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Writer’s Headlines: A Brand New Call for Submissions, Conferences & Contests

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By Vonda Skelton | March 22, 2012

It’s time for Thursday’s Writer’s Headlines…

And that means great opportunities for you! This week’s Writer’s Headlines include a brand new, time sensitive call for submissions, a list of writers conferences, and some writing contests that could bring you some money to help you GO to writers conferences!

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Edie Melson is Looking for True Stories of Abuse

Friends, Family, and Foes: Learning How to Recognize and Stop the Cycle of Domestic Violence—Call for Submissions By Edie Melson

In 2001 my best friend and her daughter were murdered…by her husband. I had spent hours in close proximity with this family and never knew they were victims of domestic violence. That tragedy, along with the things that followed, dramatically shaped my life. I’ve made it one of my life’s missions to warn others about the signs of domestic violence I missed and help them put an end to the cycle of domestic violence so common in our world today.

This book is under contract with Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas. We are now accepting submissions of your either your true-life experience with domestic violence or how you dealt with a friend’s experience of domestic violence.

Access the full call to submission for Edie Melson’s writers guidelines for Friends, Family, and Foes here, or find them at Edie Melson’s website. But you must hurry–the deadline is May 31, 2012.

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Writing Contests Can Help You Win

Jennifer Slattery recently joined us here at The Christian Writer’s Den to talk about writing contests. You can check out Jennifer Slattery’s post here.

Here are some contests you might want to check out:

1.  Utmost Christian Writers Poetry Contest

2.  Christian Writers Guild Operation First Novel will be announcing a new contest soon. Be on the lookout for it!

3.  Tom Howard/John H. Reid Short Story Contest

4. Writer’s Digest Writing Competition

5.  Word Weavers Writing Contest for members of Word Weavers only. Check with your local chapter for details.

6.  Amazon Breakthrough Novel Contest is closed for this year, but you could be working on your book now for next year’s contest!

7.  Writer’s Digest Self-Published Book Awards

8.  PBS KidsGO Writing Contest for kids

9.  The Frasier Contest for Voices members at My Book Therapy

10. The Biggest Loser Write It and Win Sweepstakes–Okay, this isn’t officially a writing contest, but you can write letters to your favorite Biggest Loser competitor and win a trip to the Biggest Loser Resort, Biggest Loser meals, or tickets to the Finale! :-)

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Speakers Conferences

1.  2012 CLASS Reunion: April 27-29, 2012, Palm Springs, CA

2.  Christian Communicators Conference: August 29-September 2 at The Billy Graham Training Center at The Cove, Asheville, NC. Come join Carolyn Knefely and me as we partner with you to bring Him glory through your writing and speaking ministry! Cec Murphey Scholarships are available! But you must hurry–scholarship deadline is April 1, 2012! Registration deadline is July 29, 2012. Space is limited, so please don’t delay. Feel free to contact me with any questions.

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2012 Writer’s Conferences are Moving into High Gear!

Here’s an updated list of writers conferences. Hope you’re planning to make it to at least one!

1.  Carolina Christian Writers Conference: April 20-21, 2012, Spartanburg, SC (I’ll see you there!)

2.  Colorado Christian Writers Conference: May 16-19, 2012, Estes Park, CO

3.  Orange County Christian Writers Conference: May 18-20, 2012, Newport Beach, CA

4.  Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference: May 20-24, 2012, Ridgecrest, NC (I’ll see you there!)

5.  St. Davids Christian Writers’ Conference: June 19-23, 2012, Grove City, PA

6.  North Texas Christian Writers Conference: June 22-23, 2012, Keller, TX (I’ll see you there!)

7.  AnAuthor World/The Writers’ Plot Conference: July 21, 2012, Furman University, Greenville, SC (I’ll see you there!)

8.  Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference: August 1-4, 2012, Langhorne, PA

9.  Gideon Media Arts Conference and Film Festival: August 11-16, 2012, Ridgecrest, NC (I’ll see you there!)

10. Christian Authors Guild “Catch the Wave” Writers Conference: August 23-25, 2012, Norcross, GA

11. CLASS Christian Writers Conference: October 31-November 4, 2012, Ghost Ranch, NM

Can’t wait to see what comes from these links!

Write on!

Vonda

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Another Lesson in How NOT to Impress an Editor

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By Vonda Skelton | March 20, 2012

Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net and zole4

Some of you may remember this story when it happened several years ago. But since we have so many new readers and since it’s conference season, I thought it’d be a good time to encourage you by letting you see the funny and the good, even in the midst of the horror.

And I hope you’ll get a good laugh along the way. :-)

Coke, Sweet Tea, and Grace

I took one last look in the mirror, then touched up my lipstick, primped my hair, and brushed my teeth…again. Everything had to be perfect! After all, I was having dinner with an editor from a major CBA house and a well-known author, also with a major publisher. I whispered a prayer for direction and discernment regarding my novel idea. I should have prayed for bigger hands.

At the restaurant, we were quickly seated at our tiny table, Major CBA House Editor on my right and Successful Well-Known Author with Another Major House on my left. Within seconds, the cute, perky waitress took our drink orders. I really wanted a good ol’ Southern sweet tea, but since we were in PA, I knew better than to ask. (Just for the record, unsweetened tea and packets of sugar do not sweet tea make!) So I ordered Coke. Better to be safe than sorry.

The waitress returned with our salads and drinks and placed the giant glass of Coke on my right, between Major CBA House Editor and me. The drink needed to be on my left. So I reached across my salad to grab it with my left hand. Have you ever heard people talk about how horrendous catastrophes play out in slow motion as they’re happening before their very eyes? Well, I can tell you for a fact, it’s true.

I watched in horror as my dreams of publishing with Major CBA House pirouetted to a funeral dirge across the table and fell, along with the oversized glass of Coke, right smack onto the blouse, into the lap, and then into the tapestry purse of Major CBA House Editor. Now we’re not talking about a glass turning over and dripping its contents onto someone’s pants. Nope. We’re talking about a supersized glass the size of a watermelon, filled with syrupy sweet, near-black Coke falling headlong onto said editor’s entire body. I wanted to crawl under the table. I actually tried, but the floor was full of feet…and waiters with mops…and waitresses with napkins…and a soaking wet purse carrying the expensive electronic devices of Major CBA House Editor.

Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net and Ambro

For this I brushed my teeth…twice.

I looked up from the floor, my small hands sticky with the evidence of my fall from grace, and forced an embarrassed laugh. “Well, there goes any chance of ever submitting a manuscript to you.” I hated the whine in my voice.

Gentle Editor rose from her cola bath, gazed down at me on the floor in all my soda splendor, and smiled. “Oh, you can submit it…as long as this scene is in it.” She stepped over me and my mess and sloshed to the restroom.

Kind Successful Well-Known Author with Another Major House, still safely stationed to my left, leaned over the edge of the table and peered into my soppy space. “Uh…that went well.”

It did. It really did! After all, Major CBA House Editor not only said she would look at my manuscript, she wanted to be IN IT! The moment of my publishing death had evolved into new life for my novel idea!

Just for the record, I would never recommend this technique for approaching editors. Others may not be as nice as this kind, gracious lady. Oh, and let’s be clear here, she didn’t say she’d BUY it, she just said she’d LOOK at it. Believe me, there’s a huge difference.

But what she didn’t know was that at that moment she answered an important question in my story arc. Even though the novel will be loosely based on my experience of caring for my terminally-ill sister, I had been struggling with whether or not to make the protagonist a writer and speaker. After all, I didn’t want it to be too close to the truth and possibly stifle the creative process. But this scene is just too good to waste! Now I know the main character will have to be a writer and speaker. Cool!

So, what scenes from your life–or the lives of those around you–can you include in your books? If you’ve ever heard me teach on writing fiction you know that I use a lot of real life in my books. That doesn’t mean the story is about me.

The storyline itself may not have anything to do with our life experiences, but that doesn’t mean we can’t pull hilarious, heart-wrenching, thought-provoking, frightening scenes from real life and plop them into the fabric of our books. We simply let those scenes happen to our characters. And the good thing is, not only do we have instant access to the conflict, but we also have the emotional reaction that went with it. After all, we experienced first hand the joy, the heartache, the fear, the humor, the embarrassment. We know how it felt.

This happened several years ago, and as you’ve most likely figured out, I still haven’t written that book, but I will. And I can promise you, at some point in the story, the protagonist will have dinner with a major editor, and…well…you know what’ll happen next.

(Photos courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net and zole4 and FreeDigitalPhotos.net and Ambro)

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Write Smart: Don’t Dumb Down Your Reader

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By Vonda Skelton | March 13, 2012

Photo courtesy of Farconville/FreeDigitalPhotos

Readers are smart. They’re smart because they read. And if there’s one thing smart readers hate, it’s when writers treat them like they’re dumb.

One way writers dumb down their readers is by info-dumping. Check out these examples:

“When are things going to get back to the way they were before? Can you believe it’s been ten years since daddy left us?” Marsha turned from her sister and wiped a tear. “We had to move into public housing and go on food stamps. Then our brother died and Daddy never even knew. And then you had to ago into rehab. It’s all his fault.”

Let’s be honest here, would we ever have a conversation like that with our siblings? I doubt it. After all, it’s simply a retelling of facts we would both already know. It’s dumping info on to the page for the perceived benefit of the reader. But our readers won’t appreciate the so-called benefit. They can see through our ruse. They know that we’re taking the easy way out.

A good writer will bring those backstory details into the plot layer by layer, revealing facts and motivations through dialogue and POV in a more subtle, natural delivery. One detail may come out on page 5 when Marsha stands in line behind someone with food stamps. Another might be revealed on page 23 when Marsha picks up her sister at rehab and they realize it’s been exactly 10 years since their father left.Using this technique, your reader will be challenged and satisfied by putting together the pieces of the puzzle.

Another way to distance our readers is through unnecessary explanation. Ever read passages similar to these?

“I don’t care what you think!” Melanie yelled again. She wanted to be sure Jason had heard her.

Carly placed the rock on the gravestone and cried because she missed her mother so much.

In these two instances, the writer assumes the reader isn’t smart enough to figure out the characters’ motivations, so he or she writes out an additional explanation. But smart readers don’t appreciate the extra work the writer has done. Instead of being a help, it’s an insult to their reading intelligence. Well-written passages with well-developed characters don’t need explanation.

Which brings me to the reason you’re getting this lesson today. This past Sunday was my 61st birthday, complete with birthday wishes and jokes about getting older. After church a funny thing happened as Gary and I prepared for lunch…and I just had to share it with my Facebook friends.

Here’s the story, copied and pasted from my Facebook page:

Okay, I’ll give all of you a laugh at my expense. This afternoon Gary asked me what the two slices of bacon were doing in the microwave. I told him it wasn’t me, that I hadn’t eaten any bacon since I made that BLT on Friday. To which he asked, “Did you put bacon on it?”

I started to say, “Of course I did. What do you think I am–Stupid?” But before I could say it, I suddenly remembered that I thought the BLT didn’t have any flavor. Now I know why.

There was no B in the BLT. :-(

As my friend, Karen O’Connor says in her book, “Getting old ain’t for wimps…”

Although there are several things I would have written differently if I were writing it for real publication, here are some things I did take the time to address.

When I initially wrote it, I explained that I had forgotten to put the bacon on my sandwich two days before. And I really wanted to create more set-up by telling that Gary and I had discussed flavorless winter tomatoes days before, setting me up to think it was the tomatoes that caused the flavorless sandwich.

But then it hit me: Readers don’t really care that we had discussed tomatoes earlier, or that as a multitasking professional, I had moved on to other things and forgotten about the bacon in the microwave.

As a matter of fact, if I had it to do over again, I’d probably leave off the reference to Karen O’Connor’s book, simply because adding anything after the punchline takes away from the delivery.

But one thing I think did go well was: There was no B in the BLT.

Short, to the point, and without explanation. I trusted my readers to get it.

And they did. :-)

Treat your readers with respect and they’ll love you for it.

(Photo courtesy of Farconville/FreeDigitalPhotos.net)

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Are We Willing to Lay It on the Altar?

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By Vonda Skelton | March 6, 2012

Photo courtesy of ChristianPhotos.net

Most of us here are writers and speakers. It’s not only what we do, but it also cuts to the core of who we are. We often say we write or speak because we have to, that we feel God has given us the ability to communicate so we can share Him, the cure for a lost and dying world.

This past Sunday morning, my friend and writing sister, Edie Melson, posted her compelling poem, A Divine Obsession, in which she states a repeated refrain, “I write because I must.” And to that I say, “Amen, sister!” I read Edie’s beautiful post Sunday morning, took comfort in the truth of her words and God’s blessing on me as a writer, and headed to out the door to worship.

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Writer’s Headlines: Call for MoGo7000 Achievers, Call for Kudos & How NOT to Get Published!

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By Vonda Skelton | March 1, 2012

Thursday’s Writer’s Headlines are calling you!

Yes, it’s that time again. Time to let us know what you’ve been doing all month. Plus, some not-so-gentle tips on how NOT to get published!

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Writer’s Headlines: Writing Conferences, Speakers Conference, & MoGo7000 Writing Challenge

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By Vonda Skelton | February 23, 2012

Thursday’s Writer’s Headlines…

The conference season is upon us, so now’s the time to start making your plans for the year. I’ve got a list of conferences for writing (some are new additions!) and speaking, as well as a program to help you have something ready to show agents and editors!

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Amish Zombies Ate My Baby by Michelle Griep

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By Vonda Skelton | February 21, 2012

Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net and Bill Longshaw

Not really, but sure grabbed your attention, eh? And that’s exactly the point of this post.

Calm down. I hear you. You’re a novel writer, not a journalist. Why should you care about catchy headlines? Isn’t that just a lame gimmick better left to the National Enquirer?

Actually…no.

Mastering the art of grabbing the reader’s attention is a valuable skill every writer should hone.

In case you haven’t noticed, the written word is exploding from one end of the spectrum to another, from e-books to self-published hard copies to blogs. Getting your work to stand out from the crowd is more important than ever.

Which begs the question: How does one grab a reader by the throat? There are many ways, but here are a few to toss into your writerly toolbox:

Shock and Awe

This is one of the tactics I employed with my blog post title. Think controversial. Think stunning. Think outside the box. This method is most often used by rabble-rousers who get a secret thrill out of rattling cages.

Warm Fuzzies

If you start off with something everyone can relate to on an emotional level, you’ll draw in the human side of the reader. It’s a pull that’s hard to resist. In my example, I tossed in the word babies. Emotions are what set us apart from the rest of the mammals. Well, that and opposable thumbs.

Trendy Tidbit

The ol’ People magazine approach, naming what’s hip or what’s not. Naturally this works better for contemporaries than historicals…but not always. Amish is a buzzword right now, which is why I chose it for my post title.

Opposites Attract

Jumbo shrimp. Government intelligence. Amish zombies. Put two incongruous words together, and if they’re not cliché, people will sit up and take notice.

Now then, where to employ these attention grabbing strategies? Obviously your entire manuscript can’t be outrageously intense. You’d burn out your brain and your reader would be gasping for air. But there are certain key areas that require some eye-popping fancy footwork. These are:

- The first sentence of a book…better yet, make that the first sentence of every chapter.

- The last sentence of every chapter. Force your reader to find out what will happen next.

- Back cover copy. Often this is where you reel ‘em in or break the deal.

- The one-liner that sums up your entire novel.

So go ahead. Give this a whirl. Don’t be afraid to stand out from the crowd, especially when it comes to your writing.

Hopefully you’ll attract the attention of an editor, not an zombie.

Bio: Michelle Griep’s been writing since she first discovered blank wall space and Crayolas…professionally, however, for the past 10 years. Her latest release, UNDERCURRENT, is available by Risen Books. You can find her at: Writer Off the Leash,  or on Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest.

(The Plow photo courtesy of Bill Longshaw and FreeDigitalPhotos.net)

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Writer’s Headlines: Writing Opportunities and Cec Murphey’s Secret Video

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By Vonda Skelton | February 16, 2012

Welcome to Thursday’s Writer’s Headlines!

Today we’ve gathered lots of writing opportunities for you and have a secret video from Cec Murphey!

Writing Opportunities Just For YOU!

1.  Dena Dyer and Tina Samples are collecting stories from contemporary women who’ve been healed in various ways–emotionally, spiritually, physically, or mentally. They’ll be including their own stories of God’s grace and mercy at different points in the book, but they need LOTS of material from others. Guidelines at Dena Dyers’ Mother Inferior blog.

2.  Write Integrity Press is doing three compilations: Life Lessons from Moms, Dads, and Teachers. Writer’s guidelines here.

3.  Vista needs 2-14-12

4.  LIVE needs 2-14-12

5.  Silver Boomer Books is Looking for Stories

6.  Alaska Magazine Submission Guidelines for Freelance Writers – And yes, we have a couple of writers who live in Alaska, so girls, this is for you!

7.  The Cattleman Magazine – Guidelines for Writing for The Cattleman – Yes, we have some cowgirls, too. :-)

8.  A Cup of Joe for Woe is seeking stories of the hard lessons you learned.

9. Greatest Parenting Tip Contest by Adriana Vermillion. You could win a $50 gift card. :-)

10.  And as a bonus, here’s a link to Keiki Hendrix’ ongoing writing opportunities. You can always come here to find places to send your work!

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Cec Murphey as you’ve never seen him before!

Okay, many of you know Cec Murphey, the Author; Cec Murphey, the Giver of Scholarships; Cec Murphey, the Speaker. But have you ever seen Cec Murphey, the Funny Guy?

I’ve got a link below for you, but before I share it, I want to be sure you know about two things:

Cec Murphey has again generously sponsored scholarships for this year’s Christian Communicators Conference, to be held at The Billy Graham Training Center at The Cove in Asheville, August 29-September Ladies, if you feel God may be calling you to speak, or if you’ve been speaking for a while and want to expand your ministry, this conference is for you! Small group, intimate setting, personal training, and all in the middle of God’s beautiful creation! Check out all the details at

And second, I want to tell you that Cec’s new book, Unleash the Writer Within is powerful! It’s not a technical how-to, it’s a deep-reaching why-to. It cuts through the trendy writer-speak and heads straight to the heart of writing. As Cec says, it IS about us. As much as we want to deny it, it is. I hope you’ll get Cec’s book today.

And now, for a good laugh, check out Cec’s Video, Thoughts on Writing a Book for Writers. Oh, and it has to be our secret! He doesn’t know about this, and if he finds out, Twila Belk, his worthy assistant, will be looking for a new job! :-)

Thoughts on Writing a Book for Writers by my friend and yours, Cec Murphey.

Write on!

Vonda

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Parting Words From The WORD…

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By Vonda Skelton | February 10, 2012

Photo courtesy of ChristianPhotos.net

As I write this, it’s been another busy day…week…month…and year. And yet, I’m encouraged every day by your kind words and comments. I know there are those who wonder why we work so hard for so little.

But it’s just not something we can explain, is it? We work together to grow each other as writers and speakers. We work together to grow in faith. And we work together to grow in love.

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Writer’s Headlines: It’s Time to Celebrate!

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By Vonda Skelton | February 9, 2012

Welcome to Thursday’s Writer’s Headlines!

Today we’re celebrating with our friends who’ve had success in their writing and speaking, announcing our MoGo7000 update, and a new announcement for Christian Communicators.

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