Friday, June 26, 2009

MORE BITS & PIECES #134

MORE BITS & PIECES FOR Writers/Authors #134
MORE REASONS TO KEEP WRITING – ESTEE LAUDER, age 97, the only woman on Time magazine's 1998 list of the 20 most influential business geniuses of the 20th century. She played an active role in her flagship company until her death. She was the recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

POLICE TIMES - official journal of the American Federation of Police and Concerned Citizens, covers all areas of law enforcement, with special emphasis on stories involving smaller police departments or individuals who have made a special place in law enforcement...past or present. Up to 2500 wds. $25/100 including photos. Assigned Articles are paid at double scale. These are reserved for writers who have previously been published in the publication. Jim Gordon, Exec. Editor. Guidelines: http://www.aphf.org/ptguidelines.html

PROSPECT, UK - looking for writers with ideas, primarily from Britain and the commonwealth capable of depth, complexity and style, carried through a compelling narrative and able to do something original with the form of the short story. URL: http://www.prospect-magazine.co.uk Contact page: http://www.prospect-magazine.co.uk/static.php?screen=contactus

BERKELEY JOURNALISM JOBS - http://journalism.berkeley.edu/jobs/listings.php?view=job

MINIWORDS CONTEST, UK - Deadline: Aug. 10, 2009. No Entry Fee. Open to age 14+. Flash fiction, 50/wds/max. All entries must be original, unpublished work. Prize: £250. Guidelines: http://miniwords2009.sharedspace.org/faqs.php

CREATING AUTHOR & PUBLISHER EMAIL TAGLINES -
http://www.midwestbookreview.com/bookbiz/advice/taglines.htm

MEMOIR JOURNAL PRIZES FOR PROSE AND POETRY -Deadline: Aug. 15, 2009
Poetry/Short Stories. Traditional and experimental prose, poetry, graphic memoir, narrative photography, lies, can be biography, autobiography, autobiographical fiction, flash memoir, essay, reportage, diary, etc. 1-5 poems or one prose piece. 10,000/wds/max. (NOTE: If work does not win a prize, it will still be considered for publication in upcoming issue.) Guidelines: http://memoirjournal.squarespace.com/contest

ADVICE FOR PUBLISHERS ARTICLES - URL: http://www.midwestbookreview.com/bookbiz/advice/advice.htm

TRANSITIONS ONLINE, Czech Republic – Covers 29 countries. Welcomes articles, commentaries, question-and-answer interviews, book reviews on all aspects of life in the region, from political and economic concerns to trends in culture, religion, media. Original stories, not seen elsewhere in English-language press that have an under-reported or alternative angle. Opinion pieces: 600/1000 wds. Features: up to 2000 wds. Spec only. If sending a query, follow the instructions for queries, payment in guidelines. Guidelines: http://tinyurl.com/2gu5e

VERANDA - high-end interior decorating magazine. $0.75/1/wd. All rights. Request guidelines. Contact page: http://www.veranda.com/contact-us

WEST COAST LINE, BC – Reading period: June 1st to August 31st, any year. Prose, poetics, critical/theoretical essays dealing with contemporary writing, art and culture, interviews, reviews, experimental fiction, and poetry. Include SASE. $10/pg. Guidelines: http://www.westcoastline.ca/blog/?cat=7

WORKING MOTHER - looking for articles 700/1500/wds which help women in their task of juggling job, home, family. Tightly focused pieces that sensibly solve or illuminate a problem unique to our readers. Time; Home; Money Management; Family Relationships; Job-Related/Work/Family issues. Anything else is staff written. Query first to see if article is appropriate. Guidelines: http://www.workingmother.com/?service=vpage/140

YANKEE MAGAZINE - covers the 6 New England states of Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont. Feature articles, as well as the departments of Home, Food, Travel, reflect what is happening currently in the region. Guidelines: http://www.yankeemagazine.com/contact/contactus/guidelines

Saturday, June 20, 2009

MORE BITS & PIECES #133

MORE REASONS TO KEEP WRITING – BETTE DAVIS, age 81, actress. With a career spanning six decades, few in the history of film rival her longevity and appeal. Despite her failing health, she continued to act until her death. Her legacy continues. The Bette Davis Foundation provides financial assistance to promising young actors and actresses. Meryl Streep received the first Bette Davis Lifetime Achievement Award at Boston University in 1998.

2009 SUMMER SILVERSTREET PUBLICATIONS SHORT STORY COMPETITION - Deadline: Aug. 29, 2009. Short Fiction (2,500 words, max.) £200.00; Fee: £3.50 http://silverstreetpublications.com/summerwritingcompetition.aspx

MIDNIGHT HOUR HALLOWEEN FICTION CONTEST - Deadline: Aug. 31, 2009. Entry fee: $15. Sponsored by OnceWritten.com. $500 & publication. Guidelines:
http://www.oncewritten.com/Contests/MidnightHour.php

ESQUIRE FICTION CONTEST, Canada – Deadline: Aug. 1, 2009. Short Stories, 4000/wds. For US and Canadian citizens aged 16+. $2,500. Winning story published in future issue of magazine. Guidelines: http://www.esquire.com/fiction/fiction-contest

FREELANCE JOBS 4U – Lists jobs daily. URL: http://twitter.com/freelancejobs4u

AESTHETICA CREATIVE WORKS COMPETITION, UK - Deadline: Aug. 31, 2009. Entry Fee: £10. Three categories, Artwork, Poetry and Fiction. Award: £500; http://www.aestheticamagazine.com/submission_guide.htm

REVIEW FUSE POETRY CONTEST - Deadline: Aug. 31st, 2009. No entry fee. Prize: $50. Theme: A Bull Fighter. Guidelines: http://www.reviewfuse.com/blog/2009/05/poetry-contest-august-2009

ITALY MAGAZINE - a different angle on Italy, good fashion, gardening, style, sport, celebrity pieces, also unusual crafts and facts that people may not know about. Only considers submissions from writers who can supply unusual or interesting professional-quality photos to accompany the piece. 800/1200 wds. Query, indicating under which category of the magazine your article would go and how the feature would be illustrated. Include a brief summary of publications you have written for and attach a sample of your published writing. £100/1000/wds which includes two photos. Additional photos £35 each. Published in UK. Contact form to query: http://www.italymag.co.uk/contact

OFF-LEAD & NATURAL PET - a pet mag for professional trainers and serious training aficionados, exhibitors, instructors, behavior therapists, groomers, kennel operators and pet care professionals world wide. Accepts articles that are related to the world of dogs, as long as the dogs are obedience trained with motivational methods, such as dance, carting, hunting, performance, freestyle, tricks, and competition. Features: 700/1200 wds. $0.10/wd. First North American rights. Guidelines: http://off-lead.com/writer_guidelines.php

5 DEADLY SINS OF SUBMITTING SELF-PUBLISHED BOOKS FOR REVIEW - http://www.midwestbookreview.com/bookbiz/advice/fivedead.htm

PENNSYLVANIA ANGLER & BOATER - covers fishing and boating, the protection and conservation of the state's water resources. Buys 70/100 article/photo packages every year. $50/275. Rights vary. Guidelines: http://sites.state.pa.us/PA_Exec/Fish_Boat/anglerboater/guidelines.htm

SECOND CHANCE GARAGE - We pay for articles that appear in our magazine based on the interest level, the subject matter, length of the article. Prefers articles which are in-depth discussions of subjects that are helpful or are of interest to the auto restoration hobbyist. Articles to include photos [no people] with captions. Contact form to query: http://www.secondchancegarage.com/public/department6.cfm

SOLANDER MAGAZINE, UK - the official publication of The Historical Novel Society. Submissions of historical fiction are accepted, namely stories in which history is well-researched and woven into the plot. $150 (US dollars) or (UK pounds) for fiction. Only two new short stories are selected for publication in each issue. Writers who would like to pitch an article, interview, or other idea should email queries and pitches to: Guidelines: http://www.historicalnovelsociety.org/guiodelines.htm

STRANGE HORIZONS – Art, articles, poetry, fiction. $20/poem. Guidelines: http://www.strangehorizons.com/Guidelines.shtml

Friday, June 12, 2009

MORE BITS & PIECES #132

MORE REASONS TO KEEP WRITING – ALISTAIR COOKE, age 95, was in his 58 year of broadcasting before falling ill a few months before he died. Cooke never decided what he was going to talk about until he wrote the script, made no notes during the preceding week and preferred to rely on his memory. He remained for decades the consummate broadcaster, an elegant writer and a man of enormous wit and charm who made sense of the American Century.

WRITING AUSTRALIA - General short fiction, mainstream, literary, genre, children's stories; up to 1000/wds. $50. Articles/Features Up to 1000/wds. up to $50. Personal Essays - $12.50/25. Poetry - Submit max 2 poems. Length 8-20 lines. $10/poem. Guidelines: http://www.writingaustralia.com/submissions.html (closes periodically to submissions, so watch for openings if interested.)

STRUNKS THE ELEMENTS OF STYLE ONLINE - http://www.bartleby.com/141/index.html

CHRISTIAN WEEK, Canada - biweekly newspaper bringing news and commentary to Christian readers through religious journalism with an evangelical perspective. $30-100 (USD$23-78), depending on length and complexity. Prefers queries. Guidelines: http://www.christianweek.org/docs/guide_writers.pdf

CITY LIMITS MAGAZINE - a 25-year-old nonprofit mag focusing on issues facing NY City and its neighborhoods, particularly low-income communities, covers urban policy and organizing in NY City. Topics: Urban policy, housing & real state, community organizing, welfare & work-fare, economic development, homelessness, publish housing, youth issues, women's issues. 25-35 cts./wd. Photos:$50/100/photo depending on size and placement. First North American Serial Rights. Guidelines: http://www.citylimits.org/images_pdfs/pdfs/Writers_guidelines.pdf

WARREN ADLER SHORT STORY CONTEST - Contest Deadline July 13, 2009. Entry Fee: $15 Short fiction/varied genres. 2500 wds/max. Award: $1,000. Guidelines: http://www.warrenadler.com/contest09.shtml

DREAM QUEST ONE POETRY & WRITING CONTEST - Deadline: July 31st, 2009
Entry fees: $10/short story. Poetry Contest: $5/poem. Multiple poetry and short story entries are accepted. 1ST Prize $500. 2ND Prize: $250. 3RD Prize: $100. Poetry Contest 1ST Prize $250. 2ND Prize: $125. 3RD Prize: $50. Guidelines: http://www.dreamquestone.com

WRITERS LEAGUE OF TEXAS BLOG - http://writersleagueoftexas.wordpress.com

2nd ANNUAL TENNESSEE WILLIAMS NEW ORLEANS LITERARY FESTIVAL – Deadline: Nov. 16, 2009. Entry fee: $25. Winner announced March 1, 2010. Grand Prize $1500 Short stories, written in English, up to 7000 wds. Open to writers who have not yet pub’d book of fiction. Only unpub’d stories accepted. Unlimited entries per person. Simultaneous submissions accepted. Send to: Fiction Contest; Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival; 938 Lafayette Street, Suite 514; New Orleans, LA 70113. Guidelines: http://www.tennesseewilliams.net/article.php?story=fictioncontest2

2009 BRANSON STARS & FLAGS BOOK AWARDS - Deadline: Aug. 1, 2009. Entry Fee: $50. Celebrating books written about military-related topics. Works entered must have been published on or after Jan. 1, 2000. Guidelines: http://www.bransonstarsandflags.com/CA%20Book%20Awards.html

6th MARGARET REID POETRY CONTEST – Deadline: June 30, 2009. Entry fee $7. Sponsored by Winning Writers. (See bottom of page for additional contests sponsored by WW.) Fifteen cash prizes totaling $5,350. Top prize $2,000. Submit poems in traditional verse forms, such as sonnets and free verse. Guidelines: http://www.winningwriters.com/contests/margaret/ma_guidelines.php

HOW TO GET GOOD PR WITHOUT PAYING BIG RETAINERS - URL: http://www.midwestbookreview.com/bookbiz/advice/goodpr.htm

Friday, June 5, 2009

MORE BITS & PIECES #131

REASONS TO KEEP WRITING - DORIS LESSING, Nobel Prize-winning author, age 88, has said winning the prestigious award in 2007 had been a "bloody disaster". The increased media interest in her has meant that writing a full novel was next to impossible, she told Radio 4's Front Row. However, she is working on her next book.

ANALOG - a well-established US science fiction magazine seeks stories. Payment: 6-8 cts US/wd for short stories up to 7500 wds, $450-600 US for stories 7500/10000 wds, and 5-6 cents US per word for longer material. Guidelines: http://www.analogsf.com/information/submissions.shtml

BEACHWIZARDS - provides first hand knowledge of the beaches of the world. http://www.beachesbeaches.com Be a ‘beach wizard’ and write articles or stories for On the Beach. Pays up to $50. Query: beachwizard@beachesbeaches.com URL. http://www.beachesbeaches.com

BEST of BRITISH, UK - monthly magazine focusing on the best of Britain. Welcomes articles, preferably with pictures, black & white prints or color transparencies or prints. Up to 1200 wds. Normal magazine rates. Contact list to query: http://www.bestofbritishmag.co.uk/contact.htm

YAHOO GROUPS WRITER & EDITOR JOBS - $$$ Freelance, Staff, Contract, or Permanent. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PayingWriterJobs

100 FREE WEB TOOLS TO MAKE YOU A BETTER WRITER - http://onlinecollegedegree.org/2009/05/06/100-free-web-tools-that-will-make-you-a-better-writer

OUR SIMPLE JOYS - useful articles on freelancing plus a section for aspiring writers. URL: http://www.oursimplejoys.com/writing.html

LEFT COAST EISTEDDFOD CONTEST - Deadline: July 31, 2009. Short Stories. 1000 - 3000 words short story on any ONE of 5 photos. $100, books as second prizes. URL:
http://americymru.ning.com/profiles/blogs/the-left-coast-eisteddfod

FREELANCE WRITING NETWORK - links to the newest online writing jobs postings. http://www.freelancewritinggigs.com

WRITERS LEAGUE OF TEXAS SUMMER WRITING WORKSHOP - June 18, 10:30AM - 4:30PM, at the Johnson Settlement Events Center, Johnson City, TX. Admission $25 (includes lunch). http://www.nps.gov/lyjo/supportyourpark/johnsoncityeventcenter.htm The Writers' League of Texas, the Johnson City Library, and LBJ National Historical Park will offer a writers workshop featuring authors Diana López, Tweed Scott, Mark Mitchell. Day opens w/a panel featuring all 3 authors before breaking for lunch and then resuming w/concurrent workshops w/each author. Sign up today at the Johnson City Library or contact Bambi Haley w/any questions at 512-868-9269 or by email wlt@writersleague.org

THE NEW ESPRESSO BOOK MACHINE - was being demoed at the Ingram booth at BEA. It is compact, consisting of a big copier attached to a large rectangular box where the copied pages are stacked, bound and trimmed. The finished book pops out a slot at the bottom The box has clear sides, so you can see the entire process, a plus for those who want a hard copy of a book. The Espresso is currently installed in 15 locations (mostly bookstores). That number that is expected to increase to 100+ over the next few of years.

BITE ME MAGAZINE, UK - for fans of the supernatural and things that go bump in the night, Bite Me is the UK's only glossy mag devoted to horror, wants articles, interviews and reviews of related books, movies and videos and does not publish short stories. eMail: info@bitememagazine.co.uk Studio 155, The Connal Building, 36 West George Street, Glasgow, G2 1DA, Scotland Tel: +44 0141 204 7832. URL: http://www.bitememagazine.com
Also, check their link page for other opportunities.

COMPUTER GAMING WORLD - magazine which strives to serve adult computer gamers. The content includes game reviews, strategy articles, and news concerning games on personal computers. 45-75 cts/wd. All rights. Request guidelines or info: Dana Jongewaard, Managing Editor dana_jongewaard@ziffdavis.com URL: http://www.computergaming.com

EXPATICA, Netherlands - provides info, community, voice to English-speaking expatriates in Europe. Articles 500/1000 wds, reviews of restaurants, bars, cafes and shops 200 wds. Send query or completed article. URL: http://www.expatica.com Editorial Policy: http://www.expatica.com/popup/editorial_policy.html