Do You Want Your Name In Lights?

Write your first draft with your heart.  Re-write with your head.  ~From the movie Finding Forrester

 

Of course you do!!

Whether we tell ourselves that we want to be published or not is irrelevant. Deep down inside we all want the same thing. Thankfully, there are choices and different paths we can now take to achieve that end goal. I have something for you that will help- a writing contest.

Before you dismiss this because you’re self publishing, or you’re already published in another genre, you better check this out. The Lone Star Writing Contest gives you tangibles that you won’t necessarily find anywhere else. No matter how you decide to publish, an author always needs outside help. I’ve yet to meet a writer that could spot all of their mistakes. For a very small fee, your pages will be read by two published and one non-published judge. If you final, your story will be sent to an agent, an editor, and an e-publisher editor. (Wow- three for the price of one!)

How is this any different? Well, besides providing training for the judges, revamping the score sheet to reflect the writing not “romance” rules, this contest also offers a few bonuses! If you win your category, you will receive a banner for your website, FB etc. This is worth its weight in gold! Free advertising screaming how good you are! If you final, you will receive a seal that you can use in the same way. How cool is that?

Everyone who enters also has a chance to win a 50 page critique by a published author whether they final or not. This is an open playing field where all have the same chance to win. There will be a drawing for each category and the winner’s name will be drawn irregardless of how they placed!

I know I’ll enter this year. Don’t miss the Early Bird Special which ends in a few days!

 

 

Northwest Houston RWA announces The 20th Annual Lone Star Writing Competition.

Along with awesome feedback and a new and improved score sheet, the Lone Star offers a NEW Special Prize!!!

All entrants will be entered into a drawing for a 50 page critique by one of NWHRWA’s published authors. There will be 7 winners, one for each category.

Romantic Suspense: Teri Thackston
Historical: Melinda Porter (Anna Katherine Lanier)
FF&P: Suzan Harden
Inspirational: Carla Rossi
YA: Christie Craig (CC Hunter)
Single Title: PJ Mellor
Contemporary Series: Cheri Jetton

The Lone Star Writing Competition is one of the few contests with two published authors and one unpublished author judging the first round. Finalists will be sent to BOTH an agent and an editor for judging. In addition they will be sent to an e-publishing editor.

EARLY BIRD ENTRY FEE: $5 discount on all entries submitted by midnight May 26, 2012; $15 for NWH members/$20 non-NHW members.

Entry fee: After May 26, 2012 – $20 NWH members; $25 non-NWH members.

Winners will receive a custom made sterling silver pin and a website banner !!!! Finalists will receive a seal to put on their website.

For more information including rules, the score sheet, and entry form, see our new, updated website at www.nwhrwa.com.

Link Of The Week

http://www.writersdigest.com/competitions/writers-digest-annual-competition
WRITER’S DIGEST ANNUAL WRITING COMPETITION

Enter the 81st Annual Writing Competition and gain access to agents, to editors, to your peers, to readers. Winning entries will be on display in the 81st Annual Writer’s Digest Competition Collection and entrants will gain the spotlight they deserve.

Compete and Win in 10 Categories!
Inspirational Writing (Spiritual/Religious)
Memoirs/Personal Essay
Magazine Feature Article
Genre Short Story (Mystery, Romance, etc.)
Mainstream/Literary Short Story
Rhyming Poetry
Non-rhyming Poetry
Stage Play
Television/Movie Script
Children’s/Young Adult Fiction
Entry Fee
Entries: $25 for the first manuscript; $15 for each additional entry submitted during the same transaction.
Poems: $15 for the first entry; $10 for each additional poem submitted submitted during the same transaction.
Prizes
GRAND PRIZE:
individual attention from 4 editors or agents
a trip to the Writer’s Digest Conference in New York City
$3,000 cash
First Place: $1,000 cash and $100 off WD Shop purchase

Second Place: $500 cash and $100 off WD Shop purchase

Third Place: $250 cash and $100 off WD Shop purchase

Fourth Place: $100 cash and $50 off WD Shop purchase

Fifth Place: $50 cash and $50 off WD Shop purchase

Sixth through Tenth Place: $25 cas

Link Of The Week

Are you short on critique partners? Do you just not want to share your writing yet, but need some kind of feedback? Well, I’ve got a site made for you! Check this out-

http://www.autocrit.com/

MuseTracks Link of the Week

Looking for a place to get great read recommendations? How about a place to promote yourself as an author? Better yet. How about a one-stop-shop to read or request reviews from multiple review sites? For FREE!

Check out Manic Readers!

http://manicreaders.com/index.cfm

Not only can you get information on authors, books, reviews, upcoming releases, there are also opportunities for authors to opt into special features such as a royalty tracker and promotional services. Plus there are author-sponsored blogs, contests, chats, and free reads.

Pop on over and take a tour.

http://manicreaders.com/index.cfm

Link Of The Week

I’ve posted a site today that provides amazing help to writers. They offer a writers’ retreat that is unparalleled with instruction and guidance from some of the smartest people I’ve met in this industry. I’m hoping to be able to attend next year. (Must save up a bunch of pennies first!!)
Co-founded in 1987 by the late Gary Provost (author and internationally acclaimed teacher of writing for publication) and his wife Gail, the ten-day WRITERS RETREAT WORKSHOP is an intensive learning experience for small groups of serious-minded writers who are committed to improving and completing their novels for submission. For those who consider their writing to be a vital part of their lives, one they wish to develop as fully as possible, WRW provides the ideal experience.

This is where it's being held this year. Not bad, right?

(http://www.writersretreatworkshop.com/index.php)

Link of the Week

This week’s link is dedicated to the independent bookstores.

http://www.indiebound.org/

Taken directly from their website — “IndieBound is a community-oriented movement begun by the independent bookseller members of the American Booksellers Association. It brings together booksellers, readers, indie retailers, local business alliances, and anyone else with a passionate belief that healthy local economies help communities thrive. Supporting local, indie businesses means that dollars, jobs, diversity, choice, and taxes stay local, creating strong, unique communities and happy citizens.”

Find independent bookstores near you – or anywhere in North America. Download e-books directly from these independent bookstores, too. Interact and become involved with a community built of indie retailers, authors, and readers.  And more!

There’s an app for that! Use your iPhone to do all of the above.

Check it out!  http://www.indiebound.org/

Link Of The Week…And Other Interesting Tidbits

 

By: Stacey Purcell

The saga continues with the debate on Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the Protect IP Act. Wikipedia is the latest website to protest the upcoming vote. They will go dark on Wednesday to demonstrate their objections- the opposition say several of the items in the act would stifle innovation. Jimmy Wales who is the co-founder of Wikipedia confirmed this decision by tweeting, “Student warning! Do your homework early. Wikipedia protesting bad law on Wednesday!”

They are joining forces with other big names like Yahoo, Amazon, and Google who are also protesting the verbiage of SOPA.

I understand that they have concerns about stifling creativity and innovation, but is anyone concerned with the artists who are losing billions of dollars to thieves? Are they trying to draft a more workable act- one that satisfies them while still protecting intellectual property? Can it be done or are they mutually exclusive?

Now for some links to cool spots for writers:

1. MichaelHyatt.com- He is CEO of one of the biggest publishing houses and has plenty of insightful things to say about our industry.

2.cba-ramblings.blogspot.com- Rachel is a literary agent who has great advice on how to improve your writing, get an agent, and find a publisher.

3. wildfiremarketing.blogspot.com- Rob has wonderful ideas on helping authors sell tons of books. He supplies practical advice on all levels of marketing.

 

Enjoy your week!!!

Link of the Week

This week’s link is to the Second Annual Ruby Slippered Sisterhood
Winter Writing Festival! Is this shameless plugging? Well, yeah.

http://rsswwf.com/

So what is the Ruby Slippered Sisterhood Winter Writing Festival? It’s a writing challenge custom made just for you! 50 days  from January 11th through the end of February to write, edit, brainstorm, polish, format, or whatever the little author in you needs or wants to do.

The RSSWWF work with a “point” system, and YOU decide the terms for earning your point each day. And you define what it takes to earn that point.

No matter what stage you’re at right now (brainstorming, plotting, free-writing, revising, layering, polishing…or any combination) you can make it work for you.

Here are some examples of the sorts of things you might define as worth one
point (you fill in the variables according to your needs) :

-writing X number of words or pages
-deep revising Y number of pages
-polishing Z number of pages
-freewriting / brainstorming for Q number of minutes/hours
-doing R number of 20-minute writing sprints
-keeping butt in chair and hands on keyboard for S number of hours

Another example of how one person might commit to earning points according to the following terms:

-writing 500 words per day OR
-deep revising 10 pages per day OR
-doing a final polish on 25 pages per day
-participating in an hour of writing sprints

Any day that person meets ANY of those goals, she gets a point.

There’s no falling of the wagon either. You can get points for slacking, too.

This isn’t a competition, it’s a supportive process for MOVING FORWARD WITH OUR WRITING.

For more info, visit the website.  Oh, and there will be swag tiven away, too, so check it out.

http://rsswwf.com/

Link Of The Week

Good morning Musetrackers! We’ve found some goodies for you. One is a tool and the other is a wonderful site full of information for writers. We hope you enjoy them and find them useful.

 

http://www.online-stopwatch.com Click on the “stopwatch” selection and you will be given a choice of a stopwatch or a count down timer. Either one is fantastic for doing some timed writing. It’s really big and there’s an alarm when your time’s up!

 

http://www.thebookdesigner.com/ This is a blog site run by a fellow who can help you with all aspects of self publishing. Besides being an avenue for his business, it’s very content rich on information that is pertinent to all writers. I’ve enjoyed getting his posts and have learned quite a bit.

 

 

Hope the holidays are wonderful and you’re still getting a little bit of writing time!

Link of the Week

Hey kiddos~

Want to know what impression your book’s cover gives readers? Check out this blog hosted by author Jude Hardin. Honest and constructive feedback is given on what commenters like and dislike about a cover.

Check it out.

http://coverartreview.blogspot.com/

Jenn!