THE
THE NEwsLETTER OF PENNwRITERs INC. NOV/DEC 2019 • VOL. XXVII NO. 6
Bypass Writer’s Block and Fuel Creativity with Freewriting by CHRIsTIANA REULING, AREA 1
Are you feeling blocked? Don’t have the time, or the energy, or the inspiration to work on your novel right now? Do you feel guilty because you know you should be writing, but you just can’t seem to commit to a large body of work? Why not give Freewriting a go? Freewriting is a contemporary and popular way of playing with words. You can use it to prepare for writing, to develop ideas, to build characters or setting, to work through blockages, to keep your mind engaged and your thoughts fluid, or simply to catch ideas when they’re coming too fast to be taken down in a more structured form. There are no rules for Freewriting. Freewriting, by nature, defies all rules and restrictions, allowing you to open up and let go onto the page. But there are a few guidelines to help push you in the right direction, should you choose to employ them. 1. Find a quiet place where you won’t be interrupted for several minutes. 2. Clear your mind completely, and then write whatever comes into it. Try to write for a solid time period or page length. Five straight minutes or one whole page, for example. 3. Forget spelling, grammar, punctuation and logical development for now.
4. Don’t organize your thoughts into sentences or paragraphs, just let the words run out onto the page. 5. Don’t stop until you’ve reached your goal.
An example out of my own notebook using the spark word “murky” looked like this:
murky perky beef jerky rough and tumble mumble stumble trip and fall stall wall bricks and mortar she was shorter childhood friend with raven hair flew away came back again grin sin dark and twisted how i missed it glory days gone by i stop and sigh why i longed to feel the sun again summer days sunkissed hair shorts and tshirts barely there beaches full with passersby sunglint waters squinted eye burning sand beneath my feet friends that came and friends to meet soon i’m walking down the street rainy days and gathered clouds shrouds i lift my hands toward the skies rainsoaked happy wild and wise rise lies i realize keep them to yourself i don’t want any otherwise butterflies dipping soaring feather wings songs to sing that carry them by bells that ring coins that jingle in my pocket oh happy day all my sins were washed away oh love devine give me a sign that I shall see you again someday another day when this whole world has passed away and I shall fly up to your side on feather wings my very own It may end up sounding like a lot of nonsense, but don’t be surprised if you end up with a few gems of usable material mixed in. Christiana Reuling is a writer, soccer mom, and artist living in Area 1. Her favorite day of the week is Thursday, because it’s writer’s group night. To read more of her writerly musings, visit her website and blog at christianareuling.com or find her on Instagram @christiana.reuling.writes.
Free photo 108995596 © creativecommonsstockphotos - Dreamstime.com
President’s Column Greetings, Pennwriters! We have been working on some big improvements to your Pennwriters membership experience. Soon, you will be able to go to a single location for all your membership needs, whether you want to take an online class, register for a Conference, submit an entry for our Annual Writing Contest, or catch up on the latest news—you’ll be able to do it all from our new website.
Hilary Hauck, Area 4 PREsIDENT
We have had a dedicated committee researching and preparing for this tech overhaul. The committee members are Stephanie Claypool, Sue Fobes, Sue Gourley, and Sandy Bush. They have spent months identifying our needs and researching potential solutions, and I’m delighted to announce they have come up with something really special. Our new system will provide seamless integration of our membership database, website, conference and event registrations, email capabilities, online classes, blog, forums, calendar – basically all of our technical needs. It’ll be easy to use, and it’ll look very sharp, too. Keep an eye out for more information as we move forward. Near the time of our launch, you will receive an email inviting you to sign into the new website, create a new password, and set up your new profile. I’m immensely grateful to the committee, and to the entire board, who have been putting extra time into building our new interface. I’d like to remind you to get writing and polishing, because Pennwriters Annual Writing Contest opens on Jan. 1, 2020. The contest is only open to members in good standing as of Dec. 31, 2019. There are four categories: Novel Beginning, Short Story, Nonfiction, and Poetry. Visit our website for more information on how to enter.
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 ©2019 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
As the holidays approach, I hope you’re able to look back on the year and be proud of your accomplishments in your writing and other areas of your life, however great or small. Remember, on average it takes about 10 years to become an overnight success. Thank you for sharing part of your writing journey with Pennwriters! Season’s Greetings, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Joyous Kwanzaa, warm wishes to you all!
Pennwrite on! -Hilary
THE PENN wRITER • November/December 2019 • www.pennwriters.org
Board of Directors PLEASE NOTE: To enter the Pennwriters Annual Writing Contest in January 2020, you must be a current member in good standing as of December 2019. Registration info is below.
Did you remember to renew your Pennwriters membership? Renewals were due by June 30. Log in to your account at Pennwriters.org to check your status. If you wish to participate in the writing Contest in January, you must be a member. Visit https://pennwriters.org/register.
If you have difficulty signing in, you may be using an old email address or an incorrect password. you can find help at webmaster@pennwriters.org or info@pennwriters.org. If you prefer to pay by check, you can download the PDF flyer on the renewal webpage and send a check to this address: Pennwriters, Inc., PO Box 685, Dalton, PA 18414.
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 Acting Webmaster Susan Fobes Webmaster@Pennwriters.org Newsletter Editor Heather Desuta, 412-337-6966 Newsletter@Pennwriters.org 2020 Conference Coordinators Leslie Tobin Smeltz and Ayleen Gontz ConferenceCoordinator@Pennwriters.org Interim Public Relations Chair Suzanne Mattaboni PublicRelations@Pennwriters.org Bylaws Chair Jean Jenkins, 814-774-0557 BylawsChair@Pennwriters.org
Pennwriters Online website: www.pennwriters.org yahoo Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Pennwriters/join Facebook Groups: Pennwriters; Pennwriters Annual Conference you can also join the Pennwriters LinkedIn group and follow us on Twitter.
Internet Activities Coordinator and Online Courses Coordinator position open OnlineCoordinator@Pennwriters.org 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: Lori Foster 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 AREA 7 Rep: Terry Friedman 610-331-2558 & 843-236-8189 Area7Rep@Pennwriters.org
PW Areas Map
All areas outside of Pennsylvania are Area 7
THE PENN wRITER • November/December 2019 • www.pennwriters.org
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Pennwriters Member News & Accomplishments TO sHARE yOUR MEMbER NEws, email Newsletter@Pennwriters.org with “Pennwriter submission” in the subject line. Please include your Pennwriters Area # in the message.
Area 5 and Pennwriters Secretary Susan Gourley, writing as Susan Kelley, has a new space opera romance novel published by New Concepts Publishing. It is Susan Kelley’s 23rd romance novel from this publisher. She wants freedom for her people, and he has a plan to make it happen. Except they’re from different worlds, and they don’t trust each other. Mars has spent years in slavery, working on his plan to free his people. He’s suffered too much pain and loss to allow any interference. But the arrival of the fierce, intriguing alien woman from Earth distracts him in every way possible. Roma and her fellow refugees from Earth land on the perfect planet only to find the native humans enslaved by a monstrous race of invaders. Not even the sexy alien slave, Mars, can prevent Roma from thinking about escape. Though the time spent in his arms does ease the stress of their imprisonment.When the Earthling slaves experience the true brutality of the slavers, the frail trust between Mars and Roma is destroyed. Their only chance of freedom and survival is if they can work together. Can love overcome the betrayals that have divided them so they can dream of a future together? Susan’s novels are available from New Concepts Publishing and online retailers. Visit her at susangourley.blogspot.com.
Area 4 Jim Lee recently published new short stories in two markets. His fantasy/ SF blend “Death of a Controversial Word Wizard” appears in STRANGe STORIeS #1, the first in an annual anthology series of offbeat stories published by Forty-Two Books. His satirical SF story “Alien Mating Habits: A Brief Overview” is in the autumn issue of Sci Phi Journal, the third issue since its rebirth as a quarterly e-zine. 4
Critique group partners and writing friends Gretchen Lockwood (writing as Gemma L. Brook)and Aud Supplee, both of Area 6, are being published by Running Wild Press. Two of their short stories will be featured in RuNNING WIlD ANTHOlOGY OF STORIeS VOl. 3. The international collection, including 20+ authors from the uS, Canada, europe, and Saudi Arabia, is an eclectic mix of genre-defying short stories, which range from the whimsical to the macabre, from real life to the fantastical. Gemma’s story, “The One that Got Away,” is the tallest tale told among a group of fishermen. Aud’s story, “Monkey in the Middle,” is seen through the eyes of a little girl trying to make sense of the confusing relationships in her family. The book can be ordered from independent bookstores, Barnes & Noble, Amazon, and Kobo. Additionally, Aud's novella, BROKeN SOul TO BROKeN SOul, will be part of the Dec. 1, 2019, release of RuNNING WIlD NOVellA ANTHOlOGY, VOl. 3. Her novella tells the story of two people suffering from separate traumas who come together in an unorthodox friendship that just might help them heal. Visit them online—Gemma at Gemmabrookwriter.com and Aud at AudSupplee.com.
Area 6 Representative and Interim PR Chair Suzanne Mattaboni had her lyrical children’s poem, “embraced: The Song of the Central Park Mandarin Duck” featured in the July/August issue of Kids Imagination Train magazine, including an audio version that’s online at https://soundcloud.com/randi-lynn-mrvos/editedkit-july-august-2019.
Drop us a line and let us know what you’ve been up to. we love sharing good news about our members.
THE PENN wRITER • November/December 2019 • www.pennwriters.org
Member News
Bill Peschel, Area 5, was the editor and designer for SeW ClOTH GROCeRY BAGS: MAKe YOuR OWN IN QuANTITY FOR YOuRSelF, FOR GIFTS, AND FOR SAle, written by his wife, Teresa Peschel, and published in October through their Peschel Press imprint. The 150-page book dives deep into making two styles of bags, the efficient “boxed” bag made from a single piece of fabric and the intuitive tailored bag made from three pieces. The book describes how to source inexpensive material, prepare used fabric, cut panels with minimal waste, and sew a dozen bags at a time. SeW ClOTH GROCeRY BAGS illustrates the process with more than 70 pictures, 40 drawings, and 30 fabriccutting charts. Its available in print from Cupboardmaker Books in enola, Pa., and at online booksellers and IngramSpark. For more information, visit www.peschelpress.com.
Area 7 Linda Sittig recently released her third novel, COuNTING CROWS. Transport yourself back to 1918 in New York City with the Great War dragging on, the flu pandemic raging, and the scandals of the sweatshops in full swing. COuNTING CROWS is available from Freedom Forge Press, on Amazon at www.amzn.com/1940553091 or ask for it at your favorite bookstore.
Pennwriters Annual Writing Contest Opens Jan. 1 Short stories! Novels! Poetry! Nonfiction! No matter what you write, if you wish to receive critiques from industry professionals, consider entering Pennwriters Annual Writing Contest. The contest will open Jan. 1, 2020, with the deadline for entries on January 31, 2020. The winners will be announced at the Pennwriters Conference in May. Please don't forget, the contest is a benefit only open to members. You must join or renew your Pennwriters membership before the end of 2019. For details, email Annual Writing Contest Coordinator D.J. Stevenson at WritingContestCoordinator@Pennwriters.org.
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PENNWRITERS CONFERENCE DIRECTOR’S CUT : Taking Your Writing From Concept to Finished Product FRIDAY DINNER KEYNOTE
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JONATHAN MABERRY DATE:
JON SPRUNK
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MAY 15-17, 2020 LANCASTER, PA DOUBLETREE RESORT BY HILTON
THE PENN wRITER • November/December 2019 • www.pennwriters.org
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January – How to Write a Sonnet (Writing Valentine poems) with Sandra Gould Ford Learn how to craft a good poem. Each of the 60+ types of poems has its own rules, from the nursery rhyme and limerick to the haiku and palindrome. While we tend to think of sonnets as Shakespearian, with lots of thees and thous, sonnet-writing is still relevant today. The rhythm and rhyme required to create sonnets will stimulate the brain and help all writing, from business letters to fantasy fiction.
March – Historical Fiction with Kathy Otten
September – Flash Fiction with Timons Esaias
April – to be announced
October – Win NaNoWriMo: Part I – Prepare Organize time and space, materials and ideas with Sandra Gould Ford
February – MAKE THAT PITCH – Conference Read and Critique Sessions with Catherine McLean **SEE BELOW**
August – Quilting 101: Plotting from Scratch Using Relationship Arcs with Suzanne Johnson
May – join us (in person) at the annual Pennwriters Conference in Lancaster! June – Creating A Cast of ThreeDimensional Characters with Annette Dashofy July – TBA with instructor Deanna Adams
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November – Win NaNoWriMo: Part II – Produce From Nov. 1 through Nov. 30, average 8 pages a day of cohesive, organized, 50,000-word-plus drafts with Sandra Gould Ford December – no classes, Happy Holidays!
Visit w w w. p e nnw r i te r s . o r g for details and to register for courses.
Make that Pitch • February 1-29, 2020
by CATHERINE E. MCLEAN, AREA 1, wORksHOP INsTRUCTOR
Some of you may remember me as a “Pitch Doctor” who, years ago, sat in the corner at Pennwriters conferences, listening and helping fellow Pennwriters hone their agent-editor appointment pitches. Some may recall Area 1’s Writer’s Road Trip 4 where, for the first time, an acquiring editor attended. To prepare attendees who wanted to pitch, my Area Rep asked me to give a private online workshop. Many of those pitches resulted in requests for copy and, later, book contracts. Now as we look ahead to the 2020 Pennwriters Conference, Pauline Drozeski, the Internet Activities Coordinator, has asked me to do a month-long course for Pennwriters—Make That Pitch, Feb. 1-29, 2020. Make That Pitch is not a cookie-cutter formula. It's a simple, flexible guide that quickly gets you to the gold nuggets of information you need to market your work. Taking this course will help alleviate anxiety and frustration when creating:
0 4the all-important tag line, log line, and elevator pitch of 25 words or less 0 4the back cover copy-blurb or the descriptive book summary in under 250 words 0 4that great query letter pitch 0 4a face-to-face pitch session with an editor or agent
The Make That Pitch course will cover all of the above items and more, because you will get real-time feedback, tips and practical advice, and a “walk-through” of how a face-to-face editor or agent pitch session runs (and the items you'll need to take with you, dos and don’ts, etc.). If you're attending any workshop or conference—especially if you're going to the 2020 Pennwriters Conference—and need a pitch, don't miss this opportunity. If your goal is to publish or be published, consider this a valuable asset to add to your writer's tool kit. Class size will be limited, so watch for updates at the Pennwriters website and mark your calendars. I look forward to working with you. INSTRuCTOR BIO: Novelist and short story author Catherine e. Mclean has given many online courses and workshops on the craft of writing fiction. Her nonfiction book for writers is ReVISION IS A PROCeSS - HOW TO TAKe THe FRuSTRATION OuT OF SelF-eDITING. Connect with Catherine at www.Catherineemclean.com, her writers blog at writerscheatsheets.blogspot.com, and her website for writers at WritersCheatSheets.com. 6
THE PENN wRITER • November/December 2019 • www.pennwriters.org
The Painful Path to a New Passion by JEANNE MORAN, AREA 5
My “wake up and smell the coffee” moment came, ironically, while carrying a cup of coffee. My arm could no longer support the weight of an eight-ounce cup. I plopped in a chair and sobbed. I’d always enjoyed physical work. On our acre-plus lot, I turned over the garden, yanked out shrubs, and pruned limbs. Indoors, I painted, wallpapered, and hung drop ceilings. And that was after work. My career as a pediatric physical therapist (PT) meant I used my own body to perform my job. I carried bulky equipment, lifted children, and added physical resistance to their exercises. This chosen career path was my passion. each child’s struggle toward independence was lessened by my efforts, and I was delighted to use my skills to their benefit. But decades of this physical work took a toll. After a neck injury immobilized me for several weeks, the doctor returned me to work under ‘light duty.’ Several months later, my neck was declared healed. It wasn’t healed—not really. Something more chronic had become my new normal. The muscles in my neck and shoulders often grabbed in spasm or ached from fatigue. When I lifted something, bolts of pain traced a line from my neck to my pinky finger. A comfortable sleeping position was hard to come by. Most disturbing was an intermittent change in my right forearm and hand: the skin blanched then purpled like an eggplant. Whimpering, I’d cradle that throbbing arm against my chest until the symptoms subsided. even though this never happened in front of my family doctor, she recommended PT. After weeks of therapy and faithful performance of the prescribed home program, my status was unchanged. Next came an orthopedist, a vascular surgeon, and tests galore. Normal results. Then was a neurologist and a chiropractor. More evaluations and more tests, but no significant findings. On the advice of the PT I’d seen early on, I’d kept a ‘pain diary’ during this three-year journey through the medical system, jotting down the particulars of my activity and its correlation to the painful blanching/purpling. The trend I saw convinced me that the underlying problem centered in the muscles of my neck and right shoulder. When I used those muscles to produce force, to lift or tug or carry, shooting pain and color change stopped me in my tracks. Steadily, almost imperceptibly, I lost strength in my right arm. It ached when I held a hair dryer. I needed help to lift items from the cupboard. everyday tasks like food prep and cleaning grew harder to accomplish, especially after work when my arm was already sore and tired. To save my strength for my job, my family took over basic household chores. My husband encouraged me to relax in a recliner, to enjoy this new thing called free time. I had no choice.
Determined to make the best of it, I surrounded myself with books I’d longed to read and movies I’d promised to watch someday. Apparently, my someday had arrived. During these more sedentary months and years, I rediscovered a nearly forgotten love of stories. I lost myself for hours on the page or screen, engrossed in the situations and characters before me. I second-guessed story lines and tried my hand at writing a few stories of my own. To my surprise and complete delight, a few were accepted for publication. encouraged, I took a writing course, attended workshops, and read countless books and magazines on the subject. Writing gave me something constructive to do while I waited for my neck and arm to improve. How wonderful, I thought, to find such an engaging, productive hobby.But in my work life, bad days started to outnumber the good. Gradually, reality sank in. The problem wasn’t going away. I had chronic pain and a disability. My career as a pediatric physical therapist was nearing its end. After another round of specialists and tests, I finally got a diagnosis: thoracic outlet syndrome, TOS. My right arm’s nerve supply was squashed by spasm in the overused, scarred muscles in my neck and shoulder. A second lengthier round of PT and the addition of massage therapy was recommended with follow-up in a year. unfortunately, that year saw my pain and weakness go from bad to worse. Surgery was indeed my only option. I dried my eyes and made the dreaded call. During the many months of post-surgical recovery and rehab that followed, I again fell in love with stories. I created characters and threw them into plotlines. I finished a novel I’d started and began a second. Weeks and months flew by. That’s when it hit me—this writing thing, this was more than a hobby. This, too, was a passion. By coaxing my thoughts into words, I could continue to make a positive contribution to the world. These days, I no longer use the tools of physical strength and exercise science to positively impact another person. Research, craft, and creativity are my tools of choice. The onset of TOS forced me to dust off latent interests and develop new skills. It forced me, kicking and screaming, down a dark path into an uncertain future. Now I am in that future. I am content here, and so very, very thankful.
Jeanne Moran reads and writes stories in which unlikely heroes make a difference in their corner of the world. In her everyday life, she strives to be one of them. she has over a dozen articles in print for kids and adults, and has self-published three books for young audiences: the historical duology RIskING EXPOsURE and THE PATH DIVIDED and the picture book MIkEy AND THE swAMP MONsTER. Check out her work including youTube videos of her Nazi-era research at jeannemoran.weebly.com Contact Jeanne at authorjeannemoran@gmail.com.
THE PENN wRITER • November/December 2019 • 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 Java Tree Cafe, 217 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.
Erie Vicinity Pennwriters (EVP) NOTE TwO MEETINGs •Meets 2nd saturday, 1-4 p.m. at whole Foods Coop (1341 west 26th st., Erie – Intersection of 26th street and brown Avenue) •Meets 4th saturday, 1-4 p.m. at barnes & Noble on Peach street. For both, contact Todd Main at todd_main@steris.com. shenango Valley Pennwriters (sVP) meets 3rd saturday, 1-4 p.m. at the Community Library of shenango Valley in sharon. Contact Catherine McLean at catherinemclean00@gmail.com. Fellowship of the Quill (FOTQ) meets every Thursday, 6:30-10 p.m. at HOss’s (3302 west 26th street, Erie). Contact Todd Main at todd_main@steris.com. Corry Vicinity Pennwriters (CVP) 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. North East Vicinity Pennwriters (NVP) meets 1st and 3rd saturdays, 1-4 p.m. at McCord Library in North East. Leader is Mary Ellen Humphrey.
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 Mad Mex restaurant (240 s. Pugh st.).
Area 6 suzanne Mattaboni • Area 6 Representative •Area6Rep@Pennwriters.org
Area 5
Twin Rivers writers Group Let’s welcome the Twin Rivers writers Group as an official Pennwriters critique group. The group meets at 7 p.m. on the third wednesday of every month at the springtown Fire Company building, 3010 PA Route 212, Hellertown, PA. Check out their Facebook page or website: www.TwIwG.org. They’re looking to expand membership in their core group. Please contact Area 6 Rep suzanne Mattaboni at suzanne@mattaboni.com if you’re in the Lehigh Valley/Quakertown/Hellertown/upper bucks County area and would like to join them.
sandra bush • Area 5 Representative Area5Rep@Pennwriters.org
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.
If you are interested in starting a group, contact sandy bush 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 Carrie Jacobs at carrieinpa@gmail.com or Facebook.com/4thwednesday. Classes will be held at Cupboard Maker books in Enola, PA. Visit www.cupboardmaker.com/ index.php/calendar/story-makers.
Area 2 Lori Foster• 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.
THE PENN wRITER • November/December 2019 • www.pennwriters.org
Area 3 stephanie Claypool • Area 3 Representative Area3Rep@Pennwriters.org
WRITER’S TOOLBOX
CRITIQUE GROUPs:
PERSONAL SELLING
NEw!! Aspinwall Critique Group work (up to five pages) to be critiqued is emailed to the group at least one week prior to the meeting, pasted into the body of the email, not attached. Print the critiqued texts and bring it with you to the meeting for discussion. The meeting is held on the 1st wednesday of the month at 7 pm at Panera bread, 942 Freeport Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15238 (near Aspinwall) (412) 799-0210. For more information, contact sandra skowron at skow603@yahoo.com.
There are six phases of personal selling. Once you know what type of targets you’re selling to, for each phase, think through how best to approach them:
The Pittsburgh East writer's Group small, friendly critique group focusing on fiction. All genres welcome. Meets on the third saturday of each month from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the first floor meeting room at the Monroeville Public Library. Contact Chuck Rakiecz at crakiecz@verizon.net. It is now open to new members. Critique Group North Eight members writing shorts, flashes, novels. Meets on the second Thursday of the month at Perkins Restaurant on Route 19 in Cranberry Township from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., including time for lunch. The group is now at full capacity of eight but is accepting candidates for a waitlist. 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. writers of fiction, nonfiction, and at any skill level are welcome. we review one person's work each month. work to be critiqued is sent least a week in advance. The group is currently full but keeping a waitlist. Anyone who would like to join, sit in on a session, or more info, 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 am. This group has available spaces. For more information contact Amy wagner at amywagner00@gmail.com. south Hills Critique Group A small group meeting one saturday per month at 10 am in the Galleria of Mt. Lebanon. work to be critiqued is emailed one week ahead of the meeting. Published/non-published, fiction/non-fiction, and all genres are welcome. This group is presently full but keeping a waiting list. Contact Rosemary Ray at southside27@outlook.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.
1. Introduction and rapport establishment (“I see you like the New York Giants. How about that game yesterday?”) 2. Qualify if customers are in your target market (“Do you like [your genre] books?”) 3. Ask what their greatest needs and challenges are (“What do you like most about these books?”) 4. Tell customers how you satisfy those needs (“[Your book title] has all of that.”) 5. Prepare objection handlers to address common refusals (“I’m not just saying it as the author. [Industry expert] called the book the best [your genre] ever.”) 6. Close the deal (“Buy the book now for the special low price that’s only available [time/location].” “Buy the book now and have it signed free by the author, making it a collectible. [Pull out your pen and your book.] Would you like a message with the signature?”) -from the book Strategic Marketing Made Easy For Writers: Optimize Your Promotions for Bestseller Results by Dr. Nate Hardy, Area 6, available at Amazon.com.
I get a lot of letters from people. They say: "I want to be a writer. What should I do?" I tell them to stop writing to me and get on with it. - RUTH RENDELL
A professional writer is an amateur who didn’t quit. - RICHARD bACH
THE PENN wRITER • November/December 2019 • www.pennwriters.org
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Market News
COLUMN #134
by JIM LEE, AREA 4, AssOCIATE EDITOR, MARkET REPORTs
Let’s start with markets that have specific deadlines for submission. An established general literary magazine, Copper Nickel uses fiction, nonfiction and poetry. There are no hard length limits for prose, though obviously very long pieces must be of truly special quality. For poems, send in batches of 4 to 6. base pay is $30/published page, but they also pay two $500 Editor’s Prizes for what they consider the best prose and poetry pieces in each issue. Deadline for the next issue is Dec. 15, so get to it. Details: www.copper-nickel.org/submit/. The next print issue of the literary magazine Ninth Letter needs work by a Nov. 30 deadline. They seek poetry, fiction and nonfiction, this time on a theme of “borderlessness.” Are borders (whether cultural, social, physical, etc) real or imagined? Prose can be up to 8,000 wds; send 3-6 poems at a time. Payments are $25 per published page, up to a maximum of $150. They also do separate e-zine editions. For guidelines and to access their submission manager, visit www.ninthletteronline.submittable.com/submit. Carrion blue 555 uses fiction and poetry in the Horror/Fantasy/ science Fiction/Experimental/bizarro genres. They’re putting together a series of four anthologies with the theme “seasons of Rot.” Currrently they’re reading subs for the spring volume. There’s no formal length limit, but pay is capped at 2 cents/wd for 5,000 wds (hence $100). Poems earn $10 each. All pay will come via Paypal. Deadline for this is Dec. 31. For guides and info, visit www.carrionblue555.blogspot.com/submissions.html. The title Once Upon a Hallowed Eve: An Anthology of Romantic Ghost stories pretty much says all you need to know about this book. Ghost stories, set in any year/location and taking place at/near the end of October, with a romance element that features either a Happily Ever After or a Happily For Now conclusion. (Note: this is NOT a market for horror or outright erotica.) Lengths: 7,000-15,000 wds. Pay is $75, plus contributor copies. Visit www.onceuponanthologies.com/2019-submissions/. submission deadline is Jan. 1, 2020. To appear in both print and ebook forms, Hashtag Queer, Volume 4 needs submission by a Jan. 31 deadline. They want fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, memoir and/or scripts by or about LGbTQ+ people. Pay is $5/page, and max lengths are 7,500 wds for prose, 5 pages for poetry, and 10 pgs for scripts. For details, visit www.qommunicatepublishing.com/submissions/hashtag-queer/.
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Flame Tree Publishing produces some of the most beautiful genre anthologies around. They’re currently reading for a pair of gothicflavored books, but the sub deadline is coming fast (Dec. 1), so hustle to be part of either one. bodies in the Library is about gothic crime/mystery stories, while Footsteps in the Dark seeks gothic-style horror/suspense. both books want fiction steeped in heightened senses and gothic atmosphere. 2,000-4,000 wds. Pay is 8 cents/wd for new stories; 6 cents/wd for reprints. works in standard ms format, but with author’s name and email address in either a header or footer on each page. send in .doc, .docx or .rtf formats, and you can send more than one story to either book. Accepted work will appear in both ebook and print versions. Email subs as attachments to 2019@flametreepublishing.com. Decisions should be made three months after sub deadline. Dancing star Press specializes in sF/F novellas. They open to subs in two reading windows per year. The current one ends Dec. 30. Length: 17,500-40,000 wds. Not looking for children’s lit. Editor/Publisher Jennifer Crispin wants subs in .pdf format only, sent to submissions@dancingstarpress.com. Pay scales are 30% gross profits for paperbacks, 50% gross profits for ebooks. Visit www.dancingstarpress.com/submissions/. Despite the company’s name Zombies Need brains LLC doesn’t limit the books they do to horror fiction. In fact, the three anthologies they’ll be reading for (current one’s deadline is Dec. 31) are focused on sF/F themes. yes, Apocalypic needs stories set during or after some type of apocalypse, but they want a variety of world-ending scenarios and will likely use very little zombie-centered ones. Anything from humor to the darkest stuff is welcome here. For Galactic stew the theme is sF/F with a food-oriented element (no cannibal stories!). And My battery is Low and It Is Getting Dark Outside is about technology that has outlived its time, yet finds a new purpose. They’re all paying advances of 8 cents/wd (minimum), unpublished works only. Royalities later will be 25% of cover price for ebooks, 10% for paperback copies (these split evenly between all contributors an editors, not divided on word-count basis). Email all questions and subs to contact@zombiesneedbrains.com. The rest of today’s outlets don’t list specific deadlines, but any could close due to overstocked inventory or other factors. The Foodellers is a website dedicated to food-oriented travel. They want articles on inspirational travel, photo stories, tips, food-related experiences in traveling the world, and recipes. 1,500 wds is the minimum per article, with no stated max. Pay range is $20-50. Pitch article idea after checking out their detailed guidelines at www.thefoodellers,com/en/write-for-us.
THE PENN wRITER • November/December 2019 • www.pennwriters.org
Publishing three times a year, GIA Reader deals with how the arts get their funding (the three letters stand for Grant Makers in Art). They are especially interested in articles on racial equality in the arts, arts education, capitalization, and support for individual artists. They want unpublished work, including poetry relevant to these themes. Pay ranges are based on length. $150-$350 (5002,000 wds), $350-$1,000 (2,000-4,000 wds) and $50/poem. Query before submitting. www.giarts,org/reader-submission-guidelines. Videodame is about video games and gaming culture, with a particular focus on the women and other marginalized groups (such as the disabled) in the industry. They seek essays, critical articles and the like about and inspired by people in the gaming world. They’re open to comics, art, videos and soundscapes, even possibly fiction and poetry if relevant to their area of interest. Pay is $50/article, but they want you to pitch ideas in advance. Visit www.videodame.me/submissions-db75a27f2e76. Family story is a blog from a think tank founded in 2015 that intends to “recognize, validate and protect the many ways individuals form and reform families” whether formally related or not. They pay $100/post for personal essays and opinion pieces, 600-1,200 wds long. www.familystoryproject.org.we-want-your-submissions/. New Harbinger is an established independent publisher of selfhelp books with an over-35-year track record. They do nonfiction, mostly in areas of psychology, health, and personal growth. They accept both electronic and print subs and have detailed, specific guides at www.newharbinger.com/publishing-new-harbinger. The fantasy magazine Unreal and its science-fiction-oriented sister mag Unfit have both increased their pay levels. Each now offer 12 cents/wd for unpublished stories (nonfiction and reprint stories still get 1 cent/wd). Daniel s. white edits both titles. They only reply to work they want to buy, so assume rejection if you don’t hear back after 30 days. Near-identical guides for each are at www.unrealmag.com/submit/ and www.unfitmag.com/submit/. sasee is a lifestyle magazine for women. They want nonfiction (essays, humor, satire, personal experience pieces and features on topics related to women, written in 1st person. 500-1,000 wds. Pay varies, but you can send work via email, fax or mail. Visit www.sasee.com/submissions/. Pennsylvania Heritage Magazine is, obviously enough, about the history and culture of our home state. They use nonfiction, 2,0003,500 wds, written in a popular, readable, entertaining-yet-factual style. They’re a quarterly, and pay range is $250-500 for All Rights. www.phmc.state.pay.us/portal/communities/Pa-Heritage/guidelines-contributors.html. Cabinet Magazine is all about art and culture. (They use expansive definitions for both and like unorthodox, daring themes, unfashionable stances, etc.) Idea-driven nonfiction is the order of the day here. They respond only if interested, and pay varies according to length (3,500 wds max). To learn more, visit www.cabinetmagazine.org/information/submissions.php.
The Caregiver’s Home Companion helps family caregivers improve quality of life for themselves and their loved ones. In language and style, they focus on ordinary folks providing home care, so limit your use of ‘professional’ jargon. They use articles 800-1,000 wds, plus sidebars (200-300 wds). They cover both short-term and long-term care situations. Pay is $100/article. Visit www.caregivershome.com/contactus/submitarticle.cfm. Refractions, which was an sF e-zine aimed at the yA audience has closed permanently. Faces is a kid’s magazine and part of the Cricket Media Group. They show how kids live in various countries around the world, and each issue has a particular nation/theme, so check their guidelines for which countries are coming up. 700-800 wds for in-depth nonfiction; 300-600 wds for shorter supplemental pieces, 800 max for related fiction, and 700 wds max for activity pieces. Pay range is 20-25 cents/wd. For more info, visit www.cricketmedia.com/faces-submission-guidelines/. Tech Directions wants subs from professionals in technology, CTE and applied science education. They need material on subject areas in these fields for teachers & administrators, from elementary through post-secondary level. Honorariums are paid on publication (amount not listed), with rates based on length and nature of topics covered. 1,000-2,000 wds long with high-res photos. Also pays $25 for related fillers. Visit www.techdirections.com/guidelines.html/. Any Pennwriters looking to retire outside the Us? International Living is the magazine for you to read and/or write for. They pay $250-400/article (800-1,400 wds) of how-to, travel, foreign real estate bargains, tips on setting up a business overseas, etc. For guides and additional information, visit www.internationalliving.com/about-il/write-for-il/. Info this time came mostly from the usual suspects: Ralan.com, AuthorsPublish.com, FreelanceWriting.com, Facebook’s Open Calls Pages, and my own personal inquiries. News tips and other info is always appreciated and will be acknowledged (or not) as the contributor wishes. -Jim
It's splendid to be a great writer, to put men into the frying pan of your imagination and make them pop like chestnuts. - GUsTAVE FLAUbERT
The dubious privilege of a freelance writer is he’s given the freedom to starve anywhere. - s.J. PERELMAN
THE PENN wRITER • November/December 2019 • www.pennwriters.org
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Writer’s Cramp, an original cartoon collaboration submitted by Todd Main
“Gary Gifford sketches every day. He also likes to join John (another Tech writer) outside my cube and tell groaners. yes, the idea for adding them to my Area 1 Newsletter came from my groaning as Gary and John tried to out-joke the other. One Friday morning, while John and Gary were dueling, the idea erupted: why not use Gary’s drawing skills and our writing quirks and create a writing cartoon? we discussed the idea off and on for a few months. The hardest part was coming up with the name, as each time we’d get a name we both liked, it turned out to be in use. Gary finally hit upon writer’s Cramp. And that’s how our cartoon was born. Gary Gifford is a former submariner and currently a senior Technical writer for the Healthcare and Life sciences industries. He has a wife, four children, one grandson, two cats, and one dog. He has self-published six books (most recently, the submarine memoir TORPEDO ROOM bLUEs) and enjoys playing chess, making and playing stringed instruments, and drawing (mostly cartoons). He is founder and member of “Perry Ukuleles” music group.” -Todd
About Pennwriters
Submissions
The 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. The 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 The 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.)