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WIWA NEWSLETTER
News from the Whidbey Island Writers Association
Vol. 5, No. 3 June - July 2005
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CONTENTS
Whidbey Writers Workshop Program News
Faculty Wanted for 2006 Conference
Screenwriting Retreat
Writing and Recipes
On the Island
Off the Island
The Exclamation Point
by Dr. Richard Lederer
Recent Releases
Cheers
Create a Writing Presence on the Web
Contests and Market Requests
Ten PR Tips
CyberSurfing
To Contact Us
To Subscribe or Unsubscribe
To read past issues of the newsletter visit http://www.writeonwhidbey.com/Publications/News_Pub_Home.htm
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WHIDBEY WRITERS WORKSHOP Program News
MFA Program's First Class is Forming
The Whidbey Writers Workshop low-residency MFA, a program of the Whidbey Island Writers Association, has admitted its first students for the August 2005, Residency and Fall Semester. Some openings remain in children's literature, nonfiction, poetry and fiction, with the fewest remaining slots in fiction. Applications will be accepted until July 1 as long as openings remain. Application information is available at http://www.writeonwhidbey.org/mfa
Course Registration Begins
We're delighted to welcome Elaine Woods as our Registrar. Her experience in admissions, registration and records with
Non-degree Opportunities at the Fall 2005 Residency, August 13-23
Beginning June 1, the Workshop will open a limited number of slots for non-degree students who wish to take part in the full Residency or in the afternoon program only. There are several ways in which to participate as a non-degree student:
1) Morning and afternoon programs, including workshops (include $5 day fees)
Option A: Five days, non-resident; days 1-5 of residency or days 5-9 of residency; cost: $375 plus lunches
Option B: Five days, resident at Camp Casey; days 1-5 of residency or days 5-9 of residency; cost: $375 plus meals and lodging
Option C: Nine days, non-resident; cost: $750 plus lunches
Option D: Nine days, resident; cost $750 plus meals and lodging
Limit: maximum of 6 non-degree in each genre up to a total of 10 in each workshop
2) Afternoon programs only; no workshops or meals
Option E: Nine days, non-resident; cost: $400
Option F: Five days, non-resident; cost: $225
For further details visit: www.writeonwhidbey.org/mfa or email wiwa@whidbey.com .
RECOGNITION FOR THE MFA PROGRAM
The MFA's Online Library was featured as a "Recommended Resource" in The Practicing Writer, an online newsletter. Our thanks to Online Librarian Philip Williamson for his excellent work in establishing our library. This resource is available to everyone, not just to Workshop enrollees, and can be reached from our homepage or from the Whidbey Island Writers Association home page, http://www.writeonwhidbey.org.
A leading website for writers of children's literature, http://www.SmartWriter.com, is featuring our MFA in its current pages. An interview with Program Director Wayne Ude (interviewed by Kirby Larson) should appear on that site shortly.
The MFA program was also among those featured in an article in The Blue Review about low-residency MFA and MA programs with concentrations in children's literature. For more information go to http://www.writeonwhidbey.org/mfa
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FACULTY WANTED for 2006 Writers Conference
Planning has begun for the 2006 Whidbey Island Writers Conference. The Conference Planning Team invites authors, poets and teachers of the writing craft interested in being considered for the 2006 conference faculty to submit proposals for the team's review. Detailed information will be available at: http://www.writeonwhidbey.org by June 7, 2005.
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ANTHOLOGY OF NURTURING WRITINGS AND RECIPES
WIWA is compiling a cookbook filled with recipes and the stories or poems related to those recipes. Join us in creating this very special anthology. Tell us a story; evoke a memory; relive a moment associated with a particular dish –– and send us the recipe.
Submissions must be postmarked on or before June 30, 2005. Mail your submission and entry fee ($5 for WIWA members, $10 for non-members) to: WIWA, PO BOX 1289, Langley, WA 98260. For complete details visit WIWA's Web site: http://www.writeonwhidbey.org
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ON THE ISLAND
RockHopper CoffeeHouse Welcomes Writers
A new venue has opened in Clinton (next door to La Paz) with a smoke free, unhurried atmosphere. Owners Brenda and Dan Cole (Boomerang Printing) invite writers to share a short story or poem with the Whidbey community. Contact RoseAnn Alspektor at 360-341-4486 or valisgroup@aol.com . The RockHopper will select one poem or short story for each week, add a thank you note acknowledging the author, pay for copies, and give one to each customer who visits the RockHopper CoffeeHouse. Also, groups or individuals patronizing the coffeehouse will be invited to leave their promotional literature on the community shelf space reserved for this purpose.
Masters Screenwriting Retreat with Richard Krevolin
Limited space still remains for the June 24-26 Masters Screenwriting Retreat with Richard Krevolin. This retreat will be a wonderful opportunity for aspiring screenwriters to shape their ideas and manuscripts with an amazing teacher. Richard was a favorite at this year's Whidbey Island Writers Conference, and he is looking forward to being back on the island.
This retreat will be held at the beautiful Ashingdon Manor in
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WIWA-Sponsored Writing Groups
Oak Harbor Writers' Group
In April, WIWA formed of a new writers' group for members that extends the Association's services northward on the island. The Oak Harbor Writers Group meets twice a month on Tuesday evenings at
Group members bring work in progress to be critiqued. So far the group has worked with chapters from several novels at various stages of completion, short stories, poetry, and a family memoir.
"Not only is the group very supportive, it is also very helpful," said Nancy Hodges, WIWA member and one of the founding group members.
The goal of the group is to provide encouragement to writers at all levels while giving individual writers an opportunity to receive specific and constructive feedback on their work. The group invites any WIWA member who is interested in learning more about the group to contact Erika at wiwa@whidbey.com or call 360-331-6714.
The North Whidbey Writers' Group is meeting regularly at Great Times Espresso in Coupeville on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays at 1p.m. The informal format includes a sharing of information about opportunities to enhance skills and to publish; some "fun" quick-write activities; and the reading of members' works-in-progress for group feedback. The climate is friendly--writers helping each other. Writers of all genres and experience levels are welcome.
The South Whidbey Writers' Group meets the first and third Wednesday of each month, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., at
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OFF THE
Reading from 'The Scent of Lemon,' by Miriam J. Lancaster. WIWA member will read from historical fiction of
Sam Hamill at Elliot Bay Books, June 7, http://www.elliottbaybook.com/
Crafting Your Pitch, June 4, 1-5 p.m., Richard Hugo House, Seattle. Instructors Waverly Fitzgerald and Alle C. Hall will lead a class about "pitching" your book: the two-minute brief that conveys characters, plot, setting, hook and climax. The verbal pitch will also work as a one-paragraph summation in a query letter. To register, contact allehall@blarg.net .
Kick Start Your Novel, June 13-16, 6-9 p.m,
Vote for Poet Populist. Go to http://www.cityofseattle.net/council/licata/poetpop/ to help choose the Poet Populist of Seattle to represent and promote populist poetic expression when performing in and around the city.
Writing It Real, June 23-27, Port Townsend. For the past five years, writers from around the country gathered in
The Jack Straw Reading Series, June 15, 7 p.m., Jack Straw Productions,
ASLE Annual Conference
The Association for the Study of Literature and the Environment will meet in
Juniper Creek Writers Conference
Dates are July 15-17 for this conference at
Check out these other sites for events of interest:
Seattle Mystery Bookshop; http://www.seattlemystery.com
Third Place Books, Seattle; http://www.thirdplacebooks.com
Song & Word, San Juan Islands, WA; http://www.songandword.com
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THE EXCLAMATION POINT
by Richard Lederer
The exclamation point is perfectly named: You can just tell what it does. The names of the other marks reveal nothing about their purpose: Ellipsis sounds like a medical term for a muscular dysfunction of the lips. One might guess parentheses to be some sort of hypothetical proposal presented by a mom or dad ("A Parent’s Thesis on the Matrix of Dynamics Supporting the Validity of the Imperative ‘Because I Said So’"). Comma is dangerously close to coma. Apostrophe ("a pa’s trophy") sounds like a father’s reward for winning a golf tournament. Hyphens sound dauntingly as though you need to scale a "high fence" to master them.
And what else can the word semicolon refer to but a truck parked on someone’s rear end? Either that, or someone with only . . . well, never mind.
But exclamation point! It removes all mystery! This one has a point to make. And — true to its very nature — it’s not wasting any time making it. Once we know the name of this mark, we have a very strong sense of its function. Use the exclamation point to emphasize an emotion or put backbone into a command.
But that’s not really enough for us, is it? We wouldn’t want to be known or understood solely on the basis of how we function, would we? We don’t want to be defined by what we do; we all want to be defined by who we are.
So who, really, is this inciter of excitement, this titan of tingle, this prince of palpitation? If we delved inside this flashiest of points, whom, exactly, would we find there?
In order to discover the inner exclamation point, we must, of course, deeply and truly identify with it. Like actors trying to grasp the essence of a character they mean to play, we must become the exclamation point if we are really going to know it at all.
So here’s what you do: Go stand in front of a mirror. Look into the other side of the glass and try to evince in your expression the intent, purpose, and entire being of the exclamation point. Feel its surprise; its natural ebullience; its spontaneous emotional urgency. Become one with the exclamation point.
Go ahead. Make the face of the exclamation point.
Now quick: Whom do you look like?
That’s right: Lucy Ricardo.
And there you have it: Lucy is the exclamation point!
Okay, stop making that face now. You might strain something.
All you need do is delve into the inner core of the exclamation point, and the person you find there is none other than film comedienne and television megastar Lucille Ball, also known as Lucy Ricardo -- her bright red hair, her dress with the huge polka-dots, her irrepressible, over-the-top energy.
Bearing Lucy in mind — and, for that matter, the whole cast of the I Love Lucy show — let’s take a look at the variety of emotions whose expressions can be enhanced through the use of the exclamation point:
Anger:
Luuuucy! You got some ‘splainin’ to do!
Stop complaining, Ethel! You ought to be grateful that when you married me, you acquired the name Mertz!
Oh, Fred, stop being so cheap -- and stop wearing your pants up around your neck!
Surprise:
Ricky’s gonna let me sing at the club!
What! You’re having another baby! But we sleep in separate beds! Now you really got some ‘splainin’ to do!
Lucy, Danny Thomas is in your kitchen! Again!
Love:
I love you, Ricky!
I love you, Lucy!
I love you, Ethel!
I love Lucy, Fred!
Pride:
I run the best nightclub in the city!
I’ve got the reddest hair in this building!
I married a woman much younger than I!
I still haven’t murdered Fred in his sleep!
Desperation:
They’re closing my nightclub!
Howdy Doody moved into 3-G! Now I don’t have the reddest hair in the building!
Even though Ethel’s pretty young, she dresses like a frumpy grandmother!
I still haven’t murdered Fred in his sleep!
Joy:
It’s a boy! We’re gonna to give him an inferiority complex for life by calling him Little Ricky!
Oh, Fred! Ricky bought Lucy a new car, a new washing machine, and all new bedroom furniture!
Oh, Ethel! We’re about to get an old car, an old washing machine, and some old bedroom furniture!
And so on. There’s really no emotion whose written expression can’t be enhanced by the exclamation mark. Do beware, however, of using this punchy point too often. Remember the boy who cried wolf. You can’t get people excited about something if you’re excited about everything. And, please, never use two or more exclamation points in a clump!!! That’s too much like shouting. Like TYPING EVERYTHING IN CAPITAL LETTERS IN AN email MESSAGE.
So with the exclamation point — as, indeed, with any mark of punctuation — remember how important it is to be always on the ball.
Dr. Richard Lederer, WIWC 2005 presenter, 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 the Book of the Month Club, Literary Guild and Quality Paperback Books. You can explore his Web site at http://pw1.netcom.com/~rlederer/
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RECENT RELEASES
Snapshots from a Moving Life, a new chapbook by Victory Lee Schouten. To order, contact Schouten at victory@greatpath.com or call 360-331-7099 or 800-858-5063. Price is $9; $5 each for two, plus shipping.
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CHEERS
Marci Ameluxen of Greenbank won 3rd prize and $250 in the Hackney Literary Awards-Poetry in March. She also has poems forthcoming in two journals. "I first took classes from Susan Zwinger and Marian Blue, and both were really great," Ameluxen said. "I decided to focus on poetry, and luckily WIWA was offering a class with Lorraine Healy. Not only is she tremendously knowledgeable and an outstanding poet in her own right, but
Dan Millman, best-selling author of numerous fiction and nonfiction books including Way of the Peaceful Warrior -- and popular Whidbey Island Writers Conference faculty -- has several items of exciting news. First, after four years of literary labors, he is heading out on tour for his newest novel, The Journeys of Socrates (HarperSanFrancisco). Second, filming is nearly complete on the Peaceful Warrior film project, due out in 2006, starring Nick Nolte as Socrates, Scott Mechlowicz as Dan, and Amy Smart as Joy. For details about Dan's tour: http://www.danmillman.com
Whidbey Writers' Conference Instructor Bharti Kirchner’s novel Shiva Dancing has been translated into yet another language -- Marathi -- and released in India. Pearson Education Company has selected her essay, Dhaka: The Hidden Pleasure, for a reading comprehension test in
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CREATE A WRITING PRESENCE ON THE WEB
Writers, WIWA wants to promote you and your writing by helping you develop a presence on the Web. If you have a personal Web site and you are a member of WIWA, we'll create an online link from the Resources section of our Web site, http://www.writeonwhidbey.org/Resources_Links/Resource_Home.htm, to your personal Web site about writing. This is your opportunity to showcase your writing, sell your books or advertise your writing services. All sites must be about writing and are subject to WIWA's approval. To set up a link, email the Webmaster at WebAdmin@WriteOnWhidbey.org with your full name and the link to your Web site. This service is free to WIWA members.
Need help creating a Web site? Contact the Webmaster at WebAdmin@WriteOnWhidbey.org about design and publishing services that are available for a reasonable fee. In addition, WIWA can host your writing site on its Web site for $50 a year. Let WIWA help you connect your writing to the Web.
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CONTESTS AND MARKET REQUESTS
Aspiring Authors contest
Xerox Corporation has launched its "Aspiring Authors" fiction contest. The grand-prize-winning novelist will receive 100 published copies of his or her story, $5,000 in cash, and a possible opportunity to launch a new literary career. A free paperback copy of every novel entered will be printed. The first 1,000 qualifying entries will be considered. Enter the contest at http://www.xerox.com/aspiringauthors. Entries must be received by July 1.
'Letter to My Teacher'
Adams Media, Inc. in Avon, Massachusetts, is compiling an anthology of stories, written as letters, for a new book tentatively titled Letters to My Teacher: 50 Inspirational Stories About Lessons Learned to be published in late 2005. The book will contain 50 true stories, written by people of all ages, that celebrate the valuable lessons learned from teachers in our lives. For details, visit http://home.earthlink.net/~lettersubmissions/index.html
US/
The Japan-US. Friendship Commission works cooperatively with the National Endowment for the Arts to sponsor this program that supports up to five outstanding contemporary and traditional artists from the
Margin Short Story Contest
This year's theme is "War Stories"–– man v. man, country v. country, man v. nature, man v. woman, man v. beast---any sort of collision of power structures, both personal and political. Just make sure it's magical realism. Prize: $100; winner and honorable mentions published in Margin Autumn 2005. Postmark deadline: June 15. Visit: http://www.angelfire.com/wa2/margin/contests.html .
Amazing Cat Tales
Submit entries of fact or fiction for a new book by Linden Hill Publishing. Prizes are $200 for first place, $100 for second and $50 for third. Entry fee: $15; deadline is Sept. 15; visit: http://www.lindenhill.net . Deadline: June 30, 2005.
Antigonish Review
The 5th Annual Great Blue Heron Poetry Contest welcomes original unpublished poems on any subject. Deadline is June 30. For full details visit: http://www.antigonishreview.com/contest.html
Book of Hopes and Dreams
Dee Rimbaud at http://www.thunderburst.co.uk seeks submissions for a charity anthology The Book Of Hopes And Dreams. All profits go to Spirit Aid's medical aid project in
American Short Fiction magazine
After publishing regularly from 1991-98, American Short Fiction is re-launching in Fall 2005 and is now accepting manuscripts. The magazine has featured the work of writers such as Naguib Mahfouz, Joyce Carol Oates, Reynolds Price,Hortense Calisher, Andrea Barrett, Antonya Nelson and Dagoberto Gilb.
Visit: http://www.americanshortfiction.com to learn more.
The Wandering Hermit Review
A new, twice-yearly independent arts and literary journal, is looking for poetry and fiction, essays and reviews, comics and art. The Hermit will be a perfect bound, digest size journal of 120 to 150 pages. Send questions and submissions with a brief bio to: whrev@yahoo.com
The Predator Press Chapbook Competition
Inkwell Literary Services invites submissions to the annual Predator Press Prose Chapbook Competition. One winning manuscript will be chosen and published as a professionally-designed chapbook with a four-color, glossy cover. The winning writer will also receive $400 and 25 copies. Deadline is October 15; call 806-438-2385 or email: inkwellliterary@mac.com .
Short Story Anthology
Both established writers and new voices are welcome to submit short stories to Hourglass Books for its anthology, Peculiar Pilgrims: Stories From the Left Hand of God, exploring the spiritual realm: "adventures in unorthodoxy, encounters of the fourth kind, mysterious ways, unbounded grace, strange coincidences ... things you will never read about in Sunday School (except in the church of your imagination)." See the author submission guidelines at: http://www.hourglassbooks.com .
O2
Philip Levine Prize in Poetry
The MFA Program in Creative Writing at
Creative Nonfiction contest
A $1,000 prize is offered by the magazine Creative Nonfiction for the best submission focusing on Italian-American writing (or writing about Italian-Americans; you needn't be Italian-American to submit). Complete guidelines are at http://www.creativenonfiction.org .
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TEN PR TIPS TO MARKET YOUR BOOK
by Brian Feinblum, Chief Marketing Officer of Planned Television Arts
For over 40 years Planned Television Arts has promoted thousands of authors from every genre to the news media, from best-selling authors out of major publishing houses to self-published, unknown, novices. With each successful PR campaign, we have found many common denominators on what an author should consider when looking to get his or her book promoted.
1. You must get your message to the news media via a PR campaign. Advertising is cost-prohibitive and not as effective. A well-written book on a timely topic or interesting subject deserves media attention.
2. Timing is key - get the word out early and often. Tell everyone you meet or know about your book.
3. Set a budget aside to invest in PR – it will pay off with book sales, prestige and positioning for future book deals. You are always branding!
4. Start with radio - it’s the least expensive, but a very effective means to promote yourself.
5. Don’t expect national TV until you do some local media or gather press clippings.
6. Book reviews are not always the best way to go –– broad coverage off the book page is better. Book reviews are simply much harder to come by –– and are less effective.
7. Be prepared to summarize the highlights of your book in 15 seconds. That’s how long you have to convince someone your book is worth looking at.
8. Bring in a professional to promote you, just as doctors don’t treat themselves and lawyers would never represent themselves.
9. Look at getting PR for your book as a way to build up your name recognition. People like to read or buy from someone they have heard of.
10. Do book signings, tour colleges, create book clubs and take a grass roots approach.
Brian Feinblum is the Chief Marketing Officer of Planned Television Arts, one of the nation’s leading book publicity firms. Visit: http://www.plannedtvarts.com .
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CYBER SURFING
The free e-book, Maximizing Your Publishing Profits, is available for download at http:// www.plannedtvarts.com . Click on Free PR Tips; sign up for free e-newsletter
If you find a Web site you think other writers would like to visit, send us the URL.
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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 at: wiwa@whidbey.com . For information about the Conference, email writers@whidbey.com . The WIWA Web site is: http://www.writeonwhidbey.org .
Your newsletter editor is Joan Soltys.
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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 wiwa@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.
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