2016pennwritermayjune

the

the NewSletter of peNNwriterS iNc. May/JuNe 2016 • Vol. XXiV No. 3

A Writer’s Intangible Tools

by NaNcy SpriNger, area 7

You’ve all read a lot of these articles about tools writers use, so you don’t need to hear about the nuts and bolts again.

Let’s make this an automotive metaphor, okay? You know how to handle the steering wheel and the gearshift, change the oil and keep the tires inflated. What I want to tell you is how to establish that thing you never see, the chassis— the absolute basic and more or less intangible platform without which good writing cannot take place.

TOOL: SLEEP Most of what’s best about your writing is contributed by your unconscious mind, which does a nightly overhaul while you are asleep. “Sleep hygiene,” as my doctor calls it, is part of your job description. Get plenty of sleep (including power naps), cherish your bed, and when lying down upon it, gently invoke your writing in your mind, whatever your perplexity may be at the time. When you wake up, take a few moments to check in with your dreaming self to see what’s new. Try to make writing time for yourself immediately after getting up or just before going to bed, times when the portals to sleep are partly open. Insomniac? So much the better. You spend a lot of time in that twilight zone of the mind; make the most of it.

TOOL: LOVE Love your writing even when it reeks. Given unconditional love, it will always recover. Love the people in your writing, and your readers will sense the difference between your stories and those assembled by a critique-group committee. Treat your characters as those to whom you have given mind-birth, not put together according to instructions, but rather created by a holistic process that remains mysterious no matter how many times you do it.

Given that your characters are real people with flaws, they will get into trouble, and you will function as a supportive friend, sharing their pain but not allowing them to become martyred or self-indulgent; true love is tough when it needs to be. But always do love your suffering, striving characters unconditionally, until it hurts. Which it will. Especially when you finish a draft and must pull away.

Nancy Springer has been a prolific fiction writer since the 1970s in multiple genres and is delighted that most of her older novels and short stories have been reborn electronically. To learn more, visit www.nancyspringer.com.

TOOL: LISTEN In your daily life, make occasion to encounter all sorts of people. Talk to strangers. When you meet somebody new, don’t try to sell them your book or impress them regarding what a special person you are as a writer. Instead, get them talking, and listen. It’s amazing the material they will freely give to you. A pet store owner told me he could predict who (doctor, tap dancer, elderly, trucker, etc.) would buy what kind of decorator fish. An orange-haired woman introduced me to circular Tarot cards. A man who used to work for an undertaker told me jumpers always leak in the coffin, no matter what. A friend described what happened after a hospital ventilator “violated the integrity” of her motherin-law’s lungs. An ordinary-looking woman told me about her childhood as one of a family of circus acrobats. A man told me about being kicked out of an Amish community... need I go on?

TOOL: WORK The day job is a blessing and a curse; ideally it gives you story material, yet leaves you hardly any time to write the stories. Writing itself has always been my day job, but I’ve taken part-time or volunteer jobs to keep me humble and enrich my life. Working at animal shelters has sparked so many short stories I can’t name them all. Volunteering with a riding program for disabled children led to my novel COLT. Literacy tutoring introduced me to the people who inspired TOUGHING IT, an Edgar winner. Part-timing at a paint-your own-pottery studio gave me the first mystery short story I sold, and working at a frame shop gave me another called “Framed.” Bottom line: you need to have a life. And speaking of odd jobs, teaching writers’ seminars has sometimes proved oddest of all.

Sleep, love, listen, and work—or, more accurately, have a life—those four tools can pretty much keep you tuned up as a writer... I mean, those, plus all the rest of the stuff people tell you in those seminars I mentioned, plus conferences, plus essays like this. Good stuff, mostly.

Yet, trust me, if you meekly follow all the how-to-write recommendations you encounter, you will very slowly get utterly nowhere. So in addition to sleep and love and listening and having a life, I’d like to add one more tool: THINK. Have a mind of your own. Be an iconoclast.

Question any advice you’re given about writing, and that includes mine.

President’s Column is is my final column as Pennwriters president. ank you for the opportunity to serve as your Pennwriters president for the past few years. It has been a pleasure.

I love being a member of such a welcoming organization whose members are so helpful and giving of their time.

I have enjoyed working with an excellent Board of talented people who contribute many hours to keep the organization running. Several of them have been on the Board for years working tirelessly behind the scene. ey and decades of former Board members have taken this organization from our founding members’ kitchen tables to a recognized and respected organization of hundreds of members. carol Silvis, area 3 preSiDeNt

Pennwriters Happenings

is an email newsletter that showcases the achievements and writing-related activities of pennwriters members.

Visit www.pennwriters.org to subscribe.

Scroll to the bottom of the webpage to publiShiNg NewS, submit your email address, then complete the Mailchimp form. you must be a current, duespaying pennwriters member in good standing in order to have your news published in pennwriters happenings.

Submit your news to pennNews@pennwriters.org

2016 Newsletter Themes and Submission Deadlines July/aug: poetry and language Submission deadline: June 1 Sept/oct: writers market (selling your work, your writing career, making money, etc.)

Submission deadline: aug. 1 Nov/Dec: short stories, articles, nonfiction Submission deadline: oct. 1

e Pennwriters Board consists of the president, vice president, treasurer, secretary, authors advocate, webmaster, newsletter editor, internet activities and online courses coordinator, conference coordinator, representatives from Areas 1 through 7, public relations chair, bylaws chair, election chair, and annual writing contest coordinator. We have been fortunate to have members step up and volunteer to fulfill the duties of each of these positions through the years.

I sincerely thank all of the Board members who have served with me and applaud them for their dedication and service. I could not have asked for better team members throughout my tenure. A special thanks to my vice president, Annette Dashofy. I could always count on her to help me keep things running smoothly.

I’m pleased and excited to welcome the newly elected president, vice president, and other Board members. ey will be announced at the general meeting held Saturday morning at the conference in Lancaster, and will be ratified by the general membership at that time. is month’s newsletter theme Writers Toolbox brings to mind ways we can all improve as writers. Attending a writing conference should be high on the list of writers’ tools. So much can be learned by attending and participating in the many workshops and events at a conference. ere is nothing like networking with like-minded people to hone your writing skills. I hope to see many of you at this year’s conference later this month. If you cannot attend the conference, be sure to check out the many meetings and critique groups scattered throughout Pennsylvania, or sign up for an online course. Contact your area rep for more information, or check the website for details. next page

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Notice: publication herein of articles, interviews, and news concerning markets, contests, seminars, classes, etc., does not imply an endorsement, recommendation or any warranty given by pennwriters, inc. readers are urged to determine for themselves the reliability, integrity, and financial responsibility of those with whom they deal. The contents of this newsletter are copyrighted ©2016 by Pennwriters, Inc. All rights are reserved. Permission to photocopy is expressly denied. All rights revert to individual authors immediately upon publication. any time you change your mailing address or email address, please notify Jackie Shaffmaster at treasurer@pennwriters.org. we thank you in advance for helping to keep our member roster current.

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the peNN writer • May/June 2016 • www.pennwriters.org

President

carol Silvis, 724-327-2725 president@pennwriters.org Vice President

Another good thing to have in your toolbox is a group of writer friends who offer support, camaraderie, a critical eye, and a hooray upon hearing good news.

Pennwriters is such a group.

Board News Voting results for board members will be announced at the Saturday morning general meeting at the annual conference. Annette and I will be ending our terms as president and vice president at that time.

annette Dashofy, 724-255-7955 Vicepresident@pennwriters.org Secretary

Susan gourley Secretary@pennwriters.org Treasurer

Jackie Shaffmaster, 570-878-7056 treasurer@pennwriters.org Author Advocate & 2016 Conference Coordinator

Pennwriters continues to bring you online classes. For information or to suggest a class, please email Online Courses Coordinator Pauline Drozeski at OnlineCoordinator@Pennwriters.org.

Be sure to check out the special guests on Penns Presents. Many of the conference presenters and other notable guests will be available for a day to answer your questions.

ayleen gontz, 717-359-9279 authoradvocate@pennwriters.org Webmaster

charli Mac, webmaster@pennwriters.org Newsletter Editor

heather Desuta, 412-337-6966 Newsletter@pennwriters.org Public Relations Chair

leslie tobin Smeltz publicrelations@pennwriters.org 610-737-3288

–Carol

Bylaws Chair

Jean Jenkins, 814-774-0557 bylawschair@pennwriters.org

Pennwriters Online website: www.pennwriters.org yahoo group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/pennwriters/join facebook groups: pennwriters; pennwriters annual conference you can also join the pennwriters linkedin group and follow us on twitter.

Internet Activities & Online Courses Coordinator

pauline Drozeski onlinecoordinator@pennwriters.org Election Chair

terry friedman, 843-236-8189 electionchair@pennwriters.org Annual Writing Contest Coordinator

Pennwriters Areas Map

Deborah Stevenson writingcontestcoordinator@ pennwriters.org AREA 1 Rep: todd Main

area1rep@pennwriters.org AREA 2 Rep: Mark boerma area2rep@pennwriters.org AREA 3 Rep: candace banks

area3rep@pennwriters.org AREA 4 Rep: hilary hauck

area4rep@pennwriters.org AREA 5 Rep: poSitioN opeN

area5rep@pennwriters.org AREA 6 Rep: charli Mac

area6rep@pennwriters.org AREA 7 Rep: bobbi carducci

All areas outside of Pennsylvania are Area 7

area7rep@pennwriters.org the peNN writer • May/June 2016 • www.pennwriters.org

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Member News & Accomplishments Area 5 Kathryn Craft is thrilled to announce that THE FAR END OF HAPPY, the story of one desperate man who stands off against police and how the family who loves him must make tough choices, face shameful secrets, and try to cling to hope while awaiting resolution (a novel based on true events), has been chosen as a finalist in Foreword Reviews’ 2015 INDIEFAB Book of the Year Awards in the General Adult Fiction category. To learn more, visit www.KathrynCraft.com.

Area 3 member and Pennwriters Vice President Annette Dashofy has been nominated for the Agatha Award for Best Contemporary Novel of 2015 for BRIDGES BURNED, the third of her USA Today Bestselling Zoe Chambers mystery series. WITH A VENGEANCE, the fourth in the series, was released on May 3. Visit www.annettedashofy.com.

to Share your NewS, email Newsletter@pennwriters.org with “penn writer Submission” in the subject line. please include your area number in the message.

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Area 3 Larry Ivkovich’s urban fantasy WARRIORS OF THE LIGHT (the sequel to THE SIxTH PRECEPT and book two of e Spirit Winds Quartet), will be released May 24

by IFWG Publishing.

After returning from her time-traveling adventures in 16th Century Japan, Kim Yoshima finds adjusting to real life isn’t as easy as she thought it would be. Neither is it for her friends, Shioko Yoshima, Jackson Yamaguchi, and Wayne Brewster.

All suffer trauma of varying degrees, struggling to adapt and reconcile the past and present, and what role they now have in the world.But, all is not well in the multiverse either. Not every mythological creature torn out of time-and-place by the Spirit Winds were sent back to their own realms. Some still exist in our world and hunger to go home.To do so, they need Kim Yoshima’s esper powers and will strive to harness them any way they can, even if it means Kim’s death. And, if that isn’t enough, an old enemy makes a startling return...

Visit ifwgpublishing.com for details.

Dr. Erick J. Lauber, Area 3, has published his first book.

DON’T BREAK THE ROPE! A PARABLE ABOUT COLLABORATION, COMMUNICATION, AND TEAMWORK IN THE

WORKPLACE shares insights about leadership as a parable about two frogs who join a top-notch frog colony called “GoodPondInc.” It’s available now from Amazon. To learn more, visit www.LifeFraming.org and www.ErickLauber.com.

Area 4 Jim Lee had a poem published in issue 29 of the print horror magazine Night to Dawn, a fantasy story in TALES FROM ELSEWHERE 5 and a horror story in TALES TOLD IN THE DARK 12 (all dated April 2016).

Area 4 Tanya Schleiden, writing as T.R. McClure, is publishing her first romance novel with Harlequin Heartwarming. WANTED: THE PERFECT MOM, will be released June 1. She previously published three eBooks with e Wild Rose Press. Her short story, “A Helping Hand,” appeared in the February issue of Woman’s World magazine.

Area 7 Nancy Springer’s Enola Holmes series has been adapted as French graphic novels. e first hardcover sold out and has gone into its second edition printing. e next book in the series will be released in June.

the peNN writer • May/June 2016 • www.pennwriters.org

Fight Your Inner Editor

the peNN practice • coluMN #2

by fritze robertS, area 1

if you have trouble producing new words because your inner editor has you constantly looking back, try this technique to push forward and get more words on the page.

A lot of writers I know, including myself, struggle with their inner editor. Some writers agonize over word choice. Others can’t help but go back and fix tiny mistakes before they continue to write, or they rework the same scene repeatedly without moving forward. e inner editor makes it difficult to start writing and to keep going once you have started.

In this practice, we’ll look at three essential steps for producing finished work: writing, analyzing, and editing. e purpose of this practice is training your brain to separate editing from writing. e best way to battle the inner editor is to acknowledge it, understand it, and work with it.

Acknowledge that editing is important, but you can’t edit if you haven’t written anything.

Step 1: Writing In the beginning, it might be helpful to think of this as “non editing” rather than writing. Practice non-editing with a timer. See if you can put new words on the page for five minutes, non-stop. Give yourself permission to write anything, including made-up words, incomplete sentences, lists and notes to self. Allow your subconscious to blurt stuff out. If you start looking back at previous words or sentences, stop yourself. Tell yourself “no editing,” and keep writing. Be firm.

It will get easier with practice.

Step 2: Analyzing Editing is best when it’s done with a purpose, instead of simply being reactionary. I know, there are squiggly red and green lines screaming for attention, but analysis will make editing more effective. Take a look at the writing you just finished. First look for the good. Are there beautiful turns of phrase or surprising new ideas in your draft? Acknowledge those. Second, think about what you want to accomplish in this passage. Whether it’s fiction or nonfiction, all writing has a purpose. Look for the phrases and sentences that are strong. ink about how the other content can be strengthened to support your goal. Ask yourself if your tone matches your theme. Note any repeated words. ese represent an idea that is important for you to get across, so think about their placement. Does repetition strengthen or weaken the concept? If it weakens, take a moment to brainstorm and look up good substitutes.

Step 3: Editing Begin by rearranging on a large scale to support the goal you defined in Step 2. Hold off on fixing the small things until you know you actually need those words. Next, add any new text to support the strong passages you wrote. Replace repeated words and use the alternate phrases you came up with during your analysis. Make adjustments to tone and word choice. Finally, fix spelling, grammar, punctuation, and typos. e inner editor often fixates on these small errors because they are simple and therefore a prime source for instant gratification. However, this is exactly what we are training our brains to avoid. By delaying this activity, we build our stamina for writing and simultaneously improve the quality of our editing. Additionally, placing this gratification at the end allows us to finish with a great feeling overall. We have the small, instant gratification building up to the final sense of accomplishment that comes with finishing a passage.

It is important to practice writing, analyzing, and editing in that order. By consistently practicing non-editing, you learn self control. en you can schedule time to edit.

To build stamina and discipline, try this: e 30-minute practice: 5 minutes - tell what you want to write 2 minutes - analyze 1 minute - edit 15 minutes - write your passage 4 minutes - analyze 3 minutes - edit Practice these short bursts until your inner editor trusts you. After a week or so, you should be able to lengthen the writing phase. If you have time for longer writing sessions, you can repeat this 30-minute practice, add time to the 15-minute writing phase, or simply use this as a warm up.

By following this practice, you’ll find that editing itself is more enjoyable and rewarding. After a few days or weeks of practice, your internal editor will trust that it will get its moment to shine, and your writing time will result in more words on the page.

Fritze Roberts is an author-entrepreneur and an active member of Pennwriters Area 1. In 2015 she met her goal of publishing the booklet PRojecT MANAgeMeNT FoR AuThoRS, in which she describes the SMART goal in detail and gives tips and tricks for becoming a more productive writer.

She lectures on the writer’s life and on writing for academics. To learn more, visit www.APeculiarProject.com. If you have any questions for Fritze about how to succeed in the writer’s life, email her at fritzeroberts@gmail.com. She’ll address as many questions as she can.

the peNN writer • May/June 2016 • www.pennwriters.org

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Friday Evening Keynote

Jonathan Maberry

Saturday keynote

Kathryn Craft

Area 1 todd Main • area 1 representative 814-459-8752 • area1rep@pennwriters.org Meadville Vicinity pennwriters (MVp) Meets 1st Saturday, 1-4 p.m. at tim horton’s on conneaut lake road. contact babs Mountjoy at bmountjoy@zoominternet.net. presque isle group Meets 2nd Saturday, 1-4 p.m. at tom ridge environmental center on presque isle. contact todd Main at todd_main@steris.com.

Shenango Valley pennwriters (SVp) Meets 3rd Saturday, 1-4 p.m. at the Shenango Valley library in Sharon. contact catherine Mclean at catherinemclean@windstream.net. erie group Meets 4th Saturday, 1-4 p.m. at barnes & Noble near the Millcreek Mall in erie. contact Dave Szymanowski at daveszy@adelphia.net. fellowship of the Quill (fotQ) Meets every thursday, 7-10 p.m. at tim horton’s, 2565 west 12th, erie. contact todd Main at todd_main@steris.com.

Meadville group Meets 3rd tuesdays, 7-10 p.m. at barnes & Noble at 5909 peach Street. contact Jean Jenkins at jean.jenkins10@gmail.com (group geared for more experienced writers.) corry writers group Meets 1st Mondays, 6:30-9 p.m. at tim horton’s, 7 e. columbus ave., corry. contact Kathy otten at jersey.vt.1774@hotmail.com.

Area 2 Mark boerma • area 2 representative area2rep@pennwriters.org Danville group Meets 1st and 3rd wednesdays, 7 p.m. at the episcopal church on Market Street. contact Dave freas at quillracer@pa.metrocast.net.

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to regiSter: http://bit.ly/1Q909iX On Friday we have a slate of one-hour workshops in the morning, the choice of two speaker-led lunches (one for published authors and one for aspiring writers), a slate of one-hour workshops in the afternoon, a keynote dinner with published author Jonathan Maberry, and evening read-and-critique sessions. On Saturday, we have a business breakfast, a slate of one-hour workshops in the morning, a keynote luncheon with published author Kathryn Craft, a slate of one-hour workshops in the afternoon, a book signing event, and an after hours event. On Sunday, we have a slate of one-hour workshops in the morning and a closing ceremony.

JONATHAN MABERRY is a NY Times bestselling author, fivetime Bram Stoker Award winner, and comic book writer. Two of his books are in development for TV, and another is in development as a series of feature films. www.jonathanmaberry.com

KATHRYN CRAFT is the author of THE ART OF FALLING and THE FAR END OF HAPPY, a freelance developmental editor, a frequent workshop leader, and a member of a marketing cooperative of women’s fiction writers. www.kathryncraft.com

Published Penns Luncheon Guest Speaker CINDY CALLAGHAN is the author of SYDNEY MACKENZIE KNOCKS ’EM DEAD (2017) and six more books published by Simon & Schuster. Her 2010 release, JUST ADD MAGIC, is now a live-action series on Amazon. www.cindycallaghan.com Presentation: “When Your Writing Life Gives You Lemons: A Book to Screen Example” When Cindy’s publisher opted to stop publishing her 2010 release, JUST ADD MAGIC, Cindy thought her writing life may come to an end. Find out how this author struck a book-toscreen deal that breathed new life into her and her career.

Networking Lunch Guest Speaker STUART HORWITZ is the founder and principal of Book Architecture and has spent the past 15 years helping writers to become authors, sign with top literary agents, seal deals with publishing houses, and navigate a successful path through indie publishing. www.bookarchitecture.com Presentation: “You Don’t Know If You Don’t Go” The easiest way to thwart your writing career is to quit.

Find inspiration and practical advice to keep yourself going.

the peNN writer • May/June 2016 • www.pennwriters.org

Your Pennwriters Conference includes:

Area 3

• 30+ workshops, panels and sessions

candace banks • area 3 representative area3rep@pennwriters.org

• Saturday Keynote Lunch with Pennwriter Kathryn Craft • Agent/Editor Pitch Appointments: 5-minute spots are offered on a first-registered, first-assigned basis.

• Read & Critiques with agents, editors & published authors.

Spots are offered on a first-registered, first-assigned basis.

• Saturday Pennwriters Breakfast & Annual Meeting: breakfast buffet, camaraderie and up-to-date meeting news.

• In Other Words Contest for fiction, nonfiction & poetry.

Your one-page entry must fit onto one side of an 8.5x11” sheet (typed or printed). It will be posted in the Hospitality Suite to be judged by your peers.

• Hospitality Suite and Conference Bookstore: Refresh, regroup, pick up freebies, shop for books & merchandise, enter to win raffle baskets, and more. Bookstore by Doylestown Bookshop.

You may purchase passes for these additional events: • Friday Evening Keynote Dinner with Jonathan Maberry • Friday Networking Lunch with Stuart Horwitz • Friday Published Penns Lunch with Cindy Callaghan • Saturday After Hours Entertainment at The Bees Knees Speakeasy with open bar for the first hour, open mic and more.

Conference Volunteers Needed if you plan to attend the conference, please consider volunteering. Many jobs take only a few minutes, while others may take an hour. positions are available prior to and during the conference. the rewards of volunteering are many. in addition to getting to see what happens behind the scenes, you can get up close and personal with many accomplished authors and speakers. Some jobs even pair you with agents and editors.

MoDeratorS introduce a session speaker by reading a short bio (written and provided to you) and distribute handouts if necessary. tiMeKeeperS for agent and editor pitch appointments keep the 5-minute appointments running smoothly. peNN palS greet agents, editors and speakers. they pass out conference materials and answer questions that arise throughout the conference. if you would like to volunteer for any of these spots or would like to offer help but do not have a particular preference, email ayleen gontz at ayleengontz@gmail.com.

Second tuesday of the Month group the group is still looking for a permanent host. if you would consider hosting or co-hosting, contact interim coordinators carol Moessinger at pcmoes@verizon.net; cheryl williams at cherylewilliams205@yahoo.com or candace banks at area3rep@pennwriters.org. the Mindful writers group - North our goal is to complete a manuscript in 9 months using writing Meditation Method.

Meets every wednesday from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at eat ’n park at the wexford exit of i-79. to join, contact Madhu wangu at madhu.wangu@me.com. group is currently at its 20-member limit. the Mindful writers group - east first meeting was thursday, March 17, at 10 a.m. at eat ’n park at the waterworks Mall. to join, contact Madhu wangu at madhu.wangu@me.com. pittsburgh east writers group Small critique group focusing on fiction. all genres welcome. Meets 3rd Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Monroeville public library’s upstairs conference room. contact chuck rakiecz at crakiecz@verizon.net.

South hills writers group experienced fiction writers meeting weekly for camaraderie in writing, studying of craft, and critiquing. group is limited to four members. we presently have one opening. Meets every thursday at 10 a.m. (meetings last about 4 hours w/writing) at Market District express on washington road in peter’s township. contact Stephanie claypool at stephanieclaypool@outlook.com. critique group North group is full, but interested writers may submit their names for the waiting list. Meets 2nd thursdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at King’s restaurant at wexford exit of i-79. contact Maryalice at maryalicemeli@yahoo.com. robinson evening critique group Meets the 4th wednesday of every month at 7 p.m. at the panera in Settlers ridge. the group is limited to six members. we currently have four. we welcome anyone, published or not. anyone who would like to join the group, get additional info, or come to a session and see how we work, contact barb D'Souza at barbrett@verizon.net.

the peNN writer • May/June 2016 • www.pennwriters.org

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Area 4

Perry Co. Council of the Arts: A Novel Idea

hilary hauck • area 4 representative area4rep@pennwriters.org

a Novel idea, a program through the perry county council of the arts, is a 12-month program on how to write a Novel. Visit www.perrycountyarts.org. area 2 rep Mark boerma has been attending these workshops. each newsletter in 2016 will feature Mark’s recaps of those sessions.

the inkwell (Duncansville, pa) Meets 3rd thursdays from 6-8:30 p.m. at Marzoni’s at 164 patchway road. contact hilary at area4rep@pennwriters.org. the Southern alleghenies writers guild (Johnstown, pa) Meets 3rd Saturdays from noon-3 p.m. contact Jim lee at 814-442-1241 or jimlee.author@gmail.com.

Additional writers groups meeting in Area 4: Nittany Valley writers Network (State college, pa) Meets 2nd tuesdays from 6-7:30 p.m. at Schlow library (211 S. allen St.).

Nittany Valley writers Network: the early risers Meets 3rd wednesday from 7-8:00 a.m. at the waffle Shop on w. college avenue.

Nittany Valley writers Network: Social Meets 4th tuesdays from 5:30-7 p.m. at the autoport (1405 S. atherton St.).

Area 5 poSitioN opeN • area 5 representative area5rep@pennwriters.org york area group critique structure: bring 6 copies of up to 5 pgs. of manuscript, double-spaced.

Meets 2nd thursdays from 7-9 p.m. at books-a-Million, 3000 whiteford rd., york, pa. harrisburg area group critique structure: bring 10 copies of up to 5 pages, double-spaced. all genres welcome.

Meets 4th wednesdays from 6-9 p.m. at the New cumberland library’s back annex (1 benjamin plaza, New cumberland). contact Don helin at dhelin@copper.net. lancaster area group Meets 2nd & 4th tuesdays from 7-9 p.m. in the lancaster barnes & Noble cafe. contact walt honsinger at walthonsinger@hotmail.com.

Area 6 charli Mac • area 6 representative area6rep@pennwriters.org there are currently no pennwriters area 6 groups meeting, but if you are interested in forming a group, please email charli-mac@comcast.net.

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During February’s writing workshop, EDITING was the topic. Ann Stewart led the group on “Becoming a Masterful Editor.” Examples of good and bad writing were discussed, and the following reference books were recommended: THE ELEMENTS OF STYLE (Strunk & White), THE FIRST FIVE PAGES (Noah Lukeman), THE FOREST FOR THE TREES: AN EDITOR’S ADVICE TO WRITERS (Betsy Lerner), ON WRITING: A MEMOIR OF THE CRAFT (Stephen King), WRITING FICTION: A GUIDE TO THE NARRATIVE CRAFT (Janet Burroway), BIRD BY BIRD (Anne Lamott) and CREATIVITY RULES! A WRITER’S WORKBOOK ( John Vorhaus).

A few years ago at the beginning of my writing journey, when others would comment about my work, these five aspects of editing would surface during critique sessions and were reinforced during this workshop: 1. Passive vs. active voice & consistent verb tense: Writing will be more clear and concise. Clarity speaks volumes.

2. Author intrusion: The reader will figure it out. Lay out the dots, just don’t connect them.

3. Point of view: Through whose eye do you see the story?

4. Show vs. tell: You want to show rather than tell because the writing will be more vivid. If it sounds like writing, re-write it.

5. Dialogue: Does the conversation between two characters move the story forward or reveal something?

Writing is about revision and not just words on paper.

CONFLICT was the topic for the March workshop. Cathy Jordan discussed how to bring conflict into a story and ways to increase it. There are two main types of conflict: external, which takes place outside the body and internal, which takes place inside the body. Conflict can be broken down into four categories: man vs. man - external conflict (Dorothy vs. The Wicked Witch of the West), man vs. nature - external conflict (THE OLD MAN AND THE SEA), man vs. society external conflict (CHARLOTTE’S WEB), and man vs. self - internal conflict (REQUIEM FOR A DREAM). Cathy shared the following list: Five Ways to Increase Conflict by Chuck Sambuchino— 1. Pick an uncomfortable atmosphere: Look at your manuscript’s conflict scenes.

Do they happen at the worst possible moment?

2. Allies & enemies: Bring others into the fight. Who does your character want on his/her side in an argument? Who does he/she least want to oppose?

3. Sling accusations: Look at your manuscript; what meaning does your character put onto what is said and done? What can he/she accuse the person of?

4. Hit below the belt: What do your characters know about each other? How can that be dragged into the current fight? Look at your manuscript and make notes where the characters can have an “oh no you didn’t” moment.

5. Fight to win: Avoid compromise: What does your character stand to lose if he/she loses the conflict? What is at risk? Can you set up two characters with opposing goals? Do you have a character that wants two opposing things at the same time?

Having over thirty years in the field of information technology, I have had my share of job interviews. In recent times, the term “targeted selection” has become the new buzzword for a technique used by interviewers to assist in selecting the appropriate candidate. What is “targeted selection”? You guessed it, a series of questions regarding conflict. What happened? What did you do? (Since we are in a presidential campaign year, I’m tempted to add, “What did you know and when did you know it?”) Hmm... were all those years in IT helping me become a writer?

the peNN writer • May/June 2016 • www.pennwriters.org

Pennwriters Online Courses

Area 7 bobbi carducci • area 7 representative 540-338-5064 • area7rep@pennwriters.org

Scrivener class with instructor pat haggerty august 1-26, 2016 cost: $49 enroll now at www.pennwriters.org as writers, we’ve all spent time hunched over a keyboard trying to get our thoughts into some word processor. Software such as word and pages work when it comes to writing fiction, but their focus is much more on processing your words (layout, font, headers, footers, etc.) than on the creative process. enter Scrivener.

Scrivener is the premier software application for the creation of novels, novellas, and like works. it allows you to focus on getting your story written while helping you integrate your research, planning, and writing. this course will teach you, the writer, how to best use Scrivener—from planning your scenes to generating output for your publisher. lectures will be presented using recorded videos, so you can hear and see as your instructor explains and demonstrates everything you need to become effective with Scrivener. each lecture will be announced through the email list and will be accompanied by a brief timeline. Students will then be able to use the same list to ask questions, discuss lectures, etc. lectures will be given on both Mac and windows versions of Scrivener when substantial differences in the interface are present. the courSe will iNcluDe theSe topicS: i opened Scrivener and it is absolutely nothing like word.

• why that’s a good thing • getting around the interface • learning enough to get writing now • Starting a new novel • editing basics i can’t just start writing, i need to plan first.

• capturing your plan and synopsis • Setting up the corkboard • using and organizing notecards • outlining i need to get my chapters and scenes organized, my way.

• organizing and reorganizing with the binder • creating parts, chapters and scenes • Sorting things the way you want • Mapping into a template • editing options and views whew, my book is ready. Now how do i get it out?

• compiling to the final output • controlling formatting • compiling to pDf • compiling for Kindle • revisiting the template and formatting options i’ve lost work before, and now i’m paranoid. how can Scrivener help?

• configuring Scrivener’s automated backup • backing up to the cloud (Dropbox) automatically about pat haggerty: after a failed attempt at college and four years in the uSMc learning to be a better apex predator, patrick haggerty attended georgia State university where he studied to be an actuary. Not a very romantic or literary major, but a good paying one. he started consulting on software development and design in 1995 and has spent most of the time since developing and delivering technical training courses for learning tree international. in 2004, while stuck reading a mediocre book in yet another hotel, patrick decided to try his hand at writing fiction. he may not be published yet, but these days you are much more likely to find him spending his evenings writing romance than code. patrick is an active member of romance writers of america, romance writers of australia, romance writers of New zealand, and is president of his local rwa chapter and Director of Virtual Meetings for outreach international rwa.

blue ridge group (Virginia) Meetings include critique on request, sharing resources, writing exercises and discussion. beginning to multi-published writers welcome.

Meets 2nd & 4th wednesdays from 7-9 p.m. at the purcellville library in purcellville, Virginia. contact bobbi at area7rep@pennwriters.org.

Northern Delaware group Meetings will be held monthly. all levels of experience are welcome. for details, email cindy callaghan at callaghancindy@gmail.com. anyone interested in forming a group, please contact area rep bobbi carducci. if you have a place to meet and a desire to spend time with fellow writers, it is possible to host a group.

WRiteR’s toolbox:

oNliNe collaboratorS Many organizations now run programs online such as webinars (website seminars), teleseminars, web radio shows, podcasts (internet audio programs), blog and social media events, and even video conferences.

Some local organizations have online events that are global in reach. Ditto for writer organizations. Search for some to appear as a guest. Writers have found more success from online publicity events because of the greater reach than offline in-person events that are often limited in shelf life or local audience.

Pitch producers for you to be a guest for these programs and get them on board as Collaborators.

- from A Profile of early Adopters and opinion Leaders as Spreaders of Word of Mouth about Books (Dissertation), by Nate hardy, area 6

Your words, your thoughts, your imagination: powerful tools.

Remember that and use them wisely.

the peNN writer • May/June 2016 • www.pennwriters.org

- DoNalD l. hicKS

9

Market News

coluMN #113

by JiM lee, area 4, aSSociate eDitor, MarKet reportS

As I’ve been doing in the past several columns, let’s start with markets with approaching deadlines… the black orchid award is an annual contest for novella-length crime fiction (15,000-20,000 wds) written in the style/spirit of the Nero wolfe mysteries. but note that they don’t want stories involving the flower-loving detective or his trusty assistant archie, just works with the ‘feel’ of the series. there’s no entry fee, and the prize is a cool $1,000. entries must be previously unpublished. they want blind submissions by the May 31 deadline. contest is co-sponsored by the wolfe pack (an organization of Nero wolfe fans) and hitchocK’S MyStery MagaziNe. for details, visit nerowolfe.org June 1 is the deadline for alliteration ink’s Steampunk universe anthology. this Sf book will include stories up to 4,000 wds max, all unpublished, and they’re paying 6 cents/wd. the editors report a particular interest in works by authors from ‘marginalized’ groups (ethnic minorities, lgbtQ and/or ‘differently-abled’ people), but you don’t have to be someone in any of those to send work. for further info, check steampunkuniverse.alliterativeink.com thomas gandolfi is editing a trio of books of Sf/f/h stories on apocalyptic themes. first up is enter the apocalypse about things leading up to a world-ending situation. a second book will feature tales of the disastrous event itself, and a third will look at the efforts to recover/rebuild afterward. all stories must be unpublished, 8,000 wds maximum. pay will vary (1-8 cents/wd) with rates increasing for authors who place stories in 2 or all 3 of the volumes. all subs in body of email (attachments will be deleted). Deadline for the first volume is June 15; second volume’s deadline is Sept. 15; third volume’s submissions must be in by Dec. 15. www.tanstaaflpress.com/enterthe-anthologies-submission-guidelines/ Scheduled to appear in the Summer of 2017, girls Next Door will be an anthology of erotic lesbian romance from bold Strokes books. editors Sandy loew and Stacia Seaman want unpublished stories, 2,000-5,000 wds, about falling in love with the girl next door. they want manuscripts in standard format (not htMl), arial, 12-pt. pay is $50 plus 2 contributor copies. Deadline is June 30. Send questions and submissions to Sandy@boldstrokesbooks.com.

News of new and ongoing fiction markets… compelling Sf is a new bimonthly science fiction magazine paying a pro rate (6 cents/wd). editor Joe Stech is looking for unpublished stories, 1,000-10,000 wds long. Subs in .docx, . rtf or .txt formats. www.compellingscience.com/submit.htm/ 10

litbreak is an online magazine of general literature (fiction, nonfiction, poetry). works from 500-5,000 wds considered.

No reprints. pay (via paypal) is $25 minimum (max not stated). go to www.litbreak.com/submissions/ for guides and to access their Submittable account. aliterate is a new market for literary genre fiction, 3,000-12,000 wds. it’s scheduled to appear twice a year and is paying 6 cents/wd. the editorial team of brendan hickey, emilio t.

Jesso and Joshua l. povner will be reading subs at specific periods. guides and schedule: www.aliterate.org/submit.

Kensington publishing corporation is one of the last truly independent major publishers. they put out a range of fiction and nonfiction books, but are not interested in Sf/f, play scripts or poetry. you’ll need to query, and be aware they’ll only respond if interested. www.kensingtonbooks.com alas, veteran horror publishers Necro publications and bedlam press have closed all submissions till further notice. cosmos Magazine is apparently done as a fiction market, though they may continue using science fact articles. (i’ll check on that and report back). the small Sf magazine pantheon is either out of business or on indefinite hiatus. either way, don’t send them anything. there’s been an editorial shakeup at two of the penguin group’s Sf/f/h imprints. Diana gill is out as executive editor of ace books and roc. New staffers are anne Sowards (executive editor), Jessica wade (Senior editor) and rebecca brewer (associate editor). both imprints continue to take subs only from recognized agents, but another imprint (Daw books) says unagented subs are okay. the editor there is still peter Stempfel, and he wants novels of 80,000 wds and up. www.penguin.com/meet/publisher/daw/ tor and forge are major Sf/f imprints of the Macmillan publishing group. they will also consider novels from unagented writers, but they have an extremely long response time (as much as a full year). Visit www.us.macmillan.com/ torforge/about/faq/#submit%20writing and scroll down the page (guides are after a lot of unrelated info). post Mortem books is a small press that’s currently open to Sf/f novels (50,000-120,000 wds). publisher eric beebe reportedly pays variable advance against royalties. www.postmoretm-press.com/Submission.php

the peNN writer • May/June 2016 • www.pennwriters.org

Many people fail in life, not for lack of ability or brains or even courage but simply because they have never organized their energies around a goal.

- elbert hubbarD

200 ccs is a weekly webzine that specializes in extremely short microfiction (in all genres and types). they want work in a narrow range (185-215 wds). editor paul a. hamilton pays $2/new piece and $1/reprint. Submit in body of an email in plain text format (submissions@200cc.ironsoap.com). your subject line should read: Submission: “your Story title” (word count). www.ironsoap.com/200-ccs/submissions/.

And some nonfiction markets… celtic life international is a canada-based magazine that uses nonfiction covering all aspects of celtic heritage, culture, traditions, etc. they put out 6 issues per year, plus additional material on their website and pay 20 cents/wd (canadian dollars) on publication. pay is on the final edited version, and they require an emailed invoice. Subs to editor@celtlife.ca but query first. info: www.celtlifeintl.com/submissions. everyday feminism is a digital magazine/website. they pay writers $75/blog and $150/investigative pieces. www.everydayfeminism.com/get-involved/write-for-magazine/ a trade magazine, composite Manufacturing pays 20-40 cents/wd for nonfiction (500 wd max for columns and 2,000 wds for feature articles) on this highly specialized subject.

Query Managing editor Susan flynn for an assignment: sflynn@keenconcepts.net. the adoptive families website offers only a free subscription for personal essays, but pays (amount negotiable) for nonfiction articles/reporting on the subject. www.adoptivefamilies.com/about-us/writers-guidelines/ Knitty is all about, yes, the wonderful world of knitting and pays $75-100 for articles on it. www.knitty.com/subguide.php Vice is a website/blog that pays for nonfiction pieces on food, technology, music, fashion and other lifestyle topics. but you need to negotiate the amount with the editor. www.vice.com/pages/about wphub uses articles about wordpress.com—design trends, insight into what themes sell best, authors and agencies connected with this outfit, etc. 800-1200 wds. pay is $100-200. www.wphub.com/write-for-us/ intense blog pays $20-50 for in-depth articles about all aspects of blogging (800 wds minimum). www.intenbseblog.com

classic toy trains pays $75 for articles about their area of interest. they want a query letter, then you can submit either by email or regular mail (disk and hardcopy both required for the latter). but first check their guides: ctt.trains-com/magazine/submission-guidelines. caregivers home companion pays $100 for articles designed to make life better for family caregivers and their loved ones. www.caregivershome.com/contactus/submissions.cfm good old boat is a magazine covering cruising sailboats. pay for articles can range wildly ($50-700), depending on length, type of article, etc. www.goodoldboat.com/writers-guidelines/ Motor home is a monthly national magazine for rV enthusiasts. pay range is $100-900. they want queries before submission, but first visit www.motorhomes.com.

Miscellaneous market opportunities & info… through the gate is a quarterly webzine of fantasy poetry. there’s no line limit, and they recently increased their pay level to $10/poem. editor Mitchell hart reads at only certain times of the year. check www.throughthegate.net/guidelines for the next reading period.

Searching for a literary agent? you might want to check into agentquery.com. they say they have a searchable database of reputable, established agents.

Meanwhile, the Science fiction & fantasy writers of america (Sfwa) article about “the Safe way to Search for an agent” can be found at www.victoriastrauss.com/advice/safest/. the National radio project’s “Making contact” series isn’t looking for radio scripts as such, but fully produced 6-8 minute segments—apparently mostly interviews with people involved in grassroots issues, movements and trends (political, historical, social contexts). they want to receive 1-2 paragraph pitches, followed by the produced segment and will be paying $450. www.radioproject.org/production/submission-guidelines.

Information sources gratefully acknowledged this time around include Ralan.com, Duotrope, Freedom with Writing, Freelance Writing.com, Published to Death.com and Make a Living Writing.com, the open calls Facebook pages and my own snooping around. To send along market tips or info, email me (jimlee.author@gmail.com) or call (814-442-1241).

the peNN writer • May/June 2016 • www.pennwriters.org

11

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baSKet DoNatioNS for the 2016 peNNwriterS coNfereNce once again, we are asking for basket donations for the pennwriters conference basket raffle. the raffle proceeds go toward helping to offset the conference costs, allowing us to bring you quality workshops with exceptional speakers. if you cannot donate a complete basket, consider donating items we can use to put together into baskets. books, writing supplies, music, journals, coffee, tea, chocolate, candles...any items writers may enjoy are appreciated. Donations of services (critiques, book cover designs, marketing expertise, website building, etc.) are also welcome. all donations are appreciated. if you have a basket or individual items to donate, please email ayleengontz@gmail.com.

About Pennwriters

Submissions

e Mission of Pennwriters Inc. is to help writers of all levels, from the novice to the award-winning and multipublished, improve and succeed in their craft. Pennwriters, a not-for-profit organization of more than 390 members from Pennsylvania and beyond, was established in 1988 as a networking organization for published and aspiring writers of all genres. e group offers an annual three-day writers conference and area events and has a strong internet presence, with email groups, online classes and social networks. Authors who meet set criteria are granted Published Author status. For more information about Pennwriters and its members, visit www.pennwriters.org or contact Carol Silvis at President@pennwriters.org.

NeXt DeaDliNe: JuNe 1 (July/auguSt iSSue) e Penn Writer newsletter is published bimonthly.

Contact Heather Desuta, newsletter editor, at Newsletter@pennwriters.org. Please share your news, accomplishments, tips, book recommendations, great quotes, etc. Include relevant artwork, photos and book cover images. Word counts—articles: 800 words (1-pg), 1,600 (2-pg). For articles exceeding 1,600 words, contact the editor in advance. Blurb submissions of any length are welcome. Type “PENN WRITER SUBMISSION” in the subject line of your email message, and please include your Area number. (See the map on page 3.)