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Rx for Writers |
April
22 And April continues! I hope you’re making use of those
showers that will bring May flowers to spend time in front of the computer
working. You know what? This is a great time of year to write a ton of first
drafts. You can it in the sun or poolside later on with those pages printed
out and on your lap and edit while you enjoy summer weather.
Mary Rosenblum, LR Web Editor http://www.newwritersinterface.com/
The Most Persistent Writer Award runs from September 1 to August 31. Sending out your work counts, remember...not acceptances! You'll find the very simple rules in our 'Applause' section.
CONTENTS OF THIS ISSUE
APPLAUSE! : We have news!
SPOTLIGHT: Filing as a Writer: You and Taxes
THE FORUM TOPIC: Ebooks, synopses, editing, markets. Don’t see what you want? Start a new topic!
DONNA IPPOLITO'S QUESTION OF THE WEEK: How does a writer at heart start out with writing a novel?
THE PROMPT The SPRING prompt: our third leap!
THE WEBEDITOR'S PICK– Tom Howard/John H. Reid Short Story Contest - Thanks, Hope Clark!
THE WANT ADS: The Fanatics by Nishoni Harvey
REVIEWS AND
TIPS: The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison
Allen is reviewed by Christine Calderwood
REMINDERS
LOOKING FOR SOMETHING?
Article Index by Topic
Need help with characterization? You're faced with a query letter and you
don't have a clue?
Now you can find what you need with a click of your mouse. (And if you haven't
been using the articles on the website, you're missing some good information at
a very good price -- like free!) Visit the article index and choose your
topic at the top of the page...Christian and Inspirational Fiction? click
Plotting? Romance? click No need to scroll through our ever-expanding
list of articles. Take a look and click on those helpful articles.
APPLAUSE!!!
Don't forget to tell us when you get a yes or a no from the publisher.
We'll cheer you either way! Send news of your sales, your rejections, and of
course, links to that new book, story, or article to MaryRosenblum@forums.longridgewritersgroup.com
And remember to keep a log of your submissions so that you can compete for Most
Persistent Writer this year!
________________________________
Hi Mary--I just opened my email and learned that Page
and Spine will be publishing my piece, "Ticket to Ride." What a
pleasant surprise so early this morning! I am grateful that Nancy at Page
and Spine is helping us emerging writers. I would encourage other LRWG
students to submit to Page and Spine. And it seems as if good news comes in
waves. I just learned that my story, "The Christmas
Helicopter," will be published by WomensMemoirs.com in their upcoming
ebook about winter. Here's the link to the announcement:
http://womensmemoirs.com/memoir-writing-news/news-memoir-contest-winners-memories-of-winter/ Sara
Etgen-Baker Sara, that is great! Keep up the
good work, girl!
_____________________
Mary, I just bit the bullet and submitted a story poem for a children's picture book to Karen Grencik at Red Fox Literary, knowing that rhyming work isn't well accepted these days. By morning she had emailed me back the nicest rejection I could have ever hoped to read. She first thanked me for my compliments on her presentation at the conference where we were invited to submit, then told me the merits of the work and said she was delighted to read it. Lastly she told of today's markets and suggested that editors are looking for more tension in the story arc. I believe that her word "tension" is one of the most valuable lessons I have had whether I've paid for a course or not. I will now ALWAYS ask myself if there is enough tension in anything before I submit it. I'm sure I've heard it countless times but this time was so meaningful in the context of my own work. I also submitted it to another agency from that same conference. Now onward to the next thing . . . adding tension to my other projects where it is lacking. Cynthia Bower That is great, Cynthia! Too bad you got a no-thanks but by golly you got it out there! When an editor gives you suggestions, that editor thinks you have a future as a writer. Nice!
Send something out and send that news to me now at: MaryRosenblum@forums.longridgewritersgroup.com
SPOTLIGHT: Filing as a Writer; You and Taxes
Most everybody has the dream of quitting their day job and making their living as a writer. Hey, it’s a great day job, even if the pay is less than wonderful. But if you do that, you have to treat it as a business, keep records, and pay taxes as a writer…and deduct your expenses. And will the Tax Man accept that you ARE a professional writer if you’re not Stephen King? My own accountant visited us to answer questions, back when we did the live chat interviews. If you think you might want to file as a writer, do read this transcript. You’ll learn a lot!
For more tips on getting to that novel from the idea, check out Writers and Taxes in Interview Transcripts .
We have quite a few hot topic threads up, and as they get cold, I’ll prune them out. Come check it out. If you don’t see what you want, click on the ‘new topic’ link and start a new topic. Here’s where you can get your questions answered right now! Forums take place on the Post a Note Board Look for the ‘Forum’ topic.
Because of some nasty spam attacks, all new Post a Note registrations must be approved by me, you’ll have to email me your user name and password at MaryRosenblum@forums.longridgewritersgroup.com and I’ll sign you up myself.
Writing tips from Donna Ippolito, Long Ridge instructor.
Donna Ippolito has been writing, editing, and teaching others to write for more than 20 years. From 1985 to 2001, she was editor-in-chief at FASA Corporation, a Chicago publisher that packaged best-selling science fiction and fantasy novel lines for Penguin Books and Time-Warner. These included the popular BattleTech, Shadowrun, Earthdawn, and Vor series. So check out her websites at www.expert-editor.com and http://dreamscoop.blogspot.com/.
Prior to that, Ms. Ippolito was an editor at the Swallow Press, a prestigious publisher of both literary and commercial titles. Writers published by Swallow include celebrated novelist Anaïs Nin; Jungian analyst Linda Leonard; futurist Robert Theobald; Zen poet Lucien Stryk; and distinguished anthropologist W. Y. Evans-Wentz. She also worked as a senior editor for Consumer Digest Magazine and was a founding editor of Black Maria, a quarterly journal of women’s writing.
______________________________
Sara A. asks: Big question for Donna. How does a writer at heart start out with writing a novel? Is it necessary to form a structured outline or can they just let it flow into several pages before revising and tearing it apart? Donna writes: There are surely as many answers to this question as there are aspiring novelists, but the only way to “start out” is to commit to one concrete action that you can take immediately and then do it. Don’t obsess about whether it’s the “right” way or the “wrong” way or you might never get started. A journey may be long or short, easy or difficult, but it can only begin by setting your foot on the path. For you, the first step might be finding a time and place where you can write without interruption on a regular basis—even if it’s only 5 minutes a day or 5 minutes a week. I know of writers whose only time to write is while sitting in their car during red lights or on their lunch hour at work or by getting up an hour earlier or by staying up an hour later at night. Writing is a discipline, and whether you write a good novel or a bad novel, it’s a major accomplishment of will and energy. But unless you make writing a habit rather than a luxury, you’ll never get beyond the wishing and hoping stage. As for whether to create a plan or just sit down and let the writing flow, even the sketchiest plan is a useful strategy. It will give you a sense of direction—the energy to keep moving forward. This plan can change often—and usually does--so you aren’t stuck with anything. After writing a bit, you might decide that another personage is actually more interesting as the main character or to use first-person rather than third-person voice (or vice versa) or to throw out your first chapter because it’s all back-story. You’re the boss, and revision will always be the true art of writing. Some writers do like to fly blind when writing, but even a numbered list of the story’s main events will save time and help keep you on track. As the editor of several mass-market fiction lines, I always asked writers pitching me a novel idea for such an “outline” of their story’s 8 or 10 key plot points. Later on, I would ask for a detailed plot synopsis and chapter summaries, but you can begin with a similar rough list just to move yourself from the first steppingstone to the next. Without some kind of plan, you can easily get bogged down in back-story or research or write yourself into a corner because you don’t have the engine of a plot to keep things moving forward. Another jump-starter is to join National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), which runs from November 1-30 every year. You might not write the Great American Novel during NaNoWriMo, but you’ll still generate 50,000 words from scratch by the end of 30 days. Once signed up, you’re also able to join a local group of other NaNoWriMo writers, get online support, and become part of a global community of writers through the NaNoWriMo online forums. Among the published novels that got their start during NaNoWriMo are Water for Elephants and Ape House by Sara Gruen. “The wonderful thing about NaNoWriMo is that it gives you something to edit,” Gruen said in one interview. “Because the only thing you can’t edit is a blank page.” |
Do you have a question that you’d like Donna to answer? Here's your chance to ask her something. Email your question about all things writing to me and I'll pass it on so that she can answer it in the next Newsletter issue. You can mail your question to me at: MaryRosenblum@forums.longridgewritersgroup.com
THE SPRING PROMPT
Here we go, our SPRING prompts. This was technical fun. I wanted the ‘essence’ of spring here, but in verses, each beginning with the letters S P R I N G. Here is our final batch! It was fun!
___________________________________
J Labelle
Spring weathered down over
us in warmth from the sun's calendar cycle, daylight extended and
Pleasured our senses, blew in new fragrance and breathed freshness upon a light
breeze that
Reached, like it always does, across the river, teased the water and ruffled
grasses--in rhythm
I am it's rhyme--witness filled with fascination
Neither bored nor surprised but ever mesmerized and too
Grateful that yesterday wonders---today's gift, a reminder that tomorrow is now
Very nice feel of spring, J!
_____________________________________
Ty Mall
Shoo spouses, pets, kids
outdoors to get active
Play with no work isn't something to chase
Run through the grass and tickle your feet
Ideas about puddles will NOT amuse
New life trots near and waves hello
Good memories whisper strange things in your ear
Nice poetry, Ty
_______________________________________
Gloria Watts
Shadows fall on budding tress,
Primroses below, nod in the breeze,
Robins wing their way back home,
Black ants leave their nests to roam,
No more snowy winter days,
Glorious spring - is here to stay.
Good visuals and it rhymes, Gloria! Well done!
_____________________________________
Sharril Hutchinson
Spared us not that April
morn, His
Promise of Eternity if we Believe.
Ribbons of blood attested His Truth
"INRI", King of the Jews
Nailed above His thorn-crowned head
Gave up the Ghost to die no more, He lives forever for you and me.
Very Easter, Sharril, strong Christian theme here.
_____________________________________
Patrick Anderson
Sweetness fills the senses
in the air.
Poetry in motion she glides across the room.
Reaching out to the hearts around her like a form of
telepathy.
Inspiration created for souls to feel laughter and
love.
Nothing has been offered which is not freely given.
Goddess in the flesh sanctified spirit.
Nice Goddess piece, we have a strong sense of
spirituality in these ‘takes’ on spring!
_______________________________________
Sharon Simpson
Saving memories of
Past prompts
Reminds me that
Inside my computer is
Notes on a
Good Spring Prompt 2005 exactly like this.
LOL, yes, your hard drive is an archive of your life!! Try the delete button, dearie!
_____________________________________
Well, that wraps up our SPRING
prompt! It was fun! Thank you all for some great images of spring.
THE WEBEDITOR’S
PICK – Tom Howard/John H. Reid Short Story Contest -
Final Month!
This is thanks to Hope Clark’s ‘Funds for Writers’ newsletter. Thank you, Hope!
By the way, I’ll be talking with Hope about her use of Pinterest to promote her work in my next issue of The Literary Midwife, the newsletter I send out from my New Writers Interface site.
21st year. $5,550 in cash prizes, including
a top prize of $3,000. Seeks short stories, essays and other works of prose,
up to 5,000
words. All entries that win cash prizes will be published on WinningWriters.com
(over one million page views per year) and
announced in the Winning Writers Newsletter, with over 40,000 subscribers.
Both published and unpublished work accepted. Fee
per entry is $16. Enter online or by mail. Postmark deadline: April 30.
Judges: John H. Reid, Dee C. Konrad. Winning Writers is one of the "101
Best Writing Websites" (Writer's Digest, 2005-2012). See guidelines, past
winners, and enter at www.winningwriters.com/tomstory
Okay, it’s a fee contest, but it’s a BIG contest and if you win or place a lot of people will notice you.
____________________________
"The Fanatics chronicles the
struggles of a wounded police officer, who was forced into hiding, to reach his
family with the Gospel in the face of certain death. Meanwhile, as his sister
tried to keep him safe in spite of the dangers she faces for helping a
"Fanatic," she also learns what really happened to her parents and
who she really is. It's a thrilling narrative from start to finish with a
"God-bump" raising, surprise ending!"
This novella sold over 76 printed copies within 2 months of its release and quickly
rose to be included in the top 100 on Amazon at that time. It is currently
carrying a five star rating with several good reviews. Get your
e-book copy today for only $1.99! http://www.amazon.com/The-Fanatics-ebook/dp/B009XV1KEC
If you have any questions or would like to purchase a soft cover copy of "The
Fanatics" instead of the e-book ($9.99 + s/h), please feel free to contact
me at "kjvbible4me(at)gmail(dot)com".
____________________________
I'm a fellow Sophisticate (a nom de plume that defines members of the Counter Intelligence Corps, US Army) fictionalizing significant work by several Agents who were engaged in Aggressive Counterintelligence Programs. Seeking individuals who have some experience or knowledge that would help enrich an already inflated manuscript - 300 plus pages. At present am trying to make it presentable and need to have a fresh pair of eyes to see if it is going somewhere. Also need suggestions regarding writing style for gushing bit of literature. Please us my e-mail address of ew20810@gmail.com . Offer some bon a fides to establish your ability to contribute to the art of writing and/or knowledge of subject matter. -- E. Wells
____________________________
Deadbeat Dads, by Roseanne Dowell; After her husband leaves for a
younger woman, Erica Morris just wants to make him pay child support. She
starts a group for ex wives of deadbeat dads and is surprised at how many there
are. In the process of rebuilding her life, someone tries to blackmail her. Can
she put the past behind her or will it catch up?
Published by Books We Love Ltd. and available from Amazon -amzn.to/YW5asx
____________________________
Vera Minette Bradley lost too many loved ones in her life, and she wanted answers. Was it God's timing, someone playing God, or hospital error? This 18 chapter novel explores these questions when Vera returns to a small town she fled during the threat of a hurricane because her sister is ill and hospitalized. Jesus is our refuge through the storms of life, and Vera, her loved ones, and friends go through many in this inspirational romantic suspense. If you're a fan of humor, romance, suspense, mystery, or inspirational novels, enjoy this one for only $2.99. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BJWSF5A -- B. J. Robinson
____________________________
I am writing a novel based on my own experiences from 1937 -1952. I have a
fictional heroine and a fictional hero. The setting is the tip of the Paliser
Triangle or Central Saskatchewan. It begins just when Hitler was setting
himself up in Germany, continues through the war, and into the problems of
peace. It reflects the basically rural and small town living at the time. The
hero trains at Dafoe, Sask and because of his skill with codes, he is sent to a
base in Ontario to learn spying. ( There was a secret base).The USA has a man
called Donovan who is involved with training men to spy and to work overseas.
Before the USA enters the war, a group of men from the USA and Canada based
just off British Columbia listen to Japanese broadcasts. He decodes a message
that is really the announcement that Hawaii will be bombed. It is sent to
Washington where it is considered and kept without further action. Hawaii is
bombed and the USA is in the war. Next my hero trains in handling a fighter
plane in England and then he has assignments to bomb Germany cities before he
begins his real work: spying and getting important scientists out of German
held territory including Prague. This is under the direction of Bill Donovan
who later founded the CIA.
The heroine has been made pregnant by the hero before he is sent
off and the veil of secrecy falls. The mother of the girl forces her to marry
the brother of the hero. This man has returned because of " shell
shock" but there is a deeper story of dishonorable discharge. The man is
mentally unstable and an alcoholic. The heroine suffers abuse in the marriage
with this man.
The story does have a happy ending when the hero returns in 1946.
I am looking for two or three Critique Buddies with whom I can
work on line. I have taken two courses from Longridge. -- Dolores
Ewen dewen@accesscomm.ca.
____________________________
Sydelle Voeller offers Daisies
Are Forever , a contemporary romance, published by Books We
Love and Sydell
Voeller Special Edition (also by Books We Love)
Please visit my website
http://sydellvoeller.com/
_____________________________
Aoife Edwards is a college freshman, oppressed by her power-hungry stepmom who now controls her father's fortune and sees her as a marketable commodity. A strange, blue-skinned man drops into her life and opens a door into both her hidden past, an alternate universe full of dangers, new powers and magic, and a truly bad-to-the-bone Demon King. Do check it out for a great fantasy romance romp! https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/243619
_____________________________
Writing
Fiction: Ask the Editor
by Donna Ippolito
100 pages
Reviewed by Deborah Lange, Bethesda Communications Group
I continue to be stunned by Writing Fiction: Ask the Editor. Donna is so thorough, she leaves out nothing. Her practical advice is bolstered by examples, quotations, references, stories, shared experiences, all presented in the most comforting and supportive way but without mincing words--what writer wouldn't be heartened to persevere? I never thought I'd find a coaching book to be a page-turner, but that's exactly what it is.
The simplicity and elegance of the design are part of what makes the material so approachable. It's all a stroke of genius.
This book is a boon not only to writers, but to those who work with writers. It is an incredibly thorough exploration of the myriad elements that go into making a story and then getting it published.
____________________________
If you need expert help, if you want a critique partner, if you're a publisher and you need submissions for your new contest, this is the place for your free ad! And for heaven’s sake self promote your book here! What are you waiting for , people? If you’re self publishing, write a great review of your book and include the ‘buy’ link! Free advertising is always a precious commodity!
Send your want ad to me at: MaryRosenblum@forums.longridgewritersgroup.com and I'll post it here. Don't forget to include contact information so that people can reach you with their responses.
The Girl Who Chased the Moon
by Sarah Addison Allen
Reviewed by Christine Calderwood
http://www.draftingdreamsblog.blogspot.ca
I love reading books that get me excited; that make me want to get on the phone
and share. And Sarah Addison Allen's "The Girl Who Chased the Moon"
did just that. It's not often I read an author who uses descriptions like
"crumbling oak leaves" or "blonde hair shining like
meringue". And what do you think about "...the last sunlight of the
day was coughing through the dining room windows."? (The sun? Coughing?) I
don't know about you, but I find these descriptions incredibly refreshing in a
world that likes to just slap its work full of sloppy cliches.
While Allen's "The Girl Who Chased the Moon" may not have the same
plot quality as Daphne Du Maurier's "Rebecca", her quirky characters
and delightful settings will make up for any criticisms you might have. Allen
describes her style of writing as Southern-fried magical realism and it's
obvious she spends a lot of time eliminating from her stories any trace of the
"blase".
"You tell me this book is good..." I can hear the hesitance in your
voice and I anticipate your next question before you have a chance to ask it.
"So what is it about?"
The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen
Reviewed by Christine Calderwood
http://www.draftingdreamsblog.blogspot.ca
I love reading books that get me excited; that make me want to get on the phone
and share. And Sarah Addison Allen's "The Girl Who Chased the Moon"
did just that. It's not often I read an author who uses descriptions like
"crumbling oak leaves" or "blonde hair shining like
meringue". And what do you think about "...the last sunlight of the
day was coughing through the dining room windows."? (The sun? Coughing?) I
don't know about you, but I find these descriptions incredibly refreshing in a
world that likes to just slap its work full of sloppy cliches.
While Allen's "The Girl Who Chased the Moon" may not have the same
plot quality as Daphne Du Maurier's "Rebecca", her quirky characters
and delightful settings will make up for any criticisms you might have. Allen
describes her style of writing as Southern-fried magical realism and it's
obvious she spends a lot of time eliminating from her stories any trace of the
"blase".
"You tell me this book is good..." I can hear the hesitance in your
voice and I anticipate your next question before you have a chance to ask it.
"So what is it about?"
Emily Benedict, an orphaned teenager, goes to live with her grandfather in the
small town of Mullaby, North Carolina. Upon arriving, though, she finds that
there's a lot about her mother's past that she doesn't know. There are others
in Mullaby who also struggle with the past and in time, both you and Emily will
get to know these people and are able to call them friends.
As well, if you read "The Girl Who Chased the Moon", not only will
you meet the young baker, Julia, but Allen also includes all the cake recipes
from her book on her website, http://sarahaddisonallen.com.
Allen says, about her work: "It took twelve years writing as close to
full-time as I could manage to finally make a living from it. Twelve long
years, folks. This is what I know: There's no shortcut. There's no secret
handshake. You sit down, you write. YOU FINISH IT. You revise and make it the
best you can make it. You do your research on where to submit and you submit
it. Then you start writing something new." Then she sums up the writing
process in her usual, vibrant colours: "It's all about rinse and repeat."
I don't know about you, but I think this is amazing
advice. And after reading such wonderful work, it sure gave me a lift! Sarah
Addison Allen is proof that determination and hard work do eventually pay off.
Other favourite quotes from "The Girl Who Chased the Moon":
Speaking of Emily's grandfather, the giant of the town - "He seemed badly
constructed, like a skyscraper made of soft wood instead of concrete. He looked
like he could splinter at any moment"
"It never occurred to [Sawyer] that she knew where he lived. It made him
feel important to her somehow. Though that was probably his delusion speaking.
It spoke to him often about Julia." - A delusion speaking? This makes me
laugh! I love it! It seems that, almost without trying, this author can make me
smile.
- Christine Calderwood
Christine, what an excellent review! Thank
you so much for sharing this with us! If you have read something or
visited a blog that you really enjoyed, share it with us! Send me a
review and it’s a clip for your next query letter, if I publish it!
MaryRosenblum@forums.longridgewritersgroup.com
To receive all the issues of the Long Ridge E-NEWS plus short updates and reminders simply click here and subscribe: http://www.longridgewritersgroup.com/rx/email_updates.shtml! It's free and easy. Surely, you don't want to miss a thing.
For help in using the CHAT ROOM, you can check out the several articles we have that will help you if you click here If you're still stumped, you can use the Help Desk http://www.longridgewritersgroup.com/rx/Chat_Help_Desk.shtml for a direct connection to our technician, Frank Ball, for help with your particular computer system.
If you need help with the Post-A-Note, check out the nuts and bolts help article at http://www.longridgewritersgroup.com/rx/st01/ichat_post_a_note.shtml" for some great information on how to use the Post-A-Note and visit with other writers on the website.
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