Please see individual URLs for complete contest and anthology information and submission guidelines.

Upcoming Anthologies

Deadline: 03/31/10.
Submit to: The Way of the Wizard. E-mail your story as a DOC file (preferred) or as an RTF file to jjadams.anthology@gmail.com. Include the words “Wizards Submission” and the title of the story and your byline in the subject line of the e-mail.
Theme: Wizards, witches, sorcerers, sorceresses, magic, fantasy, etc.
Type: Short stories (5,000 MAX).
URL: http://www.johnjosephadams.com/2009/06/guidelines-the-way-of-the-wizard

Deadline: 03/31/10.
Submit to: Becoming Anthology. Send via e-mail: becominganthology@gmail.com.
Theme: Women's stories.
Type: Personal essays (1,000 words MAX) or one poem.
URL: http://becominganthology.blogspot.com/2010/02/call-for-submissions.html

Deadline: 04/01/10.
Submit to: Bitch. Submit via online form: http://bitchmagazine.org/contact/editorial. Theme: Make-Believe; MUST BE a feminist response to pop culture.
Type: Essays (4,000 words MAX).
URL: http://bitchmagazine.org/guidelines.shtml

Deadline: 04/01/10.
Submit to: Witness. Submit via online form: http://witness.blackmountaininstitute.org/submit/login.php.
Theme: Blurring Borders.
Type: Poetry (5 poems MAX), short stories, and essays.
URL: http://witness.blackmountaininstitute.org/submit

Deadline: 04/15/10.
Submit to: A Whodunit Halloween. E-mail submissions to: whodunit@pillhillpress.com. Please put SUBMISSION - Title of Story in the subject line.
Theme: Halloween mysteries.
Type: Short stories (15,000 words MAX).
URL: http://www.pillhillpress.com/atlantis.html

Deadline: 04/15/10.
Submit to: Align with Global Harmony: Rainmaker’s Prayers Anthology. Send via Word attachment or pasted-in text to: hazelheron.press@gmail.com.
Theme: Environmental topics.
Type: Personal essays (1,000 words MAX).
URL: http://shinanbarclay.vox.com

Deadline: 04/20/10.
Submit to: A Cup of Comfort. Submit via online form: http://www.cupofcomfort.com/memberlogin.
Theme: For Couples.
Type: Personal essays (2,000 words MAX).
URL: http://www.cupofcomfort.com/CallForSubmissions

Deadline: 05/01/10.
Submit to: The Christmas Spirit. Send via online form: http://www.christmasspiritbook.com/story.html
Theme: Christmas.
Type: Personal essays (1,300 words MAX).
URL: http://www.christmasspiritbook.com

Deadline: 05/01/10.
Submit to: The First Line. E-mail (via MS Word or WordPerfect attachment) to: submission@thefirstline.com.
Theme: Every story starts out the same: Paul and Miriam Kaufman met the old-fashioned way.
Type: Short stories (3,000 words MAX).
URL: http://www.thefirstline.com

Deadline: 06/01/10.
Submit to: Pockets. Lynn W. Gilliam, Editor. PO Box 340004, Nashville, TN 37203-0004. 
Theme: Respect. MUST BE appropriate for 8- to 12-year-old Christians. 
Type: Poetry (20 lines MAX), short stories (1,000 words MAX), and essays (1,000 words MAX).
URL: http://pockets.upperroom.org/themes

Deadline: 06/30/10.
Submit to: Cancer Anthology. E-mail to: info@divinetruthpress.com.
Theme: Your journey with cancer, the journey of a loved one, or your secondhand experience as caregiver or medical professional.
Type: Personal essays (500 to 1,500 words MAX).
URL: http://divinetruthpress.atwc1.com/submissions/cancer-anthology

Deadline: 06/30/10.
Submit to: The Haiti I Knew, The Haiti I know, The Haiti I Want to Know.  E-mail (via attachment) to: jessfievre@gmail.com. Put “Anthology” in the subject line.
Theme: Contemporary Writings by Haitian Women.
Type: Short stories and personal essays (3,000-5,000 words MAX).
URL: http://wwohd.blogspot.com/2009/04/call-for-submissions.html

Deadline: 08/01/10.
Submit to: Rattle. E-mail (via pasted-in text) to: submissions@rattle.com.
Theme: Masters of Mental Health.
Type: Poetry and essays (5,000 words MAX).
URL: http://www.rattle.com/callsforsubs.html

Deadline: 09/10/10 or until issue is full. Check Web site below.
Submit to: Workers Write! E-mail to: courtroom@workerswritejournal.com, or send a hard copy to: Blue Cubicle Press, PO Box 250382, Plano, TX 75025-0382.
Theme: Tales from the Courtroom.
Type: Short stories (5,000 words MAX).
URL: http://www.workerswritejournal.com

Deadline: 12/31/10.
Submit to: The Untidy Season: An Anthology of Nebraska Women Poets. The Backwaters Press, PO Box 8067, Omaha, NE 68108, or e-mail (via attachment) to: theuntidyseason@yahoo.com.
Theme: Contributors must be Nebraskan women, which includes all women born or currently residing in Nebraska. Poets who have previously lived in Nebraska for a period of not less than 10 years will also be considered.
Type: Poems (3-5 poems, 10 pages MAX).
URL: http://backwaterpress.com

Deadline: N/A.
Submit to: editor@dreamofthings.com
Theme: Various topics based on one of 15 themes. See http://dreamofthings.com/workshop-2 for more details.
Type: Personal essays (500-5,000 words MAX).
URL: http://dreamofthings.com/guidelines 

Upcoming Contests

Deadline: 03/30/10.
Submit to: DPR/BRIERY CREEK, Department of English, Longwood University, 201 High Street, Farmville, VA 23909.
Entry fee: $20. First prize: $1,000 plus 50 books, a reading, and a letter-pressed broadside created by book-artist Kerri Cushman. 
Type: Poetry collection (48 - 60 pages MAX).
URL: http://www.brierycreekpress.org/mod/resource/view.php?id=3

Deadline: 03/31/10.
Submit to: Winning Writers, Attn: Tom Howard Short Story Contest, 351 Pleasant Street, PMB 222, Northampton, MA 01060, or send via online form: https://www.winningwriters.com/contests/tomstory/ts_subonline.php.
Entry fee: $15. First prize: $3,000 and online publication.
Type: Prose (5,000 MAX)
URL: http://www.winningwriters.com/contests/tomstory/ts_guidelines.php

Deadline: 03/31/10.
Submit to: Gemini Magazine Contest. PO Box 1485, Onset, MA 02558, or send via e-mail to: contest@gemini-magazine.com (pay via PayPal).
Entry fee: $4. First prize: $1,000 and publication.
Type: Short stories.
URL: http://www.gemini-magazine.com/contest.html

Deadline: 03/31/10.
Submit to: P53 Open Awards Contest, PO Box 30314, Winston-Salem, NC 27130-0314.
Entry fee: $15. First prize: in each category will receive the Press 53 Open Award (a beautiful, personalized, etched-glass award), publication in the Press 53 Open Awards Anthology, two complimentary copies of the book in which the work appears, and a winner's discount on unlimited additional copies to sell on his or her Web site or at readings.
Type: Poetry (3 poems, 10 pages MAX) and prose (see word count restrictions on Web site).
URL: http://www.press53.com/OpenAwards_2010.html

Deadline: 03/31/10.
Submit to: Four Way Books, PO Box 535 Village Station, New York, New York 10014, or send via online form (preferred): http://www.fourwaybooks.com/2010contest_form.php.
Entry fee: $25. First prize: $1,000 and publication.
Type: Poetry (48-80 pages MAX).
URL: http://www.fourwaybooks.com/contest.php?PHPSESSID=ea76006d2a72d8d7506c8fede4e79d7a

Deadline: 03/31/10.
Submit to: Stephen F. Austin State University Press, (Indicate FICTION OR POETRY PRIZE), c/o Department of English, PO Box 13007 SFA Station, Nacogdoches, TX 75962-3007.
Entry fee: $25. First prize: $1,000 and publication.
Type: Fiction (at least 150 pages) or poetry (60 pages MAX).
URL: http://sfapress.sfasu.edu

Deadline: 03/31/10.
Submit to: Writecorner Press, Koeppel Contest - Poetry, PO Box 140310, Gainesville, FL 32614.
Entry fee: $5. First prize: $500 and online publication.
Type: Poetry (40 lines MAX).
URL: http://www.writecorner.com/poetry_guidelines.asp

Deadline: 04/01/10.
Submit to: BOMB Magazine, 2010 Poetry Contest, 80 Hanson Place, #703, Brooklyn, NY 11217.
Entry fee: $20. First prize: $500 and publication. 
Type: Poetry (5 poems MAX).
URL: http://bombsite.com/issues/0/articles/3406

Deadline: 04/01/10.
Submit to: Passager, 1420 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21201-5779. 
Entry fee: $20. First prize: $300 and publication. 
Type: Poetry from writers over 50, (5 poems, 50 lines MAX). 
URL: http://www.ubalt.edu/passager/guidelines.htm

Deadline: 04/01/10. 
Submit to: TIFERET Poetry Contest. Send via online form at: http://www.tiferetsubmissions.com.
Entry fee: $5/poem. First prize: $500 and publication.
Type: Poetry (10 poems MAX).
URL: http://tiferetjournal.com/2010/01/01/enter-the-2010-tiferet-poetry-contest-500-first-prize

Deadline: 04/01/10.
Submit to: Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest. Send via online form at: http://www.winningwriters.com/contests/wergle/we_subonline_step1.php.
Entry fee: FREE. First prize: $1,500 and online publication.
Type: Poetry.
URL: http://www.winningwriters.com/contests/wergle/we_guidelines.php

Deadline: 04/02/10.
Submit to: Creative Nonfiction. Attn: End of Life Stories, 5501 Walnut Street, Suite 202, Pittsburgh, PA 15232.
Entry fee: $20. First prize: $1,500.
Type: Essays that explore death, dying, and end of life care (5,000 words MAX).
URL: http://www.creativenonfiction.org/thejournal/submittocnf.htm#EndofLife

Deadline: 04/02/10.
Submit to: Creative Nonfiction. Attn: Animals, 5501 Walnut Street, Suite 202, Pittsburgh, PA 15232.
Entry fee: $20. First prize: $1,000 and publication.
Type: Essays on animals (5,000 words MAX).
URL: http://www.creativenonfiction.org/thejournal/submittocnf.htm#Animals

Deadline: 04/02/10.
Submit to: 2010 Robert Watson Poetry Award, sponsored by storySouth and Spring Garden Press. Send online at: http://www.springgardenpress.com/submissions.
Entry fee: $12. First prize: $500 and the publication of a beautifully designed, letterpress-printed, limited-edition chapbook. 
Type: Poetry collection (24 pages MAX).
URL: http://www.springgardenpress.com/spg/contests.html

Deadline: 04/11/10.
Submit to: 5th Annual Warren Adler Short Story Contest. Send via online form: http://www.warrenadler.com/writing-contest.shtml
Entry fee: $15. First prize: $1,000 and online publication.
Type: Short stories (2,500 words MAX).
URL: http://www.warrenadler.com/writing-contest.shtml 

Deadline: 04/15/10.
Submit to: 11th Annual Tupelo Press/Crazyhorse Award for a First or Second Book of Poetry. Send via online form to: http://www.tupelosubmissions.org, or mail to: PO Box 1767, North Adams, MA 01247. 
Entry fee: $25. First prize: $3,000 and publication. 
Type: Poetry (48 - 88 pages MAX).
URL: http://www.tupelopress.org/first.php

Deadline: 04/20/10.
Submit to: A Cup of Comfort for Couples / REDBOOK Story Contest. Send via online form: http://cupofcomfort.com/submit_story.aspx?StoryType=Submit%20Story
Entry fee: None. First prize: $1,000, plus publication.
Type: Personal essays. MUST BE uplifiting (2,000 words MAX).
URL: http://cupofcomfort.com/lovestory 

Deadline: 04/30/10.
Submit to: E.M. Koeppel Short Fiction Award Koeppel Contest, POB 140310, Gainesville, FL 32614.
Entry fee: $15. First prize: $1,100 and online publication.
Type: Short stories (3,000 words MAX).
URL: http://www.writecorner.com/printable.asp

Deadline: 05/14/10.
Submit to: The Annual Writer’s Digest Competition. Send via online form to: https://competitions.fwmedia.com/dynamiccompetition/wdannual2010/entry_form. Entry fee: $15 for poetry and $20 for all other manuscripts. First prize: $3,000 plus a trip to New York City to meet with editors or agents. 
Type: Various types. See Web site for more info.
URL: http://writersdigest.com/annual

Deadline: 05/15/10.
Submit to: H.O.W. Journal Short Story Contest, 12 Desbrosses Street, New York, NY 10013.
Entry fee: $20. First prize: $1000 and publication.
Type: Short stories (12,000 words MAX).
URL: http://www.howjournal.com/submit-contests.html

Deadline: 05/15/10.
Submit to: Lorian Hemingway Short Story Competition, PO Box 993, Key West, FL 33041, or e-mail to shortstorykw@gmail.com.
Entry fee: $12.  First prize: $1,000 and publication.
Type: Short stories (3,000 words MAX).
URL: http://www.shortstorycompetition.com/guidelines.php

Deadline: 05/18/10.
Submit to: New Letters Literary Awards, University House, 5101 Rockhill Road,
University of Missouri-Kansas City, Kansas City, MO 64110, or submit online at http://www.newletters.org.
Entry fee: $15. First prize: $1,500.
Type: Poetry (6 poems MAX), essays, and short stories (8,000 words MAX).
URL: http://www.newletters.org/PDFs/2010%20Contest%20Guidelines%20.pdf

Deadline: 05/31/10.
Submit to: River Styx Poetry Contest, 3527 Olive Street, Suite 107, St. Louis, MO 63103-1014.
Entry fee: $20. First prize: $1,500 and publication.
Type: Poetry (3 titles, 14 pages MAX).
URL: http://www.riverstyx.org/contests/index.php

Deadline: 05/31/10.
Submit to: 2010 Linda Bromberg Literary Award, Quiddity, 1500 North Fifth Street, Springfield, IL 62702.
Entry fee: $12. First prize: $500 and publication.
Type: Prose poem (1 poem).
URL: http://www.sci.edu/quiddity/download/2010LindaBrombergLiteraryAward.pdf

Deadline: 05/31/10.
Submit to: Winning Writers, Attn: War Poetry Contest, 351 Pleasant St., PMB 222, Northampton, MA 01060-3961, or send via online form at: https://www.winningwriters.com/contests/war/wa_subonline.php
Entry fee: $15. First prize: $2,000 and online publication.
Type: Poetry on the theme of war (1 - 3 poems, 500 lines MAX),
URL: http://www.winningwriters.com/contests/war/wa_guidelines.php

Deadline: 06/01/10.
Submit to: Poetry Contest, Boston Review, 35 Medford St., Suite 302, Somerville, MA 02143
Entry fee: $20. First prize: $1,500 and publication.
Type: Poetry (5 poems MAX).
URL: http://bostonreview.net/about/contest/#Thirteenth

Deadline: 06/10/10.
Submit to: The Writers' Circle, 1087 Warwick Ave., Warwick, RI 02888.
Entry fee: $10. First prize: $500 and publication. 
Type: Short stories (1,000 words MAX).
URL: http://www.riwriterscircle.com/deadlines.html

Deadline: 06/30/10.
Submit to: Winning Writers, Attn: Margaret Reid Poetry Contest, 351 Pleasant Street, PMB 222, Northampton, MA 01060, or send via online form at: https://www.winningwriters.com/contests/margaret/ma_subonline.php.
Entry fee: $7 (for 25 lines). First prize: $3,000 and online publication.
Type: Poetry.
URL: http://www.winningwriters.com/contests/margaret/ma_guidelines.php

Deadline: 09/30/10.
Submit to: Poetry Editor, The Ohio State University Press, 180 Pressey Hall, 1070 Carmack Road, Columbus OH 43210-1002.
Entry fee: $25. First prize: $3,000.
Type: Poetry (48 pages MAX).
URL: http://www.ohiostatepress.org/Books/Series%20Pages/Poetry.html

Deadline: 10/15/10.
Submit to: So to Speak (Poetry or Nonfiction Contest), George Mason University, MSN 2C5, 4400 University Drive, Fairfax, VA 22030.
Entry fee: $15. First prize: $500 and publication. 
Type: Poetry (5 poems, 10 pages MAX) or essays (4,000 words MAX)
URL: http://www.gmu.edu/org/sts/contests.php

Upcoming Conferences and Events

USA

California

First-person Writing That Sells with Adair Lara
Registration deadline: March 18, 2010. Conference dates: March 20 - 21, 2010.
This is an opportunity to draw on your own life experience and find out how to get your work published. Whether you're just beginning or have already published, you will enjoy this time with the author of best-selling books such as Hold Me Close, Let Me Go, The Granny Diaries, and her newest, Naked, Drunk, and Writing.
Contact: crow@starwae.com
URL: http://www.starwae.com

Travel Writing That Sells
Registration deadline: April 15, 2010. Conference dates: April 17 - 18, 2010.
Spend a lively and supportive weekend learning travel writing from veteran travel editor John Flinn. Whether you’re new to professional writing or have been published, you’ll learn how to turn your travel experiences into magazine and newspaper articles that sell. John edited the award-winning San Francisco Chronicle Travel Section for 14 years and is a winner of a Lowell Thomas Award for Travel Journalist of the Year from the Society of American Travel Writers. His writing has appeared in Outside Magazine, Sunset, VIA, Coastal Living, Climbing, and numerous anthologies, including Travelers’ Tales: Tuscany and Not So Funny When It Happened.
Contact: crow@starwae.com
URL: http://www.starwae.com

** FEATURED LISTING **

Independent Book Festival
Registration deadline: May 15, 2010. Conference dates: September 23 – 25, 2010.
Calling all SELF-PUBLISHED authors and those who WANT TO BE PUBLISHED: The first ever Independent Book Festival wants you and your submissions. Over 100 literary agents/managers, book buyers, publishers, reviewers, media specialists, regional and national segment producers for radio and television, celebrity authors, and film producers will not only be in attendance, but judge the submitted self-published books. Many judges will also be giving workshops/lectures, panel discussions, and hearing YOU pitch your book (all events open to writers published or not). Self-published authors will also be able to sell their books to the public. An awards ceremony honoring/celebrating the best of the best will take place on the final evening of this three day festival. 
Contact: contact@abundantmedia.net
URL: http://www.IndependentBookFestival.com

Santa Barbara Writers Conference
Conference dates: June 17 - 23, 2010.
The Santa Barbara Writers Conference celebrates its 37th year with six days of craft-based workshops, panel discussions, and talks by celebrated authors Ray Bradbury, Pico Iyer, Catherine Ryan Hyde, Ron McLarty, and Luis Alberto Urrea. Join us for a week of writing on the beautiful American Riviera!
Contact: info@sbwriters.com
URL: http://www.sbwriters.com

California Writers Coalition
Year-round events.
California Writers is a club for, by and of writers – across all genres and level of skill. We educate, we learn, we grow, we support each other.
Contact: cwcsfv@gmail.com
URL: http://www.calwriterssfv.com/home.htm

Lakeshore Writers Workshops
Conference dates: Contact T. Burns Gunther to find out specifics.
Workshops are an outgrowth of the method developed by Pat Schneider, founder of Amherst Writers & Artists. The method is based upon the philosophy that "every person is a writer, and every writer deserves a safe environment in which to experiment, learn, and develop craft."
Contact: T. Burns Gunther at teresa@lakeshorewriters.net.
URL: http://www.lakeshorewriters.net

The 2010 Clarion Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers' Workshop.
Registration deadline: March 1, 2010. Conference dates: June 27 through August 7, 2010.
Established in 1968, the Clarion Writers' Workshop is the oldest workshop of its kind and is widely recognized as a premier proving and training ground for aspiring writers of fantasy and science fiction. Many graduates have become well-known writers, and a large number have won major awards. Instructors are among the most respected writers and editors working in the field today. The six-week workshop is held on the beautiful beachside campus of the University of California, San Diego. The instructors will be Delia Sherman, George R.R. Martin, Dale Bailey, Samuel R. Delany, Jeff VanderMeer, and Ann VanderMeer.
Contact: Hadas Blinder at Clarion@ucsd.edu.
URL: http://www.clarionwest.org

** FEATURED LISTING **

Act One Writing for Film and Television Seminar
Application Deadline April 1, 2010. Dates: June 21, 2010 - July 3, 2010
Over 100 hours of screenwriting instruction from Hollywood writers and industry professionals who literally step off studio lots to teach. Topics covered include the art of visual storytelling, ethics, the realities of working in Hollywood, writing for a global audience, and the spiritual journey of a Christian writer.
Contact: info@ActOneProgram.com
URL: www.ActOneProgram.com

Delaware

Writers at the Beach: Pure Sea Glass 
Early bird deadline: February 15, 2010. Conference dates: March 26 - 28, 2010. 
Over 35 nationally renowned authors, agents, and publishers volunteer their time to this event. Over 35 intimate workshops, numerous panel discussions, and 100% of net proceeds donated to charity. 
Contact: contactus@rehobothbeachwritersguild.com
URL: http://www.writersatthebeach.com 

Florida

Tallahassee Festival of Books and Writers Conference 
Registration deadline: March 12, 2010. Conference dates: March 19 - 21, 2009. 
Julianna Baggott, Mike Grunwald, Claudia Hunter-Johnson, Donald Maass, Lisa Rector-Maass, Jeff Shaara, Lucia Robson, Don Yaeger, and more. 
URL: http://www.tallahasseewriters.net

Illinois

Writers & Editors / One-on-One Conference
Registration deadline: June 30, 2010. Conference dates: July 16 - 18, 2010.
The premiere freelance writers' conference, Writers & Editors / One-on-One brings together 60 experienced freelance writers with eight national publication and new media editors for a weekend of dialogue, deep dish, and pitch sessions.
Contact: jodi@jodihelmer.com
URL: http://www.magazinewriters.com

Iowa

David R. Collins Writers’ Conference
Registration deadline: June 23, 2010. Conference dates: June 23 - 25, 2010.
This three day conference will offer workshops in creative nonfiction, freelancing, nonfiction, poetry, publishing, and marketing. Cecil Murphey, coauthor of the New York Times best-selling book, 90 Minutes in Heaven, will teach a workshop on fiction and will speak at our author luncheon on June 24. 
Contact: mwc@midwestwritingcenter.org
URL: http://www.midwestwritingcenter.org/WhatWeDo/2009%20Conference.htm

The First Quad City Book Fair
May 8, 2010.
Offers authors a forum to personally display, promote and sell their books to the public, but also an opportunity to meet and discuss marketing, networking and advertising with their peers. See URL below for registration information.
Contact: mwc@midwestwritingcenter.org
URL: http://qcbookfair.blogspot.com or http://www.facebook.com/pages/Quad-City-Book-Fair/298387271635

Kansas

Called To Write Conference
Conference dates: April 9 - 10, 2010.
10 workshops, guest speaker Cecil Murphey.
Contact: Carol Russell at rlrussell@ckt.net
URL: http://www.christianwritersfellowship.blogspot.com

Maine

The Remembered Self: A Memoir Workshop
Conference deadline: May 1, 2010. Conference dates: July 16 - 18, 2010.
This workshop is for those who want to begin a memoir or for those who have already begun one and feel overwhelmed or stuck. Learn how to mine stories, align with authentic voice, and shape material into scenes.
Contact: joan@fifthhouselodge.net
URL: http://www.fifthhouselodge.net

Minnesota

Split Rock Arts Program, University of Minnesota
Registration is ongoing. March/April/Oct 3-day seasonal retreats; June/July weeklong summer workshops and retreats.
The University’s Split Rock Arts Program offers workshops and retreats in autobiography, poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, memoir, screenwriting, writing for children; book arts, calligraphy, picture book illustration, and a variety of visual forms. Writing instructors for 2010 include: Nancy Carlson, Jack El-Hai, Patricia Weaver Francisco, Robin Hemley, Michael Martone, Jim Moore, Matthew Specktor, Joyce Sutphen, Catherine Watson, Larry Watson, Carole Boston Weatherford, and more.
Contact: splitrockarts@umn.edu
URL: http://www.cce.umn.edu/Split-Rock-Arts-Program

Nebraska

The Kimmel Harding Nelson Center for the Arts in Nebraska City, NE offers 2- to 8-week residencies year-round for writers, visual artists, and music composers. Housing, studio space, $100/week stipend are provided.
Approximately 50 residencies are awarded per year. Two deadlines each year: postmarked March 1 for the following July through December 15; postmarked September 1 for the following January through June 15.
Contact: info@KHNCenterfortheArts.org
URL: http://www.KHNCenterfortheArts.org

Nevada

TMCC Writers' Conference
Registration deadline: April 8, 2010. Conference date: April 17, 2010.
This Reno event provides participants with a casual, intimate atmosphere where they can take in marketing and craft workshops and meet one-on-one with the speaker of their choice. The 2010 slate of speakers includes agent/author Sheree Bykofsky, Ebook publisher Mark Coker, nonfiction agent Ted Weinstein, natural world memoirist Robert Leonard Reid, science fiction author Susan Palwick, and more.
Contact: 775-829-9010
URL: http://wdce.tmcc.edu (click on classroom courses, then conferences)

New Jersey

Spring Writers Conference
Conference date: April 17, 2010.
Various writing workshops. Keynote speaker is David Means, author of Assorted Fire Events, The Secret Goldfish, and others.
Contact: parrasj@wpunj.edu
URL: http://euphrates.wpunj.edu/faculty/parrasj/Conference/default.htm

North Wildwood Beach Writers' Conference
Registration deadline: May 28, 2010. Conference dates: June 8 and 9, 2010.
Eighth annual conference held at Wildwoods Convention Center featuring an agent, editor, children's authors; presentations on writing horror, poetry, marketing ideas, 14 workshops, and keynote speaker at closing banquet. Contests and Book Bazaar.
Contact: nwbwc10@gmail.com
URL: http://www.nwbwc.com

New York

** FEATURED LISTING **

ASJA Annual Writers Conference
Early-bird registration deadline: March 22, 2010. Open until April 21, 2010. Conference dates: April 23 – April 25, 2010.
The 39th Annual ASJA Writers Conference brings together writers from all nonfiction specialties (consumer, trade publications, custom publications, and memoirs), with editors, agents, and other industry professionals to take part in more than 40 great seminars and workshops.
Contact Alexandra Owens at director@asja.org
URL: http://www.asja.org/wc

Round Table Writers’ Conference
Registration deadline: April 28, 2010. Conference dates: April 30 and May 1, 2010.
The Round Table Writers’ Conference focuses on the business side of the writing life. We gather editors, agents, publicists, and published authors together to give our attendees inside tips on navigating the publishing industry. Past keynote speakers have included Richard Ford (Independence Day), John Berendt (Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil), Alice Hoffman (Practical Magic), and Wally Lamb (She’s Come Undone).
Contact: contact@nycip.org
URL: http://www.writersconferencenyc.org

Millay Colony for the Arts
Registration deadline: October 1, 2010. Program dates: April - November.
Promoting the vitality of the arts and the development of writers, visual artists, and composers by providing a retreat for creative work.
Contact: residency@millaycolony.org
URL: http://www.millaycolony.org

2nd Annual Book Marketing at the Beach Seminar
Registration deadline: March 31, 2010. Conference dates: April 16 - 18, 2010.
With over 750,000 books sold, author John Fuhrman has teamed up with a top literary agent to help authors discover what it takes to sell massive quantities of books. First 10 registrants at each conference will be invited to the pre-seminar social where you can meet with John and an agent in a more intimate setting.
Contact: dealerprofitsnow@aol.com 

42nd Annual Oklahoma Writers' Federation, Inc. Conference
Registration deadline: April 8, 2010. Conference dates: April 29 - May 1, 2010.
Features approximately 25 agents, editors, and professional writers who will present 40 informative seminars on a range of topics. The conference is geared to give writers the opportunity to improve their skills, network, make professional contacts, and have fun!
Contact: deborah@deborahbouziden.com
URL: http://www.owfi.org/Conference/Welcome/tabid/60/Default.aspx

Oregon

Pennsylvania

The Write Stuff
Mail-in registration deadline: March 12, 2010. Conference dates: March 25 - 27, 2010.
Our keynote speaker, noted creative writing teacher James N. Frey (How To Write A Damn Good Novel), will give a 2-day pre-conference workshop, "How to Plot Like the Pros." Conference offers fiction, nonfiction, business of publishing, agents, editors, book fair, flash contest.
Contact: WriteStuffAdmin@gmail.com
URL: http://www.glvwg.org/conference/index.html or http://glvwgwritersconference.blogspot.com

2010 Pennwriters Annual Writers Conference
Registration deadline: April 25, 2010. Conference dates: May 14 - 16, 2010.
Join us for three days of pitch sessions, workshops, and networking opportunities. Agents/editors: Janet Reid, Jennifer Jackson, Jenny Bent, Alex Glass, Miriam Kriss, Barbara Lalicki, Leis Pederson, and David Pomerico. Keynote speaker: author James Rollins.
Contact: conference2010@pennwriters.com
URL: http://www.pennwriters.com

The Gettysburg Review Conference for Writers
Registration deadline: May 25, 2010. Conference dates: June 9 - 14, 2010.
Small, intensive workshops will be led this year by Stanley Plumly (poetry), Lee K. Abbott (fiction), and Rebecca McClanahan (nonfiction). Come join us in creating a community of writers in bucolic, convivial, and historic Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.
Contact: Kim Dana Kupperman at kkupperm@gettsyburg.edu
URL: http://www.gettysburgreview.com/conference/2010-conference-for-writers

Susquehanna Valley Writers Workshop 
Conference date: October 9, 2010. 
Various author presentations and workshops. 
Contact: ckwriter@evenlink.com
URL: http://www.marshahubler.com/workshop.html

Linda Oatman High Writing Workshops
Various dates throughout the year.
Author/playwright/journalist Linda Oatman High is available for school presentations, writing workshops, and other events.  
Contact: lohigh@frontiernet.net
URL: http://www.lindaoatmanhigh.com

Rhode Island

Tennessee

Tennessee Mountain Writers Conference 
Registration deadline: March 17, 2010. Conference dates: March 25 - 27, 2010. 
We have major sessions on Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Editing, and Writing for Children & Young People; we also have five single sessions on specialty topics such as Internet Research. Sam Venable is our banquet speaker. 
Contact: Carol Grametbauer at CarolGram@att.net
URL: http://www.tmwi.org/Annual%20Conference/2010confpage.html

Texas

East Texas Christian Writers Conference
Early-bird deadline: March 19, 2010. Conference dates: April 9 - 10, 2010.
The Conference offers the following opportunities: Contact, conversation, and exchange of ideas with other aspiring writers; Resources, books, magazines,and bulletins for consideration; Outstanding presentations and workshop experiences with established authors; Potential publishing and writing opportunities; Networking with other writers with related interests; Promotion of both craft and faith; and Consulting with agents, editors and publishers.
Contact: The School of Humanities at 903.923.2083.
URL: http://www.etbu.edu/News/CWC

Houston Writers Guild Conference
Early bird deadline: March 30, 2010. Conference date: April 10, 2010.
Various writing workshops. Agents attending are Amy Burkhardt of Kimberley Cameron & Associates, Peter Steinberg of The Steinberg Agency, and Sharon Bowers of The Millery Agency. Keynote speaker is Allison McCabe of Crown Publishing Group, Random House, Penguin, and Harper-Collins.
Contact: rpaulding@sbcglobal.net
URL: http://www.houstonwritersguild.org

Washington

Writing It Real Writers' Conference in Port Townsend
Registration deadline: February 15, 2010. Conference dates: April 23 - 25 2010.
Faculty members Sheila Bender, Meg Files, and Jack Heffron will offer you hands-on lectures, small group in-class writing instruction, manuscript workshops, and writing and publishing consultations.
Contact: sbender@writingitreal.com or danavischer@writingitreal.com.
URL: http://www.writingitreal.com/page.php?p=writers_conference

Wisconsin

Writing It Real in Madison WI
Registration deadline: August 1, 2010. Conference dates: October 15 - 17, 2010.
Faculty members Sheila Bender, Meg Files, and Jack Heffron will offer you hands-on lectures, small group in-class writing instruction, small group manuscript workshops, and writing and publishing consultations in our weekend intensive Friday evening through Sunday mid-afternoon at the Holy Wisdom Monastery.
Contact: conference@writingitreal.com
URL: http://www.writingitreal.com/page.php?p=2010

Various US (and international) locations

Creativity Workshops
We offer workshops in New York, Carmel-by-the-Sea, Crete, Barcelona, and Florence.
Conference dates in 2010: June 18 - 21 (New York), June 26 - July 4 (Crete), July 5 - 13 (Barcelona), July 14 - 22 (Florence), and November 5 - 8 (Carmel).
Workshops on Creative Writing, Drawing, Storytelling and Memoir. Get over creative blocks and the fear of failure.
Contact: admin@creativityworkshops.com
URL: http://www.creativityworkshop.com

Warrior Writer Workshop
Conference dates: Year-round. Check URL below for specifics.
A workshop that focuses on helping writers become professional authors.
Contact: bob@bobmayer.org
URL: http://www.bobmayer.org

France
Women's Writing & Meditation Retreat 
Conference dates: June 19 - 26, 2010. 
Join us a for a week of creative restoration on the Mediterranean! Immerse yourself in the light, warmth, and charm of mythic Côte D’Azur! Follow in the footsteps of Fitzgerald, Picasso,  Gertrude Stein, Matisse, Brangelina, James Baldwin, Van Gogh, Hemingway, and others—but don’t over-exert yourself and remember to chill by the pool while sipping on local Rosé wine and munching on olives. A week of playful and supportive writing, meditation and relaxation, flavorful healthy food, and exploration of colorful farmer’s markets in Provence (Saint-Tropez, Nice, Monaco, Cannes, Ramatuelle...). 
Contact: valentinephilos@gmail.com
URL: http://www.valentineleonard.com

Mallorca, Spain 
Writing For Our Lives 
Registration date: March 31, 2010.
Conference dates: September 25 - October 2, 2010.
Ellen Bass has been teaching at La Serrania for six years. In addition to ample time for writing and sharing, we'll also have the opportunity to visit the local Sunday market, and we'll plan a mid-week sightseeing excursion. This size of the workshop is limited to 13 participants. The earlybird fee for the workshop (which includes accommodations and all meals) is $1500 if you register by March 31, 2010.
Contact: victors75@rattlebrain.com
URL: http://www.ellenbass.com/writing-for-our-lives-la-serrania.php

Clients in the News

At Writer’s Relief we respect our clients’ privacy and don’t publish any information about them without permission. Whether our clients announce their honors and awards or not, we LOVE cheering for them and are proud of their amazing achievements. To get to our homepage, click here.

Notes from our December- February cycle:

Writer's Relief clients received 172 offers of publication in reputable, national literary magazines in the past 60 days. Way to go!

Clients’ complete novels were requested twelve different times by literary agencies, and client Keith Buie received multiple offers of representation (3!) for his novel!

Client Announcements:

Christy Ferrato was nominated for The Pushcart Prize!

Rosalia Scalia's short story "Unchartered Steps" earned her a Maryland State Art Council Grant for $1,000. Whoo-hoo, Rosalia!

Keith Buie has secured representation for Resistance, his moody contemporary novel about a disenchanted pharmacist, with McIntosh & Otis. A chapter excerpt from this novel is a finalist for publication in an anthology edited by best-selling author Chuck Palahniuk (Fight Club, Choke). Keith's work has also appeared or is forthcoming in The MacGuffin, Metal Scratches, Quiddity International Literary Journal, Rio Grande Review, and Willard & Maple. Go Keith! 

Lori Kagan was nominated for The Pushcart Prize!

Jeffrey Kingman was recently a finalist in the 2009 Cutthroat Magazine contest. 

A blog post on James Harmon's blog was a finalist for 3QuarksDaily's Political Post of the Year.

Carolyn Light Bell is currently teaching a course in Creative Writing to high school seniors at Breck School in Minneapolis.

Lisa Alexander was nominated for and won UCLA's James Kirkwood Prize in Creative Writing (first place!). 

Anthony J. Mohr's essay, "The Doberman Dates," has been accepted by Chicken Soup for the Soul (True Love).  

The World's Smallest Bible, by Dennis Must, has been accepted for publication by Red Hen Press, Los Angeles, CA. Also, his novel, Hush Now, Don't Explain, was a finalist in both the recent William Faulkner-William Wisdom Creative Writing Competition and the Michigan Literary Fiction Award, University of Michigan Press. 

Eli Langner was one of three finalists for the Creekwalker Poetry Prize. Check it out: http://creekwalker.com/poetry/EliLangner.html.

Finishing Line Press poet Susanna Rich (Television Daddy and The Drive Home) and Emmy-Award winning documentarist Craig Lindvahl have been nominated for 2009 Mid-America Emmy Awards in the category "Writer/Program" for the film Cobb Field: A Day at the Ballpark. A winner of multiple Emmy Awards, Lindvahl found Susanna's poem "Squeeze Play" in Spitball: The Baseball Literary Magazine and commissioned her to write and voice-over poetry for Cobb Field. For details, link to http://www.emmymid-america.org and check out section 46A. For the film, link to http://www.callanfilms.com. Susanna's Web site is http://www.susannarich.com.

Doris Ferleger, Ph.D, was recently named the Poet Laureate of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, in a competition judged by Tony Hoagland. Her book, Big Silences in a Year of Rain, was published by FootHills Publishing. 

Stephanie K. Cohen announces the launch of her site http://www.stephaniekaplancohen.com. Visit to learn more about In My Mother's House (published by Woodley Press), her memoir about Long Beach, Long Island. She recently signed a contract with Plainview Press for a book of poems.

Poet Donnell McGee has just launched a new Web site: http://www.donnellemcgee.com.  


Joanne Weck has signed with The Joy Harris Agency for her novel, Sweet William and Rosemary. She also wishes to announce that her story, "A Bracelet of Glass Beads" was accepted in the North Atlantic Review. Find out more about Joanne's books and writings at: http://www.joanneweck.com.

Lisa Dale’s latest novel, It Happened One Night ($6.99, Grand Central Publishing) recently went into a second printing. A free spirit and dreamer, Lana Biel owns a wildflower farm in Vermont with her sister. When a lighthearted fling leaves her expecting, she turns to her best friend Eli for help. But Eli’s keeping secrets that will change their friendship forever. RT Book Review gave the book 4.5 stars (their highest rating) and said the story “knocks the wind out of you.” More at www.LisaDaleBooks.com.

Tracy DeBrincat’s prize-winning short story collection Moon Is Cotton & She Laugh  All Night has been newly published by Subito Press/University of Colorado. Visit http://www.mooniscotton.com for more!

Rosary Hartel O'Neill (www.RosaryOneill.com) is thrilled to announce that eleven of her plays have been published as acting editions by Samuel French, Inc. In Lexington, Kentucky, she will be signing copies on March 5 at the 61st Southeastern Theatre Conference Convention, Lexington Convention Center Heritage Exhibit Hall, located at 430 W. Vine St. She will also be presenting two workshops/panels there: Breaking into the NYC Playwrighting Scene (March 4) and Being Pecked to Death by Ducks: Play Development by Workshop and Reading (March 6). On April 26, there will be a reading of her play Blackjack: The Theif Of Possession at Grand Gallery, The National Arts Club, 15 Gramercy Park South, New York, NY 10003. 
 

Dorothy Brooks' chapbook, Interstices, was released by Finishing Line Press. It is available now for orders at http://www.finishinglinepress.com. Just click on "New Releases and Forthcoming Titles" and look for the title. The books are listed alphabetically by author's last name. The cost is $14 plus shipping.

R.M. Hora's story, “Sita's Eyes,” is part of the anthology Ask Me About My Divorce (Seal Press). The book is a spicy, fun, riveting collection of essays by women from all walks of life. With the unifying thread “I got divorced, and the world came into view,” the words within will make readers laugh, cry, nod their heads, and feel inspired to do what they need to for themselves. These aren't stories from women tiptoeing around a difficult subject—they're about the ways divorce can be, in fact, a new lease on life. For more information or to purchase the book, visit http://www.sealpress.com/book.php?isbn=1580052762

Naomi Ruth Lowinsky has won the New Millennium Writings Obama Inauguration Contest, taking the $1,000 grand prize. Read an article about the contest here. Also, Naomi's memoir about being a poet, The Sister from Below: When the Muse Gets Her Way, has been published by Fisher King Press. Read more about it (or order your copy) here: http://www.fisherkingpress.com/order.html

Lucille Lang Day's The Curvature of Blue: Poems was released this spring by Cervena Barva Press. For more information and orders, visit http://www.thelostbookshelf.com. "In Lucille Lang Day's poems, stunning transformations of language cross the placenta barrier between the worlds of science and human emotion. She thinks and feels in color, enabling us to inhabit the complexity of the universe—as experienced at breakfast with a lover, in the wild with caribou, or in meditations on acts of historical horror—all made radiant by her lyric gifts and wisdom." —Teresa Cader

Donna L. Emerson’s book of poetry, Body Rhymes, is now available from Finishing Line Press. The book is available for purchase through Amazon or directly from the publisher. Donna and her editors always appreciate readers who post reviews! "Donna Emerson is a poet who speaks eloquently and elegantly about the body, focusing on sexuality as well as on love and loss. Writing with a righteous anger yet with a tenderness toward the world, she conveys a sense that the words and actions of one person can make a difference, can be redemptive." —Susan Terris, author of Contrariwise

Dick Bentley's poetry book, A General Theory of Desire, is available through Patchwork Farm Press. "It's the poet's voice - inquisitive, edgy at times, tender - that gathers these poems together; a voice both innocent and lacerating," says Clare Rossini. Visit Dick's home page: http://www.dickbentley.com. Or buy your copy here.

Who Sleeps Beneath the Rocks? The Mystery of Canyonlands and the Origin of Human Life, and its sequel (bound in the same volume), Hide in Plain Sight, are loosely based on the popular SyFy channel program, Star Gate SG-1. This fast-moving science fiction novel is set in the Four Corners region of the American southwest and in California. The Sense of Wonder Press, J.R.Rock & Co. published this novel in November 2008. Visit the Web site of John E. Lankford or order here.

Double Out and Back, a novel by Lisa Lipkind Leibow. Not every woman who rides the fertility treatment roller coaster winds up like Octomom. Who will find friends, family, and fertility? Three women’s lives are intricately intertwined, as Amelia Schwartz and Summer Curtis struggle with the complex dynamics of intrafamily embryo adoption, and Chandy Markum strives to make her patients’ dreams a reality. They must confront the painful reality that, no matter what technology humans devise to manipulate reproduction, prolong life, and construct family units, they have not yet mastered control over their beginnings and endings. Are you up to it? Buy it here from Red Rose Publishing.

A Dreamer’s Guide To Cities and Streams (San Francisco Bay Press), by Joan Gelfand. “Passages of ethereal beauty lift Joan Gelfand’s A Dreamer’s Guide to Cities and Streams into the realm of the extraordinary. 'Transported' alone has more poetry in it than most volumes of contemporary poetry. Here, in few short lines we find evocation of all the senses, including the sixth, jumped into being by suggestions of beginning, danger, discovery, alarm, assurance, judgment, mission, death, and eternity—an archetypal transport to the holy realm of dreaming.” Robert Arthur, Publisher. Included poems appear in: Lady Jane, Miscellany, Kalliope, Poetica, and national anthologies. Buy it here from Amazon. Joan also announces that her story "Better Days" was accepted by The MacGuffin.

Fred Yannantuono announces the release of his book A Boilermaker for the Lady by NYQ books. "Fred Yannantuono can tackle the whimsical, the lyrical, the musical, the hypothetical, the critical, the empirical, and the fantastical at the same time and make it all seem sensible. In 35 years as an editor, I've never read a poet with a greater control of form or range of subject matter or voice. He is just plain fun to read." —Tom O’Grady, Founding Editor of The Hampden-Sydney Poetry Review

Mary Carol Moran's Equivocal Blessings is now available for pre-order from http://negativecapabilitypress.org. "With Equivocal Blessings, we are in the hands of a contemplative, a quester, who views the world with empathy, affection, and a touch of humor. Written in a range of voices and styles, the book includes a villanelle inspired by Salvador Dali, a persona poem spoken by Coleridge's daughter, and a free verse poem with a contemporary speaker who lives with an 'Alabama Dog' who drags her kill to the dining room, a 'room where a vegetarian eats side by side / with a river dog...' There's nothing equivocal about the blessing that is this book." —Beth Ann Fennelly, author of Unmentionables. 

Suellen Wedmore's chapbook On Marriage and Other Parallel Universes was recently published by Finishing Line Press. Maxine Kumin says of the book “Wedmore’s deeply felt and skillfully controlled poems exhibit an elegiac grace.” The book is available on Amazon.com and at Finishinglinepress.com.

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 

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.

Are you looking for the best literary agent to represent your book manuscript or novel so you can get published? Are you researching the literary agencies most likely to enjoy your particular type of writing? If you’re wondering how to get published by landing a literary agent, look no further. Writer’s Relief has helped hundreds of writers (novelists) just like you reach the literary agents who are best-suited for their book manuscripts or book proposals. Our goal is to help you land a literary agent and get published.

Writer’s Relief is an author’s submission service, not a literary agency, publisher, or publicist. We prepare and target our clients’ submissions to the best-suited literary agents and editors. Working with us is like working with a team of industry-specific personal assistants who save you time and who know the strategies that work. In other words, we help our clients get literary agents and get published.

Writers face many hurdles and difficulties during the submission process. All the hours and hours it takes to prepare successful submissions can get very discouraging, especially for writers working alone. Here are just a few ways Writer’s Relief saves our clients from the burden of making submissions to literary agents:

Problem 1. “I’ve been spending endless hours researching via Web sites, directories of literary agents, and market books (like Writer’s Market and Guide to Literary Agents) to find listings of the best agents. It’s discouraging and it’s a headache, and I’m not getting the results I want. Plus, it seems like I have no time to write and work on my books anymore!”

The Writer’s Relief solution: Our job is to save you time and stress. Our professional advice, research, and support can increase your acceptance rate. We prepare your query packets in the proper way and we target your submissions to the literary agents who will be most likely to appreciate your work—you just sit back and wait for the results to come in.

Problem 2. “How do I know if literary agent listings contain outdated contact information, especially if I’m looking for literary agencies on the Internet? I want to send my work to the right agents and be sure that I don’t get roped into a trick, scheme, or scam, but the information out there is unreliable and it wastes my time! Who can help me find a literary agent for my book?”

The Writer’s Relief solution: There are many online writers’ resources (and lists of literary agents) to help you land a literary agent, but many of them are out of date. Our database contains thousands of literary agents and agencies that are updated on a daily basis and are cross-checked through many sources. We carefully vet each agent or agency in our database, and we don’t submit to literary agents who are less than trustworthy. We’ve got our ear to the ground in the publishing industry at all times, and we help protect our clients from getting scammed. Also, we receive personal feedback on thousands of literary agent responses (rejections and acceptances) from our full client base—so we have detailed, personal information on literary agents and editors that you won’t find anywhere else!

Problem 3. “How do I write a query letter that gets a literary agent’s attention without looking like I’m trying too hard? Should I mention my self-published book in my query, or not? Should I mention if I’ve never been published? How do I write a ‘book blurb’ that will make agents pay attention to my novel?”

The Writer’s Relief solution: When you become a Full Service client of our submission services, we help you with the entire process of submitting your book or novel to literary agents. Our submission strategists will write an effective cover or query letter based on the strengths of your book. We KNOW what phrases, information, and organization works in cover and query letters to literary agents and editors. Our clients see results and are frequently asked by literary agencies for complete manuscripts for further review.

Problem 4. “I understand that I need to submit a lot of queries to literary agents before I should start expecting results. But it’s overwhelming. Once I start submitting, how do I keep track of all my submissions and responses? It’s such a pain and I’d rather be writing than doing paperwork!”

The Writer’s Relief solution: Let us do the tedious legwork for you. We have an effective system of targeting submissions and tracking literary agents’ responses. We help you develop a submission strategy that works. Please note that approximately 80% of writers who approach the Writer’s Relief Review Board are turned away. Our staff must feel confident in your book manuscript in order to ethically help you submit your writing to literary agents.

For pricing, packages, submission guidelines, and FAQs about Writer’s Relief, visit http://www.WritersRelief.com/.

If you’re interested in trying to get an agent without the advantage of professional assistance, here are some articles that may help:

• Top Reasons to Query Literary Agents before Editors.
• Do You Need an Agent for Your Book Project?
• How to Spot a Literary Agent Scam (part one).
• How to Spot a Literary Agency Scam (part two).
• The Query Letter.
• The Query Letter from a Marketing Standpoint.
• How to Write Cover and Query Letters that Get Attention.
• Savvy Salutations in Query and Cover Letters; How to Address an Agent.
• Submission Do’s and Don’ts.

Writer’s Relief was born with the intention of helping creative writers (poets, short story writers, novelists, and others) make well-prepared and well-targeted submissions to literary agents and editors. We’ve prepared query letters and query packets for thousands of writers seeking literary agents, and we can help you too. If you want to land a literary agent, you’ll need to use every tool available to beat the competition. We know we can help.

Take a moment to see how we can improve your submission strategy at www.WritersRelief.com.

Do you tweet?

You may have noticed that the whole world seems to be buzzing with the newest social-networking trend: www.Twitter.com. And now Writer's Relief is happy to say that we've joined the ranks of Twitterers, and because of that you can chat with us at almost any time online!

What is Twitter?

For those of you who don't know, Twitter is a site that lets you “update your status" (write what you're doing now), chat, or share information with old friends and new in phrases of 140 characters or less. It's free and easy to join—and hey, everybody's doin' it, dude.

Rumor has it that some writers have even started writing stories and poems on Twitter; the limit on characters is a challenge and inspiration for writers to pack a whole lot of information in just a few words.

Follow Writer's Relief on Twitter, and if you have a question, give us a shout. Also, check out our latest tweets on the left sidebar of our blog! See what we’re up to today!

Reader Question: Do you Tweet? Do you think Twitter—and the idea of it—is good for writers? Or is Twitter more of an annoyance than a help for creative writers?

The term “blog” is a derivative of “Weblog,” a phrase coined by Jorn Barger to describe his online journal, Robot Wisdom. A “blogger” is the person behind the blog—a collection of online journal entries. And the “blogosphere” is the community of blogging sites as a whole. Got it? Here’s some history.

Back in 1995 FrontPage was released by Vermeer Technologies. It was one of the first Web publishing tools, and it was designed to allow ordinary people (those without coding skills) to publish their own Web sites. Two years later Ritual Entertainment hired Steve Gibson to write journal entries online full-time, making him one of the first professional bloggers. And today there are too many blogging sites to document.

Weblogs originally were defined by one single characteristic: the site had to contain a series of dated entries. From there Weblogs differed in scope and content, style and tone, but they all contained individual commentaries, personal thoughts, and links to related sites. A blog may contain videos, photos, sketches, even music. Read one person’s journal-type blog over a period of a year, for example, and you get a pretty good idea about what it’s like to walk in that person’s shoes for a while. It’s socially appropriate voyeurism.

Blogs also help filter the unbelievable amount of information floating around the Web. The writer behind a literary blog has filtered through a great deal of other literary sites and blogs and has linked to his or her favorites. Depending on the expertise of the blogger, this can save the reader valuable time. Blogging also creates a platform for anyone to be published. You can practice your writing by making regular entries, and you may find yourself an appreciative audience. Many bloggers develop confidence, even fans, through the strength of their blogs alone.

There are so many different types of blogs. From personal reflections on the nature of life to topic-specific sites, there’s sure to be a blog for everyone. The following are just a few types of blogs you may come across:

Personal or journal blogs. This type of online diary is the most common form of blogging, usually containing personal feelings, day-to-day activities and observations, complaints, favorite quotes or poems, trivia, aspirations, or essays. Absolutely anyone can maintain a personal blog, whether it’s for select eyes only or for a community of readers.

Political blogs. These have become an important part of campaigning and can contain long essays or short comments on hot topics or current events, links to articles, etc.

Business blogs. Some corporations use blogs for branding purposes, public awareness, or to create a more personable “face” for the public. Some business blogs serve to advertise or sell products.

Literary blogs (“litblogs”). These blogs focus on the literary community, publishing, and the craft of writing. They are further categorized according to genre and specialty.

Media blogs (vlog). These are blogs comprised of video clips.

S-blogs. Blogs dedicated solely to the art of spam.

Photoblog and sketchblog. These are comprised of photos and sketches, respectively, and serve as a showcase for artists looking to share or promote their work.

Legal blog (blawgs). These are blogs by law students or lawyers (“blawgers”).

Travel blogs. Modern travelers can share their experiences with those unable to explore the world. They can include restaurant and hotel reviews, little-known hot spots, photos, and videos.

News blogs. These blogs can cover anything from celebrity gossip to sports happenings, to local and national news events.

Magazine blogs. These not only provide additional exposure for a specific magazine, but offer additional content that’s not in the print issue. For a magazine that comes out monthly or even quarterly, a regularly updated blog is a way to stay current and prominent in readers’ minds.

Book blogs. These blogs offer serialized stories via postings every few days, much like the way Charles Dickens' novels were serialized in the 19th century. A cousin of the book blog is the "wovel," or Web novel.  

And, of course, there are topic-specific blogs for anything from fire suppression technology to the study of earthworms. There’s even a blog called Disapproving Rabbits, chronicling the “constant judgment, censoriousness, and general moodiness of the rabbit kingdom.” You see the possibilities:

Clawging: blogging about animals or women with inch-long nails.
Log Blogs: blogs about the logging industry.
Emo Blogs: blogs for emoters and high disclosers.
Flog Blogs: blogs for those with a penchant for violence.
Hog Blogs: blogs for pork lovers.
Frog Blogs: blogs for dissectors.
Char Blogs: blogs for outdoor grilling enthusiasts.
Toblogging: blogging about the great sport of sledding.

Feel free to chime in with some of your own. It’s addictive.

If you’ve ever been called uptight over grammar, this is the article for you. A Baltimore Sun writer answers the question “Why do commas matter?” Read more at:  http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/news/mcintyre/blog/2009/02/why_commas_matter.html.

Or—for some interesting technology news—check out this cool article about the future of how we’ll use computers. Say good-bye to your mouse! Visit this link to read more: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/scienceandtechnology/technology/3544963/Will-touch-screen-technology-kill-the-mouse.html

Web sites are becoming more and more popular, dividing the writing community into two groups: Writers who have sites and writers who don’t.

For most people, having a Web site will not necessarily make or break a writing career. Web sites alone do not clinch book deals, snag agents, or ensure best seller status. However, the decision of whether to create a Web site bears serious consideration.

Here are a few ways having a Web site can help your writing get noticed.

1. Web sites are beginning to function the same way that business cards work. In essence, your URL (posted on blogs, at the bottom of your e-mails, on your friends’ homepages, and on your social-networking sites) is an invitation to writers, editors, and agents to learn more about you.  
2. When you’re sending query letters to agents, publishers, or even literary magazines, showing off your Web skills indicates that you are forward-thinking, cutting-edge, and willing to do the “leg work” of promoting your own writing. If you sell books, they sell books. Your hard work will cause others to work hard for you. 
3. Having a Web site, especially if it’s popular or has a core body of loyal readers, can demonstrate that your writing has the power to touch readers’ lives by inspiring an emotional reaction. Agents and editors can go on your site and read the flurry of activity as people leave their comments, sign your guest book, and show their support. That enthusiasm can be contagious.
4. A Web site can give potential readers access to projects that you have yet to sell. Although most publishers are starting to consider writing published in any digital format as being “previously published,” you can show off synopses and excerpts from your writing, and, with any luck, your snippets will get a few nibbles or even bites. Just be sure not to post too many offerings at one time; otherwise, your readers might get the feeling that the reason you have so many postings is that you are unable to “place” your work.
5. Your Web site is a great place to keep your bio fresh and up to date. In query and cover letters, you’re often given only a brief paragraph to describe your history, your aspirations, and your intentions. If you write a great mini bio in your cover letter, you could inspire your reader to go to your Web site and learn more about you. Time and again, advertising gurus and business coaches stress the importance of “branding”; a good Web site bio can help you do just that.
6. Your site is an excellent promotional tool for published work. Once your short story is published or your novel is on the shelves, use your site to keep readers interested by hosting contests, offering supplemental materials and free stuff, and developing an online “personality” that makes people want to know more.

For an example of an up-and-coming novelist’s site that we like (full disclosure, she works for Writer’s Relief!), have a look at www.LisaDaleBooks.com, where you can find things like audio downloads, interviews, videos, and free stuff. 

For more information about how to make your own Web site, please read our post: http://writersreliefblog.com/post/20-Groovy-Website-Resources-for-Writers.aspx

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

 
Graphic created by E. Jessie Monaco

We asked the Writer's Relief staff what their favorite costumes and candies are. Tell us your favorites by posting a reply! 

Dan
Costume: Ninja. Low maintenance, high recognizability. Plus black works well on Halloween.

Candy: Milky Way. I could make up some fake answer about the galaxy, endless possibilities, or something equally ridiculous, but really it’s just chocolate + nougat + caramel = win.

Frank
Costume: Years ago I had a clown suit with tan and red stripes. The big, red nose wasn’t necessary.

Candy: Dark chocolate.

Hermine (Guess who she is related to!)
Costume: Black French Poodle—all handmade, very creative.

Candy: Chocolate-covered marshmallow ghosts by Russell Stover.

Joi
Costume: I love Roseanne, and that show had the best Halloween episodes. One, in particular, that sticks out is when Roseanne and Dan dressed up as a dead ventriloquist and his dummy. They performed onstage for their friends, and when the song ended, Dan drank water and it came pouring out of the holes in the dummy's (Roseanne's) body. LOL…

Candy: That's easy. Candy corn. It's awesome, heavenly, and oh, so bad for you, but it makes me happy. So, please, everyone…LOTS OF CANDY CORN.

Jon
Costume: Honestly, I love ghost costumes, the real simple ones with just the two holes for eyes and a giant sheet over your body. It’s so simple yet it freaks me out! It reminds me of the original Halloween movie.

Candy: I love pumpkin spice chocolate…it’s just perfect for the season, and it makes me feel cozy.

Kriste
Costume: Little Orphan Annie—I dressed up as Annie when I was in grade school, and everyone loved it because I had the dress and big, curly wig. I should totally have my mom see if she can’t dig out one of those pictures. It was a hoot!

Candy: Candy corn—Pure sugary goodness!

Lisa
Costume: One year my dad made these hot-pink earrings that attached to a battery pack and blinked on and off. Unfortunately, they kept short-circuiting and shocking my earlobes. But I was determined to keep them on—it’s all about aesthetics!

Candy: Snickers.

Liz
Costume: Hmm… I like it when people dress as inanimate objects, like, say, a box of crayons. And homemade costumes are, by far, superior. I think it shows off creativity and dedication to the sport of dressing up.

Candy: Happy Apples by Laurie’s Candies (local homemade candy). Happy Apples are apples dipped in caramel, enrobed in chocolate, and decorated with a candy face (like M&M’s for eyes and candy corn for a nose, licorice whip for a mouth). You may not find them by going door to door, but Laurie’s Candies has made these treats for the past 15 years—or, at least, that is as long as I can remember! When I see those smiling treats in local markets, I know October has come and my favorite holiday, Halloween, is around the corner. When I lived in Boston, my parents would send me Happy Apples in care packages to remind me of home. I look forward to their arrival every year as a gentle reminder that some things don’t change!

Margaret
Costume: Ghost.

Candy: 3 Musketeers.

Maria
Costume: (This is hard because I like more than one) Elvis.

Candy: (Ditto) Snickers bites (dark chocolate).

Marissa
Costume: My favorite Halloween costume was one my mom made. She teaches elementary school and, therefore, dresses up for her kids each year. A few years ago my mother poked two holes into the bottom of a trash bag for her legs, stepped inside, filled it with fallen leaves, and tied it loosely at her waist. She made a sign that she wore around her neck that read "Tuesday's Pick Up" since that's when the yard waste was picked up…

Candy: My favorite Halloween candy is ANYTHING that involves peanut butter.

Matt
Costume: Undead Lincoln (Abraham Lincoln as a zombie), Robin Hood, Ghostbuster.

Candy: Chocolate Peanut Butter Marshmallowed Candied Apple.

Meg
Costume: Witch (I love the hair).

Candy: Candy corn.

Pamela
Costume: For Halloween when I was in seventh grade I dressed up as a “Widow’s Web.” It was basically a long, black dress and had a black, sheer shawllike piece with pointed edges, a high collar, and white silk screen print (made to look like a spiderweb) that went over it. Included in my ensemble was makeup (black lipstick/nail polish and white face paint) and a hair clip that had a big, creepy-looking spider on it. I wore my hair half up in a bun, with the spider clip over the bun. I loved that costume and so did my fellow classmates! From the back it really looked like a creepy spider perched high in its web, waiting to attack!

Candy: Snickers fun-size bars are my favorite Halloween candy. Snickers bars are my favorite everyday candy, so getting them on Halloween is always a plus! There’s just something about getting the fun-size bars on Halloween that makes them taste better than the regular size on an average day (kind of like how turkey on Thanksgiving tastes better than a turkey dinner on any other day of the year), not to mention they are a perfect-size chocolatey snack for any time of the day.

Ronnie
Costume: The black Poodle costume my mother made for me when I was a child. It was passed around to many children over the years and won lots of prizes! Must have made an impact on me. I continue to love Poodles, and two of our office mascots are proof (Bella, a standard apricot, and Teddy, a rescued mini apricot). They’re scary smart!

Candy: Anything with chocolate and NO peanuts. I also love homemade popcorn balls.

Shawn
Costume: My favorite Halloween costume would have to be Dorothy from The Wizard Of Oz. I have a complex, what can I say? Oh, wait…am I supposed to be picking my favorite male costume?

Candy: I’m going to stand up for candy corn here as my favorite Halloween candy, simply because almost all other candy is available year-round. And because I happen to think it’s delicious (we’re a small, small army, we candy corn lovers).  

Simone
Costume: Ghost. It's invisible.

Candy: Werther's hard candy caramel drops. It sticks to the roof of my mouth and I love the buttery caramel flavor.

Steve
Costume: Mick Foley (Pro wrestler also known to be Cactus Jack, Dude Love, and Mankind); Superman (with Superdog); Ninja Turtle; Bob Dole.

Candy: Smarties (Nestlé Smarties), only sold in Canada and Europe, similar to M&M’s.

Wendy
Costume/Candy: My parents really rose to the occasion for Halloween—very creative types. Long, long ago, when I was a wee child, they totally knocked themselves out and constructed an unusual costume for me: a small tabletop complete with a Halloween tablecloth, party favors, etc., featuring a pumpkin centerpiece (my head in a pumpkin mask). The absolute BEST THING about this outfit was that the little paper party cups were filled with CANDY CORN, my favorite Halloween candy. Pure bliss!

Although you didn’t ask, my least favorite costume? Mom and Dad’s version of the Pied Piper of Hamelin: I was forever tripping over the fake rats attached by fishing line to my shoes!

Find out what your favorite candy says about you by taking this short survey: http://www.blogthings.com/whatdoesyourfavoritecandysayaboutyouquiz.

Dear Writer Friends,

We here at Writer's Relief had a good laugh recently over a video we found on YouTube, and we wanted to share! This three-minute video imagines a world where fonts are actually human beings. It's a riot!

Click this link to enjoy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3k5oY9AHHM

Keep the creativity coming,

Writer's Relief Staff

If so, be sure someone else hasn't already written about your topic in this comprehensive list, published by EW.com.

Click here for the list and complete article, written by Kate Ward.

And after you've completed your original memoir, contact Writer's Relief, Inc. for information on how to target your work to appropriate literary agents.

People who work for a living know that being efficient and productive is not always easy. It can be even harder for those of us who attempt to work from home or write from home after work. It’s definitely hard to stay focused sometimes.

Sure, we start out with the best of intentions and with specific goals in mind—edit 20 pages of a novel, revise an old poem—but we soon find ourselves distracted by any number of things. Take organizing your desk, for example. It may start off as an innocent and sincere attempt to tidy up and possibly focus better, but it often leads to more interesting discoveries, such as that dental appointment postcard for, oops, last week, or a perfume sample, a clipped article, an overdue bill. Then, resolutely, it’s back to work! At least, that is, until the coffee needs refilling, the pencil needs sharpening, the bathroom needs visiting. Then the dryer buzzes, your neighbor calls, the dogs bark, your kids wail, and the door-to-door weirdos descend.

But that’s not all. Most of us use computers for writing, researching, and corresponding with others. And since the Internet is an integral part of computer use, we are faced with yet one more terrible distraction. With rehab clinics sprouting up all over the place for those poor souls addicted to YouTube, MySpace, Facebook, and 4chan, it’s obvious there’s a serious problem. We can only hope that those of us who work with computers can be strong and resist the temptations. And distracting temptations there are! Such fabulous, time-wasting activities abound, and we can’t resist giving you a small sample.

There are plenty of ways to get distracted online, even aside from the usual time-wasters like obsessive e-mail checking, surfing celebrity gossip news, and trolling forums and chat groups. There’s www.ICanHasCheezburger.com if you like pictures of cats in funny poses and www.PetsInClothes.com, which is pretty self-explanatory. Avoid www.DoNotPress.net, or you may find yourself pressing the big, red button obsessively, and definitely stay away from www.SubservientChicken.com if you haven’t already become addicted.

You can write “articles” for Uncyclopedia.org and feel good about being “published.” Or post something unique for sale on Craigslist, like that two-foot wad of gum you’ve created by wandering Yankee Stadium. (It’s kind of fun to see who will stop by your house or call you about it, and you might even make a few bucks!) It’s also amusing to bid for strange items on eBay, increasing your bid by increments of 50 cents at a time and hoping that someone outbids you before you become the owner of a pink flamingo bouncy house for the backyard…unless you really like pink flamingo bouncy houses.

As writers you can disguise some of these distractions by calling it “higher education” or “research.” At www.lunchtimers.com you can play a game with a whiteboard and lots of colorful letters to move around and form words—see the writing connection? The problem is, there are also other people grabbing letters and moving things around at the same time, so it’s even more distracting than it should be.

On second thought, maybe there’s no getting away from online distractions. Maybe we should all devote an hour a day to worthless pursuits—pushing red buttons, bossing guys in chicken suits around, and laughing at pets in clothes—and just get it out of our systems so we can get down to business.

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

Read this article by Sam Roberts.

Semicolon sightings in the city are unusual, but Neil Neches, a writer in the transit agency's marketing and service information department, inserted one on a placard anyway.

This article articulates the wonder in seeing a semicolon in such an odd place, but other grammarians, professors, and teachers are delighted to see it used properly.

The reason the semicolon is so rarely seen and used is simply because not many know how to use it properly. In the wave of technology and IM/text speak, a semicolon is used to wink at someone.

Check out the article for more information. ;)

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/18/nyregion/18semicolon.html?ex=1361163600&en=1f4b96ff6a13e0b6&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink

Have you ever wanted to change those signs with the incorrect punctuation? Kate McCulley, the grammar vandal, is doing just that! She’s taken action in Boston and has moved her locale to the Internet as well: http://www.thegrammarvandal.com. She’s received press from The Boston Globe and NPR (links below).

http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2007/07/15/stop_sign_travesties/

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=12173654

The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary, a compact, two-volume version of the 20-volume set, was recently released, and it has caused a small stir among those who care about such things: the SOED editors have done away with the hyphen in approximately 16,000 words, throwing a wrench into the works of hyphen-addicted old-schoolers. Shortly afterward, The New York Times printed an article about it, along with a graphic of a gravestone inscribed with: Here Lies The Nearly-Departed, Seldom-Understood, Soon-To-Be-Forgotten Hyphen. It was a fitting epitaph. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/07/weekinreview/07mcgrath.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

The hyphen has long been a misunderstood creature, and there are no hard and fast rules about its usage. In general, it is used to provide breaks in lines, and in the spelling of certain words, such as father-in-law or anti-American. Hyphens are also used as "suspension hyphens" to indicate a stand-in word (four-, five-, and six-gallon containers) and to link compound adjectives that precede a noun (We gave the six-foot man a wide berth). Hyphens can also be used to avoid confusion as in 30-odd people. Without the hyphen, we might be looking at 30 strange people wandering around rather than approximately 30 folks. We have also traditionally used hyphens to set off prefixes such as "self" and "ex," and when two vowels need separation as in "pre-eminent," although, today you'll find "preeminent" in most standard dictionaries.

If you're a little uncertain about the use of hyphens, don't despair—you're not alone. The English language is terribly unregulated, and your hyphen decisions should be based on common sense and consistency. If in doubt, look it up. At Writer's Relief we use Merriam-Webster's dictionary as the final authority, and the no-hyphen trend has been spotted there as well.

The SOED has provided us with thousands of newly de-hyphenated words that, according to editor Angus Stevenson, are "only reflecting widespread everyday use." So, now we have bumblebee, airstream, leapfrog, and ice cream (instead of ice-cream). The editors at SOED have been tracking trends for many years and report that the hyphen seems to be falling by the wayside. It is not, however, in any danger of disappearing for good. Otherwise we may get confused and go searching for a good looking date—you know, a date who is good at looking—or a fine tooth comb with which to comb our teeth.

Not all writers make it a habit of going to writers’ conferences, but they are a part of many writers’ professional lives. These conferences are a meeting ground for agents, editors, writing instructors, and fellow scribes who gather to share knowledge and expertise, make contacts, and meet specific goals, whether it’s a writer pitching a novel or an agent scoring a best-seller.

Although you can find day workshops that are more affordable, these conferences are often not cheap. They range from 200 to 500 dollars and up, so it’s important to choose wisely. Here are some tips to help you get the most for your money.

What to look for:

First, you’ll want to locate conferences that fit your particular needs. Some focus on children’s writing, while others are for romance or mystery writers. Narrow down the field to those that pertain to your genre. The Internet is full of information on various conferences. Try www.writing.shawguides.com for a fairly comprehensive list.

As with all investments, a little research can go a long way. Request for all the information offered and go over it carefully. Do some checking with fellow writers or critique groups for their opinions, and research the guest speaker(s).

Take a good look at the opportunities available. Are there workshops, networking opportunities, well-known lecturers? If all you’re offered is a chance to hear an obscure author read her work, you won’t get much out of the experience.

Make note of the specifics, such as the travel requirements, lodging choices, and facilities. You may want to stick closer to home, or choose a mountain retreat over urban classrooms. Is there lodging available, or are you responsible for making hotel arrangements separately?

Double-check for hidden costs, and tally all possible expenses. If you’re organized and ask well in advance, you may be able to apply for a scholarship (or partial scholarship) to help defray the cost. The same goes for volunteering at the conference. You’ll have to ask for these options, as they probably won’t be advertised. You may also choose to attend with a friend. If you each take different seminars and workshops and then share notes, you’ll get more for your money.

What to do:

Clarify your conference goals before the actual event. Are you hoping to meet an agent, hone your writing skills, schmooze with other writers, learn new trends, and/or promote your work? Plan your time accordingly. If networking is your objective, skip the guest lecture and attend the less formal cocktail party instead. Or sign up for that "new media" seminar if you’re interested in learning new trends.

Wear comfortable shoes and dress appropriately. "Business casual" is a safe bet, although there are usually opportunities for more formal dress during dinners, etc. Be sure you’re remembered for your professional and engaging personality, not your plunging neckline or glow-in-the-dark cowboy boots.

Keep an eye on the time. If you’ve made appointments to speak with editors or agents, don’t be late. Stick to your allotted time out of courtesy both to the editor or agent and to your fellow writers.

Bring a light shoulder bag or briefcase stocked with your business cards, a notebook, extra pens...and for the free handouts. When you receive a business card, make a note on the back to remind you who you talked to and what it was about. It’s best to keep your hands free, so check other luggage and your coat in advance.

Position yourself carefully—asking questions from the front of the room will get you noticed, while the back row is a good place if you plan to slip out early.

Be prepared to do some work—networking can be exhausting, and this is not the time to sit back and be a passive observer. Everyone at this conference shares a common interest, so don’t let insecurity keep you from meeting new people and learning from them. The energy of these events can be very inspirational.

After the conference, send "nice to meet you" notes to agents or editors you spoke to, and be sure to mention where you met and (briefly) what you talked about.

Pitching your work:

Feel free to bring copies of your query, synopsis, or a few sample chapters or other writing samples. But leave that 500-page manuscript at home. Some conferences have time set aside specifically for pitching your work, so be prepared in advance and take advantage of this time. Make sure your pitch is polished (practice giving it to the mirror, your friends, your parrot), exciting, and BRIEF. There’s no need to compulsively tell everything about the story and the reason it was written. Agents and editors are trained to spot a good opportunity on very little information, and you want to avoid that glazed look in their eyes if you go on and on.

Do not aggressively corner agents and editors and subject them to a verbal pitch during dinner or in the restroom. You’ll only aggravate them or scare them away. And be careful what you say. Editors and agents often run in the same circles, and if you’ve been ranting about other writers or editors, you will be remembered—but not in the way you’d like.

Above all, have some fun…and happy networking!

Many of us keep journals to reduce stress or to record life’s events for posterity, and writers especially should make use of this creative outlet. Journaling can be a great tool for writers—the journal becomes a repository for fresh ideas and a safe place to write. Whether it’s a spiral notebook or a leather-bound book with a beautiful cover, a writer’s journal should be a source of inspiration.

There is an endless variety of journals to choose from. Select something that inspires you, that makes you eager to crack your journal open and turn to a fresh page. A beautiful diary with fun pockets or an elegant cover will make writing a pleasure. Invest in a fun or really fancy pen to use just for your journaling. Then, you are always ready to write!

Keep your journal handy for jotting down those whimsical ideas or brilliant first sentences that pop into your head at the oddest moments. If your journal is large or bulky, keep a spiral-bound pocket-sized notebook around. You can then transfer your ideas to the larger journal.

Write regularly and on a schedule. Get into the habit of writing each day, and you’ll be perfecting your craft at the same time.

A journal is meant for no one’s eyes but your own, so let those ideas flow unfettered. A little stream of consciousness is good for the soul, and no one will be looking over your shoulder, judging you on punctuation issues or your choice of simile. Sometimes when we let ourselves go and just write, we gain priceless personal insights—and these insights can help us to be better writers.

If the ideas aren’t flowing, try some writing prompts and power your way through writer’s block. Sometimes the very act of writing will clear the path for new ideas and recharge your sagging muse. A Poet's Companion by Kim Addonizio and Dorianne Laux includes writing prompts applicable to either prose or poetry at the end of many chapters.

Some writers add newspaper clippings, sketches, or magazine articles to their journals—anything that inspires them. Others keep pictures or make lists. That’s the beauty of a journal—there are no rules, and this freedom is the catalyst that can unleash your creativity.

We can also go paper-free and buy journaling software, keeping a record of our thoughts and ideas on our personal computers. These programs have the standard word-processing capabilities, and most allow the user to add graphics, sound bites, and charts. If you’re thinking of buying, try the 30-day free trial period available with most of the software. If a trial period is not available, make the most of user-review sites like www.epinions.com. A few to check out:

Alpha Journal (www.alpharealms.com/journal/index.htm)

Digital Diary (www.ajebe.com)

The Journal (www.davidrm.com)

VistaWrite (www.digitalwriting.com/vwrite/default.asp)

An important key to having your creative writing published is to use proper grammar. In this article your will come to better understand English grammar through one commonly used verb form: gerunds.

What's a gerund? Does it have something to do with Jer's errands? Well, if his legs are tired from all the running, then running is the gerund! Let us further explain.

Quite simply, a gerund is a word that has -ing added to a base verb, which is the present participle of a verb. The difference is that gerunds are used as nouns. (Driving is required.) When the verb in the -ing form is used as a verb or an adjective, it is usually a present participle. (She was fishing for compliments.)

Reading, writing, and thinking are things you may do when you see this article. In fact, in that last sentence, we used a gerund phrase as the subject of the sentence.

Here are other examples of how gerunds function:

1. Object of a preposition: After brushing her teeth, she went to bed.
**Be careful not to dangle the gerund.
Right: After learning the specifics, he could make plans easily. (He learns.)
Wrong: After learning the specifics, plans were easily made. (Plans do not learn.)

2. Object of a verb: She loves singing in the shower.

3. Subject of a verb: Writing is a difficult task.

4. Subject complement with a linking verb: His errors were making him crazy.

5. Possessive noun: One of my pet peeves is hearing his singing to the radio.
Wrong: One of my pet peeves is hearing him singing to the radio.

6. In a passive sense (used after the verbs want, need, or require): This house needs cleaning.

7. After a preposition—if you use a verb after a preposition, you must use a gerund (no exceptions): Please sign the memo before leaving.

For more information on gerunds, take a look at: http://www.chompchomp.com/terms/gerund.htm and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerund.

For more grammar lessons, see our articles: Subject-Verb Agreement Made Easy, How To (Not) Split Infinitives, Contraction Confusion, and Sentence Spoilers: Fragments And Run-On Sentences

For writing services, including proofreading, formatting, and submission strategies, visit Writers’ Relief online.

Keywords: writing sevices, gerunds, publishers, grammar, understanding english grammar, english language

Writer's Relief is constantly updating our database with information on thousands of literary agents, literary magazines, and editors; so we know how difficult and time-consuming the research can be! We cross-check our information using public sources (Web sites, market books, guidelines, etc.), AND we keep track of agents' and editors' personal preferences based on their handwritten notes to our clients. By signing up for our services, you too can take advantage of our hard work!

But if you're a do-it-yourself type, here is what you'll need to know to research the best literary agents and editors for your writing.

Most writers want to have their work published in a literary venue, sharing in the same magazines that have published such luminaries as Robert Frost, Billy Collins, D. H. Lawrence, Sylvia Plath, Edgar Allen Poe, Guy de Maussapant, and others. The difficulty, however, lies in determining which magazines might be the best places to send your work. Your submission strategy will change depending on the genre, style, and subject of your creative writing. Writer’s Relief uses many of the following techniques to successfully find homes for their clients’ work.

Market books are a good place to start. These are large, soft-covered books which include thousands of listings of publication outlets, including literary journals and magazines. The most popular ones are Writer’s Market, Poet’s Market, Novel & Short Story Writer’s Market, and The International Directory of Little Magazines & Small Presses. These books contain a wealth of information that may be useful to you in your search.

It is important to understand that these books are to be used as guides, and oftentimes, information is out of date before publication. However, these books contain much concrete information you can use to build a list of your favorite magazines. When researching literary magazines, be sure to verify the address and submission guidelines, including reading dates and length limit for work.

Most literary magazines have Web sites also, but as with the listings in market books, the information may be out of date. Check to see if the guideline page contains dated information, and look to see when their most recent issue was available. Many Web sites will now allow you to submit your creative writing online.

Another way to research information is to write directly to the magazine and request submission guidelines. This is a necessary step, particularly if there is no Web site available. Additionally, once you send your work to a journal and the editor responds, it is important to check the information on the response slip. Double-check the address, editors’ names, and other guideline information against the information in your records. This way, you’ll be set for the next round of submissions.

There are some writer Web sites that can take you to literary journal Web sites. You may want to investigate http://www.newpages.com and http://www.pshares.org.

Subscribe to Poets & Writers, Writer’s Digest, or The Writer magazine for information about the writing process and links for literary magazines. Visit a full-service bookstore and purchase some literary magazines. Choose a few of your favorites and subscribe to them. Support the literary community. Read and learn what kind of work is getting published and choose markets that suit your style of writing. Keep good records of your research information and update it as it changes. Organization is the key to this part of the process, and once you have the basics, keep submitting your work. Don’t give up! Remember that persistence is the key to a getting published.

And, if you decide that you'd rather write and leave the research to someone else, give Writer's Relief a call. We can identify the 25+ best markets for your writing in just a few days!

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As any text-messaging teenager will tell you, POS BBL means "parents over shoulder; be back later." For those of us who need a translator: "An adult is reading this over my shoulder. I'll have to get back to you when I have more privacy." This "Web slang" has evolved from a few shortcut phrases used in e-mails and chat rooms (cu = see you) to a full-blown pseudo language that allows people to communicate with less typing.

In Peter Straub's In The Night Room, the main character communicates with the dead via e-mail—all in acronyms and abbreviations. It may look like gibberish to some, but Web slang has become a universal language, even in places where the native language is not English.

We've compiled a list of the most common slang terms and acronyms used in chat rooms, text messaging, and e-mail. They are listed in capital letters for ease of reading, but as any Web-speak master knows, using all capitals is the equivalent of shouting and is considered rude...or flaming. Many common acronyms have not been included due to R-rated language; if you're under the age of 21, you probably know all of these and more...feel free to skip this part. (WEG*)          *Wicked Evil Grin

List of Web slang acronyms, emoticons, and terms

<3 = love or heart (turn your head sideways) 

AAK: Alive and kicking

ADN: Any day now

AFK: Away from the keyboard

AFN: That's all for now

ASL: Age/Sex/Location

B4: Before

BBL: Be back later

BCNU: Be seeing you

B/F or BF: Boyfriend

BFF: Best friend forever

BRB: Be right back

BTW: By the way

CU or CYA: See you or see ya

DEGT: Don't even go there

DIKU: Do I know you?

DIS: Did I say

EG: Evil grin

EM: E-mail

F2F: Face to face

flame: to insult someone

FOCL: Falling off chair laughing

FTW: For the win, usually accompanied by \o/, as in arms raised in victory

FWIW: For what it's worth

FUBAR: "Fouled" up beyond repair

GAL: Get a life

G/F or GF: Girlfriend

GGOH: Gotta get outta here

GJ: Good job

GL: Good luck

GMTA: Great minds think alike

GR&D: Grinning, running & ducking

GTR: Got to run

H&K: Hugs & kisses

HAGD: Have a good day

HAGO: Have a good one

HB: Hurry back

HTH: Hope that helps

IB: I'm back

IC: I see

IDN or IDK: I don't know

IDTS: I don't think so

IMHO: In my humble opinion

IRL: In real life

JIC: Just in case

JW: Just wondering

KIT: Keep in touch

LMAO: Laughing my a** off

LOL: Laughing out loud

LTNS: Long time no see

LY: Love ya

JAS: Just a second

NIMBY: Not in my backyard

NP: No problem

NRN: No response necessary

NT: No thanks

O RLY?: Oh really?

OL: The old lady

OM: The old man

OMG: Oh my gosh, oh my god

OT: Off topic

OTOH: On the other hand

P911: Parents are in the room

peeps or PPL: People

peep this: Hey, listen to this

PLS or PLZ: Please

PMJI: Pardon me for jumping in

POTS: Plain old telephone service

POS: Parents over the shoulder

RL: Real life (versus online)

ROFL: Rolling on floor laughing

RSN: Real soon now

RU: Are you?

SH: Same here

SO: Significant other

SOS: Same old "stuff"

SOTA: State of the art

SRS BZNS: Serious business

STR8: Straight (as in sexuality)

SY: Sincerely yours

TAFN: That's all for now

TC: Take care

THX or TY: Thanks!

TL; DR: Too long; didn't read

TMI: Too much information

TNT: Till next time

TRDMF: Tears running down my face

TPS: That's pretty stupid

TTFN: Ta-ta for now

TTYL: Talk to you later

USA: Until sides ache

UV: Unpleasant visual

UW or YW: You're welcome

WB: Welcome back

WEG: Wicked evil grin

WEU: What's eating you?

WTG: Way to go

WFM: Works for me

WWJD: What would Jesus do?

YAA: Yet another acronym

YBS: You'll be sorry

The above are list of Web acronyms, abbreviations, and slang terms is part of an emerging Internet language common in chat rooms, instant messages (IM), blogs, forums, Twitter, Facebook, and many other places. Since net lingo is ever growing and ever changing, we at Writer's Relief recommend using Urban Dictionary.

Of course, we recommend using Web slang only in the most informal of settings unless, like Peter Straub, your work demands it. If you’re looking for additional information on language more commonly used in professional writing, please be sure to check out some of our other posts on using age appropriate or historically accurate language, gender neutral language or sensitive language.