Don’t Club Your Reader With Your Message

 Today, Carolyn J. Rose is posting here on Straight From Hel.

Carolyn is the author of several novels, including Hemlock Lake, Through a Yellow Wood, AnUncertain Refuge, Sea of Regret, APlace of Forgetting, No Substitute for Murder. She penned a young-adult fantasy, Drum Warrior, with her husband, Mike Nettleton.

She grew up in New York’s Catskill Mountains, graduated from the University of Arizona, logged two years in Arkansas with Volunteers in Service to America, and spent 25 years as a television news researcher, writer, producer, and assignment editor in Arkansas, New Mexico, Oregon, and Washington. She founded the Vancouver Writers' Mixers and is an active supporter of her local bookstore, Cover to Cover. Her interests are reading, gardening, and not cooking.

Welcome, Carolyn.

Don’t Club Your Reader With Your Message

As a substitute teacher, when I’m not giving instruction I like to blend into the background, to be there if I’m needed to answer questions and explain directions for projects, but otherwise to be unobtrusive. My goal is to keep the focus on the lesson, to help kids learn and think, not to influence their thinking by telling them what I think.

The same philosophy can be applied to writing fiction. For me, the story unfolds more smoothly if the writer blends into the background and deflects attention from himself/herself.

An author who intrudes into the story to belabor a point, express an opinion, provide far too much background information on a subject, or make sure the reader “gets it,” is taking time and attention away from characters and action. When the author ceases to work behind the scenes through characters’ thoughts and dialogue, the flow of the story can be disrupted. That, in turn, can disrupt the reader’s involvement.

Sometimes the reader feels clubbed over the head with the author’s message. A clubbed reader—even one in agreement with the message—may skip passages or even put the book down.

As an extreme example, let’s say I have strong opinions about chunky peanut butter.

Here’s that message delivered in what I call a character rant. The character is channeling the author who is obviously up on his/her soapbox expounding, lecturing, and dumping opinions like a load of wet cement.

Carla added a giant jar of peanut butter to her shopping cart. Smooth, of course. The chunky stuff was gritty and stuck in her teeth. On top of that, it demonstrated laziness and carelessness on the part of producers—and lack of respect for the correct way to do things. Chunky peanut butter represented all that was wrong with the United States. Standards had slipped appallingly in the past fifty years and politicians were only greasing the skids for further decline. It was all the fault of the Supreme Court. No, it was the fault of those men who wrote the Constitution. That document was far too vague. There was too much leeway. Far too much room for interpretation. And it didn’t help that . . .

And on and on and on, in huge, dense paragraphs.

Now let’s put that message in short bursts of dialogue to make it more interesting and easier on the eye. And let’s go a step further and allow another character to challenge Carla. That lets us examine the peanut butter issue from other angles and learn more about both characters as they debate it.

Carla plucked a jar of smooth peanut butter from the shelf and set it in the shopping cart.

“Can’t we get crunchy?” Alex asked.

“Crunchy?” She frowned at her four-year-old grandson. “Crunchy is gritty.”

He nodded and swung from the handle of the basket. “I like that.”

She shuddered. “It sticks in my teeth.”

“I like that too.” He grinned. “That way I have some for later.”

Carla narrowed her eyes. Was he baiting her? No, surely not. He was too young. But it appeared this innocent child was becoming a tool for his mother’s liberal agenda. Well, since her son apparently was doing nothing about it, it was up to her to set Alex straight.

“Crunchy peanut butter is inferior,” she told him. “It’s what you get when workers no longer take pride in what they produce.”

Rubbing the end of his nose with his index finger, Alex gazed up at the display of peanut butters.

“Pay attention, Alex. My father wouldn’t tolerate crunchy peanut butter in his house and I won’t either. It’s a symbol of what’s wrong with this nation!”

“Okay.” Alex turned and peered into the shopping cart. Then, using both hands, he lifted a carton of orange juice and thrust it toward her. “Then I guess we gotta put this back.”

Carla gaped. “Why would we do that?”

“On accounta the guys who made it didn’t do their job ’cause it still has pulp in it.”

Ooops.

Carla has been painted into a philosophical corner.

Double oops.

I’m right there with her because she was expounding on my theory—a theory that seems to have some holes in it that I didn’t notice until Alex challenged it.

How will I write her out of this corner? Will she amend her rule to explain this contradiction? Will she re-examine her beliefs? Or will she defend them? Will I change my tune about chunky peanut butter?

You tell me.

Use the comment space below and get your name into the drawing for a copy of my latest book, No Substitute for Money.

Do You Write SciFi or Fantasy?

If you're an unpublished SciFi or Fantasy writer, here's a contest for you.

Writer’s Toybox, a hugely popular writer’s information website, has joined up with Sci Fi and Fantasy specialist publisher Netherworld Books and launched a major competition to find the next J. K. Rowling or Stephenie Meyer. 

Last year's winner was Catherine Green, a now best-selling author.

The competition invites short stories in the genres of Science Fiction and Fantasy the best of which will be featured in an anthology to be published in time for the Christmas period. The overall winner will be offered a publishing contract for a full length novel.

If you're interested, the competition is open to all unpublished authors. There doesn't seem to be a lot of information yet, but you can start writing your short story while you keep an eye on Writer's Toybox.

Texas Writers Month 2011

May is Texas Writers Month and there’s a lot of celebrating going on. Texas chapters of Sisters in Crime have been putting on signings, readings, and events. The Heart of Texas chapter hosted the award ceremony for the Barbara Burnet Smith Sage Award (congratulations to the 2011 recipient, Russ Hall).

Another big even going on - this time on the Internet - is literary publicist Stephanie Barko’s month of author interviews and giveaways. For example, some of you may remember a post I did last year telling you about Bob Ray Sander’s great book, Calvin Littlejohn, and his appearance at the Texas Book Festival. Stephanie is giving away a signed hardcover of his photographic documentary book. If you’d like a chance at his book, you can still comment through May 29.

Here’s a list of authors whose books are being given away on Stephanie’s blog:
Mike Cox
Dagoberto Gilb
Gary Lavergne
Joe Nick Patoski
John Pipkin
Bob Ray Sanders
Jane Roberts Wood

And if you want more, Stephanie has them. These are the authors whose books will be open for giveaways starting this week:
Diane Fanning
Greg Garrett
Naomi Carrier
Barbara Renaud Gonzalez
Richard Yanez
Laurie Wagner Buyer
Jodi Thomas
Sharifa Rhodes-Pitts

If you’d like to go comment on any or all of the interviews/posts, go to: http://stephaniebarko.com/blog/

That’s an incredible list of great authors. Good luck on winning one of their books!

Author Cherish D'Angelo

 Multi-published author Cherish D’Angelo, AKA Cheryl Kaye Tardif, is here today to talk about her road to publication and what she learned that you might benefit from.

Her latest book, written as Cherish D’Angelo, is called Lancelot’s Lady. It’s a contemporary romantic suspense. Lancelot’s Lady is so new, it’s release date is TODAY. It’s not her only new book, though. Skeletons in the Closet and Other Creepy Stories released last month.

Please welcome Cherish D’Angelo.

To Hel and Back: A Writer's Journey

The journey to become a published author has been filled with bumps and detours, but along the way I've learned so much about the book industry, writing, editing, publishing and marketing. I've had some definite stalls and setbacks, plus some real "Made It Moments".

The stalls and setbacks include all the rejections I've received from publishers and agents―so many that I could wallpaper my office probably twice over with them, the necessity to find an outside job so I could make money and afford to pay bills, and dealing with a less than professional traditional publisher who really only held me back―until I finally got smart and left (only months before they shut down).

Yes, you could say I've been to Hel and back with my publishing journey. But I haven't given up and I'm pushing forward. Persistence really does pay off and I don't really have a choice anyway. There is nothing else I'd rather do than write and promote my work. This is the "heavenly" part of what I do and I measure my success in all the small "Made It Moments" in my life.

These include when: my first novel Whale Song was published, I got my first review from a fan, I got my first newspaper interview, I appeared in a TV interview the first time, I got a review blurb from New York Times bestselling author Luanne Rice, I was on Celebrity Chefs (a local TV show), Booklist gave me a rave review, Whale Song was picked up and re-published by a traditional publisher, and I signed with my wonderful literary agent, Jack Scovil.

Some "Almost Made It Moments" consist of the numerous times I've been contacted by producers and directors who were interested in my novels. I have one now who is very interested in filming Whale Song. I feel I'll truly have "Made It" when that movie is on the big screen. I feel so close I can envision watching it in a theatre. When I think of this I literally smell popcorn.

Lancelot's Lady ~ A Bahamas holiday from dying billionaire JT Lance, a man with a dark secret, leads palliative nurse Rhianna McLeod to Jonathan, a man with his own troubled past, and Rhianna finds herself drawn to the handsome recluse, while unbeknownst to her, someone with a horrific plan is hunting her down.

Lancelot's Lady is available in ebook edition at KoboBooks, Amazon's Kindle Store, Smashwords and other ebook retailers. Help me celebrate by picking up a copy today and "Cherish the romance..."

 You can learn more about Lancelot's Lady and Cherish D'Angelo (aka Cheryl Kaye Tardif) at http://www.cherishdangelo.com and http://www.cherylktardif.blogspot.com. Follow Cherish from September 27 to October 10 on her Cherish the Romance Virtual Book Tour and win prizes.

Leave a comment here, with email address, to be entered into the prize draws. You're guaranteed to receive at least 1 free ebook just for doing so. Plus you'll be entered to win a Kobo ereader. Winners will be announced after October 10th.

Thank you Cherish!

Have a question for Cherish? Ask away.

Writing Contest with a Twist

Been thinking about self-publishing or what’s sometimes called indie book publishing? There’s now a contest to help you, if you win, of course.

The non-profit San Francisco Writers Conference and San Francisco Writers University announced they are partnering with indie book publishing leader Author Solutions, Inc., and its integrated author marketing division, AuthorHive, to launch the Indie Publishing Contest for writers.

It’ll cost you $35 to enter, though, in one of three categories: fiction, non-fiction, and children’s. Or, if your book is poetry, It’s $25.

The winners in each of the four categories can choose between a one-hour consultation with an agent or a free publishing package from an Author Solutions Imprint, plus publicity. If you’re the Grand Prize winner, you receive an indie publishing contract. It doesn’t include money, but you can link over to see the other things it does include.

Re-Branding as an Author

 Sylvia Dickey Smith is a brave woman. While still in high school, she married and became a pastor’s wife, eventually traveling with her husband to various small towns, including 6 years in the Caribbean Island of Trinidad. All this while raising 4 kids. As if she wasn’t busy enough, at the age of 41, she started college and completed a BA in Sociology and a Masters in Educational Psychology. You could say that, like her characters, she came into herself.

Now, she writes about women coming into themselves. She understands them, their motivations, their thoughts, their desires. But Sylvia, who also spent two years studying spiritual warrior training under a shaman in New Mexico, doesn’t get stuck in one genre. She’s branched out from mystery to women’s historical fiction. And today, she’s going to tell us about making that move in genres and how she’s re-branding herself.

Please welcome author Sylvia Dickey Smith.

Switching Genres

Since my first three books were part of a mystery series, why did I switch genre and write a historical novel? Wouldn’t that confuse my readers? When a Sidra fan heard the new book wasn’t a Sidra, she said, “But I miss Sidra. I love that woman!”

Sidra, as you may know, is the protagonist in my mystery series, and a strong woman with spunk and a resolve to find her own way in the world. I love Sidra too. I’m sure It comes as no surprise to anyone that there’s a lot of me in Sidra. Her lessons reflect many of mine. After thirty years as a subservient, obedient wife, I did a 180 at midlife and started on my own course. (I suppose a little bird watching overheard would discount obedient/subservient for the last five of those thirty! Changing directions often comes slower than we realize when we’re in the midst of the turn.)

But after I finished writing the third Sidra book, Dead Wreckoning, and started on the fourth, this voice that whispers over my shoulder advised that if I kept going straight into another Sidra book the story would be more of the same. That I needed to take a break from her, let her go off on her own a little while, and for me to do the same and expand my own repertoire—to challenge myself to write something totally different.

 I pulled out an old, really bad attempt at a NaNoWri project I’d written a couple of years ago. I reached the 50,000 word count goal, but the last 25,000 words were garbage.

The working title of the draft, A War Of Her Own, came even before the story did. It is very loosely based around the lives of my mother and father, and their family during those years. The story takes place, again in my hometown, but this time set during WWII. Once again, my protagonist, Bea Meade, is a subservient woman of her times, who discovers of what she is made and learns to stand in her own power. I took a chance that readers would fall in love with Bea Meade, too.

So, it wasn’t that I intended to write a historical novel. I just had a story stirring in my gut that wouldn’t be quiet until I gave it voice.

This process has led me to rebrand myself more into a women’s fiction writer—which, in the long run, crosses genres anyway. And this new ‘branding’ fits my passion. I love writing of women who find their voice, who learn to speak for themselves, to give a firm NO when no is what they wish to say. I believe women must learn to give that firm no before they can claim the triumphant YES!

Who knows what will come next? Will I write more mystery? More Sidra Smart? Sure I will—but not until Sidra is ready for me to—possibly book after next. Right now I’m writing The Swamp Whisperer—a tale about Boo Murphy, an old woman in Dead Wreckoning, who demanded her own story. Viva la old women!

Thank you, Sylvia.

You can find out more about Sylvia’s books on her website, including A War of Her Own, Sylvia’s latest book. Another thing you should know about Sylvia is that she’s been recognized for her willingness to support other writers and to mentor them. She is the 2010 recipient of the SAGE Award, given out by the Barbara Burnett Smith Mentoring Authors Foundation.

Remember, if you sign up in August to subscribe or follow her on her blog, your name will be entered into a drawing for a free copy of A War Of Her Own.

Are you thinking about writing in different genres? Or maybe you think it’s time to re-brand yourself. Feel free to use the comments section to ask Sylvia questions about both these topics and her books.

Taking a Path Less Traveled

Lisa Koosis writes in a lot of different genres: science fiction, fantasy, horror, mainstream. Her primary medium is short stories. She’s had stories published in a number of great speculative fiction magazines and anthologies like Abyss and Apex, Murky Depths, Meadowhawk Press’s Touched by Wonder anthology and recently, Blade Red Press’s Dark Pages anthology, among others.

Her first sale was via a contest. Her entry placed second in The Poughkeepsie Journal’s Talespinners short story contest and was published in a special supplement to the Journal. This year, she was the grand prize winner in Family Circle’s fiction contest. Now, Lisa is a finalist in Dorchester’s Fresh Blood contest.

The Fresh Blood Contest has a grueling judging process. First, Dorchester Publishing, ChiZine Publications and Rue Morgue Magazine choose the Top 10 submitted manuscripts. Then a panel of judges narrows it down to the top 5. Then it’s up to the top 5 authors to get votes. In other words, they have to learn to promote their work and get votes American Idol style. Each month, the author with the least votes is kicked off. Lisa is now in the final two.

All authors have to learn how to promote themselves and their books. Lisa is learning at top speed. She agreed to answer a couple of my questions:

Helen: How hard is it knowing that you could lose not because of the quality of your writing, but because of the number of friends you can get to vote for you?

Lisa Koosis: That’s been tough. Over the course of the contest I’ve had people say to me, “Wow, it looks like you’re the judges’ favorite. You’re a shoo-in,” which felt good to hear but also sometimes frustrating knowing that I could potentially be the judges’ favorite and still not win. Still, I understand and respect the promotional aspect of the contest because after all, it’s so vital these days for an author to be able to self-promote, to help sell their own books and I understand a publishing house wanting to see how well an author was capable of doing just that before signing on with them.

Helen: What have you tried? For example, could you get ten friends to start pushing you on Twitter and ten more on Facebook, etc.? See if the push could go viral.

Lisa Koosis: I’ve made sure to have a presence on most of the major social and professional networking sites: Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, LinkedIn, etcetera. I also started a blog at the inception of the contest and started putting feelers out into the blogging community. I also did rely heavily on my friends and their networks (and the whole “and they told two friends” philosophy). I was genuinely surprised at times to see people--people who didn’t even know me--posting about the contest on their own profiles.

I also found that each round I made it through would push me to explore more and more networking and promotional opportunities, even printing out flyers that family and friends could distribute.

Most of all, I tried to always remember to say thank you and not to take a single vote or word of encouragement for granted.

Lisa said that for a long time, she didn’t tell people that she was a writer. Now, she’s taking a crash course in self-promotion and networking. Win or lose – and she’s certainly hoping to win – she says she’s been astonished by the people who have been supporting and encouraging her.

Here’s a quick blurb for Heart of the City:

The Phoenix particle, created to burn out and replace damaged DNA, should have been the medical breakthrough of the century. Instead, it was the beginning of the end, its fires decimating person after person and city after city with a ferocity its creator could never have imagined. But cities don’t die so easily. The Phoenix particle was engineered to remember, and in the ashes, the particles remain, carrying within them the genetic blueprint from the billions fallen prey to the burning. And the Phoenix still has a mission, to pass on that information.

Eva Moline—immune to its devastation—is the perfect conduit for the Phoenix. She’s prepared to help put the world back together in any way she can, even when she feels the Phoenix at work inside of her, somehow sentient, somehow knowing. As the children of the Phoenix grow to term in Eva’s womb, so does the essence of each city become a part of her. And as Eva joins the creator of the Phoenix in a cross-country journey from city to ruined city, she must decide whether she’s recreating a world or giving birth to monsters.

If any of you would like to support her, you can read the first two chapters of Heart of the City. Once the page opens, scroll down to Heart of the City. If you like what you read, send a blank email to freshblood@chizinepub.com with “Fresh Blood Vote - Heart of the City” in the subject line.  It’s as easy as that. They’ll accept one vote per unique email address and voting closes on July 14th at midnight EST.

I’ve voted for her twice, each time using a different email box.

Win Your Platform

 Earlier this year, literary publicist Stephanie Barko visited Straight From Hel to talk about Contests and Authors. She focused on how entering writing contests can help authors promote themselves and establish a platform.

She’ll be back tomorrow to finish out this two-part series. Now that you know how a contest can help you, she’s going to tell you how you can win those all-important contests, especially the ones that are won or lost through popular votes.

Stephanie specializes in working with adult authors of nonfiction and historical fiction, but her advice applies to all writers, no matter the genre. Having contest wins on your resume not only show your writing skills, they can demonstrate that you have a platform that includes followers who will buy your books.

We’ve talked here on SFH about building a platform through social networking. So, come back tomorrow with questions about author platforms and contests. Stephanie has a BBA in Marketing from the University of Texas at Austin. You can find out more about Stephanie Barko, Literary Publicist, at http://www.authorsassistant.com/Barko.htm and/or
http://www.theauthorsassistant.blogspot.com.

Entering to Win Big

Robert McCrum, in the Guardian, talks about how authors are becoming powerhouses, not through reviews, but through prizes.

Literary prizes are not only cultural thermometers, reflecting the zeitgeist, but also have the power to propel unknown writers into the limelight in a way that used to derive from book reviews, now sadly diminished in authority and significance.

The example he uses, Miguel Syjuco, is an expat Filipino from Manila who moved to Montreal. He spent years getting rejected by both literary agents and publishers. Then Syjuco entered his then-unpublished novel for the Man Asian literary prize. And won. It also won the Palanca Awards that same year, 2008. Now he’s on a promotional tour in the U.S.

The Asian Booker was amenable to unpublished entries in 2008. Unfortunately, it no longer is.

Do you know of prestigious awards that are open to unpublished authors? Ones that could propel a writer’s career to another level? Do you enter those contests?

Contests and Authors

Stephanie Barko is a Literary Publicist. She works with adult and young adult authors of nonfiction and historical fiction. Some of her clients are 2009 Spur Award Winner John Nesbitt, 2008 Southwest Book Award Winner Paul Cool, Christy & 2008 Willa Award Winner Jane Kirkpatrick, and 2008 Book of the Year Winner Sandra Worth.

She’s here today to talk about entering contests and how they can help an author promote themselves and establish a platform.

Welcome, Stephanie.

Contests as an Author’s Promotional Tool

Overview

Although most people are drawn to contests to win prizes, authors win much more than cash or vacations when they enter writing contests.  The fame and notoriety of winning a national contest surrounds you for years.  A contest sponsor’s embrace of your brand will credential you at a higher level and can lift you into the national or even international spotlight.  Winning a contest can attract prestigious back cover endorsements and even influence reviews.

Indeed, merely entering a contest has its benefits.  Once your work and name are online in a competition, you are noticed and heard.  You see how other writers express themselves and how you are similar or different in your own presentation.
 
One of the best reasons to enter a contest is to evoke creativity.  It is by exploring the unknown that we find our answers, not by having the answers before we explore.  There’s nothing like serving yourself a problem to jar your synapses loose and bend your brain in ways it doesn’t normally move.

Somewhere along this discovery process, you will tend to find fresh ways of describing your writing and promoting your topic to its audience.

Getting Started

If you are subscribed to this feed, you are already receiving notifications of writing contests.  Finding the right contest to enter is a little like deciding which book award to apply for—you want the most publicity on the back end for your considerable effort at the front end.  Here are a few steps to get you started.

1.    Choose a contest backed by reputable sponsors that promise media attention to the winners and runners-up.  Look for multiple opportunities to gain high level exposure and make strong contacts.

2.    Instead of next considering what to submit, read through contest rules and regulations to learn what the sponsors are actually looking for.  The fine print may reveal that a combination of writing and another skill is being sought.  Either dig deep to find a way to deliver both or move on to the next contest.

3.    Create your biographical information in a manner that reveals your personality, highlights your accolades and if possible, flatters the sponsor.  Be expository but not dull.  Find a way to relate to the sponsor’s interests.

4.    Enter the contest as close to the start date as possible.  Sometimes the more time you have in a contest, the more likely you are to win.
This is especially true when the sponsor is looking for anything quantitative, like blog comments, poll numbers, and other metrics.

The hardest part of entering a contest is at the beginning, when you can see or at least imagine your competition. Your mind will tell you how powerful they are, how much more clout they have, and what better skills they possess. What you need to remember, though, is that as long as it is legitimate, a contest is a level playing field. Every contestant has to get through the same exercise on the same software and deliver a composition on the same subject.

In the end, you will find that it's all in your mind whether you win or not. You win if you believe you can. And even if you don't win the contest, the attitude you develop to win it will spill over to the next contest and into your writing and into your attitude about life in general.  You will be a different writer when the contest ends.

Thank you, Stephanie.

One of the reasons I asked Stephanie to post about authors entering contests is because she’s currently a finalist for More Magazine’s Reinvention Story Contest. I found out about her entry when I read her story and voted for her. You can read her story and others online. If you’d like to vote for her, you can read her entry at: https://www.more.com/11079/11489-life-after-semiconductors. Voting ends this Friday, February 26th. Stephanie’s giving a prize to one reader who votes for her, so if you vote, note what number voter you are and send her that number. Her email address is: steffercatATaustin.rr.com - change the “AT” to “@” of course.

You can visit Stephaine at http://www.authorsassistant.com/Barko.htm and view her client list at http://www.theauthorsassistant.blogspot.com

A Breakthrough Writing Contest

Here’s information on a contest that, if you win, involves publication of your manuscript. It’s called the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Contest. Entries have to be made online and your novel should be between 50,000 and 150,000 words. You also have to submit a pitch statement, author picture and some other information.

If you’re thinking, dang, my manuscript’s not ready, don’t worry, you still have time. Entries are only being accepted between January 25, 2010 and February 7, 2010. It’d be good, though, to get ready since they only accept the first 10,000 entries. Although you can’t submit your material yet, you can sign up for email updates.

This year there are two categories: General Fiction and Young Adult Fiction. Each category will have a winner. And each winner receives a $15,000 publishing contract with Penguin USA and distribution of his/her novel on Amazon.com.

The entries get narrowed through 5 stages of judging. The first round is looked at my Amazon editors. Those who move on are rated by Amazon top customer reviewers. Those who pass this level go on to full readings by Publishers Weekly reviewers. Those who make the semifinals are read by Penguin USA editors. And the three in each category who make it to the finals are voted on by Amazon customers.

You can link to this contest from this post or via my website page of Contests for Writers. I maintain lists of contests and events on my website, both of which are updated weekly (and I’m always on the lookout for contests and events, so email me if you know of ones not on my list). This is one of the bigger contests, so I thought I’d blog about it.

A Contest for Memoir Writers

If you write memoir or like to write personal stories, here’s a competition for you.

Story Circle Network hosts the (10th annual) Susan Wittig Albert LifeWriting Competition.

This year's topic focuses on overcoming obstacles

In each life there are obstacles to be overcome. Sometimes we get caught up in the overwhelming fear that we just can't do it. Sometimes we may feel as though we are not equipped to handle what sits before us. But, once the obstacle has been tackled, we can look back and see that we did face that obstacle, we chose our path and we were able to overcome -- sometimes much to our own surprise.

Write about a time when you were faced with what you just knew was too much for you to overcome - a time when you felt totally ill-equipped to handle what life had thrown your way. Write about the ways in which you approached the situation, the fears you had to deal with, the twists and turns that you had to make to come to a resolution of the situation. Write about how and when you first realized that you did, indeed, have what was necessary to overcome your particular hurdle. Write about how doing so changed your life. Be sure to include what you learned about yourself along the way.

You must be a dues-paying member of Story Circle Network to enter. But you can join online, if you’re not.

There is a $20 entry fee.

To be eligible, your entry must be unpublished (we define a "published" piece as one that has been reviewed and accepted by an editor).

Awards: One prize of $75, one prize of $50, and two prizes of $25 each. Winning stories will be published in a special section of the September Story Circle Journal and will be featured on the SCN's award-winning website. Upon the judges' recommendation, other entries may be published in later issues of the Journal and in other SCN print or on-line publications.

Deadline is July 1, 2009

Free Virtual Tour

A friend of mine, Stephanie Barko, who is a literary publicist, is giving away a free virtual tour. She specializes in books having to do with the American West, but she’s opening this up to nonfiction and historical fiction both.

Here’s what she says:

Win a FREE VIRTUAL TOUR for your latest nonfiction or historical fiction title.
Eligible titles will have release dates between 9/15/08 & 7/15/09 and be available in print format.

To enter, email below information to
steffercat@austin.rr.com
no later than 7/15/09:

- Author’s name, address, phone # & URL
- Book’s title, release date, genre, publisher, editor, # pages, & price/format
- Name of site or newsletter from which you learned of this contest

Winner will be notified on 7/16/09 by
Stephanie Barko, Literary Publicist.
www.authorsassistant.com/Barko.htm

Winning title will be toured Fall ’09.
Entrant information will not be sold or shared.

So, if you fit the guidelines and are interested in having a professional work with you on a virtual book tour, here’s your chance.

A Chance to End It All

Some well-known authors have been writing an online serial novella. They started it back in April for Lexus magazine. Now, Lexus magazine wants someone else to finish the story called “In the Belly of the Beast.”

The nine authors who’ve each written a chapter are:

• Richard McCann, author of the autobiographical novel Mother of Sorrows

• Curtis Sittenfeld, author of bestselling novel Prep and The Man of My Dreams

• Brian Antoni, author of Paradise Overdose and contributor to Naked Came the Manatee

• Bob Shacochis, National Book Award winner and author of Easy in the Islands, The Next New World and Swimming in the Volcano

• Pam Houston, author of Cowboys Are My Weakness, Waltzing the Cat and Sight Hound

• Robert Ferrigno, author of the bestselling Horse Latitudes, The Wake-Up and Prayers for the Assassin

• Mary Otis, author of Yes, Yes, Cherries

• Jane Smiley, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of A Thousand Acres and Ten Days in the Hills

• Arthur Phillips, National Book Award winner and author of Prague, The Egyptologist, and Angelica

I recently heard from Genna Mazor with Channel V Media who said Lexus is inviting writers to submit their 1,000-word ending to the cross-country adventure story. The best ending will be featured in the next issue of the magazine.

So, here’s the deal…you can go read the story as it is now and if you like it and think you know how to end it all, then give it a try. Submit your conclusion to “In the Belly of the Beast” and see if you’ll win and make it into the magazine. But you’ll have to write fast. Lexus magazine is taking submissions only until November 16.

If you decide to enter, leave a comment and let us know so we can be rooting for you.

Writing Contests

For nine years now, I’ve searched out contests for writers. Every week a new contest. I don’t even want to do the math on that.

I do it because each week in my newsletter, Doing It Write, I include a contest. That means I have to find those contests. Sometimes someone will email to tell me about a contest they know of or perhaps sponsor. Most of the time, I search the internet.

I rarely know more about the contest than what I gather and tell my subscribers. My disclaimer is always:

Although I try to find contests, conferences, workshops, and other events that are legit and beneficial to writers, I can't guarantee anything. I always try to include a URL or other contact information so you can check them out and make your own decisions.

Last night, as usual, I was searching for a new contest. I came upon one that I know about. Hell, I started it. Years ago, when I was on the Board of Directors for the Writers’ League of Texas, I came up with the idea of a writing contest. The next year I organized and ran the contest.

But that was several years ago. I don’t really know for sure how it’s run now, who the judges are, or what the entry categories are. I could have searched the League’s site and found out, of course, but I couldn’t get past the entry fee.

Fifty dollars. And there’s no monetary prize.

The winner of each category gets a free consult with an agent or editor at the League’s conference.

Fifty dollars.

Back when we started the contest, the entry fee was $10 and all entries received a critique and the winners received a consult. Now the entrants receive a score sheet on their one page synopsis and the first ten double-spaced pages of their manuscript.

If you’re interested, click the embedded link because I don’t plan to put this one in Doing It Write.

Entering Contests

Yesterday we talked about how to choose a conference or workshop to attend. Today, let’s look at contests.

It seems like the main thing writers look at when it comes to a contest is how much prize money will be awarded. And that’s a legitimate concern. But, first off, some prizes are things other than money – and those contests can be worth entering. The prize might be a one-on-one with an agent. That’s a pretty good reward if you’re looking for an agent. The prize might be inclusion in an anthology. If it’s a well-known or respected publication and you’re looking for pub creds, then that can be a worthwhile contest.

In addition to the prize money, consider other factors. Who is putting on the contest? What person or organization is the sponsor? Do you trust that person or group? Is this their first year for a contest? If you trust the organization and it’s their first year, your chances of winning might be better because word has not gotten out about the contest. Have they been doing this contest for many years? If so, then they are probably more organized and ready to handle entries.

Who will be the judges of the contest? Are the judges published authors? Book consultant or editors? Academics? Unpublished local critique group members? If a critique is part of the prize, then you want professionals or those with credentials doing the critiquing.

How much does the contest cost to enter? Is the pay-off and odds of winning worth the entry fee? If you’re on a budget, are you going to blow it all on one contest or divide it up and enter two or three?

If you’re considering a particular contest, do some googling and online research to see if there have been complaints or praise for it. Ask your friends and fellow writers if they have entered.

The bottom line for entering contests, like deciding on a conference and workshop, is do your homework. Don’t enter blindly.