Greetings!
In celebration of National Small Press
Month, we put aside the big guns and
get up close and personal with the indies.
But don't let the name "small press" fool
you--they can be exactly the same size as a
big publishing house--it's not about the
size, it's about the spirit. And if there's
one fact we've learned from creating this
issue, small presses are brimming with it.
If you're interested in learning what the
differences are between small presses and big
houses, we covered it last year in our Small
Presses Create Buzz issue. So, to save
you from repetition, those who are
interested, follow the link, and then come
back here and join us.
This issue highlights several groundbreaking
presses that tap into niche markets. Their
specialties allow them to forge new paths for
untold stories. They provide homes for
homeless work, literary stages for unique
voices, and special attention to burgeoning
authors. I believe it's safe to say that they
play the most important role in the
publishing industry by introducing new work.
So, let's hear it for the indies! This is
their month. And as a writer, it's your month
too. By learning about how small presses
think, what their editors are looking for,
and educating yourself about the publishing
process, you are one step closer to your
goals. And have we got a great issue for
you!
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What is Small Press Month?
Now in its 12th year, National Small Press
Month.org continues to strive to raise
awareness of the great books published by
independent publishers. This annual
celebration showcases the diverse, unique,
and significant voices being published in the
industry today. Annette Fix chats with Karin
Taylor, spokeswoman for SPM about upcoming
events and how you can get involved. Find
out what events are going on in your area,
and get promotional materials to
participate.
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A big, warm, thank you goes out to our
freelancers & staff:
To Marla Cordle, and her wonderful
interview
with her publisher, Leigh
Collett, of Resplendence Publishing.
Marla has been a long-time reader of
WOW!'s, a previous flash fiction
winner, and an author interviewee for her
latest book, Silencing
Sarah. Although Marla is a seasoned
fiction writer, she admitted that she'd never
considered doing any freelance writing
before. So, when I asked her if she'd
interview someone from RP, she said she'd be
willing to give it a shot. Talk about pulling
off a fantastic interview! On her first try,
no less. She totally captured the WOW!
spirit and brought out the best in her
interviewee; and we're very proud of her.
You're going to love this interview.
And to Suzanne Kamata, a second-time
freelancer for WOW! She interviewed
Wendy Nelson Tokunaga in July's issue,
and now she's done it again in an
inspirational interview with Lucia
Moreno, Editor of Topka Press, a
children's book publisher located in
Spain.
Suzanne is always such a pleasure to work
with, and this interview is truly unique.
Another thank you goes out to a WOW!
regular,
Beth Morrissey, for her informative
piece on
How
To Write for Skimmers. This article is
very timely in our fast-paced society, and a
good reminder to tighten our work.
C. Hope Clark has a fantastic article
this month that I urge you all to read: Recognizing
When Small Press is Best. As an author,
deciding which publisher to go with is
important, and Hope is here to help you field
that decision. She even includes a fun quiz!
To Del Sandeen for her feature interview
with W. W. Norton Editor, and author, Jill
Bialosky. I admit, we gave this interview
to Del at the last minute, and she pulled it
off. Now we get to find out what one of the
bigger small presses is looking for in
submissions. Great job Del!
And to Margo Dill, who's now become an
expert at the 20 Questions Column. This
month, she interviews
author Jennifer Cody Epstein about her
publishing journey to success! Take a bow
Margo!
To my fabulous interviewee, Brooke
Warner of Seal Press--thanks Brooke for
taking us up on the interview last minute!
You're a trooper, and I'm proud to say, a new
dear friend of WOW!'s. Ladies, this
interview rocks! Be sure to check it out.
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New to WOW:
We now have feed. RSS feed, that is. You'll
notice there is now a little orange RSS
button at the top of our address bar. Now you
can subscribe to our website by clicking on
that icon and read the latest blurbs in your
favorite reader. You can find out exactly
when the issue is live... sometimes, even
before we do!
As you know, our Winter '08 contest is now
closed and in the judging stage--we wish
all of you who entered the best of luck as we
turn the entries over to our guest judge for
the season. And as the seasons change, our
Spring '08 Contest has sprung! Due to popular
demand, we've added an editorial feedback
option. So, if you've ever wanted to know
what your scores were, what the editors
thought etc., this season you can take
advantage of that option. Please check out
the Contest
Page for more details.
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Spring has Sprung! A New Season, a New
Contest:
Deadline: May 31st, Midnight
(Pacific Time)Word Count: 250 - 500 words
OPEN PROMPT!
That's right, we had such enthusiasm with the
open prompt last season, that we bring it on,
once again. 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. Just keep in mind that it
must be fiction and must be within the word
count. Visit our Contest
Page and download the new Terms &
Conditions.
Your fabulous guest judge for this season is
Literary Agent Wendy Sherman. Get your
work reviewed by a top literary agent!
Don't Wait Until the Last Minute... ENTER
TODAY
Check out our exclusive interview
with Wendy Sherman and get some insider info!
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Now, onto the issue... enjoy!
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Give Yourself the Ultimate Gift that Gives Back
ALL YEAR ROUND!
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 through
the Google list-serve, 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 >>
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Good Things Come in Small Packages
Must Haves: Staff & Reader Picks!
Bigger is not always better. This month, in
honor of small presses, members of our
WOW! staff and a loyal WOW!
reader, Heiddi Zalamar, share their favorite
products that are small in size or small in
price, but big on useful or fun!
Want to write about your
Must-Haves? We're
collecting them all for compilation! Write
about yours by emailing us
at: musthaves@wow-womenonwriting.com
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 susan@wow-womenonwriting.com
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>>
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Age of Online Internships
By Sue Donckels
Ages ago, people who were interested in
learning a trade or craft sought after
apprenticeships, which offered much more to
the apprentice than today's modern
counterpart -- internships. They included room
and board among other serious living "perks."
Of course, times and people's needs have
changed significantly, and internships differ
greatly when the Internet comes into the
picture. Numerous internships exist online.
Online internees don't require or expect the
same perks in return as apprentices required
in medieval times. Plus, internships are no
longer viewed as learning bridges exclusively
for college students to enter the workforce.
Many people without applicable college
degrees might be able to gain experience from
their aptitude alone.
Today, online internships can still be viewed
as apprenticeship positions under one or more
mentors, but the time involved differs from
business to business. Like any job, though,
internships shouldn't be taken lightly from
either side of the hiring desk. Anyone
interested in finding a position in their
field should do the required research.
The Internet levels the working fields for
all individuals who are computer savvy and
knowledgeable in their desired fields. With
talent and inner drive, anyone can benefit
from a reputable internship provider. The key
lies in knowing what a person wants and
needs, as well as, knowing what the employer
wants and needs.
Here are some pertinent questions to ask when
seeking an internship:
- What's the main purpose of the internship
from the employer's side? Is it to save
money? In return for "volunteering," what
does the employer offer?
- What's the intended gain for the
internee? Is it to build experience in the
field? Something else?
- What time can you afford for the
internship?
- What skills, background or experience are
required to excel?
These are just a few questions to get someone
started.
In the publishing industry, numerous
internships exist both online and off. But
what should an intern hope to gain beyond
experience? InkBridge
hopes to help emerging
writers gain their first published clips
through their internships. Of course, this
can't be promised in all situations, but it
can be the ultimate aim. What should a
publisher or editor hope to gain in using an
internship provider service? High quality
applicants and time saving assistance are the
top two reasons.
InkBridge
offers internships for a nominal application
fee to benefit both publishers and emerging
writers.
~~~
Sue Donckels is InkBridge Owner and
Managing
Editor of Mom Writer's Literary
Magazine. Before her latest venture, she
was also Managing Editor for WOW!
Women On Writing.
Visit InkBridge & Find Out MORE >>
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WOW! BLOG: THE MUFFIN
Find out the latest from the Bakers of WOW!
Have you checked out what we've been baking
for you on 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.
----------
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:
marcia@wow-womenonwriting.com
or to the Editors:
editors@wow-womenonwriting.com
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.
----------
Never Stale! Here's the Latest:
Tuesday Contest Winner Interviews:
If you're interested in our writing contests,
find out the scoop from previous winners!
Runner
Up: Ellen Murphy
Runner
Up: Sangeetha Narayan
Runner
Up: Julie Anderson Slattery
Remember: Tuesdays are Contest
Winner Interviews, so check back and learn
from the writers that won our guest judge's
hearts and captured the prize!
Blog Posts of Interest:
The
Dreaded Blank Page
By Margo Dill
Yikes! Staring at a blank page isn't fun if
you're experiencing writer's block... but,
with Margo's inspirational tips and ABC's,
you can plant butt to chair and get the job
done.
A
Day of Rest
By Valerie Fentress
We all need one, don't we? If you feel the
pressure and the words aren't coming, take a
day off. This post allows you to! Your
creative mind will thank you for it.
Start
a Stampede to your Blog
By Annette Fix
Annette shares a great post article from
Penny Sansevieri on social bookmarking and
tagging. Even if you're a "technotard," as
Annette puts it, you'll definitely benefit
from this post!
Take
Advantage of Extra Time
By LuAnn Womach
Do you know the story behind why Leap Year
was formed and why? LuAnn recaps and gives us
some interesting information I never knew! I
love learning new things, and I hope you do
too.
Keeping
Your Vision Before You
By Kesha Grant
Writing can be a solitary profession, but it
doesn't have to be with these solid tips from
Kesha. Everyone chimed in and adored this
post! I know you will find it valuable too.
Attraction
By Cher'ley Grogg
Readers have to have an attraction to a book,
or else they won't buy it. Cher'ley presents
a list of reasons why readers will purchase a
novel. Take her "test" and see if your reason
fits into one of the categories! Plus, check
out her boxers... they are adorable!
Writer's
Spring-Greening
By Angela Mackintosh
It's never to early to start
"Spring-Greening" -- eliminating the clutter
from you home office. Find out what online
resources will take your excess batteries,
diskettes, electronics, and computers. You
may put some extra coin in your wallet, and a
feeling of green goodness in your space.
Bucking
the Trends
By Del Sandeen
Instead of looking to the latest book trends
for inspiration, try to focus on crafting a
book whose characters you love, and whose
story and trend is timeless.
Writing
for Kids -- Challenging and Rewarding
By Margo Dill
When you're writing for middle grade, how
will you know what those kids 9-12 will like?
Margo breaks it down for aspiring children's
book writers and
gives you some essential "rules" that will
help get their attention!
Prospector
or Procrastinator?
By Sharon Mortz
Sharon shares some wonderful exercises for
putting twists into your writing!
365
Days a Year
By Annette Fix
Annette shares her love story on Valentines
Day, and some blog love.
~~~~~~~
Guest Posts:
20
Simple Ways to Get Massive Traffic to Your
Website
This article breaks it down for you in
easy-to-understand language. Take it for a
test drive if you're serious about getting
traffic to your website... the right way.
~~~~~~~
Want to participate on The Muffin?
Email our Blog Mistress, Marcia Peterson, with
your request: marcia@wow-womenonwriting.com
Visit The Muffin >>
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Upcoming Events
Get Involved
LA Times Festival of Books
Spring has sprung not tulips but book fairs.
Well, OK. The tulips are coming, but on
April 26 & 27, Authors' Coalition will
present authors of genres from poetry to
memoir to talk to you and sign their books at
the LA Times/UCLA Festival of Books on the
beautiful UCLA Campus . Find them all at the
Authors' Coalitions and Red Engine Press
booths, numbers 610 and 611. Featured authors
include Barbara Crandall, David H. Jones,
Joyce Faulkner, Poets Christine Alexanians
and Sona Ovasapyan, Pamela Kelly, Carolyn
Howard-Johnson, Carol Wood, Dana Lee
Buhler and WOW's very own Annette Fix
with the debut of her new memoir, The
Break-Up Diet. Learn more about the fair
at http://www.latimes.com/extras/festivalofbooks/.
Learn more about opportunities for your book
go to:
http://www.authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com/fair_booths.htm.
Visitors at this booth will receive free
books with their purchase while supplies last.
~~~~~~~~~~
Fourth Annual New York Round Table
Writers' Conference
Friday, April 11th & Saturday, April
12th
@ The historic General Society of Mechanics
and Tradesmen Library
20 West 44th Street in Midtown Manhattan
http://www.writersconferencenyc.org
The 2008 Conference will include:
presentations by groundbreaking new authors -
Joshua Ferris and Charles Bock; two luncheons
with keynote speakers, best-selling novelists
Alice Hoffman and Lincoln Child; a Friday
evening gala keynote interview with acclaimed
author, John Berendt, two cocktail
receptions; as well as craft workshops and
panel discussions on topics including:
- Writing Book Proposals
- Memoir Writing
- Writing a Winning Query Letter
- Writing Process
- Online Publishing
- PR and Marketing
- Independent Publishers
- Self Publishing
- Fiction Writing
- Birth of a Book
Speakers will include: Alice Hoffman,
Lincoln
Child; representatives from HarperCollins,
Random House, Simon & Schuster, Broadway
Books, McGraw-Hill, Soft Skull Press; The
Permanent Press, Persea Books, Wiley & Sons,
Autonomedia, bookreporter.com, A Public
Space, Alimentum, Bloom; FOX TV; Allen O'Shea
Literary Partners, FinePrint Literary
Management, Sarah Jane Freymann Agency,
Dystel & Goderich Literary Management, Liza
Dawson Associates and Sanford J Greenburger
Associates and many more to be announced!
Visit their website to find out more details
on event pricing etc.
~~~~~~~~~~
National Publicity Summit
March 26-29 in NYC
Meet over 100 national media face to face!
Great for authors who want national media
exposure. Only 100 attendees admitted.
Find out more: http://www.NationalPublicitySummit.com/?11025
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WOW! Chocolate & Pink Tote
Show off your WOW! Women On Writing
Flair with this adorable tote!
We're able to offer this tote to you at close
to wholesale because we bought so many of
them for our flash fiction contest winners.
Lucky you!
This bag is a limited edition from
WOW! and makes the perfect gift for a
writer friend, or as a treat to yourself. Own
a piece of WOW! history with this
yummy chocolate and pink tote.
Size: 10.5" w x 7.75"h x 5" d
Details: Front Pocket, decorative tag,
WOW! Women On Writing logo on the front
pocket.
Color: chocolate & pink
This little bag packs a punch! It can hold
2-3 trade-sized books and has room for other
little things, such as pens, makeup, keys,
cellphone, etc.
Note: As supplies last.
Visit the Boutique >>
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ANNOUNCEMENTS: From WOW! Subscribers and Alumni
You ladies have been busy! So
let's kick off the
congrats:
---------- Sandy Ault:
WOW! Alumni Member, Sandi
Ault, Colorado firefighter and fire
information officer, author of Berkley Prime
Crime's WILD Mystery Series, will come home
to sign, discuss, and read from her new
release, WILD INFERNO, at three Front Range
events this week.
Ault has been acclaimed by media, peers,
(including Tony Hillerman and C.J. Box), and
fans alike for her WILD Mystery Series,
including the Edgar-nominated bestseller WILD
INDIGO and the newly released and,
critically-acclaimed, WILD
INFERNO.
Ault, a wildland firefighter in Pinewood
Springs and a Colorado Resource responding
locally and nationally to wildland fires, has
written her series' protagonist onto a
wildfire in her new page-turner, dubbed "a
wildfire of a mystery."
If you're in Colorado, don't miss your chance
to meet a WOW! fave! Visit Sandi's
website: http://www.sandiault.com
for more info.
--------------------
Brooke Warner:
When I was researching Brooke for my latest
interview (see above), I came across her
personal website, Warner
Coaching, and had to share it with you!
Warner Coaching offers workshops that help
Unlock Your Creativity to help writers
reengage and revitalize their creative energy.
In addition to the workshops, Brooke offers
coaching for writers! She even offers a
f*r*e*e* sample session. Check it out and see
where it leads: http://www.warnercoaching.com
Brooke and Kristen Lyons-Gould both work for
Seal Press, women's imprint that publishes
books that inform women's lives. They are
experienced publishing professionals who are
passionate about helping writers get in touch
with their deeper creative processes in order
to access the wellspring of creativity that's
waiting to be tapped into.
----------
Erika Geiss:
TheWAHMmagazine - the first and only
digital
magazine for work-at-home parents will
release the "Planning Ahead" issue on March
5, which focuses on retirement planning,
legal issues, understanding if you're cut out
to be a work-at-home parent and more. A key
feature of the "Planning Ahead" issue is an
interview with Christina Katz, author of
Writer Mama, How To Raise a Writing Career
Alongside Your Kids in the "Voices"
department. "I was thrilled beyond belief
when Ms. Katz agreed to do our Voices
interview for the second issue. Mama Writer
is one of my primary resources as a freelance
writer, and to have such an esteemed member
of the writing community lend her voice to
this brand-new digital magazine means a lot,"
says Geiss, Editor-in-Chief of
theWAHMmagazine.
Also with this second issue, theWAHMmagazine
staff expands. Amy Mullis - a modern-day Erma
Bombeck - joins the magazine with her widely
acclaimed humor column; Julie Fletcher of
Family Resource is the parenting columnist,
and Thursday Bram is the magazine's legal
columnist. "I am so pleased to have such
great talent become part of theWAHMmagazine,"
says Geiss. "We have had such interest in and
praise about the magazine from WAHMs and
WAHDs, and I think the excitement will build
even further as we continue to prove
ourselves by providing a quality and
fulfilling content-driven publication for the
work-at-home community."
For additional information about
theWAHMmagazine, visit www.thewahmmagazine.com.
Published bi-monthly, theWAHMmagazine is an
electronic serial digital publication
available by subscription only. The
subscription cost is $24.00 per year.
Subscriber benefits include podcasts,
Webinars, magazine archives, an e-Newsletter
and the Editor's blog. TheWAHMmagazine is the
first and only content-driven digital
magazine for work-at-home parents. The second
issue (Vol. 1 Issue 2) goes live March 5,
2008.
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Kathryn Jordan:
THE GLAD GIRL, based on the true love story
of Silent Screen star, Gladys Walton and Al
Capone, will be released soon. Kathryn is
available as a speaker and offers writing
workshops and editing / consulting as a
"Manuscript Mechanic - and Therapist."
Contact: katejor@earthlink.net
or (760) 345-0569 or www.kathrynjordan.com
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Meet WOW! at BEA:
Are you going to Book Expo America this year?
If you are, e-mail Angela & Annette ( editors@wow-womenonwriting.com
) and we'll meet
up. :o)
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Are you an WOW! Subscriber 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
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In Closing:
We hope you enjoy this issue and discover
some new independent presses that hold
wonderful opportunities for aspiring, and
established, authors. Finding a niche
publisher for your work-in-progress can be
very inspiring and motivating! So, dig in,
learn all you can, and always keep your mind
open to new opportunities. They are within
your grasp, so never give up. We're behind
you 110%! Write-on!
Truly Yours,
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