Sandra Murphy, Editor
For contributions to the newsletter and Letters to the Editor, please email the editor of WPNews: editor@spawn.org
Those of you who are WPN members, be sure to Log In to read this month’s Market Update. Type in your username and password in the box to the right of this article.
If you did not receive your personalized username and password, contact Susan at susan@spawn.org.
If you are not a member, join now online: http://www.spawn.org/join.htm. You can also use this link to renew your membership. Our online renewal system will be up soon.
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Table of Contents
– President’s Letter
– Editor’s Note
– Compliments!
– Market Update by Patricia Fry
– Book Doctor by Bobbie Christmas
– Book Review by Patricia Fry
– Member Interviews and Updates—Patricia Fry, Mindy Reed and Wendy Dager
– Opportunities
– Contests
– Events
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From the President
By now I hope you have received your username and password to access the member area of the Web site. If you stop by www.spawn.org, you’ll see that the Web site has a new look and new features. If you did not receive your new log-in information, please send an email to susan@spawn.org and I’ll get it to you. (Many times people have email filters that prevent our emails from getting through.)
I’d like to send out a hearty “thank you” to those members who entered our logo contest. There was no one stand-out that worked well with the Web site design, so we ended up crafting a combination of several ideas. Because we wanted to retain consistency with the old logo, we made sure to keep the pen as part of the design. I hope you like the new look.
Now that the new site is almost done, we’d like to find out what you need from WPN. We’ve set up a quick-and-easy survey, which you can take online. (Please click the link in the newsletter we emailed to you.)
There are only six multiple-choice questions, so it should take only a few minutes to click your answers. Please do take the time to let us know what you need and how we can best help you in your publishing and creative efforts.
If you have any questions, please feel free to send me an email. I am enjoying meeting members both via email and in the WPNDiscuss group. It’s such a pleasure to have the opportunity to virtually “hang out” with such a diverse and creative group of people!
Susan Daffron
President (& Webmaster)
Small Publishers Artists and Writers Network (WPN)
http://www.spawn.org
susan@spawn.org
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Editor’s Note by Sandra Murphy
Have you dropped by to see the new Web set up? We have a new logo, there’s a survey we’d like you to take, and invitations went out to those who are not involved with WPNDiscuss, our Yahoo email group. Within a few days, fourteen new people signed up and started posting. Writing can be solitary, so it’s nice to know other writers are just a click away, especially when you know the word you want but just can’t quite bring it to mind.
I interviewed our new executive director Patricia Fry for this issue; I think you’ll enjoy reading the interview. I cornered WPN’s new secretary/treasurer Mindy Reed—see what she has to say as well. And you won’t believe all Wendy Dager has done after passing the reins of the newsletter to me last year.
You’ll be given a new password for our site—one that doesn’t change each month—so put it in a safe place, like your underwear drawer. Speaking of underwear (what a segue!), in wandering around the site, I saw an article titled, “Are You Wearing Clean Underwear?” by Bonnie Myhrum. If you go to www.spawn.org, and click on Articles, you’ll find it mixed in with articles on a variety of topics, including seasonal promotions, how to hunt for markets over the holidays, and promoting your book through a blog.
Blogs are all the rage. My friend Pat says we are on the verge of an informational tsunami. The infrastructure of the Web is set up and now there are enough people savvy in its use to force major change. Just think how much your cell phone has changed from the first one you had, or how VHS tapes are practically useless with DVDs, and movies-on-demand now available. Blogging, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter—all can play into your writing day as educational or promotional tools or as an economical way to travel the world.
Me? I’m going to pick up a new cell phone. At dinner tonight, my waiter saw my phone on the table and said, “Boy, that’s an old phone!” I’m sorry to say, that might have affected his tip! Okay, so it doesn’t text since I dropped it on the driveway and it doesn’t take pictures or give me maps or show me emails or—hey, I’d better update, who knows what I’m missing?
Sandy Murphy
Editor, WPNews
editor@spawn.org
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Compliments (You like it—you really like it! )
The new site is so fresh, open, and inviting! Love the organization and ease of navigation. Well done. 🙂
— Tami, www.TLCGraphics.com
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The new website looks great! I love it. Much better looking, better organization, verything.
— Christy Pinheiro, www.ChristyPinheiro.com
www.Pineapplepublications.com
Author of Self-Publishing for Profit
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The whole site looks much cleaner, tidier, more professional and up-to-date. Love it!! Nice job, Susan!
— Bonnie Myhrum, Professional Secretary LLC, www.professionalsecretaryllc.com
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Looks great. Very user-friendly.
— Mindy Reed (see her interview below)
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Market Update by Patricia Fry
The September Market Update features a whopping 67 opportunities, tips, and resources for anyone who takes writing or art seriously. We’ve included about four dozen resources and opportunities for freelance writers alone. Be sure to check out the “Best Bets” section, where we list 14 magazines that publish 100+ articles per year. Now THAT’s an opportunity! Are you an author seeking a publisher for your memoir or romance novel? We list nearly a dozen for you to choose from. If you’re promoting a book, you won’t want to miss the “Book Promotion Opportunities” section. We give you the resources and tools to go out and sell boxes and boxes of books this fall. And we offer serious photographers some tips and guidance to help you get a leg up in this industry.
If you are not a member of WPN, you are missing out on opportunities to move your freelance writing or art career forward, to finally get your manuscript published, to boost your book sales, and so much more. Join now. It’s only $45/year and if you are a serious freelance writer or artist, author or hopeful author, you can potentially earn back or save a hundred times that amount by this time next year just from the tips, resources, and opportunities listed in the monthly WPN Market Update. http://www.spawn.org.
If you are a member, use your personalized username and password to enter the member area and click on WPN Market Update.
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Member Survey
MEMBERS: Please Tell Us What You Want
Use the link we sent you in your WPNews email and answer just six questions to let us know how we can help you. (Creative minds want to know!)
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Ask the Book Doctor: About Novel Writing, Query Letters and AP Style versus Chicago Style
Q: Is it more difficult to have a novel published if I don’t have a university education?
A: No, indeed! Even a few sixteen-year-olds have written good books that got published. Most universities teach us how to pass tests, not how to write novels. Even graduates with an MFA in creative writing tend to teach creative writing rather than sell their novels to publishers, and here’s why: It’s darned difficult to sell a novel, no matter how educated you are. The odds of winning the lottery sometimes seem better.
Instead of (or in addition to) a university degree, successful writers must acquire a great deal of knowledge in the craft of writing. They gain that knowledge by studying the masters, joining critique circles, getting feedback on their writing, taking classes in creative writing, and practicing, practicing, practicing, and then revising, revising, and revising.
While it doesn’t take a university degree to get a novel published, it does take good writing skills and the ability to create a strong plot, believable characters, and realistic dialogue. It takes knowledge of point of view and how and when to use it. It takes a good foundation in grammar, punctuation, and syntax. It takes organization and determination and even a bit of personality to get your foot in the door with an agent. All those skills aren’t acquired overnight and rarely are acquired by writing a first novel. Many consider writing their first novel a good exercise; afterward some go on to write marketable novels.
Q: The general recommendation for query letters is to present a clear idea for an article to a magazine editor. What is your opinion of writing “open” magazine query letters, without a specific topic in mind? What would be the best way to proceed with such an approach?
A: Ah, so you want to apply as a stringer—a writer who accepts assignments and rarely pitches ideas. I prefer to work that way, as well. To do so, first you must have a good portfolio of published articles, preferably similar to the types of articles the magazine publishes. Send a letter introducing yourself to the editor and ask for writing assignments. Include copies of two or three of your published articles. Explain that you’ll call in a few days to discuss the ways you two might work. Call when you say you will and see what the editor has to say. It could work.
What has worked best for me, though, is to approach local trade magazine publishers. I call to find out if they use freelance writers, and if so, I ask for the name of the person who assigns the work. I make an appointment with that person and take in my portfolio and bio. Those face-to-face meetings result in a great deal of work for me. Unfortunately such a plan means you can meet only with local editors, and the best-paying magazines are often based elsewhere, so you’ll have to follow the plan I suggest in the first paragraph, sending clips, bio and letter by mail and following up with a phone call. Use the Internet to research the company first and see if it has submission guidelines. Following guidelines greatly increases your chance of success.
If you have no portfolio—that is, no published articles to your credit—you need to get some published articles to your name, even if it means writing articles for free. Start by writing for your church or synagogue bulletin, civic organization newsletter or other nonprofit publication.
Q: My company is contemplating changing from using the Chicago Manual of Style to AP Style. What are the differences between the two styles?
A: It’s a shame your company may shift away from Chicago Style. I’ve used both styles and Chicago Style, preferred by book publishers, makes more sense to me. It relies mostly on clarity.
AP Style, created for periodical publishers, evolved from the fact that newspapers and magazines needed to save space, and, in my opinion, it sometimes leads to less clarity.
AP Style says to write out the numbers one through nine and to use numerals thereafter. Chicago Style says to write out the numbers one through one hundred and use numerals thereafter. AP Style abbreviates states and does not use the same abbreviations that the USPS uses. AP does not use a serial comma (red, white and blue), whereas Chicago Style does (red, white, and blue). Of course there are hundreds of other differences as well.
Your best bet is to read through the Associated Press Stylebook, which is much smaller and less expensive than the Chicago Manual of Style and is laid out alphabetically, which differs from the numerical listings in the Chicago Manual of Style. You will probably find AP Style is easy to learn.
What’s your question for book doctor Bobbie Christmas, author of Write In Style (Union Square Publishing) and owner of Zebra Communications? Send questions to Bobbie@zebraeditor.com Read more “Ask the Book Doctor” questions and answers at www.zebraeditor.com
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Book Review by Patricia Fry
Writing Picture Books, A Hands-On Guide from Story Creation to Publication
By Ann Whitford Paul
978-1-58297-556-6
Paperback, 248 pages
$16.99 (US)
Writer’s Digest Books, 2009
www.writersdigest.com
www.annwhitfordpaul.net
Authors often come to me for advice about writing or publishing their children’s picture books. Because I have never produced a book for small children, the only bits of advice I can reasonably offer are in the form of resources. I typically suggest to these hopeful authors, “Study books like the one you want to write.” My primary recommendation now will be, “Buy Ann Whitford Paul’s new book, Writing Picture Books.”
Ann has been writing picture books for years, several of which have won prestigious awards—The New York Times Notable Books Award, Carl Sandburg’s Award for Children’s Literature, National Parenting Centers “Seal of Approval” and others. Currently, she teaches picture book writing at UCLA.
Her book is brimming with ideas, tips, techniques, and helps for the beginning picture book author as well as for those who have perhaps been writing within this realm for quite some time without much success. Guess what her first suggestion to picture book authors is: “Read picture books.”
She covers storytelling, how to create compelling characters, plotting, tips for holding your story together, how to use poetry in picture books, how to come up with a great title, and she includes numerous resources throughout. She points out that, while pictures are a primary aspect to the children’s picture book, words are important too, and she helps authors understand how to weave the story together by creating scenes.
I particularly like her subtle but effective exercises. For example, she lists ten statements that “tell” the story and asks the reader to change them into “showing” statements.
I appreciate her strong advice to readers. For example, when writing a rhyming story, “Stay focused.” I recall how easy it can be to stray from your primary story when trying to use rhyming phrases. Paul provides guidelines and suggestions for holding tough to your theme.
Once she has provided the fine points of writing a picture book, Paul takes you by the hand and leads you through the publishing maze. You’ll learn how to find and work with a publisher and an agent. I consider this a one-stop shop for anyone who is involved in or interested in writing children’s picture books. And I recommend this book to all of you who have come to me for advice within this genre.
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Member Interview with Executive Director, Patricia Fry
I asked Patricia about her writing career and she told me where she is now. I got nosy and wanted to know where she came from. Here’s what I found out.
How did you get started? Did you always write?
I discovered my love for writing when I was a young mother with three small daughters. We couldn’t afford to buy gifts or cards for our families for Christmas and birthdays, so I started making cards and writing personalized poems inside. They went over well and I enjoyed doing it.
My grandparents took a trip and had an accident far from home. Grandma was hurt and had to stay in a hospital in another state for several months. I started writing letters to her, trying to entertain her by sharing the things my baby girls were doing. She loved reading my letters and I found I loved writing them. That’s when I decided I would become a writer. For some reason, I knew that I wanted to write articles for magazines.
So where did you go from there?
I started reading the types of articles I hoped to write. I established a rapport with columnists and regular contributors to women’s magazines. I subscribed to writers’ magazines. I read about, studied, practiced and dreamed of writing professionally. When my girls were in their pre-teens and they no longer felt they needed a 24/7 mommy, I decided to get a life of my own.
Then what?
I set up a small desk in the corner of my bedroom, borrowed a manual typewriter and went to work establishing my freelance writing career. By then our family was involved in horses. I’d heard you should write what you know, so I studied horse magazines, discovered what was missing from their line-up and began submitting articles. I supported myself for twenty years with my freelance article-writing business.
I sold the first article I submitted. That was in 1973. And five years later, a publisher based in New York and London accepted my first book, Hints for the Backyard Rider.
When did you start helping other writers get their work published?
By the mid-1990s, quite a few people were coming to me for mentoring, coaching, and advice. People would call and ask writing/publishing-related questions. I surprised myself by being able to respond. I had learned a lot about the industry and the processes by then—and I had learned it the hard way. Then a writer suggested that I conduct a workshop.
That was pretty gutsy!
I began to document the types of things I could present, did research, and the workshop was a huge success.
When planning my second workshop, I sent press releases to arts organizations, writers’ clubs, and so forth. Mary Embree was working for a local arts council and she responded to my letter. She and I presented a workshop together. When she started WPN, I was her sounding board and one of the first members.
What kind of articles were you writing then versus what you write now?
My articles on the soft side of business, parenting and family issues, cats, fitness and health, spirituality, public speaking, and general interest topics were being published in Entrepreneur Magazine, Woman’s Own, Your Health, The Toastmaster Magazine, Cat Fancy, Cats, Sam’s Club Source, Christian Parenting Today, The World and I, The Artist’s Magazine, Catholic Digest, and many others.
Today, the articles I write focus mostly on writing and publishing. I’ve written hundreds of articles for Writer’s Digest, IPBA Independent (formerly PMA Independent), SPAN Connection, Publishing Basics, Writing World, Writer’s Journal, Canadian Author, Writing for Dollars and many others. I also have twenty-nine published books to my credit—eleven of them related to writing and publishing.
How long have you had your own publishing company?
I established the company in 1983 in order to produce a comprehensive local history book.
What’s the latest?
Because I have grown up with the publishing industry, my career has taken another dramatic turn—although still within the realm of writing and publishing. For the last several years, I have been working one-on-one with other writers and authors toward the success of their writing projects. I work as an editor and publishing consultant. http://www.matilijapress.com/consulting.html. I also teach four online courses http://www.matilijapress.com/courses.html. I write an almost-daily blog for writers and authors. http://www.matilijapress.com/publishingblog.
Thanks for being nosy.
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Interview with our new WPN Secretary/Treasurer, Mindy Reed
And what do you do when you aren’t helping out at WPN?
Through my company, The Authors’ Assistant, we work with writers to get their manuscripts ready for submission or publication. This is anything from ghostwriting or rewriting a conceptual idea to proofreading or copyediting a completed manuscript.
Why did you start your own business?
The Authors’ Assistant came out of personal desire as a librarian and English major to have a profession where I would get paid to read.
Do you write too?
I have no ambitions of being published myself. I consider myself a professional reader, but I do journal and I’ve facilitated a journal writing group in Austin, Texas for over thirteen years.
How are you updating your business to be more competitive?
I’m just learning about the importance of being connected virally. When I started The Authors’ Assistant we didn’t have a Webpage for the first three or four years. Even before the year 2000 one of the first questions I got was, “What’s your Web address?” Now it is that way with Facebook. It can be overwhelming, but just as writers need professional editing services, I’ve found that turning to a professional social networker helps.
What made you step forward and accept a position as Secretary/Treasurer of WPN?
What I have learned in my fifteen years in the publishing business is that networking is the key to success. I am always humbled by the generosity of my fellow writers, editors and publishers in sharing their experiences and expertise. Serving as secretary/treasurer of WPN is one way that I can give back to the writing community.
Mindy Reed
The Authors’ Assistant
www.authorsassistant.com
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I asked for an update from former newsletter queen, Wendy Dager. It’s been over a year now since she passed the tiara on to me. Look what she’s been doing!
WPN’s former newsletter editor, professional freelance writer Wendy Dager, has been busy trying to fulfill her goal of sending out something writing-related every day for one full year. It hasn’t been easy, but she’s managed to enter contests, send queries, write articles, create silly button slogans and bumper stickers, blog, tweet, and post updates on Facebook.
This has resulted in some exciting news: Her book, I MURDERED THE PTA, which was a Top Five Finalist in Court TV’s 2007 Search for the Next Great Crime Writer, will be published by Zumaya Enigma in 2011. She swears the book is fiction!
Wendy also sold an article about mid-century vintage purses to Antiques & Collecting Magazine and her photo made the cover of the magazine’s August edition. Her how-to article “Write on the Button” was in Writers Weekly, and her article about mizpah tattoos is slated to appear in the December edition of Skin & Ink magazine. She’s won two humorous haiku contests and her essay received a “Highly Commended” in the 2009 Tom Howard Short Story, Essay and Prose Contest.
In addition, she’s still working as a stringer for the Ventura County Star newspaper, writing a biweekly opinion column, feature articles and advertorials. For more about Wendy, go to her newly updated Web site http://www.wendydager.com.
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Member News
Young WPN Workshop Student Wins Playwriting Competition
Laignee Barron, a student who participated in the WPN publishing workshop in 2004, continues to excel in the area of writing. That year, Patricia Fry, Virginia Lawrence and member/poet, Polly Bee taught the workshop, which resulted in a published book featuring the twelve students’ writing—a book that they also designed. At the time, Laignee was 12. Today, she is the first-place winner of the Baker’s Plays High School Playwriting Competition with her play, “If I Were Your Super Hero.” She won $500 along with a publishing contract. This play won the Young Playwrights Inc. National Playwriting Competition, which affords her the honor of working with professionals to produce her play off-Broadway in New York later this year. Her play has been produced for a professional run at Old Town Theater in San Diego. You go, Laignee!
Note: To have your announcements included in Member News, you must be a paid member of WPN. Please email your news to editor@spawn.org
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Opportunities
The Writing the Heartache Workshop online course starts October 12 and runs until November 13. Learn to write poetry, essays, and letters to and in memory of your loved one. Pouring pain onto paper is inexpensive therapy. In this guided course learn how to use writing as a tool for healing. The course lessons will be sent via email. Complete and send back for a critique of the work and suggestions for improvement.
Go to learn more. http://www.alicewisler.com/too.htm Deadline is October 5.
Outline for Writing the Heartache Writing Workshop
1. Week One: Introduction – Getting to Know You
2. Week Two: Introducing Your Loved One through Poetry
3. Week Three: Writing a Letter to Your Loved One and to Others
4. Week Four: Writing for Change—The Essay
5. Week Five: Writing for Publication
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The English Department of Willamette University invites applications for the tenure-track Hallie Brown Ford Chair in Writing. We seek a fiction writer who is dedicated to the teaching of writing and prepared to work with the department on developing the curriculum in creative writing. Substantial publication and an MFA or equivalent are required. The Ford Chair will customarily teach four courses per year and organize a series of readings and other events. Salary is competitive.
For more information about the Department of English, please visit
www.willamette.edu/cla/english
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Mid-American Review is now accepting online submissions for its 30th anniversary
double issue. The journal will continue to accept snail-mail submissions as
well. The MAR Submissions Manager site can be accessed through the MAR Website,
www.bgsu.edu/midamericanreview, or it can be accessed directly at
www.marsubmissions.bgsu.edu .
Submissions are accepted year-round. The anniversary issue will feature a mix of work by former contributors and newcomers to MAR. They have a special interest in introducing previously unpublished writers to a wide audience. Traditional submissions will always be gratefully accepted at this address:
Mid-American Review
Department of English
Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green OH 43403
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Kartika Review is accepting submissions for upcoming issues of our online Asian-American literary magazine at http://www.kartikareview.com/.
We accept fiction, flash fiction, creative nonfiction, essays, poetry and visual art by Asian-American artists. We read submissions all year. Simultaneous submission are okay, but please notify us immediately if your work has been accepted elsewhere.
Full submission guidelines, including the email addresses for submitting work, are available at our Website: http://www.kartikareview.com/submit.html.
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Contests
The Fabri Literary Prize was established in the memory of Frances Fabri to recognize the work of aspiring novelists by providing funds directly to authors by publishing their novels in attractive trade editions and by publicizing their work to literary reviewers, librarians, and booksellers. The 2009 prizewinner will receive a publishing contract with a $7,500 advance and a $5,000 marketing budget. The winning novel will be published in the fall of 2010 in a trade paperback edition by Boaz Publishing Company and distributed to the book trade by New Harbinger Publications.
The contest is open to American authors whose unpublished novels are written for adults with broad interests. The Fabri Literary Prize is awarded each year; the 2009 deadline for entries is September 15 and the winner will be announced by November 30. There are no fees to enter.
http://www.boazpublishing.com/
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CAROL E. DOERING POETRY CONTEST
First prize $100, second prize $75, third prize $50
DEADLINE: September 30, 2009 postmark. Winners will be notified by mail. For rules, go to
http://www.womensartisticnetwork.org/15.html
Send entries to:
WOMEN’S ARTISTIC NETWORK,
P.O. Box 1485
Simi Valley, CA 93062
Carol Doering, a charter member of WPN, passed away in December 2008.
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Angel Animals Network contest seeks true stories of remarkable women and dog companions who give service in extraordinary ways and fulfill their life’s purpose. Each entrant will be considered for publication in Dogs and the Women Who Love Them, to be published by New World Library in Fall 2010. No entry fee. Deadline: September 30, 2009 postmark.
Info: www.angelanimals.net/contests.html (go to Website for required entry form)
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The Iowa Short Fiction Award & the John Simmons Short Fiction Award
http://uipress.uiowa.edu/authors/iowa-short-fiction.htm
Any writer who has not previously published a volume of prose fiction is eligible to enter the competition. Previously entered manuscripts that have been revised may be resubmitted. Current University of Iowa students are not eligible. No application forms are necessary. Entries for the competition should be postmarked by September 30.
The manuscript must be a collection of short stories in English of at least 150 word-processed, double-spaced pages. No email submissions. There is no reading fee.
Winning manuscripts will be published by the University of Iowa Press under the Press’s standard contract.
Manuscripts should be mailed to:
Iowa Short Fiction Award
Iowa Writers’ Workshop
507 North Clinton Street
102 Dey House
Iowa City IA 52242-1000
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The Missouri Review is now offering $15,000 in prize money for the 19th annual Jeffrey E. Smith Editor’s Prize Contest—$5,000 per genre in poetry, fiction, and non-fiction.
Each entry is $20. All entrants receive a one-year subscription to The Missouri Review either in print or in the new environmentally friendly digital format, which includes bonus audio content.
The deadline is October 1; you can enter online or by mail.
For details, check out the Webpage: http://missourireview.com/contest.
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FundsforWriters.com and VIPAuthors.com present an annual essay contest. Submit 750 words or less on the theme: Invisible Writing. Interpret it as you like. Enter the $5-entry-fee category and vie for $200 or the NO-entry-fee category and compete for $50.
Deadline October 31, 2009. Winners announced December 1, 2009. www.fundsforwriters.com/annualcontest.htm
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The Bitter End: Tales of Nautical Terror
Edited by Jessy Marie Roberts
http://www.pillhillpress.com/open-submissions.html
pillhillpress@gmail.com
Put SUBMISSION: THE BITTER END in the subject line of your email, followed by the title. They are looking for scary stories that take place on ships, boats, rafts, anything—as long as the setting is on, in, or under the ocean or land-locked bodies of water or lakes. Traditional monsters (werewolves, vampires, witches, mummies, ghosts, etc.) are welcome if presented in a new and interesting way. The water must be integral to plot development. Stories can be realistic or fantastical. They can take place at any time—past, present, future, alternate. They are looking for a good variety of unique and terrifying sea stories 500-5,000 words in length.
Submissions will be accepted until Saturday, October 31, 2009. The book is scheduled to be released April 2010.
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A Short Story Competition from Writer’s Digest. Compete and win in all five categories—romance, mystery/crime, science fiction/fantasy, thriller/suspense, horror.
Entry Deadline: Monday, November 2, 2009.
For entrants paying with a credit card, we will accept manuscripts submitted online. Entry Fee: All entries are $15.00 each.
The Grand Prize Winner will receive $2,500 cash, $100 worth of Writer’s Digest Books and the 2010 Novel & Short Story Writer’s Market. First Prize: The First Place Winner in each of the five categories receives $500 cash, $100 worth of Writer’s Digest Books and the 2010 Novel & Short Story Writer’s Market. Honorable Mention: Honorable Mentions will receive promotion in Writer’s Digest and the 2010 Novel & Short Story Writer’s Market.
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Christian Small Publisher Book of the Year Award honors books produced by small publishers each year for outstanding contribution to Christian life. This year, nominations will be accepted in eight categories, an increase of four categories from previous years. Nominations must be received by November 15, 2009.
Any small publisher can nominate books for the award. Nominations are accepted in the following categories: Fiction, Biography, Christian Living, Relationships/Family, Bible Study/Theology, Children’s Book 4-8 years, Children’s Book 8-12 years, and Young Adult 12+ years. Books must be published in 2008 or 2009 by a publisher with annual revenues of $350,000 or less. Nominated books must be Christian in nature and intended for the Christian marketplace. All nominated books must be printed in English and for sale in the United States.
For more information on the Christian Small Publisher Book of the Year Award including guidelines, eligibility, and nomination form, visit Christian Small Publishers Association’s Website at www.christianpublishers.net. Contact: Sarah Bolme, Christian Small Publishers Association cspa@christianpublishers.net or call 704-277-7194.
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The 2009 London Book Festival entry forms are available online at http://londonbookfestival.com or may be faxed/e-mailed to you by calling 323-665-8080. Applications must be accompanied by a non-refundable entry fee via check, money order, credit card payment or PayPal online payment of $50 in U.S. dollars for each submission. Multiple submissions are permitted but each entry must be accompanied by a separate form and entry fee
Deadline: Submissions in each category must be postmarked by the close of business on November 25, 2009.
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The 2009 New England Book Festival has issued a call for entries to its annual program celebrating the best books of the holiday season. The grand prize for the 2009 New England Book Festival winner is $1500 cash and a publicity campaign spotlighting your work during the post-holiday season. For details, visit www.newenglandbookfestival.com
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The DIY Book Festival will consider work published on or after Jan. 1, 2006. All entries must be in English and have been self-published or issued by an independent publishing house.
Deadline is November 25, 2009. For complete rules and details, visit www.dyiconvention.com
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2010 INDEPENDENT PUBLISHER BOOK AWARDS – First call for entries.
The 14th annual Independent Publisher Book Awards are now accepting entries for books with 2009 or 2010 copyrights or released in 2009 and early 2010.
National category early-bird entry fee is $75; Regional category can be added for $45; Outstanding Books of the Year consideration at no extra charge. Final deadline is March 20, 2010.
Print guidelines and entry form: http://www.independentpublisher.com/IPPY2010Guidelines1.pdf
Enter online at: http://www.independentpublisher.com/ipland/IPAwards.php
Questions? Contact Jim Barnes, Awards Director, jimb@bookpublishing.com
ph: 1-800-644-0133 x1011
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The University of New Orleans is pleased to announce the sixth annual writing contest for study abroad, Summer, 2010. Winners may attend any of UNO’s 2010 study-abroad writing programs: http://lowres.uno.edu/contest.cfm (visit Website for information and to pay entry fee)
Submission Deadline: January 31, 2010.
Eligibility: Anyone writing in English who has not yet published a book of 45 pages or more in the genre of application, except faculty and administrators employed by the University of New Orleans. Entry Fee: An entry fee of $25 must be paid for each submission. To submit your entry, go to the submission module on the UNO Press site (http://www.unopress.org/writingcontest).
Questions and comments may be emailed to contest@unopress.org
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Events
Attendees of the Writer’s Digest Conference: The Business of Getting Published will take over the Bowery Poetry Club on Friday, September 18, 2009, for the First Annual Writer’s Digest Poetry Slam.
Registration is now open for the three-day event September 18-20, 2009, at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in Times Square, New York, and offers sessions on self-publishing, social media usage, online sales, marketing, platform building, and other related topics. Each attendee gets a 15-minute personal appointment with an editorial professional to discuss their query letter, book proposal or self-published book.
For more information contact:
Beth Mauro, Marketing Manager, beth.mauro@fwmedia.com
Greg Hatfield, Events Manager, greg.hatfield@fwmedia.com
A complete list of speakers and events can be found online at www.writersdigestconference.com.
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Note: WPNews advises “caveat emptor” when dealing with venues, contests or promotions unknown to you. WPN is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization.
September WPNews was proofread by Bonnie Myhrum, Professional Secretary, LLC. 734.455.0987. ps@professionalsecretaryllc.com. www.professionalsecretaryllc.com