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Absolute Write Newsletter
Is Perfectionism Killing Your Career?
April 22, 2008 |
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In this issue:
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An interview with Deborah Reber
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Develop a freelance writing
course
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Tips for revising your work
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Writing the Nonfiction Book Proposal
With Deborah Bouziden
Did you know that you could sell a nonfiction book
before it is written? All you need is a well-put together book proposal.
Learn how to do market analysis, put together outlines and sample chapters,
and sell yourself and your idea to an editor. By the time you have completed
this course, you will have the key ingredients for your nonfiction book
proposal and be ready to submit it to an editor.
Now open!
Click here.
Naked Writing: The
No-Frills Way to Write Your Novel!
With Glenys O'Connell
Writing is hard work-- and there are no
shortcuts. When it comes right down to the nitty gritty, it's just you and
that glowing computer screen. That's when you need to know the basics of
writing and finishing your novel. Learn the no-nonsense, no-frills writing
that will give you the tools to finish that novel and start submitting to
publishers! Now open enrollment--
Click
here! |
Submit to
the 14th Annual SLAMDANCE Screenplay Competition!
SUBMISSION DEADLINE: June 2, 2008
Grand Prize: $7,000
Best Short Prize: $500
The Slamdance Screenplay Competition is dedicated
to new writers. We accept screenplays in every genre, both feature and
short length, on any topic from every country around the world. Our
mission is to bring attention to the most talented emerging
screenwriters and introduce them to the industry.
"Winning Slamdance was an incredible moral booster and the seal of
approval that made the industry stop and take notice."
--Nicole Kassell, previous Slamdance 1st place winner and
co-writer/director of THE WOODSMAN
Please visit our website -
http://www.slamdance.com/writing
- for more information.
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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
Welcome Absolute Writers!
Eric Butterman wrote to let us know about an upcoming conference for
freelancers in the New York area. I told him I'd pass the
information along.
_____________________________
Ed2010 2-Day Conference (All About Magazines!)
We're matching 10 magazine classes with present and former editor in
chiefs and other leaders in the field--like Stephanie Izarek, Editor
in Chief of Scholastic Parent and Child and Lauren Brody, Deputy
Editor of Glamour! Every magazine area is represented as you're
taken through strategies which score full-time jobs and win writing
assignments. Here's the lineup for Saturday, May 31 and Sunday, June
1 (out-of-towners: share a hotel room through a special message
board below):
May 31
10:00 Show opens, Welcoming Address, 11:00 Feature Writing,
Stephanie Izarek, Scholastic Parent and Child Editor in Chief, 12:00
Women's Magazines, Lauren Brody, Glamour Deputy Editor, 1:00 Lunch
Break, 2:00 Entertainment, Mike Hammer, Former Editor in Chief of
Stuff, 3:00 Travel, Glenn Haussman, Editor in Chief of
Hotelinteractive.com, 4:00 Technology Writing (Speaker TBA), 5:00
Networking, 6:00 End of First Day
June 1
10:00 Day 2 opens, Job Interviewing Tips From EdSchool, 11:00 Web
Writing, Laura Rich, Portfolio.com Editor and Former Editorial
Director of Inc.com, 12:00 Health, Nicole Beland, Deputy Editor of
Women's Health, 1:00 Lunch Break, 2:00 Business, Diane Harris, Asst.
Managing Editor of Money magazine, 3:00 Blogs, Maud Newton,
MaudNewton.com (as mentioned in the New Yorker), 4:00 Freelance
Writing, EdSchool's Eric Butterman, 5:00 Networking, Extended
Freelance Writing Q & A, 6:00 Show Closes
Where: Manhattan Theatre Club, 311 West 43rd St., 8th Floor, NY, NY
Cost: $225 after April 15
To Sign Up: RSVP to
freelance@ed2010.com is REQUIRED as space is limited. You'll get
an email back with the PayPal URL.
Hotel Room Message Board:
www.chatzy.com/944943712368
____________________________
As always, write hard this week, everyone. Write true. And write
on.
Best,
Mac --
MacAllister Stone
Editor in chief |
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PROMPT OF THE WEEK
That's the problem with dead people,
you know. Sometimes they just don't stay dead. |
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READER REQUESTS
This week,
writers want to know about:
* Hawaii
* Knives
* Childhood terrors
* Mercenaries
* The NYT bestseller
list
* Lake Tanganyika
* Football and physical therapy
* Baptism and Christening
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
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INTERVIEW
An Interview with Deborah Reber
Interview by Susan Johnston
Deborah Reber (http://www.deborahreber.com/) has published several
books, including In Their Shoes: Extraordinary Women Describe Their
Amazing Careers and the forthcoming Chill: Stress-Reducing
Techniques for a More Balanced, Peaceful You.
Q: At what point did you decide to become a writer?
A: I wrote a freelance article for a film and video magazine called
"The Independent" when I was in grad school and working for UNICEF.
I loved the whole process, especially having something tangible that
reflected the ideas and words that came out of my brain. It was
about two years after that first article that I did some career
management work and started visualizing my ideal future career, and
that's when I realized I wanted to be a writer. I set a ten-year
goal for making that dream a reality, and I was able to do it in
five.
Read
more:
http://www.absolutewrite.com/novels/deborah_reber.htm |
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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! |
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ARTICLES
"The Art
of Revision"
By Sherryl Clark
Writers seem to fall into two categories: those who
hate the first draft and love the slow, detailed pleasure of
revision, and those who love the rush and excitement of the first
draft and hate revision.
Many of us balk at revision. I've heard writers vow that their work comes
out so well the first time, they never need more than one draft. None of
those writers are published, by the way!
If you're serious about
getting your work noticed by editors, the revision stage is where your work
will truly reach its full potential. The problem is-- how can you approach
rewriting so that it becomes constructive, enhancing, and problem-solving?
It's part of your craft, so it needs a coherent strategy.
Read more:
http://www.absolutewrite.com/novels/art_of_revision.htm
"Creating a Freelance Writing Course"
By Beth Morrissey
Freelance writing has long been known as a feast or famine
profession. During the feasting times it's easy to become self-satisfied and
smug, until the next fast comes along and leaves you scrambling for contacts
and assignments. The next time you find yourself in a lull, take a look at
your associated skills. What do you know? What can you do? Who can you
convince to let you do it? As a published writer, chances are that you're a
perfect candidate to create a freelance writing course.
Planning a Freelance Writing Course
If just the thought of returning to a classroom makes you shiver with
memories of red marking pens and forced presentations, relax. When you plan
a course you have the freedom to structure it as you like. You get to choose
the topics, the books, the in-class exercises, and the homework assignments.
Of course with this power comes responsibility, so make sure that you plan
your course down to the last detail.
Read more:
http://www.absolutewrite.com/freelance_writing/creating.htm |
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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 |
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FIRST PERSON
"Is Perfectionism Killing Your Career?"
By Jenny Williamson
I'm a perfectionist. And for most of my life, I saw that as a
positive quality. After all, aren't successful people supposed to
want their work to be the best it can be? And what can be better
than perfect? For a long time, I was proud of my perfectionism. I
thought it made me a better editor, writer, and employee.
But now that I'm writing full-time, I've started rethinking my idea
of perfectionism as a good thing-- and here's why.
Read more:
http://www.absolutewrite.com/freelance_writing/perfectionism.htm |
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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
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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 |
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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
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WATER COOLER
"Would you date another writer?"
by Smiling Ted
If so,
are there some genres you just would not tolerate?
Would they have to be less successful than you, Mr./Ms.
Insecure?
Join in this
discussion at:
http://absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=97024
Join in ALL the discussions at:
http://absolutewrite.com/forums/
Never posted
at the forums before? Start here:
http://absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=34886 |
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
2008 BookExpo America/Writer's Digest Books Writers
Conference
(May 28, 2008; Los Angeles, CA)
http://www.writersdigest.com/bea
2008 Annual Write Brothers/Atwater Playhouse
Playwriting Festival
(due May 30, 2008; $30 entry fee; win prizes and
six-week run of play)
http://www.atwaterplayhouse.com/fly.aspx?layout=playwritefestival
Evolve Beyond Violence Nonfiction Essay Award
(due September 1, 2008; $15 entry fee; win $1,000 and
publication)
http://www.ravingdove.org/award |
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CLASSIFIEDS
Bullyproof Your Child
for Life!
"Ignore the bullies and they'll go away"
just doesn't work. Let Dr. Joel Haber (The Bully Coach) and Absolute
Write's former editor Jenna Glatzer show you what does work. Keep your
kids bully-free for good.
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! |
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AFFILIATES
Why Pay For Market Listings You Can't Use?
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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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WRITERS FIND MARKETS EASILY -
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try it out here:
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WRITING FOR DOLLARS
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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Absolute Write Newsletter ©
2008 Absolute Write
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