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The newsleTTer oF pennwriTers inc. novemBer/decemBer 2017 • vol. XXv no. 6
Pennwriters Annual Writing Contest Opens January 1 mark your calendars for the 2018 pennwriters annual writing contest. pennwriters looks forward to receiving your entries. only electronic entries will be accepted. The submission deadline is January 31, 2018. The pennwriters annual writing contest is open to any member of pennwriters in good standing as of January 1, 2018. You must be a member before the opening of the contest in order to participate. entries will be judged by writing industry professionals. You may enter each category as many times as you wish. categories with fewer than five (5) entrants will be canceled. (entries and entry fees in a canceled category will be returned.) To learn about the contest and the criteria upon which entries will be judged, and to submit your work, visit www.pennwriterswritingcontest.com. please familiarize yourself with the judging criteria before you submit your entry. First, second, and third place winners will be awarded in each of the four categories: novel Beginning, short story, nonfiction, and poetry. winners will be announced at the pennwriters annual conference in may, and the scores and comments will be sent out the next day, along with certificates and award vouchers for winners not in attendance. 1st place- either a full registration fee voucher to the pennwriters annual conference ($300 value—voucher must be redeemed within two years) or $50 cash. 2nd place- a choice of half the registration fee voucher to the annual conference ($150 value—voucher must be redeemed within two years) or $30 cash. 3rd place- a $15 voucher to be used for a free entry in the following year’s writing contest. The contest starts on January 1, 2018, at 12:01 a.m. and closes January 31, 2018, at midnight. entries must be uploaded via www.pennwriterswritingcontest.com no later than 11:59 pm January 31, 2018. if you have any questions, email d.J. stevenson, pennwriters annual writing contest coordinator, at writingcontestcoordinator@ pennwriters.org.
The wriTing conTesT will open Jan. 1, 2018. iT will close on Jan. 31, 2018, aT midnighT, esT. winners will be announced during the pennwriters conference in may. • 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.
President’s Column As we head into the final stretch of 2017, I find myself reflecting on the time I’ve been fortunate to spend with fellow writers this year. In October, I attended the Pennwriters Area 1 one-day mini-conference in Erie. Organized by Todd Main and a group of dedicated volunteers, the event featured a balanced lineup of workshops, opportunities to talk to published authors, and pitch appointments with a representative from an established publisher. My favorite part of any writer event is catching up with friends and getting to meet other writers. For me, the writing community involves a special alchemy. It doesn’t matter that we come from different backgrounds, write in different genres, or are inspired by different events or people. We all share a singular passion, and it connects us in a way that is hard to put into words. hilary hauck, area 4 presidenT
Just a week before the mini-con, on a lovely summer-like day in October, the Pennwriters board gathered in State College for our longest meeting of the year. Board members come from all over the state (and Bobbi, from out of state), so we met the night before for dinner and to catch up on life since the annual conference. The board meeting was held on Saturday, Oct. 7, at Toftrees Golf Resort, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.. Before the meeting got underway, we each took a moment to note a PW member who has made an impact on us. Many people spoke about Pennwriters members who welcomed them early in their membership. It was a touching moment—a reminder of the importance of community spirit. We welcomed Annette Dashofy back to the board as Coordinator of Area Reps, and we welcomed Donna Royston as Interim PR Chair, taking over from Leslie while she focuses on coordinating our 2018 Conference. The topics discussed at the meeting included Conference planning, the rising cost of the Lancaster venue, and potential resolutions; how we can better meet the needs of our Published Penns; updates to the website and an upgrade to our membership program to improve our online membership roster management; updates to Policies & Procedures; a snapshot of local Pennwriters meetings; potential changes to our newsletter; strategies to boost enrollment in online classes; and preparations for the upcoming Annual Writing Contest. I’m grateful to the board for their commitment, and to their families who support them, particularly in light of the time they dedicate to the organization. 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. 2
The penn wriTer • november/december 2017 • www.pennwriters.org
In writing news, there is still time to take a Pennwriters Online Course before the holiday rush. In November, Jessie Clever is teaching “How to Get Results From Your Author Newsletter.” I look forward to seeing what valuable classes our online courses coordinator, Pauline Drozeski, organizes for us next year. It’s also time to put pen to paper in preparation for the Pennwriters Annual Writing Contest. Contest Coordinator D.J. Stevenson asks all of our judges to provide feedback on every entry. We hope this is useful feedback for everyone who enters. The contest opens January 1 and closes at midnight on January 31. All details are online at www.pennwriterswritingcontest.com. I hope it has been a productive year for you, with many words on the page, and forward progress in whatever stage you are in of your writing career. If your writing group takes a break over the holiday season, you might want to start a conversation on our Pennwriters Facebook page. Connect with others and stay in touch with your writing family. This season, I give thanks for you, our members, who make it all worth it. And I wish you and your families a Happy Thanksgiving. And Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukkah, and Happy Kwanzaa. Be safe and warm this winter. Pennwrite on. -Hilary
Board of Directors President Hilary Hauck, 814-659-6191 President@Pennwriters.org Vice President Bobbi Carducci 540-338-5064 & 540-903-6831 VicePresident@Pennwriters.org Secretary Susan Gourley Secretary@Pennwriters.org Treasurer 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 2018 Conference Coordinators Leslie Tobin Smeltz and Malissa Close ConferenceCoordinator@Pennwriters.org Interim Public Relations Chair Donna Royston PublicRelations@Pennwriters.org Bylaws Chair Jean Jenkins, 814-774-0557 BylawsChair@Pennwriters.org Internet Activities & Online Courses Coordinator Pauline Drozeski, 814-392-8819 OnlineCoordinator@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.
Pennwriters Areas Map
Pennwriters Presents Coordinator Denise Weaver, 814-442-4876 PennwritersPresents@Pennwriters.org Election Chair Dave Freas ElectionChair@Pennwriters.org Annual Writing Contest Coordinator D.J. Stevenson WritingContestCoordinator@Pennwriters.org Coordinator of Area Reps (CAR) Annette Dashofy CAR@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: Denise Weaver 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 • november/december 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 Maureen L. Bonatch has a new release from e Wild Rose Press. EvIL SPEAKS SOFTLY is a paranormal romance with a dash of humor and horror. Everyone has a story to tell. Even the dead. ey were never supposed to meet. Fame came easy for Liv by following in the footsteps of the female writers in her family. e cycle repeated for decades…until Liv changed the story. Her villain doesn’t like the revision—and he isn’t a fictional character. In his story, the bad guy always wins. ey were never supposed to find love. Liv never questioned her demanding nocturnal muse, or the strange incidents in her old, family home until she met Gage. His job was to watch her from afar, not reveal the truth about the curse and the stories of the dead. ey’ve broken all the rules. Together they unravel secrets as they strive to stop the cycle. Liv’s ability to find love, and protect her loved ones, hangs on the fickle whims of the dead—and they’ve got nothing to lose. visit www.maureenbonatch.com for more about her books.
Area 3 J.J. Knights’s novel BENJAMIN’S FIELD was a finalist in the Young Adult Social Issues category of e Readers’ Favorite International Book Award Contest. visit https://readersfavorite.com/bookreview/benjamins-field/1
Area 3 Maria Piantanida has published REFLECTIONS ON ADOPTIvE PARENTING BY A GRATEFuL RECOvERING KNOW-IT-ALL. e book comprises a series of short anecdotes Maria wrote after she and her husband adopted an 11-year-old boy. In the epilogue, Maria looks back after three decades and offers several speculations about the nature of parent-child relationships.
Area 6 Wendy Tyson’s SEEDS OF REvENGE will be published by Henery Press on November 14. It is the third book in her Greenhouse Mystery series, set in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. e book will be available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble’s website.
Share your news with us at e Penn Writer! Help us celebrate your achievements and publicize your upcoming events and publications.
please log into your account at pennwriters.org to verify you’ve supplied pennwriters with a valid email address. Thank you in advance for helping keep our member roster current.
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The penn wriTer • november/december 2017 • www.pennwriters.org
The penn wriTer • november/december 2017 • www.pennwriters.org
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What is Romantic Fiction? BY ramona deFelice long, area 7
if you search a library’s collection for a novel that focuses on a woman, you might be guided to books categorized as “domestic fiction.” The library of congress uses “domestic fiction” as the genre term for “works of fiction that feature home and family life.” For a long time, books about women invariably fell into that category because women’s stories traditionally focused on hearth and home. Fortunately, traditions—and publishing—has changed, and a collection search for a story featuring women would grab broader results. You might get middle class women-Fiction, women healers-Fiction, Young womenengland-Fiction, etc. what you won’t find in a library’s collection is a library of congress subject heading for women’s Fiction. The loc has some catching up to do, but don’t be dismayed by that. (Though, if you are like me, you can be irked by “domestic fiction.”) women’s fiction is alive and well as a genre. if you are writing or querying a story with a woman as the primary character, you should probably forget the library of congress and its classification system, and instead think of a bookstore and where your novel would be placed in it. with women’s fiction, this can be tricky. a woman as the driver of the plot does not necessarily make a story women’s fiction. Female characters star in many types of novels: mystery, romance, historical, lgBT, humor, chic lit, diverse voices. how do you tell if your story would be marketed as women’s fiction—and which kind? women’s fiction includes stories about family, marriage, motherhood, career, adventure, self-discovery, athletics, romance, military service, death, disease, divorce and empty nests. whew! women do it all in fiction, just as they do in real life. But if your female lead is a police officer, does that make your story women’s fiction or a mystery? if your female lead meets a great guy—or gal—and falls in love, is that a romance or women’s fiction?
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here’s a guide: #1: is the plot more about the woman herself or more about the mystery/happily ever after? #2: could the female lead be replaced with a male lead and the plot remain essentially the same? #3: does the story end with a significant change— both internal and external—in the woman’s life? if the answer to #1 is the story focuses mostly on solving the crime, reaching a happy romantic ending, surviving a zombie invasion, or escaping an evil cabal trying to destroy the planet, you are probably writing a genre novel that is not women’s fiction. Your lead character can be a woman, but her personal story is not the front story. if the answer to #2 is that, with some changes, the female private investigator changes to male pi or the squad leader is a female and no one cares, you are probably writing a story that’s not women’s fiction. if the answer to #3 is that the woman in the story gets what she wants (a partner, a conviction, a safe haven for her family, her own battleship), you are probably writing a story that features a woman’s quest to solve or gain or survive, but it’s an external goal and is probably a genre that is not women’s fiction. what is women’s fiction are stories where the woman’s goal involves herself and something she wants for herself. The story is told with heavy doses of self-discovery and examination. The ending in women’s fiction may not be simple—stories about the human experience often have a more open ending than an arrest, a marriage, a career advancement. endings are not always happy and may not even seem like endings. To put it simply but broadly, in women’s fiction, the journey is more important than the plot. once you’ve decided that you are indeed writing women’s fiction, what kind? if you are scouting for agents or attending conferences, you’ve heard terms like upmarket, book club, high concept, commercial, and literary.
The penn wriTer • november/december 2017 • www.pennwriters.org
here are some guidelines about types of fiction: literary fiction are stories that use skillful language and a wide range of structures, from simple to complex to experimental. They are often lightly plotted, which sometimes means “quiet” stories. The characters are more observant and internal, and the plot can feel more like experiences than action. commercial fiction are plot driven stories with simpler structure and narration, and all kinds of voices and tones. The endings are generally more clear-cut because the plot is goal oriented. Upmarket refers to stories that fall between literary and commercial fiction. Upmarket also means book club fiction—stories that are well written and clearly plotted, but include an issue or depth of theme that readers can relate to and discuss. many agents seeking women’s fiction will ask for upmarket stories to provide that extra selling point—good for book clubs. high concept means the plot of the story can be distilled into a simple, direct phrase. Snakes on a Plane is an easy example of high concept. There are snakes, and they’re on an airplane. do you really need more info than that? other examples of high concept: mute girl joins a circus. (Like Water for eLePhantS) albert einstein’s first wife. (the other einStein) irish clan evacuated from homeland. (the StoLen ChiLd) Young widow starts over. (Good Grief) if you can winnow your plot down to five words or less, and those five words include a specific idea with a broad appeal, you may be writing a high concept story. no matter the kind, no experience is off limits to women’s fiction. This is a good time to be writing for and about women, in any genre.
You pierce my soul. I am half agony, half hope ... I have loved none but you. - Jane aUsTen, persUasion
The way her body existed only where he touched her. The rest of her was smoke. - arUndhaTi roY, The god oF small Things
Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same. - emilY BronTë, wUThering heighTs
Love is the voice under all silences, the hope which has no opposite in fear; the strength so strong mere force is feebleness: the truth more first than sun, more last than star. - e.e.cummings
ramona defelice Long writes fiction, creative nonfiction, personal essays, and memoir. her writing has appeared in literary, juvenile, and regional publications both in print and online, many with “review” in the title. ramona works as an independent editor, specializing in mystery novels; women’s and literary fiction; memoir and creative nonfiction; and short stories. She works with private clients as a developmental editor and through professional organizations such as Sisters in Crime to edit story anthologies. She teaches workshops at conferences, retreats, and online, and visits local writing groups, public libraries, and arts organizations to share thoughts and advice on writing and publishing. to learn more, visit ramonadef.com.
The heart was made to be broken. - oscar wilde
The penn wriTer • november/december 2017 • www.pennwriters.org
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Weaving History Into Your Novel BY KaThY oTTen, area 1
readers who choose to read historical romances choose them not only to share the journey of two people falling in love, but also to be transported to another time. They want to experience life: the sights, sounds, and smells of a by-gone era. They want to ride on a stage coach, dance at a regency ball, or watch medieval knights in battle. For the author, this means research. which of the following transports the reader to the old west? She climbed into the stagecoach and found a seat. or, She gathered her skirt in one hand and placed her foot on the first of two small iron steps. Grasping the strap just inside the open door of the bright red coach, she climbed inside. her black bombazine skirt slid easily across the calf-skin seat as she moved close to the window of the coach. how much research went into the first? what does the reader learn about stagecoaches in the second paragraph? research is Key i love looking at old maps and photographs. it’s fun for me to learn the rule of five beans in the wheel, when loading a colt revolver, or how green coffee beans were roasted in 1860. searching out these facts is like a treasure hunt, and i savor all the tidbits of information i find along the way. if, instead, research is a chore for you, ask yourself why your story needs to be set in that time period. Fans of historical fiction have favorite time periods, and with that, certain expectations. regency and civil war readers are extremely knowledgeable. if the facts and information you present in your story don’t match with what they know, you’ll lose your credibility. have you ever read a story in which the writer presented information that was so over-the-top wrong the book immediately became a wall-banger. one of the worst i’ve heard about was a contemporary romance in which the characters got onto their snowmobiles and buckled their seatbelts. look For general information First once you know where and when your story will take place, look for general information. get a feel for the time period and setting. Then write your rough draft. note places where you have questions and begin a list. how does a lady mount a horse sidesaddle? what is proper courtroom procedure in 1877? how far is it from armory square hospital to the steamboat landing? once your draft is complete, begin your hunt for those specifics. 8
don’t assume don’t presume because another author had a heroine wearing a bustle in 1860 that it’s accurate. hollywood often portrays wrong information that appears to be correct. i made that mistake once when one character shot the hat off another. i’d seen it done numerous times on Tv. But, guess what? You can’t shoot the hat off someone’s head. i saw this proven on an episode of “myth Busters.” readers hold authors to a higher standard. mistakes they’ll accept from hollywood may very well have them hurling your book toward the wall. ground Your reader with setting a key reason manuscripts are rejected is because the author fails to ground the reader in the setting. while it isn’t necessary to use a real town, the town needs to feel real. research the area or an area similar to your fictional setting. i use maps, census information, textbooks, and audubon guides to plants, animals and birds. old catalogues and archived newspapers can give you the prices of various items, hotels, restaurants, street names and local happenings. For one novel, i wrote to the historical society in mcalester, oklahoma, and they sent me maps, photos, and newspaper articles. vintage recordings of music are great reflections of society during a particular time and can immerse you in the period. avoid long descriptions and use the techniques of show vs. tell. as you use the five senses, think about those sights, smells, and sounds, and use those unique to that time, place, and setting. i watched videos of wwi planes to hear the differences in the engine sounds my hero would have heard, in order to identify one plane from another. does your manuscript include a scene where it has recently rained? if your heroine crosses the street, show her lift her skirt from dragging in the wet. maybe her foot slips on the wet cobblestone. if it’s a western, show her navigating piles of horse manure as mud oozes over the toes of her shoes. Keep in mind that man alters the environment. man cuts down forests, dams rivers, and widens shorelines with landfill. don’t let your character swim in a lake that didn’t exist. in my research of oklahoma, i learned that the native grasses which once covered a large portion of indian Territory are gone. modern pictures of short prairie grass would not have been what my characters saw. instead, they would have ridden through Bluestem, which grew to 10 feet by summer and could hide a man on a horse.
The penn wriTer • november/december 2017 • www.pennwriters.org
create historical characters once you choose a location for your story, learn what ethnic groups settled the area and when. From that information, choose your character’s name, favorite foods, and customs. i use etiquette books, letter collections, diaries, and memoirs. search amazon and google Books. many old diaries and histories can be downloaded for free. Be careful not to impose 21st century thoughts and ideals on your characters because you’re uncomfortable with the mindset of society at the time. Find a balance between keeping your characters true to that time, yet be sympathetic to the modern reader. in medieval times, girls married at thirteen. however, the modern reader would never be comfortable reading a sex scene with a child and a man twice her age. The heroine of a romance would have to be at least eighteen. To make it believable, your character might be a widow or may have been sequestered in an abbey. The hygiene, violence, and rape of the time are glossed over and tweaked so romance readers aren’t repulsed by the hero or heroine. a true historical novel isn’t bound by those parameters. Keep Your dialogue historical Fans of regency romances expect formal language and snappy banter filled with innuendo. if your story takes place during a cattle drive, pepper your dialogue with the unique language of those men. remember words have birthdays, as does every tool, piece of furniture, and article of clothing. lasso is a modern word. The men who lassoed wayward cattle called it a catch rope or a throw rope. check words and phrases with an etymology dictionary. in one novel, i had my hero put on a Fish rain slicker. after double checking my facts, i realized the rain coat wasn’t invented until 1881, and my story took place in 1877. i changed it to a gum blanket. if you write civil war stories, remember to check the names of battles. a northerner might talk about the battle of antietam, while a southerner would refer to it as sharpsburg, or say manassas instead of Bull run. Think about your characters’ education level. limit their knowledge to their social and economic level. a Boston debutante and an irish immigrant will each speak and react differently in the same situation. Their knowledge of government and news will vary. an average civil war soldier, far from home, had little knowledge of the area in which he fought and wouldn’t know the names of roads, rivers, or towns.
and, in the same way some say soda while others say pop, american authors need to be careful when setting a story in england to use British (pavement) and not american (sidewalk) terms. avoid info dumps weave the action of everyday life around dialogue. show the hero loading his gun as he argues with the heroine during an outlaw attack. show the heroine baking a cake with old-fashioned measurements, like pinches, handfuls, and small cups, when a neighbor comes with news. one time i wrote an entire paragraph about the system of signals outlaws used to warn each other of deputy U.s. marshals in indian Territory. my editor deleted it. Just because i found outlaw signals interesting didn’t mean they belonged in the story. don’t Be afraid To ask interview people who lived during wwii or vietnam. ask fellow authors to recommend books and links. Facebook is filled with groups that discuss civil war, steampunk, medieval history, and pretty much anything. Join a few groups and ask questions. visit historical societies, museums and libraries. seek out and attend relevant events. i went to a gun show to not only see the guns my characters might have used, but also to feel the weight of them in my hands. pinterest and reenactor sites are good sources for period clothing; but remember, not all reenactors maintain the same standard of period accuracy. double check everything. authors who don’t apply due diligence appear lazy and lose credibility with their readers. in one story, my characters needed to meet the train in Julesburg, colorado. on a map, i had it appeared doable, but when i double checked the town’s location, i discovered the town had moved four times. Forgive Your own mistakes The more you dig, the more you learn what you don’t know. if you discover you’ve made a mistake and it’s too late to change it, forgive yourself and move on to the next book. assume it will be better than the one before it. have fun, and think of all the trivia you’ll have stored in your head for playing “Jeopardy.” kathy otten is the author of four historical romance novels, multiple short stories, and novellas. She writes primarily historical romance but has also been published in contemporary romance, historical fiction, and Western. her novel LoSt heartS was a Utah/Salt Lake rWa hearts of the West finalist. a tarniShed kniGht won second place in the novel Beginnings category of the Pennwriters annual Writing Contest , and kathy was a recent winner in the 2016 northwest houston rWa Lone Star Writing Competition. She is an active member of Pennwriters area 1. Visit her online at www.kathyottenauthor.com.
The penn wriTer • november/december 2017 • www.pennwriters.org
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Area 1
Area 4
Todd main • area 1 representative 814-459-8752 • area1rep@pennwriters.org
denise weaver • area 4 representative area4rep@pennwriters.org
meadville vicinity pennwriters (mvp) meets 1st saturday, 1-4 p.m. at Tarot Bean roasting co. at 252 chestnut st. contact Janet wells at wellswoodjanet@gmail.com.
The inkwell (altoona area) meets 1st Thursdays from 6-8:30 p.m. in the altoona area. contact denise weaver at area4rep@pennwriters.org.
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 eat ‘n park in erie. contact Todd main at todd_main@steris.com. 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.
Area 6 suzanne mattaboni • area 6 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.
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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 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 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) cynthia hospador at chospador@gmail.com. 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.
The penn wriTer • november/december 2017 • www.pennwriters.org
Area 3 stephanie claypool • area 3 representative • area3rep@pennwriters.org area 3 meeTings: second Tuesday of the month group The second Tuesday of the month group meets on 2nd Tuesdays at panera Bread in settlers ridge (295 settlers ridge dr., pittsburgh 15205) near robinson Township from 7 to 8:30 pm. The topic is chosen each month by group attendees and posted on the area 3 Yahoo group pennsarea3@yahoogroups.com. all requests and suggestions for topics are welcome as are guest presenters. For more information contact anne slates at prinatiller@hotmail.com. mindful writers groups: mindful writers is for writers of all levels. The weekly meetings begin with 15 minutes of Body, heart, or mind meditation followed by 3-4 hours of writing. The camaraderie and the productivity are so fulfilling that it even surprises the writers who have been practicing this for years. north: meets every wednesday from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at eat’n’park, 2650 Brandt school rd., wexford 15090. To join, email lori Jones at lomojo33@yahoo.com east: meets every Friday from 10 a.m. to 2:30 pm at panera Bread, waterworks mall, 942 Freeport rd., pittsburgh 15238. This group is presently taking a wait list. email madhu B. wangu at madhu.wangu@me.com south: meets every Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at mt. lebanon United lutheran church, 975 washington rd., pittsburgh 15228. To join, email stephanie Keyes steph@stephaniekeyes.com. only two seats remain. Brand new!! Beaver: meets every Thursday from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Beaver area memorial library, 100 college ave., Beaver 15009. To join, email wendedikec@comcast.net area 3 criTiQUe groUps: The pittsburgh east writer's group small, friendly critique group focusing on fiction. all genres welcome. meets on the third saturday of each month, 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the upstairs conference room at the monroeville public library. contact chuck rakiecz at crakiecz@verizon.net critique group north seven members writing shorts, flashes, novels. meets on the second Thursday of the month at eat ‘n park (2650 Brandt school rd., wexford 15090) from 10 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., including time for lunch. The group is now at full capacity of seven and is accepting candidates for a wait list. writers interested in critique group north, contact maryalice meli at maryalicemeli@yahoo.com The Bridgeville critique group meets the fourth wednesday of every month at 7 p.m. at panera Bread in the chartiers valley shopping center, 1025 washington pike, Bridgeville 15017. 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. The group is currently full but keeping a wait list. 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. cranberry Township critique group a small group focused on fiction, mainly novels, meeting at the cranberry library every three weeks on saturdays at 9:30 a.m. This group is now at capacity. To get on a wait list or for more information contact amy wagner at amywagner00@gmail.com Join The area 3 Yahoo groUp pennwriters who wish to stay informed of area 3 news and last-minute updates, may 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. Please note: if you are a Pennwriter outside of area 3, but would like to come to area 3 meetings, you are most welcome. Prospective new Pennwriters members are welcome to check us out. The penn wriTer • november/december 2017 • www.pennwriters.org
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SAVE THE DATE
For readers worldwide, the attraction of romance novels seems to be that they provide hope, strength, and the assurance that happy endings are possible. Romance makes the promise that no matter how bleak things sometimes look, in the end everything will turn out right and true love will triumph— and in an uncertain world, that's very comforting. - leigh michaels, on wriTing romance: how To craFT a novel ThaT sells
You should write because you love the shape of stories and sentences and the creation of different words on a page. - annie proUlX
"Create dangerously, for people who read dangerously. .. . [Write] knowing in part that no matter how trivial your words may seem, someday, somewhere, someone may risk his or her life to read them. - edwidge danTicaT
And by the way, everything in life is writable about if you have the outgoing guts to do it, and the imagination to improvise. The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt. - sYlvia plaTh
A word after a word after a word is power. - margareT aTwood
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The penn wriTer • november/december 2017 • www.pennwriters.org
Romance Novels: Taking a Hopeful Romantic Journey BY sUsan helene goTTFried, area 3
i was talking to my son’s calculus teacher about romance novels. she has been gravitating toward them lately, tired after a day of teaching and advising a number of clubs and activities, and dealing with a 13-year-old at home. “You don’t have to think too hard,” she said to me. “They’re fun.” “my favorite part,” i responded, “is that romances are all about hope.” she paused, a thoughtful frown crossing her face, her brows slightly furrowed. it was fast, so fast that i might have missed it, because it was wiped entirely away by a huge smile. “You are right!” she exclaimed, and we parted ways so she could greet the next parent in line. Underneath the stereotypes that persist long after Fabio cut his flowing locks and mostly retired from the public eye, that’s the thing about romance. This generally isn’t the genre you pick up when you want a heavy read that’s going to make you think a lot. it’s what you pick up when you want to be entertained, when you want some form of a happy ending. now, that doesn’t mean a good romance won’t make you think. a very good romance will! about the characters on the page, but also about what it means to love and be loved. about what it takes to build a good relationship, about how we interact with each other and the world around us. seems pretty lofty for some story about two people coming together, being tested or out-and-out ripped apart, and then finding each other again, huh? But there’s more to be learned from romance. pick up a historical. The really good ones have been researched thoroughly. clothing, manners, even the word choices used between women and men versus between men and men, and women and women, have changed over the years. some plots rely on history to drive the story forward or to provide a character’s backstory. There’s a lot to learn, and best of all, it’s not given to you in a dense manner that borders on info dumps (or at least it shouldn’t be!). it’s presented as a natural part of the world-building, so you take it in almost through osmosis. still, as my son’s teacher said, these aren’t lessons or tidbits that readers necessarily need to think about. compare a romance of any sort to a very literary book, the sort that demands 100% attention just to understand the twists, turns, and beautiful prose of a single sentence. personally, i prefer romance to literary. in fact, i’ve gravitated toward it since my divorce a number of years ago. it took me awhile to figure out why i was reading
about love when i’m so soured on it in real life, but it gets back to what i said to that calculus teacher: romance novels are about hope. even with the introduction of the happily For now ending in place of the guaranteed happily ever after, readers still know what we’re getting in a romance. There’s a reason the initial meeting between hero and heroine is called a “meet cute,” folks. The circumstances that bring characters together are as much fun as grandma mazur’s latest antics in the funeral home (a reference for my fellow stephanie plum fans.) You know it’s going to happen, so the fun becomes all about the how of it. a really well written set of characters will let us feel their chemistry crackling off the page, even from that first meeting. a merely good set of characters will have us pulling for them in short order, and since we know they will be tested somehow, torn apart, endangered—something!—our emotions are quickly involved. one could even argue we pick up the book expecting and demanding this. and, again, we hope. we hope whatever is keeping them apart—a misunderstanding, a physical separation, a Big secret, a meddler with malicious intent, or something else entirely—won’t be fatal, even though logically, when we step outside the story, we know it can’t be. if it did, it wouldn’t be a romance. right? The best fiction takes the reader on an emotional journey, and romance is great for this because even when we get to the end at last, we’re still hopeful for them. we hope a happily For now turns into a happily ever after, and for happily ever after to be real. i think, in the end, that’s the key: for happily ever after to be real. it’s worth hoping for, don’t you think? susan helene gottfried owns west of mars, llc, a boutique business providing editing services to authors of fiction, including romance. a pennwriter in the early ’90s and then again from early this century until now, she’s published some of her own fiction but has since learned that really, writing is awesome but editing is 10 times more fun. and, yes, there’s lots of hope involved in editing, too. visit her online at http://westofmars.com.
The penn wriTer • november/december 2017 • www.pennwriters.org
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Market News
colUmn #122
BY Jim lee, area 4, associaTe ediTor, marKeT reporTs
the primary theme of this issue is romance and Women’s fiction, but that doesn’t mean male authors (or even the most unromantic among us) need skip this article. as always, i’ll work in the widest possible variety of subject matter and opportunities. Let’s start with some fiction markets (heavy on romance, but including others): harlequin is, of course, one of the biggest of bigtime publishers in the romance field. They actually have two online pages you should check out for info. Their ‘submission page’ details how to submit, (www.harlequin.com/shop/pages/write-for-harlequin.html) and the ‘submissions guideline’ page lists the different needs of each of their numerous imprints, as well as providing the click-on access to the submission manager they use. (www.harlequin.submittable.cim/submit) city lights press uses most subgenres of Ya and adult-oriented romance (the exception being, no explicit erotica). They say they look for “sexy-sexy or sexy-cute.” guides: www.citylightspress.com. loveswept and Flirt are digital-only imprints from random house, another major publisher. instead of regular guidelines, they have an overly cute but informative “info Booklet” that serves the same purpose (either download or scroll down the page to read). visit www.randomhousebooks.com. casablanca is the romance imprint of sourcebooks. They want epic-length romance (85,000-100,000 wds). visit www.sourcebooks.com/resources/romance-fiction-submissionguidelines.html. harper impulse is a UK-based imprint that does digital-first romance, with a few better-selling titles also in print editions. They use all sorts of romance but show a particular fondness for chick lit and contemporary settings. For extensive guidelines, go to www.harperimpulseromance.com/contact/write-for-us/. roane publishing wants romance, erotic romance and fantasy romance. They offer somewhat differing guides to all three categories at www.roanepublishing.com/articles.asp?id=252. entangled publishing releases 20-35 ebooks/month; 4 print and ebook releases/month from a number of imprints. www.entangledpublishing.com/submission-information/. Belle Books presents books about southern Belles in love. www.bellebooks.com/shopcontact.asp?type=For%20writers. spencer hill press does “sweet romance” for the Ya and adult contemporary fields. details (and sub manager connection) are www.spencerhillpress.com/contact-us/submission-guidelines/. Forever and Forever Yours are the romance sister imprints of grand central publishing. lengths: 25,000-100,000 wds. Books under 50,000 wds are exclusively ebooks; longer works may be done in both print and ebook forms. www.labs.hlogusa.com/web/forever-romance/submission-guidelibes.html.
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siren uses romances with explicit sex. 20,000-85,000 wds. They produce both ebooks and print books. They pay royalty only (like many smaller presses). guides: www.sirenbookstrand.com/submissions/. Fireside magazine is a weekly fiction webzine. editor Julia rios uses pretty much all genres (including romance and women’s fiction, but also with a personal soft spot for sF/F), and she pays a nifty 12.5 cents/wd—new only, 4,000 wds max. The one constant is that she wants complete stories with a beginning, middle and end. They only read at specific periods, so check for when to send, as well as to get access to their online submission manager. www.firesidefiction.com/about/#submissions-guidelines havoc magazine uses all genres of short fiction (1,000 wds max). They pay 2 cents/wd plus a contributor copy. a quarterly, they release issues in both print and e-zine formats. each issue has its own theme, so check their guides (www.splickety.com/submission-guidelines/ to see what they want before sending as an email attachment. editor: avily Jerome. a couple of columns ago, the theme was mystery/crime fiction. here are some more markets in that genre: one such is: mystery weekly magazine pays $25 on acceptance (via paypal). 2,000-10,000 wds, new ones only. guides at www.mysteryweekly.com/submit.asp include digital sub form. Then there’s gumshoe review, which pays 5 cents/wd (up to $50 max) for mystery stories and essays, 1,000 wds and up. www.gumshoereview.com/php/review-id.php?id=1852 red room is an extreme horror/crime fiction magazine from comet press. Their next reading period opens in december, so check the info page (www.cometpress.us/redroom/guidelines/) to be sure they’re open. 4,000 wds max for fiction; related nonfiction of up to 1,000 wds. 3 cents/wd. arenika is an online quarterly of sF/F/h flash fiction and poetry. They want new material only, paying $60 for fiction and $30 for poems. They’re open a week at a time at various times of the year (next is early december), so always check their guides (www.arenika.ink/submissions/) to be sure they’re open to subs. primordial is a new market for dark sF, debuting in January 2018. They have a focus on alien biology and evolution. They want sF, 1,000-16,000 wds; relevant nonfiction, 1,000-2,000 wds. pay for all is 1 cent/wd. new material preferred, query for reprints before sending. They’re planning to be a quarterly e-zine. editor: dale Thomas. subs: primordialmagazine@gmail.com. details: www.primordialmagazine.com/author-guidelines/. and, now, some nonfiction-oriented markets, female-oriented markets, etc.: more magazine is a women’s lifestyle publication. Fees, lengths and deadlines are discussed upon acceptance. They use articles of 500 and up. www.more.com/write-us
The penn wriTer • november/december 2017 • www.pennwriters.org
Cram your head with characters and stories. Abuse your library privileges. Never stop looking at the world, and never stop reading to find out what sense other people have made of it. If people give you a hard time and tell you to get your nose out of a book, tell them you're working. Tell them it's research. Tell them to pipe down and leave you alone. - JenniFer weiner
The chicken soup for the soul anthology series is always looking for inspirational, family-friendly true stories and poems. They pay $200 (plus 10 contributor copies) for accepted material. at any one time, they’re typically looking to fill a half-dozen or so books, each one with a particular theme. check out the info at www.chickensoup.com/story-submissions/story-guidelines and click on “possible topics” for the current themes. almost Fearless is an adventure/travel magazine for parents. They say they need essays and think pieces about “what it means to be a parent and live a fulfilled life.” what they mean by that (as far as i can tell) involves showing how parents who are outdoor enthusiasts can maintain these interests and safely introduce them to their kids. They pay $1/wd for articles used in their print mag; $50-250 for ones only on their web site. For details, visit www.almostfearless.submittable.com/submit. adoptive Families is another parents’ magazine aimed at a specific niche. They cover all aspects of the parental adoption process and what follows for everyone involved. They need personal essays and reported articles. send both queries and submissions via email (submissions@adoptivefamilies.com). pay varies (discuss it when they respond to your query, probably). First check: www.adoptivefamilies.com/about-us/writer-guiidelines/. ms. magazine uses opinion pieces, social commentary and reporting from a feminist viewpoint. pay rates are discussed once an assignment is made, so query with story idea. But first visit www.msmagazine.com/contact.asp#submissions. psychology for living calls itself a “christian psychology magazine.” They want “practical, applied christian psychology” articles and have no need for queries. write for a lay audience, avoiding excessive jargon/technical terms. For new pieces, they pay $200 (1,200-1,700 wds), $125 for less than 1,200. They’ll also use some reprints, paying a flat fee of $75. details: www.ncfliving.org/ psychology-for-living-literature/writers=guidelines.html. my mind Body metabolic workout is a blog full of helpful tips and wellness info for women. pay is $50/piece (700 wds max), on acceptance. www.mymindbodymetabolicworkout.com/write-for-us another woman-oriented blog, The hairpin is a general women’s lifestyle publication. They pay 20 cents/wd. The same company runs at least 3 other blogs (not specifically woman-focused). when sending material, use submissions@thehairpin.com. For guides: www.thehairpin.com/about/.
any pennwriters with expertise in law-enforcement should check out the hendon media group. They put out a whole slew of policeoriented nonfiction magazines. They use articles, 1,800-2,400 wds long, and pay 10 cents/wd to start. regular contributors earn more. www.hendonpub.com/submitting_articles/freelance_writers_guidelines. howlround offers the theatrically-inclined essays, blogs (including a series of blogs on related topics) a “new crit” about stage plays (analysis beyond the traditional thumbs up/thumbs down). Blogs (750-1,000 wds) earn $50; new crit (1,000-1,500) earn $100; essays of 1,500-2,000 wds are bought for $150. They want queries and/or pitches. visit www.howlround.com/participate. dawn publications does nonfiction books aimed at promoting “nature awareness” in children. it’s a small operation (averages 6 titles per year) that does mainly picture books, with a bit of creative nonfiction writing that supports core classroom lesson plans. They want to help kids “appreciate and respectfully participate in nature.” subs can be sent via email or regular post, but be sure to visit www.dawmpub.com/submission-guidelines/ for more info. no mention is made of pay, but given their self-described “boutique” status, don’t expect any huge checks. Just use your best judgment as to what you think is reasonable. wm. B. eerdmans publishing puts out religious (christian) books for both adults and young readers. Topics include academic and bible studies, theological reference books, and religious history. They mainly do print volumes and report good distribution. interestingly, they offer two totally different sets of guidelines for adults and for kids. again, no word of pay levels/terms, so use your judgment. visit www.eerdmans.com. and finally, wild west buffs take note: persimmon hill is the official magazine of the national cowboy & western heritage museum in oklahoma city. They want unpublished articles (1.500 wds max) on western art, history, ranching, and rodeo. pay range is $100-250. They want queries with published clips, so they obviously favor established writers. in any case, visit nationalcowboymuseum.org/plan-your-visit/writers-guidelines. and there you have it: another varied and (i hope) valuable bunch of potential markets. info this time from authorsPublish.com, freelanceWriting.com, ralan.com, facebook’s open Calls Pages, and Bookfox.com. tips, leads and other info always welcomed. to submit market tips/leads, email jimlee.author@gmail.com. Contributions are always appreciated.
Joke writers take note: editor linda perret pays $3/each for all sorts of humorous one-liners at perret’s’ humor Files. This is an online joke service. despite the title, info@comedywriters.com lacks any formal guidelines, but has profiles of perret and her business partner. To send subs use www.jokecrafters.com/ contact-us/. The penn wriTer • november/december 2017 • www.pennwriters.org
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Writer’s Toolbox: Marketing Headlines For articles, press releases, and direct marketing (mail, email, search engine ads, etc.), catchy, concise headlines are key to hook readers and ensure great response rates. You have one second to hook people with a compelling reason to read your marketing from the hundreds that demand their time daily. Good headlines are vital to getting publicity from media professionals swamped with inquiries. Write headlines with no more than 7 words—some grammar rules are okay to break, like omitted verbs. Put a strong Customer Need into the headline to hook people, or say something that will make them curious and want to read more. Study the junk mail and emails that got you to open them and work to create headlines that are just as effective. “Gilead wins the Pulitzer Prize” -Marilynne Robinson, author “Why men cheat – The surprise #1 reason” -love relationships newsletter “Last Chance for FREE Shipping. Act Now” -vitamin Shoppe “Doe surprises all in new novel – Oprah” -John Doe, author -from Strategic Marketing Made easy for Writers: optimize Your Promotions for Bestseller results by dr. nate hardy, area 6. www.plussignproductions.org
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 400 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.
neXT deadline: dec. 1 (JanUarY/FeBrUarY issUe) e Penn Writer is published bimonthly. Contact Heather Desuta, newsletter editor, at Newsletter@pennwriters.org. Please share your news, accomplishments, tips, great quotes, book recommendations, 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.)