Hell Or High Water

Not So Cynical Christmas Contest

2009-11-06T03:40:00.001-08:00

The Cynic Online Magazine is looking for not-so-cynical short stories for their Christmas contest.

According to the site:

"What we want in our stockings this year is for you to write uplifting stories, stories of hope and stories of peace. We want stories about love, joy and the spirit of the season. If you've wanted to write that masterpiece about the fluffy white snow bunny that saved Kwanzaa, now's your chance! If you think you can bring us the holiday cheer this season then please help us! We're so desperate for a little holiday cheer, we might even pay you for it!

That's right folks, for a limited time only, submissions that we deem to be the best have a chance of winning up to seventy-five US dollars. That's right baby! What's more in the spirit of the holidays than us giving you some greenbacks -- See? Even money is Christmassy. It's green like the tree."

Entrants must be 16 years of age or older and residents of the USA, Canada or Europe. Entrants under the age of 18 will require a parent or guardian's signature if chosen for prize or publication. All prizes will be paid via PayPal and must be accepted by 1 March, 2010.

Winners retain all rights to their work and allow The Cynic Magazine to publish their winning entries online in the December 2009 and 2010 issues.

All submissions must be the work of the entrant and can not have been previously published. Word count must be less than 8,000.

All submissions should be sent to holidaycheer@cynicmag.com with a subject line reading "Not So Cynical".

Further details on the contest, rules and requirements can be found at the Not So Cynical Christmas Contest Rules page.

Good luck!

Bits and Pieces from Twitter

2009-10-31T07:12:00.000-07:00

If you're not yet acquainted with Twitter, I suggest you check it out soon because you're missing out on LOADS of great resources.

I did a post awhile back on Writers and Twitter, so I won't bore you with more "hows" and "whys" of setting up an account. Instead, I thought I'd tempt you into further exploration by sharing just a small sample of the gems I've found via Twitter in the last few weeks.

- An MFA Programs Database of low- and full-residency graduate creative writing programs in the USA and other English-speaking countries at Poets & Writers.

- A Fiction Writer's Character Chart at Eclectics.com.

- Online plagiarism checkers at ArticleChecker.com and Copyscape.com.

- Word Count Tracker at AllFreelanceWriting.com.

- A list of 20 Ways for Freelance Writers to Save Money at Freelance Writing Jobs.

- A list of 45 Free Things for Writers at Freelance Writing Jobs.

- NaNoWriMo Rebels (particularly good for nonfiction writers who want to be a part of the NaNo spirit).

- PiBoIdMo as an alternative to NaNoWriMo for picture book authors.

- 73 Resources for Online Freelance Writers at ReliableWriters.com.

- Promote An eBook 26 Ways at The Publicity Hound's Blog.

Enjoy!

(And if you do decide to take the plunge, I'm @HOHWWriter - don't forget to say hi!)

Why I Write Essay Contest

2009-10-28T13:34:00.000-07:00

Editor Unleashed is teaming up with Smashwords to host an essay contest with the theme "Why I Write".

Submissions should be essays of no more than 750 words, and will be ranked at the online forum as well as judged by an editorial team. Entrants grant Editor Unleashed and Smashwords non-exclusive digital rights. Entrants keep full rights to their essays.

The 50 best essays will be published in a free "Why I Write" anthology available at Smashwords and in other online bookstores where Smashwords ebooks are distributed. One grand prize winner will receive a US$500 cash prize as well as promotion on both sites.

Entries must be submitted to the Editor Unleashed forum. Membership to the forum is required, but is free. Only one entry per writer.

Entries may be posted from 9 November until 31 December. Popular ranking will take place between 4 January and 29 January. Winners will be announced 1 February.

Good luck!

Special Guest Post With Claudine Wolk

2009-10-20T11:34:00.000-07:00

Thanks to WOW! Women on Writing we have Claudine Wolk, author of It Gets Easier! And Other Lies We Tell New Mothers... here with us today.

Claudine has nicely agreed to talk about interviewing, so if you have any thoughts on this topic please leave a comment!

Tell Me Your Secrets: Interviewing Tips
Claudine Wolk

Beth has asked me to share a few tips for developing a bang-up interview. By way of example, I have created a mini-interview for myself, the author of It Gets Easier! And Other Lies We Tell New Mothers, a fun practical guide for becoming a new mom, with instruction/commentary on each interview question to do just that. Before we get to the sample interview, though, there are three important issues to nail down before you begin any interview:

1. Who is your audience?
2. What message do you want to share with your audience?
3. Why is your message important for your audience?

If you keep the answers to these questions in mind, your interviews will stay on track and be fresh, interesting, and relevant.

I’ve decided that my audience is new moms. My message to new moms is that there are other moms out there just like them and that there are some things new moms can do, today, to make motherhood a bit easier. This message is important for new moms because new moms need help and are quick to keep their feelings to themselves for fear of being called a bad mum at the first sign of frustration. Hearing the author’s experience may help new moms to realize that they are not alone and gain some practical tips and confidence.

As way of example, here are three interview questions of me interviewing me:

1. Hi, Claudine, thanks for speaking with us today. Can you tell us your motivation for writing your new book, It Gets Easier! And Other Lies We Tell New Mothers?

Here I give the interviewee an opportunity to tell the audience that she wrote the book because she has been in their shoes and has experienced some of the frustration that they may be feeling. Furthermore, she decided to do something about that frustration by seeking and finding help and then sharing the help with the new moms who come after her by way of the book.

2. Each chapter of your book has a humorous personal experience. Was it difficult to share your personal story with such honesty? Why did you feel it was so important to include these details in your book?

Here I am doing two things. I am letting the interviewee know that I have actually read her material to get her plugged in to the conversation. Secondly, I am allowing her the opportunity to tell the audience how her book differs from the other books out there in its honesty. The author has put herself out on a limb with this book and so it is therefore a worthwhile read.

3. Can you give us an example of a lie you were told as a new mother and how you coped with that lie?

Here I am giving the interviewee a clever question that plays on the title of the book and gives her the opportunity to talk about a personal experience that will most likely be in the book. The audience will see the humorous side of the author and get a teaser preview of what is in the book, hopefully leaving them thirsty for more.

Here is a quick summary of the techniques included above.

1. Know your audience
2. Determine the message
3. Know why the message is important
4. Craft questions that get the intended message to your audience, show you know the material, aid the interviewee to showcase her material, and that leave the audience curious for more information.

Happy interviewing! Come visit me at my website at www.Help4NewMoms.com for more information about me, the book, or interviewing.

---
Claudine Wolk, a mom-blogger, columnist, speaker, mother of three and author of It Gets Easier! And Other Lies We Tell New Mothers (AMACOM, July 2009, 978-0-8144-1502-3) knew there had to be an easier way. Over a period of 12 years and while raising her young children on both the East and the West Coast, Wolk interviewed hundreds of mothers, gained insight from participants of her workshops, visited and participated in countless online messageboarding conversations and blogs and blended that valuable information with her own experience to create this witty book for new moms.

Her strategy - employ a little humor and lots of practical advice to help moms help themselves. “Forget about playing nice and pretending that everything is normal and fine,” Wolk says, “Motherhood is hard! A new mom wants to know the insider secrets of new motherhood and what really works.” A little honesty and laughter can be just what the doctor ordered.
Wolk also spreads her empowering message through her popular “new mom” workshops. The workshops are fun and interactive. In many instances, Wolk acts a facilitator to get moms talking to share their experiences and ideas. Wolk has presented at countless International MOMS Club meetings as well as to community-based groups and book clubs. Claudine is the keynote presenter at this year’s Bellies & Babies Expo in Indianapolis in September. Her workshops have helped hundreds of women in their quest to share the truth about motherhood and make it a bit easier!

Wolk writes freelance newspaper columns and articles for mom magazines including Hybrid Mom Magazine. She is also an active writer on the web. Her own website, www.Help4NewMoms.com, is a “safe” place for new moms to go to answer their “new mom” questions and share a bit of themselves in the process. In addition, her own blog www.Help4NewMoms.blogspot.com enjoys an active following where moms share Wolk’s take on current events, mom book reviews, and dynamic new mom help. She is a featured blogger for the nationally syndicated website HybridMom.com , and contributes to the websites Grumpymoms.com, Babyspot.com, and Mother-Talk.com.

Wolk is a frequent commentator on some of the most popular “mom-messageboards” on the internet where she chimes in with her advice for new and expecting moms on new mom issues. Some of these websites include (cafemom.com, babyzone.com, Justmommies.com, ivillage.com, msn.com, urbanbaby.com, discoveryheath.com, Parents.com, etc). Wolk’s frequently visited Truth about Motherhood and New Mom Book lists as well as her Amazon blog on Amazon have made her one of the “new mom experts” and a sought after new mom/parenting source.

Claudine graduated Summa Cum Laude from Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia with a dual major in Accounting and Finance. She was recruited by the Big Six firm Coopers & Lybrand in 1989. After becoming a CPA, she worked in industry for 4 years, thereafter creating her own accounting firm, where she continues to work today. She lives in Bucks County, PA with her husband, Joe, and their three children.

Book Reviews at Lunch.com

2009-10-18T07:59:00.000-07:00

Since writers tend to be readers, I thought I'd let you know about Lunch.com, a new website that allows users to review books - and just about anything else - as a way to share information and opinions.

I haven't used Lunch.com myself because I keep all of my notes on books at LibraryThing and made a solemn promise to stay there (my library is just too big now for me to mess with breaking it up and posting bits and pieces on other sites). But Lunch.com seems like it's based on an interesting concept, that we all have opinions we can contribute to a great community.

They also have FAQs posted so if you have any questions I would head there first.

Anyone here used Lunch.com? Any hints or tips?

*Please note, I'm not putting this up as a freelance market, just a new site/community that some readers may want to explore.*

Call For Austen Related Submissions

2009-10-15T06:44:00.000-07:00

Prospera Publishing is now looking for Jane Austen related submissions.

From a prequel to 'Sense and Sensibility' to a travel guide of Jane Austen's world, Prospera is looking for anything you might have to offer.

Submissions should include a cover letter with information on the author's contact details and bio as well as an outline of the proposed book. Submissions that include a PDF of the first 3 chapters will be prioritised.

Submissions should be sent to yannick@prospera.co.uk.

Original call available from Craigslist London.

This is a fairly niche call, but it looks like it could be a lot of fun for the right author.

Good luck!

Writing and Ireland

2009-10-10T14:31:00.000-07:00

Hello to my new readers!

I see that quite a few of you have found me recently with search strings including the terms "Ireland" "Irish" and "Dublin" so I assume you're interested in writing in Ireland (or at least writing and Ireland).

To help you on your way, check out some of these fantastic Irish resources for writers*.

Courses, Workshops, Retreats In Ireland

Inkwell Writers' Workshops (Dublin)

UCD Adult Education Centre - Writers Studio (Dublin)

Big Smoke Writing Factory (Dublin)

The Celtic Muse Retreats and Workshops (Dublin)

The Irish Writers Centre (Dublin)

Anam Cara Retreat (Cork)

Dingle Writing Courses (Kerry)

Dublin Travel Writing Workshop (Dublin)

Fighting Words (Dublin)

The Creative Writer's Workshop (Various Locations, Ireland)

Patchwork Ireland Retreat (Meath - 2010 - Women Only)

Munster Literature Centre (Cork)

Irish Booksellers and Bookshops

Eason

Hughes & Hughes Booksellers

Dubray Books

Kenny's Bookshop (Galway)

Chapters (Dublin)

Books Upstairs (Dublin)

Cathach Books (Rare books - Dublin)

Raven Books (Dublin)

Village Books (Dublin)

Connolly's Bookshop (Cork)

Alan Hanna's Bookshop (Dublin)

The Winding Stair (Dublin)

Booksellers Association of the United Kingdom and Ireland

European Booksellers Federation

Irish Publishing

Publishing Ireland

Magazines Ireland

Literary Agents In Ireland

The Lisa Richards Agency

Jonathan Williams Literary Agency

The Book Bureau

Marianne Gunne- O'Connor

Font International

Irish Libraries

National Library of Ireland

Library.ie

BorrowBooks.ie (for members of Irish public libraries)

Festivals

Children's Book Festival (Various locations)

Immrama Festival of Travel Writing (Waterford)

West Cork Literary Festival

Dublin Writers Festival

Dublin Book Festival

Listowel Writers' Week (Kerry)

The Sean Dunne Writers Festival (Waterford)

CUISLE Limerick City International Poetry Festival (Limerick)

Cúirt International Festival of Literature (Galway)

Poetry Now International Poetry Festival (Dublin)

Cape Clear International Storytelling Festival (Cork)

The Frank O'Conner International Short Story Festival (Cork)

Samhain International Poetry Festival (Donegal)

Graiguenamanagh 'Town of Books' Festival (Kilkenny)

Masters Programmes In Ireland

University College Dublin - MA - Creative Writing

Trinity College Dublin - MPhil - Creative Writing

Dublin City University - MA - Journalism

Dublin City University - MA - International Journalism

Dublin Institute of Technology - MA - Journalism

Dublin Institute of Technology - MA - International Journalism

NUI Galway - MA - Writing

NUI Galway - MA - Literature and Publishing

NUI Galway - MA - Journalism

University of Limerick - MA - Technical Communication

University of Limerick - MA - Journalism

Twitter

Check out David Maybury's massive list of "Irish (tw)bookies on Twitter" for info on Irish writers, readers, booksellers, bloggers, publicists, editors and more.

*By no means exhaustive lists, just some good starters. If you have more resources you'd like me to add just let me know in the comments or email me at hellorhighwaterwriter (at) gmail (dot) com.

Writing Meme: Strengths and Advice

2009-10-08T17:27:00.001-07:00

I was tagged for a great writing meme years ago and only just came across my answers again. When I re-read them I had one of those "I wrote this? This is so great!" reactions. Not because I think I'm soooooo original and profound, but because they reminded me to have faith in myself.

I thought I'd re-post the meme here, but I won't tag anyone in particular. Instead, I urge everyone to take a few minutes and write out their own answers. Keep them somewhere safe. Trust me, there will be days in the future that you read them and they will make you smile. And hopefully give you a little push to get back to work.

---

5 Of My Strengths As A Writer:

1. I’m committed. I write every single day whether I’m happy, sad, healthy, ill, energetic, or apathetic.

2. I’m a reader. I truly believe that every writer is a reader, and I read for at least an hour every day as well. Newspapers, magazines, books, journals, plays, reports – you name it, I read it. And then I think of a way to use it in an article.

3. I’m punctual. In fact, I’m early for 95% of my deadlines and on time for the other 5%. Never, ever underestimate the power of meeting a deadline or giving your editor some extra breathing room.

4. I always write for the publication. I use house style, I use the prevalent tone, I pitch articles specifically for the readers and I let the editors decide what fits and what doesn’t. This doesn’t mean I’m perfect, but it means that I try to fit the guidelines and instead of making them fit me. It saves a lot of hassle.

5. I enjoy myself. I write because I love to write, and I can’t wait to have the time to do even more.

And Five Pieces Of Advice:

1. Don’t listen to the negativity. There are days when all I hear is how hard it is to get published. In my opinion, getting published is not what makes a writer. Writers write, so get started and give it your all.

2. Cultivate a network. I exchange tips, hints, websites, book reviews, market news, guidelines and more with a variety of other writers around the world. We all understand that writing is often a solitary endeavour, so having others that I can turn to is a blessing.

3. Don’t get caught up “protecting” markets or publications. It’s stupid, it’s a waste of time and energy, and if a market is out there others are going to find it no matter what you do. Have a little faith that your writing is good enough as it is, and not good enough simply because your editor doesn’t have anyone else to work with… yet.

4. Have faith. Whether it seems like it or not, with a lot of work and a little luck (and maybe a tiny bit of compromising) you’ll find a home for your project sooner or later.

5. Laugh. Cry. Yell. Curse. If you can’t summon any emotions about your writing, you shouldn’t be writing.

Tarnished: True Tales of Innocence Lost Anthology

2009-10-07T03:21:00.001-07:00

Life's A Bitch Books is looking for submissions for it's upcoming anthology Tarnished: True Tales of Innocence Lost.

Submissions should be non-fiction essays written in the first person and between 1,000 and 5,000 words. Each submission should contain a title and include a brief (1 - 3 sentence) bio. Please use a common font and double-space all submissions.

Submissions are due by 1 March, 2010 and may be emailed to white@lifesabitchbooks.com or sent to:

Life's A Bitch Books

P.O. Box 4788

Baltimore, MD

21211

Authors whose work is selected for publication will be notified by 1 May, 2010 and will receive 2 free copies of the book. No mention of monetary compensation or rights.

Good luck!

BBC My Story

2009-10-01T12:58:00.000-07:00

BBC My Story is a competition for ordinary people to share their extraordinary stories. These stories must be true and have involved the entrant in some way.

Submissions must be original, unpublished stories. Each entrant may submit only one story between 300 and 1500 words. A brief summary of 50 to 300 words must be accompany each story.

All entries must be written in English or Welsh.

Entrants must be 18 years of age and residents of the United Kingdom, including the Channel Isles and the Isle of Man.

Finalists may be featured on a TV programme. Winners will receive a publishing deal to include an advance payment and royalties on sales.

Full terms and conditions are available online. Stories may be submitted on the BBC My Story websites. Writing tips are available, as are answers to FAQs.

The deadline is 16 December, 2009.

Good luck!

MyAfricanDiaspora.com Short Story Contest

2009-09-26T10:37:00.000-07:00

We don't talk a lot about fiction here at Hell Or High Water, but I was emailed about this new contest and thought that some readers might be interested.

MyAfricanDiaspora.com
SHORT STORY COMPETITION

In our ongoing effort to promote positive images that reflect people of African descent, the website that connects that African Diaspora is pleased to announce our first annual Short Story contest.

We're looking for fiction that is unique, stories with characters we'll remember, plots that leave us thinking. The contest is open to anyone, any race, any country, any continent. The only caveat? The main character must be of African descent.

Rules

The contest runs from October 1 – December 31, 2009, winner announced February 1, 2010
Entries must be 1500 words or less
The entry fee is $10 (via paypal or money order payable to DreamDeep LLC.) Address:
DreamDeep LLC
9360 W. Flamingo Rd.
#110-117
Las Vegas, NV 89147
Main character must be of African descent
Story must be previously unpublished
Submit entries to info@myafricandiaspora.com, with the words “Short Story Contest: (input name of your short story)” in the subject line. Ex. Short Story Contest: My Story. Copy & Paste into the body of the email. No attachments.
Be sure to include your contact information and word count with submissions
here will be one overall winner and one winner from each of the following genres: Literary, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Mystery, Romance (we prefer stories without gratuitous sex or violence)

Prizes

First Place: $500 Genre Winners: $25 Borders Gift Card
Each winner will have their story and a feature article published on myafricandiaspora.com
The winners and top three entries in each genre will have their short stories published in a short story collection at the end of the year

Rights

1. Those who will be published in the short story collection will be expected to agree to First World and Anthology Rights.

Good luck!

Leadstart Publishing, India

2009-09-25T11:13:00.000-07:00

I got an interesting email from India recently and thought I'd pass along the info.

Leadstart Publishing, one of India's most active book publishers, is now focusing on becoming a global publishing house and is seeking manuscripts in both fiction and non-fiction.

At the moment, most of Leadstart's catalogue has been written by Indians but they have published books with foreign authors and are looking to do so again. They are experienced in working with international publishers and distributors, and have acted as a literary agency for some international deals as well.

Leadstart also runs an interesting service for struggling or first-time authors called ideas-to-books and offers information on their manuscript evaluation methods.

For more information, check out Leadstart's new blogs, Help for Indian Writers and Reviews of Books Written By Indian Authors.

Anyone have any experience with Leadstart? Would love to hear it!

Our Voice Seeks Teen Submissions

2009-09-24T16:36:00.001-07:00

Our Voice, the online magazine from GiftedKids.ie, is seeking submissions from teen (aged 13 to 18) writers, artists and journalists.

Submissions of fiction, poetry, art, comics, music and film are all welcome for the Box of Voices journal, while journalistic and non-fiction submissions are welcome for the Commentary section.

Submission guidelines are available online.

There is no compensation for published pieces. Copyright remains with the author/creator, though Our Voice asks that a six month wait be observed before publishing elsewhere.

Good luck!

Galway Launch: The Memoir Writing Workbook

2009-09-22T13:19:00.000-07:00

The Galway launch of Irene Graham's The Memoir Writing Club and The Memoir Writing Workbook will take place on 30 September at 6:30pm in Galway City Library, St. Augustine Street, Galway City.

The evening will be addressed by Lelia Doolan.

Enjoy!

(Psst... if you can't make the launch you can also buy the workbook online!)

MasterWriter

2009-09-19T12:20:00.000-07:00

I got an email recently about a new product for writers - MasterWriter.

I checked it out and it does look interesting. Basically it's a piece of software that pulls together many different types of resources so that even if you need to stop writing to check on something you don't have to stop writing and find a new source.

The MasterWriter for creative writers includes resources for:

- Word Families

- Parts of Speech

- Phrases

- Rhymes

- Pop Culture (USA and World)

- Dictionary

- Thesaurus

- A database for your own projects, include your audio files.

At the moment it's retailing for US$9.95 per month, US$99 for one year or US$299 for outright purchase. There's also a 30 day free trial available if you're interested.

Has anyone purchased the MasterWriter or a subscription? I'd love to hear thoughts!

And Then It Shifted Call for Submissions

2009-09-17T09:00:00.000-07:00

And Then It Shifted: Women Open Up About Leaving Men for Women
(Seal Press, 2010)

Word Count: 2,000-4,000 words

Payment: Upon publication. Amount will vary, depending on experience and other variables ($50 and up). Please include a list of any previous publication credits with your query or submission. Contributors will also receive two copies of the published book.

Deadline: December 1, 2009. That said, we strongly encourage you to send us a query well beforehand, so that we can review it, give you helpful feedback, and have a good sense of what will be coming our way that month. If you are able to submit the piece earlier, we prefer that you do.

Submissions: Please send your submission (Word document, double-spaced), along with a short bio and full contact information to: andthenitshifted@gmail.com

Editors: Candace Walsh and Laura André. Candace Walsh is the editor of the recently released anthology Ask Me About My Divorce: Women Open Up About Moving On.

---

As Dr. Lisa Diamond’s recent groundbreaking book Sexual Fluidity makes clear, women’s sexual desire and identity are capable of shifting. Cynthia Nixon, Carol Leifer, Wanda Sykes, Portia de Rossi, and countless others have left the fold of heterosexual identity to enter into or pursue same-sex relationships.

Although this book will evolve as we receive submissions, we welcome first-person essays from women:

1) who were aware that they had always felt robust same-sex desires, but wanted to try to make it work in the straight world, and also

2) who identified as heterosexual at one time, but found that the situation they were in just naturally led to embarking on an intimate romantic relationship with a woman.

We seek a diversity of voices, and welcome submissions from a variety of perspectives.

We also welcome essays from women who don’t fit precisely into the above descriptions.

Here are some questions that we’d like answered in your piece. It may be one of the questions, or you may touch on most of them, and throw in some extra, great stuff that didn’t even occur to us. Please don’t feel like this is an essay question test and that you have to cover them all—we want the format of your essay to feel organic and not be explicitly dictated by our questions.

How did you come to your moment of truth?

Did your perception of yourself change?

Do you feel that others’ perceptions of you changed? Did they surprise you with either an unexpected positive or negative reaction? How did this affect you? Did their reactions change over time?

Do you feel like you surrendered heterosexuality or elements of heterosexual privilege? Do you feel like your new life with a woman has yielded rewards? What were the rewards you expected and which ones were surprises?

What do you miss? What do you not miss? Everything from in the bedroom to out at dinner, at a wedding, as a parent, as a family member, at the gym, in the workplace, on a picnic—whatever comes up for you.

What is this journey like, in general and for you? How did you feel as you were setting out on it and how do you feel now? How do you mark your progress? Were there stages? Illustrative moments? Looking back, do you feel like you went through certain phases?

What is it like to shift your identity? What about you is the same and always will be? What about you has changed or altered?

How did you feel as you began your relationship with a woman? Did you get flak from individuals who second-guessed you? Did you feel like you had to prove yourself? How did you keep your internal balance?

How did your socialization as a straight woman prepare you (ill or well) for pursuing a woman or being in a relationship with a woman?

How did your cultural/religious/racial/ethnic background shape your experience?

Do you like, or are you attracted to certain things that your partner or girlfriend, or gay women do that are traditionally labeled as masculine? Feminine?

How do you define yourself? Do you feel like the current “labels” work for you or that what you are is not yet defined by a word or phrase? What paradigm do you imagine?

Are you still with the woman you left your previous relationship for? Was she just a catalyst, or a rebound, or something else, or “the one”?

---

As editors, we value specificity, detail, “showing, not telling,” honesty, epiphanies, clean, polished, yet real and un-prettied-up writing, and the sharing of insights.

---
Full details are available at http://www.sealpress.com/docs/andthen.pdf.
Further information is also available at http://sites.google.com/site/andthenitshifted

SPS Poetry Card Contest

2009-09-17T08:47:00.000-07:00

SPS Studios Announces Its Fourteenth Biannual Poetry Card Contest
Deadline: 31 December, 2009
1st prize: $300 * 2nd prize: $150 * 3rd prize: $50

In addition, the winning poems will be displayed on our website www.sps.com.

Poetry Contest Guidelines:

Poems can be rhyming or non-rhyming, although we find that non-rhyming poetry reads better.

We suggest that you write about real emotions and feelings and that you have some special person or occasion in mind as you write.

Poems are judged on the basis of originality and uniqueness.

English-language entries only, please.

Enter as often as you like!

Poetry Contest Rules:

All entries must be the original creation of the submitting author.

All rights to the entries must be owned by the author and shall remain the property of the author.

The author gives permission to SPS Studios, Inc. to publish and display the entry on the Web (in electronic form only) if the entry is selected as a winner or finalist.

Winners will be contacted within 45 days of the deadline date.

Contest is open to everyone except employees of SPS Studios and their families. Void where prohibited.

How to Submit:

Go to http://www.sps.com/poetry/index.html to complete the contest form, or if you prefer, you may send your submission via snail mail* to:

SPS Studios Poetry Card Contest,
P.O. Box 1007, Dept. E,
Boulder, CO 80306.

* Please note there is no fee to enter the contest *

Blue Mountain Arts Call for Submissions

2009-09-17T08:35:00.000-07:00

Just a reminder...

Blue Mountain Arts is seeking new freelance greeting card writers.

We are looking for highly original and creative submissions on friendship, family, special occasions, positive living, and other topics one person might want to share with another person.

Submissions may also be considered for inclusion in book anthologies.

We pay $300 per poem for all rights to publish it on a greeting card and $50 if your poem is used only in an anthology.

To request a copy of our writer’s guidelines (which include contact/submission information), please send a blank e-mail to writings@sps.com with “Send Me Guidelines” in the subject line, or write us at: Blue Mountain Arts, Inc. Editorial Department P.O. Box 1007 Boulder, CO 80306, USA.

You can also visit our Web site at http://www.sps.com/help/greetingcardwritings.html.

Special Guest Post With Celia Rivenbark

2009-09-15T01:00:00.000-07:00

Thanks to WOW! Women on Writing we have special guest Celia Rivenbark here with us today to talk about being a humor writer.

If you have any thoughts on this topic please feel free to leave a comment!

Ten Things You Need to Be a Humor Writer

Celia Rivenbark

Because I’m a Virgo, I love lists and this topic is dear to my heart. Here goes!

Let’s get the obvious one out of the way first: You need a sense of humor. That extends beyond cracking yourself up making pooty noises with your armpits several times a day. Favorite quote of all time? “A person without a sense of humor is like a wagon without springs—jolted by every pebble on the road.” (Henry Ward Beecher). My other favorite quote of all time? “Not responsible for articles left behind in clothing.” (the local Laundromat).

A great agent. You can’t get anywhere without one so stop trying already. You’ll look really goofy after a while.

A nice little stock of things that make you laugh lying around. When I’m feeling dreadfully blocked, I’ll read a little Jack Handey and get my mojo back.

The ability to wring funny from current events. As I write this, Obama is having the Cambridge cop and the professor over for beers in hopes of getting them to make up. I’m going to write him and ask him to help me patch things up with the carpool bitch who ALWAYS gets out of her car and chats, thus holding all of us up. I mean, since he’s got time for this sort of thing…

A tough hide. Don’t be too sensitive. Over the years, I’ve gored everybody’s ox at some point. Hate mail happens. So do lazy editors who cut your punch lines to make your column fit whatever hole they have. You’re not splitting atoms or saving lives here. Move on.

Jokes on top of jokes. Dave Barry, a little known comic who, I believe, lives on a bed of plantain peels in a Miami alley, once noted that humor writing has to be funny from start to finish. You can’t build up to a punch line many paragraphs or even pages away. Stuff that sucka full of funny and they’ll hang on to the very last word. Which also should be funny.

Good hair. No, really. Good hair is a requirement for success in any field. Also really big boobs. I have neither but it doesn’t mean I don’t recognize the need for them.

Funny friends. Most of my best stuff has sprung from a girls’ night out. Listen to them kvetch about kids, dogs and husbands. Then exaggerate the hell out of it. Well, looky here. You’ve got yourself a demographic and one that will always be loyal to you.

Speed. I never rewrite anything. I never spend more than 30 minutes on a humor column for the newspaper. If I do, that means it sucks and I tear it up and start over. If it’s good, it comes fast. Don’t turn this into a job, for God’s sake.

Humility. It won’t make you a better humor writer but it’ll definitely make you a better person.

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Celia Rivenbark is the author of Bless Your Heart, Tramp: And Other Southern Endearments, We're Just Like You, Only Prettier: Confessions Of A Tarnished Southern Belle, Stop Dressing Your Six-Year-Old Like A Skank: And Other Words Of Delicate Southern Wisdom and Belle Weather: Mostly Sunny With A Chance of Scattered Hissy Fits.

Her newest book, You Can't Drink All Day If You Don't Start In the Morning is now available online and in stores.

Visit Celia online at her website, www.celiarivenbark.com.

ExPatLit.com

2009-09-09T01:00:00.000-07:00

ExPatLit.com is currently seeking submissions of short fiction, essays, poetry and visual art for the Fall 2009 Edition.

As most readers are expatriates and travelers, most of the writing published by ExPatLit.com features travel and culture.

Short stories should be 3,000 words or less, essays should be 2,000 words or less and no more than 3 poetry submissions should be made per issue.

At this time, only contest winners will receive remuneration. Legal notes are available online regarding rights.

Submissions are open until 27 September.

Good luck!

CBI Paths to Publication Seminar

2009-09-05T01:00:00.000-07:00

Children's Books Ireland will be hosting a Paths to Publication seminar for aspiring and established children's books authors on Saturday, 19th September at Pearse Street Library (138 - 144 Pearse Street, Dublin 2).

The seminar schedule includes:

- Talk by author and illustrator Oisín McGann.

- The Editorial Process with editors Sine Quinn and Eoin Purcell.

- What We're Reading with young readers from Kildare Library.

- Pitching A Story with agents Faith O'Grady and Julia Churchill.

- Working With Illustration with author and illustrator Niamh Sharkey and editor Deirdre McDermott.

- Beyond the Book (marketing and promotion) with author Sarah Webb.

The cost of the seminar is €55 for CBI and/or SCWBI Members and €65 for non-members. The price includes a morning coffee break and lunch.

Enjoy!

Chronicle Books

2009-09-01T01:00:00.000-07:00

Chronicle Books publishes an extensive range of books, stationery, kits, calendars and novelty formats.

Though they are no longer acquiring adult fiction, they are still soliciting submissions for:

- Children's books and interactive formats

- Young adult books

- Cookbooks

- Fine art, design and photography

- Pop culture

- Craft, fashion, beauty and home decor

- Relationships

- Mind-body-spirit

- Interactive journals

- Kits

- Decks

- Stationery

Submissions may be made via email or post and all proposals are reviewed. Full submission guidelines are available online.

Submissions for children's books should be sent via post and specific guidelines are also available online.

Guidelines for designers, illustrators and photographers interested in working with Chronicle Books are available as well. Design Fellowships are also available.

Good luck!

Some Blind Alleys Competition

2009-08-27T01:00:00.000-07:00

Some Blind Alleys, an online journal of contemporary Irish writing and visual arts, is currently running writing competitions for essays, short stories and translations.

Each category offers a €200 cash prize. Winners in each category will also read their works at the Some Blind Alleys launch on 16 October in Dublin. Writers should not enter if they will be unable to attend the launch.

Judges include Tim Robinson (Essays), Ed O'Loughlin (Fiction) and Diego Fasciati (Translations).

The deadline for each competition is 18 September. Submissions should be made online.

Further information can be obtained from Some Blind Alleys editor Greg Baxter at editor[at]someblindalleys.com.

Good luck!

Irish Writers Centre Seeks Interns

2009-08-24T01:00:00.000-07:00

The Irish Writers Centre is currently seeking interns in Arts Management, Design, Marketing and Administration.

Internships are unpaid.

Interested applicants should send a CV and cover letter to info@writerscentre.ie.

Anthologies With Calls for Submissions

2009-08-21T09:16:00.000-07:00

Anthologies can be great homes for personal essays. A few anthologies currently open for submissions include:

Chicken Soup for the Soul

- Results Stories

- Christmas and Holidays - Ho Ho Ho (15 January 2010)

- Dieting and Fitness (30 September 2009)

- Endurance Sports (30 September 2009)

- Grandmothers (31 March 2010)

- Grieving and Recovery (31 March 2010)

- Grieving and Recovery for Cat Owners (31 March 2010)

- Grieving and Recovery for Dog Owners (31 March 2010)

- Mothers and Daughters (31 December 2009)

- NASCAR (31 August 2009)

- Teacher Tales (31 August 2009)

Cup of Comfort®

- Cup of Comfort® for a Better World (31 August 2009)

- Cup of Comfort® for Couples (1 October 2009)

- Cup of Comfort® for Golfers (15 December 2009)

HCI Ultimate Series

- The Ultimate Christian Living (19 October 2009)

Patchwork Path

- Christmas Stocking (Favorite Christmas Memory) (31 Dec. 2009)

- Wedding Bouquet (Favorite Wedding Story) (31 August 2009)

- Treasure Box (Treasured Items) (31 March 2010)

- Mother's Life (Mothers) (30 June 2010)

- Star Spangled Banner (The American Dream) (31 August 2010)

- Star of Hope (Hope) (31 December 2010)

- Baby's Block (Babies) (31 March 2010)

- Garden Path (Gardening) (30 June 2011)

Travelers' Tales

- Women's Travel Humor (Open)

- The Best Travel Writing 2010 (1 September 2009)

- More Humor and Misadventure, More Laughing Hyenas (Open)

- Women on the Edge (Open)

- 30 Days in Baja (Open)

- 30 Days in the Caribbean (Open)

- 30 Days in England (Open)

- 30 Days in the Himalayas (Open)

- 30 Days in Japan (Open)

- 30 Days in New Zealand (Open)

- 30 Days in North Africa (Open)

- 30 Days in Panama (Open)

- 30 Days in Switzerland (Open)

Press Pause Now™

- Women Writers (25 September 2009) (Non-paying)

Life's A Bitch Books (No mention of payment)

- Tarnished: True Tales of Innocence Lost (1 May 2010)

- Robot Hearts: Twisted and True Tales of Seeking Love in the Digital Age (31 December 2009)

Remember to read all terms and conditions (especially regarding rights and payment) as well as writers guidelines before submitting to these or any other markets!

Good luck!

Hell Or High Water

Not So Cynical Christmas Contest

Bits and Pieces from Twitter

Why I Write Essay Contest

Special Guest Post With Claudine Wolk

Book Reviews at Lunch.com

Call For Austen Related Submissions

Writing and Ireland

Writing Meme: Strengths and Advice

Tarnished: True Tales of Innocence Lost Anthology

BBC My Story

MyAfricanDiaspora.com Short Story Contest

We don't talk a lot about fiction here at Hell Or High Water, but I was emailed about this new contest and thought that some readers might be interested.

MyAfricanDiaspora.comSHORT STORY COMPETITION

Rules

Leadstart Publishing, India

Our Voice Seeks Teen Submissions

Galway Launch: The Memoir Writing Workbook

MasterWriter

And Then It Shifted Call for Submissions

SPS Poetry Card Contest

Blue Mountain Arts Call for Submissions

Special Guest Post With Celia Rivenbark

ExPatLit.com

CBI Paths to Publication Seminar

Chronicle Books

Some Blind Alleys Competition

Irish Writers Centre Seeks Interns

Anthologies With Calls for Submissions

MyAfricanDiaspora.com
SHORT STORY COMPETITION