P.U.G.S. for Writers

Kathy Ide has a wonderful website for writers. Her PUGS Pointers (Punctuation, Usage, Grammar, and Spelling) provide some amazing writer helps. Check it out!

http://www.kathyide.com/pointers.php

Realms Fiction

A Strang Company (publishers of Charisma magazine and books by popular Christian authors like John Hagee) have a new publishing line for Christian fiction. Its called Realms Fiction. They are targeting a Christian audience that leans more towards the supernatural and suspense lines.

Of the four books they are currently marketing, one is a time travel tale, one is fantasy, one is thriller/suspense (fleas juiced on the bubonic plague are unleashed in NY), and the last is about Lucifer--before and after the fall.

I haven't been able to locate submission guidelines. If anyone reading this knows how to submit to Strang, let me know.

NJCWG Members

If any NJCWG have items to post on this blog, send them to the facilitator.
Louise Bergmann DuMont
Author & Speaker

Writing Op - Adams Media

Are you up to the challenge of sharing your testimony? Adams Media is scheduled to turn out a book for the Christmas season 2006 that focuses on Christian conversion stories (a.k.a testimonies). And we'd love to consider including yours! Study the tips below and then send in your story as soon as you can.

Because of the Christmas deadline, Adams needs our completed book manuscript very soon--so we need your stories by May 5 (after that date, please check to see if we're still accepting stories before sending any). Adams will pay $50 for the stories chosen for publication.

Send your manuscripts as an attached file (preferred) or pasted in an E-mail to: ForeverHisProject@earthlink.net. If you have questions, you may also contact me there. Please feel free to forward this along to your friends and writing groups.

Thank you for considering writing for Forever His. This book will be sold in secular outlets, and has the potential to forever change lives. So we hope to hear from you.

Jeanette Gardner Littleton
Editor, His Forever
HisForeverProject@earthlink.net

Guidelines for His Forever
* Manuscript length is somewhat flexible; however, around 1500-1700 is the goal.
* Although this is a conversion story, you still need to have a focus. Use only details that pertain to that focus. Find the focus about your testimony that makes it different from others, and highlight that.
* Remember to show don't tell. Set up scenes, use dialogue, use your drama well without becoming melodramatic.
* Good stories have beginnings (leads), middles (body), and ends (conclusions). Even though you're telling your testimony, also take care to follow this normal first-person article structure.
* If a crisis led you to Christ, you need to fully explain it—don't allude to it or be vague about it.
* This book is designed to be sold mass market, i.e., Walmart, secular bookstores, etc. So watch using Christianese. Try to explain your testimony clearly enough that an unbeliever who doesn't know our "language" can understand what you're talking about.
* Give the readers materials to relate to—tell them your thoughts and feelings. Tell them specifics on how God drew you and worked in your life. Make spiritual concepts as concrete as possible.
* Be realistic. Don't make it sound like: Aha! You found God and suddenly life was perfect!
* Be positive. Don't bash other faiths or other people. Though you may need to mention sin you were involved in to bring around the positive point of what God saved you from, don't wallow in the sin.
* Do be specific, but don't give more details about the sin than about God drawing you.
* Watch dramatic language, especially when discussing spiritual warfare.
* Please know that those of us editing for Adams, as any magazine and book publisher, may give your manuscript a professional edit for length, clarity, and tightening.

Jeanette Gardner Littleton
Editor, His Forever
Adams Media

NJCWG Members

SPECIAL NOTICE TO NJCWG MEMBERS
If you have any books, tapes, CD's, or other materials that belonging to the facilitator of the NJCWG, please bring them to the meeting.

NJCWG members are asked to prayerfully consider taking a turn teaching something that they have learned about writing!

Next Meeting of the North Jersey Christian Writers Group
Monday, 4/10/06
6:15 Chat Time
7:00 Discussion Time - Members should bring anything that THEY learned about writing to this week's discussion.
8:00 Critiques

Free Two-Part Publishing Conference

Here is a message I recently received from Winepress publishing. They are one of the few subsidy press companies that I would endorse.

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Greetings Christian Writer

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I would like to invite you to a free two-part Christian Publishing Web Conference so you can investigate all your publishing options in today's competitive publishing world.

Starting on Tuesday, the 18th of April, 2006 I will be presenting the You Can Do It! Get Your Christian Book Published and Your Message Out in an interactive web conference format, two information packed 90-minute sessions.

If you want to get noticed by a royalty publisher and would like to see the alternative options you have available to do so, join me for the Part 1 of the 2 part conference....if you’re more interested in knowing how to create a platform and consider many possible ways to promote your book once in print, attend Part 2 of this informative conference. Or, join me for both!

As long as you have high speed internet access and a phone line you can join us from anywhere in the United States.

WinePress Publishing is recommended by Christian publishing industry experts as a viable option worth taking the time to investigate.

Visit the Web Conference sign up page for details.

Hope to see you there!

Warm Regards,
Athena

Spotlight on Poetry

The Writer Magazine has its spotlight on POETRY this month. They are celebrating National Poetry Month with a special Poetry Spotlight in the premium forums. Click here to read our first Poetry Spotlight poem, "The Muse," and comments from poets Kim Addonizio, Alfred Nicol and Claudia Grinnell.

Learn from poet Kay Day, winner of a number of awards for poetry and author of two collections of poetry and a memoir, on what makes a good poem. Whether you're a beginning poet or an accomplished poet looking to improve your poetry skills, this article and the advice in the poetry forums can help you.

May 13 Conference Canceled

Due to circumstances beyond my control, the May 13, A Reason to Write Conference has been CANCELED.

HOWEVER, I am considering hosting a Cecil Murphey mentor clinic. If anyone is interested in attending a mentor clinic in the North Jersey area, please contract me njcwg.dumont@gmail.com

For more information about Cec's clinics go to: http://www.cecilmurphey.com/mentor.html

You can also see comments from those who attended past clinics:
http://www.cecilmurphey.com/endorsements.html

NJCWG Update

Members of the NJCWG were informed yesterday evening that Louise Bergmann DuMont may need to step aside from her position as the group's facilitor. Members were encouraged to pray about the matter and to begin take ownership of the group.

God is calling for leaders.

Who will answer?

Further discussion will be forthcoming.

MEETING TONIGHT

IMPORTANT

Tonight's meeting of the NJCWG is going to be a very important one. If at all possible, every member should try to attend.

Louise Bergmann DuMont
Facilitator

Next Meeting NJCWG

Next Meeting of the NJCWG
Monday, March 27, 2006
Important Announcements About the Future of the NJCWG Will be Made at the Meeting - All Members Should Try to Attend

6:15-7:00 - Chat Time
7:00-8:00 - Teaching Time "Lessons Learned From the Mentor Clinc"
8:00-9:00 - Critiques

Wrting Op - Decision Magazine

DECISION Magazine
Billy Graham Evangelistic Association
1 Billy Graham Parkway
Charlotte NC 28201
Phone: (704)401-2432
Fax: (704)401-3009
E-Mail: submissions@bgea.org
Website: www.decisionmag.org

Non Fiction Needs: Personal Experience & testimony
Buys approximately 8 manuscripts/year.
Submission method: Send complete manuscript
Length: 400–1,500 words.
Pays $200-400.
TIPS: "Articles should have some connection to the ministry of Billy Graham or Franklin Graham. For example, you may have volunteered in one of these ministries or been touched by them. The article does not need to be entirely about that connection, but it should at least mention the connection. Testimonies and personal experience articles should show how God intervened in your life and how you have been transformed by God. SASE required with submissions."

Mentor Clinic

In the last few posts I shared a photos taken last week at Cecil Murphey's mentor clinic in Yorktown, VA. I have more photos but I'm having a hard time posting them. Hopefully I can get them up in a few days.

The photos are a nice rememberance, but what I learned at the clinic is what I will take with me for the rest of my life. Details will be forthcoming to the North Jersey Christian Writers Group at our next meeting - Monday, March 27. I hope to see you there!

Louise Bergmann DuMont

Teri Marriott - hard at work on her manuscript. 

Yvonne Ortega & Louise Bergmann DuMont
Yvonne's first book, a devotional for cancer survivors, is being published this year by Revel. 

Yvonne Ortega, the hostess of the Yorktown Mentor Clinic. 

Nancy Stevens having a moment of fun.

Jonathan Friesen & Sandy Wood. 

A Special night out with my new 'mentor friends'.

Yorktown Mentor Clinic - Cecil Murphey

Cecil Murphey at the Yorktown mentor clinic.

What a week! I learned more in four days that I could imagine learning in a month elsewhere. NJCWG members can hear all about the clinic at our next meeting - Monday, March 27.

Over the next few days I will post more photos and some valuable bits of info gleaned from those at the clinic.