You are now only five minutes away from knowing how to make online submissions to literary journals using a submission manager. Simply click the link below to watch our video tutorial, or read on for more information!

Why submit online?
There are many reasons online submissions are efficient and effective. Sending your poems, stories, and essays to publishers via online submission managers will enable you to submit an unlimited number of pieces (from the comfort of your home, even in your pajamas), for a fraction of the cost of making traditional print submissions.

There are a few different ways journals and publishers may want you to submit your work. In our first video, we will show you how to submit your writing through a submission manager. More videos are on the way!

What is a submission manager?
A submission manager is an online form used by journals and publishers to accept and manage authors’ creative writing and information. By taking five minutes to watch the video below, you will be an expert at making online submissions using a submission manager!

Click here to watch the video tutorial.

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Fretting over what to buy for your writer friends or family members ? Get them something practical and thoughtful at the same time.

* A light wedge. The cooler older brother of the traditional book light, a light wedge tucks under the pages of a book and illuminates from behind. Perfect for the reader or writer who is always trying to sneak in just a few more chapters before bed.

* Moleskine notebooks. Hemingway, Picasso, and van Gogh were among the more famous Moleskine users. Sturdy yet flexible, these sleek notebooks can fit easily into a pocket and come in a variety of shapes and sizes—perfect for the writer whose best ideas come everywhere but the writing desk.

* A Writer’s Relief gift certificate. Writer’s Relief is offering gift certificates for our A La Carte Services! Give one to your writer friend or relative, and we’ll research the 25+ best-suited markets. With the A La Carte PLUS option, we will also write, proofread, and prepare cover or query letters. Click here for more details about our gift certificates! Perfect for writers who have been meaning to submit work but just don’t have the time or focus!

* Magnetic poetry. Not just for your dorm fridge! These little word magnets can be arranged and rearranged for an endless source of inspiration—all before the morning coffee has finished brewing. Perfect for visual learners and haiku lovers.

* An idea board. Available in just about every form—from your average whiteboard to eco-friendly recycled corkboard options. Feel like doing it yourself this winter? Grab a bunch of old wine corks and create your own! Perfect for the disorganized writer whose desk is covered in a sea of Post-Its.

* A vintage typewriter. Turning the old into new, a typewriter is a unique gift for the writer you love. Cost-efficient options often crop up at flea markets or Web sites like etsy.com. Perfect for writers who want to wean themselves off their laptops.

* Literary action figures. Who said all gifts have to be serious? We challenge you to find someone who wouldn’t love to take a break from writing to play with their doll…ahem, their intellectual, literary-themed miniature effigy. Perfect for the bookworm who would sooner swoon over an author than an actor.

Find any of the above by typing appropriate keywords into the search engine of your choice.

Want to treat yourself? Visit our Web site at www.WritersRelief.com to learn more about our services and how we can help you get your work into the hands of literary agents and journal editors.

Agents and publishers are receiving more manuscripts than ever, and a writer needs every advantage to get noticed. A professionally formatted, well-polished manuscript has a much better chance of discovery than a manuscript riddled with grammatical problems and typos. It goes without saying that a writer should only submit work that has been carefully edited and proofed. The following tips and hints will help you find the right freelance editor to critique your fiction or nonfiction writing.

When should I hire an editor?

      •     Self-published books are not edited or proofed in-house unless you pay for the service. If you’re having a book edited by the book production company’s editors, you will likely have a choice between different levels of editing—from a line by line review (copy edit) to a more extensive edit (content edit). You can also hire your own freelance editor outside of your production company.

      •     An agent will tell you if your work needs revision before shopping it around. Many times these revisions are something you can take care of yourself. Other times the scope of the revision may require an editor’s helping hand.

      •     If a publisher requires revisions that are beyond your ability, a freelance editor may be able to help.

What type of editor should I hire?

Copy Editor. If you’re simply looking for someone to clean up your grammar and spelling, a good copy editor will not only go through your work line by line, correcting punctuation and grammatical errors, they will also flag inappropriate word choice, confusing sentences, redundancies, and other stylistic issues. Copy editors will standardize a manuscript, verifying that your characters’ names and location references are spelled consistently. They will perform fact-checks and alert you if there are any inconsistencies in the manuscript, such as faulty time lines.

Content Editor. For a more complete overhaul, you’ll need a content editor (often referred to as a book doctor). A content editor specializes in analyzing the work overall, making larger revisions and suggesting more sweeping changes. This may include a review of consistency of style, mood, or presentation of content; consistency of point of view and tense; clarity and effectiveness of content or story sequence, including support and resolution. A content editor will also examine the flow and transition (the continuous pace and progress) of the story and evaluate sentences for clarity, flow, and readability.

Substantive Editor. If you’re simply looking for an evaluation of your book to determine its marketability and general appeal, a substantive editor can help. Former acquisition editors at publishing houses and literary agents are well-qualified for this job.

Tips for choosing the right editor.

Match your genre. Editors specialize in many different areas—academic writing, magazine article writing, nonfiction, and fiction, for example—and in the general fiction category, editors tend to specialize in specific genres. If you’ve got a mystery, look for an editor who has experience in this style.

Ask for references. When you’re considering an editor, check his or her track record. Good editors will have editing experience in your genre or category and should have a list of published books they’ve edited under their belt (self-published books don’t count). Take a look at the quality of these books and judge for yourself. Also, take a look at the editor’s qualifications: education, previous experience, etc. If you find an editor who has worked at a large publishing house, all the better.

Recommendations. Ask colleagues, members of your writers’ group, members of university writing programs, or published authors for the names of well-qualified editors. Sometimes authors thank their editors on the acknowledgment page of their books.

Look it up. The Literary Marketplace has a listing of editors, updated annually, and The Editorial Freelancers Association (www.the-efa.org) maintains a Web site of freelancers who are generally well-screened. You can also take your chances on a general Google search, but keep an eye out for less-than-qualified freelancers and scam artists. No editor should ever promise they can get you a publishing contract, and make sure you are comfortable with their credentials and the quality of their work (with a sample edit, for example) before you send a check. (Most editors will ask for a certain percentage up front, with the balance due once the project is completed.)

Get specific information up front. Make sure you and your prospective editor are clear about what is expected. Do you want a line edit or an overall edit? What would each entail? What exactly will the editor be looking for, and what will they not take on? One way to make sure you’re on the same page is to ask for a sample edit. Most editors will edit a small section at no charge, say 5-15 pages, which you can then review. It’s important that the editor is able to follow your particular style and improve your writing without changing your voice.

If you do engage the services of an editor, take the time to study their changes and learn from them. Not only will it help your future writing, but you may have the confidence to make the edits yourself on the next go-round.

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 

If you’ve ever suffered through a bad critique, you know how damaging feedback can be to the creative process. Here are a few simple tips to help you determine how to find and choose a critique partner to help with your writing.

Why do I need a critique?
If you’re looking for an honest and objective viewpoint, a critique partner (or beta reader) may be the answer. Your best friend might shower you with well-intended praise, but a good critique partner will spot problems in your writing that you may be unable to see.

Where can I find a critique partner?
Check your local writers’ groups, libraries, bookstores, and the English department at local colleges and universities. If you live in an outlying or remote area, many online writers’ sites offer the opportunity for writers to connect with beta readers. If you write in a specific genre, check writers’ sites and critique groups dedicated to that particular genre (i.e., horror, mystery, romance, and science fiction).

What should I look for in a critique partner?
First, avoid family, friends, neighbors, or anyone who may be afraid to hurt your feelings. Feedback that showers you with praise and feeds your ego will not improve your writing skills.

Second, choose a fellow writer, someone with experience and credentials—someone who knows the ups and downs of the publishing industry and is familiar with the market, the genre, and the nitty-gritty business of writing. If your partner can’t qualify his or her opinion based on education and/or experience, you may be receiving bad advice. Get a sense of your potential beta reader’s writing in advance—if you don’t respect their writing, you won’t respect their comments.

Third, look for a critique partner who will be respectful and helpful. General comments such as “Pretty good story” or “I hated the plot” aren’t constructive—neither are rude and belittling comments like “Where’d you learn to write, anyway?” Your partner should be able to point out specific areas of concern without leaving you feeling small and stupid.

Above all, be patient. Like affairs of the heart, it might take several partners before you find that perfect fit.

Be clear about your expectations from the start.
Are you looking for an overall opinion on plot and pacing? Worried about your point of view? Concerned about your characters? Or are you simply looking for a line edit to catch grammatical errors and typos? Let your critique partner know exactly what you want and avoid conflict down the road.

Go over your expectations of turnaround times. If you want to submit your novel or short fiction in a specific time frame, will your beta reader be able to deliver?

Will you be expected to critique your partner’s work as well? What kind of volume and frequency will be involved?

Online versus face-to-face critique partners.
Interacting with your beta reader online offers greater flexibility, such as submitting your novel at 2:00 a.m. while in your pj's, and allows for e-mail accessibility at all hours (why wait for next month’s meeting?).

Face-to-face critiques can sometimes get heated; online feedback can be more tactful. Your online reviewer has time to carefully frame his or her comments, and you have time to absorb the feedback in private, giving your ego a chance to recover before you respond.
                                                           
People can be influenced by a physical presence—sloppily dressed, mumbling and muttering people may be perceived as strange and sloppy writers, and witty, charismatic people may offer substandard writing despite their dazzling personalities—while online critiques are based solely on the writing itself.

Interacting in person with a critique partner offers a social respite and often inspires idea-generating brainstorming sessions. Writing can be a solitary business, and many fiction writers benefit from interacting with other writers on a regular basis. Online interaction is less personal, less social.   

Other considerations.
You don’t have to implement every change your critique partner suggests. Think about his or her suggestions carefully before you implement them.

Be prepared for criticism. This is a business rife with criticism and rejection, and thick skin and determination to improve your craft are essential to succeed. If you break down in tears every time someone finds a problem in your fiction, you may not be ready to take your writing to the next level.

If you are critiquing for your partner, give them the same respect and consideration you would expect in return. Provide concrete, specific comments and advice in a respectful manner. And don’t hesitate to point out what you like: well-developed characters, certain passages that really caught your attention, anything that stood out in a positive way. Writers should be aware not only of their weaknesses but also of their strengths. And let’s face it: a little good news is always welcome in this business.

Below you'll find a number of lateral thinking puzzles to help you think outside the box in writing and in life. These puzzles came to us as part of an e-mail forward, and though we've done our research to discover where they came from, they seem to be unattributed.

Good luck and enjoy!
 
      man 
1. ----------
      board

      stand
2. ------------
          i

3. /r/e/a/d/i/n/g/

4.     r 
     road 
       a
       d

5.  cycle 
     cycle 
     cycle

    0 
6.  -----
    M.D.
    Ph.D.

    knee 
7. light

    ground 
8.  ------------
    feet feet feet feet feet feet

9. he's X himself

10. ecnalg

11. death ..... life
 
12. THINK

13. ababaaabbbbaaaabbbb ababaabbaaabbbb

Answers:

1) man overboard
2) I understand
3) reading between the lines
4) cross road 
5) tricycle
6) two degrees below zero
7) neon light (knee - on - light)
8) six feet underground
9) he's by himself
10) backward glance
11) life after death
12) think big
13) long time no 'C'

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 

HOT OFF THE PRESS! We love to share our information with writers, and we’re happy to pass some of our INSIDER’S SECRETS along to you. Feel free to print these posts to use as a reference. Pass the links along to your writer friends. It’s packed with great information this month. DEADLINE-DATED lists of anthologies, theme issues, and contests are included at no charge!

In This Issue:

* * TOP QUERY LETTER MISTAKES: AVOID THESE AMATEUR ERRORS

* * HOW TO SUBMIT GREETING CARD VERSES AND POEMS (AND GET PAID)

* * TWITTER FOR WRITERS: DON’T WRITE IT OFF!

* * HOW TO WRITE A KILLER BOOK BLURB FOR YOUR QUERY LETTER: WHAT LITERARY AGENTS WANT TO SEE

* * OH, THE THINGS WE KNOW: THE STRANGE WORKINGS OF THE WRITING MIND

* * You won’t find a better list anywhere (AND IT’S FREE!) of upcoming ANTHOLOGIES, SPECIAL-THEMED JOURNALS, and CONTESTS.

↓ Scroll Down to Read These Exciting and Useful Articles!! ↓

Twitter, a microblogging Web site that restricts posts to 140 characters at a time, can be a fantastic networking tool for writers. If you’re a writer and you’ve never used Twitter before, taking that first step can be a little intimidating.

“I’m totally going to tweet that.” Huh? What does that mean? “Tweeple retweeting tweets.” Say that five times fast! Not many social-networking Web sites have their own vocabulary, but then again, no other social-networking Web site has become part of the Internet’s subconscious in quite the way Twitter has.

Think tweeting is for the birds? Twitter may seem like frivolous fun; but with a little time and some clever effort, Twitter can become a writer’s best microblogging friend.

The Twitterati. Twitter boasts an impressive population of literary agents, book publishers, and industry insiders. Many of them tweet writing tips, news, and helpful leads to keep followers in the loop. Some notable literary Twitters: Lit Park, Grammar Girl Mignon Fogarty, workshop guru Michael Geffner, literary agent Nathan Bransford, and The Creative Penn. There are also many successful writers on Twitter, from Neil Gaiman to Margaret Atwood to Deepak Chopra, who actively tweet about their upcoming projects, thoughts on writing, and everyday life.

Know your limits. A blog gives you unlimited space to write in a Kerouacian first-thought-best-thought manner. Twitter, on the other hand, gives you a mere 140 characters to say what’s on your mind. Such confinement can actually be liberating for your writing by forcing you to say exactly what you mean. Boil off the excess fluff and tweet only what you must say, concisely—you’ll be surprised how easily this habit will make its way into your actual writing.

Promote yourself. More than ever before, people are tapping into Twitter’s marketing potential and using it to reach the Internet masses. As you navigate the site and follow people with similar interests, they will begin to follow you back. Once you’ve built up a decent following, you can include links in your tweets to drive traffic to your Web site or online portfolio. This is a great way to not only get your name out there, but to point people’s eyes toward your work.

Hands across Twitter. Above all else, Twitter is a social-networking Web site. As you build up your list of followers, you will be able to connect with fellow writers across the globe. Because of its instantaneous nature, the site allows you to throw questions out there and get answers back just as quickly. Try not to use it as a soapbox—start a discussion, join a debate, retweet what others have to say! Give inspiration and encouragement, and you will receive the same.

Writer’s Relief is on Twitter too! Follow us (@WritersRelief) for writing and publishing tips, lively discussions, and a dose of inspiration every day.

Titled vs. Entitled

“Titled” means that something has received a title, as in The movie was titled, Grammar Gurus Gone Wild.

“Entitled” means that someone has rights to something, as in She felt entitled to special treatment ever since she won an Oscar for Grammar Gurus Gone Wild.

What Are We Supposed to Do?

Don’t use “suppose to” or “use to” when you mean “supposed to” or “used to.”

I Wonder How to Punctuate That

Incorrect: I wondered how he knew that?
Correct: I wondered how he knew that.

Incorrect: I asked her if she knew that?
Correct: I asked her if she knew that.
 
Don’t Use Quotes Indiscriminately

We’ve all seen signs like these:

Today only, “free” samples!
See these “classic” cars!
Employees must “wash their hands” before exiting the restroom.

Or phrases…
It’s not really my “cup of tea.”
If you’re not careful, you could end up with the “swine flu.”

The moral of this story: Don’t use quotation marks unnecessarily or for special emphasis.

And Finally…What Is an Aphorism?

An aphorism is a short, to-the-point sentence that sums up a clever observation or general truth:

The trouble with bucket seats is that not everyone has the same size bucket.

Writers are great. They taste like chicken.

With great power comes great responsibility. With mediocre power comes a 1964 Datsun pickup truck and a power suit from Sears.

When life gives you lemons, try making a lemon chiffon cake with extra lemon.

And finally, from Mark Twain:

Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress. But I repeat myself.

We’re so excited to tell you about our newest E-book, Insider’s Secrets: A Step-by-Step Guide To Proper Proofreading in the Creative Writing Industry! Our E-book will tell you everything you need to know to start or expand a professional proofreading business. If you’ve thought about starting your own freelance proofreading business, or if you want to hone your own proofreading skills, this E-book is for you.

If you’ve asked yourself:

• How do I start my own freelance proofreading business?
• Where do I find proofreading jobs?
• How do I expand my freelance proofreading or editing business to include creative writers, such as poets, novelists, and short story writers?
• What do I need to know to proofread my own writing?
• How do I become a better proofreader?
• Where can I learn to proofread specifically for creative writers?
• What are proofreaders’ marks (proofreading symbols)?

We have the solution for you. We know you don’t have a lot of time, so our E-book cuts through the “filler” and gets right to the point. Improve your proofreading skills and your freelance business.

Click here to learn more: http://www.WritersRelief.com/proofreading-manual-for-creative-writing-and-publishing-industry.aspx.