Peter K. Hixson was a much-beloved client here at Writer’s Relief, and we were all saddened when he passed away.

But Peter left an inspirational legacy and a generous bequest to Writer’s Relief for the support of promising writers in need of assistance with the submission process.

We encourage you to learn more about Peter’s inspiring story and The First Annual Peter K. Hixson Memorial Scholarship For Creative Writers.

The deadline is April 23, 2010.

Our Writer’s Relief Review Board is honored to be assisting Peter’s estate in carrying out his wishes to contribute positively to the writing community.

Let us research the 25+ best-suited markets for your work! Our A La Carte Services are affordable, there’s no commitment, and you don’t have to go through the Review Board.

SAVE TIME and MONEY! Combine your legwork with our expertise to keep costs down.

Put our expertise to work for you!

Basic A La Carte Service: $100
Let us research markets that specialize in your type of writing AND prepare 25+ mailing labels for your submissions. PLUS, you’ll get an important step-by-step Submission Guide to achieve professional results!! Partner with us to get your work into the right hands AND save time for writing. Learn more: http://www.WritersReliefBlog.com/post/Our-A-La-Carte-Service.aspx.

A La Carte PLUS Service: $200 - $250
Along with the step-by-step Submission Guide and targeted mailing labels, you’ll also get 25+ personalized cover/query letters—each strategically composed AND individually addressed. We rescue you from the tasks that eat up your valuable time: writing and designing your cover/query letters; researching addresses and agent/editor names; individually addressing and printing each letter; PLUS making coordinating mailing labels. Learn more:http://www.WritersReliefBlog.com/post/Want-Us-To-Create-Your-CoverQuery-Letters.aspx.

When your work gets into the right hands, it’s more likely to be published. Get the professional advantage you need.

We’re in your corner. We get results.

Our A La Carte Services are a great way to combine your do-it-yourself abilities with all the knowledge we’ve gained since 1994.

Call us TODAY at (866) 405-3003 to get your writing on the market—it’s easy, fast, and affordable! Or e-mail info@wrelief.com.

We’re looking forward to hearing from you.

Dear Friends,

We need your help.

Every month we write, edit, and compile our free Newsflash For Writers—and we LOVE doing it, even though it takes countless hours of time and attention.

If you like and appreciate this free Newsflash, please nominate our blog for Writer’s Digest’s “101 Best Websites for Writers” (another excellent source for free online information).

Here’s how to nominate us:

Send your comments and nominations to writersdig@fwpubs.com with “101 Best Websites” as the subject.

Thank you so, so much for your support as we continue to offer the writing community this free resource. As always, we welcome your comments and questions.

Best wishes,

Ronnie L. Smith, President
Writer’s Relief

P.S. Please tell your fellow writers about the nomination process as well and help spread the word!

[UPDATE: Thanks so much to all of you wonderful writers who have nominated us so far! We appreciate YOU too!]

If you’d like our expert targeting help but you’re not ready for the commitment of our Full Service program, our easy A La Carte services might be a good choice for you. By combining our research and targeting with your legwork, you can save money AND time.

$100: A La Carte Service — Get started right away! This service combines our expertise with your do-it-yourself perseverance. Writer's Relief will target the best-suited markets for your work and guide you through the process. You'll get one round of 25 to 30 submissions out into the world within three days. It's quick and easy. We provide the best market research available to creative writers. You do not need to apply to our Review Board for the A La Carte Service. Visit http://www.WritersRelief.com/alacarte-submission-help-for-writers.aspx for details.

$200 - $250: A La Carte PLUS Service — Everything that's quick and affordable about our A La Carte Service, with the time-saving benefit of Full Service cover or query letter preparation. We will target the best markets for your work, prepare mailing labels, and create 25 to 30 personalized, professional cover or query letters. You do not need to apply to our Review Board for the A La Carte Service. Click here for more: http://www.WritersRelief.com/alacarteplus-help-with-query-letter-writing.aspx.

Please feel free to contact us with your questions (info@wrelief.com). And when you’re ready to sign up, just give us a call so that we can process your payment and begin gathering information about your writing so we can target your work to the literary agents or editors who are most likely to appreciate it!

Did you know Writer’s Relief has a Facebook page? Yup. We’re on Facebook!

We’re hosting a lively community of creative writers and sharing lots of great information about publishing and submitting. We’ll be playing some fun games, sharing hints and tips to help you get your writing published, and answering your questions. We’re looking forward to hanging out with you!

Remember to pass this helpful invitation along to your writer friends!

Best wishes,

The Staff Of Writer’s Relief

Whether or not you decide to partner with Writer’s Relief to help with your submissions (via our exceptional Full Service or our budget-friendly A La Carte Service), NOW is a very important time for serious writers. Here’s why you should get those submissions in the mail ASAP.

1. Many markets are open in the fall. Almost all literary journals that are affiliated with colleges and universities open their doors to new writers for the academic year. Editors are actively searching for exciting new writers; send your work now to take advantage of their enthusiasm.

2. Remember the excitement and importance of those first few days of school? The chatter, the competition, the feeling of beginning again? It’s the same in publishing. When summer hours end, there’s a communal sense of starting fresh.

3. Because fall is so busy for publishing—and there are so many submissions making the rounds—the sooner you send your work out, the better. Although response times vary from market to market and submission to submission, it’s been our experience that replies tend to arrive more quickly in the fall. When student readers and interns arrive at literary magazines in the fall, the response time tends to improve.

4. Since so many writers are submitting in the fall, you’ll be among the publishing movers and shakers. There’s a party going on, and you’re on the guest list. BUT if you want to roll with the in-crowd, you’ve got to show up!

5. Winter is coming, and with it comes the holiday season. Although many writers go into November and December with good intentions of writing and submitting, it’s extremely easy to drop the ball when the days get shorter. Send out a round (or two) of submissions sooner rather than later, and you’ll see better results.

If you want to simplify the submission process but you’re not ready for our long-term Full Service, check out our A La Carte Service. Starting at just $100, we can help you get a round of submissions in the mail in just a few days!

We’re excited to present this information to you! Click on this link http://www.writersrelief.com/how-to-publish-a-childrens-book.aspx to order a copy of Insider's Secrets: What You MUST Know To Submit Your Children's Book.

Here’s some of what’s included: 

Sample format pages which illustrate what is considered “industry standard” for children’s book manuscript pages. Do you know how to set up the header on each page of your manuscript? Do you know where the word count belongs? Should you or should you not include your e-mail address? Should you left, right, or full justify your manuscript?

Sample cover letters to help you avoid ruining your chances of a good read by agents and editors. Do you want to know the secrets of preparing a good cover letter? Which type of cover letter gets the best results? Do you know how you should address your letter and to whom? 

A glossary of children’s book terminology. Do you know what differentiates an easy-to-read book from a picture story book and a picture book? What about hi-lo books? Is there a difference between a simultaneous submission and a multiple submission?

A time-saving checklist which outlines the DOs and DON’Ts of children’s book submissions.

And much more! 

BONUS: You'll also receive a FREE REPORT that contains contact information for 100 agents and publishers who specialize in children's books.

Click on this link

http://www.writersrelief.com/how-to-publish-a-childrens-book.aspx

for more!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

For more tips on making strong submissions, visit:

How To Write Cover and Query Letters That Get Attention 

Why Length Matters When Submitting Your Stories And Poems For Publication

How To Build Up Your Writing Bio Super Fast

Seven Techniques You Must Know To Make Editors Notice Your Poetry

Enroll in our A La Carte Service in July or August and receive a FREE CONSULTATION WITH ONE OF OUR SUBMISSION STRATEGISTS. Did you know that you can increase your acceptance rate by submitting at this time of year? Because fewer writers are submitting, you can increase your acceptance rate. If you are confused about what your next step should be, here is a great opportunity to take a giant leap forward in your writing career. We’re offering to share what we’ve learned about publishing in the creative writing industry. Take a look at the two A La Carte Services we list below, and call us to discuss whether you and your writing are ready.

$100: A La Carte Service—Get started right away! This is a more do-it-yourself service, with Writer’s Relief targeting markets and guiding you through the process. You’ll get 25+ submissions out into the world within three days. This service is simple, quick, and affordable. We provide the best market research available to creative writers. Info about our A La Carte Service may be found at http://www.WritersReliefBlog.com/post/Our-A-La-Carte-Service.aspx.

$200 - $250: A La Carte PLUS Service—Everything that’s fast and affordable about our regular A La Carte Service, with the time-saving bonus of Full Service cover and/or query letter preparation. We will target the best markets for your work, prepare mailing labels, and create 25+ personalized, professional cover and/or query letters. More information may be found at http://www.WritersReliefBlog.com/post/Want-Us-To-Create-Your-CoverQuery-Letters.aspx.

Have you finished a novel? Are you submitting your poetry manuscript to competitions? If so, your manuscript better be prepared to industry standards AND free of typos.

Writer’s Relief offers a book manuscript proofreading and formatting service (novels, nonfiction, and poetry manuscripts included). This service is designed to help writers prepare their manuscripts for ultimate publication for submissions to agents and publishers, as well as contests and competitions. Send us a hard copy and electronic copy of your book manuscript. Include your contact information: mailing address, phone number, and e-mail address. You may also e-mail the manuscript as an attachment to Proof@wrelief.com. We’ll evaluate the manuscript and quote a price to prepare it for you.

You will not receive a good read unless you prepare your book to the standards required in the creative writing industry. You’ve done the work, now make sure that your pages are ready to pass muster with the agent or editor who receives them. We will format the manuscript to industry standards, and we can assist with special formatting for writers’ contests and/or competitions. Remember, presentation is everything! Call us today between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. ET for details.

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

If you’ve asked yourself:

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

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

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

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

Here’s what you need to know:

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

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

Articles should be no more than 500 words.

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

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

Our pay rate is $25 per article.

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

We’re looking forward to reading your work!

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.

You’ve been writing. Now what? If you are confused about what your next step should be, here is a great opportunity to take a giant leap forward in your writing career. We’re offering to share what we’ve learned about publishing in the creative writing industry. Take a look at the services we list below, and call us to discuss whether you and your writing are ready.

You already receive one of our useful tools for writers, so you know our FREE Writers’ Newsflash contains lots of articles that help you hone your craft as a writer.

Here is an outline of other services and tools available to you:

Our Blog (also FREE) is an amazing source of information for writers in all genres. You may search on topics such as how to write a query letter, how to choose a literary agent, where to submit children’s books, submitting poetry to the best markets, choosing point of view, why length matters for short stories, grammar and punctuation rules, etc.

$100: A La Carte Service—Get started right away! This is a more do-it-yourself service, with Writer’s Relief targeting markets and guiding you through the process. You’ll get 25+ submissions out into the world within three days. This service is simple, quick, and affordable. We provide the best market research available to creative writers. Info about our A La Carte Service may be found at http://WritersReliefBlog.com/post/Our-A-La-Carte-Service.aspx.

$200 - $250: A La Carte PLUS Service—Everything that’s fast and affordable about our regular A La Carte Service, with the time-saving bonus of full-service cover/query letter preparation. We will target the best markets for your work, prepare mailing labels, and create 25 to 30 personalized, professional cover/query letters. More information may be found at http://www.WritersReliefBlog.com/post/Want-Us-To-Create-Your-CoverQuery-Letters.aspx.

$339 - $399: Full Service—Our most inclusive level of service. Your work must be presented and accepted by our Review Board. We do not accept all authors. If you don’t have time to take care of all the tasks required to get your submissions in the mail, this service is for you. We’ll create cover letters, target and track submissions, research guidelines, assign you a personal submission strategist, etc. Everything you need to develop a high-level submission strategy is included. http://www.WritersReliefblog.com/post/Submission-Guidelines-For-Full-Service-Clients.aspx

Included with ALL services:

** Targeting 25+ literary venues that specialize in YOUR type of writing. (Your work will be targeted to the most appropriate markets based on the topics, word count, etc., of the particular piece [or group of poems] you’re submitting.)

** An online database that lists all your submissions. As an A La Carte client, you’ll have access to your submission list 24 hours a day for 30 days.

Our A La Carte Service, A La Carte PLUS Service, or our Full Service? Choose the one that works best for you and suits your budget. All services include targeting your work to the best markets. Go to this link to see which level of service is best for you: http://WritersReliefBlog.com/post/Three-Levels-Of-Service.aspx.

We invite you to give us a call for a FREE consultation with one of our submission strategists. Meg, Kriste, or Lisa will be happy to discuss your needs. Call us toll-free at (866) 405-3003 between the hours of 8:30 – 2:30 Eastern time if you need help deciding which service is best for you.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Here are some general tips for submission.

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

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

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

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

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

Our A La Carte Service, A La Carte PLUS Service, or our Full Service? Choose the one that works best for you and suits your budget. All services include targeting your work to the best markets. We outline all three services and costs at http://www.WritersRelief.com/comparison.asp.

Full Service: Your work must be presented to, then read and accepted by our Review Board. If you don’t have time to take care of all the tasks required to get your submissions in the mail, this service is for you. http://www.WritersReliefblog.com/post/Submission-Guidelines-For-Full-Service-Clients.aspx

A La Carte Service: Get started right away! This is a more do-it-yourself service, with Writer’s Relief targeting markets and guiding you through the process. If you’re a do-it-yourselfer, our A La Carte Service is quick and easy. We provide the best market research available to creative writers. Info about our A La Carte Service may be found at http://WritersReliefBlog.com/post/Our-A-La-Carte-Service.aspx.

A La Carte PLUS Service: Everything fast and affordable about our regular A La Carte but with the added bonus of Full Service cover/query letter preparation. We will target the best markets for your work, prepare mailing labels, and create 25 to 30 personalized, professional cover/query letters. More information may be found at http://www.WritersReliefBlog.com/post/Want-Us-To-Create-Your-CoverQuery-Letters.aspx.

It’s simple AND affordable. Keep reading and printing!

Included with ALL services:

** Targeting 25+ literary venues that specialize in YOUR type of writing. (Your work will be targeted to the best markets based on the topics, word count, etc., of the particular piece [or group of poems] you’re submitting.)

** An online database that lists all your submissions. You’ll have access to your submission list 24 hours a day for 30 days.

We invite you to give Meg or Kriste a call to discuss your needs. They are trained as personal submission strategists here at Writer’s Relief and will be happy to speak with you.

Thanks to everyone who entered our 15th Anniversary Contest!

The entries we received were funny, inspiring, entertaining, and poignant. Writing a story, essay, or poem in just 15 words is no easy task, and we were amazed by your creativity and skill.

Number of entries
With so many great entries, it was hard to choose the winners of our FREE A La Carte Service. We received over 650 entries from over two dozen countries, including Australia, Canada, China, Czech Republic, England, Greece, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Malta, Nigeria, Philippines, Romania, Scotland, Senegal/West Africa, South Africa, South Korea, Sudan, Taiwan, Trinidad/West Indies/Tobago, and Zimbabwe.

Additional first-prize BONUS
Choosing just two winners (for clients and nonclients) was so difficult that we decided to ADD ONE EXTRA WINNER, who will receive a FREE round of our A La Carte submissions. A number of writers chose to write about the topic of Writer’s Relief, so we considered those entries as part of an additional category.

Over the next few weeks, we’ll be posting more of the entries that were submitted to our contest. Stay tuned!

So, without further ado, we present the three first-prize winners.

Winner of the GENERAL ENTRIES category (wins FREE A La Carte Service)
Congratulations to Catharine Bramkamp of Cotati, California, for winning the first prize in our general entries category. Her life story in 15 words made us crack up laughing. Here’s the winning entry:

Winner of the ACTIVE CLIENTS category (wins $100 off his next invoice)
Congratulations to Eli Langner from Tucson, Arizona! We loved this clever little poem, especially the unique way it is laid out.

Winner of the additional Writer’s Relief category (wins FREE A La Carte Service)
Congratulations to Joanne Hirase-Stacey of Malad, Idaho. We thought your submission was very funny and very apt—given that we love both grammar and our canine mascots!

Honorable Mentions for the general submissions category (win a FREE Writer’s Relief T-shirt)

Robert D. Buckingham of Santa Ana, California, wrote:

Dan Rose of Wharton, New Jersey, wrote:

Richard W. Ahern of Oakley, California, wrote:

Honorable mentions for the Writer’s Relief client category (win a FREE Writer’s Relief T-shirt)

Susanna Rich of Blairstown, New Jersey, wrote:

Lisa Harris of Trumansburg, New York, wrote:

Patricia Anne Elford of Pembroke, Ontario, wrote:

We hope to be putting together another contest later this year, so please continue to read our Writer’s Newsflash. Again, thanks to everyone who participated. We can’t tell you how much fun we had reading these entries, and we hope that you enjoy them as well!

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

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

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

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

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

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

The information you need to know:

Deadline: 02/28/09.

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

Entry fee: NONE!

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

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

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

Many of our clients here at Writer’s Relief tend to shy away from tooting their own horns. So we’re happy to do it for them this month!

Here’s some information about our wonderful writers!

We had 157 acceptances in this December – February cycle: Please note that many magazines accepted work presented by more than one client. (We love when this happens.) The following magazines will be publishing work from Writer’s Relief clients. All of these journals accepted work within the past two months alone:

Agni, Alabama Literary Review, Alembic, American Literary Review, Argestes, Atlanta Review, Bat City Review, Bayou, Cadillac Cicatrix, Cairn, Center: A Journal of the Literary Arts, Chaffin Journal, Chautauqua Literary Journal, Compass Rose, Connecticut Review, CQ (California Quarterly), Cresset, descant, Dislocate, Eclipse, ellipsis . . . literature and art, Emrys Journal, Eureka Literary Magazine, Evansville Review, Fourth River, Grasslimb, Healing Muse, Hurricane Review, Inkwell Magazine, Iodine Poetry Journal, Kerem, Lullwater Review, Lungfull!, Minnetonka Review, Old Red Kimono, Paper Street, Passager, Permafrost, Pisgah Review, Portland Review, Quercus Review, Quiddity Literary Journal, Rambler, Red Wheelbarrow Literary Magazine, Rhino, Rio Grande Review, RiverSedge, Salamander, Schuylkill Valley Journal of the Arts, South Carolina Review, Sou’wester, Sulphur River Literary Review, Tampa Review, and Willow Springs.

In addition, the following agents requested manuscripts this cycle:

Ann Rittenberg
Brandt & Hochman Literary Agents
Elyse Cheney
Nicholas Ellison Literary Agency

Also, we had six clients nominated last cycle for The Pushcart Prize and another client nominated this cycle!

We love to celebrate with you!

The NUMBER ONE reason that writers don’t succeed (other than not writing well) is a lack of understanding about rejection. To help you overcome the most difficult hurdle for writers, we have written this E-book, entitled Rejoice in Rejection: The Art of Surviving the Submission Process. When you order this E-book, you’ll also receive a FREE REPORT that includes manuscript FORMAT guidelines for poetry, short prose, novels, nonfiction books, and plays. These guidelines will ensure that you are submitting your work using industry-standard formatting. 

Click here for more information: http://www.WritersRelief.com/help-for-writers-dealing-with-rejection.aspx.