Attention Short Story Writers

Do you write short stories? Do you write crime/mystery fiction? Are you from New England? If the answer to all three of these things is “yes!”, then there are a couple of deadlines coming up you should know about.

First, Level Best Books is taking submissions for this year’s anthology, Dead Calm. Submissions are due April 15, and the guidelines are here. This is the 9th anthology published by Level Best Books, the second by this group of editors. True confession time–they published my short story last fall in Thin Ice. And two of the stories are up for awards this spring.

Second, the Al Blanchard contest deadline is April 30. First prize is $100 and being published in Dead Calm. This contest has very similar submission guidelines (5,000 words or less and within the genre, etc.) You can (and should) submit to both if you are ready. Typically I submit last year’s Al Blanchard entry the following year, since I need the other two weeks to get my story ready. Even though I’ve know about both deadlines for a while.

I find short stories to be a very difficult form, but I try with varying degrees of success. I know this is last minute, but it might inspire a few of you to pull out a story, polish it up and submit it. I hope so.

Good luck!

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Titillating the muse

Julie’s post yesterday inspired this one. Being fearless is personal to each of us and it can be something small or something large, but no matter what it is, I believe it always excites the Muse – to the point of Muse wanting to wear a party hat and blow on noisemakers.

Here are a few areas of being ‘brave’:

Pursuing interests – I’ve always loved learning, no matter what the ‘norm.’ In high school I took “boy” classes – mechanical drawing, small engine repair, and woodworking – not because of the boys (I was too shy to say ‘hi’) – but because those subjects interested me. Girls who settled for the home ec classes called me brave since I stepped out of gender boundaries.

Self-improvement – I needed to be more confident in front of a room for my career. I joined Toastmasters and worked my way up from a mumbling, sweating, uncomfortable read-from-the-typed-speech speaker to confident, able speaker, and Area Governor. I still have butterflies whenever I’m in front of a group, but I know how to control them.

Following a dream – When I walked away from a lucrative corporate job several years ago to pursue freelance writing, all my coworkers called me brave. At the time I insinuated they meant ‘stupid’ or ‘insane’, but I came to realize they consider me brave because I decided to pursue my dream instead of someone else’s.

Pushing the limits – I try to take an adventure vacation each year. Something that truly gets me out of my life for at least a week. My first adventure vacation was a week rafting down the Colorado River. Everything I did that week was beyond my comfort zone. Everything. Some examples: I’d never been out west before. I went alone. Lots of motion (I’m motion sickness personified). It was mid-August, lots of sun (I’m pale, burn easy). I’d never done white water before (I fell out – the raft ended up stuck to a wall, nowhere to go but in the water – and had to be rescued). 5 days without indoor plumbing is nothing to scoff at. I enjoyed every second of that trip.

It’s amazing how much the world can open up, and how many ideas the muse can find succulent enough to play with, when you step out of your ‘normal’ life and try something completely new and fresh.

My Muse is easy to entertain, though. If I just do my walking route in reverse, for instance, she’s giggling by the time we’re back to writing.

Do you find it true, too? That if you push yourself, even a little bit, that the muse comes alive for you?

Lisa Jackson is an editor, writer, and chocolate lover. She’s addicted to Sudoku, cafés, and words. She writes fiction as Lisa Haselton, has a blog for book reviews and author interviews, and is on the staff of The Writer’s Chatroom where she gets to network with writing professionals on a weekly basis — and you can too! © Lisa J. Jackson, 2010

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Making Luck

Recently a friend paid me a compliment. He called me fearless.

Fearless is not an adjective I would use to describe myself. Sure, I push myself outside my comfort zone and try new things, but discomfort is my companion. But I read a quote once–”fear is excitement without oxygen”–that reframed the idea of fear for me. I began to think that brave, confident people may actually be better breathers than I am, but that maybe discomfort is part of their life too.

And that ties into luck. Contrary to what we would all love to believe, leprechauns aren’t going to hand you a pot of gold and genies aren’t going to grant you three wishes. You need to be present for luck to happen. You need to show up and be open to it. You need to force Lady Luck’s hand.

How? This blog has great suggestions about persistence, networking, creating systems, managing your message, and guerilla marketing. I’ve talked about the power of finding your clan and faking it until you make it. But now I’m going to quote a Nike ad.

Just do it.

Make yourself try a couple of things that scare you, but may offer an opportunity. Claim your ground as a writer, but don’t define what that means with too much rigidity. You may be a poet, but consider writing an essay for a journal. You may write literary fiction, but try your hand a genre for an anthology. Here are some other ideas.

Enter a contest. Be careful of the contest–make sure it is reputable and established. (Here is a blog post with some great tips.) But go ahead and send your work in. If you are a mystery writer, the Al Blanchard contest is open right now. You aren’t a mystery writer? Read the submission guidelines–might your work fit anyway? Are you inspired to try something new? Does that idea scare you? Excellent–start working on the story.

Look at anthologies, magazines, journals, etc.  and their deadlines. My dream of being published was realized last fall when Thin Ice, an anthology by Level Best Books, was published and my short story “Tag, You’re Dead” was included. Two things about this. First, short stories are not my natural writing style. I write novels. But I considered this an opportunity, and I pursued it. And second, I was rejected by Level Best Books several times over the years.

Consider joining or starting a blog with others. I was thrilled when I was able to join this blog last summer. Deadlines and guidelines have really helped me step up my game. And the internet is a great way to start to create a name.

Find a writing conference or class and sign up. The first time I signed up for a conference I was a wreck. I had to call myself out as a writer. I did, I lived, and it was fine.

And finally, be fearless. This week I helped spread the word about a viral video by George Watsky, a recent Emerson graduate I was fortunate to get to know. He did a news interview where he talked about the video, and what he hoped to accomplish. He spoke of a career, and making art. He is talented, but he made this happen. Over 2 million hits and growing. A pale kid who raps fast.

Anything is possible. Just remember to breathe.

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Nanowrimo – the triathlon of the literary world

In just a few weeks the bell of Nanowrimo (National Novel Writer’s Month) will ring. At the stroke of midnight on Halloween hundreds of thousands of writers will sit in front of their computers – flying high from far too many Kit Kat bars and will attempt to at least get in a few good paragraphs before they crash.

For the next month, we will wring our hair, yell at our kids, eat far too much sugar, and drink heart-pounding gallons of coffee all so that we can, in the end, say that we did it.

What is it about Nanowrimo? There isn’t a prize involved – if you make the goal of 50,000 words written in 30 days you automatically win.

There isn’t even quality involved – I’ve heard stories where people are blocked in their plots and so decide to kill off their main character by having him get hit by a bus just so that they could begin in a new direction.

You don’t even have to have a good idea to write about. In the past I’ve written a memoir, a children’s story, and a story that even the Disney channel would find too saccharine to consider. Someday I might take another look at those stories but then again maybe I won’t.

Because that’s not the point of Nanowrimo.

The reason so many love this challenge is that it is just that. It’s a challenge. Nanowrimo is the triathlon of the writing world, you either have it in you to compete or you don’t.

Nanowrimo is all about passing over the finish line. Even if you have to crawl over it.

When you cross that literary line, just like in the organized triathlons for beginners you are awarded a medal for your effort. Nanowrimo sends you a certificate suitable for framing. (oh and trust me – you get that baby framed right away) because like the medal from your first triathlon which hangs off a lamp in the corner of your office, you’ll be able to look at that framed award certificate and forever remember that as a writer you are glorious and when you come down to it, you can do anything.

Now go sign up for this year’s challenge.

About the Author:

A  features writer, interviewer, and columnist, Wendy Thomas has been published in national magazines, newspapers, e-zines, and blogs.

Wendy discusses marketing writing at Savvy B2B Marketing.

Her current project is to blog about life living with 6 kids and a flock of chickens.

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Writing contests: are they worth the effort?

Writing contests…some folks will say a ‘waste of time,’ others will say ‘worth it.’ I say it depends on what you want to get out of it.

I’ve entered various contests over the past few years and I’ll continue to do so. I won the very first contest I entered. It was a flash fiction contest. The piece had to be between 300 and 500 words and based on a photo prompt.

I have to say I was excited to win. Excited to see the story printed in a newsletter. I still get warm fuzzies when I look at the certificate the publication sent me. It’s on the wall in my office and whenever I’m feeling a bit down I glance at the certificate and it inspires me to continue on. I’ve placed 2nd and 3rd in contests. Have been runner-up and a ‘grab bag winner’ in other contests.

Placing at any level in a contest is like getting a good grade on a paper in school. You can’t help but smile when you know you’ve impressed someone.

I don’t enter many contests that charge a fee, but I’m also not entering novel-length contests where the cash prize is large and part of the prize is a contract and introduction to a publisher. I’m not at that level yet.

Contests push me. They give me a deadline. They let me stretch myself in new directions. I think they can help a writer gain confidence. I wouldn’t recommend entering a contest where the fee is more than 10% of the grand prize total. Writers (generally) need to make money, not spend it, so keeping costs to a minimum is a good thing.

NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) is a free writing ‘contest’. You can compare yourself to others or just work against the 30-day clock to see if you can pound out 50,000 words between Nov 1 and Nov 30. If you miss a daily goal/deadline, there are other days in the month to make up the words. I recommend this to anyone who is interested in novel writing. There are other similar contests too: script writing, script frenzy, sci-fi novels, etc.

You can do a Google or Bing search for ‘writing contests’ and narrow down to the type you want. There are numerous contests, and several ways to find them.

Some types of contests:

• Genre specific
• With a fee
• No fee
• Cash prize
• Publication and byline as prize
• Gender specific
• On-the-spot
• Deadline specific
• Members only
• With feedback
• Without feedback
• Short stories
• Novel length

Have you ever entered a writing contest? What were your reasons for entering? Would you recommend any particular contest to others?

Lisa J. Jackson is an editor, author, book coach, consultant, Big Sister, cat owner, and chocolate lover. She’s addicted to Sudoku, cafés, coffee ice cream, and words. She writes fiction as Lisa Haselton, has a blog for book reviews and author interviews, and is on the staff of The Writer’s Chatroom where she gets to chat with writing professionals on a weekly basis — and you can too! ©Lisa J. Jackson, 2010

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A Peek Behind the Curtain and Some Updates

Our merry band of bloggers had a great call last night via Skype. I confess, that I was on the quiet side as I have been flat out for the last week and couldn’t rub two brain cells together, but hats off to Jamie, Wendy, Susan, Lisa and Jan for keeping us moving in a forward direction. Most of us aren’t new to blogging, but since this blog is new, we are still formalizing our processes and practices. Bless Jamie for sharing some of her project management talents to get us organized. We are using Google Docs to maintain a spreadsheet of ideas and our posting calendar. We’re also working on a style sheet in an effort to make your visits here more pleasant. By the way, if we haven’t said it, thanks for stopping by. We hope you are enjoying our musings on writing and I would personally like you to share your ideas for future posts. Is there some aspect of writing about which you would like to learn more? Fire away.

<!– The Balsams Inn-Bedded Resorter Badge Code –> previously mentioned, creative thoughts are in short supply around these parts, so I thought I’d offer a few updates on some previous posts. I wrote about The Balsams and the Innbedded Resorter a few weeks back. Well, a winner has been chosen. Martin Edgar Early, a musician from Bangor, Maine has won the job. He is on his way to The Balsams as I type. He’ll spend the next two months enjoying all that The Balsams has to offer and sharing his experience via social media. You can follow his adventures on Twitter , Facebook,  and of course The Balsams own blog.

Pens. I love pens. I was at the doctor’s office and I found my latest pen crush, The Bic Pro Plus Ball pen. It writes as smoothly as the JetStream I’ve been lusting after, but the Bic, is about half the cost of the jet stream. The only thing better than a great pen is an inexpensive, great, pen.

Wendy wrote about notebooks. A writer can never have enough notebooks.  I rarely “need” a new notebook (I’ve amassed a bit of a stash), but rarely can I resist buying one if it meets my specifications. I like mine wide ruled (oversized wide ruled is even better) with either a spiral or a book binding. The extra wide rule is hard to come by. That’s why when I was standing in line at Borders yesterday and spotted such a gem, I just HAD to scoop it up. When I find something I like, I usually try to locate a regular supplier. The notebook is made by PaperChase. A quick search online shows that Borders is the only U.S. distributor.  Good to know, good to know.

I’m off to try and clean up the mess my life has deposited all over the house. Here’s hoping you all have a wonderful and safe Fourth of July weekend.

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The Inn-Bedded Resorter

I had a draft of a blog post on a different topic in the works for today, but then I caught the tail end of an interview on WOKQ this morning and I knew I had to share this incredible opportunity.

Imagine, for two months, living at a world renowned resort and partaking in all the amenities this resort has to offer including magnificent scenery, golf, tennis, fine dining and a salon and spa. Oh, and did I mention you would get paid for all this fun and frolicking? All you have to do is share your experiences with world via the social media platforms you already use every day. Announcing the Inn-Bedded Resorter, an opportunity for the right person to experience all that The Balsams Grand Resort has to offer and share those experiences with the world. The specifics of the job and an application can be found on The Balsams Web site. You must be over 21, and available from July 1 through the end of August and provide your own transportation to The Balsams.

All applications must be completed by Friday June 18th at Midnight Eastern Daylight time. The applications requires background information as well as an inventory of your public relations and social media experience. A brief survey of your recreational interests is optional.

This project is the brain child of bobdonpaul.com the agency of record for the Balsams. I spoke with David Donahue, bdp’s Public Relations Strategist after his radio stint this morning. The project launched this past Monday and already, they have received a couple hundred applications. “They have been unbelievable in terms of being the best of the best and the worst. I’d love to see 1000 applications, but we’d be happy with a half or a quarter of that amount” Applications have come in from all over the country and even one from India. People who are just out of school all the way up to those in their retirement are interested in the position.

All the applications will be reviewed and sometime during the week of June 21st, the list will be whittled to the top 5 candidates. From there, the community will have an opportunity to vote and the list will be narrowed to the top 3. Those there people will each be interviewed to determine who is the best fit for the job. According to Donahue, the best candidate will “take the job, seriously, not themselves.” The ideal candidate has a good mix of journalism, marketing and PR skills and has an established following on the top social media platforms such as Twitter, YouTube, Facebook and Linked In. Obviously the goal is to increase exposure for The Balsams, but for the right person, this opportunity could a gold mine.

To me, this sounds like a dream job, I love to meet people, try new things and see how things work, but, my summer is already tightly scheduled, so I can’t apply. Are you going to apply? If so, good luck and let us know how you do.

Useful links

http://thebalsams.com/resorter

The Balsams Grand Resort on Facebook

bobdonpaul.com

Lee Laughlin is a writer, wife, and mom, frequently all of those things at once. She blogs at Livefearlesslee.com and Thisnhlife.com. Her words have appeared in a broad range of publications from community newspapers to the Boston Globe.

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