Announcements

FREE Article-Writing Course Orientation taught by 35-year veteran writer and author, Patricia Fry. Learn how to establish an article-writing career. Promote your nonfiction book through magazine articles. First lesson of this 6-week online article-writing course FREE—no obligation to sign up. For more information: http://www.matilijapress.com/course_magarticles.htm. Click here Questions? PLFry620@yahoo.com
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Want to get a FREE Writer’s Relief letter opener to keep you motivated as you receive responses from agents and editors? If so, post one of our fun writer’s badges on your Web site! For more details, visit http://www.WritersReliefBlog.com/page/badges.aspx.Click here
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Reliable editing, proofreading, and translation services. Discounts for Writers. Send your texts for a free quote at spanisheditingservices@gmail.com. Visit us at: www.spanisheditingservicesnyc.com Click here
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Subscribe to SPAWN’s FREE enewsletter, SPAWNews and receive a FREE ebook, 25 Ways to Promote Yourself Whether You’re an Artist, Author or Small Publisher. SPAWN is Small Publishers, Artists and Writers Network. http://www.spawn.org. Click here
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Sarky Arts www.Sarkyarts.com Click here an internet relay chat server and a branch of www.BentMindProductions.com has opened chat rooms for artists. It is a free server, and open haven for artists to discuss their work, and make connections. We have rooms assigned for musicians, writers, and artists. If you enjoy open meetings with authors and book publishers, we hold live interviews periodically so you can ask advice on publishing and writing. In the near future we will be doing the same for recording artists. Previous interviews http://www.exodusnight.com/forum/ Click here

We are easy to connect to and FREE, just go to www.SarkyArts.com and click the java link. The java chat will bring you to a room called ExodusNightOOC which is our out of character chat room for our medieval fantasy game on the server. We sometimes just chat there too, if the server is slow.
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Rebecca Williamson, former managing editor of Hampton Roads Publishing, Inc., invites writers to check out her website at www.beckthebibliophile.com.Click here
“I offer a full line of services to writers,” says Williamson. Services include
• Manuscript evaluation
• Copyediting
• Content editing: Copyediting plus detailed review of structure and content
• ESL editing
• Book doctoring
• Submissions and marketing material
“I have worked with authors who have many published books to their credit, but there is a special place in my heart for the first-time author,” says Williamson.
“Among the hundred-plus authors I have worked with are Neale Donald Walsh (this author’s Conversations with God occupied the New York Times Bestseller List for more than two and one-half years), T. J. MacGregor (she won the Edgar Award in 2002), and Roseanne Farano (popular lecturer and author of The Dove in Downward Flight and For the Sake of the Children).”

Writing Announcements

FREE Article-Writing Course Orientation taught by 35-year veteran writer and author, Patricia Fry. Learn how to establish an article-writing career. Promote your nonfiction book through magazine articles. First lesson of this 6-week online article-writing course FREE—no obligation to sign up. For more information: http://www.matilijapress.com/course_magarticles.htm.
Click here
Questions? PLFry620@yahoo.com

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Want to get a FREE Writer’s Relief letter opener to keep you motivated as you receive responses from agents and editors? If so, post one of our fun writer’s badges on your Web site! For more details, visit http://www.WritersReliefBlog.com/page/badges.aspx.
Click here

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Reliable editing, proofreading, and translation services. Discounts for Writers. Send your texts for a free quote at spanisheditingservices@gmail.com. Visit us at: www.spanisheditingservicesnyc.com
Click here

******************************************

Subscribe to SPAWN’s FREE enewsletter, SPAWNews and receive a FREE ebook, 25 Ways to Promote Yourself Whether You’re an Artist, Author or Small Publisher. SPAWN is Small Publishers, Artists and Writers Network. http://www.spawn.org.
Click here

******************************************
Sarky Arts www.Sarkyarts.com an internet relay chat server and a branch of www.BentMindProductions.com has opened chat rooms for artists. It is a free server, and open haven for artists to discuss their work, and make connections. We have rooms assigned for musicians, writers, and artists. If you enjoy open meetings with authors and book publishers, we hold live interviews periodically so you can ask advice on publishing and writing. In the near future we will be doing the same for recording artists. Previous interviews http://www.exodusnight.com/forum/ Click here

We are easy to connect to and FREE, just go to www.SarkyArts.com Click here and click the java link. The java chat will bring you to a room called ExodusNightOOC which is our out of character chat room for our medieval fantasy game on the server. We sometimes just chat there too, if the server is slow.

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Rebecca Williamson, former managing editor of Hampton Roads Publishing, Inc., invites writers to check out her website at www.beckthebibliophile.com.
Click here

“I offer a full line of services to writers,” says Williamson.

Services include:

· Manuscript evaluation
· Copyediting
· Content editing: Copyediting plus detailed review of structure and content
· ESL editing
· Book doctoring
· Submissions and marketing material

“I have worked with authors who have many published books to their credit, but there is a special place in my heart for the first-time author,” says Williamson.
“Among the hundred-plus authors I have worked with are Neale Donald Walsh (this author’s Conversations with God occupied the New York Times Bestseller List for more than two and one-half years), T. J. MacGregor (she won the Edgar Award in 2002), and Roseanne Farano (popular lecturer and author of The Dove in Downward Flight and For the Sake of the Children ).”

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Thanks to Sarah Jensen and Her New "Give a Girl a Pen"

Sarah,

Thanks for reprinting my 10 Commandments to Writing Success. Good luck with your new site!

http://giveagirlapen.com/
Click here

Thanks to Gwyn Ramsey for this Plug!

Ramsey's News Corner: On Writing

My New Friends: WOW - Women on Writing

I'm proud and honored to announce my new affiliation with WOW - Women on Writing:

http://wow-womenonwriting.com/
Click here

Mentioned on Lydia Dishman's Blog Today!

Writers' Challenge
By Lydia Dishman
http://lbdcommunications.blogspot.com/2009/03/writers-challenge.html
Click here

I've had it.

Every time I start reading a story, the lede has some rehash about the economy, usually to the (droning) tune of this is bad, that is worse and this...just fuggedaboudit. Blah. Blah. Lazy. And really blah.

We get it. The economy sucks. And during this time that media outlets of all stripes are desperately trying to reinvent themselves, we writers shouldn't be getting lazy and treating our readers as if they just emerged from under a rock, pale and blinking into the strong light of reality.

As hyper-connected as most readers are, we need to go the extra mile to be creative and offer a turn of phrase, a tidbit of information, a truly absorbing story that will get their attention and keep them reading.

Oh, and did I mention this will improve your professional standing as a producer of quality content? Well it will.

If you are stuck for inspiration/better words/more information, here are some things to try:

-Read a book - preferably unrelated to the assignment at hand. For instance, if you are writing about food, go read something about building bridges. It will offer you a new menu of words and phrases for articulating your story.

- Attend a poetry or prose reading - again, unrelated to the assignment. Poetry is particularly good for journalists because a poem is a bit of non-fiction, a personal story, or occurrence that is viewed with a fresh perspective through use of language. The best poets can convey the mundane in an extraordinary way. If there are no readings near you, go to versedaily.org for a new dose of inspiration each morning.

- Make sure you have something to convey to your reader. As my prolific writer friend Mike Geffner says on his blog, "I'm not sure I believe in...writer's block. I do believe in people wanting so badly to be writers, but really have little, if nothing to say." You don't have to be an expert on your topic, just make sure you find several to interview. They'll have plenty to discuss.

- Take a walk. Clear out the mental cobwebs by looking around at things that are more than an arm's length away from your face. While you are out, collect words to describe what you see. Take a notebook if you think you might forget. Just words, not sentences. Then try to place at least two of those words in your assignment.

I'm sure you have some of your own. Please share them with us by dropping a comment in the box below.

A Free Way to Make Your Writing Announcements!

Click here

Announments!

Announcements
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Enter the third annual Writing Show First-Chapter-of-a-Novel Contest! First prize $1000. Late deadline June 20, 2008. Details at http://www.writingshow.com.
Click here

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The Author’s Repair Kit is a NEW ebook designed to help you breathe new life into your faltering or failing book. Use Patricia Fry’s post-publication book proposal system and heal your publishing mistakes. The Author's Repair Kit, only 27 pages: $5.95. http://www.matilijapress.com/author_repairkit.html.
Click here

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Call for Submissions at Cowboy Logic Press

• Short stories between 2500 and 5000 words on “Uncommon Sense”
Select a favorite quote and expand to a story:
Example: “Can’t see the forest for the trees.”
• Flash fiction using humor on “A funny thing happened on the way to the rodeo”
See details in the Submission forum at the following links:
http://www.cowboylogic.net/CLPforum/
Click here
Free registration required.

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The 2008 Hollywood Book Festival is set for July 11-12 at the Grove at Farmer’s Market in conjunction with Barnes & Noble. The festival spotlights books for the film/television communities. More information at http://www.hollywoodbookfestival.com
Click here

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The 2008 New York Book Festival will be held June 27-28 in Central Park. Author readings/signings, children’s activities, vendors, food, music, with awards at the famed Algonquin Hotel. More information at http://www.newyorkbookfestival.com
Click here