Greetings!
This month, we celebrate the brave, bold
freelance writers who are carving their
own paths to publication in a diverse number
of ways. Whether it's through animation
writing, blogging, editing, or copywriting,
there is one thing we share in common: we
are free agents. We choose our own work
schedules, projects, and can wear our pajamas
proudly to work, if we so please, but that
doesn't mean we are any less professional.
We
are "medieval mercenary warriors," which was
a term first coined by Sir Walter Scott
(1771-1832) to describe "freelancers." Funny
how that phrase evolved into what freelancing
is today, but somehow it seems to fit. In a
sense, we are warriors, battling a
competitive marketplace, foregoing company
benefits such as pension, health insurance,
paid holidays and bonuses. However, many of
us realize that we have the opportunity to
secure a higher income through many outlets
of our choosing.
Freelancing can be a solitary endeavor, but
it doesn't have to be. By encouraging one
another, networking, and helping our fellow
freelance writers, we can make a difference
together. That is the theme of this issue.
"Freelance Union" is a state of mind.
Yes, it
is also a real
union, but for the sake of our
theme, we are using the phrase to describe an
overall feeling of harmony, of freelancers
doing the same thing, at the same time,
globally.
Last April
2007, we explored the theme,
Freelance Union, and it was a big success
with our readers/writers. So, this year we
revisit the theme and highlight previously
unexplored areas of freelancing that we think
you will enjoy.
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Why we love Rosie the Riveter:
You may have noticed that we use Rosie the
Riveter, the famous WWII icon, to signify our
freelance markets group, Premium-Green,
as
well as the Norman Rockwell version of Rosie
for this issue of The
Freelance Union. To us,
Rosie represents a strong image of "Women
doing it for themselves," but she was also a
real person.
Rosie the Riveter was most closely associated
with a real woman, Rose Will Monroe, who was
born in Pulaski County, Kentucky in 1920 and
moved to Michigan during World War II. She
worked as a riveter at the Willow Run
Aircraft Factory in Ypsilanti, Michigan,
building B-29 and B-24 bombers for the U.S.
Army Air Forces. Her image inspired and
encouraged women to take on jobs they never
considered--work that was typically only for
men.
We honor her image and love what she
represents, and hope that she encourages you
to stay strong and never give up. Remember
her words, "Together, we can do it!"
because
we know you can.
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A big, warm, thank you goes out to our
freelancers & staff:
To WOW! columnist, Del Sandeen,
for her in-depth article on about.com's Prep
Process. I loved this article because I'd
never really known about the inner workings
of Prep. When Del finished the course
herself, I asked her if she'd write an
article about it, and she said that she would
since it was fresh in her mind. Great job,
Del! And thank you so much for the insight.
To Shannon Muir, for bringing us a
lesser-known freelance market--animation
writing. For some reason it never
occurred to me to tap into this resource.
With the growing popularity of animated TV
shows, it's not surprising that this market
is on the rise.
And to the in-the-trenches ladies featured in
The
State of the Union, or as we like to call
it, the Freelance Slam: to Laura Lee
Carter for her encouraging article on
blogging; to Suzan Wiener for clueing
us in
on how to make money writing filler; and to
Robin Keith for sharing her personal
experience from the school of hard-knocks as
a newspaper editor. The State of the Union
examines freelancers from various positions
and viewpoints, and covers their views from
the trenches. We also had a State
of the Union feature last year, which covered
starting a freelance writing career,
relationship writing, negotiation, and book
reviewing.
To WOW! staff member, Carrie
Hulce, for securing an interview with Natalie
Goldberg for our 20 Questions column.
This was Carrie's first freelance interview,
and we're proud of her!
A BIG thank you goes out to C. Hope
Clark for saying all the things I wish
freelance writers knew. Hope gives newbies
some very sage
advice--my favorite being, "When to
Argue." Um, try never! Take it from an
all-around pro, and take it to heart.
To Thursday Bram for delivering her
piece in our time of need. Thursday's a real
professional, and her advice for managing
invoices is on target.
To Suzanne Kamata, for once again
bringing us a fabulous interview, and a
fabulous guest, Leza Lowitz, for our inspiration
column. Thank you Suzanne--you are always
reliable, professional, and a pleasure to
work with.
To WOW! Columnist, Margo Dill,
for her insightful interview with the editors
of Cahoots Magazine. Margo, we adore your
spirit, and your expertise in interviews. You
are a gem, and always on the spot to help us
out with any projects, and we thank you.
To WOW! Columnist, Susan
Eberling, for always searching out new
finds for our must-haves column. AND, a HUGE
thank you for being WOW's Contest Manager for
the Winter '07-'08 Flash Fiction Contest. We
know it isn't an easy job, and you pulled it
off. Congratulations! As well as all our
fabulous guest judges, and team for
formatting and coming to our rescue during
this hectic contest season. Big hugs go out
to each and every one of you!
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Announcements:
Last Month to Subscribe to Premium-Green at
the Current Rate:
Ladies, we now have over five months of
issues in our Premium-Green
Markets subscription. That's over 750
pages of markets, articles, and expert
guidance for your freelance writing career.
And that's not to mention the discussions on
the PG boards, extra downloads, and
networking with your peers. So, considering
all the back issues and the amount of work
put into every issue of Premium-Green, this
will be our last month at the current rate.
Next month, May 2008, we will be raising the
prices. So if you've ever thought about
subscribing, this is the time to jump start
your freelance career!
When you join you'll have immediate access to
all previous issues of Premium-Green. Yes,
all 5 ebooks--over 100 pages each.
Also, as an early-ish subscriber, you'll be
able to receive the discounted rate until you
choose to unsubscribe. That's why it's great
to be the early bird!
http://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/markets.html
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Call for Submissions:
Since this is our freelance writing issue, we
are putting out a call for submissions and
queries. If you subscribe to PG, you already
know ;o)
We are looking for queries and submissions to
fit our upcoming editorial themes:
July 2008: Writers' Retreats &
Conferences
August 2008: Personal Writing
Payment: $50 - $150 per article.
Please read our Submission
Guidelines for word count, columns,
rights, and how to submit.
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WOW! is listed in WD's 101 Best
Websites for Writers!
WOW! is listed in the June 2008 issue
of Writer's Digest on page #58: "This ezine
caters specifically to women in the writing
community, dishing out interviews (and tips)
from popular female writers." Our icons
include: blog, contests, and e-newsletters.
We want to thank each and every one of you
readers for nominating WOW! for the
prestigious Writer's Digest 101 Best Websites
Award. We finally made the cut, thanks to you!
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WOW! Teams Up With SEAL
PRESS for our 2008 Spring Contest:
We are proud to announce that Seal Press
is sponsoring our Spring 2008 Flash Fiction
Contest!
[About Seal Press]
Groundbreaking books. By Women. For
Women.
Inspired by the simple yet radical notion
that a book can change a woman's life, Seal
Press is devoted to publishing titles
that inform, reveal, engage, delight, and
support women of all ages and backgrounds.
Seal Press was founded in 1976 as a
small DIY publisher to provide a forum for
women writers and feminist issues, and since
then, Seal has published groundbreaking books
that represent the diverse voices and
interests of women. Seal's continually
growing list includes books about women's
health, parenting, outdoor adventure and
travel literature, popular culture,
sexuality, gender and transgender life,
sports, relationships, memoir, careers,
finance, current affairs, and much more.
With each book, we strive to make a
difference in women's everyday lives, and to
tell the truth--the real truth--about the
issues that matter to women the most.
Seal Press is a proud member of The
Perseus Books Group. We encourage you to
visit their website: www.sealpress.com,
sign up for their newsletter, and keep up
with the latest by visiting their blog: www.sealpress.com/blog.
We are thrilled to partner with Seal Press,
and know that they are a perfect fit for
WOW! readers/writers. You ladies are
definitely in for a treat this season!
Contest Details:
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. Due to Popular Demand:
Now with a Critique Option! Check out the
contest page for more details.
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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Winter 2008 Flash Fiction Contest Winners Announced!
Drum Roll....
Congratulations goes out to everyone who
entered the Winter '07-'08 Flash Fiction
Contest, Sponsored by W.W.
Norton. All your entries were incredible
this round, and our esteemed guest judge,
Kristin Nelson, of the Nelson
Literary Agency did not have an easy job!
But with her expertise, she dutifully picked
the winners, and we thank Kristin!
Ladies, I know you've all been waiting
patiently, so here's the results!
-- 1st Place Winner: Cynthia Boiter
-- 2nd Place Winner: Linda Courtland
-- 3rd Place Winner: Danette Haworth
Runners Up (in no particular order):
-- Allie Comeau
-- Kim Hytinen
-- Kim Hytinen
-- Rebecca Jens
-- Stephanie Haefner
-- Sarah Brady
-- Andrea Dennin
Read the top 10 winner's stories in our
contest
feature!
Honorable Mentions (in no particular
order):
-- Rachel McClain
-- Melinda Stanners
-- Karen Kirchler
-- Jyoti Roy
-- Madeline Mora-Summonte
-- Laura Havens
-- B. Lynn Goodwin
-- Kat Bretcher
-- L. J. Pike
-- Virginia Hayes
-- Gayle Trent
-- Lisa Tedder
-- Deb Hill
-- Virginia Ball
-- Brandy Foster
-- Teresita Perez
-- Ann Keeling
-- Laurie Capece
-- Kate Anderson
-- Amy Kinzer
-- Deborah Marshall
-- Catherine Trizzino
-- Nina Guilbeau
-- JPenny-Anne Beaudoin
-- Christine Fraser-Brisebois
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!
----------
A HUGE thank you goes out to Steve Colca,
of W. W.
Norton, for
his generous book donation that you ladies will
be receiving. When you finish reading the
books, and would like to thank the W. W. Norton
authors, please show your appreciation to W.
W. Norton and the authors by writing a
review on Amazon.
Also, visit W. W. Norton and sign
up for their newsletter to receive the
latest!
An additional note:
We had our very first male winner for
this contest! Since
we've only gotten less than...say...5 male
contestants in our year-and-a-half existence,
this was surprising for us. Wayne Scheer
submitted a
story that placed in our Honorable Mention
category. But, unfortunately, or
fortunately
for Wayne, exclusive rights to his entry,
"Final Wish," was recently published by
Toasted
Cheese. His
story is a
good one, and if you're interested, you can read
it here. Congrats Wayne.
So, go on already! Read the
entries!
READ THE WINNING ENTRIES HERE >>
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PREP STEPS
To Become an About.com Guide
Ever wondered what it takes to become a
recognized expert on an information site like
About.com? WOW! columnist Del Sandeen
walks you through the prep process one step
at a time:
- Before You Apply
- Entering Prep
- Prepping for Prep
- Prep
- First Review
- Second Review
- Document Tools
- The Blog
- Taking Care of Your Work
- Final Review!
And more!
Del is an expert on providing
How-to's to writers, and this article is
straight-forward, clean and clear, and shows
you the
behind-the-scenes process of Prep. If you've
ever wondered what writers have to go through
to become an about.com "guide" this is your
article.
MORE>>
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The State of the Union
3 Freelancers Share their In-the-Trenches Expertise!
What makes freelancing so popular? With the
growth of the online marketplace comes more
opportunities for freelancers to obtain
contracts, but there's also fierce
competition. Deciding whether to burgeon out
on your own can be quite liberating if you
have the persistence. There are many
benefits
to freelancing online: flexible schedule,
work at home, wear your pajamas to work if
you want, and work for many different
publications and fields. Then there are the
drawbacks: no steady salary, no insurance,
and responsibility for your own contracts.
That's what we admire about you as a
freelancer. If you have the courage and
determination it takes to put your skills out
there then go for that brass ring. And we
hope you do, just like these three
freelancers have here. Some of the best
tips come from freelancers
who are in the trenches.
Laura Lee Carter gives her insight on
successful blogging, and what blogging can do
to promote your writing! Her tips include
advice from expert bloggers, and the
responsibilities of blogging.
Suzan Wiener tells how you can make money
writing filler and includes 10 tips to help
you on the path to getting your fillers
published. She also includes several filler
markets for you to submit your work to!
Robin Keith shares the importance of
editing
your work, and her personal experience of
working as a newspaper editor for fifteen
years in this fun and insightful article.
MORE>>
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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!
Remember: Last month to subscribe at this rate!
VISIT OUR MARKETS PAGE >>
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Welcome to a Green Spring!
Must Haves: By Susan Eberling
The month of April makes the world a greener
place in more ways than one. Not only are the
trees budding and new grass starting to peek
out of the soil, people are being reminded to
have a green approach to their consuming
habits. These fun products below encourage
the green principles of non-toxicity,
reusability and sustainability. Check out
these items and move one step closer to
reducing your environmental footprint.
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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Newsletter Exclusive: Interview with Nadia Brown
On Author & Book Promotions
Nadia Brown is a poet, freelance writer, and
author of the award-winning book,
Unscrambled Eggs. Her poetry and
articles have appeared in national and
international magazines and literary
journals. She is also the founder of Author
& Book Promotions. For more information
about her, visit her website
or contact her at Jewelx7@aol.com.
WOW: Welcome Nadia, and thanks for taking
the time to answer our questions today! So,
in your opinion, what's the most effective
way for an author to promote her book?
Nadia: The most effective way an
author can promote her book is to research
the book marketing process (authors can do so
through Author & Book Promotions) then
develop and implement a plan to promote her
book before it is published. Her marketing
plan should consist of a budget, and also
include large media markets (newspaper,
television, radio, etc). The way an author
starts off can have either a positive or
negative impact on her marketing.
WOW: I agree. It's important to get the
right start. So what services does your
website provide?
Nadia: Author
& Book Promotions was launched for
aspiring and established authors. It is a
resource directory comprised of articles,
marketing tips, and resources on book
promotion. Author-Promotion also showcases
literary works of authors who seek greater
online book publicity. Every author who
advertises in our Featured Books section will
have their book information (bio, synopsis)
announced to our subscribers, as well as on
other book-related sites and forums; their
book covers will be used in ads we place; our
authors' books are also promoted on
reader-related sites including book clubs.
WOW: Why did you decide to start a website
to help promote authors?
Nadia: I decided to start a website
for authors after going through my own
learning curve as a new author. What little
knowledge I had of selling books affected my
marketing. But with some considerable effort
I was able to turn things around. The fact I
was able to have some success with marketing
despite my earlier setbacks, along with
receiving many emails from aspiring authors
regarding promotion inspired me to launch
this web project. My book, Unscrambled
Eggs has gone-on to receive several book
awards and many great reviews from both
professional reviewers and the reading public.
WOW: Congratulations on your book! I know
it's definitely a learning curve when authors
start out, so do you have any tips for
marketing online that you can share with our
readers/writers?
Nadia: Here are several tips mentioned
on Author
& Book Promotions website that will be
useful for successful online marketing:
- Create a good product that will provide
value to and/or quality entertainment to the
reading public.
- Create a marketing plan (before your book
is in print)
- Sell your expertise, your hidden talents,
or "unique" life story (and use it to promote
your books)
- Promoting should be a continual process
(which your marketing should reflect)
Authors must keep in mind that the marketing
process should begin before their manuscripts
are written and their books are published.
Even the publishing company you choose to
publish with can have an affect on your
marketing and should be carefully thought
through before making any final decision.
WOW: Thank you Nadia for sharing your
tips with our readers. I'm sure our ladies
will want to check out your website (http://www.freewebs.com/authorpromotion/)
and read more about what you have to offer.
There's also a lot of useful links that
you've compiled on your site that I'm sure
authors would like to bookmark!
Visit Author Promotion & 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.
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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!
Fall
'07 Essay Contest Runner Up - Stephanie
Haefner
Interviewed by Angela
Mackintosh
Fall '07 Essay Contest Runner Up - Maria
Chythlook
Interviewed by LuAnn Womach
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:
What
About P.O.V.
By Margo Dill
Margo breaks down the P.O.V. head-trip and
helps you answer the first story question,
"From whose point of view should it be told?"
Get
Ekphrastic!
By Susan Eberling
Fantastic, spastic, ekphrastic writing. It
sounds like a fun word right out of a Dr.
Seuss book. Join Susan as she shares her
experience with how ekphrastic writing uses
art for inspiration.
Local Writer's Associations--A Worthwhile
Investment
By Jill Earl
You can find an abundance of networking
opportunities right in your own backyard.
Jill gives you the info on where to look and
how to get involved!
Stressed? Try Journaling
By Marcia Peterson
When it all seems like too much to handle,
Marcia suggests you crack open a journal and
exhale on the page.
Back
it Up - Free of Charge
By Kesha Grant
The most important thing you can do as a
writer is to protect your literary babies.
Kesha gives you the f-r-e-e skinny on how to
do it.
From
One Greenhorn to the Next
By Carrie Hulce
Are you a newbie writer? Well, you aren't
alone! Carrie shares her resources for a
variety of ways you can research new ideas
and get your head into the game!
Proofreading
By Cher'ley Grogg
Cher'ley shares some proofreading techniques
and reminds us that sometimes it really is
difficult to see the trees through the forest.
Diaries As A Starting Ground
By LuAnn Womach
Luann experiments with using a diary entry as
a way to advance both fiction and non-fiction.
~~~~~~~
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
13th Annual L.A. Times Festival of
Books
A great weekend treat for the whole family!
Saturday & Sunday, April 26 & 27 on
the beautiful UCLA Campus. Join 140,000 book
lovers for two full days of panel
discussions, author signings, readings,
children's and cooking stage shows, and tons
of books, books, and more books. Stop by
booths 610 & 611 where Authors' Coalition and
Red Engine Press will present authors of
genres from poetry to memoir. 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 senior editor Annette Fix
with the debut of her new memoir, The
Break-Up Diet. WOW! creator
Angela Mackintosh will also be attending
and looking forward to meeting the
WOW! readers who stop by! 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.
~~~~~~~~~~
Kathryn Jordan Reading @ Palm Desert
Public Library
April 16th, 2:00 P.M.
Kathryn will do a reading from The Glad
Girl and share the research and
collaboration experience of creating this
exciting new novel. Visit Kathryn's website:
http://www.kathrynjordan.com
for more information.
~~~~~~~~~~
Book Expo America: May 29 - June 1,
2008
Los Angeles Convention Center, L.A., CA
Are you going to be at BEA this year? Let us
know! We'd love to meet you. Find out more
about the event by visiting: http://www.bookexpoamerica.com
~~~~~~~~~~
Kris Carr's Crazy S*e*x*y* Cancer Retreats
& Workshops!
As you know, Kris
Carr was one of our favorite interviewees
for our Inspiration Column. We're proud to
announce this new event from Kris!
Meet other amazing cancer babes and chaps.
Learn how to successfully navigate the road
to recovery as you refuse to let yourself be
defined by cancer. That's right, we're
hitting the road to bring you wellness tips,
creative writing classes, sun salutes,
healing circles, and get this, FLYING. That's
right, a few of our retreats will include a
fear-smashing trapeze experience... if I can
do it, you sure can.
Sign up! Spend time with Kris, her pal Terri
Cole, and other inspiring guest teachers.
Together they will lead you through a dynamic
and fun weekend of self-transformation.
Come play, come relax, release, rejoice, and
giggle. These workshops are open to all
patients and survivors young or young at
heart.
Next Retreat Date:
April 17-20 2008
at The Crossings in Austin, TX.
http://www.thecrossingsaustin.com
Find out more about upcoming retreats by
visiting Kris' website: http://www.crazysexycancer.com
~~~~~~~~~~
Do you have an event that you'd like to
share? If you think our readers would be into
it, please send a detailed announcement to:
buzz@wow-womenonwriting.com
and we'll consider publishing it in our
Upcoming Events Column.
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E-Course: Get Published in Magazines
Taught by Linda Formichelli
START DATE: Monday, April 28, 2008
(Note: This course will be 9 weeks as Linda
will be away for one week.)
DURATION: 8 weeks
COURSE DESCRIPTION: If you want to
write for magazines but don't know how to get
started---or if you need some motivation to
get you going---this course is for you. In
eight weekly lessons, Linda will walk you
through:
- Coming up with a salable idea
- Finding markets that would be interested in
your idea
- Finding the right editors to send your idea
to
- Interviewing people for the query letter
(the proposal that sells the editor on your
idea and yourself as a writer)
- Writing a winning query letter
- Getting your query out the door!
So far, students of this course (which
launched in June 2005) have landed
assignments from Writer's Digest,
Woman's Day, Rhode Island Home,
Living & Design, For Me,
Body & Brain, Michigan
Out-Of-Doors, MyBusiness, Pizza
Today, E: The Environmental
Magazine, Black Health, Cottage
Living, and other magazines.
ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR: Linda has
written for more than 120 magazines since she
started freelancing in 1997, including such
top-notch publications as USA Weekend,
Family Circle, Fitness,
Health, Psychology Today,
Parenting, Wired, Business
Start-Ups, Men's Fitness, and
Woman's Day. Linda is the co-author of
The Renegade Writer: A Totally
Unconventional Guide to Freelance Writing
Success and The Renegade Writer's
Query Letters That Rock.
COST: $240 for the Premium version
with eight weeks of e-mail support.
$120 for the Basic version with no e-mail
support.
Visit Linda's
Website to find out More! And
if you decide to take her course, make sure
you mention WOW! sent you.
Linda has also added a variety of courses to
her website---everything from travel writing
to trade magazine writing.
Visit The Renegade Writer and find out MORE>>
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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:
---------- Barbara Shine:
WOW! Alumni Member, Barbara
Shine writes in: "You ladies might enjoy
knowing that my article, "Finding Your
Flock," in the Freelancer's
Corner of issue 7, earned a second-place
award in the Web-writing category of the
Virginia Press Women 2007 annual
communications contest. Thanks for offering
this marvelous forum for women's freelance
writing!"
WOW: Congratulations Barbara! We are
very proud of you, and we adore your writing!
That's awesome!
To find out more about Barbara, visit her
"randomly updated blog" at www.myspace.com/bshinewrites,
and check out her book, The Pen is
Mightier Than the Broom, at www.iuniverse.com
----------
Marcia Peterson:
We can't feel any prouder than when one of
our own team members makes it in the
publishing world. And WOW's columnist, Marcia
Peterson, has done just that. Recently,
Marcia won two awards! She won First Place in
Byline
Magazine's Contest, as well as First
Place in the monthly SouthWest
Writers Contest! Congrats Marcia!
Marcia is WOW's Blog
Mistress, as well as a
columnist for Premium-Green.
She writes the "Get Writing, Mamas!" column
for PG, which is dynamite!
----------
Patricia Fry:
WOW! Alumni Member, Patricia
Fry, has a new ebook out for authors! The
Author's Repair Kit: Heal Your Publishing
Mistakes and Breathe New Life Into Your
Book is now available for the low price
of $5.95.
The Author's Repair Kit is designed to
give
your faltering or failing book a swift kick
in the pants. It shows you how to heal your
publishing mistakes. It helps you to breathe
new life into your book. What's the secret?
Patricia Fry's one and only post-publication
book proposal process. Study this 27-page
ebook, apply the suggested tips and
techniques and just watch your book sales
soar.
----------
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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WOW!'s Website Find of the Month
Our friends at Eco-Libris
sent us an announcement for the upcoming
Earth Day (April 22)! And at WOW! we
love all things green and friendly.
Kedzie Press (www.kedziepress.com),
a green independent publisher, launched in
partnership with Eco-Libris the Kedzie
Million Tree-A-Thon, a new green initiative
that aims to plant a million trees for a
million books to be sold by Kedzie Press by
the end of 2009. Starting April 2008, all
titles published by Kedzie Press will appear
with the Eco-Libris logo, signifying that one
tree has been planted with the purchase of
that book.
All titles printed by Kedzie Press are
printed on 100% post-consumer waste recycled
paper (FSC certified), and processed chlorine
free. This means that by pledging to plant
one tree for every book sold, Kedzie Press is
maximizing the positive impact it already has
on the environment.
The first title in Million Tree-A-Thon, 'The
Green Parent: A Kid-Friendly Guide to
Earth-Friendly Living' by Jenn Savedge, is
now available!
We thought that you WOW! readers would
be interested in this new press, not only for
their ultra-green-friendly initiatives, but
also for their need for submissions from
writers:
"Please send us your short stories and essays
for publication consideration on our "Shorts
& Essays" page (fiction or non-fiction) to:
submissions@kedziepress.com
"
Visit their website for full submission
guidelines.
FIND OUT MORE>>
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In Closing:
We hope that this issue has provided you with
solid advice on various freelance topics. We
encourage you to reach for your goals and to
achieve your freelance dreams. Each one of
you has your own unique set of skills to
bring to the world of publishing. And at
WOW!, we will continue to create
opportunities for freelancers to shine in every
way possible. Please contact us, we are
always seeking submissions from freelancers
just like you. And always remember the spirit
of Rosie... together, we can do it!
Truly Yours,
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