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March 3, 2008
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N THIS ISSUE…
- From My Desk to Yours: Writing from Adversity
- Article: Is it Possible to Run Out of Things to Write About? By Lance Winslow
- From the E-mail Box
- Setting
Your Sites
- Free Resources for Writers
- WriteSuccess
Stories
- Calls for Writers
- E-zine
Ad Swaps
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This issue of WriteSuccess is sponsored
by...
TOM HOWARD/JOHN H. REID SHORT STORY CONTEST – LAST CALL!
Sixteenth year. Fourteen cash prizes totaling $5,250. Top prize
$2,000. Seeks short stories, essays and other works of prose, up to 5,000 words. Winning entries published online. Both published
and unpublished work accepted. Fee per entry is $12, payable to Winning Writers. Postmark deadline: March 31. Judges: J.H.
Reid, D.C. Konrad. Submit online or mail to Winning Writers, Attn: Tom Howard Short Story Contest, 351 Pleasant Street, PMB
222, Northampton, MA 01060. Winning Writers is proud to be one of "101 Best Websites for Writers" (Writer's
Digest, 2005-2007). More information: www.winningwriters.com/tomstory
---
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---
I’LL WRITE...TOMORROW.
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***
WRITESUCCESS QUOTE
"No
one ever excused his way to success.” – Dave Del Dotto
***
FROM MY DESK TO YOURS: Writing
from Adversity
Hello:
I have a feeling many of you are going to empathize with the story I’m about to tell. You know,
the story where you’re going along and everything seems fine then—wham!—you get thrown for a loop.
I have a congenital anomaly where the ear canal in my right ear is 90 percent narrower than a normal ear canal.
As you can quite imagine, I don’t hear very well from that ear.
When I was a child I was told that surgery to the canal would have a fifty-fifty chance of resulting in improved hearing.
I readily agreed with my parents when they decided that those odds weren’t good enough to warrant the risk of
having a scalpel taken to my head, and that being partially deaf really wasn’t all that bad after all.
Over the years I pretty much learned to live with my disability and its occasional challenges—the verbal instructions
I’d misunderstood or hadn’t heard at all, the mistaken belief by some people that I was stuck up when I didn’t
return a greeting or answer a question, and the time worn jokes made by friends and family members. In
fact, the hearing loss worked to my advantage at times; I could lay with my left (“good”) ear against a pillow
and block out enough noise to fall readily to sleep in even noisy conditions, or concentrate on something without being easily
distracted by background noises. Sure, I probably missed a lot, but how would I know?
During
a recent visit with an ear, nose and throat specialist, I learned that the surgical procedure for my condition had improved
greatly over the years, and that I would be an excellent candidate. I decided to go for it.
As a precaution, the ENT scheduled me for a medical clearance appointment with my primary physician to make sure I was healthy
enough for surgery. It was there that they EKG showed that somehow, sometime, I had sustained damage to
my heart. They scheduled me for an echocardiogram to determine the extent of the damage.
Suddenly, symptoms I had passed off as indigestion or a pulled muscle in my left arm took on new ominous meaning.
I’m not a worrier by nature, but hey, this is my heart we’re talking about. I began to sleep fitfully,
which only added to my anxiety, which in turn created more “symptoms.” The days preceding my
ECG crawled.
Then I realized something. I now had
a whole slew of new topics to write about. If the ECG results showed heart damage, what warning signs had
I ignored that I could share with others? Or I could learn and write about heart healthy preventive measures
that I should have been taking all along. And if I required further treatment, or even surgery, I could
chronicle the ups and downs around that. It wasn’t that I became excited about the possible heart
damage, per se, but I saw the writing possibilities, and those *did* excite me!
We all face
times of loss, struggle or turmoil; rather than freeze creatively during them, consider the writing opportunities they present
to you. Look for lessons learned that can be shared with others facing the same or similar circumstances.
Not only will your writing flourish, but I think you’ll find those proverbial silver linings in the clouds.
Here’s to your writing success.
Mary Anne
P.S. I haven’t heard the results of my ECG yet, but the nurse did tell me not to worry, and I wasn’t immediately
scheduled for bypass surgery, so I’m fairly certain any damage can’t be too extensive.
*** A
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to your Web pages, free e-courses on fiction and short story writing, copywriting and e-book marketing, a members-only discussion
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thousands of freelance writing and editing jobs...fresh jobs
daily. Jumpstart your writing career for just $2.95. Click
here:
http://tinyurl.com/2kfdjp *** ARTICLE: Is it Possible to Run Out of Things to Write
About? By
Lance Winslow As a hobby writer, turned online Internet writer I have
indeed engaged in the old debate; is it possible to run out of things to write about? After pondering this question for a
rather long journey, I would say the answer is no; no its not possible. Often, I hear writers say that they have writer's
block. I understand this phenomena, as I am still waking up as I write this article. Still, I am going to say that it is not
possible to run out of things to write about. Now then, it is possible to write down
all the topics that you feel comfortable discussing or all the knowledge you have in a certain industry, hobby, or particular
endeavor. I know that is possible, as I have almost done it. However, this does not mean with a little extra input, reading,
observation or that tomorrow you will not learn something new which opens a new perspective on an old theme. If
you gather information, insight and experience constantly and keep you mind agile to think about these new concepts then you
will never run out of stuff to write about. Now that I have pounded out a couple of hundred words about "running out
of things to write about" well, I am now ready to write about something more in depth than the mere philosophy of writing.
Perhaps you might try a similar exercise next time you think there is nothing to write about or next time you feel you have
writer's block, because: There is always something to write about
- Think About it! If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives,
come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net
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*** FROM THE EMAIL BOX Do you have feedback regarding this newsletter?
Any requests for topics or resources you’d like me to include? Please feel free to drop me
a line (or several!) at MaryAnneHahn1@aol.com *** BUILD
A PROFESSIONAL-LOOKING WEB SITE IN MINUTES Want a simple, professional Web site for your writing business? Then
use the company I used to create http://writesuccess.com , http://henchenmarina.com and http://hendersonharborny.com. For $11.95 a month you get fr*ee domain registration for one year, a selection of hundreds of templates
to choose from, a ridiculously easy to use site builder, and much more! http://tinyurl.com/223672 *** SETTING
YOUR SITES: Useful Sites for Writers Rose Dog “Working to get writers noticed,” this is a portal where writers can post manuscripts
and agents can find writers. I’m not sure this works, but there are a few testimonials on
the site, so maybe it does. http://www.rosedog.com/default.asp *** Portico Portico is a collection of web sites, containing publicly
available information. http://indorgs.virginia.edu/portico/home.html *** Freelance Home Writers is a membership site that lines writers up with customers who need anything and everything from
short articles for Web sites to blog entries. If you’re a versatile writer who could use $12 to $50
or more any hour, this site might be just what you’re looking for. Total 100 percent money back guarantee
if you’re not satisfied. Check it out: http://tinyurl.com/39mk7m *** FREE RESOURCES FOR WRITERS Smart Writers Newsletter Sign up for this free newsletter that contains how-to articles, author announcements, free downloads
and more, and you’ll receive a whole bunch of freebies you can use for fun and profit! http://www.writersgiveaway.com/?afl=8803 --- Crime Scene Writer A forum for asking and answering crime
scene investigation, applied forensics, and police procedure questions for fiction or non-fiction writers. Writers are invited
to ask and crime scene investigators, forensic scientists, and medical practitioners are invited to answer. Of course, experienced
writers are invited to help the newer ones and each other. http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/crimescenewriter/ --- Writing and Publishing A supportive place for writers, editors,
publishers to meet, discuss markets, writing, support writers, new and experienced. A great place for creative minds. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/writingandpublishing/ --- Coffee break for Writers Free e-zine for writers that contains
interviews with bookstores, successful writers, editors, agents and publishers; profiles on new Web sites related to the writing
and publishing industry; book reviews on writing-related books; writing and publishing trends; market information and much
more. http://www.coffeebreakforwriters.com/
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***
Wanted: Short Pieces and Fillers
* Get Paid to Write Book Reviews
* Short and Sweet—Markets for Your Fillers * Cooking Up Recipes—Markets for Your Recipes and
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a Flash—Markets for flash fiction 100-500 words * Just Hit Send—Markets that You Can Query via E-mail
These ebooks provide you with specific markets for these kinds of pieces, saving you hundreds of hours
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***
WRITESUCCESS STORIES
Have you won a writing contest? Sold a story, article or essay? Landed
a freelance writing gig? Published a book? Whatever the success, drop me a line at MaryAnneHahn1@aol.com and tell us about it!
---
Hi Mary Anne,
I submitted an article and two
photos to the local newspaper. I wrote about my visit to see my son and soon to be daughter in law, who
had moved to Yellowknife in NWT(Northern Canada) I was not paid for the article, but
I did get a big thrill seeing my name in print followed by Travel writer.
Thanks for all the advice, suggestions and information in your newsletter.
I know it takes a lot to time to publish regularly. Keep up the good work.
Best wishes
Evelyn Underwood. How Can We Help You. www.connectionsbusinessgroup.com
***
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CALLS FOR WRITERS In this section, you'll normally find announcements I receive for contests, anthology submissions,
sites looking for content writers, information on writers' conferences, etc. Also, if you are looking to interview or work with certain types of writers, you can post your request
here by emailing me at MaryAnneHahn1@aol.com . --- Butterfly Women Press Are you a woman writer who wants to change the world with her words? The NAWW is currently accepting book proposals
for publishing under a new NAWW imprint called Butterfly Women Press. NAWW will choose at least one book per year to transform
the world. We believe the world can indeed be changed one book at a time. Submissions for our 2008 book will close March 31, 2008 Submissions
for our 2009 release will close October 31, 2008 For details,
visit http://naww.org/blog/butterfly-women-press
--- Dear Writers, I am sending this global plea for substantive 850-1100 true stories about fathers for the upcoming
My Dad Is My Hero anthology. Please visit my website www.literarycottage.com and carefully review the "Hero Series Guidelines"
page, paying particular attention to the explicit guidelines, suggestions, and formatting requirements. A few sample stories
are also available via a link on that page. I really need stories about memorable fathers (The father is the hero of the story!)
that tug at the heart, make us laugh, or capture and honor a unique father. Your best chance for being
selected for inclusion is to study the guidelines. I look forward to receiving your story. Thank you! The first volume, My Teacher Is My Hero, will be released in April/May, and My
Mom Is My Hero has been compiled and is undergoing the editing process. We hope to add volumes in the coming months. All best regards, Susan Reynolds *** LOOKING
FOR FREELANCE OR PERMANENT WRITING JOBS? Check out the links to writing job sites and listings at http://www.writesuccess.com/id25.html *** E-ZINE AD SWAPS National Association of Women Writers Founded in 2001, the NAWW has over
3000 members worldwide. Its mission is to help connect and educate its members through CDs, books, home
study courses, local chapters and much more. Members receive exposure for their books and writing projects
through “Member of the Week” interviews, and receive a number of fr*ee and discounted services. For more information, go to http://tinyurl.com/328m2e and click on the top tab on the right. --- FundsforWriters The grant specialist for writers. Thousands of readers have followed FundsforWriters for over seven years. There's a reason that Writer's Digest has chosen FFW for its 101
Best Web Sites for Writers for seven years in a row. Come sign up. Our special is good through December 31, 2007. Register for a newsletter and receive an ebook and half off the paid subscription,
TOTAL FundsforWriters. www.fundsforwriters.com --- Did you know that subscribers to Bob Osgoodby's Free Ezine "Tip of the Day" get a Free Ad for their
Business on his Web Page?
Subscribe at: http://adv-marketing.com/business/subscribe2.htm Great Business and Computer
Tips - Monday thru Friday Instructions
to place your ad are in the Newsletter. --- If you’re not familiar with The Literacy Site, it’s a place where your free daily click helps fund books
for children in need. I urge every writer to make a special trip here—it takes seconds to support
such a worthy cause. Visit http://theliteracysite.com . *** WANTED: ALL
WRITERS WHO WANT *SUCCESSFUL* WRITING CAREERS Do you enjoy WriteSuccess and find it useful? Then I hope you will feel free to forward this issue to your writing
friends and/or online discussion groups. "WriteSuccess" for everyone! If this issue was forwarded to you and you would like to subscribe, mailto:writesuccess_ezine-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
. ADDITIONAL CONTACT INFORMATION Mary Anne Hahn http://writesuccess.com MaryAnneHahn1@aol.com 'Til next issue-write *every possible moment*...
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