ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø
Scribe & Quill ~ May 2005
ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø
Vol. 3
Issue 3
ISSN: 1098-6375
Section 1
of 2 Sections
=========
MASTHEAD:
=========
*
Editor/Publisher
Bev Walton-Porter <editor@scribequill.com>
* Assistant
Editor / Advertising Manager
Mindy Phillips Lawrence <mplcreative1@aol.com>
* Humor
Editor
Jaden Trinsic <humor@scribequill.com>
* Poetry
Editor
Donna "Kai" Wilson <poetry@scribequill.com>
* Book
Review Editor
Sonali T. Sikchi <sonali_sikchi@hotmail.com>
*
Nonfiction Columnist
Joyce Faulkner <katieseyes@aol.com>
* Fiction
Columnist
Rick Chiantaretto <rick@facadeofshadows.com>
* Staff
Book Reviewers:
--Sonali T. Sikchi – <sonali_sikchi@hotmail.com>
--Judith Woolcock Colombo <judithcolombo@hotmail.com>
--J.M. Cornwell <jcornwell@peoplepc.com>
--Joyce Faulkner <katieseyes@aol.com>
--Ilona Hegedûs <fairylona@yahoo.co.uk>
--Mindy Phillips Lawrence <mplcreative1@aol.com>
--Anna Morvee <amorvee2004@adelphia.net>
--Rita Porter <beepmybeep2@mchsi.com>
* Video
Game Reviewer
Jonathan Porter <jonp@scribequill.com>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~Editor's
Note
~Reader
Praise
~Scribe
& Quill Patrons
~Featured
Article:
Write What They Know
By Sue Bradford Edwards (suebe@brick.net)
~Featured
Column:
To Blog or Not to Blog
By Jill Vaile (jill@jilleliz.com)
~Featured
Interview:
Karen S. Wiesner, author of "First Draft in 30 Days"
By Bev Walton-Porter (scribequill@adelphia.net)
~Quotables
~Scribes of
Note -- Virtual Quills
~Featured
Column:
The Search for the Story:
One Writer's Approach to Fiction
By Jonathan Raab (http://www.rosa.crownpublishing.com)
~S &
Q's First Draft in 30 Days Random Drawing Winner!
~ S &
Q's June Contest
~Featured
Fiction Column:
Horror Fiction 101
By Rick Chiantaretto (rick@facadeofshadows.com)
~Call for
Submissions
~Featured
Contests
~Featured
Article:
Finding a National Audience: Independent Bookstores
By Joyce Faulkner (katieseyes@aol.com)
~Book
Reviews
--"Night Crimes" by Judith Woolcock Colombo
--"The Frugal Book Promoter: How to do What Your Publisher Won't" by
Carolyn Howard-Johnson
--"Wolves of the Calla" by Stephen King
~Scribe
& Quill Professional Writing Courses
~The Last
Word: Recommended Links for Writers
~Contact
and submission information
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
NOTE FROM THE EDITOR:
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
Dear Gentle
Readers,
In this
issue of Scribe & Quill, per your requests, you'll find more content and
less advertisements. We appreciate feedback from our readers because it helps
us to continue to improve and give you the kind of content you most want to
read. Thank you for your responses and suggestions – they are always
appreciated.
A hearty
welcome to our newest columnist, Rick Chiantaretto. Rick is our new fiction
columnist. His specialty is horror fiction and in his debut column for May, he
will cover the basics of writing horror fiction. Rick's first book of fiction,
"Façade of Shadows," is a novel about vampires and Egyptian legend.
He specializes in dark fantasy, but maintains a flair for satire. If you have
any fiction questions or column suggestions for Rick – or if you'd like to send
him a welcome note – send him an e-mail at rick@facadeofshadows.com.
Due to
pressing deadlines I am facing over the summer, the next three issues of Scribe
& Quill will be handled by three separate guest editors. To avoid
confusion, all submissions for articles, reviews and virtual quills for the
next several issues should still be sent to editor@scribequill.com and all content
will be forwarded to the appropriate guest editor. Deadline for all submissions
is the 10th of each month.
Until I'm
back at the helm come September, I wish all of you a marvelous summer. I hope
you'll have plenty of sales and good news to report upon my return. Thanks for
being such terrific readers – I appreciate each and every one of you. Go forth
and write, write, write!
Bev
Walton~Porter, Editor/Publisher
scribequill@adelphia.net
http://www.bevwaltonporter.com
***
Mindy Lawrence, Asst. Editor/Advertising Manager
mplcreative1@aol.com
***
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FEATURED ARTICLE:
Write What They Know
By Sue Bradford Edwards
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
"Write
what you know." Sooner or later someone will give you this advice to cure
writers block, make your first sale, or establish clips. If you write for
children, writing what you know must be paired with knowing your audience.
This lesson
came home to me recently when one of my educational
editors asked for a piece on archaeology. I worked in archaeology, so I thought
"what could be easier?"
Are you
laughing yet?
I make my
living writing for children and teaching others to do
the same, but when it came time to write about archaeology, I got caught up in
the joy of sharing a topic I love and forgot my audience. Because of this, I
touched on too many new concepts too quickly. I rescued the piece in a
successful rewrite in which I addressed a few concepts with greater detail and
focus. My editor's astute comments reminded me that in writing for children,
what your audience knows about the world is significantly more important than
what you know about your topic.
WHAT THEY
KNOW
This is
because what you write about for children depends on where they are in their
exploration of the world. Obviously, this differs by age level.
Preschool:
Just about
everything in terms of topic is new to toddlers and
preschoolers, but that doesn't mean everything goes. They are still exploring
things close to home, thus the popularity of Sandra Boynton's books on animal
noises ("Moo Baa La La La"), bedtime ("Pajama Time") and
colors, ("Blue Hat Green Hat").
Preschool
and Kindergarten:
Older
picture book readers are expanding their world. They are
exploring family and entering kindergarten. Rosemary Wells writes successfully
for this age group with stories, including "Bunnycakes" and
"Yoko and Friends," on both of these topics.
Concepts
also play an important role with high interest in
alphabet books, such as Bill Martin's "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom" and
Rick Walton's "So Many Bunnies." Other interests include animals,
like "A House for Hermit Crab" by Eric Carle, and all things related
to transportation, like "Cross a Bridge" by Ryan Ann Hunter.
Middle
Grade:
Middle
grade readers are pushing beyond family and school, finding that what they
discover may not coincide with what they have been told is true. For this group
E.L. Konigsburg has written "The Outcasts of 19 Schuyler Place," a
tale of a quirky family that doesn't fit in, and "The View from
Saturday," about school children who challenge the accepted.
These
readers are exploring good and evil, often in fantastic
worlds such as the one created for Harry Potter and his pals by J.K. Rowling.
This is one of the best levels for nonfiction because of the number of books
used in school. Topics are fairly inclusive and often tend toward the
sensational, including shipwrecks, Gail Langer Karwoski's "Miracle: The
True Story of the Wreck of the Sea Venture," and bog bodies,
James M. Deems' "Bodies from the Bog." Also common are detailed
biographies, such as the award-winning "The Voice that Challenged a
Nation: Marian Anderson" and "The Struggle for Equal Rights" by
Russell Freedman. In short, middle graders want to know more and more about the
world.
Young
Adult:
For young
adults, their place in the world is of utmost
importance. Coming of age stories, such as A.M. Jenkins' "Breaking Boxes
and Damage," compete for shelf space with the deeply edgy including Laurie
Halse Anderson's "Speak" and Elaine Marie Alphin's "Counterfeit
Son." These readers are entering the world and are challenging much
of what they find
as they flex their muscles and explore.
It isn't
just in dealing with serious topics that writers need to know their audience, but
in humor as well.
WHAT THEY
THINK IS FUNNY
If you plan
to write humorous fiction, or work humor into your
nonfiction, you have to know your audience extremely well. You have to
understand at approximately what age children understand different types of
humor such as bathroom humor, slapstick, puns and subtle ironies.
Picture
book readers adore extremes, things that are huge and over the top, thus the
popularity of Robert Munsch's "Mmm Cookies!" about a boy who makes a
huge cookie. Children this age don't get puns - puns in picture books are there
to keep the adult reader alert and willing to read the book 497 times in one
evening.
Slightly
older readers adore bathroom humor, thus the wild
popularity of Dav Pilkey's "Captain Underpants" books. Adults think
these books are disgusting, which may be true. But if you're in grade school,
gross is funny.
For humor
to work, you have to know what your readers know about the world. Funny things
are funny because they surprise us, they go against what we expect. Because of
this, kindergartners and first graders scream with laughter when Junie B. Jones
brings a fish stick to class pet day (yes, a breaded piece of white fish). They
know this is not the norm
and it is enormously funny to them that Junie gets away with this and other
wacky things.
Done well,
humor can also defuse tension, bringing relieved
nervous laughter. J.K. Rowling used this to great effect in the bogart scene of
"Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban." The students each see the
fantastic bogart as what they fear most, thus Neville sees one of his male
professors. Neville defeats the bogart by imagining this professor wearing his
grandmother's favorite outfit, complete with little red handbag. A strict
teacher is acceptably scary. A bloody
murderer? That would likely take things too far.
WHAT YOUR
AUDIENCE MEANS TO YOUR WRITING
Although
every writer must know their audience, developmental
levels make this a special challenge for children's writers. If you are
willing to take this on, it is an area you will find both challenging and
rewarding to explore.
===
BIO:
===
Sue
Bradford Edwards (suebe@brick.net) is a
freelancer working in St. Louis, Missouri. She reviews children's books for the
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, writes for several educational publishers and also
helps other writers learn how to
write for children. She teaches the Scribe and Quill course, Writing Children's
Nonfiction (http://www.scribequill.com/courses.html)
and can be reached at http://www.suebradfordedwards.8m.com
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
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~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
FEATURED COLUMN:
The ABCs of RSS - Second in a Series About
Blogs and RSS
By Jill Vaile (jill@jilleliz.com)
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
We discussed blogs in our last article and learned that blogs offer a multitude
of software for design, functionality, enhancement, add-ons and more. Before we
move on to RSS, please read the following caveat: For a writer, a blog and all
it can offer remains no more than a wonderful promotional tool. Your goals
should always be front and center while you evaluate and configure your
marketing options.
Remember
these two words: PASSIVE and AGGRESSIVE
Your
beautifully designed, content-rich site, the home of your product, book,
services, etc. is forever PASSIVE. It sits, waiting for people to arrive. By
now you know you must take action to drive traffic to your site.
This can be
done in a number of ways. Perhaps you publish an e-zine or participate in
marketing and advertising plans, like click ads. Maybe you conduct contests and
giveaways, or you work on optimizing your search engine rankings. Regardless of
which steps you take, all of them are AGGRESSIVE actions, designed to effect
positive change at your PASSIVE site.
THE BOTTOM
LINE - INCREASING SALES, AND ULTIMATELY, REVENUES - IS ALWAYS YOUR GOAL.
A blog
provides a unique manner of communication between buyer and seller. It is a
powerful and aggressive feature that deserves serious consideration.
RSS is a
valuable addition to the blog tool. It can add information to both your blog
and your brain!
WHAT IS
RSS?
RSS is a
process used to "subscribe" to a constant flow of information, by a
self-determined schedule, from any site that offers it. This information flow
is known as "Live Feed."
Reasons to
subscribe to a site's Live Feed are:
1. To
receive information regularly needed or tracked due to personal interest.
2. To add to the topic of one's blog or Web site as a supportive measure, or to
provide information on external site(s) of similar topic or content that
readers can refer to.
RSS
simplifies the process of remembering to check a certain site and can eliminate
the need to subscribe to an e-zine or newsletter. All of the information
received via your subscription is as current as possible. You can also use it
to obtain ideas for future writing projects from its vast array of categories
available.
HOW RSS
WORKS
Simply
stated:
1. Setting
up RSS requires a specific software program. The user installs the program,
which enables them to subscribe to RSS FEEDS. An installed program then is
known as an aggregator, or news aggregator.
2. To
subscribe to a live feed, the user determines the availability of any RSS
Feed(s) at their chosen site. Once there, they click on the orange RSS Feed
button and then copy the URL for that feed.
3. The user
returns to their aggregator program and follows the instructions to
"subscribe" to the feed. They select the delivery schedule they
prefer for the frequency of the updates they will receive.
RSS stands
for REALLY SIMPLE SYNDICATION, which is somewhat a misnomer to the average
person. When we hear something is syndicated, columns like Ann Landers or comic
strips like PEANUTS or Blondie come to mind. In the RSS context, the
information one subscribes to is the syndication.
Locating
and subscribing to the feed is not particularly difficult, but it cannot be
done without the addition of an Aggregator program*
HOW TO
CHOOSE AN AGGREGATOR PROGRAM
The type of
program you select can affect the degree of difficulty you encounter while
setting it up. RSS programs range in price from free to upwards of $100.00.
While
contemplating your choice of software, keep in mind that if you already have a
blog, the aggregator may be included as part of your package. If so, use that
one and save your money. You can easily buy one later once you have decided
what features work best for your needs.
Aggregators
are available in two different display options:
1. A Web
page style display that resembles your blog in appearance, or
2. An
e-mail style display that displays your feeds as clickable messages.
Both types
post your feed subscriptions in reverse chronological order.
SAMPLES OF
AGGREGATORS-
======================
E-MAIL STYLE/PLATFORM:
======================
NEWSGATOR /
WINDOWS http://www.newsgator.com/
NETNEWSWIRE/MAC
http://ranchero.com/software/netnewswire/
MAC O/S X desktop RSS reader
CLEVERCACTUS/
Multi-platform http://www.clevercactus.com/
FEED
DEMON/WINDOWS http://www.w3os.nl/feeddemon/
NEWZCRAWLER/Multi-platform
http://www.newzcrawler.com/
========================
WEB SITE STYLE/PLATFORM:
========================
LIVE
JOURNAL /Multi-platform http://www.livejournal.com/
*NOTE: LiveJournal' s aggregator is not part of their free service package
RADIO
USERLAND/ WINDOWS & MAC http://radio.userland.com/
-news aggregators included with blog software applications for MAC and WINDOWS http://radio.weblogs.com/0100875/outlines/myRadio
-extension to Radio Userland aggregate from RSS to any data source, including
XML,HTML and SOAP formats
AMPHETADESK/
Multi-platform http://www.disobey.com/amphetadesk/
Perl-based desktop reader; supports WINDOWS, LINUX and MAC O/S Runs in browser.
Remember
that aggregators are constantly being developed and refined. If you are not satisfied
with your present one, look around in about three to six months. There will be
an entirely new lot to choose from.
TIME FOR A
FEED FRENZY!
Now you are
finally ready to subscribe to some feeds! You can do this two different ways.
The first is to go directly to a site you know has an RSS feed available. All
sites use an orange box to identify their feed location. Unfortunately, where
those boxes might be is in no way constant. This can make locating them
somewhat difficult, if not frustrating. Once you do locate the feed, clicking
on it provides you with the URL of that Feed. Copy it, then go to your
aggregator, and follow the instructions to add a subscription.
Another way
is to use a dedicated RSS search site, also known as an RSS Directory. Here are
some to get you started:
http://www.syndic8.com/ SYNDIC8.com
http://www.bloglines.com/ BLOGLINES
http://www.bytescout.com/links/feedscout.html
FEEDSCOUT
http://www.newsisfree.com/ NEWS IS
FREE
http://www.thefeeddirectory.com/
The FEED DIRECTORY
http://rssxpress.ukoln.ac.uk/ RSS
EXPRESS links to British Education-related Blogs
http://rssfeeds.com/ RSS FEEDS
http://www.technorati.com/ TECHNORATI
http://www.bloogz.com/rssfinder
BLOOGZ RSS FINDER
http://www.daypop.com/ DAYPOP
Note that
some aggregates come with pre-loaded feeds or may suggest some to you. Some
will allow you to locate new blog feeds.
*There is
an option available that allows you to bypass the use of an aggregator
completely. However, this option remains totally separate from yours or any
other blog, and it can never be added to one. However, as a method to subscribe
to RSS feeds, without any other technical involvement, it is a good way to go
about things.
YAHOO
offers the best example of this. If you have a YAHOO I.D., sign in at http://my.yahoo.com/. If you do not have a
YAHOO I.D., join at http://yahoo.com/. This
should bring you to Your Own YAHOO page or your home page at YAHOO. Click on
"Add Content." This should bring you to a page offering three options
to find/add content to your page:
a. By
search box
b. By browsing topics as listed OR
c. By what's popular or editor's picks
You can
also add RSS feed by entering the feed's URL if you know it. Your subscriptions
will become part of the content on your "My YAHOO" page.
YAHOO also
encourages what they call "Roll Your Own RSS Newsfeed." Click on
"learn about RSS" and the page it brings you to has this option on
the lower left column. You then create a tracking by entering specific search
words. Whenever new content is posted anywhere with your words, you will be
notified. Additionally, YAHOO encourages you to add your own RSS feed from your
site or blog to their feed base. You can even add your YAHOO Groups to the feed
and obtain updates that way!
RSS is a
very useful tool to keep current with any and all reading information. It is
also an excellent addition to your blog as an aggressive means of supporting or
promoting your point of view, product, information and more. If you are into
the blogging scene, it is just not complete without RSS.
FURTHER
INFORMATION ON RSS, including walk-through and set-up
Intro to
Blogs http://jilleliz.com/The_STASH/blog_intro.html
Tools for your Blog http://jilleliz.com/The_STASH/tools.html
More ABC's on RSS http://jilleliz.com/The_STASH/abcs_rss.html
How To: Use and create RSS from a non-techy point of view: http://www.faganfinder.com/search/rss.shtml
An open source class for RSS Feeds http://www.rssdotnet.com/
An RSS primer for publishers and content providers http://www.eevl.ac.uk/rss_primer/
Blogging and RSS — The "What's It?" and "How-To" of
Powerful New Web Tools for Educators http://www.infotoday.com/mmschools/jan04/richardson.shtml
For more in-depth RSS info: http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss
The RSS government site has a very detailed how-to http://www.rssgov.com/
RSS for the Web savvy http://rss.lockergnome.com/resources/quickstart.phtml
===
BIO:
===
Jill E.
Vaile is a freelance photojournalist with a passionate devotion to electronic
rights issues. Her photographic interests range from shooting beautiful
California landscapes, to her fave rock bands and her 200-pound Newfy
Companion, Ralphie. He is also the inspiration behind her design
company, NEWFAngled Designs.
Jill writes
columns, articles and books on subjects including
rights, legal issues, tech, gardening, cooking and restaurant reviews. She is
also the Editorial Manager at Moondance.org.
Jill may be
contacted at: jill@jilleliz.com. You can
see some of her pictures at her galleries: http://jilleliz.com/Galleries.html
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
Looking for a great book to read?
Visit Scribe & Quill's Online Book Gallery
Featured
listings include:
*
"Phonetical Imagery" by Mark Stellinga (poetry)
*
"First Saturday" by Rosemary O'Brien (fiction)
*
"Going Solo: How to Survive and Thrive as a Freelance Writer"
by Bobbi Linkemer
*
"Night Crimes" by Judith Colombo
To view all
the offerings in our gallery, please visit:
http://www.scribequill.com/Gallery.html
Promote
your book in our Book Gallery.
Single book listings only $5 per month; only $8 per month to list two titles: http://www.scribequill.com/BookListing.html
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
FEATURED INTERVIEW:
Catching up with Karen S. Wiesner, author of
"First Draft In 30 Days"
By Bev Walton-Porter (scribequill@adelphia.net)
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
In a mere
seven years, Karen S. Wiesner has published a jaw-dropping 23 books. Her books
have been nominated and/or won 30 awards. In addition, she has 12 more titles
contracted for, spanning many categories and formats. Wiesner was named a
leading romance writer in The Writer Magazine. Her many series include the
Gypsy Road Series, the Angelfire Trilogy, Dare to Love Series as well as the
newest Wounded Warriors Series from Hard Shell Word Factory (http://www.hardshell.com). Her fiction
books from Hard Shell have been nominated for multiple Romantic Times'
Reviewer's Choice Awards, the Frankfurt Award, FTHRW's The Lorie's Best
Published Contest, the Daphne du Maurier Award and numerous EPPIE's.
In addition
to romance, Karen also writes police procedural mysteries in the Falcon's Bend
Series with award-winning author Chris Spindler. The first book, "Degrees
of Separation," is available now in hardcover (trade paperback in 2005)
and received a 4 1/2-star review. It was a March 2004 Top Pick from Romantic
Times. Karen's first writing reference title, "First Draft In 30
Days," has just been published through Writer's Digest Books. It was
selected as a Writer's Digest Book Club Main Selection for March 2005. She has
written other award-winning writing references titles about electronic
publishing and author promotion, as well as children's books and poetry.
Karen is
the founding member of Jewels of the Quill http://www.JewelsoftheQuill.com, a
promotional group of midwest women authors who write in a variety of genres.
Her group will be collaborating on regular and holiday anthologies together,
with the first two released in September and October 2005. Karen's Web
site is located at http://www.karenwiesner.com.
S & Q:
When did you decide to become a writer?
KSW: I
wrote my first book when I was ten years old. A few years later, I started
brainstorming thriller/mysteries in my head. By the time I was 16, I'd written
almost a dozen books, short stories and countless poems. Unofficially, I had my
own fan club in high school and had a dozen publishing credits to my name (all
poems). Eventually, I moved into contemporary romance novels — my first eight
published novels were romances - with "Leather & Lace," Book 1 of
the Gypsy Road Series, published in June 1998. It was a natural progression for
me to move from contemporary romance to larger-than-life mainstream dramas,
from romantic suspense to paranormals, police procedural mysteries and
action/adventure novels.
I write
writing references because there's a need among authors for the kind of
information I provide, and I have a need to share what I've learned. Children's
books came shortly after the birth of my son.
S & Q:
How did you manage to become a multi-published, successful writer?
KSW: Ugh!
Not sure how to answer this, outside of simply saying I read in as many genres
as I write, so I know what I like and my ideas seems to span most of them.
Outside of subtle differences in the specifications and required research for
each genre, basically all fiction novels need strong characterization and a
strong plot. Each project is a little different, depending on my excitement
over the story and what else is happening in my life, but the process of
writing a novel is basically the same each time.
I'm also
monomaniacal about writing quality novels. If it's not good, there’s no way I'm
putting it out there for anyone to see — regardless of whether or not the book
is contracted for. I think an attitude like that, and the constant need
to provide something wonderful to fans, has kept me from screwing things up for
myself by growing slack. Along the way, I've learned the hard way to be
extremely disciplined, whereas I started out going wherever my interests led
me. But I knew that wasn't going to work in the long run once I sold my first
book. Now everything is planned well in advance, and I keep tweaking my schedule
to make it as productive as it possibly can be.
The long
answer to how I got to this point is explained in my writing reference,
"First Draft In 30 Days" (available now from Writer's Digest
Books).
S & Q:
You have a methodical, organized way of tackling your writing. For those who
have not yet read your book - but who will want to after this interview - would
you briefly explain how did you develop your system?
KSW: I
strongly believe in pre-writing in longhand. Days, weeks, months, even years
before an author begins work on a certain novel, she should create a folder for
that novel and she should be writing down notes about the story as they come to
her. That way, when it comes time to piece together an outline for the story,
you already have most or possibly even all of the pieces you need to create the
outline. For my novels, once a story has been brewing for a considerable amount
of time and I've amassed the necessary research (which is generally done
between books and well in advance of a project), I start with an extremely
detailed outline, which is, in essence, the first draft of the book.
The outline
can take anywhere from a day to a couple weeks to work out, depending on the
complexity of the book. My outlines are as complete as first drafts. I revise
the outline — not the manuscript - over and over until all the kinks are worked
out the plot. Once I go to write the actual first draft of the book, in general
it's so easy it's like I'm writing something that's already been written at least
once.
Because of
the way I've worked my schedule, I'm usually able to set my completed outlines
aside for a few months, then come back to them and make sure they're as solid
as I thought before. As soon as I'm ready, I can begin writing. My annual goal
sheet can then include accurate time-tables for researching, writing outlines
and writing novels. I also use project goal sheets so I can know down to the
day how long it'll take to finish a book. Completing a 100,000 book generally
takes me a month or so, followed by minor polishing and editing. Since my first
draft of a book is my final draft (the hard part of writing a book is working
out all the kinks, and that's done in the outlining), I can write at least four
outlines/books per year.
There's no
wrong way to write a book, but there are ineffective ways of writing. Most
writers have been led to believe that writing is a spiritual process in which
you start "digging for plot" anywhere your pen hits paper. The
biggest flaw in this theory is that the writer may start digging for their plot
a hundred miles in the wrong direction! If you haven't done all the necessary
preparation, you have no idea whether or not there really is a plot beneath the
soil you're unearthing. You may dig endlessly and never find it...or you may
find it quite a ways down the pike from where you started and nothing that has
come before has much consequence and worth. The clearer a writer's vision of a
story before the actual writing begins, the more fleshed out that story will be
once it makes it to paper.
Imagine an
outline that makes it possible for you to do less work, not only reducing the
number of drafts you have to do per project, but possibly even reducing it to a
single draft. Imagine viewing an outline as a snapshot that captures
everything the novel will contain on a smaller scale. Imagine revising the
outline instead of the novel. Imagine using an outline so complete, it
may actually qualify as the first draft of the novel. Imagine making your
muse an assistant to the writing process instead of in charge of it. Imagine
plotting your career in such a way as to 1) allow you to accurately predict
down to the day you'll complete each book, and to 2) allow you to get ahead of
your sales or releases.
"First
Draft In 30 Days" provides a six-step process for outlining a complete
novel over the course of 30 days. It also helps authors plot their careers so
they can be more productive. The amazing thing about the process is that it'll
work for any writer — in whatever stage of his of his career. Published,
unpublished, 20 books already under his belt or not even one. It's also so
flexible; a writer can incorporate the parts that benefit him into his own way
of working.
S & Q:
Of all the traits of the successful writer, what's the one thing you must have
in order to reach your goals and succeed?
KSW:
Discipline. If you don't have that, you might achieve a degree of success for
one book, but momentum is extremely important to any success, so if you're not
disciplined enough to keep the momentum moving steadily in your career, you
probably won't succeed in the long run.
S & Q:
If someone is writing nonfiction, rather than a fiction book, can they still
use your system?
KSW: Well,
yes, I definitely think they could. Certain steps would be similar, such as
those for pre-writing, research and starting with an outline. I have a set
method for writing a nonfiction title, which includes starting with a basic
outline of what each chapter will cover, then setting goals for drafting and
revising each of those chapters. The strongest difference I have in carrying my
writing methods out with a nonfiction book is that, though I preach constantly
about not revising extensively throughout a fiction project (instead, saving
all revision until the end of a project), I can't seem to make that work with
nonfiction. I'm constantly tweaking every sentence throughout a project, and
even after I've been over the whole book at least a dozen times, I can still
find ways to improve it. This fact annoys me to no end!
S & Q:
What's the next writing project on your list?
KSW: The
first half of 2005 has been and will be a busy one for me. I've just completed
the first pass of a new contemporary gothic romance, called "The Bloodmoon
Curse" (written, naturally, based on a full outline) that my agent will be
submitting to mass market publishers. Once final revisions are complete, I'll
write the novel of "Wayward Angels," the 4th book in my Wounded Warriors
Series, which I completed an outline for early this year and have been allowing
to sit so I can evaluate its strength with fresh eyes. I also have a novella
coming out in the first Jewels of the Quill Christmas Anthology, "Small
Gifts" (October 2005, Whiskey Creek Press) that has to be completed before
July 2005. Finally, I'm hoping to complete my first anthology with three
classic tales (Hansel and Gretel, Rapunzel and Rumpelstiltskin) of modern
horror.
S & Q:
Thanks, Karen, for taking the time to visit with Scribe & Quill and our
readers!
Visit
Karen's "First Draft In 30 Days" Bonus Web site:
http://www.karenwiesner.com ("First
Draft") is now accessible!
All the goodies, extras and supplementals mentioned in the book, "First
Draft In 30 Days," are waiting to be viewed. Here's what you'll find:
• Full
Table of Contents
• PDF excerpt of the Introduction
• Five Web site bonus articles
• Printable PDF files of three worksheets contained in "First Draft."
• Every step of the "First Draft" method performed with a single book
- "Sweet Dreams" (includes examples of all steps and worksheets,
including a work log, full outline (tagged and traced with an isolated plot
thread) and an excerpt to see how the bare bones put on flesh.
• requently
Asked Questions about the "First Draft" method
• Upcoming author appearances
• Information about submitting reader and professional reviews for "First
Draft In 30 Days."
• Information on joining the FDin30Days newsletter
Order
"First Draft In 30 Days" here: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1582972966/theworldofawa-20
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
QUOTABLES
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
"Writing,
I think, is not apart from living. Writing is a kind of double living. The
writer experiences everything twice. Once in reality and once in that
mirror which waits always before or behind."
--Catherine Drinker Bowen
ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø
End of Section I
ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø
ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø
Scribe & Quill ~ May 2005
Section II
ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø
ISSN:
1098-6375
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
ADVERTISEMENT
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
UTNE
Magazine - A different read on life!
https://w1.buysub.com/servlet/OrdersGateway?cds_mag_code=UTR&cds_page_id=8825&cds_response_key=ZK2040118
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
SCRIBES OF NOTE
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
At Scribe
& Quill a virtual quill is our way of congratulating scribes of note who
have made an article sale, published a book, snagged an agent/publisher or have
reported to us a number of other notable successes in writing/publishing.
Our quills
are virtual because they exist only in cyberspace. We honor the recipients here
with an old-fashioned pat on the back and publication of your news so our
readers can celebrate with you!
Have a
success you'd like to trumpet to the rest of world? Send your triumph to editor@scribequill.com with VIRTUAL
QUILL in the
subject line.
This
issue's virtual quills are awarded to:
Magdalena
Ball's (maggieball@compulsivereader.com)
multimedia poem, Betelgeuse, was short-listed for the Newcastle Prize's New
Media Award. The poem, dubbed "an astronomical Coleridge" combines an
exploration of a human nervous breakdown with the impending explosion of the
giant star Betelgeuse in a piece which breaks new ground its multimedia
combination of music, poetry, performance and imagery. The piece was a
collaborative project between Magdalena Ball and artist and musician Craig
Browne of Relatively Creative and was published in an anthology in mid-April.
The Newcastle prize is sponsored by the Newcastle City Council, the University
of Newcastle and the Hunter Writer's Centre. It is one of Australia's most
prestigious poetry prizes. The piece can be viewed at http://www.compulsivereader.com/html/images/betelguese.swf
Magdalena Ball runs The Compulsive Reader Web site http://www.compulsivereader.com/html.
J.M.
Cornwell (jcornwell@peoplepc.com)
had two stories published in anthologies. "Algebra You Can Use"
appears in Life's Spices from Seasoned Sistahs: Stories from Mature Women of
Color (http://www.nubianimagespublishing.com/)
and "Just a Breath Away" was Published in Haunted Encounters:
Departed Family and Friends (http://atriadpress.com/).
Ilona Hegedus' (fairylona@yahoo.co.uk)
sci-fi poem, Promise, appeared in the April issue of Beyond Centauri - Samsdot
Publishing's magazine for kids.
Her Web site is http://ilonahegedus.topcities.com
Susan
(Lovejoy) Kelly's (skelly6110@cfl.rr.com)
humorous article about raising children, "When You Grow Up," was
published in the Spring 2005 edition of The Rose and Thorn Literary E-zine, http://www.theroseandthornezine.com/.
Woman's
World Magazine photographed Sara Webb Quest (http://www.authorsden.com/sarawebbquest)
along with her mom and her daughter, Ayla, at the Cape Cod Museum of Fine Art
for a "Mother-Daughter Skip Day" article Sara wrote for the magazine.
"Mother-Daughter Skip Day" was coined by Sara's mom to symbolize a
day we would skip work/school to take a road trip. The memoir appears in the
May 24 issue of Woman's World magazine.
Kelli A.
Wilkins’ (inkyisis@yahoo.com) short
horror story, "Just an Innocent Little Cat," is currently online at http://www.Peridotbooks.com. In June,
she has three romance novellas slated for publication by Amber Quill Press.
These stories won the Amber Heat writing contest and will be available in
paperback or downloadable e-format. The books can be previewed at http://amberquill.com Titles and tentative
release dates are: "A Most Unusual Princess" (fantasy) - June 2;
"The Sexy Stranger" (contemporary) - June 12; "The Dark
Lord" (historical) - June 26. Kelli also has a non-fiction cat care book
"Quick & Easy Cat and Kitten Care" coming out late summer/early
autumn.
~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
ADVERTISEMENT
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
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~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
FEATURED ARTICLE:
The Search for the Story: One Writer's Approach to Fiction
By Jonathan Rabb, author of "Rosa: A Novel"
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
The process
of writing a book starts, for me, with a place in time that I find
intriguing. I begin to do a little research -if possible, with novels
written at the time - and then, if all goes well, I experience a kind of flash
of complete understanding a few weeks later. Every character, every
setting, every moment of tension, choice, betrayal and resolution comes into
perfect focus. But only for an instant. It's as if I've been given this
one chance to see how the book is meant to be, and the rest of the process -
the next year to year and a half - is spent trying to recapture everything from
that flash. Of course, I never manage to get it all, but that moment floats
above and acts as a kind of guide. Luckily, there are some bits that remain
clearer than others. The general arc of the book - the scenes that I know I have
to get to - usually seems pretty well fixed, but what happens between the
scenes is left for me to discover. And, I suppose, I prefer it that way.
I've never been one for detailed outlines. I have the five or six scenes that
stand out - usually those when choices are made and, later on, when
consequences play out - but, aside from that, I like to see how the characters
get from one place to another as they go.
It's not as
arbitrary as it might sound. Most pieces of fiction - whether novels, films or
plays - are written in three acts. The best way I've heard to describe it runs
as follows: In the first act, you take two sticks in either hand and
place a rubber band around them; in the second act, you pull the sticks away
from each other, making the rubber band as taut as possible - another inch and
it would snap; at the beginning of the third act, you stretch the rubber band
just that bit further...and then let go. Seeing structure in that way
guarantees that conflict (or tension, or however you like to describe it)
remains the driving force in the story. How that conflict manifests itself -
through characters, plot twists, etc. - makes for the discovery.
The lengths
of the acts can vary greatly. I've been surprised to find myself at the end of
act one 20 pages into a book, and at other times, 100 pages in. Act three can
be half a chapter, or three. Of course, having a good editor to tell you that
an act is too long, too short, not fleshed out enough, etc. is crucial.
What
resonates most strongly from the flash, however, is a connection with one or
two of the characters. In my first two books, that wasn't much of a stretch
since the main characters were, to a greater or lesser degree, versions of
myself. This time around, it was something entirely different, not just because
the main character was someone I had to get to know, but because one of the
characters wasn't a person, but the city of Berlin. That might seem odd, but
I've come to discover that place is as much a living, breathing thing as are the
people who inhabit it.
Once all of
that is in place, I go back to research. For my last book, I put together
nearly 50 pages of single-spaced typed notes on language, settings, characters,
clothing, etc., 95 percent of which never made it into the book. I do that
because I have to feel absolutely certain in the world I'm creating before I
begin to write, otherwise how can I expect a reader to accept that world as
something possible. And that is always of critical importance given the type of
books I write. My fiction is of the "what-if" variety. I like
to find moments in history where there are gaps, or unknowns, and then play
with what might have been. This is different from taking something we know and
saying, "actually it happened differently." I'm not one for rewriting
history, or for distorting things we know to be true in aid of fiction. I take
what we know surrounding the moment, make sure I relate it in authentic terms,
and then create my own story inside the gap.
For
instance, in my latest book, we know historically that Rosa Luxemburg returned
to Berlin in November of 1918; we know that she, along with Karl Liebknecht,
plunged Berlin into revolution; we know both were killed on January 15, 1919,
thereby bringing the revolution to a halt; and we know Liebknecht's body showed
up the next day, while Rosa's remained missing for four months until it was
found floating in a canal in May 1919. My book begins on January 16, 1919, the
day after her death, and imagines what might have happened during those months
she was missing. And at the end, it remains absolutely consistent with the
history beyond that moment. If I'm successful, the reader is never quite sure
where reality leaves off and where fiction takes over, and that's what makes,
in my opinion, for a very fun read. As long as the reader trusts me in the
first 30 pages or so - that I know this world, and that he or she is now
stepping into it - what I then decide to create on my own will fit into that
reality, and the reader will have no choice but to follow along.
As for the
actual writing, I need to do it every day. I need to go in sequence - I've
never been any good at jumping ahead to a scene that I know I have to get
to. In fact, I prefer to have that scene hovering above, prodding me along
to get there. I write in silence and I often find myself reading my stuff back
out loud. I know when I've gone off - or when the language is wrong - when I
begin to hear myself humming as I read. That's the telltale sign that I need to
go back, hit delete (saving the deleted text, of course, in some far away file)
and rethink what I’m doing. I can usually go for about five hours, and then my
brain gives out. Editing is another matter. I can do that ad infinitum, but, in
the end, that's not terribly helpful. Over-editing is just as dangerous as not
editing enough, and the longer you edit, the longer you stay away from pushing
the characters along.
Most
important during the writing is having a bit of inspiration nearby. For me,
it's always been Graham Greene. By my estimation, there is no one better at
capturing an emotion, a moment, a place with such perfect ease or beauty of
language. Greene is also remarkable at creating choices for his characters
that, on the surface, seem almost insignificant, but that ultimately impact the
world to shattering effect.
Along the way, I get comments from my editor, my agent, other writers and try
not to get sidetracked for too long.
Eventually,
a first draft emerges, and I invariably go back and fiddle with the beginning,
and then realize that the ending is completely wrong. I don't think I've ever
written an ending that was right the first time around. I take several more
passes through while waiting for my editor's comments (I usually bombard her
with replacement pages during those weeks, which must be annoying), and when
the manuscript comes back to me, I go through it several more times. They say
of a poem that it's never finished, simply abandoned, and I think that's true
of all writing. At some point, the red pen gets put away, and the editor,
copy-editors, etc. step in. Hopefully by then, I've gotten the idea for my next
book so that while the business of publishing takes over, I'm on to another
intriguing place, with characters to meet, reality to play with - and the
process starts all over again.
Are there
any fixed rules for writing fiction? I don't know. All I know is what
works for me because, in the end, writing is a purely idiosyncratic exercise.
Copyright ©
2005 Jonathan Rabb
===
BIO:
===
Jonathan
Rabb is the author of the new book "Rosa: A Novel" (Published by
Crown; February 2005; $24.95US/$34.95CAN; 1-4000-4921-0) as well as The
Overseer and The Book of Q. He lives in New York City. For more information,
please visit www.rosa.crownpublishing.com
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
S & Q FIRST DRAFT IN 30 DAYS WINNER:
Penny Rader
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
Congratulations
to Penny Rader (penrader@juno.com)! She
has been selected the winner of Scribe & Quill's latest giveaway. Her prize
is an autographed copy of Karen S. Wiesner's book, "First Draft in 30
Days"!
====================
JUNE'S S & Q CONTEST:
====================
Weave an
intriguing paragraph out of one lone sentence we provide to you. Can you
intrigue, captivate and engage us with just one paragraph and make us want to
read more? Give it a shot and win an autographed copy of USA Today Bestselling
author Rebecca Forster's latest legal thriller, "Silent Witness."
Here is
your sentence – now take up your mission!
"It
was Thursday before I knew exactly where I was...."
For more information on Rebecca and her books, visit http://www.rebeccaforster.com
There is no
entry fee. Deadline is June 30. Winners announced in the July issue of S &
Q. Decisions by the judge is final.
E-mail entries to editor@scribequill.com
with JUNE CONTEST in the subject line. Not responsible for late, lost or
misdirected e-mail.
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
FEATURED FICTION COLUMN:
Horror Fiction 101
By Rick Chiantaretto <rick@facadeofshadows.com>
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
I love to
read and write horror; there is just something about it that I can relate to. I
have been told that my writing tends to be an outlet for my pent-up
frustration. Personally, I can't think of a more productive way to express
myself!
I remember
attempting my first novel, which turned into a
slasher-scream-meets-urban-legend-in-my-school nightmare (pun intended). My
characters were based on real life people, and I had permission from all of
them to murder them up in all sorts of creative ways. Most of them even helped
me plan their own demise! If the finished manuscript ever went public, I'd
probably be arrested. It was extremely fun to write, especially during frustrating
days when I'd come home and kill someone off. The fact that it was such a
stress reducer for me, and fun for the people involved, proves my next point
perfectly.
Horror
relieves the stress of life because written fear is rarely similar to true fear
that a reader experiences. It allows us to escape from our failing college
grades, screaming significant others and wayward parents or children (some of
the true horrors of life) and puts us in a world where a character's problems
are much greater than our own. Fear also helps us to understand the psychology
of human behavior that science explains poorly at best. This is, in my horrific
opinion, the exact reason the genre continues to be read.
Horror,
whether real or imagined, comes from inside of us. Who would dare enter into
the mind of a masochistic murderer like Jeffrey Dahmer? It isn't required that
you think like a murderer to write horror (although it would probably help the
story), but to write to disturb, you need to have a basic understanding of this
kind of mentality, the tools available to you and how to use them effectively.
If your desire is to write horror, the understanding you need to tug on human
emotion will come with practice and understanding of how horror works. I'm
going to give you the other tools you'll need to figure this out.
As I
scoured the internet for something that would help me to classify horror into
different sub-genres, I was surprised to find little to nothing. So, I pulled
the resources I could find, the information I have used for years, and with a
little literary license that I'll term horror magic. I managed to boil down and
classify horror into five types. From what I can tell, all horror can be
classified into one or more of these groups:
1. Monster
horror – uses fantastical creatures to emphasize a particular human weakness,
such as obsession with death or fear of domination.
2. Smart
horror - Creates horror by intellectual weirdness, thought-provoking
peculiarity or emotional strain.
3. Slasher
horror - relies on graphic or gory visuals to stimulate horror.
4.
Supernatural horror - disturbs by flattering the mind with the unknown.
5.
Psychological horror - relies on the reader's mind to create terror, and may
cause fear from finding out something terrible about ourselves.
Your tools
are the unique elements from each or all of these categories. For
example:
1. A
vampire is a monster that may have supernatural abilities to cause a
psychological response from the reader because of its brutal, ritualistic
killing. However, it may become endeared to the reader by the end of the story
because of its own weakness. This would use all five of the horror types, and,
as long as a new twist was put on this old idea, it would probably make for
good horror fiction.
2. A human
may become a monster because of his psychological problems, and supernatural
events could be nothing more than an overactive imagination on the part of the
character. This would put a smart element in the story for the reader at the
end when the psychopath discovers that the "supernatural events"
surrounding him are nothing more than natural events playing on an unnatural
mind.
The
combinations are endless, and unique ideas are always welcome by avid fans of
horror fiction.
Some things
NOT to do:
1. Don't
end your story with the protagonist awakening. If this is your idea of an
ending, you'd better be really good at it, and be sure not make my stomach tie
in a knot while I'm screaming "What a stupid ending!" I think this is
a copout for a loose end you can't tie up. Dream sequences in novels are okay,
as long as it doesn't end with one.
2. Don't
surprise me. Instead, give me enough to figure out the ending, especially if I
have to scrutinize to do it. This way, if I don't figure it out, I have to read
it again to pick up on the clues.
3. Don't
give away the end too easily.
4. Don't
neglect to develop your characters. Give them some motivation. I want to know
WHY the murderer is going around slashing everyone up (and it'd better be a
good reason). If I don't love the hero, I could care less if they are chopped
into itty-bitty pieces (indifference on the part of your readers will slaughter
you as an author - ooh, new short story idea *wink*!)
5. Don't be
too gory. "A trail of red trickled down the shower drain," has much
more effect on me than, "He ran around with his intestines hanging out
while the murderer slashed out his kidneys with a kitchen knife." Save
something for the imagination – this adds a psychological element as well.
6. Don't
overuse expletives. Junior high language isn't any scarier than a junior high
kid who uses it. Instead, try: "Run, you piece of filth," he said,
his language littered with vulgarity.
7. Don't make
your characters cute. Remember in the live version of Disney's 101 Dalmatians
(hey, this movie was scary in ways I can't describe) when the video game
designer was searching for the perfect villain? He tried a chubby dogcatcher
first, and failed. You, too, will need to select the perfect villain. Don't
make your villain a witch with a green face and warts unless your heroine is
named Dorothy and has a scarecrow for a friend (and this would belong to
fantasy not horror).
8. Don't
underestimate your antagonist. They need to be as powerful as the protagonist.
As a matter of fact, I'd better believe that the antagonist is capable of
winning.
Now, I need
to add quick word about setting: do you really think it was an accident that
Danny stayed at the Overlook Hotel or that Louis's interview takes place in San
Francisco? Think movies and television: Buffy lived in Sunnydale and
Nancy lived on Elm Street. These settings are an integral part of the author's
(or screenwriter's) work, and the story would not be the same without the
setting. My new novel takes place in Pleasant Grove – not by accident – but
because I love the juxtaposition presented in the town name to what is
happening within. Pick a place that can later be associated with your story. I
know I sure don't want to stay at an Overlook Hotel, and if I ever went to
Sunnydale (does it even exist?), I'd sure be looking for Buffy to, eh,
stake...uh hem. Get the point?
Next month
I will write a short story and publish it here that will be a short illustration
of this column. It will take place in a graveyard, with a full moon and – what
better? – fog (cliché settings work wonders if there is a new twist, you'll
see). This story would not be able to be written in any other setting, which is
exactly why I picked to do it in a graveyard. There will definitely be a
monstrous man who drips with eerie distortion. Don't worry; I'm a fan of
psychological and smart horror, so any slasher themes will be extremely
minimal. I hope you enjoy it. Secretly, I'll wish you'll have nightmares for
weeks.
Get
writing! I'd love to read your attempts at horror fiction. Feel free to
post them on the forum of my Web site (http://www.facadeofshadows.com)
and I'll be happy to review them.
Happy
haunting!
===
BIO:
===
Rick
Chiantaretto is a student at Weber State University where he is studying
computer science and English. His first book of fiction, "Façade of
Shadows," (a novel about vampires and Egyptian legend) has landed him a
publishing contract with American Book Publishing. He is a writer of horror and
dark fantasy, with a flair for satire. Rick is a native of West Valley City,
Utah and hopes for a career in computer security. That is, if he doesn't become
a best-selling author first.
Rick can be
reached at his Web site, http://www.facadeofshadows.com,
or by e-mail at
rick@facadeofshadows.com
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
GREAT
PUBLISHING OPPORTUNITY FOR UPLIFTING PERSONAL STORIES
A Cup of Comfort is a best-selling anthology (book) series published by Adams
Media, an F+W Publications company. Each volume features powerful true stories
about the experiences and relationships that inspire and enrich our lives.
Submissions are now being sought for two new volumes:
A CUP OF COMFORT FOR EXPECTANT MOTHERS
Having a baby is one of the most exciting, challenging and magical experiences
in a woman's life. It can also be an emotional roller-coaster ride and a
physical endurance test. Never more so than during pregnancy does a woman need
a little extra TLC. The 50 heartwarming true stories selected for inclusion in
this anthology are sure to bring comfort, joy and encouragement to expectant
moms of all ages and backgrounds, whether awaiting the arrival of their first
child or their tenth. For this volume, we want positive personal stories about
the memorable experiences that inspire, reassure, sustain and delight women
during those wondrous and sometimes anxious months of planning, conceiving,
carrying, delivering and welcoming home her new bundle(s) of joy. Any topic
relevant to this unique time in a woman's life is acceptable, as long as the
story is positive and meaningful to expectant mothers overall.
Submission Deadline: August 1, 2005
A CUP OF COMFORT FOR PARENTS OF CHILDREN WITH AUTISM
A child's diagnosis of autism usually strikes fear in the hearts of parents —
and often turns their world upside-down and their lives inside-out. The
incidence of this mysterious neurobiological disorder has risen dramatically in
recent years, leaving parents in search of answers, support and hope. For this
inspirational volume, we seek personal anecdotal stories (not prescriptive
articles) about the unique aspects of parenting a child with autism and related
disorders (Asperger syndrome, Rett's disorder, disintegrative disorder,
pervasive developmental disorder). Possible themes include, but are not limited
to: impact on other members of family; creative solutions to everyday
challenges; breakthroughs; effective treatments; silver linings; tender
moments; helpful support; unexpected positive outcomes; blessings large and
small; reasons for hope; adult children with autism. We are most interested in
stories written by parents, but will also consider and likely publish some
stories written by professionals and family members or friends with intimate
knowledge of the child and parents in question.
Submission Deadline: October 1, 2005
Note: Deadlines are sometimes extended. Additional volumes (themes to be
determined) are planned.
Stories must be original (not derived from another published work), true,
positive, in English and 1,000-2,000 words. Open to aspiring, unpublished and
published writers.
Payment: One $500 grand prize per book; $100 each, all other published stories.
Plus copy of book.
Guidelines: http://www.cupofcomfort.com
(click on "Share Your Story") or e-mail request to cupofcomfort@adamsmedia.com.
Additional volumes with varying themes are planned.
A Cup of Comfort is published by Adams Media, an F+W Publications Company, and
edited by Colleen Sell (wordsinger@aol.com).
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
FEATURED CONTEST
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
Random
House is looking for the most original voices of the
twentysomething generation,writing about their lives, their passions, their
world. We will be publishing the best essays in a book titled
"Twentysomething Essays by Twentysomething Writers: The Best New Voices of
2006." There will be a grand prize of $20,000 to the top winner.
For
complete rules, visit:
http://www.randomhouse.com/rhpg/20by20contest/
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
FEATURED ARTICLE:
Finding a National Audience: Independent Bookstores
By Joyce Faulkner (katieseyes@aol.com)
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
With the
publication of my first book of short stories, "Losing Patience," I
realized that to be successful I needed to attract a national audience.
To do this, I did a little self assessment. While I'm not a complete unknown to
the reading public, my name doesn't exactly jump to a person's lips when they
visit Barnes and Noble. My writing credits are all over the board, from
trade magazines to literary e-zines, from humor to technical, from creative
non-fiction to poetry. I've written continuing columns, short features and
how-to's. My work has appeared in local, national and international venues. It
all sounds very good on the surface, but closer analysis shows that readers
familiar with me aren't necessarily the same ones I'd target for my short
fiction.
That's not
to say that I'm disavowing the strategy of using freelancing to build
readership for my books. However, unless you are Erma Bombeck or William Safire
with years of writing for high profile newspapers and magazines, widespread
name recognition for new novelists from that source is unlikely.
Getting anyone to give you a chance is a challenge. There are too many other
diversions competing for the attention of potential readers. It's like being in
a crowd of athletes doing jumping jacks and trying to get someone's attention
by waving your arms. To acquire a national presence requires information,
analysis, planning, determination and money. Oh, and your work has to deliver
the punch that your ads promise.
Faced with
these realities, I made several choices for my first foray into the wild world
of book promotions. One of the most fateful was my decision to approach
independent booksellers personally with the goal of introducing my work and
establishing a relationship with them. If I could touch these people, I
thought, I'd be touching the folks who actually read and make recommendations
to their clientele. My early logic was naïve, but I'm convinced that the theory
is sound - enough to put my time, limited financial resources and pride on the
line to pursue it.
To that
end, I searched the internet for independent bookstores around the country,
picked some promising ones based on their online descriptions and created a
database. From there, I sent out queries to the owners with an electronic
version of my media kit introducing myself and asking them to carry my book.
Most didn't answer, but a few did and a few of those few were quite gracious.
In particular, Helen (Sam) Pannell of Barney's Books in Conway, Arkansas called
me within a few minutes of receiving my e-mail because I'm a native of
Arkansas. After chatting for awhile, she agreed to carry a few of my books and
to host a book signing event for me. She was delightful and charming and her
bookstore reflects her personality.
After exchanging e-mails with a variety of people, I decided that the thing to do was to go visit them. I