Web sites are becoming more and more popular, dividing the writing community into two groups: Writers who have sites and writers who don’t.

For most people, having a Web site will not necessarily make or break a writing career. Web sites alone do not clinch book deals, snag agents, or ensure best seller status. However, the decision of whether to create a Web site bears serious consideration.

Here are a few ways having a Web site can help your writing get noticed.

1. Web sites are beginning to function the same way that business cards work. In essence, your URL (posted on blogs, at the bottom of your e-mails, on your friends’ homepages, and on your social-networking sites) is an invitation to writers, editors, and agents to learn more about you.  
2. When you’re sending query letters to agents, publishers, or even literary magazines, showing off your Web skills indicates that you are forward-thinking, cutting-edge, and willing to do the “leg work” of promoting your own writing. If you sell books, they sell books. Your hard work will cause others to work hard for you. 
3. Having a Web site, especially if it’s popular or has a core body of loyal readers, can demonstrate that your writing has the power to touch readers’ lives by inspiring an emotional reaction. Agents and editors can go on your site and read the flurry of activity as people leave their comments, sign your guest book, and show their support. That enthusiasm can be contagious.
4. A Web site can give potential readers access to projects that you have yet to sell. Although most publishers are starting to consider writing published in any digital format as being “previously published,” you can show off synopses and excerpts from your writing, and, with any luck, your snippets will get a few nibbles or even bites. Just be sure not to post too many offerings at one time; otherwise, your readers might get the feeling that the reason you have so many postings is that you are unable to “place” your work.
5. Your Web site is a great place to keep your bio fresh and up to date. In query and cover letters, you’re often given only a brief paragraph to describe your history, your aspirations, and your intentions. If you write a great mini bio in your cover letter, you could inspire your reader to go to your Web site and learn more about you. Time and again, advertising gurus and business coaches stress the importance of “branding”; a good Web site bio can help you do just that.
6. Your site is an excellent promotional tool for published work. Once your short story is published or your novel is on the shelves, use your site to keep readers interested by hosting contests, offering supplemental materials and free stuff, and developing an online “personality” that makes people want to know more.

For an example of an up-and-coming novelist’s site that we like (full disclosure, she works for Writer’s Relief!), have a look at www.LisaDaleBooks.com, where you can find things like audio downloads, interviews, videos, and free stuff. 

For more information about how to make your own Web site, please read our post: http://writersreliefblog.com/post/20-Groovy-Website-Resources-for-Writers.aspx

Please see individual URLs for complete contest and anthology information and submissions guidelines.

Upcoming Anthologies

Deadline: 12/21/08.
Submit to: The Queer Collection: Prose and Poetry 2009. Fabulist Flash Publishing, PO Box 570368, Las Vegas, NV 89157.
Theme: Gay, lesbian, queer themes.
Type: Poetry (40 lines MAX) and fiction (3,000 words MAX).
URL: http://www.queercollection.com/index_files/Submissions.htm

Deadline: 12/31/08.
Submit to: A Generation Defining Itself: Volume 8. E-mail to: mwe@evenstar.net.
Theme: MUST be writers born 1960 to 1982. Topics: “Realities, dispelling the narrow, simplified stereotypes created by the mass media and commercial marketing.”
Type: “All genres sought.”
URL: http://www.evenstar.net/mwe/page2.html 

Deadline: 12/31/08.
Submit to: World Swirl Publishing. E-mail (via Word or RTF attachment) to: submit@worldswirl.com.
Theme: True travel scams.
Type: Nonfiction (up to 1,500 words). Will contact only if accepted.
URL: http://www.worldswirl.com

Deadline: 01/01/09.
Submit to: Women’s Studies Quarterly. Submit via various e-mail addresses. See Web site.
Theme: Motherhood.
Type: Prose, poetry.
URL: http://www.feministpress.org/wsq/#callformaterials

Deadline: 01/01/09.
Submit to: Parabola. E-mail to: editorial@parabola.org.
Theme: Water (religious and spiritual issues).
Type: Queries only. Articles (1,000 to 3,000 words). Rarely considers stories and poems.
URL: http://parabola.org/content/view/14/39

Deadline: 01/01/09.
Submit to: Whole Terrain. E-mail to: whole_terrain@antiochne.edu.
Theme: “(r)(e)volution.”
Type: Prose (2,000 words MAX), poetry (3 poems MAX).
URL: http://www.wholeterrain.org/submissions.cfm  

Deadline: 01/01/09.
Submit to: Woodrow Hall Editions. Poetry Jumps Off the Shelf, PO Box 260026, Madison, WI 53726.
Theme: “Lines in the Sand.” Poems that reach across territorial, cultural, or interpersonal boundaries. Nearly lost chances topics will be especially welcome.
Type: Poetry (poems no wider than 3-1/2 inches with a 27-line maximum that includes title, spaces, byline, and credit).
URL: http://poetryjumpsofftheshelf.com

Deadline: 01/31/09.
Submit to: Untitled Anthology. E-mail to: littlesuperheroes@gmail.com.
Theme: Boys 3-8 years old who wants to be superheroes. 
Type: True stories (500-750 words).
URL: N/A. 

Deadline: 02/01/09.
Submit to: Rattle. E-mail (via pasted-in text) to: submissions@rattle.com.
Theme: African-American poets.
Type: Poetry and essays (5,000 words MAX).
URL: http://www.rattle.com/callsforsubs.htm 

Deadline: 02/01/09.
Submit to: Windfall. PO Box 19007, Portland, OR 97280.
Theme: Poetry of place, specifically the Pacific Northwest.
Type: Poetry (5 poems MAX).
URL: http://www.hevanet.com/windfall/index.html

Deadline: 02/08/09.
Submit to: Pockets. 1908 Grand Avenue, PO Box 340004, Nashville, TN 37203-0004.
Theme: Priorities.
Type: Stories (1,400 words MAX), poems (24 lines MAX), and articles (1,000 words MAX).
URL: http://www.upperroom.org/pockets/writer_guidelines.asp  

Deadline: 02/16/09.
Submit to: New Plains Review. Submissions, PO Box 184, University of Central Oklahoma, Edmond, OK 73034. Or e-mail (via Word attachment) to: doug@janestreet.org.
Theme: Service. “Military, community service, school service requirements, jury duty, all forms of volunteering, religious services, food service, customer service, serving a subpoena or tennis ball, etc.”
URL: http://www.libarts.ucok.edu/english/newplains/issue.htm

Deadline: 02/28/09.
Submit to: Queer SF Anthology submission. E-mail (via pasted-in text) to: editor@queeredfiction.com.
Theme: Queer Science Fiction (GLBT).
Type: Short stories (4,000 to 10,000 words).
URL: http://www.queeredfiction.com

Deadline: 03/01/09.
Submit to: Thema. Virginia Howard (for fiction). Gail Howard (for poetry). Box 8747, Metairie, LA 70011-8747.
Theme: Put it in your pocket, Lillian.
Type: Poetry and fiction (20 pages MAX).
URL: http://members.cox.net/thema/submissions.html

Deadline: Unspecified.
Submit to: Novel & Short Story Writer's Market. E-mail to: nsswm@fwpubs.com.
Theme: The Writing Life, Craft & Technique, Getting Published, For Mystery Writers, For Romance Writers, and For Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Writers.
Type: Nonfiction (see examples of previous editions).
URL: Unspecified. 

Upcoming Contests

Deadline: 12/20/08.
Submit to: Gulf Coast’s Donald Barthelme Prize in Short Prose. English Dept., University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204-3013.
Entry fee: $15. First prize: $500 and publication.
Type: Flash fiction or prose poems (3 titles/500 words each MAX).
URL: http://www.gulfcoastmag.org

Deadline: 12/20/08.
Submit to: Write2Help.org Inaugural Contest. Submit via online entry form or by mail: Submissions Dept., PO Box 3986, Myrtle Beach, SC 29578.
Entry fee: $10. First prize: $1,000 and online publication.
Type: Short story (1,500 words MAX), ages 13+.
URL: http://www.write2help.org/current-contests.php

Deadline: 12/29/08.
Submit to: Rhode Island Writers' Circle National Poetry Contest. The Writers' Circle, Inc., 1087 Warwick Avenue, Warwick, RI 02888.
Entry fee: $10. First prize: $200, staged readings, and publication in RI Writers’ Circle Anthology.
Type: Poetry (5 pages MAX).
URL: http://www.riwriterscircle.com

Deadline: 12/31/08.
Submit to: Boulevard Short Fiction Contest for Emerging Writers. PMB 325, 6614 Clayton Road, Richmond Heights, MO 63117.
Entry fee: $15. First prize: $1,500 and publication.
Type: Short fiction (no length restrictions). Writers MUST not have published a book.
URL: http://www.richardburgin.net/1boulevardsfcontest.htm

Deadline: 12/31/08.
Submit to: "My Real-Life Story," Glamour, Essay Contest, 4 Times Square, 16th floor, New York, NY 10036.
Entry fee: none. First prize: $5,000 and publication.
Type: True life stories (2,500 to 3,500 words).
URL: http://www.glamour.com/magazine/2008/08/nonfiction-contest-rules

Deadline: 12/31/08.
Submit to: The Laureate Prize for Poetry sponsored by the National Poetry Review. PO Box 2080, Aptos, CA 95001-2080.
Entry fee: $15. First prize: $300 and publication.
Type: Poetry (3 poems/10 pages MAX).
URL: http://www.nationalpoetryreview.com 

Deadline: 12/31/08.
Submit to: Merton Prize For Poetry Of The Sacred. Merton Institute, 2117 Payne Street, Louisville, KY 40206. Or e-mail (via Word 2003 attachment) to: vhurst@mertoninstitute.org.
Entry fee: none. First prize: $500 and publication.
Type: Poetry (MUST be about spirituality, 1 poem MAX).
URL: https://www.mertoninstitute.org/merton_prize.php

Deadline: 12/31/08.
Submit to: MWCC Foundation Inc., 444 Green Street, Gardner, MA 01440. Memo: Freedom Tower Poetry Competition (FTPC). Mark envelope: Life Program, Patricia B. Cosentino, Chairperson, FTPC.
Entry fee: $1 per poem. First prize: Publication for one winner and 100 honorable mentions.
Type: Poetry (3-5 poems). MUST pertain to the Freedom Tower (renewal, rebuilding, reconciliation, forgiveness, peace, trade, and commerce).
URL: http://www.mwcc.mass.edu/lll/Life/tapestries.html

Deadline: 12/31/08.
Submit to: Seventeen magazine fiction contest. Submit via online entry form at URL.
Entry fee: none. First prize: $2,500, laptop, lunch with Meg Cabot.
Type: Short fiction (500 words MAX). Writers MUST be ages 13-21.
URL: http://www.seventeen.com/fun-stuff/special/2009-fiction-contest

Deadline: 12/31/08.
Submit to: Very Short Story Contest sponspored by Lunch Hour Stories. PMB 1117, 22833 Bothell Everett Hwy., Ste. 110, Bothell, WA 98021. Or e-mail to: editor@lunchhourbooks.com.
Entry fee: $5 per story/poem. Entry fee payable online or by mail. First prize: $100 and publication.
Type: Prose poems or short stories (500 words MAX).
URL: http://www.lunchhourbooks.com/shop/home.php

Deadline: 01/15/09.
Submit to: 2008 Lyric Family Prize, PO Box 2494, Bloomington, IN 47402.
Entry fee: $10. First prize: $300, a broadside, a lifetime subscription, and publication.
Type: Poetry (MUST have strong musicality and lyricism).
URL: http://www.lyricreview.org/contest.html

Deadline: 01/15/09.
Submit to: Sonora Review Short-Short Contest. Department of English, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721.
Entry fee: $15. First prize: $1,000 and publication.
Type: Short shorts (3 pieces MAX/1,000 words each MAX).
URL: http://www.coh.arizona.edu/Sonora/contest.htm

Deadline: 01/16/09.
Submit to: Buffalo Carp Flash Fiction Contest. Quad City Arts, 1715 Second Avenue, Rock Island, IL 61201. Or e-mail to: buffalocarp@gmail.com.
Entry fee: $10. First Prize: $250, publication, five copies.
Type: Flash fiction (3 pieces MAX, 600 words each MAX).
URL: http://www.quadcityarts.com/

Deadline: 01/31/09.
Submit to: Fulton Prize for Short Fiction sponsored by The Adirondack Review and Black Lawrence Press. E-mail to: diane@blacklawrencepress.com. Subject line: “[Your last name] Fulton Prize Submission.”
Entry fee: $10. First prize: $400 and publication.
Type: Short fiction.
URL: http://theadirondackreview.com/FultonPrize.html

Deadline: 01/31/09.
Submit to: New Millennium Writings. PO Box 2463, Knoxville, TN 37901-2463.
Entry fee: $17. First prize: $1,000 and publication.
Type: Prose (6,000 words MAX), short shorts (1,000 words MAX), poetry (3 poems, five pages MAX).
URL: http://www.newmillenniumwritings.com/awards.php

Deadline: 02/08/09.
Submit to: Amazon Breakthrough Novel Contest.
Entry fee: None. First prize: $25,000.
Type: Unpublished novels.
URL https://www.createspace.com/abna

Deadline: 02/15/09.
Submit to: Julia Peterkin Award. Converse College, Department of English, Spartanburg, SC 29302.
Entry fee: $15. First prize: $1000 and travel expenses for a reading at Converse College.
Type: Fiction (5,000 words MAX).
URL: http://www.converse.edu/academics/majors/peterkinjuliaaward.html

Deadline: 02/16/09.
Submit to: Tiny Lights Essay Contest sponsored by Tiny Lights Publications. PO Box 928, Petaluma, CA 94953.
Entry fee: $15. First prize: $400.
Type: Essays. (Specify which category: Standard [2,000 words MAX] or Flash [1,000 words MAX]. MUST show the author’s growth/change.
URL: http://www.tiny-lights.com/contest.php 

Conferences

Georgia: Voices of Christ Literary Ministries International will sponsor a conference "An Introduction to The Scribal Anointing" to be held in Atlanta, GA, on January 31, 2009. More information at: http://www.voicesofchrist.org.

Tennessee: Tennessee Mountain Writers, Inc. will host their "Januray Jumpstart" on January 9-11, 2009 in Sweetwater, TN, and their annual conference on  April 2-4, 2009 in Oak Ridge, TN. More information at: http://www.tmwi.org.

Massachusetts: "Writing From The Heart; A Retreat For Women" will be held January 23-25, 2009 in Rowe, MA. More information at www.rowecenter.org.

News of Interest

The Cell of a Soul, Maria Logven's first book of short stories illustrated by a surrealist artist Michael Cheval, is now available at http://www.amazon.com/Cell-Soul-Maria-Logven/dp/1434399966/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1229530126&sr=1-1.

Naomi Ruth Lowinsky's memoir on being a poet, The Sister from Below: When the Muse Gets Her Way has been accepted for publication by Fisher King Press. Advance orders welcome: http://www.fisherkingpress.com/order.html.

John Steinbeck, William Faulkner, and Margaret Mitchell found themselves writing during some of the most difficult—and arguably the most historic—years in our nation’s history. When things get rough tenacious American writers step up to the plate to produce meaningful and dramatic works of art that live on for generations. Where do readers and writers turn when times get tough? Click the link below to read about trends in art and entertainment during The Great Depression. Maybe you’ll discover something inspiring for your own writing at this time in our history!

http://www.sparknotes.com/testprep/books/sat2/history/chapter17section3.rhtml

 
Graphic created by E. Jessie Monaco

We asked the Writer's Relief staff what their favorite costumes and candies are. Tell us your favorites by posting a reply! 

Dan
Costume: Ninja. Low maintenance, high recognizability. Plus black works well on Halloween.

Candy: Milky Way. I could make up some fake answer about the galaxy, endless possibilities, or something equally ridiculous, but really it’s just chocolate + nougat + caramel = win.

Frank
Costume: Years ago I had a clown suit with tan and red stripes. The big, red nose wasn’t necessary.

Candy: Dark chocolate.

Hermine (Guess who she is related to!)
Costume: Black French Poodle—all handmade, very creative.

Candy: Chocolate-covered marshmallow ghosts by Russell Stover.

Joi
Costume: I love Roseanne, and that show had the best Halloween episodes. One, in particular, that sticks out is when Roseanne and Dan dressed up as a dead ventriloquist and his dummy. They performed onstage for their friends, and when the song ended, Dan drank water and it came pouring out of the holes in the dummy's (Roseanne's) body. LOL…

Candy: That's easy. Candy corn. It's awesome, heavenly, and oh, so bad for you, but it makes me happy. So, please, everyone…LOTS OF CANDY CORN.

Jon
Costume: Honestly, I love ghost costumes, the real simple ones with just the two holes for eyes and a giant sheet over your body. It’s so simple yet it freaks me out! It reminds me of the original Halloween movie.

Candy: I love pumpkin spice chocolate…it’s just perfect for the season, and it makes me feel cozy.

Kriste
Costume: Little Orphan Annie—I dressed up as Annie when I was in grade school, and everyone loved it because I had the dress and big, curly wig. I should totally have my mom see if she can’t dig out one of those pictures. It was a hoot!

Candy: Candy corn—Pure sugary goodness!

Lisa
Costume: One year my dad made these hot-pink earrings that attached to a battery pack and blinked on and off. Unfortunately, they kept short-circuiting and shocking my earlobes. But I was determined to keep them on—it’s all about aesthetics!

Candy: Snickers.

Liz
Costume: Hmm… I like it when people dress as inanimate objects, like, say, a box of crayons. And homemade costumes are, by far, superior. I think it shows off creativity and dedication to the sport of dressing up.

Candy: Happy Apples by Laurie’s Candies (local homemade candy). Happy Apples are apples dipped in caramel, enrobed in chocolate, and decorated with a candy face (like M&M’s for eyes and candy corn for a nose, licorice whip for a mouth). You may not find them by going door to door, but Laurie’s Candies has made these treats for the past 15 years—or, at least, that is as long as I can remember! When I see those smiling treats in local markets, I know October has come and my favorite holiday, Halloween, is around the corner. When I lived in Boston, my parents would send me Happy Apples in care packages to remind me of home. I look forward to their arrival every year as a gentle reminder that some things don’t change!

Margaret
Costume: Ghost.

Candy: 3 Musketeers.

Maria
Costume: (This is hard because I like more than one) Elvis.

Candy: (Ditto) Snickers bites (dark chocolate).

Marissa
Costume: My favorite Halloween costume was one my mom made. She teaches elementary school and, therefore, dresses up for her kids each year. A few years ago my mother poked two holes into the bottom of a trash bag for her legs, stepped inside, filled it with fallen leaves, and tied it loosely at her waist. She made a sign that she wore around her neck that read "Tuesday's Pick Up" since that's when the yard waste was picked up…

Candy: My favorite Halloween candy is ANYTHING that involves peanut butter.

Matt
Costume: Undead Lincoln (Abraham Lincoln as a zombie), Robin Hood, Ghostbuster.

Candy: Chocolate Peanut Butter Marshmallowed Candied Apple.

Meg
Costume: Witch (I love the hair).

Candy: Candy corn.

Pamela
Costume: For Halloween when I was in seventh grade I dressed up as a “Widow’s Web.” It was basically a long, black dress and had a black, sheer shawllike piece with pointed edges, a high collar, and white silk screen print (made to look like a spiderweb) that went over it. Included in my ensemble was makeup (black lipstick/nail polish and white face paint) and a hair clip that had a big, creepy-looking spider on it. I wore my hair half up in a bun, with the spider clip over the bun. I loved that costume and so did my fellow classmates! From the back it really looked like a creepy spider perched high in its web, waiting to attack!

Candy: Snickers fun-size bars are my favorite Halloween candy. Snickers bars are my favorite everyday candy, so getting them on Halloween is always a plus! There’s just something about getting the fun-size bars on Halloween that makes them taste better than the regular size on an average day (kind of like how turkey on Thanksgiving tastes better than a turkey dinner on any other day of the year), not to mention they are a perfect-size chocolatey snack for any time of the day.

Ronnie
Costume: The black Poodle costume my mother made for me when I was a child. It was passed around to many children over the years and won lots of prizes! Must have made an impact on me. I continue to love Poodles, and two of our office mascots are proof (Bella, a standard apricot, and Teddy, a rescued mini apricot). They’re scary smart!

Candy: Anything with chocolate and NO peanuts. I also love homemade popcorn balls.

Shawn
Costume: My favorite Halloween costume would have to be Dorothy from The Wizard Of Oz. I have a complex, what can I say? Oh, wait…am I supposed to be picking my favorite male costume?

Candy: I’m going to stand up for candy corn here as my favorite Halloween candy, simply because almost all other candy is available year-round. And because I happen to think it’s delicious (we’re a small, small army, we candy corn lovers).  

Simone
Costume: Ghost. It's invisible.

Candy: Werther's hard candy caramel drops. It sticks to the roof of my mouth and I love the buttery caramel flavor.

Steve
Costume: Mick Foley (Pro wrestler also known to be Cactus Jack, Dude Love, and Mankind); Superman (with Superdog); Ninja Turtle; Bob Dole.

Candy: Smarties (Nestlé Smarties), only sold in Canada and Europe, similar to M&M’s.

Wendy
Costume/Candy: My parents really rose to the occasion for Halloween—very creative types. Long, long ago, when I was a wee child, they totally knocked themselves out and constructed an unusual costume for me: a small tabletop complete with a Halloween tablecloth, party favors, etc., featuring a pumpkin centerpiece (my head in a pumpkin mask). The absolute BEST THING about this outfit was that the little paper party cups were filled with CANDY CORN, my favorite Halloween candy. Pure bliss!

Although you didn’t ask, my least favorite costume? Mom and Dad’s version of the Pied Piper of Hamelin: I was forever tripping over the fake rats attached by fishing line to my shoes!

Find out what your favorite candy says about you by taking this short survey: http://www.blogthings.com/whatdoesyourfavoritecandysayaboutyouquiz.

Dear Writer Friends,

We here at Writer's Relief had a good laugh recently over a video we found on YouTube, and we wanted to share! This three-minute video imagines a world where fonts are actually human beings. It's a riot!

Click this link to enjoy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3k5oY9AHHM

Keep the creativity coming,

Writer's Relief Staff

If so, be sure someone else hasn't already written about your topic in this comprehensive list, published by EW.com.

Click here for the list and complete article, written by Kate Ward.

And after you've completed your original memoir, contact Writer's Relief, Inc. for information on how to target your work to appropriate literary agents.

People who work for a living know that being efficient and productive is not always easy. It can be even harder for those of us who attempt to work from home or write from home after work. It’s definitely hard to stay focused sometimes.
 
Sure, we start out with the best of intentions and with specific goals in mind—edit 20 pages of a novel, revise an old poem—but we soon find ourselves distracted by any number of things. Take organizing your desk, for example. It may start off as an innocent and sincere attempt to tidy up and possibly focus better, but it often leads to more interesting discoveries, such as that dental appointment postcard for, oops, last week, or a perfume sample, a clipped article, an overdue bill. Then, resolutely, it’s back to work! At least, that is, until the coffee needs refilling, the pencil needs sharpening, the bathroom needs visiting. Then the dryer buzzes, your neighbor calls, the dogs bark, your kids wail, and the door-to-door weirdos descend. 

But that’s not all. Most of us use computers for writing, researching, and corresponding with others. And since the Internet is an integral part of computer use, we are faced with yet one more terrible distraction. With rehab clinics sprouting up all over the place for those poor souls addicted to YouTube, MySpace, Facebook, and 4chan, it’s obvious there’s a serious problem. We can only hope that those of us who work with computers can be strong and resist the temptations. And distracting temptations there are! Such fabulous, time-wasting activities abound, and we can’t resist giving you a small sample.

There are plenty of ways to get distracted online, even aside from the usual time-wasters like obsessive e-mail checking, surfing celebrity gossip news, and trolling forums and chat groups. There’s www.ICanHasCheezburger.com if you like pictures of cats in funny poses and www.PetsInClothes.com, which is pretty self-explanatory. Avoid www.DoNotPress.net, or you may find yourself pressing the big, red button obsessively, and definitely stay away from www.SubservientChicken.com if you haven’t already become addicted.

You can write “articles” for Uncyclopedia.org and feel good about being “published.” Or post something unique for sale on Craigslist, like that two-foot wad of gum you’ve created by wandering Yankee Stadium. (It’s kind of fun to see who will stop by your house or call you about it, and you might even make a few bucks!) It’s also amusing to bid for strange items on eBay, increasing your bid by increments of 50 cents at a time and hoping that someone outbids you before you become the owner of a pink flamingo bouncy house for the backyard…unless you really like pink flamingo bouncy houses.

As writers you can disguise some of these distractions by calling it “higher education” or “research.” At www.lunchtimers.com you can play a game with a whiteboard and lots of colorful letters to move around and form words—see the writing connection? The problem is, there are also other people grabbing letters and moving things around at the same time, so it’s even more distracting than it should be.

On second thought, maybe there’s no getting away from online distractions. Maybe we should all devote an hour a day to worthless pursuits—pushing red buttons, bossing guys in chicken suits around, and laughing at pets in clothes—and just get it out of our systems so we can get down to business.

Are you one of those guilty people who reads while you have a few minutes to spare in the bathroom? You're not the only one, and don't feel bad about it... Robert Philpot of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram will give you 20 reasons to keep doing what you're doing "in the loo." Take a look at this humorous and interesting article online here: http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/arizonaliving/articles/0108bathroombook0108.html

Have you ever wanted to change those signs with the incorrect punctuation? Kate McCulley, the grammar vandal, is doing just that! She’s taken action in Boston and has moved her locale to the Internet as well: http://www.thegrammarvandal.com. She’s received press from The Boston Globe and NPR (links below).

http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2007/07/15/stop_sign_travesties/

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=12173654

The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary, a compact, two-volume version of the 20-volume set, was recently released, and it has caused a small stir among those who care about such things: the SOED editors have done away with the hyphen in approximately 16,000 words, throwing a wrench into the works of hyphen-addicted old-schoolers. Shortly afterward, The New York Times printed an article about it, along with a graphic of a gravestone inscribed with: Here Lies The Nearly-Departed, Seldom-Understood, Soon-To-Be-Forgotten Hyphen. It was a fitting epitaph. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/07/weekinreview/07mcgrath.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

The hyphen has long been a misunderstood creature, and there are no hard and fast rules about its usage. In general, it is used to provide breaks in lines, and in the spelling of certain words, such as father-in-law or anti-American. Hyphens are also used as "suspension hyphens" to indicate a stand-in word (four-, five-, and six-gallon containers) and to link compound adjectives that precede a noun (We gave the six-foot man a wide berth). Hyphens can also be used to avoid confusion as in 30-odd people. Without the hyphen, we might be looking at 30 strange people wandering around rather than approximately 30 folks. We have also traditionally used hyphens to set off prefixes such as "self" and "ex," and when two vowels need separation as in "pre-eminent," although, today you'll find "preeminent" in most standard dictionaries.

If you're a little uncertain about the use of hyphens, don't despair—you're not alone. The English language is terribly unregulated, and your hyphen decisions should be based on common sense and consistency. If in doubt, look it up. At Writer's Relief we use Merriam-Webster's dictionary as the final authority, and the no-hyphen trend has been spotted there as well.

The SOED has provided us with thousands of newly de-hyphenated words that, according to editor Angus Stevenson, are "only reflecting widespread everyday use." So, now we have bumblebee, airstream, leapfrog, and ice cream (instead of ice-cream). The editors at SOED have been tracking trends for many years and report that the hyphen seems to be falling by the wayside. It is not, however, in any danger of disappearing for good. Otherwise we may get confused and go searching for a good looking date—you know, a date who is good at looking—or a fine tooth comb with which to comb our teeth.

Not all writers make it a habit of going to writers’ conferences, but they are a part of many writers’ professional lives. These conferences are a meeting ground for agents, editors, writing instructors, and fellow scribes who gather to share knowledge and expertise, make contacts, and meet specific goals, whether it’s a writer pitching a novel or an agent scoring a best-seller.

Although you can find day workshops that are more affordable, these conferences are often not cheap. They range from 200 to 500 dollars and up, so it’s important to choose wisely. Here are some tips to help you get the most for your money.

What to look for:

First, you’ll want to locate conferences that fit your particular needs. Some focus on children’s writing, while others are for romance or mystery writers. Narrow down the field to those that pertain to your genre. The Internet is full of information on various conferences. Try www.writing.shawguides.com for a fairly comprehensive list.

As with all investments, a little research can go a long way. Request for all the information offered and go over it carefully. Do some checking with fellow writers or critique groups for their opinions, and research the guest speaker(s).

Take a good look at the opportunities available. Are there workshops, networking opportunities, well-known lecturers? If all you’re offered is a chance to hear an obscure author read her work, you won’t get much out of the experience.

Make note of the specifics, such as the travel requirements, lodging choices, and facilities. You may want to stick closer to home, or choose a mountain retreat over urban classrooms. Is there lodging available, or are you responsible for making hotel arrangements separately?

Double-check for hidden costs, and tally all possible expenses. If you’re organized and ask well in advance, you may be able to apply for a scholarship (or partial scholarship) to help defray the cost. The same goes for volunteering at the conference. You’ll have to ask for these options, as they probably won’t be advertised. You may also choose to attend with a friend. If you each take different seminars and workshops and then share notes, you’ll get more for your money.

What to do:

Clarify your conference goals before the actual event. Are you hoping to meet an agent, hone your writing skills, schmooze with other writers, learn new trends, and/or promote your work? Plan your time accordingly. If networking is your objective, skip the guest lecture and attend the less formal cocktail party instead. Or sign up for that "new media" seminar if you’re interested in learning new trends.

Wear comfortable shoes and dress appropriately. "Business casual" is a safe bet, although there are usually opportunities for more formal dress during dinners, etc. Be sure you’re remembered for your professional and engaging personality, not your plunging neckline or glow-in-the-dark cowboy boots.

Keep an eye on the time. If you’ve made appointments to speak with editors or agents, don’t be late. Stick to your allotted time out of courtesy both to the editor or agent and to your fellow writers.

Bring a light shoulder bag or briefcase stocked with your business cards, a notebook, extra pens...and for the free handouts. When you receive a business card, make a note on the back to remind you who you talked to and what it was about. It’s best to keep your hands free, so check other luggage and your coat in advance.

Position yourself carefully—asking questions from the front of the room will get you noticed, while the back row is a good place if you plan to slip out early.

Be prepared to do some work—networking can be exhausting, and this is not the time to sit back and be a passive observer. Everyone at this conference shares a common interest, so don’t let insecurity keep you from meeting new people and learning from them. The energy of these events can be very inspirational.

After the conference, send "nice to meet you" notes to agents or editors you spoke to, and be sure to mention where you met and (briefly) what you talked about.

Pitching your work:

Feel free to bring copies of your query, synopsis, or a few sample chapters or other writing samples. But leave that 500-page manuscript at home. Some conferences have time set aside specifically for pitching your work, so be prepared in advance and take advantage of this time. Make sure your pitch is polished (practice giving it to the mirror, your friends, your parrot), exciting, and BRIEF. There’s no need to compulsively tell everything about the story and the reason it was written. Agents and editors are trained to spot a good opportunity on very little information, and you want to avoid that glazed look in their eyes if you go on and on.

Do not aggressively corner agents and editors and subject them to a verbal pitch during dinner or in the restroom. You’ll only aggravate them or scare them away. And be careful what you say. Editors and agents often run in the same circles, and if you’ve been ranting about other writers or editors, you will be remembered—but not in the way you’d like.

Above all, have some fun…and happy networking!

Many of us keep journals to reduce stress or to record life’s events for posterity, and writers especially should make use of this creative outlet. Journaling can be a great tool for writers—the journal becomes a repository for fresh ideas and a safe place to write. Whether it’s a spiral notebook or a leather-bound book with a beautiful cover, a writer’s journal should be a source of inspiration.

There is an endless variety of journals to choose from. Select something that inspires you, that makes you eager to crack your journal open and turn to a fresh page. A beautiful diary with fun pockets or an elegant cover will make writing a pleasure. Invest in a fun or really fancy pen to use just for your journaling. Then, you are always ready to write!

Keep your journal handy for jotting down those whimsical ideas or brilliant first sentences that pop into your head at the oddest moments. If your journal is large or bulky, keep a spiral-bound pocket-sized notebook around. You can then transfer your ideas to the larger journal.

Write regularly and on a schedule. Get into the habit of writing each day, and you’ll be perfecting your craft at the same time.

A journal is meant for no one’s eyes but your own, so let those ideas flow unfettered. A little stream of consciousness is good for the soul, and no one will be looking over your shoulder, judging you on punctuation issues or your choice of simile. Sometimes when we let ourselves go and just write, we gain priceless personal insights—and these insights can help us to be better writers.

If the ideas aren’t flowing, try some writing prompts and power your way through writer’s block. Sometimes the very act of writing will clear the path for new ideas and recharge your sagging muse. A Poet's Companion by Kim Addonizio and Dorianne Laux includes writing prompts applicable to either prose or poetry at the end of many chapters.

Some writers add newspaper clippings, sketches, or magazine articles to their journals—anything that inspires them. Others keep pictures or make lists. That’s the beauty of a journal—there are no rules, and this freedom is the catalyst that can unleash your creativity.

We can also go paper-free and buy journaling software, keeping a record of our thoughts and ideas on our personal computers. These programs have the standard word-processing capabilities, and most allow the user to add graphics, sound bites, and charts. If you’re thinking of buying, try the 30-day free trial period available with most of the software. If a trial period is not available, make the most of user-review sites like www.epinions.com. A few to check out:

Alpha Journal (www.alpharealms.com/journal/index.htm)

Digital Diary (www.ajebe.com)

The Journal (www.davidrm.com)

VistaWrite (www.digitalwriting.com/vwrite/default.asp)

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Author’s Submission Service Since 1994

Read this article by Sam Roberts.

Semicolon sightings in the city are unusual, but Neil Neches, a writer in the transit agency's marketing and service information department, inserted one on a placard anyway.

This article articulates the wonder in seeing a semicolon in such an odd place, but other grammarians, professors, and teachers are delighted to see it used properly.

The reason the semicolon is so rarely seen and used is simply because not many know how to use it properly. In the wave of technology and IM/text speak, a semicolon is used to wink at someone.

Check out the article for more information. ;)

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/18/nyregion/18semicolon.html?ex=1361163600&en=1f4b96ff6a13e0b6&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink

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Author’s Submission Service Since 1994

Once you have completed your prose piece or a really inspired group of poems, the next step is to find an outlet for your work. Most writers want to have their work published in a literary venue, sharing in the same magazines that have published such luminaries as Robert Frost, Billy Collins, D. H. Lawrence, Sylvia Plath, Edgar Allen Poe, Guy de Maussapant, and others.

The difficulty lies in determining which magazines might be the best places to send your work. For most writers the writing part is easier than determining where to send your work for publication. There are some ways to make this job a bit easier. Writer’s Relief uses many of these same techniques in successfully finding homes for their clients’ work.

Market books are a good place to start. These are large soft-covered books which include thousands of listings of publication outlets, including literary journals and magazines. The most popular ones are Writer’s Market, Poet’s Market, Novel & Short Story Writer’s Market, and The International Directory of Little Magazines & Small Presses. These books contain a wealth of information that may be useful to you in your search.

It is important to understand that these books are to be used as guides, and oftentimes, information is out of date before publication. However, these books contain much concrete information you can use to build a list of your favorite magazines. When researching literary magazines, be sure to verify the address and submission guidelines, including reading dates and length limit for work. Most literary magazines have Web sites also, but as with the listings in market books, the information may be out of date. Check to see if the guideline page contains dated information, and look to see when their most recent issue was available. These are two easy ways to check if the Web site is up to date.

Another way to research information is to write directly to the magazine and request submission guidelines. This is a necessary step, particularly if there is no Web site available. Additionally, once you send your work to a journal and the editor responds, it is important to check the information on the response slip. Double-check the address, editors’ names, and other guideline information against the information in your records. This way, you’ll be set for the next round of submissions.

There are some Web links that can take you to literary journal Web sites. You may want to investigate http://www.newpages.com and http://www.pshares.org.

Subscribe to Poets & Writers, Writer’s Digest, or The Writer magazine for information about the writing process and links for literary magazines. Visit a full-service bookstore and purchase some literary magazines. Choose a few of your favorites and subscribe to them. Support the literary community. Read and learn what kind of work is getting published and choose markets that suit your style of writing. Keep good records of your research information and update it as it changes. Organization is the key to this part of the process, and once you have the basics, keep submitting your work. Don’t give up. Remember that persistence is the key to a good submission strategy. And, if you decide that you'd rather write and leave the research to someone else, give Writer's Relief a call.

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Author’s Submission Service Since 1994

What's a gerund? Does it have something to do with Jer's errands? Well, if his legs are causing sleepiness from all the errands, then causing is the gerund! Let us further explain.
 
Quite simply a gerund is a word that has -ing added to a base verb, which is the present participle of a verb. The difference is that gerunds are used as nouns. (Driving is required.)  When the verb in the "ing" form is used as a verb or an adjective, it is usually a present participle. (She was fishing for compliments.)
 
Reading, writing, and thinking are things you might do when you see this article. In fact, in that last sentence we used a gerund phrase as the subject of the sentence.
 
Here are other examples of how gerunds function:
 
1. Object of a preposition: After brushing her teeth, she went to bed.
**Be careful not to dangle the gerund.
Right: After learning the specifics, he could make plans easily. (He learns.)
Wrong: After learning the specifics, plans were easily made. (Plans do not learn.)
 
2. Object of a verb: She loves singing in the shower.
 
3. Subject of a verb: Writing is a difficult task.
 
4. Subject complement with a linking verb: His errors were making him crazy.
 
5. Possessive noun: One of my pet peeves is hearing his singing to the radio.
Wrong: One of my pet peeves is hearing him singing to the radio.
 
6. Adjectives: The dancing instructor gave me another lesson on the tango.
 
7. In a passive sense (used after the verbs want, need, or require):  This house needs cleaning.
 
8. After a preposition: If you use a verb after a preposition, you must use a gerund (no exceptions):  Please sign the memo before leaving.
 
For more information on gerunds, take a look at: http://www.chompchomp.com/terms/gerund.htm and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerund.

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Author’s Submission Service Since 1994