Tuesday, June 30, 2009

THE SMOKING POET: CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS – FALL 2009

THE SMOKING POET publishes flash fiction; fiction; nonfiction; poetry; feature author; feature poet; book and cigar reviews. We publish work that ignites our imagination, inflames our passion, leaves us with a smoky aftertaste. The Smoking Poet also shares an extensive list of links and resources for writers and the cigar aficionado.

Submissions open year round. Send with category in subject line: poetry to Zinta Aistars; fiction/non-fiction and cigar reviews to J. Conrad Guest. Suggestions for "A Good Cause" to Lorena Audra Rutens, A Good Cause editor. For book reviews, please query first, attention to Skye Leslie, assistant editor.

For full submission guidelines and contact information, visit:
http://thesmokingpoet.net/

Fall 2009 Issue Deadline: August 31, 2009

Please send your submission to thesmokingpoet@gmail.com. We look forward to reading your best work!

Straight From Hel: Learn Without Going

Straight From Hel: Learn Without Going

BookEnds, LLC — A Literary Agency: Definition of Query

BookEnds, LLC — A Literary Agency: Definition of Query

RULES TO LIVE BY: Midlife Lessons

RULES TO LIVE BY: Midlife Lessons

Forensics & Faith: Ending Throes

Forensics & Faith: Ending Throes

Kim's Craft Blog--Fiction, Memoir, Creative Writing: Memoir Writers Beware: These Reality Show Scandals Pose A Hazard To Us All

Kim's Craft Blog--Fiction, Memoir, Creative Writing: Memoir Writers Beware: These Reality Show Scandals Pose A Hazard To Us All

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Friday, June 19, 2009

Blog Party

I just got back from a blog party over at Rachelle Gardner’s blog Rant & Ramblings , it was an open discussion, where one was free to say whatever one wanted to say, too where virtual drinks and food (sweets) flowed freely.

Pounds by the hour, you might say I gained, virtual or not, anyhoo Rachelle invited many mentors/consultants and listed their expertise as well as website, blog for your convenience.

One site that caught my attention more so than the others was Rebecca LuElla’s blog Rewrite, Reword, Rework ,she is a professional editor, as well as offering a page on self-editing tips.
Hope this helps.
Happy Writing!

Forensics & Faith: Photo Friday!

Forensics & Faith: Photo Friday!

A Newbie's Guide to Publishing: Should E-Books Be Cheap?

A Newbie's Guide to Publishing: Should E-Books Be Cheap?

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Continuity Series

Continuity Series: "


Publisher's Weekly article sharing doesn't seem to be working properly, but you can review the above article here: http://www.publishersweekly.com/
titled

BEYOND HER BOOK
Barbara Vey, Contributing Editor, Publishers Weekly
June 18, 2009
Continuity Series











Book series are nothing new.  Lo...
"

Writer's Digest 10th Annual Short Short Story Writing Competition

Writer's Digest
Deadline: 12/1/2009
We're looking for fiction that's bold, brilliant...but brief.

Send us your best in 1,500 words or fewer. Enter the 10th Annual Short Short Story Competition for your chance to win BIG $$$$ - including the $3000 First Prize! Click here to enter or for additional information.

Forensics & Faith: The Amy Awards--for Article Writing

Forensics & Faith: The Amy Awards--for Article Writing

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Monday, June 15, 2009

I’ve been on sabbatical



I’ve been on sabbatical for the last month and a half, not a vacation in the sense of the luxurious beaches filled with enjoyment, but computer-less and in pain. It’s a two part scenario, first off my BFF (for the puter has become the aged and demented best friend), and not having one and borrowing airtime from family and friends is like standing outside the bathroom door waiting your turn, while you do the pee dance hoping beyond hope they will soon finish so you can have your turn.

Finally, I’ve purchased a new(BFF) best friend (puter), and hopefully it will last as long as its counterpart. Also, in the month of May, I took a leave from Sweet Hearts of the Rodeo due to arthritis, a constant bud that will not leave your side, but I am managing to keep his burst of pickiness (which is sort of like a prickly pear cactus stingy and sticky) under control.

Getting back into what I love, writing, learning the craft of writing, and reading about the subject of writing, I came across several good articles on the topic, and want to share with you the links.

Alexandra Sokoloff’s Blog article Story Breakdown – THE MIST (Act One)

Here is a link to Stephen King’s website where you can review the synopsis for his novella “The Mist”.

She talks about foreshadowing, now in literary terms that means the reader is tipped off as to what comes later.

What Ms. Sokoloff does is breakdown the ingredients of masterful story telling in several sequences.

Another good article I came across today on Rachelle Gardner’s Blog Rants & Ramblings, where she talks about Query Letters in “A Funny Thing Happened...On the Way to my Query Box” a must read for those wanting to get published.

Ms. Gardner Monday June 15, 2009 post about the dreaded need for an author platform.
The Dreaded Author Platform

Last week at the Write-To-Publish conference, the one topic that kept coming up in conversations, panels, and workshops was AUTHOR PLATFORM. Yes, the hated p-word!

Another good article I came upon this fine Monday morning is by Michael Hyatt titled “The Sovereignty of Readers” you can read.

This is a quote that Michael Hyatt shared of P.J. O’Rourke’s

"Usually, writers will do anything to avoid writing. For instance, the previous sentence was written at one o'clock this afternnon. It is now a quarter to
four. I have spent the past two hours and forty-five minutes sorting my neckties by width, looking up the word /paisly/ in three dictionaries,attempting to find the town of that name on /The New York Times Atlas of the World/ map of Scotland,sorting my reference books by width, trying to get the bookcase to stop wobbling by stuffing a matchbook cover under its corner,dialing the telephone number on the matchbook cover to see if I should take computer courses at night, looking at the computer ads in the newspaper and deciding to buy a computer because writing seems to be so difficult on my old Remington, reading an interesting article on sorghum farming in Uruguay that was in the newspaper next to the computer ads, cutting that and other interesting articles out of the newspaper, sorting -- by width -- all the interesting articles I've cut out of newspapers recently, fastening them neatly together with paper clips and making a very attractive paper clip necklace and bracelet set, which I will present to my girlfriend as soon as she comes home from the three-hour low-impact aerobic workout that I made her go to so I could have some time alone to write."[P.J. O'Rourke]


Janet Reid’s Blog article on Ineffective tactics a must read.

from Janet Reid, Literary Agent by Janet Reid

Publishing houses that accept manuscripts directly from authors have guidelines for how to send work to them. You'll find those guidelines on their websites.

If you choose to submit to them, read the guidelines. Then follow them.
Don't call an editor to say you represent yourself.
Much like a lawyer who represents himself, you'll have a fool for a client.

You don't need tricks to get attention.
You need good writing.

And after good writing, you need to present clear and compelling evidence you are not a yahoo.

Happy Writing!

Idols: newyorker.com

Idols: newyorker.com

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My VerboCity: Manuscript Critiques (Take 2!)

My VerboCity: Manuscript Critiques (Take 2!)

Kim's Craft Blog--Fiction, Memoir, Creative Writing: Late Spring Blues (Or Early Summer Blues)

Kim's Craft Blog--Fiction, Memoir, Creative Writing: Late Spring Blues (Or Early Summer Blues)

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

BOOKMARK

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