A Cappela Newsletter for Writers July/August 2006
NEWS & VIEWS YOU CAN USE
Your monthly newsletter from Patrika, your Author’s Advocate™
Visit her, send an email, at http://www.acappela.com
Recipient of the Writer’s Digest Certificate of Merit one of Writer's Digest's 101 Best Sites of 2006
IN THIS ISSUE:
New Column: Word Trippers
*The Editor’s View
*Pat’s Picks
*Writing Tip
*Markets
*Contests
*Media Contacts
*Writing Q&A
*Wordplay
*Quote of the Month
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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
Writing a newsletter is hard, especially when it remains a one-way communication. I sit here, sifting through all the information I might possible share with you and wonder which pieces will interest you, which will bore you. A few of you send me comments but for the most part I continue to wonder. Oh, I know you like all the information, but is that enough? What about a little writing gossip now and then?
Well, let’s try it out. In this issue I’m going to share what I think are interesting and/or fun tidbits from the writing world. Let me know if you liked them and want that sort of thing to become a regular column in ths newsletter. Okay? I’ll be looking for your emails, at acappub@aol.com.
Patrika
Here’s some current book gossip:
Britain's Zadie Smith on June 6, as expected, won the Orange Prize for Fiction with her third novel, On Beauty. Smith, 30, was the favorite for the US$53,600 prize. The prize is one of the book world's most lucrative awards and is open to any novel by a woman published in English. Her book is a campus novel set at an Ivy League U.S. college. It beat other finalists including The History of Love by U.S. novelist Nicole Krauss and Australian writer Carrie Tiffany's debut novel, Everyman's Rules for Scientific Living. (Something to aim for!).
Increase your odds of getting published! Getting published involves more than being a great writer. If your goal is to see your work commercially printed, you need to know how to effectively approach editors and agents. But have no fear--these marketing courses from How To Write and Get Published will ensure your work catches an editor’s or agent’s eye!
Stalking The Markets
Book Promotion
Book Promotion Time Table
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PAT’S PICKS
Free eBooks
All 22 computer how-to books published by Visibooks, LLC, of Frederick, Md., in its In Pictures series are being offered free to the public, as downloadable files, until Aug. 1st. At http://www.inpics.net you can download any and all 22 books in Adobe PDF format for free. In the month since the site was launched, over 20,000 people have visited it to download the free books.
"We could have spent a hundred thousand dollars on advertising that most people would ignore," said In Pictures creator Chris Charuhas. "But instead we decided to give away a hundred thousand dollars worth of books. When people try them, they like them, then they spread the word."
After August 1st, Visibooks will offer a "free book of the month" for download.
Mysteries
If you're interested in reading or writing mysteries, surf over to MysteriousReviews.com, and check out the detailed reviews of popular whodunnits from the famous and not-so-famous. Lance, the site's Webmaster, also runs a cool contest on a sister site, MysteryBookContest.com. Current featured contests include two AME authors, Eric Penz and Cody Fowler Davis, both of whom have donated cool gift bags that include inscribed copies of their book along with fun goodies.
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NEED HELP GETTING PUBLISHED? For many writers, writing is the easiest part of getting published. After all, writers love writing, and they love words. But when it comes to the business of the publishing industry, they often need a hand. Here are some great new resources that will provide that much needed help: Take the following self-quiz to help you figure out just where you are, and to point you toward where you want to go. The links following each question will lead you to some answers. For more information, email me: acappub@aol.com Where are you? 1) have an idea but haven’t written anything (WP&M, Consult; Writing Coaching) 2) got started, but bogged down (Classes, WP&M, Writing Coaching) 3) have first draft, but don’t know if it’s any good (Critique) Where do you want to go? 1) improve my writing skills (WP&M, audiobooks, Classes) 2) edit what I’ve got into something publishable (Editing, Book Doctoring) 3) have a great piece of writing, and need to get it published (Stalking the Markets; Book Promotion; Self-Pub; Selling to Ims; eLitAgent)
DON’T MAIL THAT MANUSCRIPT without a professional review from A Cappela
Before you mail out that manuscript or query, make sure it’s as polished and professional as possible. Send your work to A Cappela Publishing and get the specific tailored advice you need to get an extra edge on the competition — and make all your manuscripts more marketable.
After a thorough evaluation of your submission, one of our published, professional staff writers will give you detailed feedback and recommendations. You’ll learn what is and isn’t working in your writing, and how to fix it.
Your Critique includes:
*Genre-specific Advice: Whether your writing is a novel or a nonfiction book, an article or short story, a query letter or book proposal, you can be sure that your work will be evaluated by a pro who has personal experience with the same kind of writing.
*Grammar and Style Suggestions: Your personal reviewer will evaluate your writing to point out common grammatical, structural and stylistic mistakes — mistakes that can mean the difference between a rejection and a sale.
*Market Recommendations: If your manuscript is marketable as is, or with slight revision, you’ll get recommendations for marketing your work — including how to identify the publishers which buy your kind of writing.
For complete information, including submission guidelines and rates, visit
http://www.acappela.com/critiques.htm
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Also:Writers Guild of America, West online Registration Service - for concepts, documentaries, manuscripts, lyrics, etc. ($20)
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WRITING TIP
RE-WORD THIS:
Do you know the difference between a ‘participle’ and a ‘dangling participle’? A participle is a "part" of a verb, usually the part with an "ed," and "ing" and more rarely and "en" hanging of the end of it. The part that comes after what we used to call helper verbs when we were in grade school. You know, the "wases" and "weres" kinds of verbs. However, dangling participles are not called "dangling" because they are the parts that come at the end of multi-part verbs or because of those endings dangling from their roots. They're called "dangling" because writers use them to modify something other than what the writer intended. “Tired of reading copy with dangling modifiers, the galley went soaring across the office right into the round file." You may know what the author intended here but we all know that galleys can't read, thus this sentence illustrates a dangling modifier. These dangling guys are sneaky things to edit because the author knows what she is trying to say and doesn't pick up on the error (or the humor it creates) because the truth behind the sentence is evident to her. So when editing your works, keep a sharp eye out for those misplaced modifiers.
Word Trippers
Precede/Proceed:
To “precede” is to go before; to “proceed” is to go forward.
When good planning precedes any trip, you can proceed to have a wonderful time.
Media Contacts
This new column is for those of you looking for ways to get your writings reviewed, to get a radio or TV interview, or in some other way promote your writing.
Get an Agent
Meredith Bernstein Literary Agency 2112 Broadway, Suite 503A New York, NY 10023 (212) 799-1007
Does not specialize: very eclectic.
Get Reviewed
Already have a book review?
Get it posted at www.Bookpage.com ( lynn@bookpage.com )
Get Interviewed
Universal Spiritual Connection radio show. Host: Rev. May Leilani Schmidt Phone: (480) 225-6198
http://www.achieveradio.com/~leilani
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How to Become an EXPERT in Your Field
Write a book! Here’s why:
* Authoring a book will help you gain instant credibility and differentiates you from your competition.
* People will listen to you and respect you because a book proclaims you as an expert.
* Your book will introduce you to new, more affluent clients.
* It will open the door for interviews on radio, TV and in newspapers, and a book review gives you FREE advertising.
Need help writing your book? See http://www.acappela.com/AH.htm
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Writing and Selling Your First Book? If you've ever dreamed of writing a book, now is the time to start. With Write Publish & Market Your Book you'll get all the information you need to get started, as well as learn what to do when you're finished writing!
Here's a peek inside: * Discover 10 easy ways to get past writer’s block * Learn the nuts and bolts of writing your opening * Find out how to pace your novel like a pro * Get the inside scoop on what editors really want * Discover 25 tips for publishing success * And of course, pages and pages of information on how to choose the markets that are best for you!
MARKETS
CHARISMA MAGAZINE Information for Christians who belong to Pentecostal or independent charismatic churches. Pays up to $1,000for up to 3,000 words. E-Mail: charisma@strang.com
CONSCIOUS CHOICE http://www.consciouschoice.com/info/submissions.html Conscious Choice encourages its readers to take personal responsibility for their actions by offering them a thoughtful guide to alternatives in health care, nutrition, ecology, the environment, green businesses, spirituality, personal growth, social justice and renewal energy. Typical payments range from $50 to $600, with more consideration given for longer pieces, clean copy and writers who supply usable art and have an established track record with us. Kill fees are 50 percent of the original fee that was offered. No kill fee is paid if this is your first assignment with us and you are free to publish the work elsewhere.
GENRE MAGAZINE http://www.genremagazine.com/corp/about.cfm GENRE is the complete lifestyle sourcebook for gay men. Every month, the magazine throws a spotlight on the hottest, the freshest and the best—in entertainment, the arts, fashion, home design, automotive, technology, health and fitness, grooming and travel. Our readers are smart, stylish and tuned in. Pays $1/word.
50PLUS ONLINE MAGAZINE is accepting articles about love, relationships and sex for possible distribution in syndicated newspapers throughout the country as well as in 50plus Online Magazine. Full credit offered in lieu of payment. Send to editor@50plusMag.com
13 MINUTES MAG http://13minutesmag.com/ ---A premier magazine for English-speaking, bi-cultural Asian and Pacific Islander readers. We offer unique views on culture, fashion, cuisine, entertainment, and human dramas that reflect the fusion of Eastern and Western cultures. This magazine serves as a forum where the young and the young at heart come together to recognize and appreciate their own sense of identity and style. Seeking writers nationally, with concentration in metropolitan cities, NYC, LA, Atlanta, DC, Chicago, etc. preferred. Pays up to 30 cents/word.
BeE WOMAN http://www.beemag.com/contact.htm — BeE is a dynamic new woman’s magazine for active, hardworking, educated women—either at home or in the office—between the ages of 25–54. BeE is the first woman’s magazine devoted to personal finance, politics and lifestyle. It conveys what so many women are: enlightened, empowered, engaged, inspired, and striving for financial independence. Pays up to 74 cents/word.
DRAGONFIRE http://www.dfire.org/x234.xml ---) Dragonfire welcomes freelance pitches for most sections of the site, and at this time we are currently accepting unsolicited fiction and creative nonfiction for the Original Works section but are not accepting unsolicited poetry. Essays, stories, features. Pay rates vary greatly depending on length, format and section and range from $150 - $1,000 or more depending on content and graphic/interactive elements. LUNCH HOUR STORIES ( http://www.lunchhourstories.com/submissions.htm ) A literary magazine that publishes only short stories and distributes them only to paid subscribers. Lunch Hour Stories are thin, easy to carry booklets that contain ONE short story each. They are artfully designed to slip easily into a purse or briefcase and be read in less than sixty minutes. Lunch Hour Stories are published approximately 16 times per year, a minimum of one issue per month. First consideration for publication is given to previously unpublished or minimally published authors and/or authors that reside in the Northwestern U.S. Our goal is to publish a minimum of six stories each year from previously unpublished or minimally published authors. Subscriptions to Lunch Hour Stories will become available July 1, 2006. Free sample issues will become available early spring 2006. To add your name to our mailing list, please send complete contact information to mail@lunchhourbooks.com . Lunch Hour Stories is the literary magazine division of Lunch Hour Book Publications. Lunch Hour Book Publications will compensate you $50 for the right to publish your story. We will also provide you with ten (10) printed copies of your story (additional copies may be purchased for $2 each), a free one-year subscription to Lunch Hour Stories (a $22 value), and a short personal interview on the Lunch Hour Stories website TEDDY BEAR AND FRIENDS (http://www.teddybearandfriends.com ) Pays up to 35 cents/word. Publication for teddy bear collectors. Some fiction and first-hand experience pieces accepted. Mostly nonfiction. Query first.
CONTESTS
New Letters offers Awards for Writers: $1,500 for Short Fiction; $1,500 for Poetry; $1,500 for an Essay. Winners receive publication in New Letters magazine and consideration for national radio broadcast on New Letters on the Air. Guidelines: www.newsletters.org .$15 first-entry fee includes one-year subscription
Marilyn Haight, author of WHO'S AFRAID OF THE BIG BAD BOSS (Infinity Publishing 2005), has a contest on her site in which contestants must answer the question, in 22 words or less, “Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Boss?” The prize is a mouse pad with a likeness of your big bad boss. http://www.bigbadboss.com . Click “Challenge!” Marilyn notes that her “rationale for choosing mouse pads was to give readers something useful that also has a chance of being seen by other potential readers in my audience (employees who report to a bad boss).”
Self Published Authors may enter a respected contest sponsored by Foreword. It must have a 2006 copyright date. Go here: http://www.forewordmagazine.com/awards/
No deadline. Contest for Amateur Poets. www.poetry.com . 1175 prizes totaling $58,000. Possible publication. Send only one poem, 20 lines or less. If accepted, poem will be published on our website. Poets retain copyright. Intnatl. Library of Poetry, , Suite A58208, 1 Poetry Plaza, Ownings Mils, MD 21117.
MEMOIRS INK PERSONAL ESSAY CONTEST http://www.memoirsink.com/docs/contest1.html $15 ENTRY FEE Looking for original, well-written personal essays, memoirs, or stories that are based on autobiographical experiences. The narrative must be in first person, other than that, the contest is open to any type, genre or style of story. First Prize: $1,000. Second Prize: $500. Third Prize: $250. Less than 3,000 words.
July
Deadline July 1, 2006 The Evil Genius Chapbook Series ( www.platonic3waypress.com ) Are you a rock god or a hair-band has-been? Do you have the chops? Enter the first P3way chap contest and see if you are truly an Evil Genius. Entry fee: $12 (every entry gets a winning chap) First Place: $50 & 50 copies. Mail to: P.O. Box 644, Warsaw, IN 46581
Deadline July 1, 2006. 2006 CRAB ORCHARD SERIES IN POETRY First Book Award http://www.siu.edu/%7ecrborchd/firstpo.html ---$25 ENTRY FEE Manuscripts should be 50-75 pages of original poetry, in English, by a U.S. citizen or permanent resident who has neither published, nor committed to publish, a volume of poetry 48 pages or more in length in an edition of over 500 copies. The winner will receive a publication contract with Southern Illinois University Press, and will be awarded a $1000 prize. The winner will also receive $1500 as an honorarium for a reading at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale.
Deadline July 1, 2006. MICHIGAN LITERARY FICTION AWARDS — NO ENTRY FEE http://www.press.umich.edu/fiction/ Awarding publication and $1,000 awards to one unpublished novel and one unpublished collection of short fiction. Deadline July 1, 2006. Along with your manuscript and cover letter, you must submit one copy of a previous book of literary fiction that you have published. Without it, we will not consider your manuscript. The book will not be returned.
Deadline July 15, 2006. F. SCOTT FITZGERALD SHORT STORY ---$25 Entry Fee For residents of Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia. Less than 3,000 words. First prize is $1,000 and an invitation to speak briefly at the annual F. Scott Fitzgerald Literary Conference award ceremony on October 14, 2006 in Rockville, MD. Winning story will be published in the Potomac Review. Three runner-up prizes of $200 each.
Deadline July 15, 2006. BARD FICTION PRIZE http://www.bard.edu/bfp/ NO ENTRY FEE The The Bard Fiction Prize is awarded annually to a promising, emerging writer who is an American citizen aged 39 years or younger at the time of application. In addition to the monetary award, the winner receives an appointment as writer-in-residence at Bard College for one semester without the expectation that he or she teach traditional courses. The recipient will give at least one public lecture and will meet informally with students
Deadline July 15, 2006. CAMBER PRESS POETRY CHAPBOOK AWARD ---$15 ENTRY FEE http://www.camberpress.com First Prize $1,000 and publication of chapbook
Deadline: July 21, 2006 2006 Finding the Right Words Flash Fiction Contest - Cash prizes for the two best stories (500 words or fewer) using the theme "Rebel Heart.". Entry fee: $1.50 URL:http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=ppsd4ubab.0.a9ncwrbab.t8tg7qbab.28&p=http%3A%2F%2Finkspotter.com%2Fcontests.htm
Deadline July 30, 2006. THE VIRGINIA BRENDEMUEHL POETRY PRIZE $10 ENTRY FEE $1,000 plus publication. Send 1-3 unpublished poems, SASE, and entry fee to address above. Finalists will also be published. Notification September 1, 2006. No simultaneous submissions, please. Rock & Sling, P.O. Box 30865, Spokane, WA 99223 http://www.rockandsling.org/
August
Deadline: August 1, 2006 THE MYSTERY OF THE BLOOD AWARD $10 Entry Fee J. DeCoteau, po box 307, Feeding Hills, MA 01030 E-mail: storm_kng2005@yahoo.com http://www.necrophobiamagazine.com/ Honors the best in unpublished dark fantasy / horror. 1st Place: $350; 2nd place: $100; 3rd place: $50. Winners may be published in inaugural NECROPHOBIA. Submit one story of up to 3,500 words. Include SASE.
Deadline August 1, 2006 The First Line. All stories must be written with the following first line: “When my brother, Andy, went away to college, he left me his fishing pole, a well-read copy of The Wind in the Willows, and a stack of Playboys.” Stories should be 300-3,000 words. Send to: submissions@thefirstline.comnclude your name and contact information. Payment: $20 and a copy of the issue in which your story appears.
Deadline August 15, 2006. CIRCLET PRESS EROTICA CONTEST ---$5 Entry Fee. http://www.circlet.com/GL1997.html This contest-based anthology will be a compilation of erotic stories of all the types Circlet has published before--in other words, erotica with an sf or fantasy twist or sf/f with an erotic twist. The first place winner of the contest will receive a $500 prize, second place $250, and the remaining runners up will be published in the anthology for the regular payments (between $50-$100 depending on length). Every person who pays the $5 fee will receive back a $5 coupon good for buying anything Circlet Press publishes.
Deadline August 1, 2006 MINUTE MYSTERY WRITING CONTEST--ENTRY FEE $5 Write your best mystery tale in 1,000 words or less. The best story will win 1/2 of the total entry fees submitted for the contest AND will be published on our site. Honorable Mentions will also be posted on the site. (All rights remain with the author.) For contest details, see: http://www.mysteryauthors.com/deadgiveawaycontest.html
Deadline August 16, 2006. RHEA AND SEYMOUR GORSLINE POETRY COMPETITION http://www.bedbugpress.com/html/poetry.htm — $20 ENTRY FEE $500 prize to the winning poet and publication of the winner's book-length manuscript. This is a first-book contest. A published book of over 40 pages of poetry makes the poet ineligible.
Deadline: August 30, 2006. HARD TIMES WRITING CONTEST http://www.twwoa.org/ $18 ENTRY FEE $300 first place, $200 second place, $100 third place. Write about a difficult experience in your life, how you overcame this obstacle, and how you were changed by it. Winning stories will be chosen for originality and creative writing style
Deadline August 31, 2006. BROWN RECLUSE BOOKS - CALL TO PUBLISHING
Writing contest. Open to fiction, novel length manuscripts across a diverse variety of genres. $25 entry fee.Winner to be announced October 31, 2006. We want to publish your book! http://www.brownreclusebooks.com/ for details and application. Prize includes $100 and publishing contract.
WRITING Q&A
Q. For a nonfiction book, what's the ideal time to contact a literary agent?
A. When you have an outline of the book, sample chapters, an analysis of the competition and a marketing plan.
Wordplay
Once again, The Washington Post has published the winning submissions to its yearly neologism contest, in which readers are asked to supply alternate meanings for common words. The winners are: Coffee (n.), the person upon whom one coughs. Flabbergasted (adj.), appalled over how much weight you have gained. Abdicate (v.), to give up all hope of ever having a flat stomach.
Quote of the Month (More Literary Insults:) "He had delusions of adequacy." - Walter Kerr "There's nothing wrong with you that reincarnation won't cure." -Jack E. Leonard "He can compress the most words into the smallest idea of any man I know." -Abraham Lincoln
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