Absolute Write Newsletter
Make Google Alerts Work for You
February 7, 2008

In this issue:

· Use Google Alerts

· Blogging Do's and Don'ts

· The Way Life Should Be, reviewed by Lisa Romeo

    ... and more.

Writing And Publishing

The Short Stuff

(Especially For Moms!)

With Christina Katz,

author of Writer Mama

Finally, a writing workshop that fits into the busy lives of moms! The focus of Christina Katz's class is on getting you into print sooner, rather than later, and without pulling all-nighters or paying a fortune in babysitter fees. Starts April 16! Click here.

Want Publicity in Major Magazines and Newspapers? Join Us Wednesday

You're invited to a free telephone seminar Wednesday, February 13th to discover how to get major print publicity. You'll hear from editors at Woman's Day and Woman's
World as well as top business writers and entrepreneurs/authors who'll share how they got coverage in top publications. Go here now to register free:
http://www.getmajorpress.com/call016
 

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

The daffodils are poking up through the mulch, very bright young green against the perpetual gray of the Northwest spring weather.

I've been looking at the plum trees in the yard, thinking I need to prune them. It always feels so wrong to me to prune a tree as aggressively as the fruit trees seem to prefer. The horses got their first worming of the new year, and all their feet trimmed. They're still fuzzy with Winter coats, though, and seem like they will be for a while.

I'll be going to the caucus for my voting district, Saturday, since the Dems aren't planning to count the primaries in Washington state. Since I'm hardly a shrinking violet about my opinions, I've been talking politics wherever I go; so it is I've met a number of folks (elderly or else young mothers, most of them) in my district who need a ride to the caucus - so I'll be spending a good part of the morning with Google maps, so I can pick people up on the way.

Whoever your candidate might be, I can't encourage you strongly enough to do something to support him or her. Our system may indeed be gravely flawed, but it's the system we have to work with.

While Absolute Write has never done anything like an official endorsement (just the idea makes me laugh at myself) I'll be voting for Hillary Clinton, Saturday, and trying to talk everyone I encounter into doing likewise. There are a number of reasons I prefer her to Obama: she has actual experience in contrast to Obama's hopeful-but-empty rhetoric (attractive as his oratory skills may be) and I think we've had quite enough of the conflation of wishful thinking with reality, the last eight years.

We don't have to passively accept anything we're told, just because some pundit on TV said so. We don't have to believe and trust our favorite bloggers, even, without investigation. We can think. We can read. We can research and examine and struggle with ideas. It's tempting to give in and feel as powerless as the media would like all of us to believe we really are -- but we don't have to do that.

Me? I can and will write. I do have a voice, and so do all of you.

I'm going to leave you with some links to folks who have articulate and insightful things to say about it all:

http://www.theleftcoaster.com/, most especially http://www.theleftcoaster.com/archives/011889.php

 Sharp words about the Dems' "circular firing squad":

http://www.groupnewsblog.net/2008/02/taking-my-ball-bat-and-going-home.html

And still more:

http://fish.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/02/03/all-you-need-is-hate/

http://www.taylormarsh.com/archives_view.php?id=26942

From Erica Jong - a terrific writer:

"As a senator she has learned compromise and negotiation. She has gotten to know red America as well as blue. If she could win over the rednecks in upstate New York, she can win over any American. She knows this country is full of "security" moms as well as soccer moms. Since she is a woman, she has to show she's ready to be commander in chief. Hence her "triangulation" on Iraq and her signing the absurd Lieberman-Kyl resolution, which calls on our government to use "military instruments" to "combat, contain and [stop]" Iran's meddling in Iraq.

[ . . . ]

"I understand my hopeful friends who think an Obama button will change America. But I'm sticking with Hillary. I trust her because all her life, her pro bono work has been for mothers and children. And mothers and children -- of all colors -- are the most oppressed group in our country. I trust her to speak for our children and grandchildren -- and for us. She always has."

And finally, from an essay by Robin Morgan that I can only wish I'd written:

"Me? I support Hillary Rodham because she’s the best qualified of all candidates running in both parties. I support her because her progressive politics are as strong as her proven ability to withstand what will be a massive right-wing assault in the general election. I support her because she knows how to get us out of Iraq. I support her because she’s refreshingly thoughtful, and I’m bloodied from eight years of a jolly 'uniter' with ejaculatory politics. I needn’t agree with her on every point. I agree with the 97 percent of her positions that are identical with Obama’s -- and the few where hers are both more practical and to the left of his (like health care). I support her because she’s already smashed the first-lady stereotype and made history as a fine senator, because I believe she will continue to make history not only as the first US woman president, but as a great US president.

"As for the 'woman thing'?

"Me, I’m voting for Hillary not because she’s a woman—but because I am."

Get involved with your world, folks. Write hard -- because it's what we do. Write true -- because otherwise, why bother? And always, always, write on.

Best,
MacAllister

And if you're interested in more reading, HRC, from 1995: http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/hillaryclintonbeijingspeech.htm

And finally, this is from an HRC speech in 1969: http://www.wellesley.edu/PublicAffairs/Commencement/1969/053169hillary.html

"There's that mutuality of respect between people where you don't see people as percentage points. Where you don't manipulate people. Where you're not interested in social engineering for people. The struggle for an integrated life existing in an atmosphere of communal trust and respect is one with desperately important political and social consequences. And the word 'consequences' of course catapults us into the future. One of the most tragic things that happened yesterday, a beautiful day, was that I was talking to woman who said that she wouldn't want to be me for anything in the world. She wouldn't want to live today and look ahead to what it is she sees because she's afraid. Fear is always with us but we just don't have time for it. Not now." [Emphasis added]

--

MacAllister Stone

Editor in Chief

PROMPT OF THE WEEK

Cross your fingers...

READER REQUESTS

This week, writers want to know about:

* 1960's English schools

* Canadian public schools

* Psychic readings

* Fuel storage in underground military installations.

* Biology and genetics

* Melting steel

* Ghost stories

and more.

To answer a question or ask one of your own, visit: http://absolutewrite.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=66

Never posted at the forums before? Start here:

http://absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=34886

INTERVIEW

Interview with Jennifer Lynn Barnes, part two

Interview by Sara Polsky

Jennifer Lynn Barnes wrote GOLDEN, her first published novel, at age nineteen. It was released in 2006, her second young adult novel, TATTOO, came out in early 2007, and her newest series, THE SQUAD, will be published beginning in February. Jennifer grew up in Oklahoma and graduated from Yale, where she studied cognitive science, in 2006. She spent a year doing autism research on a Fulbright fellowship at the University of Cambridge and is now back at Yale, where she's working on her Ph.D. This interview was conducted via e-mail.

Q: You wrote your first published novel, GOLDEN, several years ago. How do you think your writing has evolved since then?

A: I think my writing has changed a lot since GOLDEN. The funny thing about publishing is that by the time a book comes out, it's been so long that if you haven't grown as a writer since you wrote it, there's something wrong. I definitely think I've gotten better at pacing things since GOLDEN, and my plots have gotten a lot more complex. I've also branched out to writing characters who aren't quite as similar to me as Lissy and Bailey are, starting with Lilah, the narrator of the GOLDEN sequel PLATINUM.

Read more:

http://www.absolutewrite.com/novels/jennifer_lynn_barnes2.htm

Visit the Absolute Write E-Bookstore!

• Sell The Fun Stuff: Writers' And Artists' Market Guidelines For Greeting Cards, Posters... by Jenna Glatzer

• The Instruction Writer's Guide by Marilyn Haight

• The Complete Guide to Writing & Selling Magazine Articles by Peggy Fielding and Dan Case

ARTICLES

The Google Alert can be a very valuable tool for today's writer, whose work can show up in so many different corners of the Internet that it might be impossible to keep track of otherwise. Google's search engine continually crawls the Web seeking content. This is why a Google Alert can find your work wherever it may appear on various parts of the Web, as long as you create an effective alert by entering the most appropriate search terms for the item or items in question. 

Why might you want to create a Google Alert? While there are a number of reasons for the average person to use them-- such as keeping up-to-date on news stories, business developments, people, or events-- for the writer, they can prove especially significant-- if not crucial.

Read more:

http://www.absolutewrite.com/freelance_writing/google_alerts.htm

WRITING NEWS AROUND THE WEB

"One Step Closer to Adapting Entire Novels on YouTube"

Mediabistro.com: Galleycat, January 28, 2008

http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/buzzpr/one_step_closer_to_adapting_entire_novels_on_youtube_75888.asp

"Talking with the writer behind the new Captain America."

By Andrew A. Smith, Scripps Howard News Service, Feb. 5, 2008

http://www.scrippsnews.com/node/30339

"Irreverent writer for the young wants boys to know the joys of books"
By Cecelia Goodnow, SeattlePI.com, Feb. 4, 2008

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/books/349941_laureate05.html

"Letter-writing makes a resurgence"

Absolute Markets Premium.

Absolutely Essential.

Magazines, book publishers,  international calls for freelance writers plus exclusive interviews with editors and publishers you won't find anywhere else all in one newsletter and delivered to your inbox every other week. Subscribe for less than $0.58 per issue!

http://www.absolutemarkets.com

WRITING EXERCISES AND PROMPTS

The Valentine's Day Love Sonnet Contest

http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/announcement.php?f=2&a=90

The Great Absolute Write Flash Fiction Challenge

http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/calendar.php?do=getinfo&day=2008-1-13&e=324&c=1

Query me. Quick! Freelance Contest

http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=91316

The Oh look! It's Suddenly Fiction Challenge

http://absolutewrite.com/forums/calendar.php?do=getinfo&e=336&day=2008-2-27&c=1

REVIEW

The Way Life Should Be By Christina Baker Kline

Review by Lisa Romeo

When you are a single 30-something Manhattan event planner, and your latest production featured a fire-eater run amok resulting in millions in art museum damages, the result should be disastrous. But for Angela Russo, who was already simmering with restlessness, her career flame-out is more propitious than fatal. In the weeks before the fiasco, spurred by forces even she can't understand, Angela had uncharacteristically tossed a line into the promising and murky waters of online matchmaking. Now, with her career extinguished, why not jump?

Read more:

http://www.absolutewrite.com/novels/way_life_should_be.htm

Shop Amazon, support AW!

Our new Absolute Write Amazon store means you can shop Amazon's books, DVDs, electronics, software, toys, and games with us and then check out through Amazon.com to securely complete your transaction! Click here to get started!

Invest in Your Writing!!

Absolute Write has affiliated with the Writers SuperCentres of America to create the Absolute Software Store.  Please check us out to find the best prices on any type of writing software.

- Write better stories, books or articles
- Construct storyboards
- Write business plans
- Write a resume
- Track article submissions
- and more!
Visit the software store.

Make Your Website Work Harder for You!

Laura Wright's Developing a Web Presence for "Local" Writers and Optimize Your Web Presence are designed to help you get the most out of your website and blog! No experience? No problem! Classes start every Monday!

Click here for details and registration:

Developing a Web Presence for "Local" Writers

Optimize Your Web Presence

WRITERS' GUIDELINES - updated!

We're always looking for new interviews, articles, essays, and humor for this newsletter. We pay $0.02 per published word ($10 minimum) or a 1-year subscription to the Absolute Markets Premium Edition ($15 value, see  www.absolutemarkets.com for a free sample). We're happy to consider reprints, and we ask only for nonexclusive electronic rights. Got some advice for your fellow writers? Check out our guidelines here:  Writers' guidelines

WATER COOLER

Discussion of the Week

ANNOUNCEMENTS

The Nickelodeon Writing Fellowship

(due February 28, 2008; no application fee; win one-year salaried position)

http://www.nickwriting.com/

10th Annual Screenwriting Conference of Santa Fe

(Santa Fe, NM; May 27 - June 1, 2008)

http://scsfe.com/conference/index.aspx 

CLASSIFIEDS

Travel Writers Wanted!

There's great demand for an elite corps of highly skilled, professional travel writers...a pool of travel writing specialists that can be relied on to write vivid, lively and interesting articles.

If you ever dreamed about the romantic life of a travel writer, here's a very unusual opportunity to actually live it!
http://www.absolutewrite.com/dt/t/travelawn.php

Inexpensive Exposure for Your Writing

Writers and Services for Writers: If you have a website, we'll set up your company or book information in the Absolute Write Writers Directory. The listing is just $10 and you'll be showcased in the category of your choice.
http://www.absolutewrite.com/site/writers_directory.htm

E-books For Writers!

Check out the Absolute Write E-book store at:
http://www.absolutewrite.com/ebookstore/index.htm

All titles are recommended by Absolute Write!

AFFILIATES

Why Pay For Market Listings You Can't Use?

Writing-World.com's themed market guides offer 1700 markets in 14 categories -- just $2.50 per guide, or $25 for the entire set. Women's, health, pets, crafts, travel, trade, literary and more. Details here.

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the Free ezine for writers, featuring tips, tricks and ideas for selling what you write. Free ebook, 83 WAYS TO MAKE MONEY WRITING when you subscribe.
Email to subscribe@writingfordollars.com -*- http://www.WritingForDollars.com

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