Tag Archives: article writing

Writer’s Headlines: Writing Opportunities Just for YOU! & Christian Communicators Filling Up!

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By Vonda Skelton | March 21, 2013

It’s the 3rd Thursday and time to get to work!

Yep, it’s time to share some writing opportunities I found just for you. Hope this makes a difference in your journey!

1.  True Friends online magazine: True Friends, a new online magazine offering from BibleGirlfriends, is searching for articles, tips, and quotes. Check out the True Friends writing guidelines here.

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The Fastest Route to Publication…It’s as Easy as 1-2-3!

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By Vonda Skelton | March 5, 2013

Photo courtesy of BillLongshaw/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Some of you have heard my story of writing a poem in first grade. You know that in high school I worked on the newspaper staff and was editor of the literary journal. Some have heard me say that by the time I was in college I knew that one day I would write a book…and then the next thing I knew, I was forty.

At that point, I figured my life was half over. If I was going to write a book, I’d better get started!

But do you know the rest of the story?

I sat down and wrote a book. It only took me about three months to dash from start to finish, but I was confident it would be the next great American novel for kids. I remember the day I dropped the first batch of ten envelopes in the mailbox. “Oh my. What am I going to do when five publishers want my book at the same time? Oh, my!” (I’m dead serious. That’s exactly what I said.)

But instead of a bidding war, the submissions received 10 rejections before the stamps were dry. (Yes, those were the days when you had to actually lick the stamps, too!)

The years came and went and I continued to recycle that book over and over and over, confident that I’d eventually find an editor who had sense enough to see what a gold mine my book would be for his or her publishing house. I did this for at least 5 years, never considering that perhaps, just maybe, I needed to learn something about writing.

In my rush to see my name in print, it took me 7 years, lots of conferences, and lots of rejections to dash across the publication finish line. It took 10 years to have a published book!

I had a simple 1-2-3- plan for publication: 1)feel the urge, 2)write the book, and 3)collect a big fat advance.

Oh, if only it were that easy! For most of us, successful writing is a tortoise event, not a hare one. A cross-country event, not a sprint.

If you want to write a book and then spend 10 years trying to get it published, that’s fine. After all, it’s your book, you can do whatever you want. But if you really want to cross the finish line as a writer, here are the 1-2-3′s to help you get there faster.

1.  Take the time to learn the craft. If you don’t get anything from this post, I hope you get this: There are no shortcuts. I once heard bestselling author, T. Davis Bunn, say something like, “Would someone decide he wants to be a concert pianist, learn to bang out Chopsticks, and then expect to play Carnegie Hall? Would someone decide to be an artist, slap a little paint on a canvas, and then expect a buyer to pay her for it? Of course not! But that’s exactly what we do when we simply sit down, write a book, and think it’s going to be sold.”

So, instead of jumping straight into a book, start at the beginning. Find a local writer’s group, take a class at the community college, and attend writing conferences. Read instructional books and follow instructional writing blogs like this one. (You could sit and read the archives of Writing Instruction here and have your own writer’s conference right in the comfort of your own home!) Learn the techniques of good writing, apply them to your work, and get valid feedback from others who know what to look for. This doesn’t mean you can’t be working on your book from the beginning, but you need to be learning the craft in the process.

2.  Start with short pieces. Many of us start out with a big dream to write and sell a book. And it could happen. Possibly. But your chances for publication increase if you start out small by submitting articles and stories. And the chances of publishing a book are much greater if you’ve already proven you can write publishable short pieces. And the good news is, I post writing opportunities right here on The Christian Writer’s Den once a month, listing places that are looking for writers.

3.  Write a blog. Yes, writing a blog can help you in your race to the writing finish line. Good blogging requires discipline, writing skills, and promotion. All this will help you build a platform while building your writing paper trail. A blog rarely leads to a book contract, although it could happen. But the better goal is to use that time to make connections while learning to write well. Visit Edie Melson’s blog for great posts about blogging and social media.

So there you have it, the 1-2-3 of writing for publication. Follow these steps and you could see your name in print much sooner than you think!

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Who Won Edie Melson’s Book?

It’s Cyn Rogalski! Hoo-wee! Cyn, all you need to do it Contact Me with your mailing address and your book will be on its way!

And if you didn’t win, don’t worry. You can get your own copy of Connections: Social Media and Networking Techniques for Writers right here! This is a must-have for every writer!

Happy writing, all!

Vonda

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Writer’s Headlines: Writing Opportunities & MoGo7000 Challenge

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By Vonda Skelton | January 17, 2013

It’s the 3rd Thursday, so let’s share some writing opportunities and contests!


A big shout-out and thank you to Marilyn Shipe for gathering and sharing the first 18 writing opps this week. Thank you, Marilyn!

1.  A ROOM OF HER OWN – ORLANDO PRIZES: $15 ENTRY FEE – Four prizes of $1,000 each and publication in Los Angeles Review are given twice yearly for a poem, a short story, a short short story, and an essay by women writers. Submit a poem of no more than 36 lines, a short story of up to 1,500 words, a short short story of up to 500 words, or an essay of up to 1,500 words. Deadline January 31, 2013.

2.  COMMENTARY: Publishes essays and opinions of 2,000 to 8,000. Pays $400 to $1,200. COMMENTARY is America’s premier monthly magazine of opinion and a pivotal voice in American intellectual life. Many of COMMENTARY’s articles have been controversial, and more than a few have been hugely influential, touchstones for debate and discussion in universities, among policy analysts in and out of government, within the ranks of professionals and community activists of all kinds, and in circles of serious thought worldwide. A large number of articles can be counted as landmarks of American letters and intellectual life.

3.  ARTHRITIS TODAY: Pays $1 per word. Seeks general interest pieces, how-to, tips for living with arthritis, inspirational pieces, essays, personal experiences, photo features, technical, travel, news, nutrition, health, lifestyle.

4.  A comprehensive list of 101 in-flight magazines from AirArabia to Wizz Air (many with links directly to the magazine’s web site) is: http://www.itravelnet.com/publications/inflightmagazines.html Many of these web sites have archived copies for your perusal.

Cision Navigator lists the top-ten in-flight magazines by circulation. United’s Hemispheres leads the list with a circulation of 800,000.

5.  VALHALLA PRESS FLASH FICTION AND FLASH MEMOIR CONTEST: $15 ENTRY FEE – Limit 1,000 words. The contest seeks out the best in original short fiction and short memoir written in English. First prize is $500 and an e-reader plus publication in Ragnarok, an e-lit journal. The second prize winner will receive an e-reader as well as publication in Ragnarok. Deadline for entries is February 1, 2013. Winners will be announced by March 1, 2013.  Valhalla Press reserves the right to choose a number of honorable mention winners from the contest whose work will appear in Ragnarok. All winners whose work appears in Ragnarok will receive compensation.

6.  EARLY AMERICAN LIFE: Covers history, architecture, decorating, antiques, studio crafts, and travel. This magazine is highly retained by its readers, so know what’s already been written whenever possible. Stories for Early American Life should be just long enough to get from the beginning to the end–that is, content should dictate length. Don’t add words to make a story seem more meaningful. On the other hand, don’t give short shrift to a story that demands in-depth coverage. A one-page story in Early American Life, such as Worth Seeing, runs about 750 words. A typical feature may run 2,500 words. Note that it’s always easier for an editor to make a story shorter, so if anything, err on the long side. Never, however, go more than 10 percent beyond the length an editor assigns.

7.  FAMILY BUSINESS: Our audience consists primarily of owners and managers of successful, multigenerational family-owned businesses. Their various needs are covered by many publications; only Family Business focuses on the family aspect of businesses, and the business aspect of families. Our content delves beneath the surface and addresses the human side of the business — with a particular emphasis on how conflicts were resolved or how potential conflicts were averted.

8.  FRIENDS OF MERRIL CONTEST


: $5 ENTRY FEE. 
First Place: $200 (CDN). 
Second Place: $100 (CDN)
. Third Place: $50 (CDN). Deadline February 15, 2013. The Friends of the Merril Short Story Contest is open to all writers of all levels (published, unpublished, emerging, etc.), without restriction. The contest 
is international, so writers of any nation may enter. Maximum of 5,000 words. Short fiction only. No poetry or nonfiction.

9.  CAT FANCY: We are open to working with new contributors and fresh voices in addition to drawing from a talented crop of established contributors. Each month, we provide our readers with a mix of informative articles on various topics, including breed profiles, feline health, nutrition, grooming, behavior, training, as well as lifestyle and special interest articles on cat culture, the human-animal bond and personalities. Length: 100-1,000 words. Query first.

10.  Focus on the Family’s CLUBHOUSE Magazine: Focus on the Family Clubhouse readers are 8 to 12-year-old boys and girls who desire to know more about God and the Bible. Their parents want wholesome, educational material with Scriptural or moral insight. The kids want excitement, adventure, action, humor or mystery. Your job as a writer is to please both the parent and child with each article. Generally 15 to 25 cents a word. $200 and up for feature-length fiction stories. $150+ for nonfiction stories.

11.  Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference Writing Contest: Be sure to check out the video. The Christian Writer’s Den gang is VERY well represented. Just sayin’. :-)

12.  DELIZON SHORT STORY COMPETITION: 

$25 ENTRY FEE – 
The awards will include:
 A first place prize of $1,200; 
A first runner up prize of $600
; A third runner up prize of $120; 
The prize for the fourth through to the tenth place: $60. 
The 11 to 25th place will receive a gift certificate. We are looking for a story that is bold, brilliant yet brief. Send in your best work with a word count not more than 1,500. Deadline April 15, 2013. Open to any writer; there is no age or 
country restriction.

13.  WRITERS WEEKLY: WritersWeekly.com and The Write Markets Report focus on “selling” the written word. We do not seek articles on how to write. Rather, we seek articles on how to make more money doing what you love….writing! We are also interested in other forms of home-based businesses and self-employment that may result from writing, such as self-publishing, corporate writing, ghostwriting, etc. All ideas that help writers support themselves performing the work they love are warmly welcomed. Length: ~600 words. $60 for non-exclusive electronic rights only. Submit query with credits by e-mail to angela@writersweekly.com

14.  ANALOG: Basically, we publish science fiction stories. That is, stories in which some aspect of future science or technology is so integral to the plot that, if that aspect were removed, the story would collapse. The science can be physical, sociological, psychological. The technology can be anything from electronic engineering to biogenetic engineering. But the stories must be strong and realistic, with believable people (who needn’t be human) doing believable things–no matter how fantastic the background might be. Fact articles for Analog should be about 4,000 words in length and should deal with subjects of not only current but future interest, i.e., with topics at the present frontiers of research whose likely future developments have implications of wide interest. Illustrations should be provided by the author in camera-ready form.

15.  BETHESDA MAGAZINE SHORT STORY CONTEST
: NO ENTRY FEE – Bethesda Magazine and the Bethesda Urban Partnership are partnering 
to sponsor a short story and essay contest. Deadline January 25, 2013. For residents of Montgomery County, MD and Upper NW Washington, D.C. (ZIP codes 20015 and 20016) are eligible. Categories-
Adult (18 and over) & 
High School (grades 9-12). Short stories in both categories must not exceed 4,000 words. Essays must not exceed 500 words. Adult Category–
First place: $500 and publication in Bethesda Magazine.
 Second Place: $250.
 Third Place: $150. 
Honorable Mention: $75.
Young Adult Category–First place: $250 and publication in Bethesda Magazine. 
Second place: $100
. Third place: $50.

16.  PARENT:WISE – AUSTIN: Parent:Wise Austin is an award-winning parenting journal that seeks to inform parents with quality articles depicting some aspect of the parenting journey. We publish articles that are thoughtful and intelligent — not boring or pedantic. Simply put, articles must well researched (we require a list of sources), tightly written, and directed at an audience of parents who want to be educated. Our focus is Central Texas and, as such, we prefer local writers. Having said that, we will happily publish articles by non-local writers if the topic is important and the writing beautiful.

17.  PARENTING: Parenting’s readers are moms whose kids range in age from newborn through age 12, as well as expectant moms. The magazine covers the psychological and practical aspects of raising a child, and the emotional issues that face mothers — from nurturing their own friendships to juggling the various parts of their lives. The magazine is largely freelance written. Fees for articles depend on length, degree of difficulty, and the writer’s previous experience. Generally, feature articles run between 1,000 and 2,500 words in published form. For writers new to Parenting, the best opportunities are the departments. The pieces there range from 100 to 500 words. Queries for each of these departments should be addressed to the appropriate editor (such as Kids’ Health Editor, or Ages & Stages Editor). Pays up to $1/word.

18.  PLUM: The first-ever pregnancy magazine for women 35 years and older. As part of our mission to encourage dialogue between women and the medical community, Plum is available free of charge to all doctors for distribution to their patients. Published semi-annually. Email for specific guidelines. Needs essays, how-to, profiles. Query with your published clips. Pays up to $1/word. Email: editor@plummagazine.com

19.  WOW! Women on Writing Contest: WOW! hosts a (quarterly) writing contest every three months. The mission of this contest is to inspire creativity, communication, and well-rewarded recognition to contestants. The contest is open globally; age is of no matter; and entries must be in English. We are open to all styles of writing, although we do encourage you to take a close look at our guest judge for the season (upper right hand corner) if you are serious about winning. We love creativity, originality, and light-hearted reads. That’s not to say that our guest judge will feel the same… so go wild! Express yourself, and most of all, let’s have some fun!

20. COUNTRY WOMAN: Country Woman is a bimonthly magazine with subscribers across the United States and Canada. Published since 1970 for women who live in or long for the country, this magazine celebrates their diversity, strength and spirit. Positive, upbeat, entertaining and informative, Country Woman reflects the many roles and interests of its readers through profiles of women and their lifestyle.

21. Doing Family God’s Way Short Story Contest: Do you have a true story of living by Biblical principles? We’d love to hear your story. Deadline: January 31, 2013. Be sure to follow the guidelines!

22.  Jamie Britt is looking for Devotions! The theme of the book will be God’s unexplainable peace in a situation. I’m looking for your stories. I’m looking for the stories of a possibly traumatic time, or whatever the situation may be. It’s those times when there’s peace and you have no other way of explaining it other than to say it was God. The book will be based around this verse as the premise.

…and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:7, NKJV)

You will need to have a wordcount of 400 or less. I will need the stories in devotional format. It should be in the following format: Scripture verse along with book, chapter verse and translation; anecdotal question or two to ponder; and a prayer. Deadline: March 1, 2013. I look forward to hearing from you! Email Jamie at jamiebritt2006@gmail.com.

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Are you MoGoing this month? If not, you could be missing out on $100!

That’s right! Last week I announced the winner of the 2012 MoGo7000 Challenge, and it was Esther Wallace of CT! Yay, Esther!

But now it’s a new year, with new entries, and the door is wide open! Don’t have any idea what I’m talking about? Then you need to run on over to the MoGo7000 Challenge page and check out the details.

But the bottom line is you simply write a minimum of 7000 NEW words on a BOOK project and you’re in! The first Thursday of each month, you’ll post a comment with your total word count for the month and you’ll get an entry into the end-of-the-year drawing. The more months you reach the goal, the more chances you have to win!

So what are you waiting for?

Write on!

Vonda

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She Never Had a Rejection? by Carol Barnier; & Who Won Cec Murphey’s Book?

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By Vonda Skelton | January 8, 2013

Photo courtesy of suphakit73/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Dear readers, are you in for a treat today! Since we talked last week about goals and accomplishments and submissions and acceptances and rejections, I thought this would be the perfect time to introduce my friend, Carol Barnier, to you and let you get a glimpse of her amazingly hilarious work!

Carol has given me permission to reprint a funny-serious instructional piece that first appeared at the WordServe Water Cooler site. Be sure to read Carol’s bio below, but I just can’t move on without sharing her tagline with you: “Delightful Speaker, Entertaining Author, Adequate Wife, Pitiful Housekeeper.” Ahhhh…I love it…a woman after my own heart! Thanks for joining us, Carol.

(Oh, and readers, thanks for sharing an accomplishment or two last week as we celebrated the year’s end. Now don’t forget to check at the end of the article to see who won Cec Murphey’s awesome book, Unleash the Writer Within)

She Never Had a Rejection?

by Carol Barnier

I once met a woman at a writers conference and, as writers often do, we began sharing what we’d written, what we hoped to improve on, perhaps publications we’d like to write for some day, editors we wanted to meet. The usual stuff. But when I talked about the last rejection note I’d received, this woman got a curious little smile on her face and sweetly said, “You know, I don’t typically say this out loud, but I’ve never ever gotten a rejection. . .not even once.”

That conference was a while ago, so I no longer remember where I hid the body.

But at the time, my snark-o-meter went on full alert, and I found myself thinking dozens of less-than-charitable thoughts.

Maybe she’s never submitted anything. That would sure hold down the rejection letters.

Maybe she’s writing for a very tight niche–like Amish women scuba divers–and she just happens to be one of three writers on the planet with the right contacts.

Maybe (and here’s where I sank to my lowest level of cynicism), maybe she’s sleeping with the editor. That’s because she’s married to him, and together they started a third-rate magazine and she provides 90% of the content with snappy pieces like “You, Ginseng Tea, and a Happier Colon.”

See, I told you I’d reached a new low.

Big sigh. God probably just sent her my way to improve my humility and compassion skills. Apparently I have a ways to go.

Here’s the thing—I think she was being sincere, and was possibly even surprised at her own good fortune. And she may well have written lovely and informative pieces for top-notch magazines. But the problem with her comment is that it’s the writer’s equivalent of winning the lottery. The real truth is, in the world of writing, if you’re not getting rejections, you’re just not in the game.

The publishing industry has a very steep learning curve. For much of it you’ve just got to get in there and start. I’m not saying you should skip the process of researching the publication ahead of time, spelling the editor’s name correctly, and fashioning your piece with their readers in mind. In other words, don’t ignore the process of learning craft and industry. But much of that learning will come from doing, failing, rethinking, and doing again. Almost every published author I know has at least one massive fail to their credit.

A rejection letter can mean many things, but the only sure thing it means is that you sent something in. So instead of seeing it as proof positive that you can’t write, consider other very likely scenarios such as:

  • The magazine had something like it recently.
  • The magazine has something like it already in the hopper and it’s working its way up.
  • The magazine has worked with a particular writer who’s been talking about doing something like this, and they’d rather take a chance on someone who has some history with the magazine.
  • Or maybe the piece was just too ______ [insert word of choice—edgy, tame, academic, casual, ecumenical, evangelical, rural, urban, prissy, intense] for their magazine’s style or their audience.

Learn to embrace rejections. Unless you plan to win the writers’ lottery, there’s simply no way to avoid them. In fact, they’re like a merit badge, proving you’re in the game. I’m not saying you’ll ever come to love them. But you can see them as useful. I, for one, open them, learn from them, and then use them to wallpaper my bathroom.

Bio: Carol Barnier is the author of four books, mother to three children and wife to one husband. She is a popular radio guest across the country and a regular humor contributor to Focus on the Family’s Weekend Radio. She has written dozens of magazine articles and is a frequent coast-to-coast speaker. She strives for an Erma Bombeck/C.S.Lewis mix, but admits that she more often achieves a strong Lucy Ricardo/Bob the Tomato. While she can be quite serious, probably the best description of her is what you find on her business cards: Delightful Speaker, Entertaining Author, Adequate Wife, Pitiful Housekeeper. While her humor will have you leaning sideways, her faith is solid stuff. She may speak about her first born son’s 13 surgeries, her own family’s many ADHD challenges, or her personal faith walk from being a God-denying atheist to the most grateful recipient of God’s amazing grace. But whatever the topic, this woman speaks from the heart. She knows why she knows what she knows. To find out more about Carol and her writing and speaking ministry, be sure to check out her website at CarolBarnier.com.

(Rejection photo courtesy of suphakit73/FreeDigitalPhotos.net)

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Who Won Cec Murphey’s Book, Unleash the Writer Within?

The winner is Judith Robl! Congratulations, Judith! I just need you to Contact Me with your snail mail address and the book will be on its way! I know you’re going to love it!

Readers, if you haven’t gotten your own copy of Unleash the Writer Within, you need to go ahead and get it here. You won’t be disappointed!

 

And be sure to check back on Thursday to see who won the $100 MoGo7000 Challenge for 2012! :-)

Vonda

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Writer’s Headlines: Writing Opportunities

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By Vonda Skelton | December 20, 2012

Yes, it’s the 3rd Thursday, so time for writing opportunities selected just for you!

And if you don’t have time to write right now with the holidays, this will give you a head start on submissions for the New Year!

1.  Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference Blog: Director Alton Gansky is looking for guest bloggers from who have attended past conferences. Could that be you? Guidelines here.

2.  Alive Now Magazine is always looking for writers. Currently looking for pieces on Justice and Peace. Alive Now Guidelines here. Downloadable theme list at bottom of page on right.

3.  The Writer’s Chronicle, Association of Writers and Writing Programs. Accepts submissions February 1 through August 31 each year, so you have time to do your research and get it in! The Writer’s Chronicle submission guidelines here.

4.  You & Me: The World’s Medical Magazine: Prefers 1st person stories of dealing with the human aspects of illness. Guidelines here.

5.  Vibrant Life Magazine: Lifestyle magazine from a Christian perspective. Guidelines here.

6. Stone Soup Magazine accepts works from kids 8-13yo. Talented kids in your family? Submission guidelines here.

7.  Scholastic Professional Books is open to manuscripts and teaching ideas. Guidelines here.

8.  Back Home Magazine: Guide to sustainable living. Submission guidelines here.

9.  Country Woman Country Lifestyle Magazine: Guidelines here.

10. EFCA Today: Evangelical Free Church of Amercia writer’s guidelines.

11. High Country News: For Those Who Care About the West. Guidelines here.

12. Pentecostal Evangel: Submission guidelines here.

13. Photo Life submission guidelines.

14. Outreach Magazine. Magazine to help churches in outreach. Guidelines here.

15. Chicken Soup for the Soul upcoming books. Guidelines here.

16. Bev Nelson, California Mother of the Year, 2012, is collecting stories of inspiration, wisdom, advice and encouragement from mothers about motherhood to be published in an anthology. The original deadline was Nov. 1 but was extended to “the end of December.” Information about what she’s looking for is at http://delmarvawriters.com/app/download/6645523004/Voices+of+American+Mothers.pdf The e-mail address for submission is Mom2Mom12@yahoo.com. The facebook page for American Mothers is https://www.facebook.com/AmericanMothers. (Thanks for sending this along, Jean Davis!)

Well, that should keep you busy for a month or so! A new year is coming. What are YOU going to do for you and your writing?

Christmas blessings!

Vonda

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Writer’s Headlines: Writing Opportunities

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By Vonda Skelton | October 18, 2012

Yes, it’s the 3rd Thursday, which means it’s time to share these writing opportunities I found just for you!


1.  Inspirational Woman Magazine is looking for 365 Real Life Stories! Deadline December 1, 2012.

2.  Focus on Mom is looking for inspirational stories about your chaotic life as a mother. But you must hurry–deadline is November 1, 2012.

3.  The Heart’s Cry: Surviving Domestic Abuse is a contracted book with New Hope Publishers. Authors Jeenie Gordon, Karen Kosman, and Susan Osborn are still looking for stories, but you must hurry–deadline is November 1, 2012. You can get The Hearts Cry Guidelines here.

4.  Alton Gansky, Director of the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference, is looking for blog posts from previous conferees and faculty members. Check out his call-out at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference blog.

5.  AARP, the Magazine, is always looking for writers. AARP writing guidelines here.

6.  Youth Worker Journal has posted their 2013 editorial themes. Check out YouthWorker Journal writing guidelines and themes here.

7.  Okay, you Vermont-lovers. Vermont Life Magazine writing guidelines are here.

8.  Treasure Valley Family Magazine is looking for articles for parents of children up to 12-years-old. Here are Treasure Valley Family Magazine writing guidelines.

9.  The Secret Place Devotions is open to submissions. Be sure to follow the Secret Place writing guidelines carefully.

10. Mystery writers, Over My Dead Body online magazine is looking for fiction and non-fiction. Over My Dead Body writers guidelines here.

11. Fun for Kidz is a magazine of wholesome fun with family values. Check out the Fun for Kidz writing guidelines here.

12. Chicken Soup is currently looking for stories about Lemons to Lemonade, Holidays, Wives, and more! Chicken Soup’s call for stories here.

13.  Writers Advance! Boot Camp “Badge of Honor” Writing Contest–You could win a book contract! Open to all participants of Christian Devotions’ Writers Advance! Boot Camp February 1-3, 2013 at The Billy Graham Training Center at The Cove! You don’t want to miss this opportunity!

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Do you want to win $100? If so, you need to be MoGo-ing!


The MoGo7000 Challenge is the opportunity to write and win! All you have to do is write at least 7000 NEW words on a book project and you’re in the running. And it’s free!

Check out the MoGo7000 Challenge guidelines here and then get to work. There’s still time to qualify for October.

Well, that should keep you busy this month. Hope to see your kudos published here soon!

Write on!

Vonda

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How to Put the Art in Article Writing

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By Vonda Skelton | August 21, 2012
Article writing does not mean “boring.”

Once people realize I’m a writer, they’ll often ask how I come up with good ideas. I’ve learned that when they ask, they’re usually asking about fiction. After all, what could possibly be creative about writing non-fiction? Everybody knows non-fiction is “Just the facts, ma’am. Just the facts.” Right? Wrong!

To be honest, some of the magazine articles I’ve written required as much creative energy as a fictional short story. The goal of good article writing is to take the information readers need and package it in a way that is interesting and entertaining. In other words, you need to package it artistically, which is definitely an art.

Here are some boring topics that ended up capturing the attention of editors . . . and giving me a paycheck in my pocket!

Teeth whitening. Think there couldn’t possibly be a creative way to talk about whitening teeth? Think again! Since it was requested by a singles’ magazine, I divided the whitening options into categories singles could identify with. First I started with a catchy title (Whiten Up, Will Ya?) and an interesting anecdote, and then listed the options, along with their explanations, in order of price:

  • For the price of a fast food meal (whitening toothpaste and brush-on whiteners)
  • For the price of a restaurant steak (whitening strips and mouth guards with gel)
  • For the price of  a weight bench (dentist-supervised, take-home kits)
  • For the price of 10-15 rounds of golf (in-office whitening)
  • For the price of  a cruise (laser treatments)

I also used some phrases that would be considered too cutesy by some, but they worked in this piece. “The price doesn’t have to be hard to swallow” and “You can fork out a little or you can fork out a lot” aligned with the subject in an entertaining way.

Carbohydrates. Can you say B-O-R-I-N-G? I started by saying carbs had been getting the bad rap for years–since the 1860′s, when the first low-carb diet book was written by an undertaker! But for this article, the primary creativity was in the subtitle, which was carried into the article as headings: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Truth About Carbs.

  • The “Good” heading discussed what carbs do for us and why we need them. (In case you didn’t know, carbs are NOT the bad guys!).
  • The “Bad” covered what we’ve done to carbs that make them bad for us. (The bottom line is, we’ve taken something that was created to be good for us and taken all the good out by processing, frying, and adding salt and sugar.
  • The “Ugly” disclosed how food packagers deceive consumers with labeling. (Healthy-sounding names, like “wheat flour” are deceptive–even processed cake flour begins with wheat flour.)
And here are some creative titles that editors especially liked:
  • Licensed to Pill? Unlicensed online pharmacies.
  • The Eyes Have It. Article on eye care. Opening sentence: “I hate to tell you, but your mother lied.” Paragraph goes on to dispute old wives’ tales about eyes.
  • Take Two CDs and Call Me in the Morning. Music therapy for pain.
  • Humor therapy: Laughter is Serious Business

In each article, I included relevant statistics, warnings, and quotes from expert sources. And, of course, each article ended with a short conclusion that confirmed the take away.

As you can see, using your creative side, even in writing magazine articles, can mean the difference between a publishable article and one that collects digital dust in your computer.

After all, it doesn’t matter if we’re talking fiction or non, the bottom line is, “boring” doesn’t sell. “Well-written, entertaining, and information-filled” does!

Happy writing!

Vonda

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Writer’s Headlines: Writing Opportunities & Contests for YOU and List Your Book or App FREE!

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By Vonda Skelton | August 16, 2012

Well, it’s the 3rd Thursday and time to roll out the writing opportunities I’ve found for you AND the chance to list your book or app in the I Love to Write Day directory…

 

1.  ThinkingAboutSuicide.com blog is looking for writers. “We are looking for committed writers (with a Christian world, John 3:16, mind set) who would like to write at least 1 article a month for us. To get an idea of what kind of articles we use, please check out our site: www.ThinkingAboutSuicide.com. Note that we are especially interested in hope-filled, inspirational pieces that point to hope, God and/or prayer. If you have an interest and/or background in these issues or topics, and are interested in writing 500 word articles for us, know you would be joining a team of writers to support our need for 20 – 25 articles a month. To learn more, please email Linda Shepherd at Lswrites@aol.com for our guidelines and additional information.”

2.  InspireAFire.com blog is looking for writers. I write for this site once a month and love the mission statement: “We believe one person has the power to make a huge difference in the world and eternity. Sometimes it only takes one match, one spark, to ignite an inferno of change.” Check out the Inspire A Fire writers guidelines here.

3.  Writer Beware Blog, a publishing industry watchdog group, is looking for guest bloggers. Check out the Writer Beware Guest Blogger Guidelines here.

4.  Back to College is a news and information resource for adult re-entry students pursuing professional development or an advanced degree.

5.  Vista needs 7-17-12: To publish Summer 2013. Deadline August 31, 2012.

6.  Confessions of a Recovering Pastor’s Wife Call-Out for Stories. Funny, serious, happy, sad…they’re all needed!

7.  The Atlanta Tribune Magazine–Black Atlanta’s No. 1 resource for information on business and the business lifestyle. Atlanta Tribune’s writer’s guidelines here.

8.  Capper’s Rural American Know-How–Articles on Midwest rural home and family living. Capper’s writer’s guidelines here.

9.  Diabetes Self-Management–Brings you the information you need to control your diabetes and improve your health. Diabetes Self-Management writer’s guidelines here.

10. Family Fiction Romance Story Writing Contest–But you must hurry! Deadline is August 31, 2012.

11. The Best of the Best Romances Short Story Fiction Contest. You could be in OakTara’s next anthology! Deadline October 1, 2012.

12. The Amy Awards! The Amy Foundation will be selecting 15 winners to share $34,000 in prizes! Have you ever had a Christian article published in a secular publication? If so, you need to check out this yearly contest. I was blessed to receive a smaller award many years ago…and it was just for a letter to the editor. Be sure to check it out. You can be the light and win!

13. Operation First Novel Contest for Members of Christian Writers Guild.

14. Paws & Reflect: Seeking God’s Unconditional Love Through Our Pets Christian Devotions is seeking pet devotions for our newest compilation. Devotions should be 300-400 words, have one scripture text, a relatable story and a take away. Each devo should also have a Value Pet Tip or Life Tip (you choose). Pay is $15 and 2 copies of the book when it publishes. Please attach a brief bio. Devotions should reflect the Unconditional Love found in Christ and exemplified through our pets. Deadline is September  8, 2012.  Submit devo as a Word doc or docx attachment to cindy@christiandevotions.us. Please do not forget your contact information.

15. Hub City Writers Project–This call-out is for residents of Spartanburg, SC only, but looks like a great Christmas writing anthology.

Well, that should keep you busy for a while. Can’t wait to see what comes of this!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

John Riddle, Founder of I Love to Write Day

I Love to Write Day is Coming November 15 and is Offering a Directory with Your Book or App FREE!

To celebrate the 10th anniversary of I Love To Write Day, John Riddle is creating a “Family Friendly Book and App Directory.” Your book or App can be listed FOR FREE! The directory will be distributed to the more than 28,000 schools all across the U.S. that celebrate I Love To Write Day on Nov. 15.

Paid listings are also available; you can post your book cover/graphic and up to 5 lines of copy. Contact John Riddle at johnriddle@sprintmail.com for more info. Visit www.ilovetowriteday.org and help spread the word about ILTWD.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Write on!
Vonda

 

 

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Writer’s Headlines: Writing Opportunities for YOU!

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By Vonda Skelton | July 19, 2012

Welcome to the 4th Thursday’s Writer’s Headlines

A huge thank you to Marilyn Shipe for offering this collection of writing opportunities and contests. Thanks, Marilyn! Enjoy, friends!

1.  HILLERMAN MYSTERY SHORT STORY CONTEST--$20 ENTRY FEE. Winner receives $800 and two tickets to the awards dinner, part of the annual Tony Hillerman Writers Conference. Also publication in New Mexico Magazine. Submit mystery short stories that are 2,500 words or less, written in English, set primarily in New Mexico. Deadline August 15, 2012. Critiques are $100 extra.

2.  FIVE CURRENT GREETING CARD MARKETS

3.  CREATING KEEPSAKES MAGAZINE–We’re always looking for fresh, never-before-published scrapbook pages and tips. If you’ve always wanted to be published, e-mail your pages and ideas to editorial@creatingkeepsakes.com. Seeks original and creative ideas for scrapbooking enthusiasts. Pays $350 to $600 for articles up to 1,200 words. 50 percent kill fee.

4.  SOME PERSONAL ESSAY MARKETS

  • Chicken Soup for the Soul has an ongoing need for uplifting stories for their anthologies (pays $200.00, plus 10 free copies)
  • Thrive in Life (online publication) publishes stories on “how people thrive” (pays $75)
  • God Makes Lemonade publishes stories of how “something unexpectedly good happens that never would have happened without something painful happening first” (pays $250 plus 10 free copies)
  • Thin Threads publishes stories of “moments, events or decisions, each showing how the course of our lives can be redirected for the better” (pays $100)

5.  EARLY AMERICAN LIFE–Since 1970 Early American Life has been the source for information on early American style, decorating, and traditions. In addition, we cover both antiques and reproductions made by crafters working in period styles with traditional tools. We do it with our own style–we aim to entertain as well as educate. We also feature stories on gardening with a focus on early America. A one-page story in Early American Life, such as Worth Seeing, runs about 750 words. A typical feature may run 2,500 words. We would estimate $500 for a first feature from a new writer, more if you are an experienced, skillful writer. If we assign a story to you, we will negotiate the rate before you begin work.

6.  DELICIOUS LIVING–Educates readers on nutrition, disease prevention, integrative medicine, healthy cooking, personal care, and ecofriendly products. Up-to-date information in a clear manner. Only wants fresh new angles. Features 1,000 to 1,200 words. Departments vary widely from fillers of 50 words to columns of 800 words. Send queries and clips to deliciousliving@newhope.com

7.  YOGA JOURNAL–Pays up to $2,000 for features. As little as $50 for fillers. Articles are up to 3,000 words. The magazine explores yoga in its form and practice. It involves integrating yoga in all aspects of life as well as on the health, nutrition, exercise and concepts that broaden its understanding. Big
publisher of freelance articles.

8.  ADOPTIVE FAMILIES–Adoptive Families is the leading information resource for families before, during, and after adoption. The award-winning national bimonthly magazine provides independent, authoritative adoption information in an accessible and reader-friendly format.

9.  THE 2012 HAZEL HILLES MEMORIAL SHORT FICTION PRIZE
$6 ENTRY FEE
1st $500
2nd $100
3rd $100
Deadline: September 18, 2012. Length: No minimum. Maximum 5,000 words. Entrants must be 18 years of age or older, but there are no geographical restrictions. The contest is open to anyone writing in English. Stories can be in any genre and address any theme. All entries must be previously unpublished. Authors retain all copyright to their work. However, Be-a-Better-Writer.com will have first publication rights to the winning stories, which will be published in Page 47 online anthology.

10. FAITH AND FAMILY–At Faith & Family Magazine and Faith & Family Live! our goal is to be a source of support for Catholic women seeking information, inspiration, resources, and encouragement as they embrace their vocations to marriage and motherhood. Our aim is to share personal struggles and triumphs, challenges and joys, and also the lighter side of Catholic living.

Children’s books: $400 (1,000 words)
Features (Home, Adult Relationships, Raising Kids, Spirituality,
Marriage Matters): $400 each, (1,800-2,500 words)
What’s Cooking: $450 (intro 300 words + minimum 6 recipes and
1-3 sidebars)
My Faith & Family: $400 (1,000 words)
The Quiz $150 (700 words)

11. FAMILY DOG FICTION WRITING CONTEST

12. FAMILY DOG MAGAZINE–From hands-on training techniques to solving common behavior problems to inspiring and entertaining stories about our canine pals, the experts at the AKC will help you provide the best care for your best friend. Our helpful tips, how-to’s, and feature articles are written in an engaging and reader-friendly format. Regular columns include information on natural therapies, nutrition, health-care, and much more. Articles are 1,000 to 2,000 words. Pays up to $500. Columns are staff written. Email address at bottom of page for editorial staff.

13. CHILDREN’S WRITER–A 12-page monthly newsletter in two sections reporting on the marketplace for children’s writing—books, articles, stories, plays, activities, and more. Current news, trends, tips, how to write to publish. Aimed at beginning to well-established professional writers interested in learning more and keeping up-to-date on writing for children, selling their writing, and the juvenile publishing industry. Informs subscribers about, and analyzes, current markets in articles, columns, and reporting of editorial needs. Helps writers of all levels of expertise to strengthen their writing with markets in mind. Features 1,700-2,000 words. Submit a detailed query, listing potential interview sources, proposed length, and proposed submission date. Payment on acceptance, $300. Columns are each 750 words, with a sidebar of approximately 125-words. Submit a detailed query. Payment, on acceptance, $200.

14. GAMES MAGAZINE–GAMES, founded in 1977, is a consumer magazine featuring a wide variety of verbal and visual puzzles, brainteasers, trivia quizzes, and many other features, as well as reviews of new board games and electronic games. Email query to wschmittberger@kappapublishing.com . Articles 1,500 to 3,000 words. Columns and puzzles/games available as well. Pays up to $1,000 for articles. Columns pay up to $250.

15. GEMINI FLASH FICTION CONTEST–ENTRY FEE $4 ($3 for each additional entry). Grand prize: $1,000. Second place wins $100, and we’ve added a third place prize of $50. There will also be three honorable mentions. All six finalists will be published online in the October 2012 issue of Gemini. Maximum length: 1,000 words. Deadline: August 31, 2012. Absolutely no restrictions on content, style or genre. Both new and established writers are welcome.

16. GRASSIC SHORT NOVEL PRIZE–$25 ENTRY FEE. Our idea is to emphasize the power, skill and enduring value of the short novel form: limit 30,000-70,000 words. $500 and publication by the Evening Street Press will be awarded for the best short novel manuscript. The contest is open to writers who have already published books as well as those for whom this is a first book. The winning writer will receive 25 copies from a press run of 250. Submissions deadline December 1, 2012. Fee includes a one-issue subscription to the Evening Street Review.

17. VALHALLA PRESS LITERARY FICTION AND CREATIVE NONFICTION CONTEST–$15 ENTRY FEE. First prize: $500, eReader of your choice and inclusion in Ragnarok, the Valhalla Press 2013 Anthology
Second prize: eReader of your choice and inclusion in Ragnarok, the Valhalla Press 2013 Anthology
Honorable Mention: Inclusion in Ragnarok, the Valhalla Press 2013 Anthology
Limit your work to 5,000 words. Deadline August 30, 2012.

Write on!
Vonda

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Writer’s Headlines: Writing Opportunities and Writing Contests for YOU!

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By Vonda Skelton | June 21, 2012

Yep, it’s the 3rd Thursday, so that means you get lots of opportunities to follow up on. Could one or more of them be calling your name?

 

1.  Becky Jacoby is offering a contest for dog-rescue stories. Check out the details for A Writing Contest for Dog Lovers.

2.  Novel Rocket’s Launchpad Contest guidelines here.

3.  Stage of Life Writing Contests here.

4.  Chamberton Publishing is open to submissions. Chamberton Publishing Guidelines here.

5.  LIVE periodical has sent us a new update. LIVE Needs Update here.

6.  Warner Press submission guidelines here. Church of God Ministries.

7.  Writer’s guidelines for Alive Now. The Upper Room.

8.  Apogee Photo Internet Photographers Magazine guidelines here.

9.  Bride & Groom writer’s guidelines here.

10. Cadet Quest writing guidelines here.

11. Are you funny? Funny Times is looking for submissions.

12. Family Tree magazine writer’s guidelines.

13. HeartLand Boating writer’s guidelines.

14. I Love Cats Magazine writer’s guidelines.

15. The Quilter Magazine writer’s guidelines.

16. Becky Jacoby is also calling for submissions for two devotionals–one for dog rescuers/lovers and the other for creative people. You can read Becky Jacoby devotional call out here.

Well, I think that’s enough to keep you busy. Can’t wait to see what comes out of this list. :-)

Write on!

Vonda

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