in now), but more importantly, what was going on around me at the time.

Staff members have come and gone--leaving the nest to spread their wings and fly to their own ventures--and reading their posts make me smile. I feel truly blessed.

Then there are those moments where gremlins attacked our emails, our server crashed (for a whole month!), and we had to switch to a bigger server. Most of those posts stayed around, but all the lovely pictures disappeared. What a bummer! As a perfectionist to some degree, I feel like I should go back and re-upload all those pictures...some posts just don't make sense without them. For instance, one post started out by saying, "Look at the picture of Cherie Rohn's name in lights on the marquee of Mandalay Bay." That was a great picture and when I have some time, I'll go back and try to fix all those.

But that's the thing about growing pains--you lose some characteristics along the way--the teenage acne, your favorite jacket that's now three sizes too small, and some of your old friends--but you also gain some new and wonderful things along the way. One being our fabulous new staff of talented writers. The Muffin has never been so lively! Each of you has a unique voice to bring to the table, a fresh outlook, and keen perspective. It's what gives our blog a great community feel. After all, we are "women on writing," which means we all have our own voices, but it's our common goal of writing that brings us together and helps to support one another.

So, ready? Let's recap! My favorite posts (by Category):

HUMOROUS:

Artistic Sacrifice
By Tracy Horan

Tracy researches her first romance novel by going into her local bookstore and gets a little hot under the collar in the Romance/Erotic Fiction section for the first time. She tries to hide her purchases by plopping a Barbara Kingsolver novel on top of her "smut," but as she exits the store the security alarm goes off... Very funny stuff!

As Per Your Request: A "NOT TO DO"
By Chynna Laird

Once again, I love funny posts. They just lighten my day, and this one had me laughing out loud! Chynna shares an excerpt from Writer's Relief, "How to be an Annoying Author." If you're an editor, or publisher, this is a must-read.

Writing is Like Mud Wrestling?
By Sue Donckels

Sue finds an old box of lesson plans etc. and shares some of the writing assignments that her non-writing enthusiast students wrote. Most of them had zero interest in writing, period. The assignment was to describe writing using similes...

Burn the House Down
By Susan Eberling

Susan's motivational note, which she posted to herself on her computer, caused some worry with her hubby, and some laughter.

INSPIRATION:

Mailbox Letter! From Carrie Hulce

This letter from Carrie Hulce was sent back in January of 2007, and it's timely since she was talking about her New Year's Resolutions. Her resolution was to ignore her drawer filled with rejection letters, get back on her feet, and pick up the pen again (after her knee surgery). And guess what? Carrie has conquered her resolution on many levels and is continuing to do so. She placed in the top 10 in WOW!'s Winter '06-'07 Flash Fiction Contest. That's quite an achievement when you see how many entries are involved! She also published a piece in our March issue's Inspiration Column, as well as several pieces on our blog, and is now an intern for WOW! and the Premium-Green Markets' Research Specialist. Carrie has come a long way on all levels. Her level of enthusiasm and drive is impressive, and I can guarantee she has the right stuff to take her very far. Love you, Carrie!

A Beautiful Mind
By Chynna Laird

I loved this impromptu post by Chynna because she was so fresh from her first book signing. That day, we'd had a miscommunication of who was going to post etc. and she ended up posting right when she came back from her signing. Lucky us! I love when Chynna posts on the fly--that's the time I truly see her shine.

Criticism = Love
By Angela Mackintosh

This isn't really about anything I wrote... it's more about Randy Pausch's inspirational video, which brought me to tears. Click on the link and watch!

My Inspiration
By Sharon Mortz

Sharon shares some out-of-the-box ideas for writing inspiration... plus, she touches our hearts with her experiences. This post moves me.

Pain-Free Blog
By Kesha Grant

Kesha shares a very real, and often un-talked about obstacle that affects many people in all professions--constant back pain. As a sufferer of this, I know exactly what she's going through. Kesha's spirit and belief in herself is amazing, and an inspiration to us all.

MOTIVATION:

Dare I Say It? Time to Exercise...
By Jean Lauzier

In this post Jean urges writers to try something different--step out of your genre and get into something completely foreign to exercise your creativity!

The Power of Words
By Jean Lauzier

I love this post because it's so true. Words are larger than life. The simplest phrases can move mountains and people. 11 Comments!

99 "Blopics"
By Sue Donckels

Sue gives us a ton of incredible topics to blog on! Just reading these blopics feeds my blogging fire and makes my backside burn! What a great motivation. After reading this list, you'll have no more excuses.

A Change of Perspective
By Annette Fix

It's never too late to achieve your dreams and goals. Annette reaffirms this with an anecdote, and a funny-as-all-heck motivational picture!

Write Anyway
By Marcia Peterson

Marcia reminds us about the New Year and encourages us to jot down the things that get in the way of our creativity and prevent us from writing. In other words, write about, "the big but."

A Thousand Words About Nothing?
By Carrie Hulce

Carrie reminds and inspires us that writing about simple objects can evoke so many profound memories.

Handling Rejection
By LuAnn Womach

This is such an inspirational and motivational post. LuAnn's spirit is unrivaled, and all the points she gives are true.

UNIQUE TAKES/HOOKS:

Ants in my Kitchen, Traffic to Your Blog
By Angela Mackintosh

This post inspired a couple of unique takes on the posting angle. I started off with an anecdote about ants invading my kitchen (as a tasty hook), and then pulled it around to how your first paragraph or sentence of your blog post is the most important and sweet!

Find Your Striker
By Sue Donckels

This is a super post and a great and a great analogy about the situations/plays in soccer and in querying. I adore this post! As a long time soccer player, four-year varsity jockette, and state player, gee--this post was so apropos for me and spot-on!

Writing and the Purple Cow
By Angela Mackintosh

Seth Godin inspires a fresh outlook to how people all think about the same thing and write about George Clooney, lol.

Tag You're it!
By Chynna Laird

Chynna starts this article explaining a commercial and how one random act of kindness inspires another person, and so on, and so on, until you create this viral effect. It's so true online and in real life. I loved the format and creative angle of Chynna's post!

Do You See What I See?
By Chynna Laird

Chynna tells us how her daughter, Jaimie, processes the senses, and then she applies those lessons to fiction writing. This is a wonderful post full of flavor and opens your eyes to a new way of seeing.

CRAFTY:

How to Make Self-Promotion Wings
By Sue Donckels

Sue thinks out of the box and inspires us by sharing a way to make the most out of our rejection slips. This is not only a fun craft exercise, but also a symbolic journey, and a way to make a positive record out of your learning experience.

Preheat the Oven to 375F and Write!
By Debbie Delgado Hand

Writer's snacks--yum! Get your trusty baking apron on and learn how to make the perfect treat while writing. Debbie shares her recipe of Vegan Banana Berry Muffins on World Vegan Day!

KICKIN' KNOWLEDGE:

Part 1: An Introduction to Optimizing Your Writer's Website or Blog
By Angela Mackintosh

I know this is a tad cheesy to list one of my own blog posts, but this is the one that started the ball rolling on SEO Sundays. I had a ton of fun writing this because I love when readers ask us questions. This particular post was prompted by Dannette Haworth, so it was more about her than me, and I truly enjoy helping other writers and giving them information that I can ramble on about.

The Right Start
By Jean Lauzier

Jean talks about hooks in fiction writing or for editors. The example she gives is spot-on and impressive! I love craft of fiction-writing articles!

Hung up on MS Word's Tools? You're Not Alone
By Angela Mackintosh

Learn how to use MS Word's Readability Statistics, Flesch Kincaid Reading Level, and how to eliminate passive sentences in your blog posts and article writing.

Insight into Self-Publishers
By Chynna Laird

Chynna tells us all about her publishing experience with Outskirts Press! Both Chynna's post and the comments lend insight into the industry.

SEO Sundays: How to Write with Key Words
By Angela Mackintosh

I put this one here because it got a lot of comments from new readers who liked the format.

To Swear or Not to Swear
By Chynna Laird

Do we say, "Golly Gee," or swear like a truck driver? Chynna's post and excerpt from Morgan Hunt's article is a great one for fiction writers.

The Usefulness of Writers' Guides
By Del Sandeen

Writers' guides can be great and all if you don't take every single piece of advice to heart. Del has a great practical outlook on how we can use the guides to our advantage without becoming overloaded.

My Not So Secret Formula for Winning
By Janet Paszkowski

Janet is passionate about flash fiction, and she has gotten results! This post is written in an easy-to-read style and has great information--and a super reference!

Making Manly Men
By Valerie Fentress

What characteristics should we apply to our male protagonist? Valerie gives us some great starters to consider, and makes us all chuckle along the way with her lively post!

Ahead of Time
By Marcia Peterson

Preparing for life's foibles can help you organize your writing life and your family time. Marcia provides mom-writers with fabulous tips to prepare for the unexpected downtimes.

THE WRITER'S LIFE:

Self-Sabotage Countdown
By Sue Donckels

Distractions--we all have them. This fun article counts down Sue's distractions in an easy-to-read "David Letterman" type top 10 countdown. I loved her format and creativity on this post! And I'm sure all you readers can relate.

Subject: Mid-NaNo
By Sally Franklin Christie

Sally's stove catches on fire and she keeps writing!

Blog Entry for the 21st of Nano
By Sally Franklin Christie

Sally gets sidetracked from her writing by a hefty cell phone bill! And journeys on an excursion to solve the problem immediately.

Confessions of a Saving Queen
By Margo L. Dill

What do you do when your computer crashes and all your writing files are completely erased? Yikes! This is a writer's worst nightmare! Find out what practical solutions Margo employed to make the most out of her sitch.

Breaking All The Rules: Confessions of a NaNoWriMo Cheater
By AnnMarie Kolakowski

This post is close to my cheater's heart. Cutting corners for me is what it's all about sometimes, and I freely admit it. I admire AnnMarie for bringing her honesty to the table! I would've probably done the same thing.

Miss Misunderstood
By Susan Eberling

LOL. This post is soooo true and something I always worry about. Thank goodness, I don't have family to worry about, but I do worry about what my friends will think once I publish my "novel." Even in fiction, we have certain bridges to cross, and people we know who'll 'kindly' offer their opinions. What a tough balance! I love the way Sue records the dialogue... I felt in the moment.

Deck the Halls
By Cher'ley Grogg

This is a wonderful reminder to take time and appreciate the small things and loved ones in our life. And it reminds us how objects, or ornaments, can spring forth memories for our writing toolbox.

EVENT RECAPS & CELEBRITY GOSSIP:

This American Life at Royce Hall - I Went
By Angela Mackintosh

As you know, or don't, I'm a HUGE fan of This American Life, the spoken word show on KCRW, public broadcasting. Ira Glass rocks my socks! And now he has a cable and forthcoming TV show. Seeing the performance at Royce Hall in Santa Monica, CA was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Seriously. This was the only one they've ever done, and I had to be there. The readers were more than amazing, and the visuals that went on the huge stage behind the speakers were an artistic addition on all levels--like a Kate Bush performance art piece. Read this post for highlights of brushing up with Jack Black, Catherine Keener, and a funny anecdote from John Hodgman, "The PC Guy."

LOL. I just reviewed this blog post, and if you get a chance, after you watch the OK GO treadmill video (second video), and the Youtube banner of related videos pops up, treat yourself to a much needed laugh, and watch #2, "Evolution of Dance." Too funny...

How Media Inspires Our Stories
By Angela Mackintosh

Okay, once again, I'm feeling extremely cheesy writing about my own posts... but this one sparked 16 comments! The story about Owen Wilson's suicide attempt sparked a memory of a time when I met him at the Chinese Man in Hollywood, how my hubby says he hit on me, and thoughts about my past experiences with suicide.

Notes From the Baltimore Writers' Conference
By Jill Earl

This is an excellent recap of an event and a good example of how we should write them. It's personal, fun, and gives the reader first-hand experience on what it was like to attend the conference.

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I hope you enjoy these posts and read through the ones that you're interested in. If you find one that creates a spark, don't be afraid to bookmark it with all those little tags underneath each post! This is what spreads the love.

Happy New Year Ladies!! Let's make it a banner one!

Together, we can achieve all of our dreams and make things happen.

Love,

Angela

~~~~~~~

Visit The Muffin >> 


 Authors: Build Your Book Buzz Workshop
 Join Sandra Beckwith and Pump Up Your Publicity!

Sandra Beckwith

Online book publicity workshop helps authors build buzz

Got a book coming out you want to hype? Has your publisher's publicist moved on to other projects? Do you have a book in stores that you know deserves more media attention than it's getting? Are you working on a proposal that would benefit from a better understanding of what you can do to promote your book? You need "Book Publicity 101: How to Build Book Buzz," or "Book Publicity 101 for Self-Published Authors: How to Build Book Buzz," dynamic online courses taught by a veteran publicist and author.

Both classes are offered February 4-29, 2008, and taught in a forum format, with lessons and homework assignments posted online in a private, password-protected forum. The highly-interactive courses cover:

  • How to create a book publicity blueprint you'll be excited about
  • The single secret most authors don't know about generating ongoing media exposure
  • The most effective and cost-efficient publicity tactics
  • How to generate buzz online using virtual book tours and other techniques
  • Radio and TV producer hot buttons
  • How to bring an energizing new level of creativity to your publicity efforts


The course for self-published authors also shows how to announce your book to the press and other key audiences professionally and successfully. Students receive instructional materials and resources and complete weekly assignments that help them discover how easy it is to create book buzz. Student interaction on the forum enhances the learning experience by offering fresh perspectives and new ideas for all participants while instructor guidance and input takes your work to the next level. A free-for-all Q&A corner lets students get answers to questions not covered in the course materials, making this a highly-personalized learning experience for nonfiction and fiction authors.

The class is taught by Sandra Beckwith, a recovering award-winning publicist; publisher of the free e-newsletter Build Book Buzz (subscribe at www.buildbookbuzz.com); and the author of three books, including two on publicity topics. She has promoted many books.

Registration is $179 and is limited to 20 students; deadline for registration is February 1, 2008. To register for the original course, go to:

Book Publicity 101: How to Build Book Buzz.

To register for the course tailored to the needs of self-published authors, go to:

Book Publicity 101 for Self-Published Authors: How to Build Book Buzz

Please send course inquiries to Sandra at [email protected]

I recently had an opportunity to interview Sandra for our, "Meet Your Mentor," column in December's Issue of Premium-Green. Sandra is fabulous and such an inspiration to writers and authors everywhere. If you get a chance to interact with her in any capacity, you'll have a blast--while learning valuable skills. What a great combo! She truly is a mentor.

Find Out About the Book Buzz Workshops >> 


 Planning for Writing Success
 Book of the Month for Freelance Writers!

Planning For Writing Success Are you a new writer?

Do you want to start your own writing business?

Are you unsure how to begin?

If you are an independent writer, you're in business for yourself. Planning for Writing Success gives you everything you need to start your writing business, prepare a business plan to get funding for your startup, and set up your office. Included with the book are financial spreadsheets and business plan template, so you can get started right away on your business plan.

Order today at www.thethrivingwriter.com or call toll free at 866-940-7526 for more information.

About the Author: Dr. Jean Murray has been assisting small business owners with startup and operations for over 27 years. She has both the education and experience to help you with your questions about starting and operating your writing business.

Dr. Murray has an MBA and a PhD in small business management /entrepreneurship. She began consulting with small business owners in 1974 and she's owned two successful businesses.

With an emphasis on helping professionals become business owners, she has also written and published three books on business startup, one of which, Planning for Writing Success, is available on her website: http://www.thethrivingwriter.com or on Amazon.

Email Dr. Murray at [email protected]

Start your writing career off right!

Visit Dr. Jean Murray's Website>> 


 Promotions
 A Contest from Lunarpages

Lunar Pages Contest

The fabulous Tiara Rea, who interviewed me for lunarpages, sent me this offer to you WOW! ladies:

Hi Angela,

I hope you had a great holiday.

Just writing to let you know we launched a pretty amazing contest over here and I thought you might want to let your readers know about it. It's a WordPress Theme Design Contest, where contestants enter their best WordPress Themes for voting by our community and staff.

First prize is $1,000 and 5 Years Free Hosting

Second prize is $300 and 3 years Free Hosting

Third prize is $100 and 1 year Free Hosting

I'd love to garnish some interest from the talented gals over at WOW.

The contest starts December 10 and will end mid-February 2008.

Hope you're doing well!

-Tiara

Yes Tiara, I'm doing spectacular!

So, you heard it ladies! If you have the inclination and are familiar w/ blogging and wordpress, check it out! It sounds like a great contest with a lot of benefits.

Check it Out>>


 ANNOUNCEMENTS from WOW! ALUMNI:

WOW Announcements

You ladies have been busy! So let's kick off the congrats:

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Pat Matsueda:

Last month, we published Pat Matsueda's fabulous inspirational interview with Wendy Miyake, and she recently had the interview republished in Honolulu Weekly, a print publication. Congratulations Pat & Wendy!

Pat also noted that WOW! is credited. How Awesome is that? Mahalo, Pat =o)

--------------------

Letter from Spring Contest Winner, Amy Smith Linton:

Hi Wow!

Hope you are having a great New Year.

You were kind enough to ask about my sailing last summer -- you may remember, we did an e-mail interview while I was competing at a sailing regatta. Which goes a little way to explaining my photograph.

In any case, we had a great year on the water. It's not quite an embarrassment of riches, because I am going to go right ahead and toot my horn: we won the Lightning Worlds in Athens, the Flying Scot Wife-Husband Nationals in CT, and took first place at the South American Lightning Championships on Lake Tomine in Colombia. Icing on the delicious cake: my husband and I were both short-listed for the Rolex U. S. Sailing Yachtsman/Yachtswoman of the Year.

I treasure my WOW! bag and hope to report exciting progress on the writing front sometime -- this year? Meanwhile, best wishes for another successful year of WOW!ing.

Amy Smith Linton
Runner Up
Spring 2007 Flash Fiction contest

WOW: Congratulations Amy! That's quite an achievement. Three wins, and a finalist in the Rolex U.S. Sailing Yachtsman/Yachtswoman of the Year. Very impressive! We wish you the best of luck, and remember to take time to write about the experience.

--------------------

Patricia Fry and Bobbie Christmas:

Spring Book Show 2008 Focused Seminar 2
"Preparing Your Book for the Market: Writing the Proposal and Editing the Manuscript"
March 29, 2008. Georgia World Trade Center, Atlanta Georgia

Patricia Fry, president, Small Publishers, Artists and Writers Network (SPAWN), speaks on "Preparing a Killer Proposal To Market Your Manuscript to Publishers," and Bobbie Christmas, author of Write In Style, a triple-award-winning textbook on creative writing and owner of Zebra Communications, a book-editing firm based in metro Atlanta, explains how to find ways to make your writing more creative and more marketable.

Details and signup information:
http://www.anvilpub.net/spring_seminar_2.htm

--------------------

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: [email protected]


 WOW!'s Website Find of the Month

Cool Find Thanks to our PG Managing Editor, Janet Paszkowski, for this useful find! The Organized Writer website provides tips and tricks to help you start out your New Year and organize your writing life. The site includes a a newsletter with writing reminders, resources, and articles to help you stay on track. Also, be sure to visit the Organized Writer's site to download your f*r*e*e* 2008 Calendar!

FIND OUT MORE>>


In Closing:

We hope you enjoy our annual reader's issue as much as we have putting it together. This month's issue not only reminds us of the importance of literacy, but also, the importance of bringing writers and readers together. We hope that this will help close the gap between both worlds because we need one another to truly thrive!

We hope you take some time to check out our Markets newsletter and support group, Premium-Green. The PG markets is there to help you achieve your writing goals. We hope that you treat yourself this coming year, and join our supportive group. We want to help you succeed by giving you one-on-one support with your writing career. So, let's make this a banner year for women writers and support each other!

Happy reading and happy writing!

Big hugs,


Angela, Annette & Team WOW!
WOW! Women On Writing