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WIWA NEWSLETTER
Vol. 015 June -- July 2003
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CONTENTS
Message From the Editor
Letters to the Editor
On the Island
Off the Island
The Terrible Ten, Part I
-- by Dr. Richard Lederer
Mary Hilbert Shares Her Success Story
Cheers
Guidelines for Being an Artful Critique
-- by Susan Zwinger
A Winning Proposition -- Writers Institute of the Northwest Update
-- by Celeste Mergens, Executive Director
Recent Releases
Contests and Market Requests
Cyber Surfing
Quotes
Problems Reading the Newsletter?
To Contact Us
To Subscribe or Unsubscribe
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MESSAGE FROM THE EDITOR
Baseball is drama with an endless run and an ever changing cast. --Joe Garagiola
The pitcher looks to the catcher for the sign, goes into the stretch and throws the ball. A slow lob heads toward the batter. Plonk, it bounces off his helmet. The batter doesn't flinch, not even an eyelash, frozen like a statue carved in ice. Slowly he warms up and cocks his head toward the ump who asks, "Are you alright?"
"Yeah."
"Ball," calls the ump.
"Whadda ya mean?" someone shouts from the stands.
"That's a hit batter, not a ball!" screams the coach.
"Ball. The batter has to make some attempt to get out of the way." Rule 6.08(b)(2). The ump looks at the pitcher, "Play."
Bob, the umpire, volunteers two days a week for Little League. He knows umpiring isn't a popularity contest. On any given call, half the people in the dugout and stands might disagree with him, and plenty feel compelled to share their opinions, "If you had one more eye you'd be a Cyclops."
Sounds like a sensitivity session compared to some writing groups I've been in.
Most volunteers have kids in Little League, but the only players Bob knows are the ones he meets behind home plate. His own kids are grown. Some games are harsher than others; days can be cold and drizzly. This being the Northwest, fields are often muddy. Sometimes he gets hurt. An inexperienced catcher misses a foul tip. The ball thuds into Bob's thigh leaving a purple imprint larger than a mitt.
So why does he do it, and while you're pondering that, why do you write? Why do you stay up late to flesh out a novel that came to you while you were mowing the lawn, painting the kitchen or feeding the baby? Why do you rise in the wee hours to edit a poem you scribbled while waiting in gridlock on your way home from work?
For Bob the answer is a lifetime love affair with baseball that began the day he was born, a day his father -- the attending anesthesiologist -- scheduled in advance so that he could attend the July 4th Red Sox/Yankee double header at Fenway Park. Baseball is in Bob's blood. What he does for the kids comes from his heart.
If your writing comes from your heart, you can get through the hard times and disappointments. You can get through what may seem like bruising personal criticism when your critique group is really only saying, "We saw it from a different angle." You'll get through the strikeouts and the rewrites, the research, the pain, the grammar lessons, the doubts, the rejections, the crushed ego, the excuses. You'll keep writing, keep trying, keep swinging.
A friend of mine wrote a book. Three publishers wanted it, but three times the deal fell through. Each time my friend went into a depression as deep as a Barry Bonds drive into the bay. I asked him why this book was so important, and he said, "Because I dream of being famous."
There are easier ways to become famous than writing: politics, acting, crime. Most authors never achieve fame. And what's fame anyway? Making the New York Times best seller list? Once? Twice? Even JK Rowling, who holds book readings in sports stadiums for her Harry Potter series, says few people recognize her, and she's glad for the anonymity. Writing is a solitary act. It doesn't lend itself to applause and public accolades.
My friend has rewritten his book so many times I no longer recognize his story. He and each of us could learn from Rowling who said about Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone, "I wrote that book for me. My first loyalty ... is to the story as I wanted to write it."
There are no guarantees that you'll become famous if you write from your heart, and the chances of becoming rich are about as rare as an unassisted triple play, but you'll be in the park playing the game your way.
May goodwill prevail,
Candace
To read past issues of the newsletter online, go to: http://www.whidbey.com/writers/newsletter
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Volunteer
I wanted to send out a special thank you for this year's conference. It was a personal success for me! I would advocate volunteering to anyone. A volunteer gets to know many of the presenters personally which can open the door to wonderful opportunities. The conference was a wonderful learning experience, not just the workshops, but I was in awe of the experiences of other writers. So thank you.
On another note, I am about to send out my proposal for iWrite, the definitive guide for writers doing research on the Internet. (Thanks Penny Sansevieri for help with that little elevator pitch!) I have a little helper information (from my brochure) you might like for the newsletter on searching the net. It's attached. --Twyla Bunt
To read Twyla's hints about searching the Internet, see this issue's column Cybersurfing. -- the editor
Reader Questions Pearl's Wisdom
I disagree in part with comments made by Nancy Pearl - "I do not believe you should ever finish a book you're not thoroughly enjoying." As a reader, yes that may be true. However, as a writer-reader, one should finish reading books that one starts but may not be enjoying. A writer-reader can learn a great deal by not only reading great books by great writers but also bad books by any writers. When reading these books, the writer-reader should become an writer-analyzer. By reading what is bad, one can learn from the mistakes of others so as not to repeat them. --Dr. Gerald L. Kovacich
Gems
Thanks for the engrossing and rich newsletter. The WIWA conference was my first (a wonderful gift) and I plucked so many gems I feel obnoxiously rich. I have sifted my riches, read your newsletter, done more reading, helped with daughter-in-law's twins (in San Diego), broadened my research, and am now back to writing. I thought the work was to create...now I know the joy is to simply listen to the voices and transcribe what I hear. See you next year! --Skip Hartvigson
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ON THE ISLAND
Thinking Outside the Sandbox with Squiggles, Stories and Songs
Children's author/illustrator/singer/songwriter/dad and carpool chauffeur, Barney Saltzberg will turn a squiggle into a story and entertain with his voice and his guitar. On June 12 at 4 p.m., Barney will introduce himself to Whidbey kids, ages five and older, at the Langley Library in a presentation that shares ways to spark creativity. The program is co-sponsored by WIWA and the Langley Library, part of the Sno-Isle Regional Library System.
Barney has written and illustrated many books for children including the best selling Animal Kisses, Baby Animal Kisses (Children's Book of the Month Club main selection) and Peekaboo Kisses. His book The Soccer Mom From Outer Space is a Junior Library Guild Selection, Parents Choice Selection and now California Young Reader Medal nominee for 2003. His most recent book is Hip, Hip, Hooray Day. This fall, Crazy Hair Day will be released.
Barney's Web site http://www.barneysaltzberg.com/ features imagination sparking activities and ideas.
For more information about this or other library events for children, contact Laurie Barker-Perez, Children's Library Program Director by calling the Langley Library at 221-4383
Mini-Retreat
Whidbey Island Writers Association will offer a special mini-retreat with best-selling author Don McQuinn and award-winning poet Richard Robbins on June 28. The daytime workshops will be held at lovely Camp Clay; these will be followed by an evening reading in Langley.
Don McQuinn will present Novelist Clinic for those who have works in progress. Participants will submit up to 20 pages in advance and will receive valuable response from this popular dynamic teacher. This advance material must arrive at WIWA by June 18. Participants should also bring an additional five pages to the Novelist Clinic with them.
Novelist Clinic will begin at 9 a.m., break for lunch, then continue until 4 p.m. The cost, including lunch, is $125. Enrollment is limited to ten participants, so register early.
Richard Robbins, director of the creative writing program and Good Thunder Reading Series at Minnesota State University, Mankato, will hold a poetry workshop from 1:30 - 4:00, also at the beautiful Camp Clay location.
Richard studied as an undergraduate with Glover Davis and Carolyn Forché at San Diego State University, and as a graduate student with Richard Hugo, Madeline DeFrees, and Tess Gallagher at the University of Montana. His first collection, The Invisible Wedding, was published by the University of Missouri Press in 1984. His second book of poems, Famous Persons We Have Known, was published in 2000 by Eastern Washington University Press. Over the years, he's been fortunate to receive various awards and fellowships, including those from The Loft and the McKnight Foundation (1997 and 2000), The Minnesota State Arts Board (1999), The Hawthornden Castle International Retreat for Writers (1998), The National Endowment for the Arts (1992), and The Poetry Society of America (1988).
During the afternoon workshop, participants will receive Rick's personal response to their poetry (bring poems with you). Fee for the workshop is $25, and the workshop size is limited to 15. Those who would like to arrive early and join the writers for lunch are welcome; the cost of lunch is $10.
At 7 p.m., Richard and Dan will read at the Braeburn in Langley. Following their readings, WIWA will host an open mic reading. Readers will be asked to hold their readings to five minutes. A donation of $2 is suggested. The Braeburn has an excellent dinner menu and people are encouraged to arrive early for dinner to help us say thank you for Braeburn's support of this event.
Both Don and Richard's books will be available for sale and the authors will be available for signing at both the afternoon and the evening events. Also, if others at the open mic have books to sell, please notify us in advance, and WIWA will arrange to include your book at the sales table. Donations to WIWA for providing the sales table are enthusiastically welcomed!
To register for either event, contact Marian Blue at 360-341-1630, PO Box 145, Clinton, WA 98236, blueyude@whidbey.com
WIWA Fund Raising Rummage Sale
July 5, 8:30 a.m. - 4 p.m., Useless Bay Animal Clinic on Library Lane.
To donate sale items or to help out with the sale, contact writers@whidbey.com.
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 to 9 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
Kick Start Your Novel, Eugene, Oregon
June 9 - 12, 2003, 6 to 9:30 p.m. Instructor: Elizabeth Engstrom
Cost: $125 ($150 if registered after May 15). Space is limited to six participants.
This series of four sessions is an intensive, hands-on novel writing workshop designed to get your novel going in the right direction. Classes are structured so you will learn about the internal structure of fiction and the key aspects of writing a novel, then work on your book in class. This workshop is for the writer who has basic writing experience, is highly motivated and has at least a nodding acquaintance with the novel that dwells within. While you may work on your novel-in-progress if you wish, we suggest that instead, you work on something fresh for the purposes of this workshop. Leave your old work at home and let the spirit of the moment move you. Trust the creative process and watch the magic happen. Plan to attend all four sessions, and spend non-class hours working intensively on your book as well. Momentum is important. This class is not for the faint of heart, the weak-willed or those who are afraid of the intense internal examination that novel writing entails. Your level of experience is not as important as your dedication to the process. For more information, email Liz@ElizabethEngstrom.com.
Songandword Workshops on Shaw Island
See www.songandword.com for details. Or call 360-468-3964; email info@songandword.com.
June 6 - 8, Sketching/Journaling in the San Juans with watercolor artist Caroline Buchanan.
June 20 - 22, Through the Deepest Layers: Summer Solstice Retreat, singer/songwriter Linda Waterfall.
July 11 - 13, Writing Down the Moon, freelance writer/columnist Sharon Wootton and singer/songwriter Maggie Savage.
Discover U, Seattle
June 10, Book Promoting, Marketing & Distribution, Dan Poynter. For details, see http://www.discoveru.org/classes/detail.cfm?CID=1553.
Books By The Way, Vashon, WA
June 13, 7 p.m., Jerry Wennstrom, The Inspired Heart: An Artist's Journey Of Transformation
For more information, contact Juli or Susan- 463-2696, booksbtw@wolfenet.com
Centrum's Port Townsend Writers' Conference
July 10 - 20, Port Townsend, WA. See http://www.centrum.org/workshops/writers.html.
Pacific Northwest Writers Association Conference
July 24 - 27, 2003, Seatac, WA. See http://www.pnwa.org for details.
Portland State University Extended Learning at Cannon Beach
See http://www.haystack.pdx.edu/index.shtml for details.
July 14 - 17, Cultivating the Written Word - Garden Writing from Production to Publication
July 21 - 25, Children's Book Conference
Richard Hugo House in Seattle
See http://www.hugohouse.org/events/ for the latest schedule of events.
Writer's Weekend, Port Orchard, WA
July 25 - 27, Speakers include Mercedes Lakey, Lindsay McKenna and many more. See http://www.writersweekend.com/index.html for details.
Taos Institute of Arts
July 30 - July 4, Writing and Selling Magazine Articles. Instructor: Eva Shaw. See http://www.tiataos.com/ for details.
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THE TERRIBLE TEN -- Part I
by Dr. Richard Lederer
This is the first in a series of articles by Dr. Richard Lederer, English professor/comedian extraordinaire. Richard will make you giggle, not gag, as he dishes up lessons about our loopy language. He is the author of more than 3,000 books and articles about language and humor, including his best-selling Anguished English series. Richard's syndicated column, Looking at Language, appears in newspapers and magazines throughout the United States. He has been elected International Punster of the Year, named by Toastmasters International as its 2002 Golden Gavel winner and is a board member for Writer's Digest. In mid November, St. Martin's will publish his latest book, A Man of My Words, my career-capping reflections on the English language. Hardcover; Book of the Month Club, Literary Guild, QPB. WIWC 2003 was fortunate to have Richard entertain and instruct us with his witticisms and his knowledge of our crazy English language. You can explore Richard's Web site at: www.verbivore.com.
Which baseball player has wings?:
The batter flied out to left field.
The batter flew out to left field.
Which dog is definitely not a bloodhound?:
The dog smelled bad.
The dog smelled badly.
Which dog has the upper paw?:
A clever dog knows its master.
A clever dog knows it's master.
The answer to each question is the second sentence. As these distinctions indicate, word choice is not just a matter of diction. Word choice affects meaning.
In this issue and the next I'll offer the ten confused word pairs that you are most likely to hear and read. My experience as a speaker, writer, and teacher tells me that these particular twins often produce the most perplexing and egregious errors.
affect/effect
Affect, beginning with an a, is almost always a verb meaning "to have an effect on; to move or stir the emotions of":
The music of Beethoven never fails to affect me powerfully.
Almost always, affect will be the verb you're looking for and effect the noun that means "an influence." The most common confusion is to spell the noun effect as affect. Do not use this sentence at home, or anywhere else:
The computer has a powerful affect on the speed of communication.
among/between
Use between ("by twain") when discussing relationships between two persons or things. Generally use among when discussing more than two:
Uncle divided the Gunky Bar between Sam and me and then distributed the Robo-Accountant toys among us five boys.
amount/number
Use number to refer to persons or things that can be counted. Use amount to refer to quantities. Number tells how many; amount tells how much:
Rocco made a great amount of money selling a large number of tickets to the new freshmen granting them permission to use the toilets.
compose/comprise
Comprise means "to include, contain, or embrace." The whole comprises the parts, and the parts compose the whole. "Is comprised of" is clunky because "is included of" and "is contained of" make no sense.
The Union comprises the 50 states, or the Union is composed of 50 states, but the Union cannot be comprised of the 50 states, nor do the 50 states comprise the Union.
different from/different than
Than is ordinarily used with comparative adjectives, such as better than and stronger than -- but different is not a comparative. Although different than is commonly used in informal speech, many careful writers prefer different from before a noun, pronoun or noun expression:
Today's computers are different from those of even a few years ago.
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CHEERS
Your good news cheers us on! Please share your successes with us. email the editor at: candace@whidbey.com.
WIWA awarded Whidbey Island High School student Alicia Guenther a $300 scholarship toward her college education. Alicia plans to attend Northwest College in Kirkland, WA, where she will major in music and minor in creative writing.
Tamara Hillman's poetry is getting air time. She frequently reads her cowboy poetry on eastern Washington's radio station KVLR FM. Political commentator John Carlson read her poem "Attack on America" on Seattle station KVI, and Congressman Rick Larsen read the poem in Olympia. You can read Tamara's "Ol' Blue" at American Western Magazine, http://www.readthewest.com/cowboy112002-02.html
WIWA member, Dr. Gerald L. Kovacich, recently had his first of seven books, Information Systems Security Officer's Guide, translated into Czech. It was also published in the Czech Republic.
"Informed Consent," an excerpt from Barbara Joy Laffey's book-in-progress, Missing Parts: A Journey to Wholeness, was named a finalist for the Penelope Niven Creative Nonfiction Award in the first national writing competition sponsored by the Center for Women Writers, Salem College.
Keith Moore writes that his second collection of poetry, What They Mean by America and Other Poems, is now available through Wordrunner Press.
Dog trainer and author Cheryl S. Smith recently won the Dog Writers Association of America's Maxwell Medallion for excellence in writing about dogs, short book category, for her Teaching Tricks entry. She also won an Ekanuba-sponsored special award for her magazine article "The Little Dog Laughed." Cheryl is now working on a screenplay, written under the watchful eye of WIWC instructor Bill Kerby.
See the May issue of Log Home Living for Candace Allen's latest feature, "Southern Practicality".
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GUIDELINES FOR BEING AN ARTFUL CRITIQUE
by Susan Zwinger
Be a critique rather than a critic that finds fault. The French word critique refers to a trail guide for understanding a particular work of art, rather than finding fault as critic does in America.
Become an Active Listener. Listen, even jot down a key word or two of phrases that really work for you. Listen for what does work rather than what does not.
We are all uncreative in similar ways; but listening for true, new Voice is the challenge, and different for all. When you find a word, a turn of phrase, or a sentence that delights you, point that out. Listen keenly for what the author is really trying to do (she herself may not know yet) and then encourage her to do more of that. Do not impose your own values, trips or interests.
Writing is essentially a spirit search; listen deeply for that unique soul (Voice) and help it emerge. Listen for archetypes. Listen for good metaphor. Listen for telling details, not large concepts. The world is full of don't-do-it-becauses….you are a small oasis of support.
Whidbey Islander and WIWA instructor Susan Zwinger is the author of The Last Wild Edge; One Woman's Journey from the Arctic Circle to the Olympic Coast and two other books, including the 1992 Governor's Award winner, Stalking the Ice Dragon, A Solo Journey through Alaska. Her essays have appeared in numerous anthologies, magazines and journals. In 2002, she was the Schoenfeldt Distinguished Writer in Residence at the University of Portland.
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A WINNING PROPOSITION -- WRITERS INSTITUTE OF THE NORTHWEST UPDATES
by Celeste Mergens, WIWA Executive Director
Wondering how the creation of the Writers Institute of the Northwest is going? Thanks to recent generous donations from the Elizabeth George Foundation, Jim and Andy Clay, Nancy Ruff, JoAnn Kane, Eva Shaw, Nell Averett Young, Pat Detmer and Herb & Aileen Weissblum, we now have the $129,000 in funds that make it possible to send our application for Certification of our MFA program to the State of Washington! What's next? Fundraising to pay for interim faculty costs and to pay for the beautiful water view Institute set on acreage that we hope you will come to consider your writer's home away from home.
What can you expect to see happening at the Institute? Retreats, workshops, classes, fellowships, readings, higher education and more! In fact, we want to know what you would like to see happen there. If you are on our mailing list you will soon be receiving a letter telling you more about the Institute, asking for your input and support. Be on the look out for it ... and please, do send it back ASAP, as your ideas are vital as we create the programs, and a matching fund challenge is off and running! Be part of creating this exciting legacy that will serve writers for many decades to come.
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MARY HILBERT SHARES HER SUCCESS STORY
This is the story of a simple 1,000 word happening told to me many years ago that came back to me almost word for word during a walk on the beach where I live. I can't say enough for walking -- alone. It's essential to be alone.
I first sent "A Sandpiper To Bring You Joy" to a religious magazine published in Canada with an outlet in the states called Our Family. Next came a surprising call from Reader's Digest Canada asking many pertinent questions (also known as the third degree) as to its legitimacy and background to the point where I lost patience. "Look, either you want to use this story or you don't. I'm hanging up now," I said, thereby possibly losing what turned out to be a $l0,000 story!
Reader's Digest Canada republished the story, then it was republished in the U.S. and from there around the world. Then the fan mail rolled in. A Japanese textbook company asked permission to use it in an English/Japanese grammar book from which I received royalties for ten years. (And a letter from one of the editors who humbly wrote, "Dear Mrs. Hilbert: Would it be possible to correspond with you not on business?" He sent pictures of his family and beautiful gardens and expressed a desire to come to America.)
Then Chicken Soup for the Soul offered me $2,500 to print it in their third edition. I ultimately had "Sandpiper" copyrighted (a rather long and costly procedure). Outraged friends and acquaintances tell me they see it often on the Internet now, but I've decided perhaps it's my gift to the world and prefer to ignore unpleasant litigation. As my grandmother said, "Do not fret. God knows who wrote that story."
So what can I tell you writers? I truly believe serendipity (my favorite word) plays a large part in our careers, plus a dribble of plain old good luck. But keep your mind open at all times and be aware of the world around you, the beautiful clouds, an interesting person, pussy willows--the Seattle Times printed a story on pussy willows!
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RECENT RELEASES
Black Leather
Elizabeth Engstrom
Triple Tree Press
April 2003
http://www.elizabethengstrom.com
A favorite at WIWC, Elizabeth Engstrom, just released her latest novel -- a dark, erotic thriller with a murder mystery at its heart. In it, you'll find sex, suspicion, infidelity, murder, mayhem, a little blood, and all the other good stuff.
Hawks Rest: A Season in the Remote Heart of Yellowstone
Gary Ferguson
May 2003
National Geographic Books
http://www.wildwords.net/
Popular WIWC instructor Gary Ferguson's latest book gives a vivid account of his 11-week odyssey in the wild and beautiful core of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, high in the Rocky Mountains. When he begins his adventure, with a 140-mile hike to the cabin owned by the Forest Service, Gary believes he will spend a tranquil three months tracking the comings and goings of wolves and grizzlies for federal biologists, along with repairing the building, mending fences and communing with nature. The reality he encounters is entirely different. He comes to know this vast area of peaks and valleys "as a kind of sanatorium for the disenfranchised, a way station for men riding and hiding spring to fall to escape whatever curses they imagine hovering in the culture at large. In these upper meadows of the Yellowstone is testosterone enough to light the woods on fire."
Pastries: A Novel of Desserts and Discoveries
Bharti Kirchner
July 2003
St. Martin's Press
Bharti Kirchner's latest book Pastries: A Novel of Desserts and Discoveries will be released in hardcover in July. The paperback edition of her last year's novel Darjeeling will come out in August. Her popular first novel Shiva Dancing was recently translated in Marathi, a Language of Western India, and is due for release also in July.
Sand in My Bra and Other Misadventures
Jennifer L. Leo, editor
May 2003
Travelers' Tales
An hilarious collection from the Travelers' Tales series, Sand in My Bra is an anthology of 29 women's mishaps and adventures. From Nevada to Abu Dhabi, you'll laugh with the famous Ellen Degeneres Annie LaMott, Alison Wright, as well as with newcomers such as WIWA's own Nancy Bartlett.
Dear Sister, Once Abused
Victoria Lynn
May 2003
Aradiance Publishing Company
Victoria Lynn, WIWC participant and psychiatric nurse, draws upon her experience and talks openly about her healing process from childhood sexual abuse. This book is a powerful resource for adults who have suffered abuse and for their families and friends. Well written and hopeful, it is about a journey that connects with human suffering and opens hearts to understanding.
Home Before Dark
Susan Wiggs
April 2003
Mira
Bainbridge Island author and frequent WIWC instructor, Susan Wiggs is known for her historical paperbacks and women's fiction. Now, in her first hardback novel, she creates a story about family, second chances and the healing power of love.
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CONTESTS AND MARKET REQUESTS
Clyde Theater, Whidbey Island
Do you have a true story about The Clyde Theatre that you'd like to share that illustrates either the nature of The Clyde or the nature of the South Whidbey community? Blake and Lynn Willeford, owners of The Clyde, have started an ongoing contest for great Clyde stories of all sorts -- funny, warm, or so South Whidbey. "We know we're a quirky place," Blake says, "so tell us about things that have happened to you here, or how you feel about The Clyde, or what someone who's never been here before needs to know about The Clyde. Prose, poetry, crossword puzzle -- any form of the written word will do."
Stories up to 400 words can be sent to: PO Box 199, Langley WA 98260, or emailed to: contest@theclyde.net, or just handed in at the theater. Multiple submissions are fine. Include your name, address, and phone number. Each month a winner will be chosen to receive two gift passes to The Clyde. Winning stories will be posted at the theater and at www.theclyde.net. The Willefords may put together a booklet if they receive enough good stories
Glimmer Train Very Short Fiction Award
Submission dates: June 1 through July 31. Maximum 2,000 words. Reading fee $10. First through third place awards, $1,000/$500/$300 respectively. For details, see: http://www.glimmertrain.com/vershorficaw1.html
Oregon Writers Colony Annual Short Fiction and Nonfiction Contest, 2003: Tell Me a Story
Previously unpublished short stories of no more than 3,000 words and/or creative nonfiction of under 1,500 words may be submitted from June 1st to August 15th, 2003. Cash prizes of $200, $100, and $50 will be awarded to the top three finishers in each division. Entry fee: $10 for OWC members, $15 for nonmembers. For details, see www.oregonwriterscolony.org.
Cat Writers Association Annual Contest
CWA hosts an annual contest to advance their goals by recognizing and rewarding outstanding communication about cats in nearly 40 categories, including magazine and newspaper articles and columns, fiction and nonfiction, online venues, photography and poetry. Entries must be postmarked no later than July 1, 2003. The submitted work must have been published or broadcast between July 1, 2002 and June 15, 2003. For more information, see http://www.catwriters.org.
ByLine Sponsors Contests
Check out ByLine's Web site http://www.bylinemag.com/contests.asp for the many contests it is sponsoring through December 2003.
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CYBER SURFING
Have you encountered some helpful Internet sites? Send us the address and your brief review.
Twyla Bunt offers the following suggestions from her research guide, iWrite, for searching the Internet.
To get the best results searching the Internet, start with a good search engine. Here are two of my favorites searchables:
http://www.google.com - very simple to use, fast and gives sites relevant to the search.
http://www.alltheweb.com - fast! simple!
The Internet can be daunting to say the least and searching for one specific fact can be time consuming and overwhelming. Some ways of reducing the "stress" of searching are:
Place the (+) sign between all of the words you want to retrieve: writers + poetry
Place word groups in quotations:
"Mark Twain"
Put it all together:
"Mark Twain" + poetry
You've just taken a search from over 700,000 sites to 100,000! You can reduce the search even more. By adding more specifics to your search. For a specific poem that you can remember a word or two, but not the name of the poem itself try (note: searches are not generally case sensitive): "robert frost" + poem + road
The first Web site listed has your poem!
Twyla recommends the following site to help writers with editing: http://slc.berkeley.edu/nns/l2writing/process/revise.htm
She also recommends the Scriptorium, an online magazine for writers: http://www.thescriptorium.net/
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QUOTES
Mary Hilbert sends the following quote by Mark Twain:
The difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter. It's the difference between the lightning bug and lightning.
The phrase that ignites a sentence and leaves an incandescent glow behind is fused from within. Even so, I hold to the conviction that much can be done to make the spark more effective. --James J. Kilpatrick
Fame often makes a writer vain, but seldom makes him proud. --W.H. Auden
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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
Whidbey Island Writers' Conference: March 5 - 7, 2004, The Spirit of Writing
The WIWA Web site is: http://www.whidbey.com/writers
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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 records. WIWA will not share or sell your name or email address.