Great Quote

Although these weren't specifically written about writing, many certainly apply to our field of endeavor.

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Top 10 Creative Rules of Thumb by Charles "Chic" Thompson
1. The best way to get great ideas is to get lots of ideas and throw the bad ones away.
2. Create ideas that are 15 minutes ahead of their time...not light years ahead.
3. Always look for a second right answer.
4. If at first you don't succeed, take a break.
5. Write down your ideas before you forget them.
6. If everyone says you are wrong, you're one step ahead. If everyone laughs at you, you're two steps ahead.
7. The answer to your problem "pre-exists." You need to ask the right question to reveal the answer.
8. When you ask a dumb question, you get a smart answer.
9. Never solve a problem from its original perspective. 10. Visualize your problem as solved before solving it."

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Charles "Chic" Thompason - BIO

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Chic Thompson is an internationally renowned speaker and author on creativity. He has worked extensively for many U.S. and foreign corporations, including UTC, McGraw-Hill, Accenture, and the Young Presidents’ Organization. He has also worked with such U.S. government agencies as the CIA, the FBI, and NASA, and has helped schools develop stronger creative thinking skills. Thompson is the author of What a Great Idea! (HarperCollins, 1992) and Yes, But…: The Top 40 Killer Phrases and How You Can Fight Them (HarperCollins, 1994).

Passive to the Extreme

Today I heard what, IMHO, was the ultimate expression of passive-speak. Sentence after passive sentence was uttered by a well educated man on a radio program intended for an educated audience.

The program began like this, "For ... there were negative repercussions due to the simultaneity of the actions of John Smith and John Smith's group." Why couldn't he simply say, "John Smith and his group's actions resulted in negative repercussions for..."?

To anyone who heard the rest of the story the reason was obvious. The speaker wanted to take the blame OFF John Smith and his colleagues, and he wanted to place the blame as far from the true object of the sentence (John Smith) as possible. If he could have sent the blame out to outer space, I believe he would have. Although the speaker used passive voice correctly in this instance, I don't think the intelligent listening audience was the least bit fooled by the technique.

Louise Bergmann DuMont
Facilitator of the NJCWG
http://www.cafemochalight.blogspot.com/

URGENT NEED - Music & Teen Book Reviews

Jars of Clay

I am starting a parents' newsletter as a way to connect with the parents of our jr and sr high teens. It will be called: T 'n T - Dynamite News for Parenting Tweeners and Teens. I am volunteering my time and talents so I can't pay you a dime, but if you contribute you'll get a byline.

I need some music and book reviews as follows...

MUSIC
Needed now: A review of a CD offered by Jars of Clay, tobyMac or Tait.
Future reviews: Zoegirl, Superchic, Kutless, Switchfoot, Others (?)

BOOKS
Needed now: A review of a good parenting book for parents of pre-teens (tweeners). Prefer Christian authors, but not beat-them-over-the-head-with-the-gospel kinds.
Future reviews: YA novels or good adult fiction for teens.
Future reviews: Christian adult fiction and non-fiction for parents of teens.
Future reviews: Reviews of good parenting magazines, music, websites, blogs, or other resources.

Contact me with the name of book/CD and author/artist that you want to review. Reviews should be approximately 300-400 wrds. Positive reviews only. I'll print one of each per quarter (total eight per year). Author retains all rights to their work (you can sell it for money somewhere else because this isn't considered a big enough venue to matter). Most recent releases will be given precedence.

ARTICLES
I will also consider short articles (300-500 words) about parenting teens and keeping your sanity while parenting tweeners and teens. Humor is especially good but factual articles will also be consdered. Want lots of anecdotes, show (no tell), and fun stuff. No fiction (raising a teen is hard enough without throwing more unreal things into the mix).

Contact me with the name of book/CD and author/artist that you want to review. Reviews should be approximately 300-400 wrds. Positive reviews only. I'll be printing one per quarter. Author retains all rights. More current releases given precedence.

SHORTS/FILLERS
Need a few 50-100 word fillers or how-to's. Keep it light and positive.

CONTACT INFO
Publication - T 'n T: Dynamite News for Parenting Tweeners and Teens
Editor: Louise Bergmann DuMont
Email: njcwg.dumont@gmail.com

(GREAT) Writing Op - Oatmeal Studios

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This publisher's material is 85%
freelancer generated!
Great writing opportunity!
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OATMEAL STUDIOS
P.O. Box 138W3
Rochester VT 05767
Phone: (802)767-3171
Contact: Helene Lehrer, creative director.

Editor's Note: "Humor--conversational in tone and format--sells best for us."

85% of material freelance written.
Bought 200-300 ideas/samples last year.

Responds in 6 weeks. Pays on acceptance. Current market list for #10 SASE.

Overview: Also Christmas, Hanukkah, Mother's Day, Father's Day, Easter, Valentine's Day, etc. Will review concepts. Humorous material (clever and very funny) year-round.

Needs: humorous, birthday, friendship, anniversary, get well cards, etc.

Prefers unrhymed verse ideas. Current pay schedule available with guidelines.

Other Product Lines: Notepads, stick-on notes.

Tips: "The greeting card market has become more competitive with a greater need for creative and original ideas. We are looking for writers who can communicate situations, thoughts, and relationships in a funny way and apply them to a birthday, get well, etc., greeting. We are willing to work with them in targeting our style. We will be looking for material that says something funny about life in a new way."

Writing Op - Cards & Poetry

NEW MARKET

WILLIAM CARROLL DESIGNS, INC.
2742 14th St. N.
Naples FL 34103-4538

Phone: (239)434-2203
Fax: (239)434-2510
E-Mail: carobi5@aol.com
Website: www.williamcarrolldesigns.com
Contact: Carol Fitzgerald, president.

Established: 2003
Submit seasonal/holiday material 6-12 in advance.
Returns submissions with SASE.

Pays on acceptance.
Needs Overview: Send verse submissions via e-mail.

Needs: Conventional, Humorous, Inspirational

Prefers unrhymed verse ideas. Submit maximum 10-15 ideas/batch. Pays $20–40/idea. Pays more if greeting cards are accompanied by artwork or photographs.

Tips: "We specialize in high quality photography. We are looking for verses to go with photographs of children and nature. We need creative and imaginative ideas. Cute thoughts and humor sells well with the children's line. Inspirational does well with nature cards. We do not accept anything off-color, nor do we accept rhyme."

New Magazine Launched - Quick & Simple

Quick & Simple: weekly women's magazine launches
Starting August 2nd, the 60-page oversized magazine will publish its first four issues biweekly, then weekly starting with the October 4th issue. "Quick & Simple joins a burgeoning category of low-cost, newsstand-focused titles, including Time Inc.'s All You and Bauer Publishing's First for Women (it also closely resembles the name and concept of Time Inc.'s Real Simple). The new Hearst title doles out easy recipes as well as beauty, fashion and home tips using vibrant-colored sidebars and graphics. The magazine targets mass-market, mid-30s single women and mothers. Stories in the premiere issue include two-minute hairstyles and diet-friendly fast-food menus." Editor: Susan Toepfer. Source: mediaweek.com

New Magazine Seeks Contributors

Info From Country Magazine
(note the many other mags published by Reiman Publications)
http://www.reimanpub.com/
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Publisher seeking contributions for test issue of national, bi-monthly print magazine. Our audience is largely urban or near-urban and sophisticated with an interest in authentic country living and lifestyles. Our goal is the highest quality writing that delves into all aspects of a thoughtful country life.

We are currently reviewing submissions and queries for features and shorts related to country and small town life including but not limited to home, food, work and business, gardening, farming, livestock, country skills, rural issues, travel, and arts and culture. Features: 1,000 to 4,000 words. Essays and Shorts: 300 to 1,000 words. Related photographs may be considered. We do not accept poetry or fiction. Our only criterion is great writing. We are looking for in-depth, substantive writing rich in detail that demonstrates a fond appreciation of the subject.

Currently 25 cents/word on acceptance and an additional 75 cents/word on publication. We buy First North American Serial Rights. Please include a brief statement of any prior writing and/or publishing experience and include a phone number where we may reach you. Please do not include or attach photos. Do, however, specify if accompanying photos are or could available. Send email submissions, queries, or correspondence to: ingress@sti.net.

Fun for Writers

Here are a few fun days for writers to observe in August.

August Daily Observances
Aug 2 - National Night Out (gotta relax sometime)
Aug 5 - Work Like A Dog Day (to compensate for our night out)
Aug 6 - National Fresh Breath (Halitosis) Day (its all that coffee!)
Aug 6 - National Pamper Yourself Day (Oh Yeah!)
Aug 13 - National Underwear Day (just how many jobs can a person do in their underwear??)
Aug 14 - International Nagging Day (get that article DONE)
Aug 15 - National Relaxation Day (so you can get over the nagging)
Aug 17 - Meaning of "Is" Day (grammar does count)
Aug 18 - Bad Poetry Day (hey, we all can't be GOOD poets)
Aug 19 - Aviation Day (for Shea)
Aug 21 - Poets Day (for Maude)
Aug 22 - National Punctuation Day (NOT for me)
Aug 27 - Sing Out Day (toot your own horn, write your press release today)
Aug 28 - Race Your Mouse Around the Icons Day (official goof-off day)
Aug 28 - Crackers Over The Keyboard Day (an OTHER reason for goofing off on he 28th)
Aug 31 - Love Litigating Lawyers Day (for those who goofed off too much)

Fun fun!

The Writer Mag - GREAT Show vs Tell Article

If you don't already subscribe to The Writer magazine, you might want to pick up the August copy. There is a TERRIFIC article (in the column Writer at Work) called *It's Show Time* by Bharti Kirchner. Lots of examples and beautifully written. This issue would be worth every penny if *It's Show Time* was the only article in it -- but of course there is plenty more.

How to read a literary magazine By Gregg Rosenblum
A top TV writer on how a script is born By Kinney Littlefield
Turn one interview into multiple articles By Robert Bittner
Building a literary life By Sarah Anne johnson
Set the scene [Step by Step] By Quinn Dalton
How to create suspense [Step by Step] By William G. Tapply
Revise your manuscript to get it published [Step by Step] By Sam McCarver
Get Started - How to prepare your short story for submission By Tom Bailey
Breakthrough - A family gets published By Joyce Litz
Syntax - Number know-how By Arthur Plotnik
Off the cuff - Reader's wish list By Peter P. Jacobi
Literary Spotlight - Zoetrope: All Story profile By Gregg Rosenblum
Market focus - Taking aim at mystery By Michael Bracken
Get Published - Putting the power in writers' hands By Andrea Campbell
Writer at Work - It's show time By Bharti Kirchner
AND More...

Description, Narration, Exposition

Description, Narration, Exposition
Presented by Louise Bergmann DuMont at the NJCWG - 7/25/05

Most of prose is divided into: Description, Narration, Exposition, and Dialog. This lesson will discuss the first three.

Most authors aren't conscious of what they use and when they use it, but new writers should make an effort to know the difference. You produce better writing when you use all four in your manuscript.

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DESCRIPTION - to give sensory impressions of a thing.
Good description includes: 1) accurate observation 2) an appropriate level of detail 3) optimal word choice

Accurate Observation
When writing description you must not include speculation or the probable outcome of a scene. You simply describe what you see (from the POV you've chosen) -- as accurately as all of your senses can discern it. This means that you do not limit yourself to what you see. You may want to include in your description some of what you smell, hear, taste, feel and/or see.

Level of Detail
How much detail a writer uses to describe something to an audience depends on what the reader needs to know. You determine this by deciding what you want and need to convey -- the specific point of the manuscript.

Examples:

How-To-Article -- In a "how to build a staircase" article you need to convey the specific size and weight of the lumber used, the type and size of the bolts/ screws/ nails, various lumber treatments used to waterproof wood (if it is for outdoors), and many other specifics.

Murder Mystery -- You may want to mention some portion of the staircase construction if the murderer deliberately creates a fault in a staircase he is building - which he will use to kill his mistress.

Romance Novel -- You will mention very little about the construction of the staircase if the only thing that hero and heroine do is kiss at the foot of the stairs.

I am reminded of the colleague I dread to meeting. When you greet her with, "Good-morning, how's it going?" she proceed to inundate me with every ache and pain that ever assaulted her. Then there was the new mom who shared each grueling moment of her long and painful delivery. The birth of her beautiful child was an anti-climax to her pain. On the flip-side, there have been times when I've wanted to know exactly how something looked or felt, only to be frustrated with vague generalities. Balance is everything. How do you achieve balance? Analyze the intended audience and their needs.

Optimal Word Choice
Effective writing uses specific words and should connect with as many of the senses as appropriate. For example, do not say, "It was delicious," when you could say, "It felt smooth and cold on my tongue and reminded me of fresh kiwi, but sweeter. When you offer only your own feelings, you distance your reader. To say, "I cried through the first half of the movie," does not engage the reader. It is better to say, "When George left his family to find work at the very beginning of the movie, I remembered the loneliness when my father left home for six months to find work in another state. The women who played the part of George's wife did an excellent job of acting and she reminded me of my own mom who had to keep the family together during the time when my father was away." Now the reader not only knows why you cried but is allowed to experience part of the movie with you.

Avoid judgment words like "good" or "bad." Give specific details that SHOW the good or bad and allow your reader to experience the event.

Every word must carry its own weight. Chose your words carefully.

NARRATION - to tell, in detail, what happened. Read about giving details under 'description.'
Most stories begin with Narration. That is where the hook is usually set. When a person tells a story during a conversation, they are most often using narration.

Imagine meeting an old girlfriend (or boyfriend) outside a coffee shop. You decide to have a cup of coffee and talk over old times. During that time you realize that she's recently divorced and now she's hitting you. What sort of conversation would you have with your current girlfriend to tell her about this event? What sort of conversation might you have with your best "buddy" when you meet for tennis next weekend? In both cases the extent of the details may be different but you are essentially telling about the same event. People narrate verbal stories all of the time. Good written narration becomes great with practice. Excellent writing becomes evident when you show the appropriate details and your purpose in telling the story is clear -- also honed with practice.

In the case of telling your current girlfriend about meeting your former girlfriend, your purpose is to be honest but not alarming. When you tell your best friend about it after your tennis game, your purpose might be to show that you've got a much better girlfriend now than you did before -- and maybe, that you've still "got it" when it comes to attracting the ladies. In both cases you will use details that contribute to your purpose rather than detract from it.

EXPOSITION - the setting forth of the meaning or purpose of something, especially in writing.

Exposition is always objective. The writer informs or explains but does not express their opinion. News (both print and broadcast) is an example of exposition. This would, of course exclude the editorials. Textbooks, instruction manuals and reports are also exposition. A writer may tell or interpret facts but it must be without personal bias. The writer's "voice" may come through his writing (making it uniquely his) but his opinion on the topic in question should not appear in the writing.

A writer can "slant" a piece by choosing to include some facts and by leaving others out. This makes exposition not entirely objective, but as a whole, writing that would be considered "useful" is exposition. Because of this, exposition is not necessarily the most interesting writing to everyone who reads it (think 'owner's manual'). The purpose of exposition is to convey information clearly and accurately. If you are writing a novel you want to seriously limit your exposition because few people read novels for instruction. If you are writing a book about the care and feeding of new puppies, anyone seeking that information will find your exposition interesting enough. "Cat people," those who don't currently have a puppy and people who don't like animals won't care about your writing no matter what fascinating writing techniques you use. Exposition, more than any other writing, requires the author to know their topic well and know their audience and have an expertise

Important things to remember when writing exposition:

*Know what you are talking about. Only people seriously interested in your topic will read exposition. Fakers are quickly exposed.
*Know your purpose. A clear purpose will help you decide on things like what order to provide your information and what you should emphasize.
*Know what your audience knows and doesn't know. Don't write for both the beginner and the expert. You'll bore both.
*Use headings, short paragraphs, lists, subtopics, and bold print to make your reader's search for information easier.

Blog by Bethany House Editor - David Long

David Long, an editor for Bethany House happens to have a blog on blogspot.com. It is called Faith and Fiction. You might want to check it out. His current thread is called "DaWhy Bother?” – Who Is Reading Anyway?"

http://faithinfiction.blogspot.com/

ZirdNews

Here is an interesting (secular) new site that is still in its Beta test. It hosts a section for television & film news and for publishing news. An example of what it brings to its readers follows:

PUBLISHING NEWS
Crowded markets: chic-lit, science fiction, and murder mystery. Loyal
readers to a select group of writers generating good sales figures, but
publishers are wary to admit any newcomers into this over-competitive
market.

Check it out at: http://www.zirdnews.com/

Lesson for Tonight's Meeting

Tonight's agenda is packed.

The topic of tonight's lesson will be: Description, Narration & Exposition
What are the differences between these three types of writing? When should each be used? What are some techniques that will make each stand out as superior writing?

The NJCWG Sampler
I'll have copies of the guidelines for the NJCWG Sampler Book we are creating. Ideally every member of the group will submit at least one piece to this book.

Chat Time
Come to spend a few minutes chatting with other writers in a social setting. Bring your dinner or nice cold beverage and relax in the company of your friends and writing colleagues.

A Reason To Write - October 8, 2005
Update on our October conference, what still needs to be done, etc.

Recap
We'll also spend a few minutes tonight talking about what we've accomplished in the first half of this year and where we'd like our writing to go for the remainder of 2005.

Hope to see our NJCWG Members tonight!

Louise Bergmann DuMont
Facilitator, NJCWG

Next Meeting of the NJCWG

For Members of the NJCWG
----------------------------
Monday, July 25, 2005
6:15-7:00 Chat Time
7:00-8:00 Discussion/Teaching
8:00-9:00 Critiques

We've had a few weeks off from regular meetings but now we're getting back in to the swing. I look forward to seeing you all tomorrow evening! God Bless

Louise Bergmann DuMont
Facilitator, NJCWG

Hooks - Msg From Patrick O'Tool

Patrick O'Toole, a NJCWG member who will be teaching at our October 8 -- A Reason to Write Conference just posted an excellent article on his blog about "Hooks." You might want to take a moment to read it. I'm posting Patrick's blog address below but you'll also find his address, along with many other great web and blog sites, to the right of this message listed under the "LINKS" section of our NJCWG blog.

http://www.patrickotoole.com/

Writing Op - Family Seeds Magazine

http://www.familyseeds.com/writers.html

Family Seeds Magazine
E-mail query letters, in the body of the e-mail, to: seedsubmissions@familyseeds.com

Family Seeds Magazine is a monthly Christian family magazine. Our readers are Christians of all denominations from all around the world. They are Christian writers, musicians, artists, carpenters, ministers, laypeople, farmers, factory workers, executives, professionals, secretaries, and retired folks, especially families and anyone in between - anyone and everyone who truly believes in living to serve God.

E-mail first to let them know you want to send a submission as an attachment. They don't open attachments from people they don't know. MS Word attachments are preferred (.doc files). Always include: a cover letter of introduction, a 50-75 word biography which may be included if your work is published, an optional photo (actual photo or .jpg or .tif files at 300 dpi accepted), Self-Addressed Stamped Envelope (SASE) if contacting us by snail mail or e-mail address if you wish to receive a reply. E-mail queries and submissions welcome. All work is subject to editing if accepted. NO Simultaneous submissions.

Writers will receive $100 to $200 per article, depending on length and quality in exchange for one-time print rights. In addition, they will receive a free one-year subscription to Family Seeds Magazine, either for themselves or to give as a gift to someone else.

Writing Op - Angelica Magazine --- Contemporary Christian Art & Fiction

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Angelica Publishing is launching a new quarterly magazine of contemporary Christian art and fiction (suspense/thrillers). The first issue will go to press in early 2006 and they are buying stories for it now.

Each issue will contain approximately seven short fiction pieces (1800 to 4500 words) and will include moving Christian art and photography with a message. They will pay 20 cents a word. Each issue will consist of 80-96 pages, both color and B&W. Stories can be submitted via an e-mail attachment in a Word document, or copied/pasted in the body of the email. Send to lynettewfuller@yahoo.com or mail to: Lynette Fuller, Editor, 207 Grinders Place, Vicksburg, MS 39180.

Read their statement of faith and writers guidelines at their Web site, www.angelicamagazine.com .
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VERY "SPECIAL" Writing Op - Parables Magazine

Parables has a help not hurt policy. If they are unable to use your story, they will write you with specific reasons and suggestions for improvements. This takes considerable effort on their part, but I commend them for going this extra mile.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Parables is a Christian fiction magazine offering six well-crafted Christian Fiction short stories, interviews with the top authors in Christian fiction, book reviews, CBA industry news, and an edge of your seat serial!
Submissions: Yes, accepting submissions
Word Count: 1000-5000 wds
Format: Please send all submissions to editors@parablesmag.com. Please send the stories as attachments in either Word or Text format. Please include a professional cover letter in the body of the email and tell us your targeted genre* in the subject line. For instance: Contemporary Fiction Submission or Romantic Suspense Fiction Submission, etc.

*Targeted Genre: Each month we target two genres

Jan and Feb: Romance, Contemporary
Mar and Apr: Comedy, Contemporary
May and Jun: Historical, Contempory
Jul and Aug: Thriller/Mystery/Suspense, Contemporary
Sep and Oct: Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Supernatural, Contemporary
Nov and Dec: Biblical, Contemporary

Address: 1400 East 35th St., Texarkana, AR 71854
Email: editors@parablesmag.com
Email submissions: Yes
Web site: http://www.parablesmag.com/
Guidelines (READ THESE): http://www.parablesmag.com/guidelines.html
Contacts: Rosalind Morris, Editor
Categories: other
Genres: Fiction, Romance, Fantasy, Si-fi, Mystery, Humor
Notes: This market does NOT consider simultaneous submissions. This market does NOT consider previously published work.

Writing Op _ Eclectic Homeschool Online

Eclectic Homeschool Online promotes creative homeschooling and is seeking articles covering any topic that deals with homeschooling or Christian living. Eclectic Homeschool Online promotes creative homeschooling and is seeking articles covering any topic that deals with homeschooling or Christian living.
Pays: $100 for articles 1000-3000 words.
Address: PO Box 5304, Fallon, NV 89407-5304
Email: articles@eho.org
Email submissions: Yes
Links: http://eho.org/
Notes: This market does NOT consider simultaneous submissions.This market does NOT consider previously published work.
Updated: May 23, 2005.

New - Chicken Soup For the Soul Magazine

Chicken Soup: women's magazine launches
Inspired by the "Chicken Soup for the Soul" books, the magazine version will be "geared toward women 35 to 54 with articles on food, fashion, beauty, home life and entertainment -- all with a healthy dose of inspiration." Two issues are scheduled this year and six next year.
Source: washingtontimes.com
http://www.chickensoupmagazine.com/
Writers Guidelines: http://www.chickensoupmagazine.com/default.aspx?pid=51