Monday Miscellany for November 16, 2009

Hello: 

My, where do these weeks go?  OK, I spent a great deal of mine nursing what I referred to as a grand mal head cold…every word I typed, every email I opened, ached.  That didn’t stop me from finding a few new cool opportunities to pass your way, though.  Go get ‘em and keep us posted! 

~Mary Anne

StoveTop Spread the Warmth Essay Writing Contest 

Do you help your neighbors shovel their driveways? Do you collect warm coats for kids in need? Tell us about it! Three entries that spread the most warmth (i.e., good deeds for others) will win $2,500 for themselves, and $5,000 for their favorite charity to help them spread the warmth to help others. 

From now through November 27, 2009, tell us in 200 words or less what you are doing to spread the warmth via good deeds in your town. The top three entries that our judges feel demonstrate the most dedication and positive impact on their communities will win $2,500 to spend as they wish and a $5,000 donation to a local charity of their choice to continue with their work. 

A panel of judges will select the top three winners based on the criteria outlined in the Official Rules. Winners will then be announced here on this site early January 2010. 

No entry fee.  Go to http://bit.ly/wLNno to find out more or enter.

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Do you want to be a published travel writer? Go on assignment to Tokyo with Rough Guides 

Kick start your travel writing career by going on assignment to Tokyo, Japan. After touching base with your travel writing mentor, Simon Richmond, you will hit the road for seven days reviewing and writing for The Rough Guide to Japan travel guide and staying with Hotels.com. Then you will get a chance to relax and enjoy a four day  “Flavors of Tokyo”  independent tour with Intrepid Travel offering a food-focused insight into the Japanese culture. 

Open to emerging and non-professional writers only.  No entry fee.  Get more information on how to win this travel writing scholarship to Tokyo at http://bit.ly/4seXDR

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Travel writing contest for women 

Win a 12-day culture and spa tour of Vietnam with Buffalo Tours.

How to win: 

1. Choose a category
2. Write a travel article for that category
3. Submit it before November 30, 2009 to WanderlustAndLipstick@gmail.com   

Categories include:

• Adventure
• Family Fun
• Food & Drink
• Off the Beaten Path
• Spiritual 

Get the rest of the details here:http://bit.ly/45SOvS

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Breathless Press Romance is in the Air Writing Contest 

Breathless Press is holding a contest and only two lucky entrants will win a signed contract as well as a video trailer and a month long blog tour to help promote their winning book. All you have to do is submit your breathtaking love stories of Valentine romance. Anything to do with Valentine’s Day is welcome. 

Contest ends December first. 

Length:

Flirts: under 1,000 words 

Temptations: 1,500 – 5,000 words 

Novelette: 5,000 – 10,000 words 

Novella: 10,000 – 50/60,000 words 

Novel: 50/60,000-100,000 words  .

Go to http://bit.ly/5LIf4 for complete details.

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Best Buy Black Friday Essay Writing Contest 

Write about what you are most excited about this Black Friday, and you could win a $1000 Best Buy and early entry into a participating Best Buy store on the morning after Thanksgiving. 

Find out more at  http://bit.ly/31C4vV

Monday Miscellany for November 9, 2009

Hello! 

We just had the nicest little stretch of Indian summer here in Central New York—unseasonably warm for this time of year.  Of course that’ll change drastically any minute, but it was sure nice going out at lunchtime without a jacket one more time. 

Here are a few writing contests I stumbled across last week: 

Editor Unleashed and Smashwords are sponsoring the “Why I Write” Contest. Looking for essays 750 words or fewer.  No entry fee. Top prize $500. Get details at http://bit.ly/4mbMBF 

Soundings Review: We are currently reading for the March 2010 issue. Contests open are the First Publication Contest and Founders’ Award. Reading fee is $7 for non-members of the Whidbey Island Writers association, $5 for member.   For information on submissions, contests and purchasing a copy or subscription, visit http://www.writeonwhidbey.com/Publications/Soundings.htm

http://www.writeonwhidbey.com/Publications/ContestGuidelines.htm 

The Crime Writers’ Association Debut Dagger Mystery Novel Writing Competition for previously unpublished mystery writers. UK based contest.  Top prize is £500 and entry fee is £25.  You’ll find more information here:  http://bit.ly/2dZXA3 

Now go out there and kick some writing butt!  I mean, here’s to your writing success! 

Mary Anne

“Pump Up Your Prose: For Publication, Prestige and Profits” by Shaunna Privratsky

I had the honor and pleasure of reading “Pump Up Your Prose” some time ago, and am pleased to offer up this wonderful book by longtime WriteSuccess subscriber and fellow writer Shaunna Privratsky as my first recommendation in the new WriteSuccess Market Place.  It is a delightful guide for how to design, personalize and follow your own writing regimen for success.

Here are a few of the testimonials “Pump Up the Prose” has received:

Shaunna Privratsky is a mind-reader. How else could she know all the thoughts and feelings I’ve had about my writing career? This book is a wonderful companion and therapist when you’re feeling alone in the writing world; it’s an affirmation of why we write even when rejection letters follow us around like lost puppies. It’s also a gentle guide to getting rid of those lost puppies by spicing up and tightening up your writing. This delicious book details not just how to write, but how to be a writer.

~ Jenna Glatzer, author of “Make a Real Living as a Freelance Writer ”

Too many books out there consider new writers already established in the business and knowledgeable in the wiles of the writing world. Shaunna sits a writer down as if sharing coffee and cookies and chats about the basics of being a scribe. Anyone considering the writer’s mantle should read this primer and learn what donning the title really means and where the path may actually lead.

~ C. Hope Clark
http://www.fundsforwriters.com/

This is a warm and generous guide that provides a comprehensive view of the writer’s world, while giving a dose of inspiration and advice. “Pump Up Your Prose” is brimming with nuggets of practical advice in a lively, reader-friendly format.

I enjoyed reading the book tremendously, and to be very frank, I even re-read a couple of paragraphs and thought, “I wish I could write like that.

~ Mridu Khullar, http://mridukhullar.com/

“Pump Up Your Prose” is for writers what a personal trainer is for people who want to be physically fit.  From creating healthy writing habits to cutting the fat from articles, stories and poetry, Shaunna Privratsky uses diet and fitness analogies to instruct, coach and motivate writers to peak performance.  It’s like having your own writing coach in book form!

~ Mary Anne Hahn (OK, we know she’s the WriteSuccess girl, right?)

So check out the book yourself, and let us know what you think.  You can get a copy at http://shaunna67.tripod.com/

P.S. Do you have a writing resource or book to share?  Send me an email at MaryAnneHahn1@aol.com and I’ll feature it in an upcoming WriteSuccess Market Place post!

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