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Scribe & Quill ~ July 2004

Vol. 2 Issue 5

ISSN: 1098-6375

Section 1 of 2 Sections

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MASTHEAD:

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* Editor/Publisher

Bev Walton-Porter <editor@scribequill.com>

* Assistant Editor / Advertising Manager

Mindy Phillips Lawrence <mplcreative1@aol.com>

*Contributing Editor

J.M.Cornwell <jcornwell@peoplepc.com>

* Humor Editor

Donna "Kai" Wilson <kai@spirit-tome.com>

* Poetry Editor

Bev Walton-Porter <editor@scribequill.com>

* Nonfiction Columnist

Joyce Faulkner <katieseyes@aol.com>

* Humor Columnist

Sharon Wren <swren1@msn.com>

* Video Game Reviewer

Jonathan Porter <editor@scribequill.com>

* Mascots:

-- Isis, the Feline Freelancer

<isis@scribequill.com >

-- Popeye the Editing Wonder Dog

<popeye@scribequill.com>

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TABLE OF CONTENTS:

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~Editor's Note

~Announcements

~Reader Praise!

~Scribe & Quill Patrons

~Featured Author:

Tackling Dread – An Excerpt from "The Procrastinator's Handbook"

By Rita Emmett (Rita@RitaEmmett.com)

~Featured Article:

Using Private Guides – A Writer's Eye

By Joyce Faulkner (katieseyes@aol.com)

~Featured Article:

(And What the Heck is Copyleft?)

Third Article in a Series

By Jill E. Vaile (jill@jilleliz.com)

~Quotables

~Scribes of Note -- Virtual Quills

~Featured Article:

Writers' Books to Digest this Summer

By Mindy Phillips Lawrence (mplcreative1@aol.com)

~Featured Article:

What Do You Mean You Don't Want My Masterpiece?

By Dawn Whitmire (Dwhitmire0@cs.com)

~Reader Spotlight: Susan Stephenson

~Call for Submissions

~Contests

~Conferences/Workshops

~Poem:

--"Coming of Age" by Susan Lovejoy (skelly6110@cfl.rr.com)

~Featured Article:

Just Do It: A Pep Talk for Writers

By Alyice Edrich (dabblingmum@yahoo.com))

~Book Reviews

--"Outrageous Detour" by Lindy Anne Nisbit

--"If Looks Could Kill" by Ruthe Furie

--"The Maude Reed Tale" by Norah Lofts

--"Lessons from a Lifetime of Writing: A Novelist Looks at His Craft" by David Morrell

~Scribe & Quill Professional Writing Courses

~Writer's Wit:

Steve's Laws of Writing

By Steve Lazarowitz (steve@dream-sequence.net)

~The Last Word: Recommended Links for Writers

~Contact and submission information

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NOTE FROM THE EDITOR:

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Dear Gentle Readers,

Welcome to the July issue of Scribe & Quill. We have quite a bit of content to offer you this month, so I'm going to keep this short (I can hear the collective sighs already!)

Author Rita Emmett has graciously offered up excerpts from her best-selling book, "The Procrastinator's Handbook," and this month we launch with the first excerpt. Future issues of Scribe & Quill will continue with other excerpts of valuable advice for writers who might struggle with procrastination on occasion (or those of us who struggle with it often!).

In addition to Rita's excerpt, we have a fantastic offering of other articles, reviews and poetry for you to choose from. So sit back, kick off your shoes and plunge into yet another issue chock-full of information and entertainment for writers of all experience levels.

Until next time, keep writing!

Bev Walton~Porter, Editor

editor@scribequill.com

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Mindy Lawrence, Asst. Editor/Advertising Manager

mplcreative1@aol.com

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ANNOUNCEMENTS:

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WRITE ALL NIGHT – July 21 – August 1, 2004

Write All Night (http://www.livejournal.com/community/write_all_night) is the community for the Write All Night 24-hour writing challenge that we hold every month. Each month, beginning on a Saturday morning and going through Sunday morning, writers, poets and other interested parties meet to see how much they can write for 24 hours. The only breaks are for short meals, snacks and bathroom runs. We boost each other's morale and check in regularly using the community list. Otherwise, it's a writing fest that challenges endurance and persistence. The next Write All Night will be held July 31 - August 1. Like to join us? Sign up for our community or e-mail writeallnight@aol.com for more information.

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VOTE!

Please rate this E-zine at the Cumuli E-zine Finder

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AOL Users Click Here</a>

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PARTICIPATE!

Share new markets and/or jobs with other writers, find out the latest updates to the Scribe & Quill site, announce your newest success or swap information and advice with other writers at the new Activeboard on our site! http://www.activeboard.com/forum.spark?forumID=25937

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MAKE YOUR VOICE COUNT!

Vote in our monthly writers' poll. We'll publish the results of each poll on the site, as well as your comments!

http://scribequill.com/Poll.html

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COMMUNITY JOURNAL!

Scribe & Quill also has a journaling community on Live Journal: http://www.livejournal.com/~scribequill Come express your innermost thoughts/feelings about being a writer in this community diary -- stream of consciousness and personal journal entries relating to the ups/downs/sideways of the writing life are welcomed! This community is exclusively for the right-brained, abstract side of Scribe & Quillers!

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READER SUPPORT FOR SCRIBE & QUILL

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We have the BEST readers on the planet! It's because of your encouragement that we continue to publish our zine for writers. We believe in your writing goals and we are there to support you every step of the way. Thanks, in turn, for lending us support as well!

Here's what readers are saying about Scribe & Quill:

"I love Scribe & Quill. It's the best-written writing zine out there with the most interesting content."

--Karin Gillespie, author of "Bet Your Bottom Dollar" (Simon and Schuster)

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"Thank you for responding so quickly. I have always enjoyed your magazine and think you and Mindy are doing an outstanding job!"

--Sue Kelly

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"I have thoroughly enjoyed Scribe & Quill. In my humble opinion, I think it is one of the best writer resources available."

--Ann Melrose

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PARTNER WITH SCRIBE & QUILL

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Developing and distributing a regular publication, either online or in print, requires time and incurs costs such as Web hosting, domain fees, program renewals and operating costs.

We are glad to deliver S & Q to our readers at no charge, but we appreciate any contributions made to show support for this endeavor. Become a patron of Scribe & Quill and help support the continued publication of this 'zine. When you become a patron, we will list your name on our Web site and run a short personal profile of you in our zine as our thanks to you for your support.

Contributions may be made in these ways:

* Using the online payment service Paypal.com, click on this link:

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go to Pay Pal directly (http://www.paypal.com)

and send contribution to editor@scribequill.com

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Thank you for reading our magazine, and for your continued support.

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Get Markets. Get Published. Get Paid. Get Writer Online

http://www.writeronline.us

Home to "Hot Off the Press," the original daily e-mail of markets

and jobs for writers, Writer Online also has a free newsletter

with more markets, contests and articles than anywhere else online.

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FEATURED AUTHOR:

Tackling Dread – An Excerpt from "The Procrastinator's Handbook"

By Rita Emmett (Rita@RitaEmmett.com)

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Many writers hit the wall known as writer's block. Others know what they need to do, but they tend to procrastinate even though doing what they should be doing – writing – would lead them to the goals they have in mind. What causes some writers to procrastinate, then?

Rita Emmett, author of "The Procrastinator's Handbook," has agreed to share her wisdom on how to break procrastination with excerpts from chapters of her book. These excerpts, exclusive to S & Q readers, are meant to help you move forward, procrastinate less and be more productive than you ever thought you could be!

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Chapter One

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Tackling the Dread

Emmett's Law: The dread of doing a task uses up more time and energy than doing the task itself.

How much energy and emotion have you spent agonizing or feeling guilty about putting off something, only to discover that once you finally get started, the job takes just a short time?

In one of my Conquer Procrastination seminars, a participant named David who was a sales manager supervising 58 sales representatives, told this story: He had purchased hundreds of dollars worth of framed wall prints with motivational quotations to decorate the sales offices in the new corporate headquarters. Five months after the move, the walls of David's division were still bare, the framed prints were still in the storage closets and David kept putting off hanging them because he didn't have a whole day to devote to "decorating the office."

He didn't want to entrust the job to the maintenance men or anyone else because he was positive they would not hang the prints in the proper spots and moving them would leave holes in the walls. Finally he grew tired of all the comments and complaints about the naked walls so David decided to put aside some time after lunch each day and see what he could accomplish. When he finished, his whole office area looked marvelous, everyone loved the beauty and spirit of the prints, and David was shocked to realize the whole job -- which he had put off for almost half a year -- had been incredibly easy and had taken only 47 minutes to complete.

Dreaders often have absolutely no idea how long it takes to do whatever job they've been dreading. Are you living in chaos because you're putting off a 13-minute job? You may be living an extremely busy life, but do you realize it takes less than two minutes to hang up your clothes or toss them in the clothes hamper?

Are you constantly shuffling through your desk because it is piled high with paper? You probably spend more time shuffling each day than it would take you to sort through it once-and-for-all -- filing, processing, tossing out or recycling.

You may procrastinate because you don't want to devote a whole weekend to cleaning the basement or garage, or a whole afternoon to writing that marketing letter. You don't get around to doing these things because you think you never have enough time. The first step is to realize that the job probably won't take the entire weekend or afternoon or however much time you think it will.

The next step involves the use of a plain old ordinary kitchen timer. You may not have a whole weekend to spend on a certain task, but you may be able to find one hour. (Of course, some really great procrastinators can take so many "breaks" that a one-hour project is still unfinished three months later.) So, set the timer for 60 minutes and devote one uninterrupted hour to the project. No coffee breaks. No phone calls. If you don't have voice mail and you must answer the phone, put some urgency in your voice and tell them you can't talk now but you'll call them back in 27 minutes.

One of three things will happen:

1. You'll finish the job and be amazed at how little time it took. In the future, if you start dreading a similar task, remind yourself that "it takes only 32 minutes" or however long it actually took.

2. You'll discover it is such an enormous project that it will take many more hours, but you've made a small dent in it. Decide when to spend another hour on this job. Will you set the timer again once a day? Once a week? Will it be sporadic? Now at least you have a plan and you've already accomplished something. For today, you are finished and you no longer are haunted by The Dread.

3. At the hour's end you're not finished, but you now see the light at the end of tunnel.

This is the most likely scenario. Once you've gained momentum, you won't want to stop. You may actually enjoy pushing ahead to complete the project.

Regardless of how much you do in an hour, you will learn one of the most important lessons in conquering procrastination: what you dread most isn't spending time and energy on the whole job, but simply getting started. By focusing entirely and only on your task while the timer is ticking, you'll be able to eliminate your dread.

**NOTE: The next installment will be published in the August issue of Scribe & Quill.

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BIO:

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Rita Emmett is a professional speaker who presents keynotes and seminars nationwide. She can be reached at 847-699-9950 and her e-mail is Rita@RitaEmmett.com. To subscribe to her free monthly Anticrastination Tip sheet with quick short tips and ideas to help break the procrastination habit, go to the first page of her Web site at http://www.RitaEmmett.com

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We'll help you polish and perfect your manuscript!

Scribe & Quill's editing team is comprised of five editors

with a total of 80 years' worth of combined experience. We offer upfront quotes, individual attention and NO hidden fees -– ever!

http://www.scribequill.com/EditingServices.html

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Sell Writing Online Newsletter -- An interactive newsletter for writers. Now reaching over 2,200 writers worldwide. Discover Writers Markets, Writing/Marketing Articles, other Writing related news and more. Plus you get the opportunity to promote your Web site/Book in the following issue for Free. Sign up at:

http://www.sellwritingonline.com/

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FEATURED ARTICLE:

Using Private Guides – A Writer's Eye

By Joyce Faulkner (katieseyes@aol.com)

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Travel can be an important resource for writers. Stories and articles gathered through personal visits to famous places are more vivid than those discovered through other research methods. One thing I learned on safari in Africa back in 1999 was that while group tours can be fun, not everyone shares the same interests.

I had long wanted to see Olduvai Gorge, which is an archeological site in northern Tanzania not far from the Serengeti. However, our traveling companions were unimpressed with anthropology in general and Olduvai Gorge in particular. Eager to get to the next stop for lunch, they pushed the guides to cut short this part of the trip. Opting to satisfy the needs of the majority over mine, we were hustled back to the bus and on to the next hotel. Needless to say, I was disappointed and furious.

Since then, I have made it a point to hire private guides when traveling to places that are apt to be once in a lifetime events. The cost isn't that much more than a group tour and the quality of the experience is far more appropriate for the needs of a writer.

For example, to get an overview of the three days of fighting that took place in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, I found it helpful to hire a ranger to ride with us in my car. For a relatively small fee, he spent a couple of hours driving us around the battlefield describing what happened where and answering my questions. Our time together was both informative and analytical. It's hard to imagine a guide being able to philosophize about military strategy on that level had we been with a larger group.

In Poland, we found a private English-speaking guide to take us through Auschwitz. Frankly, I can't imagine any other way to experience the memorial. What happened there is stunning in its simplicity, complex in its technical execution and heart-breakingly profound. Our guide took us to rooms filled with the hair of people who had been gassed 60 years before, explained what we were seeing and then stepped back and allowed us to absorb the ghastly reality of it. He told us stories passed on to him by survivors from his own family. He answered my many questions with respectful patience. When I needed to cry, he bowed his head and waited until I found my wits again.

While traveling through Arizona, I found a tour company willing to provide our three-person party with a single guide. We bounced through the desert in a four-wheel drive stopping whenever any of us had a question. Our personal wrangler lectured us on the desert flora and fauna, allowed us to pan for garnets and showed us how to shoot potatoes out of a PVC pipe. He taught us about the different kinds of cactus, showing us how to get rid of the spines and get to the sweet mellony flesh. From time to time, he urged us to adjust our hats, take a drink of bottled water and slather ourselves with another layer of sun block. While he explained survival techniques we realized that, without him, we city slickers wouldn't be able to survive in that harsh environment.

In Korea, I hired a private guide for two days. His fee included his time, a van and the fuel required to visit the sites I had requested and more. He allowed me maximum flexibility to see the things that I wanted to see while offering me options on things he thought I needed to see. He introduced us and translated for us. He read signs and explained customs. He ordered our food at restaurants and took us to the best places to get good photographs. At Haensa where the writings of Buddha have been stored on wood blocks in a temple high on a hillside, he shared with us the technical sophistication and the religious significance of the compound. My understanding and appreciation of that beautiful place would have been severely limited without him.

International travel agencies can put you in touch with English speaking guides for foreigners. Although you can often find private tours through the information departments at Memorials, National Parks and Museums, I find it pays to call ahead and make reservations. Phone numbers can be found in tourist guidebooks, travel agencies and travel Web sites. I found my Korean guide through his Web site -- which I found through Google.

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Is your Muse bored and not up to par of late?

Do you feel that your Muse is letting you down?

Perhaps it is not your Muse at fault!

When was the last time you gave your Muse something?

Click here to find out just what your Muse would like:

http://www.rr-email.com/cgi-bin/tr.cgi?k=wordcraft:1:0

We've got a FREE GIFT just for stopping by!

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FEATURED ARTICLE:

Writers' Books to Digest This Summer

By Mindy Phillips Lawrence (mplcreative1@aol.com)

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The tickets are in your hand. Your bags are packed. Kiss work goodbye for a few weeks and hit the beach, explore a new city, go cycling.

If that sounds like a lovely vacation, here's something that will be even better when you return, and perhaps a way to pay for your trip. Pack some Writer's Digest books in your luggage to read as you sit on the beach. Learn to write about that new city you visit or describe a great place to cycle that you want to share with the public. Get home and write an article or two or a story based on what you've experienced and send those pieces out for publication. You might surprise yourself at your writing prowess after studying these selections. Here are four books that will help you succeed with your goals:

"Breathing Life into Your Characters"

by Rachel Ballon, Ph.D.

Writer's Digest Books

ISBN: 1-58297-181-1

Writers are internal actors switching from one character to another. Storytellers much constantly put themselves in another person's mindset. Rachel Ballon's book on exploring the emotional and psychological depth of characters teaches writers to create a person that expresses the writer's various voices and has an inner soul that reaches the reader.

Ballon suggests that writers should free their repressed memories to create character. She discusses developing the character's backstory. By creating a deep well for the character to draw from, physically, emotionally and spiritually, writers can make their books come alive.

Some of the chapters in this book deal with the psychology of characters, the defense mechanisms characters use in conflict situations, dysfunctional families and their impact and characters who exhibit personality disorders.

Author Rachel Ballon is both a consultant and psychotherapist. She has firsthand knowledge of how psychology shapes human beings and how to manifest those qualities in writing.

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"Mastering Point of View"

by Sherri Szeman

Writer's Digest Books

ISBN: 1-884910-52-1

Sherri Szeman is the author of "The Kommandant's Mistress." In "Mastering Point of View: How to Control Point of View to Create Conflict, Depth and Suspense," she discusses what point of view is and what it is not. She takes time probing unlimited, first-person, inner limited, second-person, outer limited, combo and multiple points of view. At the end of each chapter, Szeman provides exercises to strengthen the writer's knowledge and skill in writing. They illustrate the different points of view using examples from writers like James Joyce, Virginia Woolf, Jorge Luis-Borges and many others.

Szeman has chapters devoted to developing individual voice in writing, integration of setting and dialogue with point of view and the proper way to handle erotic and violent scenes. "Mastering Point of View" can certainly warm up your summer and help solve one of the most difficult components of successful writing.

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"Poet's Market 2004"

Nancy Breen, Editor

Writer's Digest Books

ISBN 1-58297-187-0

You are sitting on the beach as the sun comes up. A cloud drifts across the sky and sea birds sing their song as they take flight. You get poetic.

There is no reason not to sit in the sand with your pen and compare the tranquility of that beach, say, with the beaches of Normandy during the D-Day invasion. A masterpiece springs forth from your pen. What to do with it?

Answer? The 2004 version of "Poet's Market."

"Poet's Market" is an icon in marketing creative work. It lists over 1,800 possible places to send your poetic work and gives directions on how to send your work off. There are many articles inside delivering information on writing chapbooks, promoting work and giving a detailed list of publishers. "Poet's Market" also has a resources section that discusses conferences and workshops, organizations, Web sites and poets in education (poets who work in schools).

"Poet's Market" can make your poetic life a beach.

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"Shooting and Selling Your Photos"

by Jim Zuckerman

Writer's Digest Books

ISBN: 1-58297-215-X

Whether digital is your thing or you pack canisters of the best film you can find to shoot those vacations photos, Jim Zuckerman's book, "Shooting and Selling Your Photos," can show you how to market your shots and help defray the cost of your vacation. He ponders the question of when it is time to turn pro with your photography.

Chapters include information on how to find saleable subjects, choosing a format for shooting, building your portfolio, putting together an Internet site, selling your work at art shows and to stock photo agencies.

The color photos inside are worth the price of the book. Zuckerman is an expert, having shot for Outdoor Photographer, Omni Magazine and Conde Nast Traveler. He takes you through the steps of photo submission and self-publication.

All of these books are winners. Whether you are looking for ways to improve your writing, publish your poetry or shoot fine photos for a particular market, these summer reads can get you there.

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Falling in love with a 500-year-old wizard is impossible...until Tess Montgomery does. So what's a mere mortal woman to do, especially since the love of her life is, well, immortal. "Indigo Spell" is Dawn Whitmire's current release and is available now from Triskelion Publishing. Buy it online at http://www.triskelionpublishing.com.

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FEATURED ARTICLE:

What Do You Mean You Don't Want My Masterpiece?

By Dawn Whitmire (Dwhitmire0@cs.com)

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You finished it. That 600-page work of excellence you've been laboring over for the past year has been completed and with a sigh of satisfaction, you sit back and relax. To you, the hard part is over. After all, how difficult can submitting to publishers be? You write out a short, concise cover letter, print out your manuscript and stuff it in the envelope. Any editor who knows his business is going to snap up your masterpiece within seconds. After all, it's the next "War and Peace" and will sell millions.

Days fade into weeks, weeks into months and just as you're about to grab the postman around the throat and demand he produce the letter he's been hiding from you for days, it comes. Your response is here. With eager fingers, you tear open the paper and scan the neatly printed words on the letter.

"Thank you for your submission. However, we do not feel your project works for us. We wish you the best of luck in placing it elsewhere."

Huh? You read the words again, not quite sure you understand what the publisher is saying. There has to be some mistake. How could they not like your work? It's unfathomable. Impossible. Downright ridiculous. But the words remain the same and you're devastated.

Welcome to the tough world of writing. Your manuscript has just been rejected. Did you read what I just said? Your manuscript has just been rejected. Not you. Your writing. This is important to remember when you're trying to gain a foothold in the door of publishing. I'll tell you something else that's important to remember: Your writing is going to get rejected. It's a fact of life. Does that mean you're not a good writer? Maybe, but more than likely it means your work simply doesn't work for the publisher you've submitted to at the time.

Rejection is a harsh reality, but it's also a good measuring tool. If you can withstand the rejection letters and persevere, one day, you'll join the ranks of the published authors. Rejection is a way to measure your belief in your own writing abilities. While I'd like to say it gets easier, I'd be lying. Currently, I have enough rejection letters to stretch from sea to shining sea, but had I given up after the first rejection, I never would have realized my dream. Neither will you if you let the pain and sorrow of that first rejection win.

Am I saying you shouldn't let it bother you? Absolutely not. Wallow for a few days if you must. Reach for the Ben and Jerry's ice cream and curl up in front of the tube. Smack a punching bag or a pillow. Yell. Scream -- just not at anyone you love. But then, once the grieving process has passed, park yourself in front of the computer, search for other publishers and resubmit your masterpiece. After all, if J.K. Rowling had stopped after her first or even last rejection, where would Harry Potter be?

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READER SPOTLIGHT:

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Each issue, we will spotlight readers of Scribe & Quill. We want to hear about what you're writing, how you can to be a writer, what your goals are and just about anything else you'd like to share with us! Want to be featured in Scribe & Quill? Just drop an e-mail to editor@scribequill.com with READER SPOTLIGHT in the subject line and we'll get back to you with the questions!

In this issue, we cast the reader spotlight on Susan Stephenson (sueles@bigpond.net.au) from Australia. Susan, thank you for being our guest!

SQ: How long have you been writing and when did you decide to be a writer?

Susan Stephenson: My day job used to be primary/elementary school teacher. I loved teaching drama, but I had trouble finding plays and skits for my kids to perform. So I spent many nights writing material for them based on their needs and interests. My conscious decision to become a writer, to give up my day job and concentrate my efforts on learning the craft of writing, happened in 2003 while I was teaching English in China.

SQ: What's your favorite genre and why? Do you write in this genre?

SS: My favourite genre is humour. (Please forgive my Australian spelling!) I believe that second after good poetry, humour is the most difficult genre to write and to succeed in actually tickling people's funny bones. But if we as writers can make someone smile, make someone laugh and look on the bright side of life, then my belief is we have genuinely made a difference in the world. I truly believe that many of the entrenched problems in the world, (e.g. religious fanaticism) are directly linked to taking oneself too seriously. Humour is one way of walking a mile in another's shoes and, consequently, of increasing tolerance and respect for others' opinions. I love to write in this genre and love learning about the craft of writing humour from some of the masters like Jerome K. Jerome, Erma Bombeck, P.G.Wodehouse, Bill Bryson and Dave Barry.

SQ: If you could be one author from any time in history, who would it be and why?

SS: I want to be ME and I want to be NOW! But published would be nice.

SQ: Who, or what, has influenced your writing the most? (authors, teachers, etc.)

SS: Writers who give their time, their expertise and their written material to wannabes like me have influenced me the most. Writers who send me helpful newsletters like Jenna Glatzer, Moira Allen, Angela Booth and Dan Case. Writers who make their advice available in free e-books like Holly Lisle and Peggy Tibbets. And writers like Bev Walton-Porter who, when I demurred about being eligible for this interview, said to me: "You don't have to be published to be a writer. Writers WRITE! :-)" These writers, by their wonderful generosity of spirit, have given me the support I need to keep striving.

SQ: What are your long-term goals as a writer?

SS: I would love to be able to say that my long-term goals are to be happy and healthy and to go on writing for the love of it. However, this would be a big, fat lie! I know that it's not a fashionable thing to say, but I very much want to be published and to be paid for my writing. For whatever reason, I seem to need this societal acknowledgement of my writing success. I have been paid for proofreading/editing in a locally published magazine but that wasn't enough. To sum up then, my long-term goals are to be a successful, published writer who can make a difference in the world by making people laugh. I'll do it, too!

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End of Section I

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Scribe & Quill ~ July 2004

Section II

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ISSN: 1098-6375

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What are the Dames up to now?

July's spotlighted Jewels of the Quill author is Sherry Derr-Wille (Dame Diamond). Sherry talks about her new release, "Birdsinger's Woman," the first in a time-travel romance series. This month Sherry is giving away the winner's choice of any of her available titles. For more information and to be to be eligible to win, visit our Web site.

Jewels of the Quill is celebrating its one-year anniversary! We're having a special mega-giveaway to culminate our success as a group. Only members of our Fans of Jewels of the Quill list will be eligible for prizes. For more information, join our newsletter by visiting the Jewels Web site, the newsletter page http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FansofJewelsoftheQuill/, or by sending a blank e-mail to FansofJewelsoftheQuill-subscribe@yahoogroups.com. Then check the message archives for the July newsletter, which contains details about the giveaway.

Find out what the Dames are up to at http://www.JewelsoftheQuill.com.

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CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS:

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December 2004: Living Voices Magazine: Preserving the Past and the Present for the Future.

J. M. Cornwell, prose editor and chief Webmaster for The Rose & Thorn (www.theroseandthornezine.com), is launching a new E-zine, Living Voices, a literary e-zine with an edge. Stories of the past, present and future, stories you can't forget and want always to remember. The little stories and moments that define history, stories that touch on big historical events or happen outside of written history that focus on a moment caught in time. Think about Emily in the graveyard in the play, Our Town. These are the voices that will be preserved in Living Voices Magazine.

Living Voices will accept submissions beginning August 1, 2004.

GUIDELINES: Someone once said that life is in the details, the moment-to-moment minutiae; that is what I want to see. Stories your grandparents, uncles, aunts and parents told you, the stories of their lives before, during and after wars, old letters, your stories and memories.

Submit your memoirs, fiction, nonfiction, retellings of stories of your past and your family's. Take those moments into the future or the past or onto other worlds as long as the character is the main focus.

NONFICTION: Essays, memoirs, family stories/histories, author interviews, and book reviews to 2,000 words.

FICTION: Maximum 3,500 words. No confessions. Genre fiction must be character driven.

POETRY: Any style up to 50 lines.

TIPS: Prose or poetry may be complex and literary but must contain a moment worth preserving, like an insect in amber. I want to see the stories of people and not the broader canvas of world events. Show me why I should, and why you do, care or remember that one moment.

Submissions may be sent to submissions@livingvoicesmagazine.com and must contain SUBMISSIONS and the type of submission (fiction, nonfiction, poetry, interview or review) in the subject line.

Living Voices is also looking for poetry, nonfiction and fiction editors. Send your background and qualifications to J. M. Cornwell at jmc@livingvoicesmagazine.com to be considered.

***

THE WRITER'S NETWORK NEWS

Marcy Simmons, Publisher/Editor

106 Fletcher Drive

Logansport, LA 71049

318-697-5649

E-mail: Madpublisher@aol.com Or MaMarcy5@cs.com

URGENT CALL FOR MANUSCRIPT SUBMISSIONS AND SUBSCRIBERS

The Writer's Network News is a new monthly tabloid for poets and writers of all genres. The first issue is filled with inspirational and motivational feature stories, information on markets and other items of interest to writers.

The first issue of TWNN is FREE -- we're sending it out to as many writers and writer's groups as possible, in order to publicize it and gain recognition in order to continue publishing. We encourage writers to subscribe because it is jam packed with valuable information that informs, teaches, inspires and motivates.

If you would like to introduce this publication to your writer's group, I can send as many copies as needed to the group leader (this month only) for free -- please send an address and contact name and number so I can get in touch with them regarding group size. I will include writer's guidelines, subscription forms and a sample copy for the entire group.

The next issue will be out in August, and if writers and writer's groups would like a copy at that time, they will have to subscribe for it.

New writers are encouraged to submit their articles on writing: My First Sale, Dealing with Writer's Block, Finding Ideas and other how-to's for writers.

Send your submissions via e-mail or by mail -- deadlines for each monthly submission is the 20th of each month. Dated material needs to be sent several months in advance to meet the deadline crunch!

WRITER'S GUIDELINES

NO FICTION ACCEPTED AT THIS TIME.

TWNN needs articles on every aspect of writing. If you'd like to write a regular column for TWNN, remember: deadline for each issue is the 20th of each month.

MARKETS FOR POETS AND WRITERS - up to 1,500 words. Market listings must be updated monthly, and new publications must be added periodically. All publications that have folded needs to be removed from the listing, with a brief note added: (THE WRITER'S FAMOUS has ceased publication). Or: (THE WRITERS FAMOUS has moved to 000 Foxtrot Trail, Nowhere, LA 00000.)

CONTEST NEWS FOR POETS AND WRITERS - up to 1,500 words. Listing must be updated monthly, and new contests added periodically. If a contest has been cancelled or rescheduled, it is the responsibility of the writer to inform our readers by posting it in the column, and informing the editor of the change so that it can be posted as a news item in TWNN.

NEWS FEATURES OF INTEREST TO POETS AND WRITERS - up to 1,500 words.

MY FIRST SALE pieces - up 500 words.

GUEST EDITORIALS FROM EDITORS - up to 1,500 words.

We are not limited to one market or contest listing per issue -- we encourage writers who are familiar with markets and contests to submit their articles -- if they overlap, we can cut and edit -- we'll let you know before print date.

A WRITER IS ONE WHO WRITES!

Subscription: $30 (12 issues)

Sample Copy: $3.00

ATTENTION: Writer's Groups - If you have 12 or more in your group, and they would like to subscribe, you can save $12 per person -- for groups of 12 or more, a subscription is only $18.00 per year per person. Please indicate below by adding your group's name, and enclosing a check or money order in the total amount for 12 or more subscribers.

SUBSCRIPTION FORM

Name

Writer's Group Name

Address

City/State/Zip

Phone/E-mail

Subscription Starts

Ends

How many subscriptions?

Amount Due $

Amount Enclosed $

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"Secrets of the Professional Freelancer" by veteran freelancer Bev Walton-Porter delivers the solid information you need to jump-start your writing career today. Bev has published hundreds of articles by using these methods and ideas -- now you can, too!

To purchase your copy, visit: http://scribequill.com/SecretsFreelancer.html

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CONTESTS

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Murder, Mystery, Madness, Magic, and Mayhem Anthology II Contest for Missouri and Midwest writers

For contest rules and guidelines go to: http://www.cavehollowpress.com/contest.html

Cash prizes awarded on acceptance.

Deadline is October 31, 2004.

Cave Hollow Press,

P.O. Drawer J,

Warrensburg, MO 64093

***

~**~ Scribe & Quill Contest and Book Giveaway ~**~

EXTENDED DEADLINE – July 31, 2004!

* What's it all about?

It's about a contest at Scribe & Quill.

Betsy DeJesu, publicist at Penguin Group (USA) Inc. for author Jeff Davis ("The Journey from the Center to the Page: Yoga Principles & Practices as Muse for Authentic Writing") has donated a copy of his new book to Scribe & Quill. The book release date is June 3, 2004.

* What's the book about?

"The Journey from the Center of the Page" shows writers how yoga can help them become better at their craft by using postures, breathing, and mindfulness techniques. The lessons teach writers how to reach out and discover their true writing style.

Even if you have never tried yoga, this book shows you how to overcome writer's block, deal with negative emotions, build compassion for your characters and write with a clear, truthful voice. The book inspires writers of all kinds.

* What do I have to do to win?

Send Scribe & Quill an introductory statement of no more than 350 words on "How I Jump-Start My Writing." The deadline for submission is July 31, 2004. Our editorial staff and contributing writers of Scribe & Quill are ineligible for the contest. That gives one of our readers a chance to win a REALLY good book. Send entries to editor@scribequill.com. Be sure to keep a copy for yourself.

* Who's the Judge?

Judging will be by the editorial staff of Scribe & Quill. Selections are final. We are not responsible for late, lost or misdirected e-mail entries.

Get those writing endorphins to kick in and send us your entry.

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

Pen & Pentacle's Magick & Mystery Writing Contest

http://www.penpentacle.com

Editor: Raven Athena Rowan (pen_pentacle@yahoo.com)

Deadline for submissions: September 1, 2004

Selected winners (first, second and third-place winners) will be featured in a special Pen & Pentacle Anthology to be published by October 31, 2004.

Attention pagan writers! Pen & Pentacle will celebrate Samhain 2004 with the release of the Magick & Mystery Anthology published in Adobe PDF e-format. Pagan writers/authors may submit nonfiction and/or personal essays for inclusion in the anthology.

Guidelines are as follows:

+ Entries must be of a non-fictional nature -– preferably a personal essay or commentary about your journey on the pagan path.

+ Entries should have a word count between 1,000 and 2,500 words maximum.

+ Entries should have a pagan and/or magickal slant to them. Examples of what we want include (but not limited to):

=Lessons you have learned while walking the Path.

=Your relationship to the Divine nature of the universe and how that translates/makes sense to you.

=How you came to be a pagan and how that decision affected your life.

=Specific outgrowths of relationships with patron deities.

=The process of coming out of the closet with your pagan beliefs and what it was like for you.

=Affinities and connections to certain divinatory techniques, such as scrying, tarot, runes, etc.

=Explanation and exploration of your favorite Sabbat/ritual.

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

Submission Guidelines:

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

1. Manuscripts will only be accepted via electronic means, preferably attached in Microsoft WORD, .rtf or straight .txt format.

2. Manuscripts must be double-spaced with the page number and author's name (or pseudonym) and e-mail address at the top of the first page.

3. Work submitted must be original and must not have been published elsewhere.

4. Please include an author bio of no more than 100 words with your submission.

5. Writers may enter only one entry per person or e-mail address and word count must not exceed the guidelines. Those entries exceeding the word count will be discarded.

6. Writers must be able to send/receive money via PayPal (http://www.paypal.com)

7. Pen & Pentacle asks for first-time print and electronic rights to publish your material in our anthology, through our newsletter and on our Web site. We ask that you wait until after publication of the anthology before submitting your entry elsewhere for consideration.

8. To cover associated operational and administrative contest costs, Pen & Pentacle requires a nominal $3 entry fee for each contest submission.

9. We are looking for a diverse assortment of entries, so we must receive at least 10 entries in order for the contest to be held. If we receive less than 10 entries, the contest will be cancelled, entry fees will be refunded (via Pay Pal) and the anthology will not be published.

10. Pen & Pentacle (and its staff members) is not responsible for late, misdirected or lost e-mail entries. PLEASE keep a copy of your entry. We will send confirmation of every entry we receive. If you do not receive a confirmation within a week of sending your entry, please notify us via e-mail to be SURE we received it.

11. Contest submissions should be sent to pen_pentacle@yahoo.com. Please put CONTEST ENTRY in the subject line of the e-mail message. Your entry fee should be sent at the same time you forward your entry to us. Send your $3 entry fee via PayPal to editor@penpentacle.com and be sure you put your name and the title of your entry (or entries) in a notation along with your PayPal payment.

12. Cash payment, certificates and publication will be awarded to the winners as follows:

1st Place –

- $40

- Publication in the Samhain issue of Pen & Pentacle

- Publication in the Magick & Mystery Anthology

- Grand Prize Winner's certificate

2nd Place –

- $30

- Publication in the Samhain issue of Pen & Pentacle

- Publication in the Magick & Mystery Anthology

- Runner-up Winner's certificate

3rd Place –

- $20

- Publication in the Samhain issue of Pen & Pentacle

- Publication in the Magick & Mystery Anthology

- Honorable Mention certificate

If you have any questions about the contest, feel free to e-mail pen_pentacle@yahoo.com

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FEATURED CONFERENCES/WORKSHOPS

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JULY:

Writers for Children announce Writing the Wave Conference for Saturday July 31 at The Library Center, 4653 S Campbell Ave, Springfield, MO. Our keynote speaker is Sue Bradford Edwards. Other speakers include: Riki Lipe, Terry Zahniser McDermid, Bonnie Hinman and Jane Hale. Cost is $20 which includes a catered lunch. Preregistration deadline is Saturday July 24, 2004. Make checks payable to: Writers for Children. Mail to: c/o

Connie Ferdon, PO Box 9007 Springfield, Missouri 65808. Contact

Connie.Ferdon@coxhealth.com for more information.

***

OCTOBER:

Oct 29 - 31, 2004

MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS BOOK FESTIVAL

Worlds Fair Pavilion - Forest Park, St. Louis MO

www.StLouisBookFestival.org

stlbookfest@hotmail.com

The St. Louis Publishers Association is teaming up with the St. Louis Department of Parks, Recreation and Forestry to host the very first St. Louis celebration of books and reading. This three-day event will be held in conjunction with the 100-year anniversary of the 1904 World's Fair in Forest Park's World's Fair Pavilion October 29, 30 and 31, 2004.

The celebration opens Friday evening with a ticketed Meet the Authors party hosted by the Parks Department. All pavilion

vendors are encouraged to attend this free, cocktail-like party and promote their books. A variety of St. Louis celebrities will be the guests of honor.

Saturday and Sunday are open to public, giving two full days of browsing and buying time. In addition there will be featured

authors, hayrides, contests for children and young adults, food and tons of family fun.

Nearby, just outside the World's Fair Pavilion, vendors will display and sell handcrafted items at the Arts & Crafts Fair.

Join The Fun!

***

NOVEMBER:

The Missouri Region of the SCBWI announces their fall conference

November 6, 2004 for writers and illustrators of children's literature. Speakers include Larry Rosler (editor/Boyds Mills Press), Tim Gillner (art director/Boyds Mills Press), Larry Dane Brimner (author), Leslie Wyatt (author), Jeanie Ransom (author) and Jeff Weigle (author/illustrator). The conference will be held in St. Peters, Missouri. For more information, contact suebe@brick.net.

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FEATURED POEM:

Coming of Age

By Susan Lovejoy (skelly6110@cfl.rr.com)

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His hands, once small, now cover hers

and gently stop the shaking.

The porcelain teacup softly rocks

against the steadfast saucer.

His arms, now strong, are wrapped around

her frail body as she walks.

He steadies her, his long legs braced,

prepared for all of their weight.

Her cotton duster skirts the floor

and catches on the old boards,

finding dust bunnies on the way

where they never lived before.

He eases her into the bed,

removes her knitted slippers.

While pulling up her hand-made quilt

he finds her stash of candy.

He laughs, for no admonishment

would ever make her feel guilt.

He sits beside her bed and holds

her transparent, tiny hand.

Her breathing softens, sound asleep,

she's relaxed in her repose.

He lays his head upon her hands

and quietly starts to weep.

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Don't embarrass yourself in print! Dr. Barbara Ardinger offers her editing service to writers who want fresh eyes to look at their work. Affordable rates. Click on http://www.barbaraardinger.com or e-mail bawriting@earthlink.net.

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FEATURED ARTICLE:

Just Do It: A Pep Talk for Writers

By Alyice Edrich (dabblingmum@yahoo.com)

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Okay, here is the low down on writing and making a career of it. You have to go through several rejection letters in order to get a "yes." And even when you receive a "yes," you still have to go through rejections before you get your next resounding, "YES."

Rejections hurt and sometimes they can suck the creativity right out from under you. But you have to remember that everyone receives a rejection letter at one time or another -- even the best authors in the world still receive rejection letters. The only way you will ever succeed is to write, edit, submit, wait and start all over again the next day, and the next day, and the next day.

If you really hate rejection slips and feel querying publications is a waste of both your time and your energy, get out of the writing business. Because truth-be-told, there is no way around it. Whether you bid on a writing project for a small or corporate

business or send a query letter to a small or large publication, you'll have to endure both rejections and the waiting game.

You'll have to wait to hear whether your article was accepted or rejected. You'll wait to hear if any edits need to be done. You'll wait to find out when your payment has been sent and you'll wait to hear when your article will be published.

The only way you (or I) will ever become the accomplished, well-respected authors we hope to be is by getting out there and "just doing it." And to help you psych yourself up for reaching freelance writer success, I've included the following "Just Do It" tips:

. When doubt creeps in as it often will, Just Do It!

. Make yourself a daily (or weekly) goal sheet and find someone to keep you accountable. Just Do It!

. Write one query letter a week. Just Do It!

. Tailor each of your query letters towards a minimum of five publications. Just Do It!

. Don't have postage stamps this week? Send your query

letter via e-mail. Just Do It!

. Write something every day. It doesn't matter if you're writing a goal sheet, a letter to an editor, a letter to a friend, an apology note, an entry in your journal, a sentence in hopes of turning it into an article or a paragraph for the book you're working on. Just Do It!

. Never give up. No matter how many rejection letters you receive, don't give up. It's at the moment you're ready to throw in the towel that a break with come through and some editor will want to publish your article. Just Do It!

. Turn rejections into learning lessons. Did you receive a rejection letter in the mail? Read between the lines. Is there anything useful that can be used to help better your writing? Was there an invitation to send another article idea? Take the time to write something this week. Just Do It!

. Take the hint. Find yourself receiving far too many rejection letters with notes about improving your quality of writing? Improve your craft of writing. Get yourself to a writing class, writer's conference or critique group today. Just Do It!

. Break writer's block. If you find yourself experiencing a major writer's block get out of the house. Find something fun and creative to do and don't forget to bring along a notepad and pen (in case something pops into your mind). Just Do It!

. Believe in yourself. Don't second-guess yourself, and don't wait until your query letter is 100 percent perfect. Just Do It!

No matter how many times you find yourself frustrated enough to walk away from your dream of becoming a successful freelance writer, remind yourself that every accomplished writer had to start at the bottom at one time or another. Then pull out your "Just Do It" tip sheet and give yourself a pep talk.

***

BIO:

***

Alyice Edrich is the author of several work from home e-books, and the editor-in-chief of a national publication for BUSY parents. Subscribe to her free e-newsletter at

http://thedabblingmum.com/joinezine.htm to win a free book!

Hire a professional freelance writer.

http://alyiceedrich.com

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BOOK REVIEWS

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RATING LEGEND:

**** Quills = Excellent

*** Quills = Good

** Quills = Fair

* Quills = Poor

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"Outrageous Detour" by Lindy Anne Nisbit

Reviewed by: Rita Porter (beepmybeep2@mchsi.com)

Publisher: Imprint Books

ISBN: 1591093651

Rating: * * * ½ Quills

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1591093651/scriquil/

Following her inner feelings, Lulu Glenn heads to Peru. During her flight, Lulu meets up with a number of people going to the same destination, including Hyacinth who becomes her roommate.

As the tour progresses, Lulu and Hy form a little circle of their own clique, with two other travelers, Sean and Bud. Following their inner voice, Lulu and Hy set out to explore on their own. They meet a native artist, Nardo, who has visions of their coming to Peru and has painted it. Ginny, who has visited before with a past romance with Nardo, soon joins in the group.

The explorations of this small group lead them to seeking out a cave and find an entrance to it. It also appears to catch the eye of the Ubaldo. His actions mark him as something he is not. Belinda and Mickey are kidnapped and forced to help him find Lulu, her friends and the cave entrance.

This is only the beginning for them. Brought together and completing the circle, strange things start happening to each of them. Their psychic powers are magnified. As the tour gets closer to the final destination of Machu Picchu, the group starts putting the pieces of the puzzle together and understands the reason why they have been brought together and to this place in time.

Lindy Anne Nisbet has written a book with a nice mix of main characters and supportive minor ones with in-depth insight for each character and his/her abilities to withstand individual challenges. The mix of the two flows smoothly from one to the next.

The reading isn't as fast paced as some. With minor details mixed in with the basics, the reader is brought into the center quickly and not left to wander too far off the story's main path. With an overtone of romance mixed with the psychic, this one reaches out to many different genres.

***

"If Looks Could Kill" by Ruthe Furie

Reviewed by: J.M. Cornwell (jcornwell@peoplepc.com)

Publisher: LTD Books

ISBN: 1553165632

Rating: * * * Quills

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1553165632/scriquil/

Frances Tremaine Kirk wakes to something thumping, plunging her into a panic, fearful her ex-husband Dick is drunk and about to beat her up again. Instead, she finds Horace, her dog, in the midst of a seizure, the result of being beaten while attempting to save Fran from her husband's fists. After calling the vet when Horace's seizure continues, Fran carries Horace to the car to have him seen, but she is attacked through the garage window by Dick, who comes after her with a spade, attacking her car and spraying glass and metal everywhere. Fran grabs her .45 and shoots at Dick and tries to get away, but a car blocks the end of the drive. Fearful and frantic, but determined, Fran drives through the yard and across the grass and straight to the local precinct.

Ruthe Furie begins Fran's story with an explosion of images and actions that cartwheels slowly and methodically through the death of her ex-husband, dealing with the after effects of mental and physical abuse, finding a job, eluding a stalker and a rush of events from robbery and murder to deception and more murder. "If Looks Could Kill" sprawls at time like a couch potato in front of a big screen TV on Super Sunday, but the story is too good to put down. Furie accurately and poignantly details the emotions and fears of a strong, no-nonsense woman dealing with the loss of identity inherent in an abused woman who second-guesses her emotions and interactions with people and yet remains true to her basic nature. There are echoes of Kinsey Milhone in Fran who works as an investigator for an insurance company, is very detailed and methodical, and even runs with a stuffed head and cold, but the resemblance stops there. Fran is more adventurous, less sure of herself and more involved with neighbors and friends.

"If Looks Could Kill" is a fascinating and believable look at abuse from the inside out, as well as an intriguing mystery that keeps the reader's interest throughout.

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RAIN SALE! For a limited time, signed copies of "First Saturday" are available for $20 plus $2 postage.

Join four women who share First Saturday meals and learn about life, love and friendship. After all, life can't be all bad when you have wonderful friends to share it with. http://www.rosemaryob.com

~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**

"The Maude Reed Tale" by Norah Lofts

Reviewed by: Sonali T. Sikchi (sonali_sikchi@hotmail.com)

Publisher: Thomas Nelson, Inc. (1971)

ISBN: 0840762488

Rating: * * * * Quills

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0840762488/scriquil/

"I do not want to be a lady. I want to be a wool merchant," shouted Maude Reed. But in 15th-century England, girls of good family were not allowed to become businesswomen. Instead they were often fostered at the great castles of the nobles, where they learned to become marriageable, i.e., they were taught needlework, lute playing and the manners and self-control required of ladies.

So off went eight-year-old Maude on her pony Brownie to Beauclaire Castle in Sussex. There she befriended the elegant Melusine, who was to become her confidant and teacher of reading and writing during her stay at the castle. She also met her uncle Godfrey, who, on behalf of her absent parents, gave her permission to ride with the boys and become literate. And the third person who was to have a lasting effect on her future was Henry Rancon, destined to become knight. The story follows Maude through her days at the castle, as she learned what she was sent to learn and all the other skills that she deemed necessary to achieve her dream.

Her uncle's precipitous marriage to a simpleton half his age and her twin brother Walter's visit confirming his chosen profession of wandering minstrel, suddenly made life at Beauclaire untenable. It was the right time for her to escape to Baildon. She returned to find her home and her dream under siege by an unscrupulous man. Through painstaking work and the lessons she learned at Beauclaire, she pulls Baildon back from the brink.

The gist of this tale is a girl who refuses to let go of her dream and who has the courage and the strength of her convictions to make it come true. As a heroine for young girls, she is unmatched. The trials and tribulations she tussled with are as relevant today as they were in the 15th century. Her level-headed approach to problems and setbacks, her well-honed instinct for discerning the right path for herself at every crossroads in life, her talent for setting up relationships with far-reaching advantages, her passion and commitment to her dream and her loyalty to those she loved are lessons we all need to learn.

And with such an engaging story, Norah Lofts makes it easy for us to absorb Maude's values. Romance, suspense and adventure are packed into this slim volume, all elegantly understated. Lofts's characters breathe life, warmth, and personality right from the moment they stroll onto the page. Lofts skillfully sets up the ordinary world of life at the end of the Middle Ages with selected telling details, thereby enabling the reader to seamlessly make the transition from present day to the 15th century.

This is a must-have book for home libraries of young girls.

~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**

One-stop shopping!

Need to finesse a book project before submission? Need a wordsmith to write professional innovative copy?

Seattle-based freelancer Sonali T. Sikchi can help you with the writing, copywriting, substantive and developmental editing, proofreading, querying, project management and research required for your project. Visit http://sonali_sikchi.home.comcast.net to find out about her professional career and services.

~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**

Market Your Business With Articles

Learn how to get hundreds of dollars in free advertising every month with this is 88-page e-book! Learn how successful businesses use article distribution to increase sales without cutting into profits.

http://thedabblingmum.com/books/index.htm

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"Lessons from a Lifetime of Writing: A Novelist Looks at His Craft" by David Morrell

Reviewed by: Joyce Faulkner (katieseyes@aol.com)

Publisher: Writer's Digest Books (F & W Publications, Inc.)

ISBN: 1582972702

Rating: * * * Quills

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1582972702/scriquil/

I'm one of the few people in the United States who never saw any of the Rambo movies. I also have to confess that I've never read any of David Morrell's many novels. One final confession: I usually HATE when writers write about writing. Seems to me if a writer is worth his salt, he'd be writing novels or screenplays or short stories or articles instead of picking the pockets of naïve writer wannabes. Therefore, I had a bad attitude when I picked up "Lessons from a Lifetime of Writing." However, Mr. Morrell won me over in the first chapter and continued to amuse, entertain and inform me throughout this short book aimed at anyone considering writing as a career.

A long-time professor of literature, he begins with a simple question that he used to pose to his students. Why would anyone want to write? Answers range from 'to make money' to 'to be famous.' Mr. Morrell quickly punctures those dreams -- only a very few novelists ever make it big enough to achieve either fortune or fame. The systematic barriers are so high that most will never make it. The real answer to that question is 'Because I have to.' Authors are authors because they MUST write. Period. A type A person myself, Mr. Morrell's thesis explains why many people spend far more time talking about writing than writing, while others write rather than eat or sleep.

For those willing to put in the time in front of the keyboard, the best-selling author of "First Blood," "The Brotherhood of the Rose" and "Extreme Denial" talks about both the technical aspects of writing and the business issues associated with the profession. He offers practical advice on plot, character, structure, point of view, narrative, dialogue and action. Of particular interest was his habit of writing every day, even when he didn't have anything in particular to write. As he says, imagination is like a muscle -- it weakens with inactivity. He employs an intriguing plotting technique similar to journaling where he has a written conversation with himself. Each day he sits down to the computer and types in, "Hi David. How are you this morning?" That was a new one. Ever the skeptic, I gave it a try and found that it DOES help one keep track of the whats, whys and hows. As you are sorting through various approaches, being able to go back in time to reevaluate your thinking is a big help. Simple but effective. Thanks Mr. Morrell.

However, it was his chapter on Getting Published and the Business of Writing that was most helpful. He illustrates his points with experiential anecdotes -- many of them hysterically funny if they weren't so sad. One in particular describes his dismay at discovering how best seller lists posted in pharmacies, airports and convenience stores are compiled. The sheer arbitrariness of the process is enough to discourage the cheeriest optimist.

"There are no inferior types of fiction," Mr. Morrell sums up. "Only inferior practitioners." He further advises, "Your goal should be to write something that's important to you, not the critics." He emphasizes that fame is fleeting and money disappears with time. The writer who is true to himself, who is brave enough to create something unique is most likely to succeed in the long run. Unfortunately, these are words that the unique and brave don't need -- after all, they must do what they must do as Mr. Morrell points out himself. Those who aren't unique or brave won't or can't get over this hurdle anyway.

NOTE: This review originally published on The Celebrity Café (http://www.thecelebritycafe.com/)

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LIVE TO WRITE. WRITE TO SELL.

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WRITER'S WIT:

Steve's Laws of Writing

By Steve Lazarowitz (steve@dream-sequence.net)

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* Steve's Law of Submission

After mailing an article or story to a new market, the very next time you look at your copy, you will find an error on the first page.

* Steve's Law of Bad Timing

The publication that purchased your piece will go out of business the month before it's scheduled to print it.

* The You-Should-Know-Better Principle

The longer you have to wait for an editor to make up his mind, the greater your hope that your piece will be accepted.

* Steve's Law of Editorial Injustice

The lines that you like the best, are the ones the editor will insist you remove.

* Steve's Law of Critique Groups

A story that you're sure will go over well with your critique group will be ripped to shreds. Conversely, the story you are sure is garbage is the one that will garner the highest praise.

* The Managing Editor Principle

The Editor who loved your novel will leave the company shortly before she sends you an acceptance letter.

Corollary: The Editor who replaces her will send you a rejection slip almost immediately.

* Steve's Submission Axiom

You can never remember if you stamped the self-addressed envelope once you've mailed the submission.

* Steve's Law of Intellectual Embarrassment

If someone claims that you've misused a word, and you're sure you didn't... it will turn out that you were wrong.

Corollary: The more stupid it makes you look, the more people will be present when you find out.

* Steve's First Law of Research

The one fact in any article that you know is true without having to check will turn out to be wrong.

Corollary: Everyone else you speak to will immediately know what you didn't.

* Steve's Second Law of Research

The one piece of research that supports the rest of your premise will turn out to be wrong.

* Steve's Third Law of Research

The one fact that you absolutely need to know will be conspicuously absent from every Web page and book you can find on the subject.

* Steve's Law of New Ideas

Any new idea that comes your way will only occur to you when you are out and have no pen or paper to record it.

Corollary: By the time you get home, you will have completely forgotten it, until the next time you go out without a pen and paper.

* Steve's Law of Argumentative Transference

Any editor you've had a vicious argument with will soon end up working for your favorite magazine.

Corollary: Editors never forget a writer that's pissed them off.

* Quantitative Summary of Steve's Laws of Writing

It is far easier to write than it is to get published.

* Steve's First Law of Writing

No matter how many rejections slips you get, or how much criticism, NEVER forget why you began writing in the first place.

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THE LAST WORD --