Saturday, September 23, 2006

Industry Information



Life magazine losing $35M a year
With the two-year anniversary of Life as a newspaper insert approaching, NYpost.com speculates about how much life is left in Life. The magazine is believed to be losing at least $35 million a year. Time Inc. had initially promised the big newspaper chains that the insert magazine would be published for at least two years.

Thursday, September 21, 2006

Next Meeting



Next Meeting
Monday, 9/25/06

We may be having a guest speaker for Monday. I still have to confirm her ability to teach but it looks like Chris Sagona may be able to talk to us about getting started as a Journalist in the newspaper business. Please lift a prayer that she'll be able to make this meeting.

New Mag - Digital Living



Digital Living: electronics title launches

Emap will be launching a new quarterly magazine called Digital Living, aimed at "30 plus men who buy consumer electronics." From Rob Croxall, General Manager: "We want to produce a magazine that will demystify the digital world and give it's readers reassurance and confidence. Although the men's market as a whole is having a tough time, specialist titles like our own Digital Photo go from strength to strength, and that gives us a great deal of confidence in the concept of Digital Living." Editor: Bruce Black. Source: Press Gazette

Saturday, September 16, 2006

Attitude is Everything



Your attitude toward others is 99% of the game in the writing world. If you are an author who thinks that they already know what I'm about to say, please bear with me and read this message anyway.

I recently received a request from a webmaster. They wanted me to write free copy for their writers website. This website eventually will offer new writers the opportunity to 'pay' for a spot on their website in the hopes that publishers and editors will read the work and then ask the author to write for them. (sigh) Now I know that this has been tried numerous times before and it just doesn't work. Editors have no problem getting quality writing and authors should never pay to have their work put on a website. I politely sent an email to the webmaster that requested him to take my name off his email list. In return, I got a really rude and sarcastic email telling me that if I wasn't interesting in participating in their project I shouldn't put my name and contact information on my own website. Interesting. I wrote a polite reply back but the whole thing left a really bad taste in my mouth. I will never write for this site and I certainly will warn others against it if someone asks me specifically about them by name. (No, I won't use the name of the group here - sufficient it say that an author should NOT ever pay someone in the hope of being published. That is one of the oldest scams in the book.)

Just remember this -- how you approach an other author, publisher or editor will flavor that person's reaction to your words for a long time to come. As Christians we should take the high road and attempt to be kind to those who might not know better. In any case, a kind word goes a long way to build a bridge -- and you just might need that bridge later in your career.

I'm Back!


Hello to the NJCWG and my other writing friends

When I returned from a wonderful vacation (visiting my son and a number of great historic sites in Virginia) I found a wealth of writing related events and opportunities in my email inbox. I'll share some of them with you over the next few days.

Hope you've all had a great summer and I pray that as the crip fall weather decends on us, you will be invigorated and inspired your writing.

Louise Bergmann DuMont
Facilitator of the North Jersey Christian Writers Group (NJCWG)

Tuesday, September 05, 2006


The Comfort Cafe just posted my most recent column. You can access it through the attached link (http://comfortcafe.net/?p=359) OR by reading the Cafe Moch Light blog (http://cafemochalight.blogspot.com/).

Louise Bergmann DuMont
Author & Speaker

Monday, September 04, 2006

Getting Ideas


From Terri Main, Speach Communication Instructor, Reedley Colleg,e Reedley, CA

Here is a URL for a lesson I have about getting ideas.
http://www.thewritingschool.net/getting_ideas.htm It includes general tips on getting article ideas along with 9 specific idea generators complete with forms to use.

Wednesday, August 30, 2006

Contest - Short Story


April Boyer

If you wish to enter the contest on my website, at the Kitchen page - please send your short, short story involving a recipe. Did your attempt at a new recipe have an unexpected humorous end? Was there a humorous mishap? Was their a heart warming visit, or conversation with a loved one or child? Did a child add his own funny wit?

Your winning entry will be posted after Sept. 27, and your choice of a devotional book awarded.

http://aprilboyer.com

Write Now! Conference (PA) - 10-28-06


Write Now!
One-Day Conference
Ten Workshops for Experienced & Beginning Writers
Keynote Address by Marsha Hubler,
$50 Adult $30 Student
9:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Saturday, October 28, 2006
Faith United Methodist Church
700 Fairview Drive
Montoursville, Pennsylvania
Sponsored by
West Branch Christian Writers

For more information please contact: Roberta Brosius (570) 713-1756 brosius@ptd.net or Barbara Sutryn (570) 322-1984 bars@uplink.net

Workshops & Faculty

* Write for Children with Marsha Hubler, educator and author of Zondervan’s Keystone Stables Series.

* Write for Young Adults with Marsha Hubler.

*Take the Mystery out of Mystery Writing with Evelyn Minshull, educator, poet, and author of 26 books, including Guideposts’ Church Choir Mysteries

*Interview Like a Pro with Kathy Scott, journalist with over 600 articles in over 65 publications

*Render Unto Caesar with Judy Flook, who will help you understand tax issues for writers

*Poetry with Shirley Stevens, Teacher-in-residence and mentor at The Writing Academy in Minnesota, and award-winning poet

*Writing With Your Funny Bone with Jerry Westbrook, humor columnist for the Sunbury Daily Item

*Hands-on Devotional Writing with Roberta Brosius, Bible teacher and contributor to The Secret Place

*Just for Beginners with Eileen Berger, author of 15 novels and hundreds of short stories and articles

*Personal Experience Writing for Beginners with Bobbi Updegraff, author of 6 novels and dozens of articles, writer for Presbyterian
Disaster Assistance

*And that’s not all…

Editors—Matt Holliday, Pennsylvania Magazine
Bookstore—Buy books to boost your writing, and books by our faculty and West Branch authors.
Freebie Table—Pick up free sample copies of publications and writers’ guidelines.

ICRS News


Here is some news about editors/publishers in the Christian markeplace.

Chip MacGregor has left Faith Words (Warner Faith).
Terry Behimer, Nicci Hubert and Jeff Gerke have left NavPress.

Tuesday, August 29, 2006

Book Expo


Strang Communications is hold a Book Expo next month in Atlanta. The trade show will be open to the public. www.charismabookexpo.com has more info.

Monday, August 28, 2006

NJCWG Meeting

Meeting Tonight
Monday, August 28, 2006

6:15-7:00 - Chat Time
7:00-8:00 - Poetry Workshop conducted by noted NJ poet, Maude Carolan
8:00-9:00 - Critiques

REMINDER - NO Meeting 9/11/06

Tuesday, August 22, 2006

Writing Op - Woman's Day Children's Books



Woman's Day and Scholastic have paired up again this year to bring WD readers our second annual "I Want to be a Children's Book Writer" contest, and there's still time to write the Great American Children's Book and make the deadline. (Entries must be received by September 6.) The winning entry will be published and distributed by Scholastic Book Clubs, the nation's largest school book club.

For rules and how to enter go to womansday.com/scholastic, where you'll also find the manuscripts of last year's 10 runners-up along with a video of our panel discussion about how to write a successful children's book.

We hope you'll enter and wish you the best of luck!
Warmest regards,
Woman's Day and Scholastic
Woman's Day
Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S.
1633 Broadway
New York, NY 10019

Sunday, August 20, 2006

Writing Op - CBN.com



Call for submissions:

I'd like to invite you to participate in our upcoming special section on CBN.com upcoming special section on the fifth anniversary of the September 11th terrorism attacks. We are gathering material to add to this special section, which will be promoted by The 700 Club. We are looking for people who would be interested in writing an article or a series of articles for this special section. Another possibility would be for us to use excerpts of books or reprints of articles that you have written dealing with the 9/11 attack. We will provide links back to your Web site and to our shopping channel for folks to purchase the referenced books.

Here are some examples of similar sections we have created in the past with
the help of the Regent faculty and staff:
http://www.cbn.com/special/DaVinciCode/
http://www.cbn.com/special/supremecourt/
http://www.cbn.com/special/Narnia/
http://www.cbn.com/special/blackhistory/

Please let me know if you have anything that might be helpful to our audience. All correspondence can be sent to Chris Carpenter, the CBN.com Program Director, at chris.carpenter@cbn.org or by phone at 757-226-3559.

Thank you for your prayerful consideration.

In Christ,
Craig

craig von buseck
director of ministries
977 centerville turnpike, virginia beach, va 23463
tel: (757) 226-3557 fax: (757) 226-3575
email: craig.vonbuseck@cbn.org
www.cbn.com

After the Proposal

After my son proposed to Amanda (at the Solid Rock Camp where they work), he took her to Amanda's Restuarant in Hobokan to celebrate. Posted by Picasa

I've been neglectful of updating the NJCWG blog this week -- but for good reason. Timothy Robert DuMont and Amanda Joan Lillis got engaged this week (yeah!!!) and I was blessed to be a small part of the process (I got to be the go-fer who ran his errands to prepare for the big event - grin). Posted by Picasa

Sunday, August 13, 2006

Next Mtg NJCWG



Next Meeting of the NJCWG
Monay, August 14, 2006

NOTE: The Ringwood Christian School is redoing their floors before the school year starts o we may be meeitng in a different room. Please follow the signs on the door. They will direct you to the room where we are meeting.

Ringwood Baptist Church
30 Carletondale Rd
Ringwood, NJ 07456

6:15-7:00 - Chat Time
7:00-8:00 - Lesson
8:00-9:00 - Critiques

LESSON TIME: We will continue working on how to get F-R-E-S-H ideas and how to work a stories in a way that takes a N-E-W approach.

BRING: One a list of at least three ideas that you might like to work on for publication.

Thursday, August 10, 2006

Writing Op - Anthology



Here is a message from a fellow author. This is an EXCELLENT opportunity for publication!!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Please, please, please! Those of you out there with a story for Trusting Him for Life After Divorce or Trusting Him with Your Addicted Child, get them to me. I need more stories. The deadline is set for August 15 - just a few days away. For questions or guidelines, please email me.

Charlotte Holt
cjholt@kingwoodcable.net
www.publishedauthors.net/charlotteholt

Wednesday, August 09, 2006

Writing Op - Travel Newsletter


A travel newsletter I subscribe to has requested regular submissions from writers who live in several locations as well as those who travel frequently. Here's the link:
http://www.logueit.com/writers.html

Tuesday, August 08, 2006

Conference - Glorieta



October 11-15, 2006
(Near Santa Fe, NM)
For all the details - CLICK HERE

A Special Note From Louise: The Glorieta Christian Writers Conference has the best line-up I've seen in a long time. This event will be the highlight of 2006 for its attendees. I am pleased to announce that I will be on staff at Glorieta this year. There was a "glitch" in the system and it seems that my bio and class description got deleted from the website - but it should be back up within a few days.

For those of you who want to get serious about writing and getting published - THIS is the conference for you. If there is any question in your mind about the level of your skills, check out the Comprehensive Class called Get Published Now! This is something new that CLASS staffers are trying out. I can't imagine a better way to get expert mentoring and teaching from some of the best in the business.

If you feel God is calling you to do this - please check it out before all of the slots are filled. Many churches support their aspiring writers with scholarships (but you must ask for the help) and I know that Glorieta offers a number of scholarships to those who've proven their dedication.

If God is calling, dare you hold back ?

Comprehensive Classes for 2006
The Truth is Stronger Than Fiction - Terry Whalin
Terry Whalin is the Fiction Acquisitions Editor at Howard Books, an imprint of Simon and Schuster. Besides Terry's love for fiction, for many years he has been a prolific nonfiction writer and editor. Terry's nonfiction writing has appeared in more than 50 magazines like Marriage Partnership, Writer's Digest, and The Writer. He has written more than 60 nonfiction books including his Running On Ice, The Overcoming Faith of Vonetta Flowers (New Hope Publishers) or Book Proposals That $ell, 21 Secrets To Speed Your Success (Write Now Publications). Terry is on the board of directors of The American Society of Journalists and Authors, the leading nonfiction writers group in the nation. To encourage writers of nonfiction and fiction, Terry is the creator of Right-Writing.com at: http://www.right-writing.com. Also he blogs about his life as a writer and editor at: http://www.thewritinglife.ws Terry and his wife, Christine, live in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Writing for Kids: The Best of the Best - Gwen Ellis
Gwen Ellis is owner of Seaside Creative Services, Inc. In this role, she writes books, screenplays, edits, concepts products, and consults. She has worked as a magazine editor, book editor, children's acquisitions editor, writer, and consultant. While at Zondervan she was the editor of a little book called God Bless America. The book was on the New York Times and three other best seller's lists for eleven weeks.
Becoming a Writer: Putting Your Passion Into Print - Sean Fowlds
Sean Fowlds is a professional journalist and speaker. He was the long-time book editor at Christian Retailing before founding his own editorial service called Lightpost Communications. Some of his notable clients include the Associated Press, Publishers Weekly, and Thomas Nelson Publishers. During his more than 17 years of experience working with business corporations and non-profit organizations, Sean has written more than 700 articles and made more than 700 speeches to date.
Bulding Your Web Presence - Krisann Blair
Krisann Blair has been a successful Internet entrepreneur since 1998. As creator and owner of www.ChristmasOrganizing.com, Krisann has successfully grown her web presence throughout the years and now receives 800 to 2000 unique hits EACH DAY, top listings in Google, Yahoo! and other search engines. Krisann also writes and publishes a monthly online newsletter to over 2500 subscribers and runs a Yahoo! Discussion group of over 1300. Her online presence has also enabled her to be "found" online and contacted by media such as ABC, FoxNews, Entrepreneur, Newsweek, USA Today, Rutgers News Service, Balance Magazine, Women's World, and others. In addition to running her Christmas Organizing web site, Krisann and her husband Ashley, own S.P.I.D.E.R. Services which dedicated to helping churches, individuals and small businesses with Simple Printing, Internet Development and Entrepreneur Resource Services.
AuthorizeMe - Sharon Norris Elliott
Sharon Norris Elliott is a published author of dozens of magazine articles and devotions, and several books including What? Teenagers in the Bible? and Living A Milk and Honey Life: Letting Go of what's Holding you Back. She is a professional educator and editor, magazine columnist, and conference speaker. Sharon is CEO of two companies: AuthorizeMe and Milk & Honey Life Retreats. She is also a sought-after instructor at major Christian writers' conferences nationwide.
Your Professional Persona - Betty Southard & "Team"
Betty Southard is the author of 3 books and the contributor to many compilations. She is a speaker, Bible Study author/ teacher, and a staff member for CLASS. She is a graduate of Fuller Seminary, Minister of Caring for the Hour of Power and actively involved in ministry at the Crystal Cathedral.
Get Published Now! - "Team"
Do you feel called to write, but question your skills? Have you wished for someone who could really help you with your work? Then this class is for you! Limited to 24 attendees, all participants in this class will get hands on help and will be published! All students will submit a writing project in advance to be developed in the class and have professional writer assigned as a mentor--1 mentor for every 2 students--for the class time. On day one, some of the GCWC editorial team will teach how to tighten up your writing, then you and your mentor will work on your submitted piece. The next day, the editorial team will teach how to brighten up your writing and mentors will help implement the techniques. On day three, Craig Von Buseck will teach writing for the internet and then students, with the help of their mentor, will rework their piece to fit CBN.com's guidelines. The last day, Mary Lou Redding for the Upper Room will address writing for the Upper Room and the writings will be modified to be publishable in the Upper Room. At the conclusion of the class each student will have three publishable pieces: the original "article," a piece for CBN and a devotion for the Upper Room. Each piece from this class will be considered for publication in the Upper Room, will be published on CBN.com and will be included in a special compilation book to be published with all the students' projects, to be delivered at each students home two weeks following the class. Each student will receive 25 copies of the book and may order additional copies. A $133.44 surcharge will be added to the regular registration fee for this class. Students must apply in advance and be approved. (CLICK HERE for Get Published Now Writer's Guidelines)