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WIWA NEWSLETTER
Vol. 4, No. 3 June - July 2004
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CONTENTS
Message from the Editor
Letters to the Editor
WIWA News
Board members elected
Office now open
Fund-Raisers
Scholarship Winner
MFA program report
On the Island
Off the Island
Pun Your Way to Success
by Dr. Richard Lederer
Recent Releases
Love of Language Talks
T-Up Your Marketing Plan
by Joseph Shaw, President, Writeriffic Publishing Group
Contests and Market Requests
Cyber Surfing
To Contact Us
To Subscribe or Unsubscribe
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MESSAGE FROM THE EDITOR
Dear WIWA members:
This will be the first newsletter you receive that does not come from the desk of Editor Candace Allen, who began this venture and made it into the invaluable and informative piece we've been welcoming into our inboxes for the past several years. As you know from her retirement letter in the last issue, Candace has put down this pen and taken up other pursuits, but she is remaining at the center of WIWA activities as a newly-elected board member. (See WIWA News later in the newsletter.)
I'm happy and honored to work at continuing her efforts in providing a conduit for the news in our community of writers as well as a forum for ideas and creative content. Some of you may know of my recent background as an editor at The South Whidbey Record. For those to whom I'm not familiar, here is a summary of my CV: Born and bred in Connecticut, I worked my way west through Boston, New York and Seattle publishing houses to a long stint as editor of The Woodinville Weekly. I've been on Whidbey for about eight years and, like many, have found it to be a unique space that stimulates the imagination and nourishes the artistic spirit.
It is this element of Island environment that is reflected in the Writers Association and its original and eminently successful project, the Whidbey Island Writers Conference. Now, as WIWA expands with more classes, workshops and plans for a Master of Fine Arts program in Creative Writing, this organization is poised to take an even more prominent place in writers' lives and hearts. I hope to be part of its evolution.
Please submit articles, events, letters and news that will inform, encourage and enhance the WIWA mission.
Joan Soltys
jsoltys@whidbey.com
To read past issues of the newsletter see "News, Events & Resources" at http://www.writeonwhidbey.com and click Newsletter Archives.
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Thank you, Andy Clay
Many of you may not know that Andrea Leebron-Clay, MFA, a former WIWA board member, held the interim position of President after my retirement. Though she elected not to be included on the slate of new board members the past board recently established, WIWA owes her much thanks.
This remarkable woman donated over $50,000 to WIWA's Writers Institute of the Northwest project and labored on behalf of WIWA for over a year completing many positive projects and serving in a multitude of capacities. A successful businesswoman, philanthropist, writer and supporter of the arts, WIWA is fortunate to have had her able support, dedication and guidance. Three cheers for Andy! We can't thank you enough.
Celeste Mergens
Former WIWA president
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NEWS FROM WIWA
Board Elected at Annual Meeting
The Whidbey Island Writers Association, meeting at Greenbank Farm May 20, elected new members of the Board of Directors and ratified the continuing terms of those board members already in place. Elected for 3-year terms were Candace Allen, Doloris Tarzan Ament, Linda Beeman, Gail Madden, Sherry Mays and Jerry Mercer. JoAnn Kane and Susan Wilmoth were elected to serve the remaining two years of 3-year terms, and Don McQuinn for the remaining one year of a 3-year term.
WIWA Office Is Now Open
An office with a computer, phone, a library of information and other items of help and interest to writers is now open in Freeland, next to the Sheriff's office and down a bit from the BookBay. The office will serve as a communication center for WIWA and its activities, while providing copies of literary journals, publication guidelines and local, regional and national contest information. It's also hoped the site will become a hub where members can meet and exchange information and ideas.Members are now needed to sign up for volunteer staffing spots. Call the office at 331-6714 or email writers@whidbey.com.
Grocery Receipts Can Help WIWA programs
Ken's Korner and Casey's Red Apple markets on South Whidbey will make a donation to WIWA in exchange for grocery receipts from the stores. The "1% Program" will help support WIWA's community programs, such as the annual Celebrate Writing Contest for Children. Save your receipts and turn them in at the WIWA office in Freeland, or give them to Toni Grove, who manages the fund-raiser. The receipts only count for the previous month, so don't hoard them. For more information about the "1% Program" call Toni at 221- 6748. This is a small way to help make big things happen.
Perpetual Fund-Raiser Under Way
A perpetual fund-raiser may provide some steady and predictable income for WIWA. Naturally Yours healthy snack trays will be placed in locations where WIWA members have some influence and can keep an eye on things (office break rooms, businesses where the snacks complement rather than compete, and at writer-related classes and activities). The bags of snacks will sell for $2 per bag. If you have a location to suggest or would like to join the fund-raising committee, contact Donna Hood at 360-341-1860 or mjonent@whidbey.com.
Scholarship Winner Named
Shannan Engel has been named the winner of the $300 WIWA college scholarship and was honored with the award at the South Whidbey High School Scholarship Night ceremonies June 5.
This is the second year WIWA has offered the scholarship, which is given to a student expressing an interest in creative writing as a career. Scholarship criteria includes academic achievement, civic and community involvement and writing ability. We are pleased to grant the scholarship to Shannan Engel.
MFA Program Now in Approval Process
A low residency Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing program is the newest venture to implement WIWA's mission statement: to make available tools, teachers and resources to contribute to the success of writers, both in this area and across the country.
Nancy Ruff, who made a presentation at the annual meeting, explained that a low residency program is for someone "who can't put life aside and commit to a traditional university degree program." It generally features two intensive 10-day residency periods per year, with coursework during the fall and spring semesters done through mail or, in WIWA's case, online.
WIWA's program merges the best features of existing traditional and low-residency MFA in Creative Writing programs, with residencies, classes and workshops led by published authors who are also good teachers, Ruff said. Participants will study the craft of writing, critiquing, successful publishing, and the exploration of great literature.
For Whidbey Islanders who aren't interested in working toward a graduate degree, the MFA program will offer the opportunity to register for afternoon sessions at the two annual residencies, and to attend free readings by faculty and students in the evenings.
The WIWA MFA program is currently in the approval process through the State of Washington, Ruff said. The proposal has successfully completed internal review by the Higher Education Coordinating Board and is now being reviewed by university personnel experienced with traditional MFA in Creative Writing programs. Following the external review, WIWA's proposal will be posted on the Degree Authorization Agency Web site for a two-week period for comment by other programs in the state of Washington. The DAA will then make its final decision about the program. Ruff said final approval is anticipated this summer, with a starting date (assuming approval, of August, 2005.
"While waiting for approval, however, we have certainly not been idle," she said. "Our Governing Board, which also has the responsibility for local classes and retreats not connected with the Writers Conference, has been developing policies and procedures; reviewing and fine-tuning the MFA budget, including the budget for the interim period between program approval and the start of classes; fine-tuning the program itself; examining residency sites on the Island; preparing advertising; and setting procedures to hire staff."
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ON THE ISLAND
Wayne Ude Leads Walking Class
Friday, June 11, 1-3 p.m.
Island writer Wayne Ude will be the first guest presenter for the Sound Mind in a Sound Body nature fitness walking classes, accompanying the group on a walk-and-talk lecture and giving a presentation on the Native American relationship with the natural world -- plants and animals, including sea animals, as well as the earth itself. The class is part of a grant for an Innovative Walking Program, combining human fitness and natural history.
The six classes in the program meet from 1 to 3 p.m. Wednesday and Friday afternoons. While all classes will include hikes on local trails and beaches, Wednesday topics will be on human health, and Friday topics will be the health of the world we inhabit. The program fee is $45; register with Whidbey Walks, 360-321-4950.
WIWA Educational program meetings
The WIWA Educational Programs Governing Board meetings are open to all WIWA members and others interested in the educational programs offered or proposed by WIWA: local classes, retreats, workshops, MFA in Creative Writing (pending state approval). Meetings are at 7 p.m. on the first Tuesday of each month. Call Nancy at 360-341-2209 for meeting location and to verify date and time. Agendas and minutes are posted on the WIWA Web site at http://www.writeonwhidbey.org -- go to "About WIWA" and click on "The People." Scroll to the bottom of the page for links to the agendas and minutes.
Book of Whidbey Island Humor
Jerry Mercer will edit a book of humor due for publication at the end of 2004. Submissions are limited to Whidbey Island writers and will consist of humorous fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and fillers which may be jokes or anecdotes. Maximum length is 3,000 words and poetry will be limited to 50 lines. All material must be original and unpublished. Subject does not have to be about Whidbey, but it must be humorous!
This anthology will be a good quality, soft cover, 6 X 9 with authors' bios and a foreword by Jim Freeman. Authors selected for publication will receive one free copy, will be entitled to purchase 10 additional copies at cost, and will share in revenue after publication costs have been met. Submissions will be accepted now through Aug. 27. Interested writers should contact Jerry by email at lamont1040@earthlink.net for more detailed information and submission requirements.
WIWA Love of Language Talks
Saturdays, 1 p.m., Bayview Hall, free
July 31, Ann Linnea, "Finding Voice Through Nature's Wisdom"
Oct. 23, Antoinette Botsford, "The Silence Between the Words"
For more information, call 221-2347, and see this Newsletter's related article: "Love of Language Talks."
Beth Finke at Freeland Library
Beth Finke, who wrote Long Time, No See, will be in Washington for a presentation at the Pacific NW Writers Conference in July and will visit Whidbey Island the following week, speaking at the Freeland Library Wednesday, July 21, at 7 p.m. That afternoon she'll join the 1st & 3rd Wednesday writers' critique group in Freeland at 1 p.m.
Despite the fact that Beth lost her sight during her honeymoon in 1984 and gave birth to a severely disabled son the next year, she definitely doesn't look for sympathy. She makes readers laugh about her adventures as a blind nude model for art classes, describes how she shops for clothes without seeing, and tells us what it's like to navigate busy city traffic with her guide dog. Check out her Web site, http://www.bethfinke.com, to hear some of her NPR interviews and learn more about her. Contact Natalie Olsen 360-331-7709 or thegnat@whidbey.com for more information.
Comma or Coma - Apostrophe or Catastrophe
Want to avoid or climb out of punctuation pitfalls like these?
The misplaced comma: An actor playing Duncan in Macbeth called out, 'Go get him, surgeons!' when he should have said, 'Go, get him surgeons'.
The missing question mark: Who Framed Roger Rabbit.
Altered meanings: A woman, without her man, is nothing. A woman: without her, man is nothing.
The aberrant comma: The society decided not to prosecute the owners of the Windsor Safari Park, where animals, have allegedly been fed live to snakes and lions, on legal advice.
The missing apostrophe: Dead sons photos may be released. Thank God its Friday. Prudential - were here to help you.
The comma debate: Ham, eggs and hashbrowns versus ham, eggs, and hashbrowns.
Irredeemable blunders: Make our customer's live's easier. Gateaux's. Your 21 today!
Sign up for a Saturday of laughter and learning on Aug. 7, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the Freeland Library Community Room, as Marian Blue leads a lighthearted summer romp through the mysteries of punctuation. Bring your nagging grammar questions, pet peeves, sense of humor and curiosity to an interactive workshop. Don’t miss this chance, all will be revealed. Fee is $50, $40 for WIWA members; coffee and tea provided. Please bring a lunch. For information email blueude@whidbey.com.
WIWA-Sponsored Writing Groups
The WIWA-sponsored writing groups provide an opportunity to share your work, gain insight, and discuss the world of writing and publishing. Featuring a friendly forum and useful critiques, these groups welcome drop-ins and writers of every experience level.
The Evening Writers' Group meets the first Wednesday of every month from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Freeland Library, 5495 Harbor Avenue. For more information, contact Judy at: judyt1@whidbey.net.
The North Whidbey Writers' Group meets the second and fourth Wednesday of each month, 1- 4 p.m., at Great Times Espresso in Coupeville (waterside of Front Street, down one flight of stairs). For more information, contact Dot Read at: thereads@whidbey.com, or call 360-331-2038.
The South Whidbey Writers' Group meets the first and third Wednesday of each month, 1 p.m. 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 Natalie Olsen at: thegnat@whidbey.com, or call 360-331-7709.
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OFF THE ISLAND
Gary Ferguson in Local Appearances
Montana writer Gary Ferguson, a popular presenter at several Whidbey Writers Conferences, will appear at four Northwest venues and teach a nature writing course in Oregon in July. Ferguson is the author of more than 15 books, many of which were published by National Geographic. He won both the 2004 Pacific Northwest Booksellers Award and the Mountains and Plains Booksellers Nonfiction Award for Hawks Rest: A Season in the Remote Heart of Yellowstone. He's worked with delinquent kids in the wilderness and has written about the experience and the healing power of nature. (For a note about his newest book, The Great Divide, see New Releases, below.)
Here is Gary's current schedule:
• July 12, 7:30 p.m. Powell's, Portland, Ore; http://www.powells.com
• July 14, 7 p.m., University Bookstore, Seattle; http://www.ubookstore.com
• July 15, 7:30 p.m., Village Books, Historic Fairhaven, Bellingham; http://www.villagebooks.com
• July 16, 6:30 p.m., Third Place Books, Seattle; http://www.thirdplacebooks.com
• July 17 & 18, Haystack Summer Writing Program, Portland State University; http://www.haystack.pdx.edu
Seattle Mystery Bookshop
July 10, noon; G. M. Ford will sign Red Tide; http://www.seattlemystery.com.
North Cascades Institute
July 16-18; The Natural History Essay Island author Susan Zwinger will lead this retreat along the south fork of the Nooksack, offering three days of intensive literary exercises. The focus is on the essay form, although the skills can also serve poetry, fiction and science writing. Newcomers and veterans welcome. Tuition includes accommodations and all meals at Blue Mountain Farm near Sedro-Woolley. Visit http://www.ncascades.org/index.ldmx
Writerific: Creative Training for Writers
Online class with WIWC presenter Dr. Eva Shaw. See http://www.ed2go.com/cgi-bin/oic/newofferings.cgi?num=PW for details.
Check out these other sites for events of interest:
Third Place Books, Seattle; http://www.thirdplacebooks.com
Washington Center for the Book, Seattle; http://www.spl.org/default.asp?pageID=about_news_detail&cid=1070564427734
Song & Word, San Juan Islands, WA; http://www.songandword.com/
Richard Hugo House in Seattle; http://www.hugohouse.org/events/
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PUN YOUR WAY TO SUCCESS
by Dr. Richard Lederer
Punning is a truly rewording experience. The inveterate (not invertebrate) punster believes that a good pun is like a good steak -- a rare medium well done.
Before you start beefing about my spare ribbing, remember that many a meaty pun has been cooked up as advice on how to succeed in the business of life and the life of business. "Don't be a carbon copy of someone else. Make your own impression," punned French philosopher Voltaire. "Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there," advised humorist Will Rogers centuries later.
Now let's get right to wit:
• The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary.
• The difference between a champ and a chump is U.
• Triumph is just umph added to try.
• Don’t assume. It will make an ass out of u and me.
• Hard work is the yeast that raises the dough.
• The best vitamin for making friends is B-1.
• Break a bad habit -- drop it.
• Patience is counting down without blasting off.
• Patience requires a lot of wait.
• Minds are like parachutes: they function only when open.
• To keep your mind clean and healthy, change it every once in a while.
• You can have an open mind without having a hole in your head.
"Big shots are only little shots that keep on shooting," observed British writer Christopher Morley. Here are some more punderful maxims that merit a blue ribbin'. Sharpen your pun cells and start taking notes:
• One thing you can give and still keep is your word.
• A diamond is a chunk of coal that made good under pressure.
• When the going gets tough, the tough get going.
• If the going gets easy, you may be going downhill.
• If you must cry over spilled milk, please try to condense it.
• Don't be afraid to go out on a limb, that's where the fruit is.
• Read the Bible -- it will scare the hell out of you.
• The ten commandments are not multiple choice.
• Failure is the path of least persistence.
• Life is not so much a matter of position as disposition.
• Of all the things you wear, your expression is the most important.
• If at first you don't succeed, try, try a grin.
"Many people would sooner die than think -- and usually they do," lamented British philosopher Bertrand Russell, pun in cheek. Some puns can help us to climb the ladder of success without getting rung out:
• People who never make a mistake never make anything else.
• When you feel yourself turning green with envy, you're ripe to be plucked.
• A smile doesn't cost a cent, but it gains a lot of interest.
• Success is more attitude than aptitude.
• Having a sharp tongue can cut your own throat.
• Learn that the bitter can lead to the better.
• He who throws mud loses ground.
• Hug your kids at home, but belt them in a car.
• Fear is the darkroom where negatives are developed.
• Humans are like steel. When they lose their tempers, they are worthless.
• Don't learn safety rules by accident. Don’t be dead to rites.
• There are two finishes for automobiles -- lacquer and liquor.
• Learn from the nail. Its head keeps it from going too far.
• He who laughs, lasts.
Even though it's a jungle out there, a real zoo, this collection of beastly puns may help you succeed in a workaday world that depends on survival of the fittest:
• Frogs have it easy. They can eat what bugs them.
• There's nothing in the middle of the road but yellow stripes and dead armadillos.
• Birds have bills too, but they keep on singing.
• Don’t be like a lemming. Avoid following the crowd and jumping to conclusions.
• Be like a horse with some horse sense—stable thinking and the ability to say “nay.”
• Be like a dog biting its tail. Make both ends meet.
• Be like a giraffe. Stick your neck out and reach higher than all the others.
• Be like a beaver. Don’t get stumped; just cut things down to size.
• Be like a lion. Live life with pride and grab the lion’s share with might and main.
• Be like an owl. Be wise but still give a hoot.
• Be like a duck. Keep calm and unruffled on the surface, but paddle like crazy underneath.
• Be like the woodpecker. Just keep pecking away until you finish the job. You'll succeed by using your head.
Dr. Richard Lederer and his daughter Katy Lederer, author of Poker Face, are scheduled presenters for WIWC 2005. Richard is the author of more than 3,000 books and articles about language and humor, including his best-selling Anguished English series. His latest book A Man of My Words, My Career-Capping Reflections on the English Language was selected by Book of the Month Club, Literary Guild and Quality Paperback Books. Richard's syndicated column, Looking at Language, appears in newspapers and magazines throughout the United States. He was named International Punster of the Year and awarded Toastmasters International 2002 Golden Gavel. You can explore Richard's Web site at http://www.verbivore.
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RECENT RELEASES
Head Full of Traffic
by Brian Ames
Pocol Press (http://www.pocolpress.com/).
This collection of 24 stories by WIWC participant Brian Ames is described as "sneering, kick-in-the-teeth horror with a working-class edge" (Dru Pagliassotti, editor, The Harrow). "The protagonists of most of Ames’ stories are, for the most part, ordinary people struggling to get by in a world where the odds seemed stacked against them."A third story collection, Eighty-Sixed, is due from Word Riot Press in August. Ames is also fiction co-editor for Word Riot, "an online literary magazine with an edge" (http://www.wordriot.org/). Stay current with Ames at his Web site, http://webpages.charter.net/tendollardog.
The Great Divide: The Rocky Mountains in the American Mind
By Gary Ferguson
WW Norton, June 2004
Publishers Weekly says: "Captivating . . . the mountains are under increasing environmental duress, and Ferguson is an important voice on these issues." Gary Ferguson, a frequent instructor at WIWC, has won both the 2004 Pacific Northwest Booksellers Award and the 2004 Mountains & Plains Booksellers Non-fiction Award for Hawks Rest: A Season in the Remote Heart of Yellowstone (National Geographic Adventure Press, 2003).
The Secrets of Jin-shei
By Alma Hromic (as Alma Alexander)
Harper Collins, May 2004
Writers Conference presenter Alma Hromic writes of an ancient world of courtly elegance, where the secret language of jin-shei has been passed down from mother to daughter for generations. "Expertly weaves the lives of characters into a plot full of intrigue and magic." --Orlando Sentinel. Hromic will read at the Elliot Bay Bookstore in Seattle July 5. Visit http://www.almahromic.com for her schedule. Readers who know of a Whidbey library or bookshop interested in a visit are encouraged to contact her at anghara@startouch.net
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LOST AND FOUND
It's a mystery; someone purchased two great books while attending WIWC 2004, but left them at the conference. One of the books was Writing Mysteries, edited by Sue Grafton. Name the other, and the books are yours. Contact Candace at candace@whidbey.com for their return.
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LOVE OF LANGUAGE TALKS
Love of Language, a series of quarterly talks by published authors, will "stimulate the writers' Renaissance taking place here in Island County," says natural history author and poet Susan Zwinger. WIWA, the All Books Club and Zwinger have joined forces to reward Whidbey's local writers and readers with the free series, which will also report on the state of literary arts and WIWA. The All Books Club generously donated Bayview Hall's rental fee.
July 31, 2004, Ann Linnea, Natural History Author
Finding Voice Through Nature's Wisdom
Ann Linnea is an educator with a broad background in biology and environmental studies. She has co-authored an award winning book, Teaching Kids to Love the Earth, (Pfeifer-Hamilton, 1991/University of Minnesota Press), which teaches environmental appreciation to children, teachers, and parents. After surviving an exhilarating and at times extremely dangerous 1,800-mile circumnavigation of Lake Superior by sea kayak, Linnea wrote a deeply moving and metaphorical memoir of the journey entitled Deep Water Passage: A Spiritual Journey at Midlife, (Pocketbook, 1997). In the spirit of thinking globally and acting locally, Ann wrote a locally acclaimed environmental history book, A Journey through the Maxwelton Watershed, (Maxwelton Salmon Adventure, 2002).
Ann holds a B.S. degree in biology with honors and distinction from Iowa State University and a Masters-of-Arts-in-Teaching from the University of Idaho. She is co-founder of PeerSpirit, Inc., an educational company building communities of reflection, adventure and purpose.
October 23, 2004, Antoinette Botsford
The Silence Between the Words; Storytelling and Oral Tradition as Living Expression and Literary Source
Storyteller Antoinette Botsford grew up in a family that values storytelling: "My mother told stories about the past, my father told stories about the future." Her education includes a Ph.D. in Theatre from UCLA, a master's in Folklore and Mythology and -- the important part -- "a whole ton of life experience." She's especially known for native North American tales (many learned from her Canadian-Métis relatives) as well as a growing Celtic collection she calls "The Forest of Broceliande." A large part of her performance repertoire includes stories she weaves from fragments of family history and anecdotes, as well as stories she describes as "traditional and true" that she has adapted from world cultures.
Botsford toured for six months with Utah's Grammy-winning Douglas Spotted Eagle in his stage show, "Voices of Native America," and is a frequent performer and teacher at arts festivals including seven years with the Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival. President of the Ojai Foundation Jack Zimmerman describes her as "a gifted and profound teacher and storyteller who brings a heightened and complex understanding of myth to contemporary life."
For six years, Botsford served as children's editor for The Napra Review, and for four years served as a judge for an important literary competition. She is an editorial consultant in children's publishing.
"May we find each other in the silence between the words?" -- Antoinette Botsford, http://www.rockisland.com/~storybird/.
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T-UP YOUR MARKETING PLAN
by Joseph Shaw, President
Writeriffic Publishing Group
http://www.writeriffic.com
Forget the 3 R's you learned in grammar school. If you're in publishing
you need the 3 T's. They are:
· Team
· Talk
· Tenacity
Two months after the release of my first title, my author, Eva Shaw, and Shovel It: Nature's Health Plan were featured in USA Today, with 9 to 12 million readers. This wasn't an article crammed in with others or a mentioned in a book section, but the only feature on that page. It was a Friday paper that hung around at newsstands for Saturday and Sunday readers, too.
When one of the first articles about your book is in the country's largest paper, some think that all the work is over. The readers will break down the door trying to buy the book. If you know publishing at
all, you know that's a myth up there with the Tooth Fairy. This first national article was the foundation, and it just didn't happen because we were lucky. It came about because we were "T-ed" up and ready to go. Here's what we did, so you can do it too:
T Number One: The Team
Telling others about how the company went from a great idea to being featured in USA Today, Washington Post, Boston Globe, San Antonio Express-News, Long Island Woman, and scores of columns and reviews throughout the US, including radio and television appearances, makes it seem like a huge job. It can be daunting but when you break it down into small segments, it's easier.
The trick, if there is one, is to form a team well before the book is released, well before you even send a CD Rom or Zip Disk to the printer. Be committed to marketing for the long haul, for years ahead, and repeat this for all your titles.
The hard fact of marketing is that you try two to 20 million different approaches and then cull to those that work. You learn as you go, each title, each author is different. Never dwell on missteps. All learning is done through trial and error. As Wayne Gretzky, philosopher, team player and Stanley Cup winner once said, "You miss 100 percent of the shots you don't take."
With my background in engineering, I have always worked with a schedule, understood the concept of planning, and the need to have a team to get a job done. When I decided to form a publishing company, in November 2000, I knew I'd need an author with a strong track record and a very desirable book. There were a lot of good books to launch my company, but in order to make sure I had a product that I could sell immediately and for years ahead, I looked for a sure thing. Twenty-seven years ago,
I fortunately married that right author. I could have begun other titles by other authors, but that simply didn't make sense.
I believe that the author and the publisher must be the first team members. Eva Shaw, the author of Shovel It: Nature's Health Plan, and I are partnering on this book. A caution here for others partnering as author and publisher: Strive to be an excellent communicator, come to all conversations with an open mind, and be ready to compromise. For instance, Eva has written more than 60 books, often for the major publishers and ghosted for those in the public eye. She knows writing. She's a vibrant public speaker. I do not write books nor enjoy getting up in front of a TV camera or large audiences. We are each committed and contributed our skills in unique ways that support the company and the product. I bring to the business the accounting, scheduling and marketing side, invaluable when going out for bid, working with printers, dealing with warehouses personnel and bookstore buyers. This is the publisher's job and while we're working in the literary world, it's the business aspect that keeps a company afloat.
Next member of your team should be a gifted graphic designer. Hire one who can design a book to bring out the best of this product, because a book is a product. Here, too, find someone you can talk with and who is experienced with exactly how to produce the books and advertising materials you'll need. Don't try to do this yourself. Find other ways to cut corners; re-do's eat up your profits.
As the marketing adage goes: Spend money on the stuff your customer sees. Don't spend money on what the customer can't see. The customer sees your book, advertisements, bookmarks, postcards, and fliers, not the '96 Honda that you drive to the UPS center when shipping books to Baker and Taylor.
Select a printing company you can depend on. Don't be afraid to go out for bid and compare pricing, especially shipping. Ask for references. Printing is an investment in the success of your titles. Ask the question, "How about sharpening your pencil on that figure?" The worst that can happen is that the printer knows you're serious.
To be continued...
Joe Shaw's wife, Eva Shaw, has been a popular presenter at Whidbey Island Writers Conferences. Read about T Number Two -- Talk in the next newsletter.
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CONTESTS AND MARKET REQUESTS
Sqajet Art and Literary Journal
Cora Thomas, a sophomore at Skagit Valley College and an editor at the SVC journal Sqajet, is seeking submissions for the Fall 2004 issue of the journal, which will focus on life in the Skagit River Watershed. The Watershed contains all the land that drains water into the Skagit River, including tributaries in southern British Columbia as well as tributaries in northwest Washington. Skagit Valley College has two campuses within the Watershed: Mount Vernon in Skagit County and Oak Harbor in Island County. The name Sqajet comes from the Lushootseed Salish, the native language of Puget Sound and the Skagit Valley and the oldest known source of stories from this place. Sqajet is also the name of the First People who lived in longhouses along the shores of Penn Cove on Whidbey Island.
This issue has a poetry focus, but short, short, short stories of 500 words or less are also acceptable. Submission can be online or by postal mail; email Charles.Luckmann@skagit.edu for details. In addition to fame throughout the Skagit Watershed, contributors will get a free copy of the publication. Previous issues can be obtained by calling 360-416-7696.
Vestal Review
The 17th issue of Vestal Review is out, featuring flash stories of G.W. Cox, Misha Firer, Kate Hill Cantrill, Bruce Boston, H. A. Fleming and J. Nowack. The editors are now reading for issue 18. For submission guidelines visit http://www.vestalreview.net
Saturday Writers Short Story Contest
The deadline is Sept. 15 for the Saturday Writers short story contest, with cash prizes and an opportunity for publication in the Saturday Writers’ literary collection, published at the end of 2004. Stories must be original and unpublished and in any subject or genre (no pornography or gore.) Fee is $5 per entry, maximum of three entries. For details visit http://www.saturdaywriters.org.
WPA Juried Anthology
The Washington Poets Association is publishing a juried anthology, and all WPA members are eligible to submit poems. (Non-members may join for $15; there is no reading fee). The poems will be blind judged by a panel of independent, non-member judges, and the WPA will print the judges' top selections in an anthology due out this fall. Of the poems selected, a maximum of one per poet will be included. All WPA members receive one free copy of the anthology, whether they submit or not. Washington state residency isn't required. Deadline for submissions is July 1; for details contact Stephen Roxborough, roxword@fidalgo.net or visit http://www.washingtonpoets.org.
'This Magazine' Prize for Creative Non-Fiction
The deadline for This Magazine’s Prize for Creative Non-Fiction, for articles of literary journalism, has been extended to Aug. 6. Canada's alternative magazine offers a cash prize of $250 plus publication for real-life stories, eloquently told with a strong voice, attention to narrative, experimental styles and compelling subject matter. Entry fee is $5 per entry. For more information email info@thismagazine.ca or visit http://www.thismagazine.ca
Arizona Poetry Contest
The Arizona State Poetry Society has announced its 37th Annual Poetry Contest, with 16 categories open to all poets. Cash prizes up to $100 will be awarded, with publication of winners in Sandcutters quarterly journal. For rules and guidelines, send a self-addressed stamped envelope to Genevieve Sargent, 1707 N. Sunset Dr., Tempe, AZ 85281-1551, or visit http://www.azpoetry.org. Contest deadline is Sept. 7, 2004.
Girls Gone Stupid: Dumb Things Smart Women Do
Stephanie Marston, co-author of Chicken Soup for the Empowered Woman's Soul, has renamed an upcoming anthology and extended the deadline for submissions of humorous true-life stories. Now called Girls Gone Stupid: Dumb Things Smart Women Do, the book will include chapters such as Working Stupid, Inspired Stupidity Around the House, Stupid In Love or Lust, The Gift of Stupidity, Silliness In The Great Outdoors and Around the Globe, Public Displays of Stupidity, Idiocy With Kids, With Your Pets, The Art of Stupidity, Fiascos With Family & Friends, Random Acts of Dumbness and Stupid Things Guys Do. Anecdotes should be fun-loving -- the more outrageous the better, but keep it clean and printable.
The maximum word count is 1,200. For each story selected for the book a fee of $50 will be paid. Stories must be received no later than Oct. 15, 2004. Send to Girls Gone Stupid, P.O. Box 31453, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87594-1453; or email stephanie@stephaniemarston.com (preferred). Stories must be received no later than Oct. 15, 2004.
Million Dollar Muse Poetry Contest
Sponsored by Meeting the Muse Chapter of the Missouri State Poetry Society. Cash awards will be given to five winners in each of two categories: Best Rhymed Poem and Best Unrhymed Poem. Any subject, form and length will be considered. Entry fee is $2 per page. Deadline is Sept. 11, 2004. For a copy of the contest rules, send a #10 Self-Addressed Stamped Envelope with your request to: Amy's Muse Contest, 1325 W. Sunshine St., Box 168, Springfield, MO 65807.
Cat Writers Contest
The Cat Writers Association is accepting entries for its annual Communications Contest for published writers, photographers and editors in print, online and broadcast media. Cash awards of $100 to $1,000 are offered, as well as CWA's own Muse Medallions to winners in 40 some writing and graphics categories. Topics include feline research, health, behavior, nutrition, seniors, kittens and responsible ownership, fiction and new writers.Deadline for submission is July 1; the competition is open to work published between June 16, 2003 and June 15, 2004 in magazines, newspapers, newsletters and on Web sites. Fees are $8.50 for members, $15 others. For contest details visit http://www.catwriters.org.
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CYBER SURFING
Have you encountered some helpful Internet sites? Send us the address and your brief review.
The publication Copy editor has these suggestions:
http://www.worldwidewords.org - International English from a British viewpoint
http://www.wordcourt.com - Submit your word dispute, question or comment to syndicated columnist The Honorable Babara Wallraff
Nancy Ruff recommends this fun site of mnemonics: http://users.frii.com/geomanda/mnemonics/spelling.html
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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: jsoltys@whidbey.com
To contact the Whidbey Island Writers Association, email: writers@whidbey.com.
The WIWA Web site is: http://www.writeonwhidbey.com.
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