|
(NOTE: Your Spotlight is late because our mailist hosting company was down over the weekend. I really did have it ready for the 1st!) | You are receiving this email from The Writer's Chatroom because you signed up for our announcement list. To ensure that you continue to receive emails from us, add audrey@writerschatroom.com to your address book today. Unsubscribe instructions are at the
bottom of the email. |  TWC SPOTLIGHT | | A Monthly e-Newsletter September 2007 Visit the archives at http://archives.zinester.com/58237 | | Letter from the Editor You
know, I've never been to a con. My second husband became a con…but that's a totally different subject. Of course, the cons we're talking about here are conferences. Linda gives us an article below, telling you why conferences are important to your writing career. Make sure you scroll on down for info on a con we can ALL attend. Some of our members will be presenting too. I'll be going to that one this year for sure. I tried something new with the schedule section this month. Let me know what you think. We have news about previous guest and semi-regular chatter Joe Moore, and his writing partner Lynn Sholes. You'll find that toward the end. Do you have news about your writing? I can't share if you don't let me know about it! Email audrey@writerschatroom.com Have you looked around our website? Do you really know what all we have available for you? I hope you're all visiting our site in addition to reading the emails. We are a lot more than chats and newsletters! Of course, we have the Chat Schedule online so you know who is coming up. Our schedule is nearly full for the rest of the year, and we're already scheduling for next year. Our chats are a great way to pick the brains of published writers. On Wednesday nights, you can ask questions of everyone in the room. We share tricks and tips, as well as
throwing around story ideas and marketing info. Plus, chatting with a bunch of creative people is simply a lot of fun. If you haven't attended chats, you don't know who you're missing. You really need to visit the Previous Guests page to see some of the rising stars who have graced us with their presence. Our Amazon Store and Products page have a lot of carefully selected products. We won't
recommend just anything to you. We watch out for our members. Somebody has to, right? Renee keeps the Forum running smoothly, and makes it look easy. I know it isn't easy because I had to fill in when she went on vacation. Thought I would lose my mind before she got back! But she does the work behind the scenes, and all you see is the end result; a well-run, organized, energetic forum available 24/7 for help, suggestions, and general discussions. Then there is our Blog. Linda and I grab tidbits from everywhere, and bring them in for
you to enjoy. We know it's being read, but it would be nice to get some comments. (hint, hint) Tools and Resources are three extensive pages of links. Market listings, places to find education, and lots of other information to help you grow your writing career. We did the research, you reap the benefits. Don't forget the Contest page! I bring you contest info, so you don't have to spend time searching for it. Of course, you can find out the History of the chatroom, and take a peek into the lives of our team. Is that enough to keep you busy? WAIT! Read the rest of the newsletter first. THEN go check out the website. I don't want you to miss anything. Keep writing! Audrey | | September Chat Guests For
more information, visit our schedule page. All chats start at 7 pm EST. | | ARTICLE The Pros and Conferences by Linda J. Hutchinson I haven’t met too many writers, either in person or online, who wouldn’t attend a writer’s conference if they had fewer obstacles to overcome. The reasons cited most often by those not attending have included: registration fees, cost of travel, time away from home or work, time away from writing, lack of child care. A multitude of benefits awaits those attending a writer’s conference, not the least of which is the potential for laying one’s manuscript before a suitable editor, agent, or publisher—and knowing
they might actually read it! Ample opportunities exist to mingle with other writers, many of whom are published, and some of whom have made it to the NYT bestseller list. A very true clich?—it’s often more about who you know than what you know. Workshop and panel topics are timely and informative. Handouts and notes taken away from each session may provide just the material needed to get your next novel, short story, non-fiction article or poem published. The trick, it seems, is not just to attend a writer’s conference, but to attend the right writer’s conference. While some conferences attempt to be all-inclusive overviews, others are geared toward the serious genre writer. Take Bouchercon, to be held in October in Anchorage,
AK. A much-loved mecca for mystery writers/lovers, the ‘con’ is held in a different US city each year. The cost is a mere $175 for four days—a pittance when one considers that the faculty is made up of agents, editors, publicists, authors, and publishers. John Everson ( www.johneverson.com ), perennial TWC October Horror guest, attends the World Horror conference each year. A prolific writer, when he’s not working on the next horror/erotica story for an anthology or novel, he’s designing dark art covers for other writer’s wares. John knows and values the importance of networking. ThrillerFest. The name speaks for itself. By popular demand, 2008’s conference will again be held in New York City on the second weekend in July. Some of
the authors present at the 2007 shindig: James Patterson, Clive Cussler, Jeffery Deaver, Heather Graham, Vince Flynn, and Lisa Gardner. Joseph Finder was the winner of the second Thriller Award for Best Novel, the world's most prestigious thriller book prize. Finder (who is high on my “to stalk for TWC guest” list) won the title with his acclaimed novel Killer Instinct published by St Martins Press and received the news at the ITW gala banquet, according to their website. You can bet there were an abundance of agents and editors in Manhattan last July! One of the best online sources for conference information is http://www.shawguides.com.
There you can search by date, state, country, or genre to find the best fit. Writer’s Digest, Poets & Writers, and The Writer typically carry advertisements for upcoming conferences. State Arts and Humanities Councils and city, state, and regional writing associations are also good sources in the US. Check with your country’s government listings for available information regarding writing and writer’s events. Your local library may also have information. Before you lay out your hard earned cash to attend a conference just because it’s close to home, consider: will they have workshops or panels covering your genre or non-fiction specialty; does the roster include agents/editors/publishers who would be interested in your genre; if you have a completed manuscript, are critiques
by qualified writers or editors being offered? If not, save your money for a conference better suited to your needs. And remember, many airlines—and conferences—offer earlybird specials. While you’re checking out all of the conferences going on at different times in different parts of the world, plan to attend the 2nd Annual (free, virtual) The Muse Online Writers Conference! (See info below) While bumping into your favorite author at the venue’s watering hole might not be an option, you may find just the information you’ve been looking for and make new writer friends at the same time.Bio: Linda J. Hutchinson is a freelance writer and Partner at TWC. She sometimes just doesn’t
feel the need to be herself and writes fiction as J’linn Kramer. Linda writes about parenting, nutrition, travel, food, construction and heavy equipment use, and volunteerism. (She’s reluctant to list her website addy here because she’s been so busy she’s five months behind on updates. Shameful!) | | Can’t afford airfare, lodging, meals, and those hefty registration fees for an in-person writer’s conference? Or you’re too busy writing to travel? Register right now** for the 2nd Annual “The Muse Online Writers Conference” **Registration officially closed August 1st. HOWEVER, previous guest and friend of TWC, Lea Schizas is giving our members another opportunity to register! Lea is extending the deadline for TWC members to September 15th! http://www.freewebs.com/themuseonlinewritersconference OCTOBER 8 – 14, 2007 IT’S VIRTUAL! IT’S FREE! IN REAL TIME! ***100 PRESENTERS = 100 FREE WORKSHOPS! FREE .DOC HANDOUTS! FREE EBOOKS! TEN
RANDOM PRIZES TO BE WON EACH DAY! ***Presenters include TWC members Kim Richards ( www.kim-richards.com ), Karina Fabian ( www.fabianspace.com ), C. Hope Clark ( www.fundsforwriters.com ), and Larry Moniz ( http://www.larrymoniz.org ). For help with registering, contact Lea at: museitupeditor@yahoo.ca (and for more information on her writing career check out http://leaschizaseditor.com). When contacting Lea, please type “conference” in the subject line—and be sure to let her know you’re a TWC member. “I attended The Muse Online Writers Conference last year and found it to be well-organized, well-staffed, and professionally done. It was every bit as educational, enlightening, and entertaining as an in-person conference.” Linda J. Hutchinson, multi-published freelance writer and copywriter. www.lindajhutchinson.com, www.myspace.com/lindajhutchinson, http://reviewhutch.blogspot.com | | "The Hades Project" - latest release by previous guests Joe Moore and Lynn Sholes “Whosoever possesses the Holy Lance holds
in his hand the destiny of the world.”  It was forged by the seventh generation grandson of Adam, used to pierce the side of Christ at the Crucifixion, and possessed by some of history’s most powerful men: Constantine, Attila the Hun, Charlemagne, Adolf Hitler, Harry Truman. Now the ancient relic is about to be used again. This time by the Forces of
Evil to bring mankind to its knees.
From a secret tunnel beneath the Kremlin, to the Secret Archives of the Vatican, to the guarded treasury vault of the Ethiopian church housing the Ark of the Covenant, Cotten Stone races to find the Holy Lance before it falls into the hands of her mortal enemy, the Son of the Dawn. For the relic itself is made from the rarest element on earth, a material needed to power the Hades Project. Time is running out as Cotten confronts the man who now holds in his hand the destiny of the world -- a man who died over 85 years ago. | The weekly chats at The Writer's Chatroom are wonderful! Each night I attend a chat, I learn something new. The support and encouragement during the "general chats" keeps me motivated and excited about writing. The weekly "guest" chats are informative, educational and fun! I leave each chat saying "I can do it, I know I can. Patty Hopkins |  Get Paid to Write Book Reviews
Sick of editors thinking a free book is ample paying for your book review? Here Hope Clark offers the serious book reviewer 70+ publications that pay for book reviews. Never look at book reviews the same again after you read this guide on submitting quality book reviews and book review pitches to editors. | If you'd like to suggest a guest, topics for a theme chat, offer yourself as a chat guest, or give feedback about a chat you've attended, contact Audrey Shaffer at: audrey@writerschatroom.com On the Products page you will find some great recommendations. Please use our links to buy, and help support the chatroom! | | We look forward to chatting with you! Audrey Shaffer Linda Hutchinson Renee Barnes |
|
|
