Windshift Press
Newsletter Archives
Somewhere
deep inside ourselves whether we are city dwellers, urban commuters or rural
sentries we feel this seasonal shift in September that recognizes the end
of summer and espouses the autumnal journey to the shortest day of the year.
This recognition has been captured over the ages in poetry, song, essays and
fictional writing. Now it is your turn to add your piece to the cultural cornucopia
that has been handed down to us.
Sandra
Writing Tip: - You are a writer. This is a fact not based on your writing income or writing awards but on that deep knowledge that makes you write because you must. Find ways to honour this by writing everyday. There are many books and strategies out there for achieving this. Find the one that works for you and follow it. Setting the pattern is as important as the actual writing. Writing is like exercising a muscle. The more you do it the stronger it gets.
Markets
FreeFall Magazine seeks entries for their forthcoming Fiction and Poetry Contest.
Deadline: October 1, 2004. Theme: Work. First Prize: $200.00 Cdn. Winners
work to be published in the Spring 2005 issue of the magazine. Submission
Details: http://www.alexandrawriters.org/ctest.html
CBC Literary Awards - is seeking submissions of short stories [2000 -2500 words], travel literature [2000 -2500 words] and poetry [1500 - 2500 words]. Awards totaling $60,000 Cdn available. Deadline: November 15, 2004. Submission guidelines: http://www.cbc.ca/literaryawards/
The Tundra Prize seeks submissions of short speculative fiction [500 - 2000 words] and poetry [up to 100 lines] for their fourth annual contest. Prize: $100.00 US and publication. Submission details: http://www.emilychesley.com/contest/
The First Line Contest is seeking stories using the first line provided. Deadline: November 1, 2004. Submission details: http://www.thefirstline.com/
The Antigonish Review will be accepting fiction submissions after September 30, 2004. Submission guidelines: http://www.antigonishreview.com/submissions.html
Sub-TERRAIN Magazine seeks submissions [fiction and creative non-fiction] for its forthcoming themed issue on dolls - symbols of the self. Deadline: November 5, 2004. Submission guidelines: http://www.subterrain.ca/subterrain/guidelin/index.htm
Storyteller Magazine seeks general fiction submissions including sci-fi, fantasy, mystery and horror between 2000 and 6000 words. Deadline: November 7, 2004. Submission guidelines: http://www.storytellermagazine.com/guidelines.htm
Cue Time - Every month we include a couple of writing ideas to help you kick start your writing sessions.
1. Every ending is a new beginning. Take the ending of one of your favourite writing pieces and write the next installment. This works for poetry and most non-fiction as well as for fiction.
2. Listen to your favorite CD or tape. Clear a space in your mind for the music alone. Doodle on a piece of paper as you listen. Just let the music/lyrics guide your doodles. When the music is finished expand your doodles into a piece of writing.
Industry News: It seems that mysteries now come with a message. A recent article in Newsday explored the expanding genre within a genre. From environmental disaster to race relations and child abuse, more and more writers of mysteries - the world's bestselling genre - are not just writing compelling stories but stories that bring you a message.
Here is an apocryphal tale for writers - Louis de Bernieres' laptop was stolen, which contained 50 pages of his next novel which he hadn't backed up.
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. Does a romantic novel have to have a happy ending? - Carol P. -
A. Yes. But there is a difference between a romance and a love story. A romance is a specific category of fiction and the reader expects that the main characters will come together and live happily ever after in the end. However in a love story this may not be the case. If you are aiming for a commercial success with your book then writing a romance is preferable to writing a love story.
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.
Home News: The Windshift Press office has successfully moved to Ladysmith, BC on Vancouver Island. Situated centrally it allows me to travel more widely and meet more of you at events and workshops. We have added several more cover designers, book layout people and editors to the WP family. If you are submitting a manuscript or writing to WP the new address is P O Box 1176, Ladysmith BC, Canada, V9G 1A8. The e-mail and website addresses remain the same.