Guest blogger Suzan L. Wiener has had many greetings accepted by Andrew McMeal, Gallant Greetings, Peaceable Kingdom Press, Yippie Cards, etc. Many of her tips on writing, short stories, poems, and other short works have appeared in major publications.

Do you wonder how some poets and writers manage to sell their greeting card verses while others miss the mark completely or only get an acceptance on a rare occasion? This Q & A will give you the information you need to see your writing in the greeting card aisle (and help you make a little money at the same time!).

Q. Where do you find companies who will buy your greeting card verses?

A. I look in market books for writers or online at www.google.com. Then search for "paying greeting card markets."

Q. How do I know what type of greetings to send to each company?

A. Always request the company's guidelines. Follow them to the letter. If you don't, your ideas may be disqualified just for that reason.

Q. If I only write rhyming verses, should I try to write unrhymed verses or one-liners?

A. Definitely. Why limit what you are writing? Who knows, you may have a flair for writing unrhymed verses. If you don't give it a try, you will never know. You could be losing out on sales. I find it is a lot of fun to write different types of greetings rather than limiting myself to one form.

Q. When should I give up on a company if I keep getting rejections?

A. Only you can decide that. If submissions have been rejected for a year, it's time to rethink what you are sending to the company. Something obviously isn't meshing. Either you can sell your greeting card verses to another company, or you can rework them and try again. I always find it is best to send my ideas to another company, wait a few months, and then send other ideas to the first company. An editor might move on to another greeting card outfit, and the new editor might love your work. This has happened to me.

Q. What if I'm not an artist? Can I still get my verses published?

A. In fact, unless you are a professional artist, publishers prefer you send submissions without artwork. They have in-house artists to do the illustrations. You can, of course, suggest a visual for your text directly on the card you are sending. Editors even appreciate stick figures. If you cannot draw, just give them an idea of what you are trying to convey.

Q. What rights do greeting card companies acquire?

A. Each company is different. Some will ask for all rights, others will ask for first-time rights, etc. Some will send you a contract and others just an acceptance letter. Giving away all rights isn't the best way to go, but if you want to write for that particular company, you will have to relinquish them, unfortunately. That means you cannot resell your card ideas at all. When acquiring all rights is their policy, they don't normally negotiate different terms.

Q. Do greeting card companies send you free copies of your cards?

A. Usually they do. It's a great feeling to see the greeting that you wrote on the card itself. Some companies will even include your name on the card!

Q. Is there any way to guarantee that a card idea you wrote will sell?

A. The answer, in a nutshell, is no. But if you keep practicing your verse writing, gear your ideas to what editors prefer, make them a me-to-you message—which greeting card enthusiasts refer to as "sendable"—you will have a much higher rate of sales.

Q. How much can I get paid for writing greeting cards?

A. Greeting card payments vary from company to company—anywhere from $50 to $300 per card. These rates can change, and it's best to check each publisher's writers' guidelines.

* * If you’re not already subscribing to our FREE Writers’ Newsflash, you’re missing out on regular publishing leads like this one. Get time-saving tips and important industry etiquette information delivered to your inbox monthly. Just visit this link!

Imagine yourself in a secluded cabin overlooking a peaceful lake. With laptop in, well, lap, you gaze out at the local wildlife as you work, uninterrupted, on your novel. The only other people around occupy the cabins nearby, but they are also quietly pursuing their writing projects. Sounds ideal? This is the beauty of writers’ colonies.

The demands of everyday life often leave little time for the actual craft of writing. Between day jobs, errands, family, and the never-ending submission process, it’s hard to carve out time each day for creativity. This is why many writers seek residencies or writers’ colonies. They offer a place for writers to live in a community of fellow writers and artists for a specific period of time. They offer instructors, discussion groups, and direction for those who want it; best of all, it’s a place where writers can set their own schedule and concentrate on craft. Personal space and free time for creative writing—who wouldn’t jump at the chance?

Here’s how to begin the search for the perfect retreat:

There are hundreds of writers’ retreats and residencies to choose from. Would your muse take flight in a cabin in Alaska or in the southwest desert regions? Perhaps even overseas? Keeping transportation costs in mind, narrow your choices to those areas that appeal to you. Search the Internet for “writers colonies,” “writers retreats,” or “writers residencies,” and you’ll be amazed by the diversity of choices. The Alliance of Artists Communities (www.ArtistCommunities.org) maintains a comprehensive database for a small yearly fee. Also check out www.writing.ShawGuides.com.

Start the application process early, as spaces are highly coveted and limited. Be prepared to go through the application process, which can be lengthy. You’ll provide samples of your work and a mission statement outlining your goals and/or projects. You may be asked to submit details on a specific project, although some colonies are more flexible and writers can work on whatever they choose. You’ll also submit professional references and, of course, an application fee. Some programs offer scholarships as well.

Your work will be judged by a panel of professionals who will choose the most outstanding candidates. There will also be a short list to replace candidates who are unable to take their spots.

Apply for residencies that pertain to your genre or area of interest, and make note of what they’ll require once you’re there. If you work best in total and utter silence, do not choose a residency in which you will be sharing a house with six other people. Some people are stimulated by urban settings, while others flourish in the mountains. Some programs offer more amenities than others, and some can be more like camping trips. Are you prepared to hike your food in to a remote area, or do you require Internet access and close proximity to a Starbucks? Are you looking to network with other writers or simply hoping for total seclusion?

If you want to work with writing gurus and have your writing critiqued, look for programs where this type of interaction is available. You should also be aware of any expectations—will you be expected to lead a group, teach a class, or share your work with others?

To improve your chances of acceptance, apply to as many programs as you can afford. Summer residencies are the most popular, and you might have more luck applying for spring, fall, and winter programs. Include a few high-end residencies in your application process, plus a few that might be easier to get into. It’s a competitive venture, but one well worth investigating…especially when the cat is throwing up on the carpet, the plumbing’s on the fritz, the car won’t start, and the kids want dinner.

The gift of free, uninterrupted time is yours if you want it.

REMEMBER TO CHECK OUT OUR LIST OF WRITING CONTESTS and ANTHOLOGIES! You won’t find a better list anywhere (AND IT’S FREE!) of upcoming anthologies, special-themed journals, and contests. Find it by visiting:
http://www.writersreliefblog.com/post/Anthologies-Contests.aspx 

1. Get the look. If you want people to take you seriously, you’ve got to present yourself in a serious way. When making your submissions to agents and editors, skip the bright-colored paper, the “clever” query letter intros (editors get sick of them fast), the thumbnail image of your face on the manuscript. Just be brief, straightforward, and businesslike. Also, follow industry standard formatting and have your work proofread. Interestingly enough, it’s often the veteran writers who are more inclined to appreciate proofreading than the newbies—but that’s probably why they earn veteran status to begin with.

2. Write to the right people. The first mistake of making submissions is taking the “blanket” approach: wallpapering the whole country with your query and cover letters. A few well-placed and specific queries truly mean much more than 50 that are almost well-placed. Queries that are almost well-targeted will almost get you published. Do the research (or hire someone who will) to make your submissions matter. (NOTE: We’ve found that writers who take this seriously tend to be more successful. Submitting selectively is a sign of a writer who knows what she or he is about. Selective writers put so much love into their manuscripts that they won’t submit to just anyone. Selectiveness is a very good sign because it demonstrates the right attitude for success.)

3. Be the tortoise, not the hare. Make submissions part of your writing habit. Submitting your work in dribbles and drabs is NOT a strategy; it’s a crapshoot. Sustainable and steady wins the race. To a certain extent, submissions are a numbers game. When you submit more regularly, it’s likely you’ll get published more often and more regularly. And the more you build up your bio, the more likely you’ll be well-received. Don’t give up on a story just because twenty places rejected it. Plan to submit to at least 100 markets. AND create a schedule to lock yourself into making submissions. When you create a calendar for your submissions (and deadlines for your writing so that you can make submissions) you will see your publication rate increase.

4. Organization is your friend. Some people are naturally well-organized but others are not. To truly make the most of your submissions, you need to keep track of who read what, who liked what (and why), who rejected what (and why), who wants to see more work from you, and who acquired what rights. It is a TON of work (that’s why Writer’s Relief takes on this burden for our clients). When the acceptance letters start coming in, you’ll thank yourself for the extra effort.

5. Chin up! Last but not least, work to maintain a good attitude. Negative thinking, getting glum about rejections, and believing yourself less than worthy... It’s easy to fall into those traps. Positive thinking takes real work when you’re getting bombarded by rejections (and you WILL get bombarded—it’s part of the process). Start looking at your rejection letters as proof of your dedication, devotion, and all-around awesomeness. Attitude is often the only difference between a nobody and a rising star. Every rejection brings you closer to acceptance, so submit regularly and chip away at those numbers. If you’d like to stay positive and motivated, we’re willing to give you a free E-book, Rejoice in Rejection (details here). We know it will help!

If you’re not able to develop a submission strategy on your own, or you just don’t have the time and patience for it, do yourself a real favor and check out Writer’s Relief. We can take on as much or as little of the submission process as you like so that you can focus on what you love: writing.

At Writer’s Relief it’s our business to work with our clients to develop a submission strategy that 1) keeps them focused on writing, 2) eases the stress and frustration of the submission process, 3) circulates manuscripts regularly (with no spamming) to generate interest, and 4) targets the BEST literary agents and editors (those most likely to enjoy the writing in question).

For more tips on making strong submissions, visit:

How To Write Cover and Query Letters That Get Attention 

Why Length Matters When Submitting Your Stories And Poems For Publication

How To Build Up Your Writing Bio Super Fast

Seven Techniques You Must Know To Make Editors Notice Your Poetry

As many of you know, our proofreaders at Writer’s Relief are the best in the business (we only accept two percent of our applicants each year). And as a result our clients often wind up with quite a bit of red pen on their manuscripts (though we DO save them lots of time because WE prepare the master, the final document for submission).

Regardless of your political proclivities, we think that all writers who have ever been on the receiving end of an editor or proofreader’s red pen will appreciate this link to the Vanity Fair blog. Take a look at how one editor critiques and revises Sarah Palin’s resignation speech.

We're not content editors (like the Vanity Fair editors are), and we make no claims to encourage (or discourage) this kind of heavy-handed editing. But we did want to share this with you because it brings up interesting questions about the role of an editor.  

What do you think? Too much editing? Or too little? Have a look at the Vanity Fair site:
http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2009/07/palin-speech-edit-200907.

Well, you wowed us. We laughed until we cried. The metaphors that you all submitted to our bad metaphor contest were real stinkers! And we loved them all.

As you know, there can only be one winner to receive an awesome Writer’s Relief T-shirt. But in this case, we couldn’t break the tie, so we’re announcing TWO winners! And of all the metaphors and similes, the ones we loved (hated?) most were sent to us by Chuck White and Patricia Harrington.

Here they are:

Chuck White’s Winning Entry: Her two front teeth looked like a couple of Chiclets that weren’t on speaking terms.

Patricia Harrington’s Winning Entry: He sat down heavily, like a Mack truck dumping a load.

To read the rest of the bad metaphors, click this link and read all of the comments below: http://www.WritersReliefBlog.com/post/Funny-Metaphor-And-Simile-Contest3b-So-Bad2c-Theyre-Good!.aspx.

Thanks to everyone who played!

If you’re a foodie and a bookworm, you’re going to love this list of French food idioms that we recently found on the Internet. It’s hilarious.

For example: Ça ne mange pas de pain means “it doesn’t eat bread.” In other words, whatever it is, it won’t be a pain in the neck (like a houseguest who loafs around, raids your refrigerator, and eats all your food/bread).

Read more at http://chocolateandzucchini.com/archives/cat_french_idioms.php.

If you have an interesting article that pertains to an aspect of creative writing, you may be able to see it published in our Newsflash! We’re always looking for articles that make grammar easy and fun, that inspire or motivate creativity, or that clear up frustrating aspects of the writing life.

Here’s what you need to know:

Previously published work is acceptable, but you must tell us the details of the prior publication.

We acquire first-time rights or one-time rights (you can publish your article elsewhere after we post it).

Articles should be no more than 500 words.

To get ideas of our tone, style, and interests, please read through the articles posted on our blog.

Before you write your article, make sure that we haven’t already written about your topic. Use the search tools on our blog.

Our pay rate is $25 per article.

E-mail your completed article AND a short bio to Lisa@wrelief.com. No attachments, please.

We’re looking forward to reading your work!

If your dream is to land a publishing contract with Random House and see your book in stores across the country, we recommend that you consider building your publication credits by submitting shorter pieces to journals and magazines.

Some folks believe that it’s not important to have published any short works before approaching an agent. If you’ve written a fantastic book that can stand on its own, you may well be able to find an agent without any publication credentials at all. But getting shorter pieces published before querying an agent is a strategy that gets your foot in the door, and based on our experiences in preparing submissions since 1994, writers who can boast publication of shorter works tend to have an easier time getting agent interest.

There are a number of reasons publishing your individual poems, essays, and short stories can help you get ahead.

1. Being published shows agents that you can manage submission deadlines and guidelines and that you are a serious writer with serious goals. You establish yourself as savvy and in-touch by being published in smaller markets, and you lay the groundwork for a career in lengthier fiction.

2. If editors like publishing your short works, it means they believe that their readers will enjoy your writing. When an agent sees that other people are getting excited about your writing, he or she will be more likely to want in on the action.

3. Having credentials in the small press market may help you get a leg up on the competition. Most agents are aware of how difficult it is to secure one single publishing credit. It may be enough to sway an agent into representing you. If an agent is offered two books of equal merit—with the only difference being that one author has a history of publishing short works and the other doesn’t—you can guess which book will get the contract.

4. Not only will publishing your shorter works make you a more interesting prospect, having those publications is emotionally rewarding. Acceptance letters from literary magazines go a long way toward keeping you motivated as you write your book. A short story can be written in less than a week, whereas the novel can take years. Keep your dream alive with smaller publications of short fiction.

5. Also, publishing in literary magazines might help you directly with getting an agent. A number of our clients have been approached by big New York agencies because an agent read a story in a literary magazine. Getting your work, your name, and your bio out there can get you noticed in the same way that a model might get noticed simply by hanging around at the hottest nightclubs. Add a blurb to your bio that you are “currently working on a novel,” and those who have enjoyed your work can be on the lookout for future projects.

6. Collections are especially difficult to place for writers who have not published any of the works within the collection. Because collections are generally not considered as lucrative as other book-length forms, agents and editors like to be assured of an author's potential for "popularity" by seeing some selections from the longer work published.  

At Writer’s Relief we help our clients build their portfolios as they work toward publishing a book. Some of our clients publish stand-alone works from within a larger book in order to show that their book is marketable. Others write stories that are entirely separate from their books.

There are literally thousands of journals and literary magazines out there, and it should not be an impossible task to find a home for one of your short stories or poems—provided your writing is strong and your submissions are targeted and professional. We have an up-to-date database containing detailed information on hundreds of nationwide publications, their editors, and their guidelines, and we’ve helped hundreds of writers reach their publication goals.

Here are some general tips for submission.

Research carefully. Find the perfect home for your work by submitting to magazines and journals that publish work like yours. Don’t waste your time (or an editor’s) by not doing your homework or blindly submitting to any old publication.

Start small and work your way up. Naturally, if you’re confident, feel free to go straight for the big guns, but most writers start with the smaller markets. You may have to forgo paying markets at this time in order to get your foot in the door.

Follow guidelines to the tee. If the magazine is looking for work under 4,000 words, do not submit 5,000 and hope that your work is good enough to be accepted despite the length or assume that the editor will be willing to cut it down to size for you. Pay attention to submission dates, submission formats, seasonal themes, the genre and style the magazine accepts, and any other rules they set forth. Follow them carefully.

Submit to the proper person. Again, do your homework and make sure you have the most current editor’s name for your submission. Details like this go a long way in impressing an editor and can increase your chance of being noticed.

Call Writer’s Relief (or e-mail us at info@wrelief.com) if you’d like us to help you build up your publication credits. We’ve helped writers fine-tune their personal submission strategies since 1994. We’re looking forward to hearing from you!

Obama at a book signing      Photo by \Ryan

Political issues aside, there’s something noteworthy going on in the White House these days. Pundits agree that our President, Barack Obama, has brought a valuable skill to the White House; even before he ran for office, he was an accomplished writer. 

Obama joins a number of other Presidents who can list “writer” on their resumes next to “President.” Abraham Lincoln set the bar impossibly high during his presidency, and his two-minute speech at Gettysburg is regarded as a classic example of concise writing—every word packed with meaning and subtleties.

Theodore Roosevelt was a professional writer before taking on the nation’s leadership. He churned out books from the time he was a senior at Harvard up until his death. And Jimmy Carter wrote An Hour Before Daylight, a memoir about growing up in the Great Depression, which became a best seller during the 1976 election year. It’s said to have helped him win the election against Gerald Ford. He also wrote his own campaign biography—a highly unusual practice. Many other former Presidents penned memoirs, but the majority of them were filtered through a professional ghostwriter. Most of our modern politicians rely heavily on speechwriters and staff to do the writing for them, which is not surprising—politicians and writers are usually quite different characters based on their chosen professions—one in the public eye, the other private.

Barack Obama is a rare combination of politician and writer. He published his first book, Dreams From My Father, in 1996, while he was a state senator, and it was not coauthored by a ghostwriter. His second book, The Audacity of Hope, was also a success, and in a review Michiko Kakutani from The New York Times called Obama “that rare politician who can write…and write movingly and genuinely about himself.”

He now comes equipped with his own team of writers, including the talented, young Jon Favreau, and there’s no doubt that writing Obama’s own material will have to take a backseat to more pressing issues, like the economy and the war in Iraq. Still, writers all over the world can look forward to a riveting presidential memoir after he’s served his term.

The New Republic’s David Samuels has this to say: “My own belief is that Barack Obama has the makings of an unusual and unusually effective President, because he might combine a writer’s sense of the dramatic moment, and of how language helps to shape reality, with the brain—and perhaps the soul—of a Harvard-educated technocrat.”

President Obama’s open letter to his daughters was published in Parade magazine last month, and in it he explains why he decided to “take our family on this journey” to the presidency. In his beautifully written and heartfelt letter, Obama describes his vision for the country and what he wants for the children of the nation in terms of education and opportunity—not just for his own two children.

“These are the things I want for you—to grow up in a world with no limits on your dreams and no achievements beyond your reach, and to grow into compassionate, committed women who will help build that world. And I want every child to have the same chances to learn and dream and grow and thrive that you girls have. That’s why I’ve taken our family on this great adventure.”

You can read the letter in its entirety here: http://www.parade.com/export/sites/default/news/2009/01/barack-obama-letter-to-my-daughters.html. And then check out this month’s writing prompt.

UPDATE: Deadline has passed. Winners will be announced on or around March 15th!

Hear Ye! Hear Ye! In honor of Writer’s Relief’s 15th anniversary, we are having a special contest. To win the grand prize of 25+ targeted submissions of your writing, submit a poem, short story, or essay of exactly 15 words for our 15th anniversary!

There will be two (2) first-prize winners!

For our active, Full-Service clients, the first-prize winner will receive $106 off of his or her February to April 2009 invoice.

For all other writers the first-prize winner will be awarded one round of A La Carte submissions (Monetary value: $106). More information at: http://WritersReliefBlog.com/post/Our-A-La-Carte-Service.aspx. 

Any honorable mentions will receive one of our T-shirts. You can see what they look like here: http://www.WritersRelief.com/Products.asp#shirts.

The information you need to know:

Deadline: 02/28/09.

Submit to: Writer’s Relief’s 15th Anniversary. E-mail via RTF or DOC attachment to: contest@wrelief.com. Please put “Contest Submission” in the subject line. Or mail to: “Contest Submission,” 409 South River Street, Hackensack, NJ 07601. NOTE: Your entry must be postmarked by 2/28/09.

Entry fee: NONE!

Type: Poems, short shorts, and short essays (15 words EXACTLY). 

1. We will read entries anonymously, but YOU MUST include ALL of your contact information (name, mailing address, phone number, and e-mail address) with your submission.
2. Do NOT post your entry as a comment on this blog; it will be disqualified.
3. If your piece is under OR over 15 words, the submission will also be disqualified.
4. Do NOT include a title. We want the work to be strong enough to stand on its own.
5. Only ONE (1) entry per person.
6. Winning entries will be posted on our blog; we will acquire one-time rights.
7. Winners will be announced for our anniversary, which is March 15.

Get those contest submissions to our inbox or in the mail TODAY!

Minnesota:
Carolyn Light Bell will be teaching "We Thought We Were Safe; The Artistry of To Kill a Mockingbird and In Cold Blood" at the University of Minnesota College of Continuing Education. Geared toward readers, sessions will be held Tuesdays (April 7, 14, 21), 2009, 6:30-8:30 p.m. For more information visit http://www.cce.umn.edu.

Book Announcement:
Laury Egan's full-length poetry collection Snow, Shadows, a Stranger is available for purchase through Foothills Publishing, or you may contact her directly at laury5@verizon.net or through her Web site: http://www.lauryaegan.com.

Psychologists have long been aware of how the words we speak, read, write, and encounter can have a powerful impact on our lives. In her book Every Word Has Power, Yvonne Oswald explores the idea that changing the words you use can change your life. More information is available at http://yvonneoswald.com.

Writers have their own special challenges with words, given that “rejection” makes up a big part of a successful writing career. For that reason we excerpted a few words on Oswald’s list that writers should either avoid or use frequently. Take a look at the lists, and consider how often you use positive and negative language to describe your writing. The results might surprise you!

High-Energy Words
Achieve, Believe, Choose/Choice, Dream, Easy, Free, Future, Harmony, Knowledge, New, Please, Positive, Profit, Success, Sweet, Top, Unique, Value

Low-Energy Words
Afraid, Anxiety, Bad, Bottom, Broke, Cheap, Control, Criticize, Difficult, Doubt, Envy, Failure, Fear, Hate, Idiot, Lazy, Poor, Shame, Small, Sorrow, Trying, Weak, Worry, Worse 

Writers wishing to benefit from the Full Service submission assistance program that we offer at Writer's Relief must first apply to our Review Board. Now is a great time to kick-start your submission strategy and start seeing the results you want. We can help you get your work to the best-suited agents and editors in the best format possible.

There is no reading fee for our Review Board.

NOTE: Our FULL SERVICE clients enjoy our most comprehensive service, with lots of personal attention and our highest success rate; therefore, Full Service clients are invited only upon approval by the Review Board. A LA CARTE clients prefer a more do-it-yourself approach to working with us in order to keep costs down; therefore, A La Carte clients do not need to apply to the Review Board. Click here to compare pricing and services: http://www.WritersRelief.com/compare-our-writers-services.aspx.

Wouldn't it be amazing to get your submissions in the mail to all the best publishers and agents? Writer's Relief has successfully helped writers beat the procrastinator in them since 1994. We help clients find the time to write.

Keep in mind that we must turn away 80 percent of the work that comes to us. However, if your writing is strong, don't let procrastination, hesitation, lack of marketing experience, or fear stop you from submitting your work. We can help you make effective submissions. Send your writing for consideration today!

HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR WORK TO THE REVIEW BOARD

For online submissions: Visit http://www.WritersRelief.com/submission-guidelines-for-review-board.aspx.  Use our simple online form to get your work to us quickly. This is our preferred method.

Regular Mail Submissions: To apply, mail us your COMPLETE contact information (mailing address, phone number, e-mail), biographical information, a list of publishing credits, and a few words regarding what you would like us to accomplish for you. Include a self-addressed, stamped envelope for our reply. If you would like your work returned, be sure your SASE is the right size, with the right amount of postage. MAIL SAMPLE PAGES ACCORDING TO GENRE: Poetry (10-12 poems); Short prose (three stories or essays); Novels (a synopsis and the FIRST 25 pages); Nonfiction books (proposal and sample pages as needed, up to 30 pages total).  

If you are accepted into our FULL SERVICE client list:

If you've been putting off getting your work to our Review Board, now's the time to send it to us. Writers who submit their work regularly and extensively increase their odds of acceptance…dramatically. Act now to get your submissions into the world ASAP!

Writers have been looking to us for years to help them alleviate the countless hours needed to research ever-changing writers' markets. We continue to have the most current and best writers' markets included in our database. Because our database is updated daily from information we receive from all of our clients, as well as thousands of journals and agents directly, our lists are more up-to-date than any market book or online source.

We want to be your partner in the submission process. Call us toll-free (between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Eastern Time) if you have any questions. One of our personal submission strategists will be happy to spend a few minutes with you on the telephone.

You can e-mail your questions to info@wrelief.com.

Recently an anonymous "angel" got in touch with our office to give the gift of 25 submissions to a promising writer who could use a little help. Though we cannot publish the name of the donor, the recipient wanted the opportunity to say thanks. You'll find his letter below.

To My Unknown Benefactor:
 
Thank you for your end-of-year kindness in bestowing a Writers Relief "scholarship" on me. The last few months have been very trying due to employment/financial difficulties and subsequently my being forced to relocate to a different country to find work. As a result, I was forced to suspend any active attempt to find homes for my poems. Your generosity has enabled me to continue in that endeavor and, more importantly, was a very unexpected demonstration of human kindness from a stranger.
 
May you be well rewarded in this world and beyond for your selflessnesss.
 
Sincerely,
 
D.V.

If you or anyone you know would like to give the gift of submissions (anonymously or not) don't hesitate to call our office. You can learn more about how to purchase a gift certificate by clicking here. We were all deeply moved by this random act of kindness; it was a warm and wonderful way to send off the New Year.

The author of this article is Keith Connes. He is at the 60-year point (give or take) in his burgeoning career as a professional writer. He started in radio, then became a TV-commercial writer for several major New York agencies. This enabled him to buy an airplane and morph into aviation writing. He’s now crafting more general articles, humor pieces, and short fiction and thinks he’ll stay put with those until he reaches the age of 100, which should be any day now.

Write a memoir. It doesn’t matter whether you are a beginning writer or a seasoned pro—or even if you don’t consider yourself to be a writer at all. Write a memoir to present the gift of your inner self to your family, friends, and perhaps a wider audience. You might publish only a few dozen copies for a very limited distribution, but then again, a really compelling story could become the propellant that launches your writing career.

A basic writer’s axiom advises you to “write what you know,” and what could be more familiar to you than an episode in your own life? And here’s what makes it so special: A memoir can give your loved ones a greater insight into who you are and how you got to be who you are—your thoughts, your feelings, your adventures through life, and the things you learned along the way. And you don’t have to wait until your sunset years; you can write a memoir at any age. You can do it now.

Let me be clear as to what I mean by “memoir.” Some people may think of the word “memoir” as meaning an autobiography. Well, yes, an autobiography is a very extensive memoir, taking in the entire life of the subject, but a memoir can also be just a small nugget of that person’s existence—a series of reminiscences or even a single recollection. So it’s not that daunting a task.

Even so, would your memoir really be that valuable to others? Well, think of somebody who is important to you—your mother, father, grandparent, friend—and even though you’ve known that person for years or decades, you sense that there are aspects of that person’s life that you don’t know about and wish you did. Not necessarily skeletons in the closet, but—well, wouldn’t it be fun to know that Grandma always wanted to be a trapeze artist but somehow never got around to it?

My best friend since high school was, for most of his adult life, a sales executive whose high-powered drive enabled him to found and manage several insurance companies. I thought I knew him pretty well, but I was astonished when he sent me a book of sensitive and lovely poetry that he had written! I saw an aspect of Frank I had never suspected, and my respect and admiration for him became even greater.

Well, you may not be a secret poet or even a wannabe trapeze artist, but aren’t there some unrevealed parts of you that you wouldn’t mind sharing but you haven’t gotten around to it, or maybe you’re just a little shy about it?

Write it down. Write your memoir. If it seems too daunting, you have a tape recorder—everybody has at least one. Go to a quiet place, turn the recorder on, and speak your thoughts. Don’t worry about grammar or punctuation—just talk. You can fix it later. If it would help get the thoughts flowing, sit down with someone you feel comfortable with and start chatting about a topic for your memoir. Can’t find enough quiet time? Do it in the car. Let others talk into their cell phones. What you’re doing is for posterity!

Regardless of where your memoir begins, it can take on a life of its own—because it is, after all, your own life.

Write your memoir. Do it for the ones you love, for yourself, and maybe for some great-great-grandchildren you will never know. But, through your memoir, they will get to know you.

What is a thriller, aside from the obvious? This genre is known for the intensity of emotion it creates. Apprehension. Exhilaration. Anxiety. The main character (MC) has a goal, a nearly impossible one at times, and a heroic effort and/or sacrifice is required to overcome obstacles and reach that goal. Time is almost always a huge concern, as the MC must accomplish some feat (rescue his girlfriend, find the antidote, stop the terrorists) before disaster strikes. The level of intensity can either build slowly throughout the book or hit the reader from the very beginning, but it must generate a level of tension that keeps the reader turning pages. Most importantly, good thrillers keep up an intense pace, and the reader is swept along for an incredible ride.

If the author has done a good job with accurate research and an intricate plot, the reader will also come away emotionally satisfied with having learned something. Thrillers, by their very definition, create a thrill, but they also provide good information about the legal system, a medical procedure, the inner world of Soviet espionage, military weaponry… Patricia Cornwell writes a series of medical thrillers based on her knowledge of the medical examiner’s world—a world that fascinates her fans, who are sophisticated and want accurate facts, not vague explanations or made-up procedures.

Thrillers are often lumped together with mysteries, but there are key differences between these genres. In mysteries the MC is presented with a puzzle (a murder, for instance) and must look for clues to solve that puzzle. In thrillers the MC faces a nightmare of a situation (impending disaster, serial killers, airborne viruses) and must learn new skills to cope with the circumstances. Most, if not all, of the “clues” are provided in a thriller, and the reader expects twists and turns and surprises rather than answers. Thrillers appeal more to the senses than an intellectual exercise in detective work, considered too “tame” for true thriller aficionados. It’s the emotional connection that counts.

Here are some of the basic subgenres of the thriller world. Keep in mind that there are often overlaps between two or more subgenres.

Medical. Modern medical technology is used to harm rather than heal. Robin Cook is the master of this genre. Forensic thrillers are another popular offshoot.

Legal. Usually, a lawyer or someone associated with the law takes on the legal system, often putting their own lives at risk. John Grisham and David Baldacci are well-known in this category.

Disaster. The town’s dam is going to burst in 24 hours or less. A ship innocently heads to port, carrying a bomb that could wipe out half of California. A meteor hurtles toward Earth. Any natural or manmade disaster that affects a large group of people can become a disaster thriller.

Action-Adventure. Difficult to successfully pull off, thanks to the huge amount of action and plot required, this is nevertheless a hugely popular genre, especially when translated to film. It’s characterized by physical action, bravery, and violence, and you’re likely to encounter high-tech weapons and remote, dangerous locations. Think The Bourne Identity.

Horror. Silence of the Lambs is a good example of this subgenre, emphasizing mental, emotional, and physical trauma for the MC as he/she battles a monster, human or otherwise. This also ties in to Serial Killer thrillers, in which the MC must track down a killer who threatens a group of people. Lots of blood and gore; lots of suspense.

Techno. This usually focuses on military technology of some sort, and this technology is essential to the plot. Tom Clancy’s work comes to mind immediately.
In the rich literary banquet of thrillers, the reader can also choose from police, spy, romantic, historical, supernatural, political, erotic, and conspiracy thrillers—and, more often than not, a combination of one or more of these subcategories. It’s a wildly popular genre overall, thanks to the adrenaline rush, complex plots, and big storylines. Thrillers are exciting. They are dangerous. And they should leave us feeling satisfied that not only did the MC save the world from (insert global threat here), but we learned a little something in the process. And even if we’ll never need to know how to detect a false heart attack during an autopsy, it makes us feel smarter if we do.

John Steinbeck, William Faulkner, and Margaret Mitchell found themselves writing during some of the most difficult—and arguably the most historic—years in our nation’s history. When things get rough tenacious American writers step up to the plate to produce meaningful and dramatic works of art that live on for generations. Where do readers and writers turn when times get tough? Click the link below to read about trends in art and entertainment during The Great Depression. Maybe you’ll discover something inspiring for your own writing at this time in our history!

http://www.sparknotes.com/testprep/books/sat2/history/chapter17section3.rhtml

by Gilda Haber, Ph.D., Department of English Composition, Literature and Professional Writing

As instructors some of us love to write, and some of us also enjoy attending writers’ conferences. This summer I attended three writers’ conferences—one in Manhattan at Marymount Manhattan College, one at UDC, and one at Georgetown University, held by Washington Independent Writers (WIW).

Prior to the conference registrants receive a program and a list of available agents. It is wise for participants to choose the panels they wish to attend and to research and make appointments with agents in your genre prior to the conference. The writing conference is a good opportunity for the serious writer with an idea or a manuscript to network.

We meet other writers and authors, share our interests, attend specific panels of choice (such as a fiction, nonfiction) or meet, one-on-one, with literary agents. Each member of a panel speaks on his or her expertise and takes questions on how to write and sell one’s work. Most importantly, serious writers usually sign up to meet agents who attend the conference. Although hard to get, agents are interested in finding new talent.

One of the goals of a writers’ workshop is to meet agents in person. But both panel speakers and agents are relentlessly focused on writing as a business. Either work is well-written and has possibilities of selling to the public or it isn’t. You may have one but not the other advantage. Agents and publishers also put in long hours without compensation for the love of bringing a book from conception to birth. You must seek out the agent right for you, one who has sold books in the field that interests you, and one with whom you feel comfortable. The agent not only judges your work, but judges you personally, as to whether he or she likes you. You do the same.

I came armed with business cards and with queries, hoping, in 60 seconds, to seduce some agent with the excellence, uniqueness, excitement, and salability of my work. Who else but a writer labors intensively, creatively for months or years for the love of writing, to create a work of art and with no sure reward in sight?

Frankly, I was terrified of meeting some of these agents in person, especially those who have represented famous people. So far I had only read agents’ credentials on paper and seen the kind of deals they made, the kind of books they sold. The agent I most feared seeing turned out to be friendly but strictly businesslike. From my experience and from agents met at writing conferences, I learned the following:

One needs talent to write but, to paraphrase Edison: "success is 99% perspiration and 1% inspiration." Work hard and be persistent in sending out your work.

Do not copy anyone else’s style. Be yourself and develop your own. Welcome constructive criticism. It is the highest form of friendship. Give constructive comments to friends’ writings. If your grammar is weak, find a good copy editor.

Writing groups are very useful for feedback. (I, myself, run a writing group.)

Find out which books are written on subjects that interest you and who was the agent, editor and publisher for those books. Such information is often found in the book’s acknowledgments or by Googling the book’s name and author. Get to know that agent’s background, even his/her hobbies and interests.

There are books in public and school libraries on publishing markets. Buy one.

Do not send work sloppy in appearance or make spelling mistakes.

Be professional. Make sure to spell the agent’s name correctly. Read the agent’s rules for submission, and strictly observe those rules.

Do not unduly flatter the agent or boast about your own work.

Research dates, times, names, events, even names of paintings for authenticity.

Use verbs. Avoid adjectives and adverbs; show and do not tell readers what happens. Where appropriate, use dialogue; but dialogue must move the action.

Prepare a query before writing to an agent. Your query can refer to one or two books that agent has sold but not to all the agents’ sales. This is gratuitous.

Your query should consist of: why you chose this agent; why you are writing this book; what the book is about; why you are qualified to write this book; and how it differs from other books written on the same theme; say who will read your book and what you can personally do to promote the book’s sales. All this information should be written on one page. This is one of the hardest parts of writing.

If the agent answers your one-page query and says he/she is interested, either you know what the agent wants you to send next or ask the agent what he/she wants you to send. Do not get too excited. This is only the first of many steps.

Only send material when it is your very best work. There are no second chances with an agent. Revise and share it with peers and/or an editor relentlessly.

Fiction should be complete before sending; nonfiction has different rules.

Do not expect to be accepted at once. Expect many rejections. Some famous books were rejected as many as 50 times before becoming best-sellers. Some great books never become best-sellers. Do not leave your job or expect to become rich unless, besides being a good writer, you happen to be lucky. When it is rejected revise, revise, and share your work with other writers. As you revise early work, you will become more adept; writing ages like fine wine. Revisions with constructive peer comments or editorial assistance will refine your writing.

Keep a journal or a diary to write down interesting material, even dialogue as it occurs.
This will make your writing fresh, even if you use the material years later.

Write what you know about, but be careful in writing about someone you know. People may sue a writer if they recognize themselves and object to your presentation of them, especially if their personal lives are revealed.

There are grave challenges and risks to take as a writer. One exposes all of one’s skills and charms, as well as one’s weaknesses and foibles to others. But what joy when I see one of my 40 articles or stories in print, and what a joy it is to write!!

Good luck! See you at the next conference!

Could you write your memoir in six words?

Check out the the six-word memoirs written by writers in all stages of their careers at http://www.smithmag.net/sixwords/. Some are evocative and mysterious, others are side-splitting fun.

Here's ours: Writer's Relief helps you, write on. 

Poet Deborah Cross and photographer Julio Marquez announce the publication of their book Touched By Infinity. To read more or to buy a copy, visit http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/393670. 

The Cell of a Soul, Maria Logven's first book of short stories illustrated by a surrealist artist Michael Cheval, is now available at http://www.amazon.com/Cell-Soul-Maria-Logven/dp/1434399966/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1229530126&sr=1-1.

Naomi Ruth Lowinsky's memoir on being a poet, The Sister from Below: When the Muse Gets Her Way has been accepted for publication by Fisher King Press. Advance orders welcome: http://www.fisherkingpress.com/order.html.

Our great-grandparents might not understand, but many of us now wake up to our Yahoo! or MSN home page to get our daily news and celebrity gossip fix. While daily newspapers will continue to be an important part of our lives, there’s no denying the impact of having such an array of online reading material. According to many surveys, more and more people than ever before are using the Internet to read the news, access blogs, articles. Studies also show that people tend to access online journals more frequently than print journals. Again, print magazines and journals aren’t in danger of disappearing anytime soon, but the Internet offers an alternate source of reading material—material that is usually up-to-date, easily accessible, often free, and conveniently waiting for us in our own homes or on our laptops. And as we ease into the world of cyberspace, online magazines and literary journals are quickly earning prestige and increased readership.

Online Magazines and Journals

There is a proliferation of literary magazines popping up on the Internet, and this is changing the way literature reaches readers. Suddenly, literature is more accessible to the entire world, and E-zines are offering more selections to their readers. These online magazines are finding better ways to meet the needs of writers and their readers, becoming a defining force in literature.

Literary journals and E-zines usually publish poetry, short fiction, and essays and offer information about authors and book reviews. Much of the work is written by new writers, so beginning writers take note: The Internet offers greater opportunities than ever before to get your work published. It hosts a variety of smaller-niche publications that offer new writers a forum for their work, as well as a worldwide audience. This translates to more people seeing a writer’s work than ever before. And, as it should be, the goal of these E-zines is to feature the work of deserving writers, both experienced and inexperienced.

Suppose you’ve placed a short story in a respectable print journal. Your story will be in active circulation for a certain number of weeks, and then it will be moved to the archives. If your story appears in an online literary journal, it may be viewed by thousands, and when it is archived, a mere click of the mouse will bring it back to life. No trips to the back rooms of libraries. Plus, your story will be viewed by people all over the world who may not have access to work you’ve published in print. This long-term exposure is a definite advantage for the author. This may explain why many mid-list literary magazines are switching to both online AND print editions.

New writers who are looking to be published in a print magazine would do well to target the mid-list (or second-tier) literary magazines. Obviously, the very best placement for an author’s short fiction would be in first-tier magazines; but if this goal is unattainable, online publications are a great way for new writers to get those first credits.

The Internet also offers writers newsletters, chat rooms, and forums where they can network with fellow writers from all over the world. This is a great way to stay current and glean information about particular editors and agents or hear about new E-zines and what they are looking for.

Blogs (short for Web log) have been on the Internet since the early ’90s. Originally, blogs started as personal diaries online, but that has since evolved and expanded. Not only are blogs for personal use, but blogs are often vehicles for sharing and discussing specific subjects, such as travel, politics, entertainment, and, of course, creative writing. Some of these blogs for creative writers can serve as an online journal, publishing a new poem or short story on a daily basis. Other writer-friendly blogs, such as http://www.writersreliefblog.com, offer information and advice for improving one’s writing skills.

Editors/agents will consider your work published if it’s posted publicly on your blog. Avoid sharing your work until it’s already been published elsewhere, giving credit to where it was first printed. In addition to sharing already-published work, if you’re promoting a book you’ve written, you can have friends and loved ones comment with reviews, announce book readings/signings, etc. Start sharing your blog link—that is, the URL, the WWW to get to your blog—in your e-mails and other communications. The more people you have visiting your blog, the more likely people will spread the word. An added bonus is that your rankings in Internet searches will increase.