Jan/Feb 2017 Pennwriters newsletter

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tHe Newsletter of PeNNwriters iNC. JaNuary/february 2017 • Vol. XXV No. 1

The History of Pennwriters

by HeatHer Desuta, Newsletter eDitor & 2017 CoNfereNCe Co-CoorDiNator, area 1

welcome to a brand-new year for making and celebrating milestones! with the start of each new year, we’re given an opportunity to re-examine the paths we’re taking in working toward and meeting our goals. something i’ve been working hard at is coordinating the 2017 Pennwriters Conference. this event will mark the organization’s 30th annual conference, and we’ve chosen “Making Milestones” as a theme. i want all of us to be thinking about the milestones in our writing lives and all the steps we’re taking to make tomorrow’s milestones. let’s be mindful of the progress we make, and let’s celebrate our achievements. Pennwriters has come a long way, and we’re glad to have you with us. e History of Pennwriters— In 1986, fifteen aspiring romance novelists met published author Nancy Martin at a writer’s symposium at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown. ey formed a group called Romance Alive.

Members supported each other at booksignings, formed critique groups, went to conferences together, and paid to bring in speakers. Membership grew quickly, and the name was changed to Pennwriters. e first conference, held at Pitt Main, was an enormous success, boasting around 200 attendees. But attendees weren’t all romance writers.

Having pulled in writers from so many genres, the board rethought the group. After a membership vote, Pennwriters went multi-genre and incorporated. e conference became a way for Pennwriters members to bond as they attended workshops and panels given by high-powered editors and agents, as well as authors dedicated to helping attendees improve their craft. With social events that included awards banquets, masquerade parties and mystery theater dinners, conference attendees had a chance to display their creativity, showcase investigative talents, learn about one another and form friendships.

Pennwriters also brought many talented editors, agents and authors to workshops and luncheons held throughout the state to educate and inform the members.

An annual highlight was the agent luncheon held in Pittsburgh every December. e semi-formal event gave Pennwriters members an opportunity to not only hear industry news firsthand but also to rub elbows with writing industry professionals.

e group’s small newsletter grew into a sophisticated multi-page offering that is published bimonthly. e group created a website. Pennwriters Presents was created, to give members the opportunity to engage in Q&A with a guest speaker—often an agent, editor or multi-published author.

Over the years, guests have included published authors, attorneys, corporate executives, editors and individuals from nearly every walk of life. ese things continue to evolve to serve members and promote the organization.

Pennwriters has an accomplished history. We’re proud to celebrate this milestone at the 30th annual conference in May. If you would like to share any photos, memorabilia, or stories about the organization or a past conference or event, please email me at thepennwriter@gmail.com.

As you can imagine, this is a busy time, so be sure to type “Pennwriters History” as your email subject line. ank you! I look forward to your responses.

T H E 2017 P E N N W R I T E R S A N N UA L W R I T I N G CO N T E S T I S N O W O P E N. S E E P G.9 F O R D E TA I L S — >

President’s Column Happy New Year to you all! May 2017 bring you health and happiness!

Many of us begin a new year with resolutions. As a writer, you might be thinking about a daily writing practice or setting a target for daily or weekly word counts.

You might consider choosing a particular aspect of craft to improve or try your hand at a new area of writing, like poetry or flash fiction.

Hilary Hauck, area 4 PresiDeNt

2017 Newsletter Themes and Submission Deadlines March/april theme: scifi, fantasy and worldbuilding submission deadline: feb. 1 May/June theme: writers toolbox—what you use to help you in your writing life submission deadline: april 1 July/aug theme: mystery, suspense and the art of tale-telling submission deadline: June 1 sept/oct theme: networking and the writers market—selling your work, your writing career, making money, etc. submission deadline: aug. 1 Nov/Dec theme: romance and women’s fiction submission deadline: oct. 1

As excited and empowered as we feel when we make our resolutions, by midJanuary some of us have unfortunately forgotten or given up on our best intentions. But there are strategies for choosing resolutions that can improve your chances of success. Firstly, it’s important to set manageable goals. Take small steps. People quit because the goal requires too big a step all at once. Writing a first draft of a manuscript is a much more daunting task than writing one scene per week, for example. If you miss your target once in a while, count it as an opportunity to learn about how to succeed the next day rather than as a reason to give up.

Setting a positive goal of what you want to achieve, rather than what you want to give up, also boosts your chances of success. And don’t wait until you complete your final goal to celebrate your success. Give yourself some applause between milestones.

Once you’ve made the resolution most likely to help you succeed, remember to be kind to yourself, and don’t become discouraged. Keep things in perspective by focusing on what you have accomplished rather than what you haven’t.

Sometimes life happens—we encounter interruptions beyond our control, or we find that our plan isn’t working out as well as we’d hoped. You can always come up with a new plan, and you don’t have to wait until next January to do it.

At Pennwriters, each year we resolve to help writers improve and succeed in their craft. We begin 2017 with two new board members who will help us do just that.

We are glad to welcome Stephanie Claypool as our new Area 3 Rep and Suzanne Mattaboni as our new Area 6 Rep. Perhaps your first resolution this year will be to enter our annual writing contest.

There are many reasons to enter the contest. It’s not just an opportunity to win.

Many of our judges give insightful feedback, making it a valuable learning experience. The deadline for submissions is January 30. 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 ©2017 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 • January/february 2017 • www.pennwriters.org

Board of Directors President

I am excited to announce that the Pennwriters Presents series is returning. Every fourth Monday, an industry professional will be available on Facebook to answer questions. To celebrate, we will host a one-time Pennwriters Presents open to the public on January 23, then we will return to members-only format in February.

Be on the lookout for an invitation from Pennwriter Presents Coordinator Denise Weaver, which will include instructions on how to join that membersonly Facebook group.

Hilary Hauck, 814-659-6191 President@Pennwriters.org

Pauline Drozeski, our online course coordinator, has scheduled an exciting lineup of courses again this year, beginning with The HeArt of Storytelling, led by instructor Deanna Adams, January 3-20, followed by The Noise of Your Name with Catherine McLean, Feb 1-27.

Treasurer

The 30th Annual Pennwriters Conference is just months away. Sign onto our website at www.pennwriters.org to see what wonderful things conference coordinators Heather Desuta and Carol Silvis have in store for this anniversary conference. I hope to see you all there.

As always, I’m truly grateful to be sharing a part of your writing journey through Pennwriters. You make it all worthwhile.

Pennwrite on!

-Hilary

Vice President

bobbi Carducci, 540-338-5064 540-903-6831 VicePresident@Pennwriters.org Secretary

susan Gourley secretary@Pennwriters.org Jackie shaffmaster, 570-878-7056 treasurer@Pennwriters.org Author Advocate

ayleen Gontz, 717-359-9279 authoradvocate@Pennwriters.org Webmaster

Mark boerma, (570) 578-1473 webmaster@Pennwriters.org Newsletter Editor

Heather Desuta, 412-337-6966 Newsletter@Pennwriters.org 2017 Conference Coordinators

Heather Desuta, 412-337-6966 Carol silvis, 724-327-2725 ConferenceCoordinator@Pennwriters.org Public Relations Chair

leslie tobin smeltz, 610-737-3288 Publicrelations@Pennwriters.org Bylaws Chair

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.

Jean Jenkins, 814-774-0557 bylawsChair@Pennwriters.org Internet Activities & Online Courses Coordinator

Pauline Drozeski, 814-392-8819 onlineCoordinator@Pennwriters.org Election Chair

Pennwriters Areas Map

Dave freas electionChair@Pennwriters.org Annual Writing Contest Coordinator

D.J. stevenson writingContestCoordinator@ Pennwriters.org AREA 1 Rep: todd Main, 814-459-8752

area1rep@Pennwriters.org

AREA 2 Rep: Mark boerma (570) 578-1473 area2rep@Pennwriters.org AREA 3 Rep: stephanie Claypool

area3rep@Pennwriters.org

AREA 4 Rep: tanya schleiden

area4rep@Pennwriters.org AREA 5 Rep: sandra bush, 717-891-6412 area5rep@Pennwriters.org AREA 6 Rep: suzanne Mattaboni area6rep@Pennwriters.org All areas outside of Pennsylvania are Area 7

AREA 7 Rep: terry friedman 610-331-2558 & 843-236-8189 area7rep@Pennwriters.org tHe PeNN writer • January/february 2017 • www.pennwriters.org

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Friday Evening Keynote CHUCK SAMBUCHINO of Writer’s Digest Books edits the GUIDE TO LITERARY AGENTS and the CHILDREN’S WRITER’S & ILLUSTRATOR’S MARKET. His Guide to Literary Agents Blog is one of the largest blogs in publishing. His 2010 humor book, HOW TO SURvIvE A GARDEN GNOME ATTACK, was optioned

by Sony Pictures. His latest humor book, WHEN CLOWNS ATTACK: A SURvIvAL GUIDE (2015), will protect people everywhere from malicious bozos and jokers who haunt our lives. His books have been mentioned in Reader’s Digest, USA Today, The New York Times, The Huffington Post, Variety, New York Magazine, and more. www.chucksambuchino.com Saturday Luncheon Keynote ANNETTE DASHOFY is the USA Today best-selling author of the Zoe Chambers mystery series about a paramedic and deputy coroner in rural Pennsylvania’s tight-knit vance Township. CIRCLE OF INFLUENCE was a finalist for the Agatha Award for Best First Novel, and BRIDGES BURNED was an Agatha Award finalist for Best Contemporary Novel of 2015. Her latest release, WITH A vENGEANCE, is the fourth in the series. Annette has served as vP and Past President of the Pittsburgh Chapter of Sisters in Crime. Since 2004, she has served on Pennwriters board of directors in various roles, including Area 3 Rep, 2009 Conference Coordinator, and vice President. She was also the 2013 recipient of the Pennwriters Meritorious Service Award. www.annettedashofy.com

Three Days of Workshops, Panels, Discussions Friday, Saturday and Sunday feature an open-attendance slate of one-hour workshops on all things writing. The schedule is structured with open attendance, so you can take whatever classes appeal to you. Attendees will have 40+ hours of sessions to choose from. Our faculty is comprised of published authors, literary agents and editors, and other writing industry professionals.

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Direct Access to Literary Agents and Editors Noah ballard, agent, Curtis Brown, Ltd. Mark Gottlieb, agent, Trident Media Group liz Kossnar, editor, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers eric Myers, agent, Dystel and Goderich Literary Management roseanne wells, agent, The Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency

• Pitch Sessions: One-on-one agent/editor appointments are available at no additional fee. When you register for the conference, writers with finished manuscripts will be able to sign up for 10-minute pitch sessions.

• Each agent and editor will be leading at least one workshop session and participating in a panel discussion.

Bring your questions about the publishing process and hear these experts talk about the state of the industry.

• Agents and editors are also part of our Friday night read-and-critique sessions, where you can get feedback on your writing from industry pros.

The Pennwriters Conference features— •Networking Opportunities: Chat with Pennwriters,

agents, editors and speakers throughout the conference.

Learn what agents and editors are seeking, find a critique partner, make new friends and rekindle old friendships.

• Friday evening read-and-critique sessions.

•Saturday Author’s Book Signing: Authors can register

to participate in the book signing. Attendees can meet authors, purchase books, and get books signed at this event.

Includes a cake reception: Happy 30th Anniversary to the Pennwriters Conference!

•Saturday Night Social: Stay tuned for theme information.

•Area Meetings: Meet members and your Area Rep.

• Friday Networking & Published Penns lunches.

• e In-Other-Words Contest and Raffle Baskets.

• Discounted room rate at a first-class hotel.

tHe PeNN writer • January/february 2017 • www.pennwriters.org

Guest AGents & editors

Here’s a sneak peek at some workshops—

The following agents and editors are scheduled to lead workshops and hear pitches. Any additions or revisions to this roster will be listed on our website and on Facebook.

• Damsels without Distress: writing Powerful female Characters with ramona Defelice long

Noah ballard / Curtis Brown, Ltd. Noah specializes in literary debuts, upmarket thrillers and narrative nonfiction, and he is always on the look-out for honest and provocative new writers. “i’m looking for literary fiction, including: general fiction, story collections, upmarket crime and thriller, horror. also, narrative nonfiction of all kinds, but very few memoirs these days.”

Mark Gottlieb / Trident Media Group He has ranked #1 among literary agents on publishersmarketplace.com in overall Deals and other categories. looking for: fiction, nonfiction, young adult, middle grade, children’s books, graphic novels. Not looking for: poetry, textbooks, novellas, short stories, personal memoir, romance, erotica, early readers, spiritual/religion/inspirational, horror, urban fantasy, new adult, plays, screenplays, cooking. liz Kossnar / Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers she most enjoys reading whimsical, diverse middle grade novels and mysteries, and subversive, contemporary young adult fiction, or any work of fiction that inspires a sense of empathy toward an unlikely character or difficult situation. anything feminist is a plus, and she’s always looking for an untold history nonfiction. liz is not the best match for animal stories, sentimentality, or traditional romance. eric Myers / Dystel and Goderich Literary Management eric has a strong affinity for young adult and Middle Grade fiction, as well as adult non-fiction, especially in the areas of history, biography, psychology, health & wellness, mind/ body/spirit, and pop culture. He also loves a good thriller and is open to memoir from authors with strong platforms.

• imagining the future (without Zombies)—How to Dream up New sf/f with fritze roberts • iN Case tHe toNiGHt sHow Calls with Heidi ruby Miller and Matt betts. learn how to charm interviewers and audiences on tV, radio, online, and in print with help from two creators who have sat on both sides of the couch.

• agent Mark Gottlieb will lead workshops on Pitching and Query success • Master Class: Joss wHeDoN—Jason Jack Miller leads an analysis of this creative icon’s body of work, from buffy’s snappy one-liners (if the apocalypse comes, beep me…) to the classic plot twist in CabiN iN tHe wooDs. • wheel of History!—what exactly is an alternate history story and how does it work? author Matt betts will run down the ins and outs of where to get ideas for your timeline-altering stories, talk about some common tropes, and give examples of some wonderful stories that have bent the past (and future) in prose. then, Matt will don his game-show host jacket and spin the wheel… of… History!

Participants are challenged to meddle with well-known events and change the fate of the world as we know it!

• independent bookstores and you, with bobbi Carducci— writers and booksellers need each other to be successful. learn how to build working relationships that benefit both.

• How to Keep your readers turning Pages: the art of Pacing with Don Helin—your novel should start fast and keep moving. learn to balance back story with compelling story telling. in this interactive workshop, you'll find the secret of structuring a novel that will keep your readers awake at night and coming back for more.

roseanne wells / The Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency in Nonfiction: i'm interested in authors who have a unique story to tell and are dedicated to building their platform and • Powerful tools to enhance your writing success (for all writers, fiction and nonfiction) with Dr. larry “rock ’n roll” reaching their audience. i like narrative nonfiction, select schardt—suffer from writer’s block, overwhelm, lack-ofmemoir, science (popular or trade, not academic), history, focus, stalled creativity, anxiety…? yikes! in this workshop religion (not inspirational), travel, humor, food/cooking, you will learn techniques to overcome these maladies, and similar subjects. i'm also interested in fresh, modern empower your writing, and rock your life. learn powerful self-improvement that not only inspires but energizes techniques to supercharge your desire so you can reach readers to action in this rapidly evolving world. in fiction: your maximum potential and project your writing beyond i'm looking for strong literary fiction that emphasizes craft the stratosphere. and style equally, and doesn't sacrifice plot and character for beautiful sentences; young adult of all genres; very • the author Digital Platform - Just because you build it, selective middle grade of any genre that connects me to Doesn't Mean they will Come—Don lafferty & John langan a strong main character; sci-fi and fantasy; con/heist stories, will lead a double session on everything an author needs especially featuring art, jewelry, tech; and smart detective to find success in the digital world - websites, email and novels (more sherlock Holmes than cozy mysteries). social media marketing.

Get the latest news via www.pennwriters.org and social media, or contact Conference Coordinators Heather Desuta and Carol silvis at ConferenceCoordinator@Pennwriters.org. watch for registration to open in february! tHe PeNN writer • January/february 2017 • www.pennwriters.org

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Pennwriters Member News & Happenings to sHare your News, email Newsletter@Pennwriters.org with “Penn writer submission” in the subject line.

Please include your Pennwriters area # in the message.

Area 3 Wende Dikec’s debut novel, TIGER LILY, won Best Short Length Young Adult Novel in the International Digital Awards. It also was a finalist in the Golden Leaf, and in the Dante Rossetti Prize for Young Adult Literature.

Area 4 Jim Lee had three story publications in October and November 2016.

In October, the online magazine Digital Shorts published “Creature Feature,” a humorous SF story. In November, his erotic horror story “Appraised Risk” appeared in the online publication Deadman’s Tome, while the SF/H story “at Which Can’t Be Salvaged, Yet Must Be” was released in the ebook anthology 9 TALES TOLD IN THE DARK #19.

Area 1 Catherine McLean sold a lighthearted sci-fi short story titled “Christmas on Kifel” to Nebula Rift Magazine, for Dec. 18 publication. For details, visit www.CatherineEmclean.com.

Area 1 Fritze Roberts released (as editor) EvEN OUR FRIENDSHIP WAS ILLEGAL, a collection of journal entries and memoir about students from Iowa visiting Mississippi for a service learning trip in 1962. While there, they lived on the campus of Tougaloo Southern Christian College, a historically black college, where they befriended students, met civil rights leaders, and quietly fostered change. Just for being an integrated group, these students experience hatred and bigotry. ey were harassed and some were jailed, but they continued to fight for justice.

EvEN OUR FRIENDSHIP WAS ILLEGAL tells the story of their eye-opening adventure and shows how their lives were changed forever.

Area 7 Linda Sittig, a reviewer for the Historical Novels Review, had her second novel, LAST CURTAIN CALL, published by Freedom Forge Press (Dec. 2016). e story follows the 1894 Western Maryland Coal Strike, where even the women became embroiled in the conflict.

Please take a moment to verify that you’ve supplied Pennwriters with a current, valid email address. log in to your account info at Pennwriters.org. we thank you in advance for helping to keep our member roster current.

Pennwriters has an accomplished history. we’re proud to celebrate this milestone at the 30th annual conference in May. if you would like to share any photos, memorabilia, or stories about the organization or a past conference or event, please email me at thepennwriter@gmail.com.

To ensure delivery, type “Pennwriters History” as your email subject line. i look forward to your responses!

Volunteers Wanted if you plan to attend the 2017 Pennwriters Conference, please consider volunteering. we have a number of opportunities. Many jobs take only a few minutes, while others may take more. Positions are available prior to and during the conference. in addition to getting to see what happens behind the scenes, you can interact and network with many accomplished authors and speakers. some jobs even pair you with agents or editors. MoDerators introduce a session speaker by reading a short bio (already written and provided to you) and distribute handouts if necessary. tiMeKeePers for agent/editor pitch appointments keep the 10-minute sessions 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, contact Heather Desuta and Carol silvis at conferencecoordinator@pennwriters.org.

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tHe PeNN writer • January/february 2017 • www.pennwriters.org

Goal Setting for Different Stages of Your Writing Life tHe PeNN PraCtiCe • ColuMN #6 • by fritZe roberts, area 1

January—the time of New year’s resolutions and transformational goals. Many writers use this as a time to refocus our energies, so i’ve put together a few tips for setting appropriate goals that will help us make 2017 a great year for writing. the type of goal you set will depend on how much experience you have as a writer. some people may need to focus on establishing a healthy writing habit, while others may have specific projects they need to accomplish. let’s take a look at different goals for writers and how to track progress toward each.

Beginning Writers - Establish a Writing Habit If you are new to writing or out of practice, you’ll want to focus on establishing a habit of writing regularly. To form a new habit, it’s helpful to set a goal that is action-based rather than outcome-based. It’s up to you to evaluate your life and schedule to determine what is realistic for you. Your goal might be to write every weekend, write every weekday, or write every day.

To establish this habit, schedule your writing at regular times of the day and week. Put it on your calendar and stick to it.

Observe the language you use when you talk to yourself.

If you catch yourself saying “I don’t feel like it,” stop yourself.

Immediately say “I am a writer, and I do feel like writing right now.” Then sit down and get to it. The more time you spend questioning, the more opportunities you give yourself to procrastinate.

Remember to reward your accomplishments, no matter how small. Celebrate by patting yourself on the back, raise your hands in the air and say out loud, “Yes, I did it!”

Track your progress. The best way to track progress toward a new habit is to get a calendar dedicated to your writing. It can be a pocket calendar, a wall calendar, or a printed out Excel file. Every day that you write, even if it’s only a few words, mark that day on your calendar. Buy yourself some stickers, draw a star, or just mark it with an X and watch the days add up.

Don’t worry if you miss a day. The key is to avoid using that as an excuse to give up!

Intermediate Writers - Set a Project-Based Goal If you are an intermediate writer, you probably have a decent habit of writing established, but you might lose momentum in the middle of a piece, or maybe you have trouble balancing writing with editing.

Examples of goals for you might be to complete a first draft, write a second draft fixing plot holes, or bring a draft up to submission or publication level.

For completing a first draft, the best advice I’ve received is to just keep writing. Skip a spot if you get stuck, and move on to the next scene. Keep a journal or separate document where you list things you’ll have to go back and fix later.

Right now what’s important is forward momentum. You may want to set daily word count goals or use the calendar method described earlier to keep motivated.

When it’s time to revise a work, it can feel like you are losing that hard-won habit of writing new words regularly.

If you struggle to work on more than one project at a time, morning words might help. Just free-write for a set amount of time to keep your skills sharp, then move on to editing.

Many people edit larger works in iterations. This is a good way to break a potentially overwhelming project into smaller steps. First, go through the manuscript and address any major plot holes. Then analyze the arc of the main characters. Then fix dialog, for example. Working with an editor can help you identify the steps you need to take if you’re unsure.

Track your progress. The best way to track editing work is to break it into smaller tasks and assign a due date to each. You can create daily or weekly tasks to avoid procrastination. Again, using a dedicated calendar helps. Write each deadline on the calendar, and mark them as you complete the tasks.

Advanced Writers - Set a Goal Based on Improvement Advanced writers may want to increase productivity, meaning more words per time writing, or increase the quality of your first draft to reduce editing time. Keep in mind that these goals are not compatible!

To increase your productivity, incorporate word sprints into part of your writing session. Track how many words you normally write per minute. Try shorter, 10-minute sprints and longer, 30-minute ones to see what works best for you. What distracts you and slows you down? As you identify obstacles, you can train your mind to concentrate.

To increase quality, you may need to slow down and carefully consider word choices. Pick one element of craft to improve at a time. You may want to break a yearly goal into quarters if you want to work on multiple improvements.

For example, in January through March, you might work on eradicating certain crutch words from your first drafts.

In May through July, you might focus on deep point of view and character voice. Maybe you’ll spend some time working on your descriptions of body language for different emotions. next page

tHe PeNN writer • January/february 2017 • www.pennwriters.org

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Goal Setting for Different Stages of Your Writing Life continued from pg. 7

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 Janet wells at wellswoodjanet@gmail.com.

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 catherinemclean00@gmail.com. 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.

Classic writers group Meets 3rd tuesdays, 7-10 p.m. at barnes & Noble at 5909 Peach street, Meadville. 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.

Aim for 85% Many writers are perfectionists, and often this gets in the way of meeting goals. But remember, in school you didn’t have to get 100% to get an A, and you didn’t have to get an A to pass a class. It’s the same with goals. At the end of the year, if you got “a passing grade” on your work, then you succeeded!

If your goal was to write every day, and you wrote 80% of the days in the year, then you succeeded. You probably have established a good habit now. Celebrate this!

Not every goal is so easily measured, so it’s important to find a way to enjoy your success. Sometimes all it takes is telling yourself “Good job!”

Take some time this January to assess what your goals for the year might be. Break big goals into daily or weekly tasks, then track your progress on a calendar or chart. Let’s make 2017 our best years of writing.

Fritze Roberts is an active member of Pennwriters. She writes science fiction and fantasy and lectures on the writer’s life. To learn more, please visit www.APeculiarProject.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.

A goal is a dream with a deadline.

- NaPoleoN Hill

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Whatever it is you want to get better at, give yourself permission to take your time and focus. As you practice each skill, it will get easier.

For advanced writers, it can be helpful to alternate these goals. First, work on quality improvement. As it gets easier, try to speed up while maintaining that new level of quality.

Track your progress. For word count goals, tracking progress is easy.

You can use an Excel chart or a calendar to record your words per minute each day. If you use Excel, you can even make charts and graphs to illustrate progress.

Improved quality is more difficult to track, because “good writing” is subjective. One thing you can try is rating your satisfaction with a day’s writing. On a given day, read yesterday’s writing and make a snap judgment. Ask yourself “How much editing will this passage require later?” and rate the passage on a scale of 1 to 10. Keep in mind that you are looking for improvement, so at the beginning of the process you want to give “average” scores somewhere around 5 or 6. Then see if you can write at level 7. Compare new writing to old writing and assess if you are improving on the particular skill you’ve chosen.

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Arise! Awake! and stop not until the goal is reached.

- swaMi ViVeKaNaNDa

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The muscles of writing are not so visible, but they are just as powerful: determination, attention, curiosity, a passionate heart.

- Natalie GolDberG

.................................................................................................................... tHe PeNN writer • January/february 2017 • www.pennwriters.org

2017 Pennwriters Annual Writing Contest Now Open the writing contest will close on Jan. 31, 2017, at midnight, est. winners will be announced during the Pennwriters Conference in May. Prizes will be awarded to the highest-scoring entries in each category.

NoVel beGiNNiNG submit no more than 10 pages. include your genre, so we can match your entry with a suitable judge. $15 entry fee per piece. sHort story short story entries must present a complete story within the allotted 10 pages. include your genre, so we can match your entry with a suitable judge. $15 entry fee per story.

NoNfiCtioN this includes creative nonfiction, narrative nonfiction and articles. submit no more than 10 pages. Must present a complete piece within the allotted 10 pages. $15 entry fee per piece.

Poetry up to 40 lines per poem. $15 entry fee for up to three poems. (1, 2 or 3 poems/$15; 4, 5 or 6 poems/$30) Visit pennwriterswritingcontest.com to read contest guidelines and to submit your entries. Good luck!

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Curiosity about life in all of its aspects, I think, is still the secret of great creative people.

- leo burNett

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A dream becomes a goal when action is taken toward its achievement.

- bo beNNett

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Area 3 stephanie Claypool • area 3 representative area3rep@Pennwriters.org second tuesday of the Month Group Meets on 2nd tuesdays at Panera bread in settlers ridge near robinson township (295 settlers ridge Dr., Pittsburgh, 15205) from 7-8:30 p.m. the topic is chosen each month by group attendees and posted on the area 3 yahoo Group. all requests and suggestions for topics are welcome, as are guest presenters. for information, contact stephanie Claypool at stephanieclaypool@outlook.com.

Mindful writers Group North Meets every wednesday from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at eat ‘n Park at the wexford exit of i-79 (2650 brandt school rd.).

Novice as well as professional writers are welcome to join us for 15 minutes of body, Heart, or Mind Meditation, followed by three to four hours of writing. the Mindful writers fellowship is inspiring and highly productive. to join, email lori Jones at lomojo33@yahoo.com.

Mindful writers Group east Meets every friday from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Panera bread at the waterworks Mall (942 freeport road). Novice as well as professional writers are welcome to join us for 15 minutes of body, Heart, or Mind Meditation followed by three to four hours of writing. the Mindful writers fellowship is inspiring and highly productive. to join, email Madhu b. wangu at madhu.wangu@me.com. the Pittsburgh east writers Group small, friendly 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.

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. (including time for lunch) at King’s restaurant at the wexford exit of i-79. Contact Maryalice at maryalicemeli@yahoo.com. the bridgeville Critique Group Meets the 4th wednesday of every month at 7 p.m. at the Panera bread in the Chartiers Valley shopping Center (1025 washington Pike, bridgeville). fiction or nonfiction wiP are accepted, and any level of writer is welcome. we review one person’s work each month. work to be critiqued is sent to all group members at least a week in advance so everyone has ample time to review it before the meeting. there is currently room in the group for new members. we welcome anyone, published or not. anyone who would like to join the group, get additional information, or come to a session to try us out and see how we work, please contact barb D'souza at barbrett@verizon.net.

Join the area 3 yahoo Group—if you wish to stay informed of area 3 news and last-minute updates, please join the area 3 yahoo Group. Joining allows you to post news of sales and new markets, ask questions, suggest discussion topics, or announce area events of interest to Pennwriters. to join, email Pennsarea3-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.

tHe PeNN writer • January/february 2017 • www.pennwriters.org

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Area 4 tanya schleiden • area 4 representative area4rep@Pennwriters.org the inkwell (altoona area) Meets 1st thursdays from 6-8:30 p.m. in the altoona area. Contact tanya schleiden 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 groups meeting in State College: olli writer's Group meets monthly at the schlow library (211 s. allen st.). Contact rita lumpkins at ritalouise@gmail.com.

Nittany Valley writers Network 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.).

the inkwell (area 4) celebrated the holiday season in Duncansville. Hats were courtesy of Pennwriters President Hilary Hauck, who shared the british tradition of “pulling crackers.”

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In plotting a book, my goal is to raise the stakes for the characters and, in so doing, keep the reader mesmerized.

- barbara DeliNsKy

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Area 5 sandra bush • area 5 representative area5rep@Pennwriters.org york area Group Critique structure: bring 7 copies of up to 5 pgs. of manuscript, double-spaced.

Meets 3rd tuesday from 6-7:45 p.m. in the study room of the Dover area Community library (3700-3 Davidsburg rd., Dover) Contact sandra at area5rep@pennwriters.org.

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.

Additional writers groups meeting in Area 5: the Gettysburg writers brigade meets every wednesday at 7:30 p.m. at o’rorke’s eatery (44 steinwehr ave.) to talk about writing topics. readings are every 3rd wednesday. Contact Jim rada at jimrada@yahoo.com.

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The person who makes a success of living is the one who sees his goal steadily and aims for it unswervingly.

CeCil b. DeMille

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One of the fantastic things about books, fiction or nonfiction, is the way they give you a chance to look into different lives.

- GilliaN Cross

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You are capable of more than you know.

Choose a goal that seems right for you and strive to be the best, however hard the path.

Aim high. Behave honorably. Prepare to be alone at times, and to endure failure. Persist!

The world needs all you can give.

- e.o. wilsoN

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tHe PeNN writer • January/february 2017 • www.pennwriters.org

Writer Events of Interest: March 23-25, 2017 the write stuff writers Conference Best Western Lehigh Valley, Bethlehem, PA Keynote: Michael Hauge, noted Hollywood coach. also presenting: Kathryn Craft, Deborah riley-Magnus, Jamie saloff, Vicky selvaggio, Greg frost, Jennifer lader and others. 30+ workshops, presentations and events. for details about this Greater lehigh Valley writers Group event, visit GlVwG.org. .................................................................................................................... saturday, March 25, 2017 Maryland writers association Conference: “the writing roller Coaster” Crowne Plaza Hotel, Annapolis, VA Keynotes: internationally recognized mystery and crime writer Jeffery Deaver and NY Times best-selling sci-fi/fantasy novelist Maria V. snyder. agents: anna sproul-latimer, roseanne wells, Maximilian Ximenez, Jessica regel. editors: bruce bortz, Jennifer barnes, John edward lawson, austin Camacho. for details about this Maryland writers association event, visit marylandwriters.org. ....................................................................................................................

Area 6 suzanne Mattaboni • area 7 representative area6rep@Pennwriters.org there are currently no Pennwriters groups meeting in area 6, but if you are interested in forming a group, contact suzanne.

Area 7 terry friedman • area 7 representative 610-331-2558 • area7rep@Pennwriters.org 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 Carducci at VicePresident@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.

Please note: if you have a place to meet and a desire to spend time with fellow writers, it is possible to host a group. for more info, contact terry.

“Make It Work” • Third Annual Pennwriters Area 7 Event saturday, april 1, 2017 third annual Pennwriters area 7 writers Project runway: Make it work Ida Lee Park, Leesburg, VA enjoy a day of ideas, inspiration and networking with people like you who are ready to take their writing to new heights. open to all writers, this conference is also designed to introduce Pennwriters to aspiring and published authors in the Northern Virginia, Maryland, west Virginia and washington, D.C. areas. stay tuned for details on www.pennwriters.org and our social media sites. Contact bobbi Carducci at area7rep@Pennwriters.org. ....................................................................................................................

Let me tell you the secret that has led me to my goal.

My strength lies solely in my tenacity.

- louis Pasteur

WrITer’s TOOLBOx:

MarKetiNG: sales PitCH You’ve probably heard about the shrinking attention span of our society. Reduce everything to a sound bite. People are pressed for time, overworked, and too busy—especially agents, editors and businesspeople. Enter the sales pitch, or what some call the “elevator pitch,” a short 30-second summary (average time of an elevator ride or a Tv or radio ad) of what you offer and how you satisfy people’s needs.

-from Strategic Marketing Made Easy For Writers: Optimize Your Promotions for Bestseller Results by Nate Hardy, area 6. www.PlussignProductions.org

.................................................................................................................... tHe PeNN writer • January/february 2017 • www.pennwriters.org

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Publishing Contracts 101

by JaCK HillMaN, PeNNwriters PublisHeD PeNNs aPProVal DireCtor, area 6

as any writer moves forward in his or her career, one thing they will be faced with, for either short fiction or for novellength works, is a publishing contract. the absolute worst thing you can do is sign a contract without very carefully reading each and every clause and making sure the overall contract contains clauses to cover both you as the author and the company publishing your work. both parties need the protection of this legal device. this article is a review of a standard publishing contract for a novel-length work. it is not intended to suggest every contract is the same or contains all these clauses, but a good contract should have most of them. and in a few cases, these clauses are a necessity!

First: The contract will identify who the agreement is between—the legal name of the publisher and the legal name of the author. It may also identify any and all pen names used by that author relating to the contract.

Next: The contract will spell out all rights granted by the agreement—did you offer First North American print rights with possible anthology right for the future? Did you agree to electronic printing rights as well? Is the book to be published in hard cover, trade paperback, or regular paperback? All these rights and any additional rights such as movie option rights, audio book rights, and other publishing formats (which keep changing all the time) will be spelled out in this clause.

The length of the agreement should be specifically spelled out. Is the agreement in perpetuity or is there a time limit? Find out! Often the limits are set relating to how sales are going for the book with the contract terminating when sales drop below a set level.

There should be a termination of agreement clause, in the event that an author wants his or her work back.

This clause spells out under what terms the contract can be canceled. In other cases, the publisher decides to terminate the contract. This is their legal guidelines how to do so, if they wish.

Permissions: This clause outlines requirements for any aspects of the work which require permission from some other source for something which may appear in the work.

Did you use another photographer’s photos? Did you quote someone in the work? It will also cover who pays for gaining these permissions.

Copyright: In most cases, the author will retain copyright of the work with rights for royalties on future sales. However, if you are doing a work-for-hire piece, you will be asked to give up the copyright in exchange for an appropriate payment.

Your name may or may not even be listed on the work if the agreement is written for something published under a “house name.” But if you are giving up these rights, you should expect to be compensated for it, as you will receive no royalties on future sale of the work. You get all your money up front in these cases.

Copyright Infringement: The contract will spell out if the publisher will indemnify the author for any costs relating to 12

a copyright infringement suit, should one arise or if costs may be shared. It will also state any details regarding if the publisher does not follow up on copyright infringement, which may leave this in the hands of the author to handle.

Series Works: If the publisher is providing any information regarding characters, background settings, or general plot to the author, they will generally retain all right to the work.

This type of “shared world” situation is becoming quite common, and any author involved in such a situation should read the contract carefully to see what is required of them, as well as what they are giving up.

Direct Compensation: The author usually agrees to not print the work in any other format than that done by the publisher, for which the publisher pays the author a set advance or royalty amount. This does not necessarily limit the author from publishing excerpts in order to advertise the work.

Ownership of Characters: In anything other than a sharedworld setting, the author will own all rights to characters and world settings. However, the publisher may require right of first refusal on any additional works set in this world, as long as the contract is still in force. The publisher also has the right to use material from the work in order to promote the work in advertising by using excerpts. This right of refusal usually has a time limit—if the publisher does not agree to purchase any new work within that time period (often 90 days), the author is free to market the work elsewhere, even if it is within the same world.

Option: This clause addresses any additional works by the author and whether or not the publisher has any claim to those works. Unless the publisher is paying you a lot of money for any work, it is unlikely they will request right of first refusal for any and all works from an author.

Representations and Warranties: The author assures the publisher the work is his or her work and not someone else’s.

NO PLAGARISM PERMITTED. If this does happen, the publisher retains the right to sue the author into oblivion (as well they should!). Minor mistakes like quotes and such, where permission may not have been obtained, are usually worked out without resorting to this level of legal action.

But if the work is not yours, don’t submit it as such.

tHe PeNN writer • January/february 2017 • www.pennwriters.org

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Delivery: This clause refers to situations where the publisher may purchase a work based on a proposal and the work is not yet complete. This clause sets the time frame when the work will be expected to be delivered to the publisher.

Book Release: This sets the time limit for when the book will be released after receipt of final edits to the publisher.

Normally, there is a time limit. If the book is not published within that time, all rights revert to the author.

Royalties: This clause spells out payments made in addition to any advance that may have been given for the book. It may be broken down by type of book (trade paperback, hard cover, e-book, etc.), or may be a flat amount across the board. Given publishing costs for different types of publications, they will normally be spelled out separately. This clause will also define net sales versus gross sales and how royalties will be paid in relation to these amounts if break amounts are relevant.

Statements and Payments: This clause will spell out how often the publisher is required to send either the author or his/her agent a statement regarding sales of the work, broken down appropriately according to the terms of the contract.

Audit: This clause defines the author’s right to audit the books of the publisher relating to any sales of their work, should there be a disagreement regarding payments. The clause may also limit any payment or adjustment up to a certain minimum amount (such as up to $100 of discrepancy for reasonable costs for the audit).

Editing Rights: The author has the right, up to a point in the publishing process, to edit the work as it proceeds to final publishing. The author also has certain requirements by the publisher to complete this editing in a timely fashion. This clause spells out these details. It also covers any costs relating to this editing process.

Cover Art: This clause outlines any costs, rights, or procedures regarding cover art. In most cases, the author has limited cover input.

Galleys: Before the work is printed, the author will usually be asked to review a final galley of the work, to make sure there are as few errors as possible. There will be strict time frames for this process, as the publisher works to release the book.

Author Copies: This clause will outline how many copies of the work the author will receive for free and/or how many copies may be purchased at a reduced rate.

Author/Publisher Indemnification: If the publisher or the author is sued based on any aspect of this work, they often agree to indemnify each other from these legal actions, with

each party liable for their own legal costs. This clause outlines this legal aspect of the contract.

Insolvency of the Publisher: These days, with publishers appearing and disappearing at the drop of a hat, this is a very important clause in the contract. Should the publisher go insolvent and cease operation, the author will normally want his or her work back. However, in rare instances where a bankruptcy filing is worked out with the publisher remaining in operation, the author may retain the right to renegotiate aspects of their contract under the new conditions. This clause spells out details as to how this will work.

Laws and Venue: As with most contracts, this clause spells out what state the contract is written in and which state’s laws apply. This may change for different states, so be sure to know your state’s guidelines in these matters.

Understandings and Warranties: This clause states that this is the contract in its entirely and no other agreements are relevant to this discussion. It often also states that the agreement supersedes any prior arrangements on the subject.

Inheritance: This agreement will be binding to the heirs and estate of the author in the event of his or her death.

Waiver or Breach: This means that any misstatement of any aspect of this contract shall not be deemed to void the entire contract unless specific terms as such are set forth in writing under the termination clause.

Agency: If the author has an agent, he or she is specifically identified as a part to the contract as representing the author.

That was a basic outline of publishing contracts. Not all contracts will either need or have all of these clauses, but as you can see, any good contract will have many of them. If you are in doubt as to whether a contract you have been offered is complete or correct, ask. There are a lot of published Pennwriters around who would be more than willing to review a contract with you. If you have an agent, ask the agent. That’s your agent’s job—to make sure you get a fair deal in your best interests.

One thing to keep in mind: if you have been offered a publishing contract, it is usually easy to get an agent.

Just tell the agent when you query that you have a contract offered for your work and that you’d like him or her to represent you on it. You have already done the agent’s work and may find yourself with a quick agreement. But if you want to go it alone, without an agent, make sure you know what you’re signing. You may have to live with the end result for a long time. You may also find yourself treating this work as a learning experience and just setting it aside if you have no other options. Good Luck!

tHe PeNN writer • January/february 2017 • www.pennwriters.org

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2017 Pennwriters Online Courses JaNuary 3-30, 2017

this month-long, in-depth, online course covers:

the Heart of storytelling

• How the look of a name (its spelling) and its accompanying noise (the pronunciation, sound and rhythm) resonates on a conscious and subconscious level, and how that affects a reader and the story

instructor: Deanna Adams Cost: $49 enroll by Jan. 2 at www.pennwriters.org.

Course DesCriPtioN: it’s about Heart: emotion! whether you write fiction or nonfiction, your story must mean something to the reader. from the first sentence to the last, to keep readers riveted to the page, you must get them emotionally involved. Deanna adams will guide you through the key elements of storytelling by discussing how to create memorable fictional characters, or make real-life ones come alive. she’ll also show you how to write dialogue that moves the story, and how to utilize the five senses to enhance your writing.

Class outliNe: • Week One: it’s all about characters. if readers don’t care about them, they won’t care about the story.

• Week Two: it’s about heart. Make readers feel what the characters are feeling. show internal emotion, as well as outside conflict.

• Week Three: write dialogue that’s true to how people really talk. what they say (and what they don’t) will drive the plot of the story to the end. about tHe iNstruCtor: Deanna r. adams is a speaker, instructor, and award-winning essayist. Her first book, roCK ’N’ roll aND tHe CleVelaND CoNNeCtioN (Kent state univ. Press, 2002), was named a finalist for the ohioana award for nonfiction and won the arsC award (association for recorded sound Collections) for excellence in research. Her other books are CoNfessioNs of a Not-so-GooD CatHoliC Girl and CleVelaND’s roCK aND roll roots. in addition, adams contributed an article on the rock and roll Hall of fame and Museum for the 2007 encyclopedia of the Midwest. Visit www.deannaadams.com. ........................................................................................................

february 1-27, 2017

the Noise of your Name instructor: Catherine E. McLean Cost: $60 enroll at www.pennwriters.org.

Course DesCriPtioN: since nothing in a story should stop the reader and pull him or her out of the story world, every name used deserves scrutiny. after all, names not only identify characters—names also identify worlds and realms, gadgets and technology, beasts and vegetation, aliens and robots, and much more. to optimize reader believability and streamline the storytelling process, it's necessary to understand how the Noise of their Name affects a reader.

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• How archetype names are shortcuts to a character's character (which eliminates drafting thousands of words to figure out tags and traits) • How to recognize, decipher and understand the symbolism and patterns in word-names (real-life examples: Pansy o'Hara vs. scarlett o'Hara, sherringford Holmes vs. sherlock Holmes, luke starkiller vs. luke skywalker) • How to avoid unpronounceable, confusing, and kazoosounding names like tacye and Cuxirimay • How to spot unintentional word-name rhyming as well as repetitions, which can ruin the flow of a story • How to avoid freudian slips and faux pas like sean Conner and amerizana • boNus: “10 ways to Create believable word-Names for a story.” about tHe iNstruCtor: Catherine Mclean is a published author of short stories and novels. she's a longtime Pennwriters member who gives online and in-person workshops and has had two dozen articles published on the devices and techniques of writing fiction. for more information, visit www.writersCheatsheets.com and www.Catherineemclean.com. ........................................................................................................

MarCH 6-17, 2017

airing Dirty laundry, writing for the trues use family stories, eavesdropping and Cable tV to Create writing income

instructor: Marilyn Baxter Cost: $30 Course DesCriPtioN: airing Dirty laundry offers information and tips on how to create a source of outside income by writing short stories for the confessions and romance magazines. this course will take students step by step through writing a confession: learning the market, developing hooks and compelling story lines, and structuring a story properly. by the end of the course, students should have a story ready for submission. the goal of this twoweek session is to instruct students about the genre and share writing techniques specific to it, so participants will have written a complete (or nearly complete) story that’s ready to submit to one of the magazines.

Class Materials: a copy of True Confessions or True Story.

Course DesCriPtioN: Day 1: lecture on the confessions magazines—what they are,

tHe PeNN writer • January/february 2017 • www.pennwriters.org

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2017 Pennwriters Online Courses why write for them, information about the market (pay rates, story lengths, and the differences between each magazine) Day 2: Q&a time plus photo exercise.

Day 3: lecture on the importance of a good hook, story ideas and where to get them. use a photo to develop a hook for a story you will write over the next two weeks.

Day 4: Q&a time plus continued critiques of hooks.

Day 5: lecture on story structure and how it differs from other types of writing. assignment: outline your story and start writing.

Day 6: Q&a time regarding hooks, story structure, transitions, show versus tell. assignment: Keep writing.

Day 7: lecture about manuscript format; info about short features.

Q&a time. assignment: submit first three pages for critique.

Day 8: lecture with information from the current editor of the trues. submission information and rules will be discussed as well as the contract process and payments.

Day 9: two winners will be announced and will receive a full critique. General comments about the entries.

Day 10: lecture on record keeping, taxes and online resources. about tHe iNstruCtor: Marilyn baxter has sold 40+ stories and many short feature articles to the confessions and romance magazines. she has also sold to an e-zine called Chick Lit Review and an anthology titled, appropriately enough, I Confess. she appears in both the 2008 and 2009 bylines writers’ Desk Calendar and her article “short shorts- Not Just a fashion statement” was featured on the writing for Dollars website. she has published the novellas DireCt DePosit, PiCture tHis and borouGHs is Heart of stoNe. Marilyn is a member of Heart of Dixie rwa and serves rwa on both the local and national levels. she lives in her empty nest in north alabama, enjoys gardening and crocheting, and dotes on her granddaughters. she works part time as an administrative assistant for a boutique law firm. www.marilynbaxter.com. ........................................................................................................

aPril 3-28, 2017

lectures will be presented using videos and email discussions. lectures are through our yahoo Classroom Group and Pat will provide the link to the videos for the students. the course will include the following: • wordPress and its place in the web development world • obtaining a domain name and a wordPress enabled host • Determining when to use posts and when to use pages • Creating a blog or brochure style site • assembling pages • adding images, text, and other media content • editing images (only basics) • obtaining and installing wordPress plugins • linking pages and creating navigation • establishing a standard site look with themes • backing up your site about tHe iNstruCtor: after four years in the usMC, Pat Haggerty studied actuarial science and Computers at Georgia state university. He has spent the last 16+ years developing and delivering technical training courses for learning tree international and runs a successful consulting practice doing web application development for clients ranging from the united state Marines to Delta airlines. seven years ago, stuck reading a mediocre book in yet another hotel, Pat decided to try his hand at fiction.

He may not be published, but these days you are much more likely to find him spending his evenings writing romance than code. Patrick is an active member of rwa, rwaustralia, rwNew Zealand, and is President for GCrwa, and oirwa. ........................................................................................................

May 2017

30th annual Pennwriters Conference May 19-21 at the Pittsburgh Airport Marriott ........................................................................................................

JuNe 5-30, 2017

word Press

the Common thread: writing the archetypal story

instructor: Pat Haggerty Cost: $49

instructor: Val Muller

Course DesCriPtioN: an author today can hardly get by without having a website. a quality site needs three things: vision, content, and a web site framework. the vision is the mental plan for the site and should be mapped to the brand you are attempting to create. once you see your site, even roughly, in your mind’s eye, you can start to assemble the graphics and text that will make up the content. finally, to get it all online, most authors will utilize some web development framework to simplify the actual development process. wordPress is one of the most popular web development frameworks. it’s easy to install, well supported, feature rich, and with a little guidance, easy to use. this class is designed to give you the wordPress skills you’ll need to take your vision and your content to bring your site to life.

Cost: $49 Course DesCriPtioN: students will take a look at the archetypal journey with a brief glance into Joseph Campbell’s monomyth as well as Carl Jung’s archetypal personas in order to examine the common elements that run through all human tales and bring us comfort through patterns we recognize, even if subconsciously. students will then apply these principles to their writing (students can choose fiction and/or nonfiction), with the option of revising current works in progress or creating new pieces. the class will include personalized instructor feedback on their writing. about tHe iNstruCtor: Val Muller is the author of the Corgi Capers mystery series next page

tHe PeNN writer • January/february 2017 • www.pennwriters.org

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2017 Pennwriters Online Courses for kids. she has written dozens of short stories and has had numerous submissions published by Chicken soup for the soul.

Her horror novel, faulKNer’s aPPreNtiCe, was just released with Crowded Quarantine Publications, and the first book in her young adult supernatural trilogy, tHe MaN witH tHe Crystal aNKH, is scheduled for publication with world Castle publications. right out of college, Val wrote travel articles for lancaster, berks, and Chester County business2business magazines. she then moved to teaching so she could devote her summers to novel writing. she currently teaches high school english and creative writing and offers workshops to everyone from elementary kids to adults. she’s the editor at freedom forge Press and maintains a blog, where she posts original flash fiction and book reviews weekly. you can find out more about Val at www.ValMuller.com and www.CorgiCapers.com. ........................................................................................................

July 3-28, 2017

what’s a tweet and why should i Care?

Diving Deep into social Marketing instructor: Jessie Clever Cost: $49 Course DesCriPtioN: you’ve signed up for facebook, posted a picture of your dog, and your friends liked it. Now what? with the ever-changing world of social media, it can be intimidating and confusing when deciding what works best for your author platform. in this workshop, we will explore the intricacies of social media, how social media outlets work in concert, and what authors can do to build meaningful relationships with influencers and readers. take-aways from this workshop include: • in-depth look at the social marketing pyramid • understanding how social media outlets work together • Concrete study of the big social media outlets and what content works best on each • How to develop your author social media platform • How to construct a social marketing plan that will save authors time and show real results about tHe iNstruCtor: Jessie Clever always wanted to be a writer. then she found out you had to market your books. while she went on to write the bestselling regency romance sPy series, Jessie kept to the practical course and earned her Mba with a concentration in marketing, gaining hands-on experience in companies ranging from entrepreneurial start-ups to multi-channel international retailers. she now uses her knowledge and experience to help authors expand their readership and deepen the loyalty of their readers. Connect with Jessie at www.jessieclever.com. ........................................................................................................

auGust 1-31, 2017

scrivener with Pat Haggerty Cost: $49 Course DesCriPtioN: as writers, we’ve all spent time hunched over a keyboard trying to get our thoughts into a word processor. word processors such as word and Pages are fine 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 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, writing, etc., all into one tool. this course will teach you, the writer, how to best use scrivener—for everything from planning your scenes to generating output for your publisher. lectures will be presented using recorded videos, so you can hear and see your instructor explain and demonstrate 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 whenever necessary.

Course outliNe: 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 next page

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tHe PeNN writer • January/february 2017 • www.pennwriters.org

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2017 Pennwriters Online Courses about tHe iNstruCtor: after four years in the usMC, Pat Haggerty studied actuarial science and Computers at Georgia state university. He has spent the last 16+ years developing and delivering technical training courses for learning tree international and runs a successful consulting practice doing web application development for clients ranging from the united state Marines to Delta airlines. seven years ago, stuck reading a mediocre book in yet another hotel, Pat decided to try his hand at fiction.

He may not be published, but these days you are much more likely to find him spending his evenings writing romance than code. Patrick is an active member of rwa, rwaustralia, rwNew Zealand, and is President for GCrwa and oirwa. ........................................................................................................

sePteMber 4-29, 2017

Creating Narrative tension instructor: Bill Johnson Cost: $49 Course DesCriPtioN: Narrative tension needs to weave through every aspect of a story to sustain the interest of an audience. a story that lacks narrative tension is un-engaging. readers must be drawn in. they should feel tension over the course of a story, which will make them want to experience the relief offered by a story’s resolution and fulfillment. to create this tension, something of interest has to be set in motion. for example, a storyteller might set in motion an issue revolving around redemption. because a story’s audience already has feelings and thoughts about redemption, through how a story resolves and fulfills its events, readers can experience a relief from their own unresolved feelings about redemption, or have their feelings about it validated.

NoVeMber 6-30, 2017

Getting results from your author Newsletter instructor: Jessie Clever Cost: $49 Course DesCriPtioN: every author needs a newsletter and an email list of readers. but where do you even start? and how do you build your list?

Newsletters are a dynamic vehicle for communicating with readers between books—and selling books when published— but your newsletter is only as good as its content. find out how and where to launch your newsletter, how to add value, and how to develop rapport with readers and keep them interested. this workshop offers a step-by-step approach to creating a successful newsletter, including: lesson 1: Choosing the right features lesson 2: Choosing a Platform lesson 3: Get readers to sign up lesson 4: avoiding spammers lesson 5: responsive Design lesson 6: Consistent features lesson 7: ask the reader lesson 8: bonus Materials lesson 9: Get Personal lesson 10: utilizing Photos lesson 11: Get subscribers to share your Newsletter lesson 12: Giveaways lesson 13: Give readers a reason to sign up lesson 14: buddy up lesson 15: Members only lesson 16: when to send a Newsletter

about tHe iNstruCtor: bill Johnson is a produced playwright and optioned screenwriter who has read manuscript submissions for a literary agent. He is the author of a story is a ProMise aND tHe sPirit of storytelliNG, a workbook that explores how to create dramatic, engaging stories. He’s the webmaster of essays on the Craft of Dramatic writing (www.storyispromise.com), a site that explores the principles of storytelling through reviews of popular movies, books and plays. bill has led workshops on writing around the united states, including the southern California writing Conference, write on the sound Conference, and the expo screenwriting Conference in los angeles. ........................................................................................................

about tHe iNstruCtor: Jessie Clever always wanted to be a writer. then she found out you had to market your books. while she went on to write the bestselling regency romance sPy series, Jessie kept to the practical course and earned her Mba with a concentration in marketing, gaining hands-on experience in companies ranging from entrepreneurial start-ups to multi-channel international retailers. she now uses her knowledge and experience to help authors expand their readership and deepen the loyalty of their readers. Connect with Jessie at www.jessieclever.com. ........................................................................................................

oCtober 2017

Pauline Drozeski, Pennwriters Internet Activities & Online Courses Coordinator, has assembled a terrific schedule of courses for 2017. To reach her with suggestions for upcoming courses, email her at OnlineCoordinator@Pennwriters.org.

four one-week classes with Pat Haggerty Cost: $49 Perfecting the look of your wordPress site with Css; effective writing with scrivener for iPad; advanced scrivener compile settings, Complex story timelining with aeon timeline. ........................................................................................................

tHe PeNN writer • January/february 2017 • www.pennwriters.org

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Market News

ColuMN #117

by JiM lee, area 4, assoCiate eDitor, MarKet rePorts

Let us begin with a few book publishers… like a number of publishers (including the next two listed below) Persea books is reluctant to be specific about how much they pay. you may have to negotiate, or it might be a ‘take-it-or-leave-it’ situation. anyway, they’re open to literary (i.e. non-genre) novels and story collections, poetry collections, creative nonfiction, memoirs, essays, biographies and literary criticism. Visit www.perseabooks.com/submissions.php. Query by regular mail to submissions, Persea books, 277 broadway, New york, Ny 10007, or by email to info@perseabooks.com. adams Media produces mostly print titles but also does a few ebooks. they’re interested in cookbooks, self-help nonfiction, romance novels, and some ya fiction. for more on what they want and where to send your proposal/pitch, check out www.adamsmedia.com/aboutus. free spirit Publishing aims its titles at the younger set. what fiction they use is for youngsters up to age 8, while their nonfiction books are mostly curriculum-based. before sending a proposal, visit www.freespirit.com/submission-guidelines/. by light unseen specializes entirely in books about vampires and vampirism. they do both print volumes and ebooks, including novels (75,000-150,000 wds) and nonfiction. this includes titles for ya and adult readers. they’re a small press but offer a token $100 advance plus royalties (20% of net from print sales; 50% for ebooks). Visit www.bylightunseenmedia.com before sending a preliminary sub package that includes your cover letter, pitch, a brief synopsis (500 wds max), word count and short author bio. these can be sent either by email to vydolak@bylightunseenmedia.com (subject line: “Manuscript Query”) or by postal mail (with sase) to by light unseen Media, 325 lakeview Dr., winchendon, Ma 01475.

Now, on to markets for shorter work, beginning with fictioncentered opportunities... an outfit called for book’s sake is putting together a theme anthology of ghost stories written by women. the book will have both print and digital editions, and they need works up to 7,000 wds. Deadline to send is by 2/26/17. they say contributors will receive “a small payment” as well as a free print copy, so don’t expect to get rich. but it seems they have produced several past anthologies, so they at least have a track record. info and the attached online submission link are at www.forbookssake.submittable.com/submit/69504/ call-for-submissions-ghosts.

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fiction silicon Valley is an e-zine for the general reading public. they’re open to any genre and will take either new or reprint material. (be courteous and let them know where/when it has previously appeared). Pay is 6 cents/wd, up to a maximum of $100, though they’ll use work up to 20,000 wds. they use fiction (novel excerpts as well as complete pieces) and poetry. they also use a submission manager that is attached to their guideline page: https://fictionsv.submittable.com/submit. the Dark is interested in horror and dark fantasy, but they’re not fond of extreme gore. they want stories 2,000-6,000 wds long. reprints are okay, but earn less pay (1 cent/wd, as opposed to 3 cents/wd for originals). but in either case, they pay on acceptance (no waiting for publication). Check for more details at www.thedarkmagazine.com/submission-guidelines/ then submit to thedarkmagazine@gmail.com.

Daily science fiction puts out one sf/f short story (1,500 wds max) online per weekday, 52 weeks a year. (they need a ton of stuff.) they pay 8 cents/wd, and that’s on acceptance as well. for guidelines, visit www.dailysciencefiction.com/submit.

No reprints. originals only. starship sofa is an audio production outfit that, as of 2017, has grown into a paying market for all types of sf. (they have sister operations for f and H, too—with links to them on their guideline page.) all pay $50/story, and they only want reprints of stories previously in text form. audio markets can be a good way to get additional exposure (and money)—as they don’t directly compete with the usual text-only story markets. they’ll consider up to 13,000 wds but prefer 4,000-8,000. www.starshipsofa.com/blog/2016/11/23/we-pay-writers/. the Centropic oracle is another audio market using a variety of sf/f fiction (200-6,500 wds). this one will use either originals or reprints (as long as the reprint only appeared in text form).

Pay in either case is 1 cent/wd (Canadian money). by contract, they’ll also promote all your published work (with them or elsewhere) on their website. a bit of (hopefully) valuable advice: there’s nothing wroNG with sending these folks an unpublished story, but you should be aware that many text publishers (print and electronic both) want first Publication rights and (unlike the audio zines) they mostly will consider a story previously published if it’s been released by an audio market. so it’s usually considered in your best interest to get a story out in text form first tHeN go the audio route. in any case, it’s your decision. their info page includes a click-on link to the online submission manager they use. Visit www.thecentropicoracle.com/mainpages/subguide.php.

tHe PeNN writer • January/february 2017 • www.pennwriters.org

The new year stands before us, like a chapter in a book, waiting to be written.

We can help write that story by setting goals.

- MeloDy beattie

And now on to markets that are mostly (or entirely) interested in various sorts of nonfiction writing…. adventures in odyssey Clubhouse is a Christian magazine for kids 8-12 years-old, from the focus on family organization. they want wholesome, educational, spiritual work with moral insights (to keep the parents happy) and excitement, adventure, action, humor and mystery (to please the youngsters). they use both fiction and nonfiction, and pay ranges from 15-25 cents/wd (mostly based on how much editing an accepted submission requires). they use short-shorts (400-500 wds, mostly humorous) and longer work (900-1,800 wds). www.clubhousemagazine.com/submission-guidelines. oddly, i didn’t see an address for online submissions. (Check the guide pages—i may have missed it.) in any case, you can send work by old-fashioned snail mail to Kate Jameson, Clubhouse editorial assistant, focus on family, 8605 explorer Dr., Colorado springs, Co 80920.

Put out by the boy scouts, boys life is an open market for nonfiction of interest to young males. (feature articles: 5001,500 wds; pieces for the magazine’s several departments: 600 wds max.) they pay essentially $1/wd for feature pieces and $100 minimum for work in the departments. their extensive guidelines are at https://media.scouting.org/boyslife/ about/contributors/writers.pdf. you may notice that they also use fiction, but this is by assignment only. the american scholar is a quarterly that pays up to $500 for essays and articles on scholarly topics and public affairs, literature, science and history (6,000 wds max). any fiction or poetry they use is solicited by them (don’t send unless they ask). there’s been a steady increase in the popularity of online submission managers, and here’s yet another: https://theamericanscholar.submittable.com/submit. symphony also pays on acceptance ($500-900) for articles (1,500-3,000 wds) of interest to people in the field of classical orchestra. Chester lane is senior editor here.

Visit www.americanorchestras.org/symphony-magazine/ about-symphony/submission-guidelines.html then pitch to symphony, league of american orchestra, 33 west 60th st., 5th floor, New york, Ny 10023. the same address can later be used for submissions. again, i see no mention of email submissions. is this a new retro trend, or have i just located several ‘old-fashioned’ holdouts this time around?

the sierra is the magazine of the sierra Club, and therefore focuses on articles about wilderness and conservation issues. they pay a healthy 75 cents/wd minimum and have a long list of departments and feature issue topics. Check their info page at www.sierraclub.org/sierra/editorial-guidelines, then query for an assignment via submissions.sierra@sierraClub.org).

Pay is on acceptance. a publication for artists and art enthusiasts, the artist’s Magazine wants how-to/technique pieces, as well as artrelated travel, current issues and news, etc. feature articles earn $400-600. (exact length limits not listed.) Visit www.artistsnetwork.com/tam-submissions. rider Magazine uses articles of interest to mature and mostly affluent motorcyclists. they buy only first rights, paying $200 and up for 700-1,800 wd pieces. Visit: www.ridermaagzine.com. salvo wants nonfiction on sex, science and society, 600-2,500 wds. they pay 20 cents/wd. Visit www.salvomag.com, then query for assignment. bow & arrow Hunting is for “hard-core archery hunters” and uses articles (1,500-2,000 wds, plus sidebars and photos). they pay $150-400. Visit www.professionaloutdoormedia.org/ sites/all/downloads/bowandarrowwritersguidelines.pdf. then you can query by email (jbell@beckettmedia.com) or mail to bow and arrow Hunting Magazine, editor, Joe bell, 22840 savi ranch Pkwy, #200, yorba linda, Ca 92887.

Powder: the skier’s Magazine is by and for the advanced skier. they use articles to 2,000 wds. for guidelines, visit www.powder.com/contributor/guidelines/ and then email your pitch to either Julie@powder.com or sierra@powder.com. black belt wants educational articles on all sorts of martial arts, 1,000-3,000 wds. Pay is $150-300 on publication. it is preferred that you query before submitting. www.blackbeltmag.com/about/writers-guidelines-magazine/.

Information from Ralan.com, Authors Publish.com, Freedom With Writing.com, Freelance Writing.com, and Facebook’s Open Calls Pages. To submit market tips/leads email jimlee.author@gmail.com.

tHe PeNN writer • January/february 2017 • www.pennwriters.org

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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 Hilary Hauck at President@pennwriters.org.

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