WINTER CLASSES BEGIN JANUARY 13TH!

 

Writing and Publishing The Short Stuff
Especially For Moms (But Not Only for Moms!)
With Christina Katz
NEW: Now includes both regional and national markets!
Class Begins January 13, 2010
Prerequisites: None
Finally, a writing workshop that fits into the busy lives of moms! You will learn how to create short, easy-to-write articles-a skill that will make it easier to move up to longer, more time-consuming articles when you’re ready. Try your pen at tips, fillers, short interviews, list articles, how-tos, and short personal essays-all within six weeks. Now includes markets!
Cost: $250.00
More/Register at www.christinakatz.com
 

Personal Essays that Get Published
With Abigail Green
Class Begins January 13, 2010
Prerequisites: None
The popularity of reality shows, blogs, and tell-all books proves that it pays to get personal these days. Whether you want to write introspective essays, short humor pieces, or first-person reported stories, your life is a goldmine of rich material that all kinds of publications are pining for. Personal Essays that Get Published will teach you how to get your personal experiences down on the page and get them published. Students will learn how to find ideas, hone their voice, craft solid leads and endings, reslant their work for different markets, and submit their essays for publication.
Cost: $250.00
More/Register at www.christinakatz.com

Updated and Improved!
Turn Your Specialty Into Course Curriculum
With Christina Katz
Class Begins on January 13th
Prerequisites: Former student or Permission from Instructor. Recommended before CSNBP.
I bet you have worked long and hard to discover your specialty, narrow the focus of your expertise, and build your credibility, so shouldn’t you also develop a course curriculum that you can use as the starting point for years of teaching and learning from your students? I have been doing this for eight years and in this six-week class, I will share all of the insights I have learned so you can create your own class, including strategies for cultivating a following of students who succeed. This is probably the most important class I teach because it helps writers make the most of the expertise they already have.
Cost: $399
Register at www.christinakatz.com

Coming Classes:

Pitching Practice: Write Six Queries in Six Weeks
With Christina Katz
Class Begins May 12th
Prerequisites: WPSS with published clips or permission from the instructor.
In this writing class, pitching is all you do. Each week, you will study a successful writer’s query and create your own list of steps to follow. You will receive a three-page worksheet weekly, which will provide helpful ideas and checklists to help you systematize your query writing process and increase your productivity.
Cost: $250.00
More/Register at www.christinakatz.com

Updated and Improved!
Craft A Saleable Nonfiction Book Proposal
With Christina Katz
Class Begins on March 3rd
Prerequisites: Former student or Permission from Instructor.
Most writers underestimate the comprehensiveness needed to craft a saleable book proposal that will garner the interest of agents and editors. They also mistake the definition of platform and importance of aligning their proposal to a solid track record. A two-time author, Christina has helped hundreds of nonfiction writers succeed over the past seven years. Now she’s making her proposal-writing advice available in a six-week e-mail course to aspiring authors who want to nail the proposal the first time around. The best way to craft a short, tight proposal that will impress agents and editors is with the help of a seasoned professional.
Cost: $399.00
Register at www.christinakatz.com

NOW OFFERING ONGOING SUPPORT FOR FORMER STUDENTS VIA DREAM TEAMS!

Read the updated information and register here.

 Invest In Your Writing Career Today & Reap Greater Rewards Tomorrow.

Happy Holidays, Mom!

The weather outside is getting frightful and I’m getting busy. How about you?

As promised, the Dream Team registration process has begun. Hooray!

I’ve very excited to work on an ongoing basis with those who sign up for Dream Teams, as well as with those who take my classes in 2010.

You can sign up for six-week January classes with me and Abigail Green at my new website/blog, chrisitnakatz.com, on the Register page. Classes will be offered again in March and May, as well.

But Dream Teams run for five months for one low price! Former students may sign up for Dream Teams at my new website/blog, chrisitnakatz.com on the Practice page.

There are three levels of Dream Teams following classes I teach:

• Article Accountability Dream Team With Writing & Publishing the Short Stuff Students
• Article Accountability Dream Team With Former Pitching Practice Students
• Before & After The Book Deal, Advanced Platform Development Accountability Group

If you are not sure which group you belong in, please e-mail me after you register. Don’t wait to hear back from me and lose your spot. The Dream Teams will fill on a first-registered, first-served basis.

The WPSS Dream Team is already half-way full. If there is enough interest for two full WPSS teams, I will do two. But when the first one is full, it’s full. And it might be the only one. So don’t delay if you want to participate! (Naturally, if you sign up for a second group and it doesn’t fill, at least half-way, I will refund your money.)

And speaking of christinakatz.com, what do you think? Over the past several weeks, I transferred my domain hosting to GoDaddy.com, got WordPress.org hosting, downloaded the Thesis Theme (promising me amazing SEO), and built me new site/blog. I could not be more thrilled with the results! (I will post how-to about this in my new blog by the New Year. Add christinakatz.com to your blog reader so you don’t miss anything.)

So, as you can see, I am following through with my promises to focus, streamline, and re-invigorate my commitment to my students, so we can all move into 2010 stronger, wiser and more successful than ever, together.

How about you? How are you moving into 2010? Who’s your audience and what’s your commitment to them? Do you have a plan? Are you following through? I can help answer these questions and accomplish more than you’ve ever achieved before when you join Dream Teams.

Because success happens in clusters, writers. Of this, I am sure. I’ve been saying it, and proving it, for years.

And speaking of clusters, there are people I am so happy to thank for their participating in The Writer Mama this year. I have gifts and thank you cards to send them but please help me thank our contributors, our managing editor, Sage Cohen, and my administrative intern, Judy Miller, by visiting the sites listed in their bios and linking to them!

I hope you enjoyed every single issue as much as we enjoyed bringing it to you! Happy holidays! May all your days between now and the end of 2009 be merry and bright!

Christina Katz
Publisher & Editor
www.christinakatz.com

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The Freelancer’s Phrase Book: “On Spec”

By Abigail Green

Back in my March column, I discussed submitting queries versus complete articles. If you recall, I gave a few examples of when a freelancer might submit a piece to a publication “on speculation” or “on spec” for short. Basically, that means the writer has no contract and no guarantee of payment or publication. Essays will usually only be considered on spec; and for timely travel stories and short pieces, it’s often in a writer’s best interest to write them first and then submit them.
 
Even though it’s always preferable to have a contract in hand before writing an article, there are perfectly legitimate reasons to write on spec. Let’s say you’ve nabbed an interview with an elusive subject — the Dalai Lama, maybe, or Brad Pitt. Chances are good that you’re going to be able to sell your piece somewhere, so it’s not a huge gamble to go ahead and write up the interview. This scenario brings up another point: always have backup markets in mind when writing on spec.
 
I currently have an essay under consideration at a national parenting magazine I’ve been dying to break into. I floated my idea past the editor before I wrote it, which is always a good idea if you can do it. She liked the concept, but said I’d need to submit the piece on spec. My essay is now making its way up the chain of editors. Of course I’m hoping it’s accepted, but if not I have at least three alternate markets in mind that might buy my essay.
 
When is it not a good idea to write on spec? If your piece is so specific to your intended market that you can’t think of another angle or publication that may buy it, it’s probably not worth it. If your op-ed is on a topic that’s going to be old news by the weekend, it may not be worth your time.
 
Sometimes, though, submitting a piece on spec can actually help you get your foot in the door. I pitched Self magazine a half dozen ideas that were shot down for various reasons. Then I submitted a first-person essay on female friendships. They bought it. Alas, it never ran. But I did get a big fat check for more than $1/word-and at the time, that was worth more to me than the clip.
 
I firmly believe that Self purchased my essay because I submitted it on spec. After all, the piece was already written, so even as a new-to-them writer, I wasn’t much of a risk. Next time, maybe they’ll even publish my work!
 

Abigail Green has published more than 150 articles and essays in regional and national publications including American Baby, Baltimore Magazine, Bride’s, Cooking Light, and Health. Her work also appears in the new book, “A Cup of Comfort for New Mothers.” (Adams Media, 2009). Abby holds a B.A. from Vassar College and an M.A. in publishing from the University of Baltimore. She writes the “Crib Notes” column for The Writer Mama e-zine and the “Understanding Personal Essays” column for Writers on the Rise. A mother of two boys, she blogs about parenting, publishing and more at http://diaryofanewmom.blogspot.com. She also teaches the six-week e-course Personal Essays that Get Published.

Blog Tour Interview with Cindy Hudson on Book By Book, The Complete Guide to Creating Mother-Daughter Book Clubs

Time for another happy story. Poor me, I have so many success stories to share at the end of this year!

I’m very pleased to have played a small role in supporting Cindy Hudson in the selection and development of her book concept for Book By Book, The Complete Guide to Creating Mother-Daughter Book Clubs (Seal Press 2009).

There is nothing a teacher loves more than a student who is conscientious, focused, and consistent and Cindy Hudson has been all of those things over the years while launching and raising her writing career alongside her two daughters.

This year, Cindy’s oldest daughter left home for college and guess what happened at the same time? Her years of steady effort and passion for her topic blossomed into the publication of her first nonfiction book.

I’m thrilled to share this interview with Cindy with you. I’ve included a picture of a bunch of us celebrating Cindy’s book deal at the 2008 Willamette Writers Conference and pics from her recent book launch party, including a photo of the wonderful (and delicious) cake that was served there. I hope you will let her example inspire you to achieve your own publication success story.

Q. Why did you decide to start mother-daughter book clubs with your daughters?

A. Even though she loved books, my oldest daughter, Madeleine, came to reading slowly. I was thrilled when she started reading voraciously on her own in third grade. But when Madeleine came to me in fourth grade with the news that some of her friends said it wasn’t cool to read anymore, I knew I had to do something to counteract that. Forming a mother-daughter book club seemed like a great way to keep her reading for fun.

Three years later when Catherine turned nine, she was ready to start her own club too. I know part of her motivation was seeing how much fun Madeleine and I had in our book group.

Q. One of your book groups has been meeting for eight years now and the other for five. How do you think being in these clubs has benefited you and your daughters?

A. While there may be an endless number of small, day-to-day things we’ve gained from being in a book club together, there are a couple of major benefits that I’d say have made a difference in our lives.

One, it was a way for us to spend time together reading and talking about life issues as my daughters grew. I believe we can talk about anything now, from problems with friends and boyfriends to issues at school and more. I think it would have been difficult to tackle some of the topics we’ve discussed, like sex, underage drinking, and using drugs, without the entrée a book discussion provided.

Second, we’ve become really great friends with our book club moms and daughters. Many of them we didn’t know before we started our groups, but now it’s hard for us to imagine not seeing all of them on a regular basis. I’ve enjoyed getting to know my daughters’ peers, and they know they have other moms they can rely on if they need help.

Q. How old should your daughter be when you start a mother-daughter book club?

A. If there’s an “ideal age” it may be nine. That’s when your daughter is probably able to tackle more complex texts when she reads on her own, and she’s beginning to understand more about relationships. It’s also a time when she’s likely to enjoy spending time with you, both the two of you together and in a group with other moms and daughters.

That being said, you can find ways to simplify your group meetings and discussions if you start earlier. And I’d say it’s never too late if your daughter wants to be in a group with you.

Q. Why did you write this book?

A. It was partly born of my own frustration of not finding reliable information to help moms find good, age-appropriate books that appealed to both their daughters and them. And I couldn’t find much advice on running meetings that take in the needs of two generations either. So I started a website first, www.motherdaughterbookclub.com. The site features book reviews, author interviews, and ideas for meetings as well as other resources. But there was so much more helpful information that I didn’t have room for on the website that I knew I could include in the book. And I thought it would be helpful to give real examples from book clubs all over the country as well as feature advice from parenting experts and others.

Q. What advice do you have for moms who have sons?

A. Read together as much as you can, and encourage your husband to be in a father-son book club with them. While it’s true that you can create a mother-son book club, I think it’s more difficult to have in-depth discussions on meaningful topics as they grow. I often hear from librarians who say that lack of interest from dads is the biggest reason there are few father-son book clubs. But sons need time with their dads just as mothers need time with their daughters. And there are so many books that have multi-generational appeal for guys it should be easy for dads to be more on the bandwagon with this concept.

Q. Working moms may be worried that they don’t have enough time to be in a mother-daughter book club. Do you have any advice for them?

A. Every mom but one in my mother-daughter book clubs works either full time or part time outside the home. And most of the moms I interviewed for Book by Book also work. Many shared good ideas on fitting in time for mother-daughter book club. They may do I find that working moms are already good at a bit of extra juggling. Prepping for book club creates a good excuse to schedule precious time just for you and your daughter.

Q. What would you say makes a book a good choice for clubs to read?

A. Surprisingly it’s not the book that everyone likes, even though you may feel pressure to opt for something likeable when it’s your turn to pick. For instance, when we read Twilight in Madeleine’s book club we didn’t really have much to talk about. We all liked it; some of us (mostly the girls) loved it. There was not much more to say. Books that create layered discussions on multiple issues that group members may have differences of opinion on are more likely to keep your discussions lively. These books will keep you talking and thinking about them even after you leave the meeting.

Madeleine, Cindy and Catherine Hudson

Q. Can you give us your top three books recommendations for mother-daughter book clubs?

A. Hmm…it’s so difficult to narrow it down to just three. How about three in each of three age categories?

Nine and 10 year olds:

• A Year Down Yonder by Richard Peck
• Boy by Roald Dahl
• Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo

Eleven through 13 year olds:

• Framed by Frank Cottrell Boyce
• The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer
• Tangerine by Edward Bloor

Fourteen years old and up:

• A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly
• The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
• Light Years by Tammar Stein

Q. Can you do other fun things in mother-daughter book clubs besides reading the books?

A. Absolutely. Some of the most fun I’ve had with my groups has been on weekend getaways we schedule once each year. Other moms have found it rewarding to volunteer with their book groups or stage a play or write poetry. You may even find yourself meeting with the author of the book you read. There are so many opportunities for enrichment, and you can decide together as a group which ones you want to pursue.

Q. Your oldest daughter is now in college, and your youngest will soon be out of high school too. Do you think your groups will continue even when the girls don’t live at home?

A. I believe they will in some form. The moms in Madeleine’s group all bought tickets to a visiting author series this year, so we can keep meeting together regularly. And we’re hoping to plan two events a year that involve all of us, one over winter break from college and one in summer. I see us being involved in each other’s lives for many years to come, even if we don’t meet in our traditional mother-daughter book club format. And who knows? We may be lucky enough to morph our groups into adult mother-daughter book clubs.

Cindy Hudson is the author of Book by Book: The Complete Guide to Creating Mother-Daughter Book Clubs (Seal Press, October 2009). She is a mother-daughter book club consultant, journalist, and editor. Hudson has more than twenty years of experience as a marketing and public relations professional. She lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband and two daughters. Visit her online at www.motherdaughterbookclub.com and www.motherdaughterbookclub.wordpress.com.

NOW OFFERING ONGOING SUPPORT FOR FORMER STUDENTS!

NEW!!!
Destination: Book Deal
Advanced Student Discussion Group
With Christina Katz
Prerequisites: 3 Previous Classes with Christina
Destination: Book Deal is a monthly 90 minute accountability group that guides members towards landing a book deal sooner rather than later. Members will check in each month and set monthly goals. Christina Katz facilitates this group by phone as a way to stay in touch with her former students and point out the shortcuts, pitfalls, and career building opportunities available to experienced writers aiming for a traditional nonfiction book deal.
Cost: $150.00 (Intro price)
Dates: January – June 2010
Days & Times of monthly calls TBA
Space is limited to 12 participants
More/register: E-mail Christina

NEW!!!
Article Accountability Dream Team For Former Writing & Publishing the Short Stuff Students
With Christina Katz
Prerequisites: WPSS
The Article Accountability Dream Team is a monthly 90 minute accountability group that guides members towards getting more articles in print in less time than it might otherwise take going it alone. Members will check in each month and set monthly goals. Christina Katz facilitates this group by phone as a way to stay in touch with her former students and point out the shortcuts, pitfalls, and career building opportunities available to article writers, who wish to get published and profit from their writing.
Cost: $150.00 quarterly (Intro price)
Dates: January – June 2010
Days & Times of monthly calls TBA
Space is limited to 12 participants
More/register: E-mail Christina

Invest In Your Writing Career Today
& Reap Greater Rewards Tomorrow.

Writer Mama Success Rhythms: October Thoughts

By Christina Katz

Last month I drew tips from positive examples I’ve seen lately from people I know pretty well, namely, my former students. This month, I’m going to (carefully) point out some of the mistakes I see other writers making that none of us want to repeat.
 
Craft: A person I really like recently wrote a book that I cannot read because it’s not well written. I have tried on several uninterrupted occasions to plow through this book and I just can’t get through it even though I am genuinely interested in the topic. What a disappointment for both of us.
 
Would you tell your friends a book was well-written if it wasn’t? I’m sure you wouldn’t. There is no question that I want to support people I know and like who accomplish a task as huge as writing a book and getting it published. But when a person produces a poorly written book, I have a conflict. I can’t put my name behind this person’s book as a “well-written book” if I can’t even force myself to finish it.
 
So, here’s a lesson for all of us about professional responsibility. If you are going to write a book, don’t expect the editors at the publishing house to make it a well-written book. It’s the writer’s responsibility. Always.
 
Are there any exceptions? I can’t think of any. The quality of your writing should always come first. High quality writing should be your most important priority, no matter what genre you are writing.
 
Pitching: This may seem obvious, but I’m going to say it anyway: different genres of writing are pitched in different ways. For example, nonfiction and fiction books are not written or pitched in the same way. A nonfiction book is pre-planned to fill a niche and then a proposal is written to sell the (future) book. Whereas a (first) novel is written in advance and the pitch is fashioned around selling the completed manuscript with the assumption that changes can be made, if needed.
 
So, it stands to reason that if you want to become skillful at any one genre, you should plan to stick with that genre for a period of time. I’ve been focusing on nonfiction writing for over a decade now and I feel happy with what I’ve been able to accomplish in this genre. Nonfiction is a lot more creative than most people realize, not to mention all the creativity that goes into the work of nonfiction platform development.
 
The moral of this story is: if you want to succeed, stick with one genre and stay with it for the long haul and THEN branch out after you have achieved success in one groove. You’ll learn valuable lessons about yourself as a writer that will carry over into other genres of writing as well.
 
Platform Building: When it comes to platform building, only one type of writer is in big trouble. And that’s the kind of writer who thinks that he or she is exempt or too good for self-promotion. I feel sad when I encounter this attitude (but don’t think it stops me from telling that person that they are not exempt) because really what the person is saying is, “I am the exception.” That kind of thinking never got anybody anywhere and it’s certainly counter-productive for writers. The message is getting out: writers need to learn basic self-promotion. Believe it.
 
Professional Development: One of the primary thrusts of professional development for writers, in my mind, is to get them out of isolation, away from dreams of grandeur and beyond fantasies of being discovered. There’s nothing like a little dose of reality to put a writer’s feet back on the ground where actual concrete steps can then be taken. Because writing careers are not “dreams that come true” (with all due respect to Walt Disney). Successful writing careers are the hard-won result of years of sustained hard work. And that’s good news because it means that success is available to anyone who is willing to put herself through the paces, find her success rhythms, and keep reaching those concrete goals.
 
 

Christina Katz is the author of Get Known Before the Book Deal, Use Your Personal Strengths to Build an Author Platform and Writer Mama, How to Raise a Writing Career Alongside Your Kids (both for Writer’s Digest Books). A platform development coach and consultant, she started her platform “for fun” seven years ago and ended up on Good Morning America. She teaches writing career development, hosts the Northwest Author Series, and is the publisher of several e-zines including Writers on the Rise. Christina blogs at The Writer Mama Riffs and Get Known Before the Book Deal, and speaks at MFA programs, literary events, and conferences around the country.

Blog Tour Interview with Kristin Bair O’Keeffe, Author of Thirsty, A Novel

Okay, so this is really, really fun!

You may already have heard me mention (about a hundred times) how happy I am to see my friend and former Columbia College Chicago classmate, Kristin Bair O’Keeffe, out on tour with her newly-published hardcover debut novel, Thirsty.

But here are few things you may not know…I’m being mysterious now.

Kristin and I have known each other for a wicked long time. Like since 1992. That’s seventeen years, people!

Kristin drafted one of the scenes for Thirsty, all those years ago in a class on writing historical fiction we took at CCC taught by Wade Roberts. (That class was a blast by the way. Thanks, Wade.)

I played a role in helping to get Thirsty into print. You can read the story in Kristin’s words over at Editor Unleashed, if you like.

I think Thirsty is a terrific book. In fact, if you examine the cover, you’ll see that I have high praise for the book. But don’t take my word for it (clearly I am biased), check out what Meryl K. Evans has to say about the book instead. She writes a darn good review, too.

Or, you can find recommendations in the November/December issue of Writer’s Digest from Jordan Rosenfeld (on stands now), read the opening line over at Poet’s & Writers, read the first chapter in The Pittsburgh Post Gazette, or watch the book trailer.

And now, without further ado, here’s some of Kristin’s thoughts on the writing process:

What inspired you to write Thirsty?

As a writer, I’m deeply inspired by place so I wasn’t surprised that Thirsty, the town, came to me first. I grew up in Pittsburgh’s steel-making milieu. My maternal grandparents lived in Clairton, Pennsylvania, and my grandfather worked in U.S. Steel’s Clairton Works. This was in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and steel was everything in Pittsburgh. We talked about steel over dinner. My sisters and I chanted, “Rotten eggs, rotten eggs,” every time we took the twenty-five-minute drive from our house to our grandparents’ house and got close enough to smell the mills on the Monongahela River. And from my grandparents’ back porch, we watched flames and big puffs of steam rise from the smokestacks. Later we watched the demise of the steel industry.

Not long after I clearly saw the town of Thirsty in my head, Klara began to appear. Right away I saw the awful marriage she was in. I’m especially sensitive to women in abusive situations. When I began to see Klara both as a young girl and an old woman, I knew I was going to be writing a story with a long arc.

What was the most challenging aspect of writing the novel?

I faced two big challenges while writing Thirsty:

1)    I started my writing life as a poet so language and rhythm are important to me. I read everything I write (even emails) out loud…over and over again…until the language and rhythm of every sentence feels right. I must have read Thirsty a thousand times out loud before I felt I could let go of it. And even then…even now…given a few minutes to read out loud and rewrite…I’d probably change a few more words.

2)    Telling Klara’s story as fully as possible—including the scene in which Drago cuts off her hair—wasn’t easy. But I knew I had to. It was only fair to see the abuse as vividly as Klara lived it. Domestic violence is an experience shared by many, many women. Too many women. And it’s too easy to turn away from it in fear and shame…too easy to gloss over the most crucial, heartbreaking brutality. No woman escapes domestic violence on her own; Klara has Katherine, BenJo, and Old Man Rupert. I believe if we face it together, there’s hope.

How long did it take you to write Thirsty?

A total of about seven years. I started it in 1992 and completed a full draft as my graduate school thesis in 1996. I worked on it off and on for another three years.

How long did it take you to have it accepted for publication?

I took a circuitous, scenic route to publication. It took sixteen years from the day I wrote the first scene to the day I got the email from David Sanders at Swallow Press that said, yep, we want to publish this book. I’m a big believer in right time, right place. I always knew Thirsty would find its home; I just didn’t know when or where.

Describe your writing habits.

I do a lot of work in my head: subconsciously in my dreams and consciously when I’m walking around the world, taking care of the mundane responsibilities of life. When I write, I am very disciplined. Before I became a mom, I got up every morning before dawn and wrote (for hours and hours). Now that I have a little one, I have to be more flexible. I write before my daughter wakes up, when she naps, and after she goes to bed.

You live in Shanghai, China. What is it like promoting your first novel from halfway around the world?

Creatively cool: The fact that I live in China gets people’s attention, and attention when promoting a novel is (almost) always good.

Logistically difficult: Shanghai is twelve hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time in the U.S. (except during Daily Savings Time when it is thirteen hours ahead). In some ways this is good because I work when folks in the U.S. are sleeping. That means that I don’t get a lot of emails during my work hours (they pour in during U.S. daylight hours when I am sleeping), thus often I can write without too much distraction. But it works the other way as well. When I’m ready to Twitter about Thirsty (or anything else), many U.S. Twitterers are asleep. If I need to talk to my publicist or the events coordinator at a bookstore, I have to stay up until ten o’clock or eleven o’clock at night to catch them during their morning hours (and often I have to call them back around my midnight or one o’clock a.m.). Not conducive to a good night’s sleep.

You teach writing. Three things you tell students?

1)    Sit your butt down. Write.

2)    Writing begets writing.

3)    Read your work out loud.

4)    Sit your butt down. Write. (Did I say that already?)

Note: Obviously there’s more, but this is a strong first draft.

What advice can you offer to writers?

My mantra: Tell the best story you can…believe in your writing…work your arse off.

Favorite authors?

Here’s a sampling, though there are many more:

• for language, rhythm, and soul: Toni Morrison and Gabriel García Márquez
• for writing about women’s lives in significant ways: Alice Walker and Toni Morrison
• for thinking like me: Dr. Seuss and Amy Krouse Rosenthal
• for keeping me centered: Thich Nhat Han and Pema Chodron
• for writing inspiration: Natalie Goldberg and Anne Lamott
• for writing craft: Christina Katz, Wendy Burt, Sage Cohen

Favorite books?

This list changes and grows all the time, but here are a few I love: Anaïs Nin’s diaries, The Time Traveler’s Wife, The Book Thief, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, The Odyssey, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, One Hundred Years of Solitude, Sula

What’s next?

A memoir about my path to love, marriage, and mamahood (definitely not the usual path). And a second novel (mum’s the word).

Learn More!

http://www.thirstythenovel.com

http://www.kristinbairokeeffe.com

http://www.swallowpress.com

Writing Conference Success: Create High-Impact Bios & Cover Letters

By Mary Andonian

Many people will go into a conference empty-handed, but not you. I have two good reasons why you should walk into the conference armed with business cards and proposal packages (thinly disguised as inexpensive paper folders). First, these items will build your credibility and boost your professional demeanor. Second, at best you’ll get your proposal in the hands of editors and agents for their long flight home, and at worst you’ll be in the enviable position to immediately mail follow-up materials.
 
Two important elements that will go into your proposal package are your bio and cover letter.
 
Bio
Your bio page can be made up in any number of ways. You can use a more traditional resume approach, listing all of your writing credits in chronological order, along with relevant educational background, and so on.
 
Or you may opt for the author’s book flap approach, where you write your bio the way you would like it to be seen on the back cover of your book.
 
One author I know lists her writing credits, but includes next to each credit a full color photo representing each credit. I used her approach for my last proposal package and ended up using visual icons representing the Contra Costa Times Newspapers (two of my essays were printed in this newspaper) and both an Institute of Children’s Literature logo and a Willamette Writers logo (for my education and involvement in these institutions, respectively).
 
When it was all said and done, my bio page looked pretty impressive.
 
Cover Letter
Your cover letter is really a one-page query letter you would send in lieu of meeting your agent or editor. It should be addressed to the agent or editor to whom you’ll pitch, along with her complete (and accurate) company title/imprint, address and phone number.
 
Your salutation should be addressed to Ms. [Last Name], unless you have met the person before.
 
The first paragraph should be a one-sentence summary of the book you’re trying to pitch.
 
The second and possibly third paragraphs should describe your book by first stating the need for such a book and then by telling why your book is the perfect solution to that need.
 
The last few paragraphs talk about you.
 
Why are you the perfect person to write this book?
 
What have you done that’s note-worthy, and why would people buy from you?
 
This is where you will talk about your platform, if you have one. If you don’t have paid writing credits, then highlight other achievements, such as (relevant) degrees completed or awards won.
 
Even non-relevant degrees might work if you spin them right: “I have an M.B.A. with an emphasis in Marketing, a skill set that will come in handy after my book has sold.”
 
Remember: Every interaction should close the sale or advance the sale, so close your letter with an offer to send more: “May I send you the entire manuscript? Thanks, and I look forward to hearing from you.”

 

Mary Andonian is former agents and editors coordinator for the Willamette Writers conference, one of the largest writing events in North America. In past years, she was also program coordinator and co-chair. Mary is represented by the Reece Halsey North Literary Agency and is a monthly columnist for the hit e-zines, Writers on the Rise and The Writer Mama. She has completed two book: Mind Chatter: Stories from the Squirrel Cage and Bitsy’s Labyrinth and is currently at work on her first screenplay, a romantic comedy. Mary is the mother of two girls and is the Brownie Girl Scouts leader for Troop 1102. Please visit her at: www.maryandonian.com. 

Fit To Write Tips: Remember the Good Stuff

By Kelly James-Enger

  

Remember when that story you worked so hard on got killed? When an editor rejected your pitch after you spent hours on it? I bet you do. But what about the high notes of your writing career? They may be harder to recall.
 
That’s why I suggest you start an Inspiration File. Mine includes notes, cards, letters, and emails I’ve collected over nine years. There’s a note from an editor thanking me for a “great job” on one of my first stories, fan letters from readers of my novel, and a congratulations card from my husband when I sold my first book.
 
If I’m struggling with freelancing or having doubts about my choice of career, I take a look through my Inspiration File to focus on my accomplishments instead of my rejections. I suggest you do the same.
 
Don’t focus on how far you have to go-instead, celebrate the distance you’ve already come.

Author, speaker, and consultant Kelly James-Enger is a certified personal trainer and the author of books including Small Changes, Big Results: A 12-Week Action Plan to a Better Life (with Ellie Krieger, R.D.). Her book, Ready, Aim, Specialize! Create your own Writing Specialty and Make More Money, is aimed at novice freelancers; Six-Figure Freelancing: The Writer’s Guide to Making More Money helps experienced writers boost their bottom lines. Visit

www.becomebodywise.com for free articles about freelancing and more information about her.

News Writer Mamas Can Use: A Roundup From My Inbox

Hiya mamas,

I’ve been a bit scarce since the conclusion of The Writer Mama Back-to-School Giveaway. But never fear because I’m gearing up for our second annual December Sell-a-bration! Not to mention all this other cool stuff that has landed in my Inbox lately that I’d like to share with you. Please feel free to grab and share any news in this post!

Sell-A-Brate Your Year Right Here In December 2009

Remember last year? I invited my students to share their success stories each day in December. Talk about inspirational! So, naturally, we’re doing it again.

If you missed the good stuff last year, click here to bring up all the posts. Happy getting inspired!

I hope you’ll start thinking about your 2009 success stories for this year’s round-up. More to come…

Wendy Burt Thomas Offers Inexpensive Query Feedback for Aspiring Authors

Trying to get your book published?

I offer flat-rate query letter consulting. For $50, you receive:

1. A review of your first-draft, one-page query letter with suggestions/edits

2. A review of a second draft with suggestions/edits

3. Five suggestions for agents/agencies that represent your type of manuscript

Wendy Burt-Thomas is the author of two books for McGraw-Hill and The Writer’s Digest Guide to Query Letters (January 2009, Writer’s Digest Books). Her credentials include more than 1,000 published articles, short stories, personal essays and greeting cards. She has worked as a magazine, newspaper and book editor. Learn more at Ask Wendy – The Query Queen

Call for Submissions for upcoming Anthology

Is your child easy to love, but hard to parent?  DRT Press is seeking personal essays written by parents of children with ADD, ADHD and/or other mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders for a book about the experience of parenting children with such conditions, for publication (expected) in January 2011.  Compensation includes 10 copies of the completed book and unlimited discounted copies.  Payment may be offered.  The book will be co-edited by author/editor/publisher Adrienne Ehlert Bashista, Publisher, DRT Press and Kay Marner, a freelance writer who contributes regularly to ADDitude magazine, and blogs for ADDitudeMag.com.  Soft deadline for submissions is March 1, 2010.  For more information visit http://www.drtpress.com/anthology.html. Questions may be directed to kay@kaymarner.com.

NOW OFFERING ONGOING SUPPORT FOR FORMER STUDENTS!

NEW!!!
Destination: Book Deal
Advanced Student Discussion Group
With Christina Katz
Prerequisites: 3 Previous Classes with Christina
Destination: Book Deal is a monthly 90 minute accountability group that guides members towards landing a book deal sooner rather than later. Members will check in each month and set monthly goals. Christina Katz facilitates this group by phone as a way to stay in touch with her former students and point out the shortcuts, pitfalls, and career building opportunities available to experienced writers aiming for a traditional nonfiction book deal.
Cost: $150.00 (Intro price)
Dates: January – June 2010
Days & Times of monthly calls TBA
Space is limited to 12 participants
More/register: E-mail Christina

NEW!!!
Article Accountability Dream Team For Former Writing & Publishing the Short Stuff Students
With Christina Katz
Prerequisites: WPSS
The Article Accountability Dream Team is a monthly 90 minute accountability group that guides members towards getting more articles in print in less time than it might otherwise take going it alone. Members will check in each month and set monthly goals. Christina Katz facilitates this group by phone as a way to stay in touch with her former students and point out the shortcuts, pitfalls, and career building opportunities available to article writers, who wish to get published and profit from their writing.
Cost: $150.00 quarterly (Intro price)
Dates: January – June 2010
Days & Times of monthly calls TBA
Space is limited to 12 participants
More/register: E-mail Christina

Invest In Your Writing Career Today
& Reap Greater Rewards Tomorrow.

Busy Parent Writer: Harvest Great Ideas During Hectic Holiday Seasons

By Sharon Miller Cindrich

 

Boo! No sooner have you nestled into a fall routine when the pressure of the holidays begin to creep closer — and the thought of juggling the responsibilities of seasonal family activities with your own writing deadlines can really give you the willies.
 
The real treat as this crescendo of activity begins to build is the season’s rich writing material that can be turned into lucrative story ideas and land you lots of juicy assignments. The trick? Be ready to harvest the ideas, experiences and tips you discover in the midst of the holiday chaos by following these simple steps.
 
Be ready. Carry extra pens and notebooks to the apple dunking, costume parade and pilgrim feast. Jot down your ideas or impressions before you forget them and store them in an easy-to-reference spot.
 
Take photos. Despite your incredible writing style, a picture is worth a thousand words and might get you some extra attention with an editor when coupled with a query. Use the snapshots of your family’s apple picking adventure or pumpkin patch visit as credentials for your pitch.
 
Have fun in the name of research. Use the season as an excuse to do something you’ve always wanted to in the name of researching a story, such as: “How to throw a not-so-scary Halloween party” or “Leaf-pile jumping and other free outdoor fun for kids” or “Planning a family feast for fifty dollars or less.” Save receipts to write off expenses if you land an assignment based on your activities.
 
Take time to reflect. If you’re a die-hard journal-keeper, you already know the cathartic benefits of scribbling down the day’s events. But as a writer, the exercise will serve not only as release of the day’s stress, but also as a reference tool for essays, ideas and anecdotes for future assignments.  

 

  

Sharon Miller Cindrich is the mom of two, a columnist and author of E-Parenting: Keeping Up With Your Tech-Savvy Kids (Random House, 2007). Her next book, A Smart Girl’s Guide to the Internet (American Girl) debuts in September 2009. Packed with tips, quizzes, and “What would you do?” scenarios, this book helps girls become smart and safe Internet users. Learn more at www.sharonmillercindrich.com.

FOR YOUR REFERENCE SHELF

      

 

                                Enjoy!

The Articulate Conception: Outgrowing the Glass Slipper

By Sage Cohen

I’ll bet no one ever told Cinderella that once she was on the other side of pregnancy and birth, her foot would no longer fit the glass slipper. Like the rest of her body (and her life, for that matter), that elegant foot would be stretched out, flattened, varicose-veined and otherwise rendered entirely unrecognizable.

I, on the other hand, was fortunate. My friend Jenn Lalime broke the news to me over my first drink on my first night out at my first literary event since giving birth: “Don’t expect to accomplish much at work for the next six months. And expect the quality of what you do accomplish to be about 40 percent of what you were previously capable.”

I was just emerging from my three-month maternity leave where I was (supposedly) not working (but had proofed and polished my book in layout and secured permissions for nearly 40 poems), and getting ready to face my desk and my clients again. I was sleeping two, maybe three hours at a pop, for a total of five, maybe six hours in any given 24-hour period, which transformed my daily existence into a perpetual out-of-body experience.

Grateful to be leaving my son downstairs in the care of an endearing and trustworthy nanny, yet wrenched at being more than a few feet away from him, I trudged up to my office intent on establishing a sustainable rhythm for my three, full-time jobs: mother, writer/business owner and author/book promoter.

My office was not exempt from the baby bomb that had exploded through our house. The pristine calm and order I had cultivated for more than a decade was papered over with stacks of bills, hospital propaganda, health insurance documentation and all manner of outgrown or not-yet-needed baby paraphernalia. In three short months, my office had become a holding pen for my rapidly expanding life.

As I sat down at my desk, the elegant evening gown of my mind now plain and staid as a pumpkin, I started small-first sorting and organizing the piles. Then came the five-page to-do list. Next, a schedule detailing how everything was going to get done in far less time than I’d ever done it before. As I went through the old, familiar, getting-things-done motions, the pilot light of “professional Sage” flickered on behind my eyes.

I couldn’t be trusted to know what day or time it was, or to send a single email that made sense. And yet, as they days and weeks went on and my professional paralysis gave way to a slow momentum, my work was getting done. Client deadlines were being met. I was giving lectures and readings some evenings, attending a literary event or two and hosting my reading series once again.

While I felt like a fragmented imposter standing in for the previous, more cohesive version of me, no one seemed to notice that the glass slippers of this former perfectionista had been retired the back of the closet. I plodded along on flat feet, graceless and imprecise, doing the best I could. And remarkably, that seemed to be enough.

Next month: striking a balance between private and public life.

Sage Cohen is the author of Writing the Life Poetic: An Invitation to Read and Write Poetry (Writers Digest Books, 2009) and the poetry collection Like the Heart, the World. An award-winning poet, she writes three monthly columns about the craft and business of writing and serves as Poetry Editor for VoiceCatcher 4. Her poetry and essays appear in journals and anthologies including Cup of Comfort for Writers, The Oregonian, Oregon Literary Review, Greater Good and VoiceCatcher. Sage holds an MA in creative writing from New York University, co-hosts a monthly reading series at Barnes & Noble and teaches the online class Poetry for the People. She has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize and awarded a Soapstone residency. To learn more, visit www.writingthelifepoetic.com.

NOW OFFERING ONGOING SUPPORT FOR FORMER STUDENTS!

NEW!!!
Destination: Book Deal
Advanced Student Discussion Group
With Christina Katz
Prerequisites: 3 Previous Classes with Christina
Destination: Book Deal is a monthly 90 minute accountability group that guides members towards landing a book deal sooner rather than later. Members will check in each month and set monthly goals. Christina Katz facilitates this group by phone as a way to stay in touch with her former students and point out the shortcuts, pitfalls, and career building opportunities available to experienced writers aiming for a traditional nonfiction book deal.
Cost: $150.00 (Intro price)
Dates: January – June 2010
Days & Times of monthly calls TBA
Space is limited to 12 participants
More/register: E-mail Christina

NEW!!!
Article Accountability Dream Team For Former Writing & Publishing the Short Stuff Students
With Christina Katz
Prerequisites: WPSS
The Article Accountability Dream Team is a monthly 90 minute accountability group that guides members towards getting more articles in print in less time than it might otherwise take going it alone. Members will check in each month and set monthly goals. Christina Katz facilitates this group by phone as a way to stay in touch with her former students and point out the shortcuts, pitfalls, and career building opportunities available to article writers, who wish to get published and profit from their writing.
Cost: $150.00 quarterly (Intro price)
Dates: January – June 2010
Days & Times of monthly calls TBA
Space is limited to 12 participants
More/register: E-mail Christina

Invest In Your Writing Career Today
& Reap Greater Rewards Tomorrow.