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WIWA NEWSLETTER
Issue No. 010 August -- September 2002
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Sea of Voices, Isle of Story, a WIWA anthology is accepting submissions through August 30. See Contests and Market Requests for details.
CONTENTS
Message From the Editor
Letters to the Editor
On the Island
Off the Island
How to Make Yourself Irresistible to Any Agent or Publisher, Part 1: Understand How Publishing Works
-- by Michael Larsen, AAR
Cheers
Recent Releases
The Ins and Outs of Critique Groups
-- by Toni Grove
Larry Karp Donates Time and Profits
Contests and Market Requests
WIWC Youth Scholarships Available
Washington Chapter of PEN USA Recently Formed
Cyber Surfing
Quotes
Problems Reading the Newsletter?
To Contact Us
To Subscribe or Unsubscribe
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MESSAGE FROM THE EDITOR
I tend to write in a fragile, edgy, doubtful sort of way, trying things out all the time, never confident that I've got something right. -- William Trevor: In Paris Review 1989
A friend called recently and said, "I have a big favor to ask." You know how friends are; they often use the hyperbolic "big favor" when all they want is a ride to some meeting you were going to anyway. Or they want you to water their plants while they are on vacation. Half listening, I filled in a couple more letters to the crossword puzzle that had kept me at the breakfast table later than usual when my friend asked, "Can you teach a writing class for me to fifth and sixth graders at 10:00 o'clock?" Coffee spewed from my mouth. I dabbed it with my napkin and glanced at the clock -- 9:15. "And then another to seventh and eighth graders?"
This friend has seven children. She understands kids. She volunteers in the community, speaks in public for good causes, is warm and outgoing. I have no children; nor am I a teacher. My days are often spent in front of a computer or on a 40-foot sailboat with no one around but my husband. Since my friend knows this, I figured she must have an emergency or she wouldn't be calling me.
I asked for directions to the classroom and any advice she could offer in 30 seconds. "Read them something you've written," she said. Easy for her to say; she writes children's books, but I write nonfiction, mostly about log homes and sailboats, topics unlikely to resonate with 11 to 14 year-old students. With 40 minutes remaining, I brushed my hair, grabbed copies of my magazine articles, and headed for the school.
In the car I shifted back a few decades and recalled substitutes I'd had. They had been a waste of time, baby-sitters. That wasn't how I wanted to spend my time or the students', so I devised a plan: get their attention by reading an article about a woman who sailed and became stranded on the Mauritius island Agalega, have them write and read a descriptive piece, then have them rework their piece by adding similes.
Everything went fine in the first class until it was time to read aloud. Moaning and groaning, kids pointed at each other and said, "You first." One crinkled her paper and tossed it over her shoulder. When the grumbling and crumpling stopped, though, everyone read.
Few kids (or adults) write gems during 15-minute exercises, but the process gives them permission to write and experiment in areas new to them. Sometimes they find the seed for a good idea. More importantly, by reading their pieces aloud these kids were gaining confidence in expressing themselves and in valuing their opinions.
The second class was as self-conscious as the first. I encouraged and cajoled until everyone had read except one teenage boy whose jokes concealed his shyness. He was old enough to know I couldn't force him anymore than I could pop a wheelie. His apprehension reminded me of my own, not just in school, but more recently in writing groups.
When I read my work aloud, I told the class, my hands sometimes shake or my voice trembles. Other members of my writing group get nervous reading, too. Some have smeared a little ink with their spilt tears. There’s something hard about sharing what you write, as if you'll expose too much, like a zipper that keeps slipping. I explained that I appreciate the risk writers take each time they share, because I learn as much by hearing what they write as I learn from feedback on my own work.
Once more I asked the boy if he would read aloud, and he did, an exciting account of a dirt bike race.
Not much can happen in an hour, but I hope the students left with more confidence in their writing and a willingness to keep trying. One thing is certain, they did not waste my time. When a student said, "Thank you for teaching us," I was as happy as a biker who survives a whoop de doo.
Try something new.You'll be surprised what you can do.
May goodwill prevail,
Candace Allen
To read past issues of the newsletter online, go to: http://www.whidbey.com/writers/newsletter
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Enjoys Essays
Thanks for the splendid WIWA NEWSLETTER. What an excellent effort! Glad you found good use for my little essay. I also enjoyed Ann Gerike's and other essays -- and am impressed with the writing community and opportunities on Whidbey. Fond wishes, --Dan Millman
Great newsletter! Thanks so much for facilitating this forum. I especially enjoyed Ann Gerike's article " A Sense of Competence."
--Deborah Nedelman
Recognition
Just read the latest newsletter and, as always, I copied sections, hole-punched the copies, and filed them in one of the many three-ring notebooks I keep on writing subjects: craft/technique, marketing, ideas to develop, poetry, etc. The newsletter always has "keepers."
I was especially delighted to see that Celeste Mergens and the other conference planners/workers received recognition on NPR for their hard work. I have two radios in my office, one tuned to KPLU and the other to KUOW. If I'm doing busy-work (such as filing or preparing ms. submissions) I have one or the other on. Sorry I missed hearing the commentary "live."
The variety of programs that are being presented on Whidbey is amazing. Wish I lived nearer. Please know you're appreciated all year, not just during The Big Weekend. (One of my keepers is your description of how you felt after that weekend this year. It's always good for a chuckle.) -- Joyce Potter
Credits WIWC with Success
Don't know if you remember me. We had a nice chat at the last conference (my second WIWC) and was about to embark on my book tour for both my new (first) books: Keeper of Lime Rock and Heroes: Fifty stories of the American Spirt, Running Press, 2002. I attribute last year's conference with my success to finally get a book published after a lifetime of longing.
I have loved traveling the East Coast speaking about Ida Lewis (Keeper of Lime Rock) a once famous19th century lighthouse keeper whose story and place in history have been lost to time.
This is just a note to tell you that being at the conference and back in the warm environment of the island and your unique gathering of writers was immensely encouraging for me. It gave me the right head and spirit to start the book tour this past month. Thank you so much for that. Wherever I go, I meet aspiring writers. I share with them as much information and help as I can, keeping with the spirit of abundance and support that I gain from the conference. Be well, you are blessed, -- Lenore Skomal
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ON THE ISLAND
Book Signing with Local Author Tucker Giblin
Join Tucker Giblin, author of The Class of '42, Marines in WWII, for a booksigning August 3 from 1 to 5 p.m. at 7455 S. Bailey, Clinton, WA. Tucker says his book, in the making nine years, is the story of commander Captain Joseph E. Buckley, recipient of a Navy Cross and Bronze Star, and Tucker Giblin, a teenage enlistee who was a runner and a scout for a 37mm gun platoon. The book recounts the history of the Regimental Weapons Company, 7th Marines, of the First Marine Division. Mostly, though, it's the story of the enlisted men in the Pacific theater and all the battles, deprivation, neglect and heroism encountered there.
Tucker is a retired pilot with Northwest Airlines. He was also a fireside chat host at WIWC 2000. For more information about the book signing, call 579-8779. See this newsletter's column Recent Releases for more information about purchasing the book.
Book Signing with Local Author Chuck Herring
Join author Chuck Herring, author of Deep Regrets, for a book signing August 10 from 10 to 5 p.m. at Pay Less Food Store in Freeland.
Choose from Three Writing Groups
Now you can choose from three WIWA-sponsored writing groups: an evening group, a north-end daytime group, and a south-end daytime group. Drop-ins are welcome.
Evening Writers' Group
The evening WIWA Writers' Group meets the first Wednesday of every month from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the Freeland Library, 5495 Harbor Avenue. Toni Grove, treasurer for WIWA is the facilitator for the group. You can contact her at: toniandgordy@pioneernet.net. Anyone interested in writing is invited to attend. It is a place to discuss writing techniques or problems you may be having with your work. Informal brainstorming and support for fellow writers are encouraged. If you feel like sharing something you have written, please bring it with you to the meeting and read it aloud.
Day-time Writers' Groups
Sponsored by WIWA, the groups offer an opportunity to share work, gain insight, and discuss the world of writing and publishing. Featuring a friendly forum and useful critiques, these groups welcome writers at every experience level. For more information, contact Dot Read at <thereads@whidbey.com> or call (360)331-2038. Or just drop in; you will be welcome.
The North Whidbey Writers' Group meets the second and fourth Wednesday of each month, 1 to 4 p.m. at Great Times Espresso in Coupeville (on water side of Front Street).
The South Whidbey Writers' Group meets the first and third Wednesday of each month, 1 to 4 p.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church in Freeland (Hwy 525 and Woodard Rd.) The meeting is in the small building closest to Highway 525.
Adult Summer Reading Program
The Freeland Library's Summer Adult Reading Program will feature Whidbey Island author Susan Zwinger, Thursday, August 1 at 7 p.m. Susan will read from her latest book, The Last Wild Edge: One Woman's Journey from the Arctic Circle to the Olympic Rain Forest, and present slides of her journey. The library is located at 5495 Harbor Ave., Freeland. For more information, call Joanne Harmon, branch manager, at (360) 331-7323, or email her at jharmon@sno-isle.org.
Editing Workshop
SueEllen White, Literary Editor at Hedgebrook will present two editing workshop sessions Sept. 28 and Oct. 12, from 2 to 5 p.m. at the Freeland Library, 5495 Harbor Avenue. In the first session, participants will learn how to be an editor and what to expect of an editor. In addition, they will learn good editing techniques. Participants are asked to bring original work of their own. During the two week interim between sessions, participants will apply the techniques learned by editing each others work. In session two, participants will share their editing experiences and focus on what is expected of editors.
The workshop is limited to 15 participants, so reservations should be made as soon as possible by contacting Dot Read at: <thereads@whidbey.com>, or call (360) 331-2038. For the full learning experience, both sessions are recommended. The cost is $5 per session for WIWA members, $10 for nonmembers. Participants may join the Whidbey Island Writers' Association at either session. Annual dues are $10.
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OFF THE ISLAND
Reading/Signing at Third Place Books
Playwright, actor, novelist, and presenter for WIWC 2003, Kevin O'Morrison, will read from his novel, The Dead File, at Third Place Books August 1 at 7 p.m. The address is 17171 Bothell Way NE, Lake Forest Park. Kevin says The Dead File "is a roman à clef about hitherto unknown aspects of the show business blacklist -- among them, that it was a business run for profit where the private citizens who did the blacklisting would, for a fee, 'clear' their victims."
Activities At Hugo House
Hugo House is located at 1634 Eleventh Ave, between Olive and Pine on Capitol Hill. For directions, visit www.hugohouse.org.
August 2 and 3 -- Sex in Seattle presents Episode Five: Intimate Secrets
8 p.m. & 10:30 p.m. Costs vary.
(206) 323-9443 or www.sexinseattle.org.
August 5 -- Melange on Monday
Find the writing group of your dreams. Bring a piece of writing to share & be ready to write something new. No registration required. 7 p.m. FREE.
August 7 -- Subtext Reading Series, Diana George & Aaron Vidaver read.
7:30 p.m. $5 donation.
Visit www.speakeasy.org/subtext.
Fiction Writing Retreat With Susan Musgrave
The Sunshine Coast School of Writing will hold a three-day fiction writing workshop with novelist Susan Musgrave Oct. 25 - 27 at Ruby Lake Resort. For more information, see www.rubylakeresort.com. You may also contact Carol Hodgson about this retreat or other Sunshine Coast School of Writing workshops by calling (604) 886-8951, emailing c_hodgson@sunshine.net, or writing Sunshine Coast School of Writing, RR#4, 451 Pratt Road, Gibsons, B.C. VON 1V4. The Sunshine Coast is a 40-minute ferry ride from Horseshoe Bay in West Vancouver.
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HOW TO MAKE YOURSELF IRRESISTIBLE TO ANY AGENT OR PUBLISHER
Part 1: Understand How Publishing Works
by Michael Larsen, AAR
This is the first in a series of four articles by Michael Larsen, AAR, of the Larsen-Pomada Literary Agency, http://www.larsen-pomada.com. The article is adapted from Michael's book, Literary Agents: What They do, How They Do It, and How to Find and Work with the Right One for You.
There's a cartoon that shows an editor sitting across a desk from a man who looks like Charles Dickens, and the editor is saying, "Make up your mind, Mr. Dickens. Was it the best of times or the worst of times? It could scarcely have been both."
For new writers who want to be published by big houses, now is both the best and the most challenging of times. Here are thirteen reasons why:
1. Like the rest of the arts, publishing must tread the tightrope between art and commerce. Publishers want books that they can publish with pride and with passion, but to survive, they must publish books that sell.
2. Cost, conglomerates, competition, technology and the globalization of business and culture are changing publishing faster and more radically than at any time in its history. Nobody is in control of this accelerating transformation, and nobody knows where it is leading us.
3. In the age of information, content is king, but synergy is the power behind the throne. The six conglomerates that dominate trade publishing want books that they can recycle in as many media that they own as possible. There are more ways to make money from your ideas than ever, so when you're considering what to write about, try to come up with ideas that you can profit from in as many forms, media and countries as possible.
4. This is the age of the mass-market hardcover, heavily discounted million-copy selling blockbusters. It's cheaper and more profitable for publishers to print 1,000,000 copies of one book than 10,000 copies of a hundred books. The advances lavished on bestsellers leave less money for new writers who need it, and the more publishers pay, the more they push.
5. Books, like authors, agents, booksellers, and publishers tend to come in two sizes: big and small--bestsellers and everything else. And it's getting harder to sell small books to big publishers.
6. During its short ride on the publishing merry-go-round, your book will have six lunges to grab the brass ring of bestsellerdom:
-- a huge, highly publicized advance;
-- intense in-house enthusiasm;
-- rave pre-publication reviews in trade magazines;
-- large subsidiary-rights sales to the movies, book clubs and foreign publishers;
-- an all-out promotion campaign;
-- and glowing word of mouth recommendations.
Publishers hope that this good fortune will help their book reach the top of the bestseller list. If a book hasn't started generating momentum by the time it is published, it will either hang on or fall off the merry-go-round, depending on:
-- the reception the first printing receives from reviewers and book buyers;
-- handselling in independent bookstores and shelf-talkers, handwritten notes about the staff's favorite books;
-- and the author's ability to promote it.
Small wonder that most books, good and bad, fail. Independent bookstores are being supplanted by superstores that mark down prices and stock up to 175,000 titles. Barnes & Noble sells more books than all of the independent bookstores combined.
7. Publishing your book will be a personal, complex, collaborative enterprise. A multitude of things can go wrong during the publication of a book, and something probably will. To publish a book perfectly is practically impossible.
8. If you have an idea for a book now, it will probably take one and a half to two years for your book to reach the bookshelves. Even without the cost of the advance and the first printing, the average investment a major publisher makes in a book is more than $75,000. So publishers try to protect their investments by holding down advances and royalties, and by keeping as many subsidiary rights as possible.
9. What are editors buying? In fiction, they are looking for three kinds of books:
-- genre books such as mysteries and romances;
-- literary novels that are well-crafted and character-driven, but hard to sell when they're by newcomers;
-- and of course, bestsellers, which may be either of these.
In Elmore Leonard's novel, Get Shorty, an aspiring writer asks a Hollywood producer what kind of writing makes the most money. The producer replies: "Ransom notes."
10. In publishing, bestsellers make the most money. And publishers compete vigorously for them. Fiction, more than nonfiction, is a brand-name business, depending on well-known names.
11. In nonfiction, publishers will take on almost anything for the general public that will sell in bookstores and that ideally has other markets such as schools and non-book outlets. Nonfiction runs the gamut from frontlist humor and novelty books that make a splash and then disappear to evergreens, backlist books that sell year after year.
The French writer Andre Maurois once observed that: "In literature, as in love, we are astonished at what is chosen by others."
12. The response to writing is subjective. Agents and editors turn down books that become bestsellers.
13. Even with the obstacles facing new writers, publishing is remarkably open to new ideas, writers and books. The author Barry Lopez once said that "Sometimes a person needs a story more than food to stay alive." What hasn't changed at all in publishing is that people still want to be entertained and enlightened by books with timeless, universal ideas. It is easier than ever for the right book to change the world.
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CHEERS
Your good news cheers us on! Please share your successes with us. email the editor at: candace@whidbey.com.
Anyone interested in log construction or golf courses may enjoy reading WIWA Newsletter editor Candace Allen's latest piece in Log Home Living. Look for the August issue on your newstand and see Par for the Course on page 106.
WIWA Web master Linda Jedlicka is in the spotlight with the Internet Chapter of Sisters in Crime, an organization that promotes the professional advancement of women who write mysteries. See http://www.sinc-ic.org/spot0702.shtml for an in-depth interview with Linda who talks about her love of mysteries and her extensive collection of signed first editions. Linda also discusses WIWA and Langley Mystery Weekend.
Home Movie, a one-hour documentary directed by Chris Smith and produced by WIWC's stage director Barbara Joy Laffey, recently played for a week at the Varsity Theater in Seattle and will be at Bellingham's Pickford Theater beginning September 6. Ebert and Roeper gave the documentary two thumbs up.
WIWC participant Wendy Lestina won first place in Word Smitten's Spring Flash Fiction contest. To read Wendy's story online, go to: http://www.wordsmitten.com/ff_winner.html#hand.
Islander and WIWC participant Deb Lund has four children's books in her future. Play and Pray and God and Me will be published by Morehouse this fall and spring. Waiting for Me, a book that teaches children about the lives of parents waiting for a child to be born will be published by Harper Collins in summer 2003. Dinosailors, a singsong tale about dinosaur adventures at sea, will be on the shelves in 2004.
Watch for WIWC Director Celeste's Mergens' article How Embarrassing in a future issue (probably September) of Parents' Magazine.
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RECENT RELEASES
Eleventh Hour
by Catherine Coulter
July 22, 2002
Putnam
http://www.catherinecoulter.com
Popular WIWC 2002 instructor Catherine Coulter's latest book, Eleventh Hour, was released July 22. It is the seventh in her FBI suspense thriller series which began in 1996 with her bestseller The Cove. Be sure to see Catherine's Web site to read her newsletter and check out her book tour schedule.
The Class of '42, Marines in WWII
by Tucker Giblin
June 2002
Beaver's Pond Press
Whidbey Islander Tucker Giblin's account of WWII in the Pacific theater tells the enlisted man's story. Throughout WWII, service personnel were prohibited from keeping diaries or journals, or from taking photos of events in the war zones. Consequently, they returned to civilian life without a personal record or pictorial confirmation of their part in the war. With the help of his fellow Marines, Tucker spent seven years collecting material and combat photos to create that written record. His historical nonfiction story tells of the fear, anger, valor and intense loyalty felt by Major Joe Buckley's Marines while battling the Japanese Imperial Army and Special Japanese Naval Landing Forces throughout three amphibious landings in the Pacific. The book is available at http://www.MidwestBookHouse.com, or by calling 1-877-430-0044 between 7:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Central Standard Time, or by sending $32 to MidWest Book House, 1621 East Hennepin, Minneapolis MN 55414. See this newsletter's column On the Island for information about a book signing August 3 with Tucker Giblin.
Darjeeling
by Bharti Kirchner
July 2002
St Martin's Press
A story of two sisters in love with the same man, Darjeeling is Bharti Kirchner's third novel told in the larger context of family honor, exile, and a woman's place in the society. Bharti, who will teach at WIWC 2003, tells an intriguing tale of sisters coming to terms with their past and present when they are summoned home by their grandmother for her 81st birthday.
The Manager's Handbook for Corporate Security: Establishing and Managing a Successful Assets Protection Program
by Dr. Gerald L. Kovacich and Ed Halibozek
September 2002
Butterworth-Heinemann Publishers
http://www.shockwavewriters.com/
This book, by WIWA member Jerry Kovacich, provides a state-of-the-art, holistic approach to corporate security. It is written for corporate security professionals. The book describes methods, processes and procedures that both new and experienced professionals can implement immediately.
The Inspired Heart, An Artist's Journey of Transformation
by Jerry Wennstrom
September 2002
Sentient Publication
http://www.sentientpublication.com
Whidbey Island artist Jerry Wennstrom tells his story of living on the edge and finding his true path. While a successful artist living in New York City, Jerry destroyed his art work and abandoned his apartment, career and all tangible forms of security. For ten years he lived in the present, open to whatever life offered. During his spiritual journey, he lived life from the heart and trusted his intuition. He chose to quit trying to control what happens but to accept what comes. Jerry eventually returned to art. His book includes color prints of his work. At his Web site http://www.handsofalchemy.com/ you can see photos of some of his incredible sculptures, though to enjoy them fully you need to see them in person to get the full effect of their wiggling parts, flashing lights, boiling water, opening doors, sound effects and other fun surprises.
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THE INS AND OUTS OF CRITIQUE GROUPS
by Toni Grove
Some writers have partners who can cook a six course gourmet dinner, get the whites whiter and the brights brighter, drive eight hundred miles in a car full of kids and not kill a single one of them, read a manuscript and offer intelligent, yet kind, criticism. Most of us, though, have partners who lack those god-like qualities. For us there exist critique groups.
Whatever the size of the group, and whether the form of the feedback is verbal or written, I believe a critique group should serve three basic functions. The first is as a sounding board for my work-in-progress. Does my article on soap making, the latest diet fad or bee keeping make sense? Does it have a beginning, middle and end? Is it the right length for the target market? Does it flow smoothly or does it jerk along unevenly and make the listener/reader wince? Does my short story or the chapter from my novel keep the listener/reader’s attention? Is it a page-turner or a page-burner? Has my poem touched my listener/reader? Could my word choices be more descriptive, more vibrant?
Be aware that the makeup of your critique group may affect the value of the critique. If no one in your group is into poetry, don't read a five page epic poem about your cat and expect meaningful input. The same is true of fiction and non-fiction and the genres within them. If you're working on an historical romance you know you will probably -- let’s say definitely -- have to include some steamy love scenes. If the members of your group rise up as one and slap you with their white gloves you are in the wrong group. Some groups concentrate on one genre while others are successful with a mixed bag. You may have to try more than one critique group to find that place where you feel you are getting the feedback you need.
The second function of a critique group is as a source of marketing advice. Has anyone in the group submitted to a magazine that refused to pay, or has an editor or agent treated a member shabbily? Or like gold? What magazines have folded and which markets are new? The group is a good place to share market news and ideas for where that article, short story or poem should be submitted. Trade sample copies from literary magazines with each other, page through Writer’s Market and brainstorm new marketing techniques and formats. Something as simple as correct manuscript formatting might be a problem for a group member who is new to submitting.
The third function of a critique group should be as a place where everyone understands the ups and downs of the writing life and roots for you energetically when you send that manuscript off, then commiserates with you shamelessly when it comes back again, or cheers for you when a check arrives instead. Your critique group should be there to say, "Don't give up!" When an editor expresses interest in seeing something else of yours, the group says, "Send her something!” then hounds you mercilessly until you do. Those who love us best at home may not, as much as they might try, understand what it is we are doing staring off into space every day.
What a critique group can't do is write your book or short story or article for you. The members of the group might be able to help you with grammar glitches, but don't expect them to teach you the basics. There are books for that and classes you can take at community colleges. They can tell you if certain passages sound rough, if you left out details that would be helpful for the reader or if you should drop the first chapter and begin with the second. They can make loads of suggestions but it is your job to decide which bits of advice to take. You must separate the wheat from the chaff. You have to recognize what your goal is for the piece that is being critiqued and use the information you gather from the critique group to support that goal. Don't take out the sex because someone doesn't like sex. Don't drop the magic because someone only reads books about economics and doesn't know Merlin from Gandalf. Don't muffle your own, unique voice and take on the voice of your critic. Believe in your work, but keep your mind open to the possibility that you can always make something good even better.
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LARRY KARP DONATES TIME AND PROFITS
WIWC instructor Larry Karp recently spoke to a full house at the Freeland Library and donated 25 percent of his profits from sales that evening to Friends of Freeland. Joanne Harmon, Freeland Library Branch Manager, says "Larry was very complimentary of the Whidbey Island Writers' conference and indicated that was one of the reasons he was so willing to come free of charge and do a presentation."
During the first half, Larry spoke about the writing process and answered questions from aspiring writers in the audience. During the second half, he talked about and demonstrated some of the antique music boxes that figure so importantly in his mysteries. For more information about Larry and his books, see http://www.larrykarp.com/.
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CONTESTS AND MARKET REQUESTS
Whidbey Island Writers' Association Anthology
Sea of Voices, Isle of Story, an anthology celebrating the diversity within excellent writing, seeks poetry, fiction, and essays (3,000 words maximum). We want a box of chocolates; surprise us with the center and make the outside addictive. Simultaneous and previously published material is okay. All genres are welcome. Submit online text pasted into the body of email (no attachments) to writers@whidbey.com. Subject line: Sea of Voices, Isle of Story. Published through Triple Tree Press to celebrate five years of diversity in writing within the Whidbey Island Writers' Conference. Deadline August 30, 2002; notification in September 2002. Payment: one copy. For additional information, visit www.whidbey.com/writers.
Celebrate Writing Contest for Adults
Once again WIWA is sponsoring a Celebrate Writing Contest to promote the spirit of writing in our community. The contest is open to adults living on Whidbey Island.
You may submit manuscripts in one or more of the following categories: poetry (maximum 24 lines), short fiction (maximum 2,000 words), essay (maximum 800 words), life history (maximum 800 words), and children's literature (maximum 1,200 words, 24 pages for storybooks). Entry forms will be available beginning September 2 at the Whidbey Island branches of the Sno-Isle Library System in Oak Harbor, Coupeville, Freeland, Langley and Clinton. Manuscripts must be submitted to the Island Sno-Isle Library System between September 26 and October 10. Manuscripts will be returned with comments by November 26, 2002.
The winner of each category will be invited to attend the Book Signing/Authors' Reception and the Authors' Panel at the Whidbey Island Writers' Conference 2003. The grand winner of the contest will win a tuition-paid scholarship to WIWC 2003.
No fee is required for WIWA members to enter the contest, however non-WIWA members must pay a $5 fee for each category entered. WIWA membership is $10 per year. Membership application forms will be attached to the contest entry forms for anyone interested in joining WIWA.
Oregon Writers Colony Annual Short Fiction and Nonfiction Contest
Oregon Writers Colony is calling for submissions to its annual writing competition. Send your short stories of no more than 3,000 words, and/or your creative nonfiction of under 1,500 words. Cash prizes of $200, $100, and $50 will be awarded to the top three finishers in each division. Multiple entries are welcome. Writers should submit original, previously unpublished entries.
Sally Petersen, the nonfiction judge, is a long time OWC Board member and author of The Real American Dream. Larry Brooks, author of Darkness Bound and Pressure Points, and a popular OWC workshop leader, will judge the fiction entries.
Submissions will be accepted until August 15, 2002. Send four copies of your entry with no identifying marks on the manuscript. In an enclosed envelope, include $10 per entry for OWC members, and $15 for nonmembers, along with your name, address, email, and the name of your entry. For confirmation of receipt, enclose an SASP. Send to: Oregon Writers Colony, PO Box 1829, Lake Oswego, OR 97035. Inquiries: Nancy Boutin (503) 636-4759. email: nsbout@aol.com. For more information, see: http://www.oregonwriterscolony.org/contest.htm
Triple Tree Publishing Contest and Request for Submissions
Triple Tree Publishing is now accepting both regular submissions and Emerging Writer Contest submissions for MOTA 2003: Courage. Submission guidelines are on the Web site: http://www.tripletreepub.com or available for an SASE to: Triple Tree Publishing, PO Box 5684, Eugene, OR, 97405.
A Cup of Comfort Seeks Submissions
Adams Media Corporation is producing a series of Cup of Comfort Books. Guidelines for submissions are available online at http://www.cupofcomfort.com/share.htm
ByLine Sponsors Contests
Check out ByLine's Web site http://www.bylinemag.com/contests.asp for the many contests it is sponsoring between April and December 2002.
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WIWC YOUTH SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE
Student scholarships are available for the Whidbey Island Writers' Conference, which will be held February 28 through March 2, 2003. WIWC scholarship coordinator Nancy Ruff, Ed.D., says WIWA is dedicated to involving youth scholars in its annual writing conference. Each year, individuals, businesses and conference presenters generously fund a number of tuition scholarships so that youths can attend.
Students in grades 9 through 12 or those enrolled in a college or university undergraduate program are eligible to apply for a full tuition scholarship. Details, including evaluation criteria, submission guidelines, and an application form are available at http://www.whidbey.com/writers/scholar.htm. WIWA wants to give the greatest number of students an opportunity to attend WIWC, therefore previous WIWC scholarship winners are not eligible.
Applications must be postmarked no later than December 31, 2002. Students will be notified of their status by February 7, 2003. Scholarships cover the $325 tuition for the three-day event. Transportation to and from Whidbey Island and conference activities, housing, meals (except two lunches included with tuition), and incidentals are the student's responsibility.
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WASHINGTON CHAPTER OF PEN USA RECENTLY FORMED
PEN Washington, a new chapter of PEN USA, was recently formed by several local authors, including Kevin O'Morrison, an instructor for WIWC 2003. Kevin says, "We're planning to have lots of events, including an Awards Program when we're up and running at full steam."
PEN USA, founded in 1952, is part of an international organization of professional writers begun in 1921 in the belief that literature contributes to the wealth of humanity at large, and as such must be strengthened and preserved. PEN stands for Poets, Essayists and Novelists, but now encompasses writers from every genre, as well as journalists, screen and television writers, translators, editors and critics. PEN advocates for freedom of expression wherever it is found and works to celebrate great literature without regard to country of origin, race, religion, creed or sex. Kevin is the chairman of the Freedom to Write Program, which conducts a letter writing campaign in aid of writers world wide who are persecuted for their writing. He says, "We recently received word that we gained the freedom of a Tibetan writer. And a Turkish writer who was under death threat has been granted sanctuary in Germany through our efforts."
Membership in PEN Washington is open to authors who have published at least one full-length work (not self-published) or an analogous body of work in reputable literary magazines, journals, anthologies (or on the stage or screen). Dedicated writers who are in the early stages of their career, but have published three to five essays, stories, or poems in reputable magazines or journals may join as associate members. Associate membership is also available for editors, translators, and journalists who have at least three years professional experience. Members of the Author Guild are automatically eligible for PEN.
Some of the benefits of membership include participation in an international group of professional writers; free access to a membership directory; regional salons and seminars; opportunities to present work at Northwest Bookfest and Bumbershoot; listing in the Author Access program; and free listing through Preview Port and WESTAF literary databases to help sell books and reach out to potential readers on a national basis. For more information, visit www.penusa.org or contact Sandi Sonnenfeld, President, PEN Washington at SanWar1@earthlink.net
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CYBER SURFING
Have you encountered some helpful Internet sites? Send us the address and your brief review.
Wendy Lestina recommends Word Smitten's site www.wordsmitten.com for general information about writing.
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QUOTES
For something different, Sarah Ann McMahan sent a list of similes and metaphors from high school English essays. Here are a few that might give you cause to pause.
His thoughts tumbled in his head, making and breaking alliances like underpants in a dryer without Cling Free. -- Chuck Smith
Long separated by cruel fate, the star-crossed lovers raced across the grassy field toward each other like two freight trains, one having left Cleveland at 6:36 p.m. traveling at 55 mph, the other from Topeka at 4:19 p.m.at a speed of 35 mph. -- Jennifer Hart
The politician was gone but unnoticed, like the period after the Dr. on a Dr Pepper can. -- Wayne Goode
Her artistic sense was exquisitely refined, like someone who can tell butter from I Can't Believe It's Not Butter. -- Barbara Collier
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PROBLEMS READING THE NEWSLETTER ?
If you have trouble reading the WIWA Newsletter because of gobbledygook, or unwanted characters, please contact the editor at: candace@whidbey.com. She will put you on a list to receive the newsletter in plain, instead of stylized, format, which may alleviate the problem. You may also read prior issues online at: http://www.whidbey.com/writers/newsletter
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TO CONTACT US OR SUBMIT AN ARTICLE
We are interested in hearing from you. Perhaps you've been to a recent book fair, heard a favorite author speak, or learned valuable tips from a writing class. Perhaps you're a professional willing to share your expertise. If you would like to submit an article; tell us about your good news for the Cheers or Recent Releases columns; send us your favorite quotes, markets, contests and cyber sites; or contact us about the newsletter for any reason, please email the editor at: candace@whidbey.com
To contact the Whidbey Island Writers' Association, email : writers@whidbey.com
The WIWA Web site is: http://www.whidbey.com/writers
Whidbey Island Writers' Conference:
Feb. 28-- March 2, 2003
The Spirit of Writing
http://www.whidbey.com/writers/conference
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TO SUBSCRIBE OR UNSUBSCRIBE
The WIWA Newsletter is published approximately every two months and is delivered to subscribers by email. If you would like to subscribe, send an email, with SUBSCRIBE WIWA in the subject line, to the editor at candace@whidbey.com. If you would like to unsubscribe, please reply to this email with UNSUBSCRIBE in the subject, and we will delete you from our database. WIWA will not share or sell your name or email address.