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W R I T I N G W O R L D
A World of Writing Information - For Writers Around the World
http://www.writing-world.com
Issue 5:03 15,100 subscribers February 3, 2005
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SPECIAL NOTICE: Please DO NOT REPLY to this e-mail; any messages
sent to the listbox address are deleted. See the bottom of this
newsletter for information on how to subscribe, unsubscribe, or
contact the editors.
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CONTENTS
=================================================================
From the Editor's Desk
News from the World of Writing
FEATURE: The Art of Assembling Anthologies,
by Brenda Warneka and Arlene Uslander
The Write Sites -- Online Resources for Writers
WRITING DESK: Was it wrong to sell my published story to
an anthology? by Moira Allen
WRITER TO WRITER - Bloggers speak out, by Peggy Tibbetts
WHAT'S NEW at Writing World
MARKET ROUNDUP/Writing Contests
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FROM THE EDITOR'S DESK
=================================================================
An Early Valentine...
---------------------
I'm celebrating Valentine's Day a bit early, with the news that
the Writing World newsletter has now topped 15,000 subscribers!
Woo-hoo! That's a lot of people who love to write!
Valentine's Day also marks the fourth anniversary of Writing-
World.com. I must have a thing about launching new websites in
February, as my "TimeTravel-Britain.com" site is nearing -- well,
I won't say "completion," but at least "viability." I hope to
make its launch official by the first week of March.
I'm also overwhelmed by the outpouring of responses to my call
for a "sucker" -- despite the my glowing description of the job
(mind-numbing, low-paying), I've received nearly 100 applications
so far. The job, by the way, HAS been filled.
Finally, I'm delighted to announce the debut of Peggy Tibbetts'
new "Writer to Writer" column, which launches in this issue with
a discussion of Blogs.
But the real Valentine's message goes to all of you. YOU are
what make this site possible -- and YOU are what make it
worthwhile! I don't say it often enough: Thank you, all of
you, for your support and encouragement! Happy Valentine's Day!
-- Moira Allen, Editor
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NEWS FROM THE WORLD OF WRITING
=================================================================
Penwomanship survey
-------------------
Penwomanship, the magazine of women's creative writing, art and
photography, is conducting a survey that poses the question: If
an American woman of historical note were to be given a national
holiday, whom should that woman be? This survey will be ongoing
until the end of this year. A running tally will be posted on the
web site, with final results tallied in February 2006. Once an
overall favorite woman candidate is chosen, Penwomanship will
sponsor efforts to promote a first-ever national woman's holiday
for the chosen woman's birthday. To take the survey, go to:
http://www.penwomanship.com/poll.htm
New national book awards program
--------------------------------
On January 25, Reed Business Information, parent of Publishers
Weekly, Library Journal, and Variety, among others) and the NBC
Universal Television Stations have joined forces to launch The
Quill Awards, a new national book award that honors excellence in
book publishing and includes consumers in the voting process.
Designed to inspire reading while promoting literacy, the Quills
will honor winners in more than 15 different categories,
including Book of the Year, Rookie of the Year, and Lifetime
Achievement. The first Quill Awards will be presented in October
2005, during a ceremony that will be carried on the 14 stations
owned and operated by NBC Universal. Nominations for the award in
each category will be made beginning in May by a panel of
booksellers, librarians and others. Consumers will be able to
vote for the winners in fall 2005. The awards carry no cash
prize. The Quill Awards event will benefit a newly created
not-for-profit, The Quills Literacy Foundation. For more
information: http://www.wnbc.com/quills/index.html
The Book Standard features Nielson BookScan
-------------------------------------------
On January 27, The Book Standard -- a new online, book-industry
trade publication -- made its debut with an exclusive Nielson
BookScan analysis, which revealed that the top 200 bestselling
books of 2004 sold a combined total of 73.5 million copies, or
10.8% of the total 677.9 million books sold during the year.
Among those 200 titles were 10 that exceeded a million copies
each, 22 that sold between a million and 500,000 units and 101
that sold between half a million and 200,000 copies. The
remaining 67 titles sold between 200,000 and 155,000 copies. In
other words, books that sold fewer than 155,000 copies made up
89% of the total sales tracked by BookScan. According to Jerome
Kramer, editor-in-chief and managing director, US Literary Group
for VNU, The Book Standard will use the Nielsen BookScan chart
data to give professionals in the book industry a "whole
different way of looking at the book industry." For more
information: http://www.thebookstandard.com
High school students don't embrace First Amendment
--------------------------------------------------
One in three US high school students say the press ought to be
more restricted, and even more say the government should approve
newspaper stories before readers see them, according to a survey
released on January 30. The survey of 112,003 students finds that
36% believe newspapers should get "government approval" of
stories before publishing; 51% say they should be able to publish
freely; 13% have no opinion. Asked whether the press enjoys "too
much freedom," not enough or about the right amount, 32% say "too
much," and 37% say it has the right amount. Ten percent say it
has too little. The survey of First Amendment rights was
commissioned by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and
conducted in spring 2004, by the University of Connecticut. It
also questioned 327 principals and 7,889 teachers. For more
information: http://www.knightfdn.org
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THE ART OF ASSEMBLING ANTHOLOGIES
=================================================================
by Brenda Warneka and Arlene Uslander
At a time when the world is increasingly complicated and
frightening, readers seem to be looking for alternatives to the
sex and violence so prevalent in what is frequently offered to
the public as "entertainment" today. One of these alternatives is
the inspirational anthology, which is typically a collection of
short, true-to-life stories that carry the reader into a more
comforting, nostalgic or spiritual world.
The proliferation of inspirational anthologies in bookstores
attests to the popularity that this genre has achieved in recent
years. The Chicken Soup, Cup of Comfort, and Chocolate for a
Woman's Soul series are only a few examples. These easy to pick
up and put down collections fill a need in our fast-paced society
for many people who only have time to enjoy a "quick read", but
they are also favorites of many other readers.
The growing market for anthologies has opened up new
opportunities for publishers, editors, and writers. The writers
always receive compensation of one kind or another; if not money,
at least recognition and building up of credentials.
Five years ago, we decided to put our experience as writers and
editors to work on an anthology that turned out to be an
exciting, but very challenging, endeavor. Challenging, because we
had no specific guidelines to go by; we learned as we went.
However, now, as the co-editors of an anthology published by
iUniverse in December 2003, "The Simple Touch of Fate", we would
like to share with you what we have learned about compiling and
editing such a collection.
Choosing a theme for your anthology
-----------------------------------
Choose a theme for your anthology by researching the anthologies
already on the market. A logical starting point is your local
library. Not only will this give you an opportunity to check out
and read some anthologies, but you can review Books in Print for
a comprehensive listing of anthologies that have been published
to date. For a look at the latest anthologies, visit the large
book stores in your area. And, of course, your most valuable tool
may be the Internet: Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and major search
engines, such as Google, Yahoo, and Ask Jeeves.
Once you are familiar with what is on the market, it is time to
put your creative energies to work to come up with your theme.
The three anthologies that we first mentioned above are intended
in some way to give the reader renewed faith in humankind. The
titles presage the theme inherent in the stories by evoking warm
feelings of family and home -- the soothing smell and taste of
chicken soup prepared by a loving mother, the sharing of a cup of
hot tea with a dear friend, the feelings of well-being engendered
by the rich taste of chocolate.
Perhaps you have a special interest or hobby that can be the
focus of an anthology, such as history, sports, or travel. Our
own anthology, "The Simple Touch of Fate", came about because one
of the co-editors, Arlene, who is a professional editor, edited a
manuscript that told the story of a young man whose life was
saved due to his sister's premonition. This story made Arlene
think about a fateful event where her own life was saved, and led
to the idea of an anthology involving fate.
Going it alone or with a partner?
---------------------------------
Decide whether you prefer to work on your anthology project by
yourself, or with a partner. Maybe you are the type of person who
likes to have total control and has the time to do all the
necessary work on your own, such as calling for submissions,
reviewing the stories you receive, contacting agents and
publishers, and one of the most time-consuming tasks of all,
editing and proofreading the stories you choose for your
collection.
On the other hand, as we found out, it can be more emotionally
satisfying to share the workload, the frustrations, and the
successes with another person.
Which comes first -- the publisher or the anthology?
----------------------------------------------------
Unless you are a well-known author or have a track record, such
as the Chicken Soup series or spin-offs, you will need to prepare
at least a proposal and sample stories, and possibly a complete
manuscript, to get the attention of an agent or publisher. Of
course, if you are self-publishing, this is not an issue.
Who will write the stories?
---------------------------
Are you going to write the stories, edit the stories written by
contributors, or a combination of both? For the most part, in
"The Simple Touch of Fate", we used stories by other writers, but
we also wrote stories based upon our own experiences and "as told
to" us.
How and where to solicit submissions
------------------------------------
We found the best way to solicit submissions is through writers'
newsletters and web sites on the Internet. The newsletters
allowed us to post our calls for submissions at a nominal, or
even no, charge. We also actively pursued stories by word of
mouth, and by following up on current news stories that had a
fate theme, either to reprint them or to interview the
principals, and then write our own stories. We interviewed Jacob
Herbst from Israel, who missed American Airlines Flight 11 from
Boston on 9/11, and Larry Hicks, who saved the life of NASCAR
celebrity Jack Roush, and they were happy to cooperate with us in
presenting their stories in our book.
Keeping track of your contributors
----------------------------------
E-mail addresses change, so be sure your contributors give you
their home and work addresses and telephone numbers, and
additionally, a back-up contact, in case you have problems
finding them. Emphatically remind contributors to advise you if
any of their contact information changes.
Provisions to include in the contract with the contributors
-----------------------------------------------------------
Among other things, you must decide what story rights you will
ask for, and what payment you will offer to contributors. We are
aware of payment by the best selling anthologies of as much as
$300 or more; others run contests for stories; new anthologies
may pay with a copy of the book and a bio, which is an accepted
practice. Many fine writers are willing to allow a one-time use
of their work simply because they are interested in the theme of
the book. New writers may be seeking the writing credentials
provided by having a story in print.
There may be other money-making opportunities for contributors
even if the anthology is nonpaying; e.g., the sale of reprint
rights, speaking engagements, or other writing assignments as a
result of the exposure.
We required our contributors to represent in writing that their
stories were true and that they had the right to offer them to us
for publication without violating contract or copyright laws. We
also required that they give us the right to edit their work and
change the title. You should consult with an attorney about your
contract once you have determined the basics to be included. He
or she may have additional suggestions, such as adding a choice
of state law and forum selection clause to the contract.
Putting together the anthology
------------------------------
If you are representing your stories as true, you must decide
whether you will fact check the stories, or take the author's
word for it. In our case, we did as much fact checking as we
found to be reasonably possible, such as dates and places. We
lost some stories in the process! The Internet is a valuable
resource for fact finding, and also for editing. Reference
librarians on the web answer difficult editorial questions free
of charge.
Trouble areas to look out for
-----------------------------
Many anthologies include some reprints of stories that have
appeared elsewhere, as does ours. Be sure that you get permission
from the owner of the copyright, in writing, to reprint the
story, and that they understand exactly the use to which it will
be put. Some of these sources require that the publisher (not the
editor) seek permission for reprinting the item, and may require
payment, sometimes based upon the number of books you publish.
Be aware that owners zealously guard their trademarks and
copyrights. In our case, we contacted the trademark owner for
permission to use the name of a well-known game in one of our
stories. We were told that we could use it with certain changes
to the story, which we decided not to make because these changes
would have taken away from the effectiveness of the story. We
solved the problem by having the author use a generic term
instead of the trademark name for the game.
Different legal standards apply to invasion of privacy issues for
private individuals as opposed to those in the public eye; and
you need to be particularly wary when dealing with a private
person, even though public personalities can still have their
privacy invaded.
The Internet is a valuable source of information on these issues.
However, if you cannot resolve them on your own, consult with an
attorney.
Conclusion
----------
Assembling an anthology is hard work, but it can also be very
rewarding work. We had the good fate to receive stories from all
over the world from people in various walks of life, as they told
about their personal brushes with fate. And, we were fortunate to
have become Internet friends with many of the contributors to our
book. We are looking forward to a sequel.
>>-----------------------------------------------------<<
Arlene Uslander and Brenda Warneka are co-editors of "The Simple
Touch of Fate". Uslander is the author of 14 non-fiction books
and is an award-winning journalist. Warneka is a practicing
attorney who writes on legal topics, travel, and human interest.
They each wrote several stories for the anthology. Visit their
web site at: http://www.thefatesite.com
Copyright (c) 2005 by Arlene Uslander and Brenda Warneka
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*****************************************************************
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THE WRITE SITES
=================================================================
Writers Roundtable
------------------
Internet radio talk show for writers. Listen live or click on
archives and listen to publishers, agents, marketing experts, and
authors.
http://www.writersroundtable.com/writersroundtable/
Bloggernity
-----------
Blogger search directory. Search or list your blog plus forums
and hosting service.
http://www.bloggernity.com
2004 Popular Blog Topics
------------------------
Looking for a theme for your blog? Check out what the blogosphere
was buzzing about last year.
http://www.writenews.com/2005/010705_blog_trends_2004.htm
2004 Popular Yahoo Search Terms
-------------------------------
Looking for new topics to write about in 2005? Check out last
year's most popular Yahoo searches.
http://snipurl.com/cgr6
Dictionary of Occupational Titles
---------------------------------
Hundreds of job descriptions which can help you give your
characters interesting jobs.
http://www.wave.net/upg/immigration/dot_index.html
Electronic Publishing Fact and Fiction
--------------------------------------
A discussion of electronic rights brought to you by the American
Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA).
http://www.asja.org/pubtips/ewrongs.php
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THE WRITING DESK
=================================================================
by Moira Allen
Was It Wrong To Sell My Published Story To An Anthology?
--------------------------------------------------------
Q: I recently sold a story to an anthology. The anthology asks
for non-exclusive rights. I don't think it mentioned "first" or
"reprint" rights, and I'm fairly certain this series accepts
previously published stories. A magazine bought this story three
years ago. I don't have a copy of the contract; I don't remember
if I signed one and didn't keep a copy, as I didn't know much
about such matters at the time. I don't remember the terms of the
sale. I've tried to contact the magazine to find out what rights
they have to the story, but they won't respond. According to
their guidelines, they purchase world rights, so I feel pretty
confident that's what they hold. So what should I do now? Is
there any chance the mistake will never get caught? Wouldn't the
anthology publisher have checked somewhere to see if the rights
were available? What is the worse that can happen to me if it
does get revealed? What sort of legal issues are involved?
A: First of all, let's look at the situation from the magazine's
perspective. Years ago, they published a story of yours --
something that they will most likely never use again. They may or
may not have purchased world rights to that story; you don't
know. The editor you worked with probably isn't there, and
probably wouldn't remember you (or your story). The editor who is
there now doesn't remember you or your story. So the magazine
isn't likely to bring up this issue unless it is brought to their
attention.
You don't mention which anthology this is, but unless it is
something as well-known as a Chicken Soup anthology, chances are
that it will have fairly limited distribution. What are the odds
of anyone at the magazine (a) reading the anthology, (b)
recognizing a story in that anthology as one they published years
ago, (c) being interested enough to dig up the paperwork and find
out whether you have a contract with them, and (d) deciding to
take action against you?
VERY very slim indeed.
Magazines do not, as a general rule, go around suing authors
without an extremely good reason. Why? Because it costs a lot of
money! Note that this is not a COPYRIGHT infringement issue -- at
best (or worst), it might be a breach of contract IF, in fact,
you have a contract with that publisher (and you're not sure if
you do). People (and publishers) don't file suit unless they have
something to gain. The magazine has nothing to gain from suing
you, even if they DID decide that you had violated your agreement
with them.
Consider your side: In submitting the story to the anthology, you
acted in good faith. While you remembered selling the story to
the magazine, the anthology asked for nonexclusive rights, which
you believed that you possessed. You do not have a contract on
file and do not remember actually signing a contract. You were
not aware that the magazine purchased world rights, or whether it
in fact purchased world rights at the time that you sold the
article, or whether it purchased world rights to YOUR article.
You have no contract to that effect in your file, and so, IN GOOD
FAITH (that's a pretty important legal term), you believed you
were authorized to sell the story to the anthology.
Another important point in your story is this: You have made a
"reasonable" effort to determine whether the magazine has any
OBJECTION to your use of the material, and you have received no
response. Since you have sent them several communications and
they have not informed you that you do not have the right to
resell the story, you can take that as an indication that the
magazine does not, in fact, have any such objection. That is, you
have given the magazine ample opportunity to object, and the
magazine has not chosen to do so. This, too, helps put you "in
the clear" with respect to rights.
Regarding whether the anthology could "check" -- no, they could
not. When you submit something to a publisher, the publisher
holds YOU responsible for affirming that you do, in fact, own the
rights that you are licensing to that publisher. You may in fact
find such terminology in your current contract. Most contracts
include language that states that the author does in fact own the
rights that he or she is selling. There is no "central contract
record office" where people can "check" on the rights to a piece.
It boils down, again, to this: You believed, in good faith, that
you had the right to submit the article to the anthology, and at
this time you have no evidence to indicate otherwise. Even if,
however, you were mistaken and did in fact sign over world rights
to the magazine, at this time the magazine would have no good
reason to make any trouble for you. They would obtain no benefit.
The best thing you can do at this point is STOP WORRYING. What's
done is done. Your story is in the anthology, and it would be
more trouble than it's worth to try to remove it. What you have
learned from the whole thing is to save your contracts and be
aware, from now on, of what you are signing and what rights you
retain to your published material. From here, just move on!
>>-----------------------------------------------------<<
Moira Allen has been writing and editing professionally for more
than 20 years. A columnist for The Writer, she is also the author
of "Starting Your Career as a Freelance Writer", "The Writer's
Guide to Queries, Pitches and Proposals" (now available as an
e-book) and "Writing.com: Creative Internet Strategies to
Advance Your Writing Career". For more details, visit:
http://www.writing-world.com/moira/moira.shtml
Copyright (c) 2005 by Moira Allen
*****************************************************************
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WRITER TO WRITER
*****************************************************************
by Peggy Tibbetts (peggyt"at"siltnet.net)
Bloggers speak out
------------------
In the last issue I asked: Why do you blog -- or read blogs? If
not, why not? I received a total of 27 responses, which is
terrific! Thanks to all of you who took the time to send me your
opinions. Three of the respondents asked what a blog is. And, of
the 24 respondents who do know what a blog is, they were split
down the middle -- 12 pro and 12 con. Interesting! I was
surprised to see writersâ opinions about blogs come out so
polarized. Because the responses were so evenly split, Iâve
included an equal number of positive and negative samples.
Ten of the 12 who responded in favor of blogs and blogging are
bloggers. They blog to drive traffic to their web sites, but they
are also searching for a connection to other writers, as
expressed in the following comments:
"I'm an author and I blog daily for several reasons. First, I
wanted an excuse for readers to keep returning to my web site.
Secondly, my blog helps me network with all kinds of other
authors. This is a lonely business and through my blog, I've
gotten to "know" hundreds of other authors, and we can exchange
ideas, commiserate, just shoot the breeze or even promote our
books." - K. Gillespie
"I find that reading some of my favorite blogs for a few minutes
each day makes me feel not quite so alone. I write my blog for
much the same reason. I guess you could say it fills the
occasional void. I tend to read bloggers who write personal blogs
as opposed to political ones." - K. Rex
"I now have over 10,000 subscribers, and I adore answering the
questions that people post. They come from all over the world.
And it meets one of my goals -- to get people writing and
sharing." - C. Franz
J. Butler uses blogging as a way to get the creative juices
flowing:
"Blogging is a great warm up exercise for me. Usually, I write
one entry a day. But it's important to note that just because I
write it doesn't mean that it gets posted on my blog. Sometimes
it just sits in my folder for days. Regardless though, it
accomplishes the purpose of warming up the writing muscles and
giving my brain time to prepare for the upcoming strains."
And T. Hamilton touched on the benefits of giving your blog a
theme:
"I blog as an adjunct to my copywriting self-marketing. It helps
drive traffic to my website, not tons of it, but then again, I'm
averaging one entry a month! That's the kicker about blogging,
making the time for it."
Many respondents admitted that blogging takes time, but W.T.
Whalin offered this time management tip:
"I believe experienced and beginning writers can learn a great
deal from blogging. Does it take time? Yes, but I'm determined to
control the time -- limit it to say 30 minutes a day and also I
limit the amount of time that I spend reading other. I've got all
of the blogs that I read on a single page on MyYahoo. Then at a
glance I can see if the blogger has updated their blog, the
headline topic, etc. It's a huge time saver for me. I've been
blogging for about a month -- and have had over 1,000 views of my
blog."
Only 3 of the 12 who wrote to criticize blogs and blogging are
bloggers. Some of disadvantages they pointed out include, not
enough exposure, nasty comments, and a concern that writings
posted on their blog might be considered previously published
material, as expressed by these disillusioned bloggers:
"I used to think blogging was the new thing, and I was very into
it about a year or so ago. I really thought that having a blog
would get me more exposure and help with my writing. I have tried
reading some other blogs, and only a couple of them seem worth
the time. I also feel it's just a glorified chat room." - G.
Parker
"I have a blog, but honestly don't think anyone reads it.
Comments are enabled, but the two I got were so nasty I deleted
them. To be honest, I really don't see the point in having one,
and I don't really have the time. I know one thing, whatever I
post on there had better not be so personal and identifiable that
people know who I'm talking about." - J. Madigan
"I have a blog. The time consideration is an important one. I
suspect I will not be keeping up the blog for very long for that
reason. I will do an entry a week for awhile, and think about it.
One of the limitations of it for a writer, is that if you post
pieces of stuff you've written, it might be considered a first
publishing." - B. Kamstra
Some writers felt that their time is better spent on writing and
marketing to increase their incomes, as these non-bloggers
stated:
"No, I do not blog nor do I read blogs. If I thought I had time
to do either, I would rather spend the time marketing, editing,
and/or writing sellable material! I predict that blogs will be
just one more flash-in-the-pan Internet trend." - W. Shiel
"I'd rather wait and publish a polished article than clog the Net
with whatever nonsense spills out of my brain. I don't read blogs
because I already have too many things to read and haven't met a
blog that I wanted to keep up with." - S. Lick
N. Barraclough echoed the frustration of many with blogs that
lack any theme or focus:
"They are time-consuming hobbies for an ever-increasing number of
self-absorbed Internet nerds. You don't walk past everyone in the
street wondering if they like their boss, what their favorite
band is and how they take their coffee, do you? So who cares
about all these things for some person you've never even met!"
While I've always felt that "themed" blogs tend to draw more
readers than "self-expression" blogs, there's no real evidence of
that from your responses. Writers do feel, and there's plenty of
evidence, that blogging is way to ease the isolation of our
profession. Blogging is definitely a hot topic, as well as
controversial. And there's no doubt that both of those aspects
will continue into the foreseeable future.
Writers' blogs
--------------
The Writing Life
http://terrywhalin.blogspot.com
Southern Comfort
http://www.livejournal.com/users/karin61/
Every Day is a Winding Road
http://www.geekygurl.blogspot.com
Orange County Hairball
http://ochairball.blogspot.com
The Darkness of My Mind
http://www.livejournal.com/users/deathwalk/
Out of the Blog, Into the Light
http://abundance.blogs.com
Writermustwrite
http://writermustwrite.blogspot.com
Copywriter "at" Large
http://www.copywriter-at-large.blogspot.com
>>-----------------------------------------------------<<
Peggy Tibbetts answers your questions about writing for children
in her monthly column, Advice from a Caterpillar:
http://www.writing-world.com/caterpillar/index.shtml
Visit her web site at: http://www.peggytibbetts.net
Copyright (c) 2005 by Peggy Tibbetts
*****************************************************************
WHAT'S NEW AT WRITING-WORLD.COM
=================================================================
FEBRUARY COLUMNS:
-----------------
Advice from a Caterpillar, by Peggy Tibbetts
Finding Children's E-book Publishers; Gross vs. Net Royalties;
Nondisclosure Agreements
http://www.writing-world.com/caterpillar/cat49.shtml
Ask the Book Doctor! By Bobbie Christmas
Chicago Style, Finding a Publisher for a Self-Published Novel,
Using Trade Names
http://www.writing-world.com/columns/book/book04.shtml
Imagination's Edge, by Paula Fleming
Look before You Write: Applying the Lessons of the Visual Arts
http://www.writing-world.com/sf/edge20.shtml
The Screening Room, by Laura Brennan
Where Do I Start?; Compensation for an Option
http://www.writing-world.com/columns/screen/screen17.shtml
ARTICLES:
---------
Taking Advantage of Amazon's Marketing Programs,
by Niki Behrikis Shanahan
http://www.writing-world.com/promotion/amazon.shtml
*****************************************************************
FIND 1700 MARKETS FOR YOUR WRITING! Writing-World.com's market
guides offer DETAILED listings of over 1700 markets, with contact
information, pay rates, needs and more. Fourteen themed guides
are available for $2.50 apiece or $25 for the set. For details,
see http://www.writing-world.com/bookstore/index.shtml
*****************************************************************
MARKET ROUNDUP
=================================================================
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: NURSING TALES ANTHOLOGY
Meadowbrook Press, 5451 Smetana Drive, Minnetonka, MN 55343
EMAIL: christine"at"meadowbrookpress.com
URL: http://www.meadowbrookpress.com
Wanted: Short, funny, true stories about breastfeeding for an
upcoming anthology to be published in book form by Meadowbrook
Press.
DEADLINE: March 1, 2005
LENGTH: 1,250 words or less
PAYMENT: 100 words or less: $50; 101-250 words: $75; 251-500
words: $100; 501-1,250 words: $200
RIGHTS: Non-exclusive worldwide rights in all languages. Author
retains copyright to story.
REPRINTS: Yes
SUBMISSIONS: Stories must be submitted electronically with
subject line: Nursing Tales. May be typed in the body of an email
or sent as an attached MS Word document.
>>-----------------------------------------------------<<
CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE MOTHER'S OF PRESCHOOLERS SOUL
Maria Nickless, Editor
2833 Monterey Avenue, Costa Mesa, CA 92626
EMAIL: preschoolmomsoul"at"comcast.net
URL: http://www.chickensoup.com
We invite you to contribute a true story, article, or anecdote
that will bring comfort, laughter and inspiration, and express a
new language of love to those who shape young lives with their
hands, hearts and souls.
Chapters and Topics will include: Making A Difference - stories
about the significance that mothering matters. Small
Accomplishments - stories to bring peace and balance in the midst
of daily chaos. Pigtails and Froglegs: Learning a New Language of
Love: stories that teach us that love comes in all shapes and
sizes. Friendship: Mommy Play Dates - stories about encouragement
from friends, family and other moms. Time Out! - stories about
being understood, needing a break and sharing the load. It's My
Time - stories about putting yourself first for a change Sharing
Mommy - stories about sibling rivalry & revelry. Building Blocks:
Perspective and Hope - stories on overcoming obstacles, regaining
focus and hope. Growing Up - stories about change, growing up and
empty nest as they go off to school for the first time. Tiny Bits
of Wisdom - stories and anecdotes on things moms have learned
from their little ones.
DEADLINE: April 29, 2005
LENGTH: 1,000 words or less
PAYMENT: Stories: $200; Poems: $50
RIGHTS: Anthology rights
REPRINTS: Yes
SUBMISSIONS: Email and online submissions are strongly preferred.
GUIDELINES: http://www.chickensoup.com (Click on "Story
Guidelines")
>>-----------------------------------------------------<<
AEON MAGAZINE
Marti McKenna, Bridget McKenna, Co-Editors
Aeon Speculative Fiction, 202 North 39th Street, Seattle, WA
98103
EMAIL: editors_at_aeonmagazine.com
URL: http://www.aeonmagazine.com
Aeon publishes speculative fiction of all kinds: science fiction,
fantasy, dark fantasy, horror, magic realism, and everything in
between. Our guidelines are simple: your story needs to be
speculative in nature, and it needs to kick our (collective) ass.
LENGTH: 7,500 words or less
PAYMENT: 3 cents/word
REPRINTS: No
RIGHTS: First world serial rights
SUBMISSIONS: By mail only
GUIDELINES: http://www.aeonmagazine.com/writersguidelines.html
>>-----------------------------------------------------<<
Please send Market News to: peggyt"at"siltnet.net
"FNASR": First North American Serial Rights, "SASE":
self-addressed, stamped envelope, "GL": guidelines. If you have
questions about rights, please see "Rights: What They Mean and
Why They're Important"
http://www.writing-world.com/rights/rights.shtml
*****************************************************************
WRITING CONTESTS
=================================================================
This section lists contests that charge no entry fees. For more
contests, check our online contests section.
http://www.writing-world.com/contests/index.shtml
>>-----------------------------------------------------<<
Flashquake Flash Fiction Contest
DEADLINE: February 15, 2005
GENRE: Flash fiction
OPEN TO: All
LENGTH: 500 words or less
THEME: To compete in this contest, you will need to give us a
500-word tale set in an alternate reality. Whatever reality you
choose.
PRIZES: 1st Prize: $100; 2nd Prize: $75; 3rd Prize: $50;
Honorable Mention Prizes: 4 prizes of $20 each
ELECTRONIC ENTRY: Yes
EMAIL: myworld"at"flashquake.org
URL: http://www.flashquake.org/contest.html
>>-----------------------------------------------------<<
Faux Faulkner and Imitation Hemingway Contests
DEADLINE: March 1, 2005
GENRE: Humorous parody
OPEN TO: All
LENGTH: 500 words or less
THEME: William Faulkner and Ernest Hemingway knew just how to
write a clean, well-lighted sentence or a paragraph full of sound
and fury and it seems that there are plenty of other folks who
do, too. And they proved themselves by submitting entries to
Hemispheres' renowned literary parody contests, the Faux Faulkner
and Imitation Hemingway competitions. Write and keep writing
until you have the words, the good words, the words that make
the judges laugh.
PRIZES: Prize for Imitation Hemingway: Free trip for two to
Italy. Prize for Faux Faulkner: Free trip to Memphis for the
Faulkner Conference.
ELECTRONIC ENTRY: Yes
ADDRESSES: Faux Faulkner: Yoknapatawpha Press, PO Box 248,
Oxford, MS 38655, Fax: 662-234-0909
Imitation Hemingway: Hemispheres, 1301 Carolina Street,
Greensboro, NC 27401, Fax: 336-378-8265
EMAIL: Faux Faulkner: faulkner"at"watervalley.net
Imitation Hemingway: Hemingway"at"paceco.com
URL: http://www.hemispheresmagazine.com/home.htm (Click on
"Contests" link for more information)
>>-----------------------------------------------------<<
Paterson Prize for Books for Young People
DEADLINE: March 15, 2005
GENRE: Poetry book
OPEN TO: Books for young people published in 2004
LENGTH: No word length requirements
THEME: One book will be selected in each category: Pre-K-Grade 3;
Grades 4-6; Grades 7-12. Each book submitted must be accompanied
by an application form, which can be printed from the web site.
PRIZES: $500 Award in each category
ELECTRONIC ENTRY: No
ADDRESS: Maria Maziotti Gillan, Executive Director, Poetry
Center, Pasaic County Community College, One College Boulevard,
Paterson, NJ 07505-1179
URL: http://www.pccc.cc.nj.us/poetry/Prize/index.html
>>-----------------------------------------------------<<
Sunpiper Press Essay Contest
DEADLINE: March 15, 2005
GENRE: Essay
OPEN TO: Students in grades 9-12 and undergraduate college levels
LENGTH: 1,000-1,300 words
THEME: As Jon Stewart stated to William & Mary's 2004
commencement ceremony, "Let's talk about the real world for a
moment. I don't really know to put this, so I'll be blunt. We
broke it. I don't know if you've been following the news lately,
but it just kinda got away from us. But here's the good news. YOU
fix this thing, you're the next greatest generation, people."
This is not a forum for political bashing, however, it is a forum
for political ideas. What Sunpiper Press wants to know is, "Upon
what do YOU, the next greatest generation, think and want to
direct your attention?"
PRIZE: $500
ELECTRONIC ENTRY: Yes
ADDRESS: Sunpiper Press, 400 Denson Road, Hayden, Alabama 35079
EMAIL: essays"at"sunpiperpress.com
URL: http://sunpiperpress.com/contest.html
*****************************************************************
2000 ONLINE RESOURCES FOR WRITERS -- links for every kind of
writer! Still only $5.
THE WRITER'S GUIDE TO QUERIES, PITCHES AND PROPOSALS - available
as an e-book! Find out how to write the perfect query, book
proposal, novel synopsis, column proposal, or grant application.
Only $8.95 (save $5 from the print edition.)
To order, visit http://www.writing-world.com/bookstore/index.shtml
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New Listings on THE AUTHOR'S BOOKSHELF:
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Many Faces to Many Places, by Judy LeBlanc
Find these and more great books at
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Advertise your own book on Writing-World.com:
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on how to reach 50,000 writers a month with your product, service
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WRITER'S SUCCESS: 300+ Online Guidelines, Local Writer's Groups,
Contests, Writer of the Month, and more! Subscribe at
nickyswriting"at"comcast.net with "subscribe" in subject line.
http://writerssuccess.netfirms.com/
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EXPAND YOUR NETWORK--DEVELOP YOUR SKILLS--NURTURE YOUR CREATIVE
LIFE. Attend the National Association of Women Writers 4th Annual
Writer's Conference! Visit our website and register soon!
Conference Information: http://www.naww.org/generic109.html
Membership Information: http://www.naww.org/generic1.html
Free Weekly E-zine: http://www.naww.org/homepage.html
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SPAWN (Small Publishers, Artists and Writers Network) is
launching local networking Chapters. Check with us to find a
Chapter near you. Contact us if you'd like to start one.
Patricia"at"spawn.org. Subscribe to newsletter http://www.spawn.org
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WRITERS: FIND MARKETS EASILY - Worldwide Freelance has a NEW
fully-searchable Markets Database. Discover writing markets from
North America, Europe, Australasia and other places. It's free,
so come and try it out here: http://www.worldwidefreelance.com
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tips, tricks and ideas for selling what you write. FREE ebook,
83 WAYS TO MAKE MONEY WRITING when you subscribe. Email to
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PUBLISH AND PROFIT FROM YOUR BOOK OR EBOOK: Learn how to write
and sell your book idea online. Join others from around the world
who are making a good living selling their book or ebook online.
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Writing World is a publication of Writing-World.com
http://www.writing-world.com
Editor/Publisher: MOIRA ALLEN (writing-world"at"cox.net)
Managing Editor (Newsletter): PEGGY TIBBETTS (peggyt"at"siltnet.net)
Copyright 2005 Moira Allen
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