Windshift Press
Newsletter Archives
I want to take a moment to send a huge thank you to everyone who sent good wishes to Windshift over the holidays. I get so much writing information in a month that it is great to know what is useful to you.
"There are years that ask questions and years that answer." - Zora Neale Hurston
In light of recent events in South East Asia, I am finding it difficult to re-focus on the tasks at hand. It seems abit self indulgent to concentrate on aspects of my own life while others have not been so lucky. I find that poetry sustains me in times like these so I will work out the answer to 'why?' through reading and writing poetry even though I am a fiction writer by passion. If your life has taken the shape of a tunnel, try a different form of expression to find the balance in 2005.
Writing Tip: - Remember when writing dialogue that there are two or more distinct voices involved. Read your dialogue aloud to make sure that you can hear the different characters and pick up some of their traits in each speech. It is important not to lose a good story in monotone dialogue.
Markets
PRISM seeks entries for the 19th Annual Short Fiction Contest. Deadline: January
31, 2005. Grand prize: $2,000 Cdn. Details: http://prism.arts.ubc.ca/contests/
Prairie Fire seeks entries to its 2005 contests as well as work for forthcoming issues. There are opportunities for most genres of writing. Details: http://www.prairiefire.mb.ca/contests.html
The PEN/Phyllis Naylor Working Writer Fellowship of $5,000 is offered annually to a North American author of children's or young-adult fiction. Details: http://www.pen.org/awards/naylor.htm
The Academi Cardiff International Poetry Competition seeks entries for its current competition. Prizes: First £5000, Second £1000, Third £700. Deadline: January 28, 2005 Details: http://www.writersservices.com/mag/04/poetry_competition.htm [Editor's comment: The UK rewards poets. Good Luck]
The 2005 Herman Voaden Play Writing Competition seeks entries. Prizes: First $3,000, Second: $2,000 Cdn. Deadline: January 31, 2005. Details: http://www.utpjournals.com/ctr/voadenad.pdf
Pennine Ink seeks both poetry and prose submissions. Details: http://www.openingline.co.uk/openingline/version1/magazines/pennineink/
Carve Magazine accepts
on-line submissions for poetry and prose up to 8,500 words. Details:
http://www.carvezine.com/submissionpage.htm
Pedestal Magazine pays for both poetry and prose submissions. Details: http://www.thepedestalmagazine.com/submit1.asp
Plum Ruby Review accepts submissions of poetry, fiction and non-fiction. Unfortunately they are not able to pay at the moment but you may enjoy seeing your work in print. Details: http://www.plumrubyreview.com/
Flashquake is accepting submissions of flash fiction, fiction, prose, non-fiction and poetry for their forthcoming issue. Details: http://www.flashquake.org/
Cue Time - Every month we include a couple of writing ideas to help you kick start your writing sessions.
1. Visit a stationery shop and treat yourself to a beautiful blank book and a nice pen. Start a gratitude journal. Write a few lines every day. It will stimulate your other writing.
2. Find a picture of yourself when you were ten or so. Frame it and put it in your writing space. It will remind you of how far you have come as a writer and often support characters in your writing by reminding you of the way of children.
Industry News:
Recent news from Random House suggests that they are considering selling books
directly from their website using an on-line store. They would be one of the
first large traditional publishers to do so. If this happens it will be difficult
for bookstores to compete.
The answers offered in this column are the personal opinions of the staff at Windshift for Writers. They are in no way meant to take the place of the professional advice you may need to seek for your specific query.
Questions and Answers
Q. Is it o.k. to approach more than one agent at a time to see if they will handle my book? - Art G. -
A. Although multiple submissions
to publishers have become more common most agents still want to be considered
one at a time. Check the website of your chosen agent[s] and see what their
policy is and if they are accepting your type of material. Many are not taking
on new clients.
Win a FREE place at one of our Workshops - Writers who wish to host a workshop can do so by inviting interested friends and acquaintances to a venue (It could be your dining-room table.) and providing the coffee. If you host a workshop, your participation is free. Check the Workshops page for further details.