Friday, April 24, 2009

MORE BITS & PIECES #125

MORE BITS & PIECES FOR Writers/Authors #125
REASONS TO KEEP WRITING - TONY HILLERMAN, age 83, author. Hillerman's evocative novels about Native Americans, describes people struggling to maintain ancient traditions in the modern world, and touched millions of readers who made his books best sellers. The themes of his books were not overtly political, still he wrote with a purpose, he often said, and that purpose was to instill in his readers a respect for Native American culture. The plots of his stories, while steeped in contemporary crime and its consequences, were invariably instructive about ancient tribal beliefs and customs.

NATIONAL SOCIETY OF NEWSPAPER COLUMNISTS - News, contests, scholarships and awards for columnists. http://www.columnists.com

BLACK ORCHID NOVELLA AWARD - Deadline: May 31, 2009. Novella length short fiction, from 15,000 to 20,000 words that conform to the tradition of the Nero Wolfe series. Stories must contain no overt sex or violence or include characters from the original series. $1000 and publication in Alfred Hitchcock Magazine. Guidelines: http://www.nerowolfe.org/htm/neroaward/black_orchid_award/BO_award_proc.htm

THE CURZON GROUP – a new website and group dedicated to the return of the great British thriller. Win a book by registering. Stay tuned for a blog and contests. URL: http://www.thecurzongroup.com/Competitions/Competitions

SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE - Northern Cal's largest newspaper. Invites contributions for the Travel Section. Weekend escapes spotlight a weekend destination in California, southern Oregon or western Nevada. Written in first person, but with destination, not the writer's personal history or experiences as the focus. No stories from hosted or sponsored trips. Length: cover stories 1350/2000/wds. Inside stories 1200/1400/wds. $400/500 for centerpieces, $250/350 for other cover stories $150/250 for inside stories. Editor: travel@sfchronicle.com Guidelines: http://www.sfgate.com/chronicle/submissions

SCOTTISH ISLAND EXPLORER, Scotland - magazine solely devoted to exploring the islands of Scotland: wildlife, environmental issues, archaeology, history, cultural development, lifestyles, travel, and current affairs. Length: 500/3000/wds. Pay: 3.5 p/pub/wd and £5 per pub/photo. Owner/publisher: Jeremy Smith jeremy@scottishislandsexplorer.com
Guidelines: http://www.scottishislandsexplorer.com/submittingmaterial.html

THE STRATEGY PAGE - covers military news and affairs, including battlefield reports, arms sales, weapon tests, space programs, espionage, terrorism, etc. Length: up to 12,000/wds. Submissions: query first by email. $200/300 for large articles, $20/100 for smaller items. Query Editor: Jim Dunnigan jfdunnigan@aol.com Guidelines: http://www.strategypage.com/articles/default.asp?target=guidelines.htm

VERBATIM - Language Quarterly, bills itself as the only magazine about language and linguistics for the general reader. $25 to $500 depending on length, wit, and other merit. Guidelines: http://www.verbatimmag.com/writers.html

WASHINGTON CITY PAPER - needs well-reported stories about the city, which includes profiles, investigative pieces, "Talk of the Town"-type articles, stories about local institutions. Also publishes weekly reviews of movies, film, theater, the visual arts, music, books, and food. $0.10/wd. Guidelines: http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/etc/guide.html

TEXAS WRITERS LEAGUE 2009 SUMER WRITING RETREAT - July 27-31, 2009 at Sul Ross State University, Alpine, TX. Ever want to get away from it all and spend a week immersed in writing? Here's your, deep in the heart of West Texas. INFO: http://www.writersleague.org/programs/swa.html

WESTERLY, Australia - publishes lively fiction/poetry, intelligent articles, aims to generate interest in the literature and culture of Australia and its neighboring regions. Poems: $75 for one page/one poem OR $100 for two or more pages/poems; Stories: $150; Articles: $150. Guidelines: http://www.westerlycentre.uwa.edu.au/westerlymagazine/contribute

FORTUNE COOKIE WRITING CONTEST - Deadline: June 1, 2009. Entry fee: $20 (includes subscription) Print journal Geist (BC) invites entries for the Geist Fortune Cookie Contest, "the writing contest based on faux wisdom and vague predictions." Submit fiction, poetry, essays, rants, etc. inspired by or based on a fortune cookie. First prize: $250. Length: 500 words max. Submission form & Guidelines: http://www.geist.com/contest/fortune-cookie

MAN’S EARLIEST WORKS NOW ONLINE - National libraries and the U.N. education agency put some of humanity's earliest written works online Tuesday, from ancient Chinese oracle bones to the first European map of the New World. A Web site in seven languages: English, Arabic, Chinese, French, Spanish, Portuguese and Russian, leads readers through a trove of rare finds from more than a dozen countries. ARTICLE: http://tinyurl.com/cfwy43
WORLD DIGITAL LIBRARY: http://www.wdl.org

Saturday, April 18, 2009

MORE BITS & PIECES #124

MORE BITS & PIECES FOR Writers/Authors #124
If links do not work, try cut and paste.

REASONS TO KEEP WRITING - HENRI CARTIER-BRESSON, age 95, a French photographer, the father of modern photojournalism, an early adopter of 35 mm format, and the master of candid photography, who helped develop the "street photography" style that has influenced generations of photographers that followed. As a young boy, Cartier-Bresson owned a Box Brownie, using it for taking holiday snapshots. Cartier-Bresson spent more than 3 decades on assignment for Life and other journals, traveling without bounds, documenting some of the great upheavals of the 20th century: the Spanish civil war, the liberation of Paris in 1945, the 1968 student rebellion in Paris, the fall of the Kuomintang in China to the communists, the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi, the Berlin Wall, and the deserts of Egypt. Along the way he paused to document portraits of Sartre, Picasso, Colette, Matisse, Pound and Giacometti. But many of his most renowned photographs, such as Behind the Gare St. Lazare, are of ordinary daily life, seemingly unimportant moments captured and then gone.

CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE SOUL: DIETING & FITNESS – Deadline: June 30, 2009. Eat less - exercise more! We have all heard these simple words but, in reality, dieting and staying fit require a lot of work. Tell us about your commitment to health and fitness. What changes did you make in your eating habits? What kind of an exercise program did you follow that made the difference? Were you still able to treat yourself to that occasional delicious piece of chocolate cake and stay in shape? The true stories in this book will inspire you, make you laugh, touch your heart, and let you know that you can do it. Guidelines: http://chickensoupforthesoul.com/form.asp?cid=possible_books

CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE SOUL: NOT REALLY RETIRED – Deadline: June 30, 2009. This book will share humorous and fun stories from those who are actively enjoying their "senior years!" Tell us about your new careers, your volunteer work, your sports, your travels, and those things you always wanted to do that you are finally doing. Guidelines: http://chickensoupforthesoul.com/form.asp?cid=possible_books

WRITE THIS MOMENT, UK - if you are you seeking freelance writing work, magazine commissions, staff writing vacancies, writing residencies, publishers requirements, creative writing markets and other paying writing opportunities, here is a Membership site w/jobs and opps for writers worldwide. URL: http://www.writethismoment.net

INDIANA LIVING GREEN - small publication put out six times a year in Indianapolis. They cover most aspects of a sustainable lifestyle, such as gardening, homes, building, travel, transportation, fashion, energy, local food and wine, family and education. Articles slanted to the Indiana area are recommended but not always necessary. Articles in the 500-750 wd range written in Associated Press style featuring short sidebars and information resource boxes. Queries or completed articles should be sent to editor@indianalivinggreen.com Rates begin around $75 for articles (negotiable). Guidelines: http://www.indianalivinggreen.com (under “about”)

PEDESTAL MAGAZINE - Poetry, flat $40; Fiction to 4000/wds, non-fiction to 6000/wds/0.05/wd. Book reviews to 1000/wds/0.02/wd. Guidelines & Ed. Calendar: http://www.thepedestalmagazine.com (click on submit)

PENNY BLOOD - looking for articles on horror movies, retrospectives rather than reviews, light in tone. The more historical and/or philosophical insight the better. Our highest rates are for interviews. Non-fiction only. 3500/+wds. Up to $125. FNASR, non-exclusive reprint rights. Submissions by email only. Subject line: Submission, title of your piece. Text goes in body of email, no attachments. Nicholas Louras, Editor/Publisher editor@pennyblood.com URL: http://www.pennyblood.com

SELF-PUBLISHED BOOK EXPO - self-publishing, trade publishing veteran Karen Mender and longtime book publicist Diane Mancher at One Potata Productions are launching a Self-Published Book Expo, a one-day show in New York on Nov. 7, 2009. It will highlight service companies along w/individual titles, and offer advice on marketing and publicity. INFO: http://www.selfpubbookexpo.com

SO YOU WANT TO BE A PLAYWRITE - an informative site for anyone who has ever wanted to write scripts, screenplays. Covers all aspects of playwriting. Loaded with info. URL: http://www.vcu.edu/arts/playwriting/seminar.html

POPULAR SCIENCE - science, automobiles, the environment, recreation, electronics, the home, photography, aviation and space, and computers and software. Reporting on how these technologies work and what difference they will make in our readers' lives. Seeks stories that are up-to-the-minute in information and accuracy. Publishes stories ranging from hands-on product reviews to investigative feature stories, on everything from black holes to black-budget airplanes. Guidelines: http://www.popsci.com/writers-guidelines

PERDIDO - seeks articles on management techniques, essays on social issues, investigative pieces, interviews/profiles, book excerpts, reviews on a variety of topics a common thread being the questioning of easy answers and examining issues from a socially-aware, progressive perspective. Readership is comprised mainly of CEOs, executive directors, vice presidents, and program directors of nonprofit and for-profit organizations. Actively pursues diverse opinions/authors from many different fields. $.05/.07/wd, book reviews: flat rate $75. Guidelines: http://www.perdidomagazine.com/main/submissions.php

RENAISSANCE MAGAZINE - seeks articles relating to that time period including historical articles, martial arts, travel, interviews w/artisans, articles on the SCA and related re-enactment groups, dragons, etc. Average 3000/wds, longer works will be considered. 10cts/published wd. Or $7.50 published page. Guidelines: http://www.renaissancemagazine.com/subguide.html

RUTLAND BUSINESS JOURNAL, Vermont - looking for freelancers in its coverage area (Rutland, Windsor, southern Addison counties). Pay is by-the-inch basis. [802] 775-9500. http://www.vermonttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?Category=RBJ (click on contact pg.)

Friday, April 10, 2009

MORE BITS & PIECES #123

A VERY HAPPY EASTER and/or PASSOVER EVERYONE!

REASONS TO KEEP WRITING - MARILYN FERGUSON, age 70, whose best-selling book "The Aquarian Conspiracy" helped establish the New Age movement by tying together its disparate threads. "The Aquarian Conspiracy," published in 1980, was the first comprehensive analysis of the various unconnected efforts, such as scientists investigating biofeedback, midwives running alternative birthing centers and a Christian evangelist promoting meditation, that would coalesce into the New Age movement. She cast these activities as a cumulative force seeking to break away from mainstream Western attitudes toward medicine, psychology and spirituality. Ferguson studied psychology, gathered information about new research in hypnosis, meditation and extrasensory perception that she explored in her book "The Brain Revolution" (1973). She also created the "Brain/Mind Bulletin," a New Age journal she published for 21 years until 1996. Productive to the very end, in 2005, Ferguson released a follow-up to the "The Aquarian Conspiracy" called "Aquarius Now.

WINNING WRITERS 8th WAR POETRY CONTEST – Deadline: May 31, 2009. Entry fee: $15. Fifteen cash prizes totaling $5,000. Top prize $2,000. Submit 1-3 unpublished poems on the theme of war, up to 500 lines in all. Winning entries published online. Guidelines: http://www.winningwriters.com/war

E: The Environmental Magazine – bimonthly publication focused on green topics, appeals to general readers and environmental experts. Regular sections seeking submissions include Features, Currents, In Brief, Money Matters, Going Green, Consumer News, House and Home, Your Health, Eating Right, Tools for Green Living. Tools for Green Living review section is unpaid, all articles are paid around $0.30 a word. Editors Jim Motavalli jimm@emagazine.com or Kathleen Mangan kmangan@emagazine.com Guidelines: http://www.emagazine.com

MOTHER EARTH NEWS - bimonthly magazine promotes "self sufficient, financially independent, environmentally aware lifestyles." Readers range in age from teens to over 90. Their readership is over one million across the US and Canada. Mother Earth wants freelance articles that are written with practicality in mind, being informative, well documented, providing hands-on information readers can use. $25 to $150 depending on experience, content. Query w/short synopsis, 1 page outline: letters@motherearthnews.com URL: http://www.motherearthnews.com

THE SHINE JOURNAL POETRY CONTEST - Deadline: April 30, 2009. Poetry. 1 - 3 poems, max 100 lines each. Prizes: $100, $50, $25. URL: http://www.theshinejournal.com

WEBOOK - regularly updated writing tips widget you can add to your Google home page, your web page, your blog etc. Great place to upload your stories, novels, etc. for feedback. Has an active, useful forum. URL: http://www.webook.com/landing/Writing-Tips-Widget

THE NATION - weekly journal of left/liberal opinion, covering national and international affairs as well as the arts. Up to $500/articles. Guidelines: http://www.thenation.com/about/guidelines.mhtml

NATIVE PEOPLES MAGAZINE - seeks stories reflecting Native life throughout the Americas, from the Arctic Circle to southern tip of Chile, though our prime focus is on subjects set in the U.S. A diverse mix of topics, from serious to the entertaining, including artist/other personality profiles, events and issues reflecting today's Native peoples. Submit a brief outline of your proposed subject via mail or e-mail (e-mail is preferred). A biography/resume, writing sample(s) are encouraged. 25cts/pub/wd. Works 6 months in advance. Plans a year in advance. Guidelines: http://www.nativepeoples.com/about/editorial.php

NEW AGE RETAILER - practical, in-depth info for store owners/managers: articles on retail business methods; solid information about various aspects of running an independent store; inventory articles, lists of products suitable for store inventory and sources for them; educational articles to stay current. $250/article/2500/3500/wds (depending on topic). Submit by email or disk. Photographs, professional drawings to accompany articles. Contact page: http://www.newageretailer.com/pageid/161/default.aspx

THE NEW YORKER - submissions should be sent by e-mail to the appropriate department: Fiction: fiction@newyorker.com The Talk of the Town: talkofthetown@newyorker.com Shouts & Murmurs: shouts@newyorker.com Poetry: poetry@newyorker.com No attachments. Contact page: http://www.newyorker.com/contact/contactus

OUTDOOR AMERICA - Izaak Walton League. All stories must have a direct connection to League members, activities, or policies. Stories should also have a strong conservation or outdoor ethics message. Up to $1000/feature articles. Contact page: http://www.iwla.org/index.php?id=494

THE NEXT BIG WRITER NOVEL COMPETITION – (BookSurge) Deadline: May 16, 2009. Have you written three opening chapters to a novel that will keep us reading? Enter them in our writing contest to receive feedback, motivation, exposure, and the chance to win the grand prize of $500 and a $2,400 publishing package. URL: http://www.thenextbigwriter.com/index.html/referral/099174

JOBS AT ProBLOGGER - Do you blog professionally or would like to do so? This site pulls blogging opportunities listed on numerous Web sites. Although a lot of these listing don't pay well, if you cull through them consistently, you should be able to pick up some good assignments. If you are new to freelance, it is a good place to begin. URL: http://jobs.problogger.net

Saturday, April 4, 2009

MORE BITS & PIECES

MORE BITS & PIECES FOR Writers/Authors #122
REASONS TO KEEP WRITING - JERRY LEWIS, age 83, American comedian, award-winning actor, producer, writer, director, best-known for his slapstick humor and charity fund-raising telethons for the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA). Lewis has won several awards for lifetime achievements from The American Comedy Awards, The Golden Camera, Los Angeles Film Critics Association, The Venice Film Festival, and he has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Lewis taught a film directing class at the U of Southern California in LA for a number of years, mentoring such students as George Lucas. In 2005, he received the Governors Award of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Board of Governors, which is the highest Emmy Award presented. Many of Hollywood's filmmaking advances were due to Jerry's clout at the box office, such as the video assist system used widely today. And like the energizer bunny, he keeps going, even though his health is failing.

EXPRESSO FICTION - accepting stories 1000/3500/wds which challenge, intrigue, provoke, stimulate, resonate, designed for a ten-fifteen minute read. All genres welcome (with the exception of sci-fi/fantasy). Flat rate $30US/story published, paid via Paypal + a 6-month subscription/member bonuses. Guidelines: http://www.espressofiction.com/information_writers.php (should be opening for submissions soon)

WRITERS VILLAGE - Two no-cost fiction courses (via email) that run six times a year, plus a free online workshop on character building and a newsletter. This is one to bookmark for upcoming courses in these hard times. URL: http://writersvillage.com/f2k.html

GO WORLD TRAVEL - tell us about the people, the treasured regional customs, or the places where locals hang out. 700/1200/wds. If you are a new writer to this publication, it’s preferred to send a completed manuscript. If you prefer to query first, you must include sample clips. $25 for features for text/accompanying digital photos. Depts: $15. One-time rights. Janna Graber, Features Editor. janna.graber@goworldtravel.com Guidelines by email: guidelines@goworldtravel.com URL: http://www.goworldtravel.com

HISPANIC BUSINESS MAGAZINE - for/about Hispanic entrepreneurs/professionals. Feature stories highlight significant trends in the US Hispanic market; includes profiles of successful entrepreneurs, analysis of economic trends, news/data on such topics as government procurement, workplace diversity, politics, advertising, entertainment, events. Query first, all articles are assigned. E-mail: via online form, select "editorial." Guidelines: http://www.hispanicbusiness.com/aboutus/guidelines.asp

FILED BY AUTHOR - Every author with a book published in the U.S. and Canada can join filedbyauthor, take advantage of their online marketing tools and update and enhance their free page offer - add a photo, biography, links and files. Upgrade to a premium membership level and access more digital tools including blogging, event listings, online press kit, customized header, and more. Readers are now joining the community as well. URL: http://www.filedby.com or email info@filedby.com for more information.

JUNIOR BASEBALL – gives needs/interests of the youth baseball player, parent, coach. For 7-17-yr old, with emphasis on the 10-14 yr old experience, for the kids who play the game, along w/wholesome values as sportsmanship, teamwork, pride, responsibility, respect for others. $0.20/wd. Guidelines: http://www.juniorbaseball.com/who-is-jb/contact-us.html

PLENTY MAGAZINE - both print and online versions feature a variety of green-focused topics from lifestyle to food and travel. Looking for creative, well-researched ideas that put a positive spin on protecting the environment. Plenty editors like fleshed-out pitches that are detailed, not vague. Up to $1 a word; online-only publication is $150/story. Send query & clips to editorial@plentymag.com URL: http://www.plentymag.com

SIERRA MAGAZINE - bimonthly publication, looking for "strong, well-researched, literate writing on significant environmental and conservation issues." Their features usually focus on the work of the Sierra Club. Sierra pays around $1 a word on acceptance. They prefer written queries sent the old-fashioned way, no emails. Submit queries & clips to: Managing Editor, Sierra Magazine; 85 Second Street, 2nd Floor; San Francisco, CA 94105-3441. URL: http://www.sierraclub.org

PUMP UP THE PROSE CONTEST - Deadline: April 15, 2009. Novella length short fiction
Write in any genre. Remember this is an open forum; romance and adventure are appropriate - porn and gore aren't." 5000-15000 wds. $100 minimum prize. URL: http://rustyaxe.com/putp2/index.php

S. PORTIA STEELE AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN POETRY AND PROSE - Deadline: April 15, 2009. Poetry, Nonfiction, Short Stories. Open to Women writers aged 50+. Poetry: One poem, maximum one and a half pgs, double-spaced; Fiction/Essay: Maximum 500 wds.
$100 prize each for poetry and prose (fiction and essays compete together) URL: http://portiasteeleaward.org/contest.htm

MINOR LEAGUE NEWS - Covering Basketball, Baseball, Hockey, Football. NO snail mail. Pay: negotiable $0.08 - $0.20/wd. Query/submission: Brian Ross. brianross@minorleaguenews.com Guidelines: http://www.minorleaguenews.com/contactus/contactus1.html

PARAMETERS (Military) - manuscripts should reflect mature thought on topics of current interest to senior Army officers and defense community. Focus is on the art/science of land warfare, national, international security affairs, military strategy, senior leadership, ethics, military history w/contemporary relevance. $150 approx. for articles. Guidelines: http://www.carlisle.army.mil/usawc/parameters/write4p.htm

WRITER’S LEAGUE OF TEXAS “The Build a Writing Practice Retreat” - April 25, 2009. Open to all. $99 members; $159 nonmembers. Dr. Saundra Goldman Location: Casa de Luz, 1701 Toomey Rd., Austin, Texas. Spend the day immersed in writing practice. Sit in meditation, write in your notebook, and dive deeply into your writing dreams. There will be time for instruction and writing together, as well as time to write on your own. For alumni of Dr. Goldman's previous "Writing Practice" classes, this is a chance to deepen your writing practice. For new students, the retreat will jump-start your writing and launch you in to this amazing practice. INFO: http://www.writersleague.org/programs/classes.html#goldman2