WIWA NEWSLETTER

Vol. 002, Issue 006        December 2002 -- January 2003
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The Celestial Writing Contest is now accepting entries from registered WIWC 2003 participants. The deadline is February 1, 2003.

CONTENTS
Message From the Editor
Letters to the Editor
On the Island
Off the Island
Passages
How to Make Yourself Irresistible to Any Agent or Publisher, Part 3: Develop Your Craft
     -- by Michael Larsen, AAR
Ask Mike
     -- by Michael Larsen, AAR
Pre-Conference Retreats
WIWA Member Wins Subscription to Writer's Digest
WIWA Plans for the Future
Cheers
Recent Releases
South Whidbey Reads
     -- by Candace D. Allen
The Continuing Saga of a Dairyman's Guide to Self-Publishing
     -- by Murray Anderson
On-Island Writing Classes, Winter Session
Contests and Market Requests
Celebrate Writing Adult Contest Winners
Last Chance for WIWC Youth Scholarship
Cyber Surfing
Quotes
Problems Reading the Newsletter?
To Contact Us
To Subscribe or Unsubscribe

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MESSAGE FROM THE EDITOR

The greatest gift is a passion for reading. It is cheap, it consoles, it distracts, it excites, it gives you knowledge of the world and experience of a wide kind. It is a moral illumination. -- Elizabeth Hardwick

Eight years ago on a blustery day when the rain was coming sideways and the sun never seemed to rise, Northwest Bookfest held its first biblio-bash on Pier 48 in Seattle. Fortunate to live in an area of the country that supports readers and writers, I joined the shivering crowd on the waterfront.

With a latte held against my cheek for warmth, I listened as true-crime author Ann Rule told a standing-room-only audience about psychopathic criminals. Another group huddled around Pulitzer Prize winner Studs Terkel and environmentalist Hazel Wolf who at age 96 was a character in Terkel’s Coming of Age. By the time I got around to my goal of buying a signed copy of Ken Kesey’s Last Go Round for my stepson’s Christmas gift, the vendors were packing up their books to go home. Kesey stayed until the end, making sure everyone who wanted an autograph got one.

Since then Bookfest has seen as many venues as a college kid with a Eurailpass. This year’s event landed on the shores of Lake Washington in Sandpoint’s Magnuson Park. Perhaps it was all the moving around that inspired Bookfest to invite Rick Steves, author of the guidebook series Europe Through the Back Door, as one of its key speakers.

Travel guidebooks may not be literary writing, but I enjoy reading them. Like cookbooks, they evoke good smells, exotic flavors and romantic interludes -- all the ingredients required for a satisfying daydream. Throw in a little humor, which Steves does, and I'm content to snuggle in for an evening of armchair travel.

On occasion I venture beyond my living room to some of the destinations Steves writes about, and when I do, I try to live by his mantra, “Pack light.” I've managed to pare my slacks down to two, my shirts to five, and my undies to however many I can wad up into the size of a softball, but I haven't been able to cut back the number of books I carry. Often I pack as many as six paperbacks, two guidebooks, a journal and a notebook for a three-week trip. I've infected my husband Bob with the idea that he, too, needs to carry a complete library wherever we go. That way, if a couple of my books don't meet my expectations, I can poach from him.

Sometimes I think writers get so caught up with their own work that they forget to read, but if as writers we don't read, can we realistically expect anyone to read our own works? If you need an excuse because you feel guilty taking time away from the work of writing, be sure to read literary agent Michael Larsen’s article Develop Your Craft in this issue of the newsletter.

My friend Nancy is writing a book that has a chapter made up almost entirely of interior monologue. Thinking that her attempts were “unsuccessful and distancing,” she asked if I knew of any good examples of the technique. My first thought was Voyage for Mad Men by Peter Nichols. I assumed that anyone who writes about single-handed sailors racing around the world with no one to talk to for months must know how to write interior monologue. But the truth is, Bob read that book, not I. It’s one he packed in his personal library on our recent trip to Denmark. My next thought was the quintessential The Old Man and the Sea.

“Perfect,” Nancy said.

I can't wait to see her rewrite.

May goodwill prevail,
Candace D. Allen

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Reader Can't Find Article

I copied Chuck Hastings suggestions for a novel critique group and took them to my RnC group. We decided to adapt some of the rules and I was appointed to put it all together. I noticed the previous month you had an article by Toni Grove on critique groups. I looked in my file for that issue and guess it's been eaten by the computer genie (or some stupid broad deleted it). I realize that I'm asking of your time, but could you send it to me? Just copy and e-mail if you can. I surely would appreciate it.
--Melody Kincade, First time attendee 2002

I'm glad Melody and several other readers found Chuck's guidelines and Toni's suggestions for a critique group helpful. If you are looking for those articles or other past articles from the WIWA Newsletter, you will find them on the Internet, courtesy of our web master Linda Jedlicka, at http://www.whidbey.com/writers/newsletter. If for some reason you cannot find them there, feel free to e-mail me and I will try to help.

WIWC Participant's Books Now in Print
Thanks for the newsletter --- very helpful! Last year when I attended the WIWA conference, my guidebook for creating retreats for girls and women, written with two co-authors, was in manuscript form. I found the conference sessions about publishing very useful. The book, Daughters Arise! A Christian Retreat Resource for Girls Approaching Womanhood, is now in print, along with an accompanying Daughters Arise! journal for the girls. 
Thank you for your encouragement to writers. --Gloria Koll

Note of Appreciation
Thank you for another good letter. I've printed it to share with a friend who is "conceptualizing" her first novel at the age of 70. --Joyce Miller

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ON THE ISLAND

Friends of the Langley Library
Nancy Pearl, Great Reads for the New Year
Dec. 4, 1:30 p.m., WICA, Langley
Free Admission, free refreshments

Choose from Three WIWA-Sponsored 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. 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 of every experience level. 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.

Day-time Writers' Groups
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 (water-side of Front Street, down one flight of stairs).

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.

For more information, contact Dot Read at: thereads@whidbey.com, or call (360) 331-2038. Or just drop in; you will be welcome.

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OFF THE ISLAND

Seattle Arts & Lectures
George Plimpton, Editor, Essayist and Novelist.
Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2003, 7:30 p.m.
Benaroya Hall
http://www.lectures.org/plimpton.html

Richard Hugo House
1634 Eleventh Ave, Seattle
See http://www.hugohouse.org/events/ for the latest schedule of events.

University of Washington Outreach
Intermediate Commercial Fiction
Thursdays, Jan. 9--March 15, 6:00 p.m.
Puget Sound Plaza, 1325 Fourth St.
Cost is $385 plus $30 registration fee
For more information, contact: Pamela Goodfellow (206) 782-2799, e-mail pamela@goodfellowpress.com

Words and Art at the Otis Cafe
1005 Boren Ave, Seattle, (206) 342-9866
Dec. 10, 7:00--9:00p.m., Poetry spotlight on Dana Elkun and Phillip Randolph and Prose spotlight on Curt Colbert.

Take a Poem Into Your Heart
Lottie Motts Coffee Shop, 4900 Rainier Ave S, Seattle, (206) 725-8199
Dec, 5, 7:00--9:00 p.m., Diane Westergaard, Priscilla Long and Murray Gordon

Artist and Author Jerry Wennstrom will show his video, In the Hands of Alchemy and hold a book signing for The Inspired Heart, an Artist's Journey of Transformation, at the following locations in December. For more information, or for a schedule of showings in January and later, see http://www.handsofalchemy.com/

Dec. 5, 7:30 p.m., Vancouver Public Library
350 West Georgia Street, Vancouver, BC V6B 6B1
Contact Michael Bertrand 1-800-663-8442, http://www.banyen.com/

Dec. 12, 7:30 p.m., Armchair Books
1700 Milehill Suite 202, South Kitsap Mall, Port Orchard, WA
Contact DeDe Peters 360-874-8932

Dec. 19,  7:30 p.m., Auntie's Bookstore 
402 W Main Street, Spokane WA 99201
1-888-652 6657, http://www.auntiesbooks.com/

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PASSAGES

Edna Hansen, 1924--2002

With sadness WIWA reports the passing of Edna Hansen on October 6, 2002. Ever since the Whidbey Island Writers Conference began nearly five years ago, Edna generously opened her home to conference attendees for weekend lodging. Dozens of participants found a warm loving environment in the Little Dome Chris Hansen built for his wife.

Born Edna May Benck on Jan. 30, 1924 in Trenton N.J., she married Christian Hansen Dec. 30 1945. They moved to California where Edna soon became active in various preschool and childhood programs. She taught at the Altadena Co-op, and for many years served on its board of directors. She was president of the California Gifted Association, and she helped develop a program for minority families that was used as a model for the Head Start Program. Edna earned her master's degree from Goddard College and her doctoral degree in early childhood education from Lawrence University. In 1981 Edna began the Learning Park at the Little Dome where she taught children using her pioneering methods of multi-sensory integration for 19 years.

Edna is survived by her loving husband Chris and six children, Kim Williams, Kip Hansen, Sky Hansen, Shawn Hansen, Dean Hansen, and Kama Hunter; 13 grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren. A memorial service was held October 9. Donations in memory of Edna may be made to Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, P.O. Box 19023, Seattle, WA 98109-1023.

Deb Lund Remembers Edna -- Edna and I had many heart-felt discussions through the years, sometimes about writing, but more often, we spoke of another passion we shared -- education. Most recently, Edna was an inspiration and constant support as I worked with others in our community to develop Cedar School. She was a mentor and model for many, and now we'll be looking for her guidance by recalling her spirited smile.

WIWA Remembers Edna -- "Edna was a fountain of hopefulness and support to every writer she met. She is dearly missed," says WIWA director Celeste Mergens. WIWA has created a perpetual scholarship in Edna's name.

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HOW TO MAKE YOURSELF IRRESISTIBLE TO ANY AGENT OR PUBLISHER
Part 3: Develop Your Craft
by Michael Larsen, AAR

This is the third 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.

The Nobel-Prize-winning author Somerset Maugham once said, "There are three rules for writing a novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are."

Fortunately, we can be more helpful when it comes to developing your craft:
     -- read

The Six Golden Rules of Writing: "Read, read, read and write, write, write." --Novelist Ernest Gaines

Read what you love to read and write what you love to read. Read for inspiration and to establish criteria for your writing. Become a life-long learner about publishing.

-- Love words. Like your computer, words are the tools of your trade. Your words will affect your readers in ways impossible to predict or imagine. Every word counts.

-- Understand what makes books work. Analyze what makes the books you love effective, and you will be on your way to accomplishing your literary goals.

-- Get experience writing. There are more ways to make a living as a writer than ever, and any kind of writing experience makes an impression on agents and editors.

-- Come up with ideas.

There's a cartoon that shows two women nursing cocktails and one is saying to the other: "I'm marrying Marvin. I think there's a book in it."

There's a book in just about anything, and more subjects to write about than ever before. A publisher will buy your idea in one of two forms: A first novel usually has to be finished. But publishers buy ninety percent of nonfiction books on the basis of proposals.

-- Research your subject. Hemingway believed that you should know ten times as much about a subject as you put into a book. The more you learn, the more you earn.

-- Outline your book. When you set out to construct an enduring edifice of prose, give yourself a solid foundation on which to build.

-- Establish a work style. There is only one right way for you to write, and that's in whatever way enables you to produce your best work.


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ASK MIKE
by Michael Larsen, AAR

If you have a question for Michael Larsen AAR, of the Larsen-Pomada Literary Agency, http://www.larsen-pomada.com, you may email your request to candace@whidbey.com with the subject line,"Question for Mike."

Ellen Antonelli asks:
Q: I recently finished my first novel, which includes about a dozen poems from other authors. When and how should I get my work copyrighted? Is this done before giving it to an agent? Should I copyright it before having acquaintances proof-read it?

A: Attorneys have advised me that work is copyrighted the moment it takes tangible form, that is, the moment you print it out. My experience is that once your work is accepted for publication, your publisher will get a copyright for you in your name. Putting a copyright on work submitted to agents or publishers suggests the writer is an amateur.

Q: How should I deal with the poetry that is not mine? If I try to copyright my novel, will it be turned down because of the inclusion of this other material? Or, do I wait for a publisher to get permission for reprinting the poetry? Does my agent do that? Thanks for any help you can give me. 

A: If the copyright on a poem has expired, it is in public domain, and you don't need to get permission to use it. If a poem is not in public domain, your publisher will probably expect you to contact whomever controls the copyright and pay for permission to use the poem in your book. The trade directory Literary Market Place lists the rights-and-permission people at publishing houses to contact.

Before giving you a price, the rights-and-permission person may want to know the name of your publisher, whether your book will be a hardcover or a trade paperback, the size of the first printing, and territory for which you want permission: the United States and its possessions, Canada, and non-exclusive English-language rights elsewhere; World English; and translation rights. You should be able to get a range of low-to-high prices that publishers charge for the rights you want and use the number midway between them as an estimate. Unless your book will have strong potential for foreign rights, it may not be worthwhile to buy the rights to use the poems abroad.

You may find that the cost of permissions may exceed their value to the book. Your publisher may not think the poems are needed or may suggest other poems. So don't pay for permissions until your publisher accepts your manuscript. Your publisher will have a permissions form you can use.

Michael Larsen's answers are his opinions only. For legal advice, he and WIWA advise you to contact an attorney who specializes in intellectual property and copyright law.

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PRE-CONFERENCE RETREATS

Four pre-conference retreats will be held Thursday, February 27 in poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and children's writing. The sessions are full day intensive workshops from 9:00 to 4:30 and are for the serious writer. Each retreat is limited to the first ten people who register. The cost for the retreat is $240 and includes lunch on Thursday and dormitory style lodging (2-3 per room) in a comfortable, cozy setting for the entire retreat and conference weekend. For more information, e-mail writers@whidbey.com or call (360) 331-6714.

Larry Karp, retired physician, and author of the Thomas Purdue mystery series as well as several nonfiction books, will teach the fiction retreat, You're Not Stuck -- Your Story Is. Writers don't get blocked -- stories do. At least, that's the way Larry sees it. Whether you're having trouble laying down a nice juicy, unruly first draft, or developing that draft into a coherent, compelling novel, Larry will help you get your story moving. Using samples from his own work for illustration, Larry will go through his writing approach, from first idea to finished novel, discussing characters, plot, dialogue, and setting. Then he'll work with participants on unsticking stuck points in their own stories.

Participants in this workshop should be prepared to send Larry, two to four weeks in advance of the retreat, the titles and short descriptions (no more than one page) of their current work, and what specific problems they want to address. If they wish, they may also send ten or fewer pages (double-spaced only please) of their work to help demonstrate their problems and questions. Participants will be given the address to which to send this information when they register for the retreat.

Because Larry will be illustrating problems he encountered with his own work, participants will benefit from reading Larry's books before the workshop. This is not a requirement, but if participants would like to do some reading in advance, the books are: The Music Box Murders, Scamming the Birdman, and The Midnight Special. Most are available in hard cover, and all are available in paperback from your local bookseller or directly from Larry (paperback price is $5.99; if you buy hard cover from Larry, he can offer them at a discounted $15.00).

Gary Ferguson, author of 14 books about nature and science, and hundreds of articles for national magazines, will teach the nonfiction retreat, From Life to Literature: The Personal Essay. While the nuts and bolts of good writing -- transition, tone, dialogue, and pacing -- can be taught from a variety of perspectives, the personal nonfiction essay has the distinct advantage of helping writers know who they are in a given piece, and through that knowledge, begin to understand more deeply the basics of good storytelling. This retreat, which will include a mix of exercises, readings and lectures, is intended to achieve two goals. First, writers will have an opportunity to hone the five most important mechanical skills needed for this type of nonfiction writing. Second, students will work on developing powerful story threads by means of an ancient blueprint for storytelling known as dramatic device. Students are invited to submit their experience-based essays ahead of time, to be critiqued and discussed in private, one-on-one sessions later in the workshop.

Sheila Bender, poet, essayist, author of over six books on writing, writing professor and publisher of WritingItReal.com, will teach the poetry retreat Speaking from the Deep Voice By Writing Free Verse Poems. When poems grow organically they become as rites, or in W.H. Auden's words, exhibit "balance, closure, and aptness." Come learn how tracking and fostering the poetic organization of your own free verse can help you in this rite making. Through exercises and workshop responses to poems-in-progress, as well as discussions of mechanics, craft and style, poets will concentrate on shaping new poems through listening to the cadences and soul-organized phrasing of language. Join Sheila for a day of generating material and shaping words into vibrant free-verse poetry.

Although participants may also bring work-in-progress to share with the group and develop, this is not required since we will all create new works during the retreat.

Marian Dane Bauer, recipient of the Jane Addams Peace Association and the American Library Association Newberry Honor Awards, and author of more than 30 books for young readers, will teach the children's retreat, Planning Your Story. Join this versatile and noted children's author as she helps you strengthen your skills for avoiding story pitfalls. The most frequent reason that stories fail, especially in the hands of developing writers, is that they lack real substance. Where does the "substance" that makes a story work come from? Simple. From making a story plan, discovering your characters, thinking through your story's conflict, sorting out your theme BEFORE you begin to write. We will do exactly that kind of planning in this retreat. Come prepared with an idea for a new story or with a story in hand that you want to rethink and rewrite in a substantive way. Come prepared to work hard and to have fun. By the time you leave, you will be ready to write something that will work.

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WIWA MEMBER WINS  SUBSCRIPTION TO WRITER'S DIGEST

WIWA member Nancy Rodich Hodges of Oak Harbor, Washington is the winner of a year's subscription to Writer's Digest. Nancy's name was randomly selected from among 163 members. We thank her and all other WIWA members for their support.

Annual membership dues of $10 help support WIWA activities and networking opportunities for writers such as classes, workshops and book signings. In addition WIWA sponsors writing groups; the WIWA e-mail newsletter; the upcoming anthology Sea of Voices, Isle of Story; contests for adults and children; student scholarships to the annual conference; and much more. Membership entitles you to book signings and promotion of your books at WIWC and other events, reduced fees at selected workshops and classes, waiver of reading fees for the Celebrate Writing Contest, merchandise discounts, drawings and prizes at WIWC, and an opportunity to help plan and implement writing activities.

To join, send a check for $10 to Whidbey Island Writers Association, P. O. Box 1289, Langley, WA 98260. Be sure to include your name, address, phone number and e-mail address. If you'd like to tell us more about your writing interests, complete the membership form at http://www.whidbey.com/writers/wiwaform.htm and include it with your dues. A membership year coincides with a calendar year, however, any dues received during the last three months will also apply to 2003.

As a member, your name, address and other information will never be sold or used for anything other than official WIWA purposes.

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WIWA PLANS FOR THE FUTURE

Six years ago Celeste Mergens, executive director of WIWA, envisioned a world-class conference that would support and encourage writers in an intimate setting among friends and gifted instructors. That conference is about to enter its fifth year thanks to the effort and talent of a gifted team of volunteers. Now WIWA is expanding its vision to include the development of the Writers’ Institute of the Northwest.

WINstitute, as the project is called, will be a focal point for WIWA’s activities, a place to hold retreats, classes, student field trips, readings, film screenings, author presentations, and community meetings. It will be a place for writers to come for the day or even for the week to write. Its brightest star will be a low-residency Master of Fine Arts program in creative writing. All of this is a dream right now, but a dream that is rapidly becoming reality.

“We have successfully completed the first steps for approval for our MFA program from the State’s Degree Authorization Office, but to do an MFA program we have to have our own building,” Celeste says. “We also have to have the first year’s operating budget in the bank without relying on tuition.”

WIWA, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, is actively looking for property, applying for grants and raising funds. If you have any leads or desire to help in any way, please contact Celeste Mergens at writers@whidbey.com. The ideal setting would be ten acres on Whidbey Island with or without a building structure. WIWA also wants to hear from you about future services you would like to see from WIWA and the WINstitute.

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CHEERS
Your good news cheers us on! Please share your successes with us. email the editor at: candace@whidbey.com.

Brian Ames, WIWC participant, has been busy submitting to on-line magazines. You can see some of his work at the following web sites: http://www.wordriot.org/essays/ames/quek.html,  http://www.coelacanthmagazine.com/rise.html, http://www.oneworldjourneys.com/stories/story.cfm/storyid/215, http://www.oneworldjourneys.com/stories/story.cfm/storyid/210, http://www.megaera.org/Megaera/fall02/ames.html, http://www.pigironmalt.com/ames.htm.

The Society of Environmental Journalists (SEJ) recently announced winners of its first annual SEJ Award for outstanding environmental coverage. Marion Blue, Bill Dietrich, Russell Sparkman, Denise Rocco, and Gary Braasch were named finalists in the on-line category for their piece, Mercury Rising: Bearing Witness to Climate Change, for OneWorldJourneys.com

While Melanie Childers was at a conference for the International Society of Poets in Washington, DC, she entered a poetry competition that drew more than 2,000 entrants from around the world, and she won. Her prize was a publishing contract for her first book of poetry. Watermark Press will print 100 copies of her poetry book, a few of which she hopes to place in Seattle bookstores next fall. Melanie says, "I had the courage and confidence to attend that amazing symposium because of the youth scholarship I won from WIWA in 2001 and the encouraging experiences I had at your conference!"

Bharti Kirchner, faculty for the 2003 conference, has published an essay entitled The Limitless Road in the just published anthology Road of Her Own: Women's Journeys in the West (Fulcrum Publishing). She also read from her most recent novel, Darjeeling, at Northwest Bookfest.

WIWC's stage manager Barbara Joy Laffey's essay, 1964, Sidney was awarded Honorable Mention in the Personal Essay category of the 71st Annual Writer's Digest Writing Competition. Barbara Joy says there were more than 2,939 entrants in her category. That's a lot of competition!

Dawn Richard writes that her book, Death for Dessert, will be out next fall. She has a contract with Tekno Books, which says her book will be sublicensed to Five Star, an imprint of Thorndike Press. Dawn says, "I am thrilled, and must attribute much of my success and confidence to the people who inspired and encouraged me at the last Whidbey Island Writers Conference. Thank you so much for a wonderful experience!"

Poet, essayist and WIWC 2003 instructor Mary Lou Sanelli recently read from her latest book of poetry, The Immigrant's Table, at the Northwest Bookfest. Also, her essay, Gray Skies and Rain: The Water Connects Her, was recently published in the Seattle Times.You can read it on-line at http://archives.seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/texis.cgi/web/vortex/display?slug=essay03&date=20021103&query=Mary+Lou+Sanelli.

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RECENT RELEASES

The Immigrants Table
by Mary Lou Sanelli
July 2002
Pleasure Boat Studio

A lovely collection of poems by WIWC presenter Mary Lou Sanelli and Italian recipes from Mary Lou's relatives introduces readers to a cultural experience of food, family, and tradition.

Daughters Arise! A Christian Retreat Resource for Girls Approaching Womanhood
by Donna Humphreys, Gloria Koll, Sally Windecker
Daughters Arise! A Journal for Girls Approaching Womanhood
by Donna Humphreys, Gloria Koll, Sally Windecker
The Pilgrim Press
E-mail: pilgrim@ucc.org or call: 1-800-537-3394

Daughters Arise! A Christian Retreat Resource for Girls Approaching Womanhood draws upon the three Whidbey Island authors' experience holding retreats for girls 11 to 18 and their mothers or mentors. The authors write, "The welcome Jesus offered women defied the cultural assumptions of his time. Women such as Mary of Magdala were his friends." But throughout the centuries, women have gained rights and recognition more slowly in the church than in the secular world." The retreats are designed to let girls know there is another way.

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SOUTH WHIDBEY READS
by Candace D. Allen

It’s been a long ride, but the idea of "one book, one city," or in Whidbey’s case, "one book, one community" has finally landed on our shores.

Four years ago, Nancy Pearl, executive director of the Washington Center for the Book suggested that everyone in Seattle read the same book and talk about it. Her idea caught on with readers, and soon cities across the nation were sponsoring their own communal reads, along with discussions, book clubs and author visits.

Now, thanks to the efforts of "South Whidbey Reads," a joint project of The Friends of the Clinton, Freeland and Langley Libraries, Whidbey will have its own community-wide reading campaign, called “What if All South Whidbey Read the Same Book?”

“We see it as an opportunity to bring the community together around something fun and different,” said Marti Anamosa, president of the Friends of the Langley Library.

The program centers on everyone reading the same book and then getting together for discussion in neighborhoods, book clubs, high school classes and libraries. Hints for leading discussions will be available at the local libraries and on the Internet. Sample questions and information about the author will also be provided, as will advice for starting or organizing a book club. Finally, readers will all come together in one big hoopla to share their ideas, comments and love of reading.

For now, the title of the book selected is top secret. The libraries, The Book Bay, Moonraker Books and The Golden Otter are sworn to secrecy as they bring in extra copies of the book so that there will be enough on hand for everyone who wants to read it. Pearl, the Seattle librarian responsible for changing reading from a private to a public affair, and "South Whidbey Reads" will announce the title at the launching of "What if All South Whidbey Read the Same Book?" December 4 at 1:30 p.m. at the Whidbey Island Center for the Arts.

For those of you who are into sleuthing, Anamosa offered a few hints about the book. "It has a rural feel to it and deals with gritty family issues." It also has a broad appeal to a wide age range. In case you're counting, it has about 200 pages.

When choosing the book, "South Whidbey Reads" stayed with Pearl’s basic tenets that the book must be a good one for discussion and it must be character driven. "It can't be plot driven because there’s nothing to talk about," Pearl said.

Anamosa agreed, "With character driven books you know all the things that are tormenting people in their minds. You know their conflicts, and that generates lots of discussion."

Pearl believes each community has its own agenda, which is reflected in the title it chooses. Chicago’s Mayor Richard M. Daly went on TV to announce his city’s somewhat controversial -- due to racial issues -- though highly popular selection, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. The local bar association even got involved by re-recreating the trial scene. Milwaukee set its sights westward and picked Bainbridge Islander David Guterson’s Snow Falling on Cedars. In Owatonna, Minnesota, skydivers soared through the air and descended to earth to hand deliver their city’s selection, Tony Early’s Jim the Boy.

Some communities took their literary quest even higher by calling for a statewide read. The California Council for the Humanities invited residents to read native son John Steinbeck’s, The Grapes of Wrath, and Virginia’s project featured Newport News author, William Styron and his book Sophie’s Choice, along with visits by Meryl Streep and Kevin Kline who starred in the movie.

"South Whidbey Reads" isn't likely to reach so high for the stars, but it guarantees fun and a book that will make you think. You may even make a few friends along the way. Have you noticed on the ferry when you're reading how the other passengers can't resist trying to catch a glimpse of the title? They may give you a thumbs up, or strike up a conversation if they recognize the book as one they've read. Imagine your next ferry ride if all of South Whidbey is on the same page.

In case you don't hear before the next newsletter, we'll let you in on the secret then as to which book all of South Whidbey is reading.

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MY MARKETING EXPERIENCE,
THE CONTINUING SAGA OF A DAIRYMAN'S GUIDE TO SELF-PUBLISHING
By Murray Anderson

This is the seventh of a series of articles Murray Anderson has written about his experiences self-publishing his novel Breederman.

Our web site www.breederman.com, which promotes my book Breederman, went on the Internet last month. It cost about $400 to set up the site and $9.95 per month to operate. The developer taught me how to keep the web site up to date. One of the drawbacks about adding a web site after you have been in operation is that you have to add information about the site to all your promotional material. I don't have any idea how effective the web site will be, but people tell me I will be surprised at the response. They didn't say whether it would be a pleasant or unpleasant surprise -- that I am waiting to find out.

When I started marketing my book I looked for a niche and I felt I had three: geographic (Northwest Washington), industry (dairy farming), and age (farmers during 50s and 60s). This has proven right, but by targeting these I haven't broken into the larger market that I think is out there. That’s the next step and I will probably be looking for an agent to help me reach the general reading public.

I have found that the best marketing method is to be interviewed by a reporter, with the usual pictures, for a news article. This method is the least expensive, but it does require patience and persistence. I waited months for the Skagit Herald to write an article. It wasn't until I informed the reporter that I was scheduled to read at a senior center in Mt. Vernon that I was brought in for an interview. So having a book isn't enough; it has to have immediate news value for the reporters to take interest.

Second best is getting reviews in papers and magazines. Self published authors are not considered legit with major metropolitan newspapers and TV stations, so they are off the list for review. I hand-carried my book and other material to the Everett Herald, and the receptionist sent it to the reviewer, or I hoped she had. I waited and waited. Nothing happened. Then I got a call from an employee of the Snohomish Conservation District who had read my book and wanted to review it for their quarterly newsletter. He also called a reporter at the Everett Herald who said she wanted to write an article. After I met with her, she read the book and wrote a real good review. Washington State University's alumni magazine, the Midwest Book Review, and the Bellingham Herald also reviewed my book.

Book readings are good marketing tools, but here again, they have to be targeted. I have read at six senior centers, five Kiwanis clubs, two book stores, two Friends of the Library events, and even at the Shriners. In most cases, I have sold an average of four books per appearance. Undoubtedly, many more are sold through word of mouth from attendees, either directly by me or by bookstores. The best training I have had for these readings is from participating in poetry readings. It has really helped my presentation and the comfort I have being in front of people.

Don't look to Barnes and Noble or Walden Books for sales. They look down on self published books. Most independent book stores, however take consignments that pay off when they are sold. My book sells for $18.95, and I get $11.37 per book. I have books at all the independent stores in Skagit, Whatcom, and Island County. The Bookhandle in Lynden has sold 52 books so far.

Mailings are the most expensive marketing tool and require a great deal of work. Most research shows that a one or two percent return from mailings is about average, but I figured by targeting my market I might do better than that. I started by keeping a list of potential buyers (friends, acquaintances and dairymen) that I developed by thumbing through the phone books, as well as through our address book and high school and college reunion mailing lists. I also obtained mailing lists of dairy farmers in Idaho, Oregon & Washington. I sent 5,000 mailers (brochures stuffed in envelopes) to the people on these lists. Postage cost 34 cents; the five color flyer cost 14 cents plus the envelope, so it was pretty close to 50 cents a mailing. I don't have an accurate count on how many sales this brought us, but it doesn't look like it was a good investment. Of course you never know how many residual sales may come in months later or by word of mouth.

Display ads, when accompanied by a written article, brought sales from readers of Midwest farm and dairy weekly newspapers. Ads without articles weren't very productive. I also had inserts placed in farm newspapers that targeted zip codes with a heavy population of dairy farms. This broke even. What surprises us is that we continue to get orders from flyers six months after they were sent.

Other marketing expenses need to be considered. I must have sent at least 30 complementary books to reporters or reviewers who I asked to do a story. These are seldom returned. I also donated at least 25 books to a variety of good causes, door prizes for benefits and some farmers I knew in Skagit County who were celebrating their 90th birthdays, and even a Dairy Club at the University of Virginia.

So as you can see, you can't just wait for the customers to flock to your door. You have to constantly look for opportunities, and then keep pushing on the doors when they seem to be closed.

Ordering books: A lot of that is determined by when we have enough money to pay for a new printing. It takes about a month for the printer to do a second printing. This is our second time to reorder. We will wait until the first returns come in from our advertising and then we will reorder, being sure to leave enough time to meet the Christmas deadline. It costs 67cents more per book to buy in 500 book lots rather than 1,000 book lots. We usually opt for 500. We have sold more than 700 books so far, for a total of $14,000. We have paid all our bills and have 200 books left that are paid for. So that could be considered profit.

I guess I can say I haven't made all the right decisions, but I sure have learned a lot.

Murray, a retired dairyman, lives on Whidbey Island. He completed his first novel, Breederman, at age 73. Currently, he is writing a novel based on his experiences of providing employment and work training for persons with disabilities. To learn more about Murray and his book, see http://www.breederman.com.

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ON-ISLAND WRITING CLASSES, WINTER SESSION

WIWA is offering a variety of writing classes for the winter session, taught by distinguished instructors and published authors. All courses are being held at the Trinity Lutheran Church Community Building in Freeland, on the corner of Highway 525 and Woodard Avenue. The fee for all courses is $55 for WIWA members and $60 for non-members. To register for a course, or to get more information, call Dot Read at (360) 331-2038 or e-mail: thereads@whidbey.com.

Beginning Essay: Instructor, Marian Blue.
Wednesdays, 12 - 2 p.m, January 8 - March 12. Limit, 15 participants.
This 10-week class is aimed at those who enjoy writing essay and would like to know more about the form and technique of the genre. Discussion will include the differences between memoir, nature essay, literary essay and personal essay, as well as the structure and history of the essay and the expectations of readers. Participants will write essays and exercises and give in-class critiques of each others' work as part of exploring the shape and power of nonfiction. Text will be The Fourth Genre (Robert L. Root Jr. and Michael Steinberg, editors).

Marketing: Instructor, Marian Blue.
Thursdays, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m, January 9 - March 13.
The class is aimed at those who want to submit their writing. The class will cover: Which comes first, marketing or writing? When do you need a query letter; how do you write one? How is marketing nonfiction different from marketing poetry and fiction? How do you select markets? What should you look for in a contract? How can you re-sell ideas? How can you market your knowledge? What types of "rights" should you sell? How can you track your expenses? Other questions? Bring them along. No book is required, but discussion will center on many marketing sources.

Marian Blue has taught writing for more than fifteen years. Currently, she is on staff at Skagit Valley College and teaches on-line courses for Writers' Digest. Originally a journalist in the U.S. and Great Britain, she has published short stories, essays, and poetry. She and her husband, Wayne Ude, operate Blue & Ude Writers' Services, offering editing and consulting services to writers throughout the country.

Beginning Fiction: Instructor, Wayne Ude.
Thursdays, 7 - 9 p.m, January 9 - March 13. Limit, 12 participants.
This class is intended for those who are just beginning to write fiction or who wish to begin. For the first few weeks, the class will focus on fiction exercises and on stories from Points of View: An Anthology of Short Stories, available at The Book Bay in Freeland. Later in the course, students will each focus on developing a single short story or book chapter, writing or revising, and reading to the class a part of the story each week.

Intermediate Fiction: Instructor, Wayne Ude.
Wednesdays, 7 - 9 p.m, January 8 - March 12. Limit, 12 participants.
This class is for those who have begun writing but would like further instruction. Students will read short stories from Points of View: An Anthology of Short Stories, but the chief focus will be on their own writing. Some students will bring in complete short stories or chapters for the class to discuss, while others may bring in parts of stories for discussion and suggestions on how to continue and extend the story. Some students will choose to develop one story; others may turn in as many as three stories for discussion and suggestions.

Advanced Fiction Workshop: Instructor, Wayne Ude.
Mondays, 2 - 4 p.m or 7 - 9 p.m, January 6 - March 10. Limit, 12 participants.
This workshop focuses exclusively on stories and chapters written by the group members. Participants will share their own works, either short stories or chapters of longer works. Each participant will have the opportunity to present three pieces of work to be discussed in class.

Wayne Ude is a published novelist and short story writer who also teaches for Writers' Digest and Skagit Valley College. He has seventeen years of experience teaching creative writing at both undergraduate and graduate levels, and has been involved in creating MFA programs at Old Dominion University and Colorado State University.

Advanced Poetry Workshop: Instructor, Susan Zwinger.
Mondays, 10 a.m. - 12 noon, January 6 - March 10. Limit, 15 participants.
Poets who have written a substantial number of poems will read excellent contemporary poets, gain new tools, and apply them to their own poetry. Students will share their own work in class and will learn to become excellent critics, increasing their ability to help others as well as to polish their own work.

Journaling: Instructor, Susan Zwinger.
Tuesdays, 10 a.m. - 12 noon, January 7 - March 10.
Students will be given weekly exercises to improve their recording techniques, their keen observation, and their enthusiasm for documenting their physical environment. Journaling may be used for travel writing, novels, short stories, poetry, developing human relationships, documenting family history, or any direction the student wishes to take. Each class session will include opportunities for students to share the progress of their journals.

Susan Zwinger earned an MFA from the renowned University of Iowa Writers' Workshop. Combining her love of the world of nature and her skill at both writing and illustrating, she has published four books on natural history subjects. A prolific poet, she has published more than seventy poems. She has conducted popular workshops throughout the country in nonfiction, natural history, poetry and journaling.

Preview of Spring Session: Beginning Writing: Craft and Technique (Multi-genre), Beginning Poetry: Craft and Technique, Advanced Essay Workshop, Fiction Classes and Workshops

Interested in Directed Novel Reading? Writing for Children? Script Writing? How about two to three-session workshops in Pitching Your Work? Reading Your Own Work Interpretatively? Let us know what types of classes would support your writing. Call Dot Read, (360) 331-2038 or e-mail: the reads@whidbey.com

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CONTESTS AND MARKET REQUESTS
Celestial Writing Contest, Sponsored by WIWC
Registered participants of the Whidbey Island Writers Conference 2003 are invited to participate in the annual Celestial Writing Contest. Categories include essay, short fiction, children's literature and poetry. No entry fee is required. Awards include 1st place: $25 book store gift certificate; 2nd place: copy of the anthology, Sea of Voices, Isle of Story; 3rd place: Whidbey Island Writers Conference t-shirt; 4th place: Whidbey Island Writers Conference coffee mug; overall winner, trophy. Entries must be postmarked no later than Feb. 1, 2003. For details, see http://www.whidbey.com/writers/conference/contest.htm.

Richard Yates Short Story Award Competition
Night Train, http://www.nighttrainmagazine.com/home.html, a fiction-only literary journal debuting fall 2002, is sponsoring the Richard Yates Short Story Award Competition with prizes ranging from $100 to $800. Submissions will be accepted through December 15. For details, see http://www.nighttrainmagazine.com/yates.html.

Glimmer Train
The deadline for Glimmer Train's Very Short Story Award is Jan. 31, 2003. The reading fee is $10. For more information, see http://www.glimmertrain.com/vershorficaw1.html.

One World Journey Seeks Submissions
If you're passionate about nature, One World Journey would like you to share your stories and become a member of their Corps of Storytellers. See http://www.oneworldjourneys.com for details about how to submit your stories and supporting images and art work. (No payment)

Fire in the Womb: Mothers and Creativity
Mother artists and mother poets are invited to submit a work of visual art or a poem, maximum 250 words, for consideration in Elizabeth Anderson & Kate Smith-Hanssen's upcoming book. The submission should reflect the mother-related chapters: Primal Mother, Juggling Mother, Dark Mother, Fierce Mother, Erotic Mother, Spirit Mother and Gen X Mother. The submission deadline is December 15, 2002. Note, there is a $10 application fee. For more information, please e-mail Liz at lizzjo42@yahoo.com.

ByLine Sponsors Contests
Check out ByLine's web site http://www.bylinemag.com/contests.asp for the many contests it is sponsoring through June 2003.

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CELEBRATE WRITING ADULT CONTEST WINNERS

WIWA is pleased to announce the winners of the Celebrate Writing Contest for Adults. Open to Whidbey Island residents, the contest encourages local writers to pursue their goals which range from collecting family memoirs to submitting work for publication. According to organizers, Leann Chrisman and Dot Read, the contest has become more competitive each year, with greater numbers of entries and increasingly well-written pieces.

Winning manuscripts will be on display at each of the Whidbey Island Sno-Isle Branch Libraries through December. Winners are invited to attend the Saturday morning authors' panel at the 2003 Whidbey Island Writers' Conference, and will be honored at the Book-signing Reception that evening. A grand prize winner, to be announced December 6, will be awarded a fully-paid scholarship to attend the 2003 Whidbey Island Writers' Conference, February 28--March 2, 2003.

This year's contest winners are:
Short Fiction: 1st, Ann Adams (Suicide Note); 2nd, Bradley E. Robertson, (Divorce Me); 3rd, Gail Madden (Hearsay); 4th, Murray Anderson (The Color Blue)

Poetry: 1st, Linda Beeman (Green); 2nd, Marjiann Moss (Dirt Farming); 3rd, Jane Page (Literary Flock); 4th, Jerry Mercer (The Captains's Log)

Nonfiction: 1st, Diane V. Adair (Running); 2nd, Vivian McCluney (Letters Home); 3rd, Barbara Dunn (The Music of Spirit); 4th-Tie, Jeanne King (The Specter); 4th-Tie, Rowena S. Williamson (Without Permission)

Life History/Memoir: 1st, Carl Erikson (November Nights); 2nd, Dale Evans (Unimak Pass); 3rd, Jerry Mercer (The Alhambra); 4th, Erika Sanders (Starting Again in Charleston)

Children's Literature: 1st, Jerry Mercer (Thirteen, Going on Twenty); 2nd, Mary Knight-Burdsal (Josie's Cat); 3rd, Kathy Pigott (The Fourth Day of Spring at Lake Superior); 4th-Tie, JoAnne Blevins (The Best of Two Worlds); 4th-Tie, Susan Scott (The Splendiferous Adventure of the Flower Fairy Sisters)

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LAST CHANCE FOR WIWC YOUTH SCHOLARSHIP

Student scholarships are available for the Whidbey Island Writers' Conference 2003. Students in grades 9 through 12 or those enrolled in a college or university undergraduate program are eligible to apply. Details and an application form are available at http://www.whidbey.com/writers/scholar.htm. Applications must be postmarked no later than December 31, 2002.

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CYBER SURFING
Have you encountered some helpful Internet sites? Send us the address and your brief review.

For a fun place to learn more about your favorite authors, see http://www.people.virginia.edu/~jbh/author.html.One of my favorites is Isabel Allende's biography and photos.

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QUOTES

The smartest thing I ever did was invent somebody who now supports me. --Sue Grafton

The beautiful part of writing is that you don't have to get it right the first time, unlike, say, a brain surgeon. --Robert Cormier

You can't blame the President for the state of the country, it's always the poets' fault. You can't expect politicians to come up with a vision, they don't have it in them. Poets have to come up with the vision and they have to turn it on so it sparks and catches hold.
--Ken Kesey

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PROBLEMS READING THE 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

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The WIWA Newsletter is published approximately every two months and is delivered to subscribers by e-mail. If you would like to subscribe, send an e-mail, with SUBSCRIBE WIWA in the subject line, to the editor at candace@whidbey.com. If you would like to unsubscribe,  please reply to this e-mail with UNSUBSCRIBE in the subject, and we will delete you from our database. WIWA will not share or sell your name or e-mail address.