Creative Writing Blog

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Mar 11, 2010, Creative Writing Contests

Creative Writing Contests with big cash prizes

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Mar 10, 2010, Creative Writing Contest

Creative Writing Contest

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Mar 10, 2010, BANG

Bird song. The shrill yip of the dog across the street. A grumble of an engine as it drags a car up a hill. Music. No, not music. Rap. The autumn chill

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Mar 10, 2010, Resilience

The house had lain vacant since spring and the two lollipop trees on the patio were sucked dry by the summer wind. Lollipop trees. That's what Jeremy would

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Mar 6, 2010, What an Editor Does for an Author

It's not always clear to those who haven't published a book what an editor does for an author that the author can't do for herself through self publishing. Here's a great summary in an article taken from the Huffington Post.

For more on self publishingClick Here.

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Mar 5, 2010, Amazon announces shortlist for first novel prize

The six nominees for the 2009 Amazon.ca First Novel Award, listed alphabetically by author, are:

- "No Place Strange" by Diana Fitzgerald Bryden, Key Porter Books - "Come, Thou Tortoise" by Jessica Grant, Knopf Canada - "The Golden Mean" by Annabel Lyon, Random House Canada - "Goya's Dog" by Damian Tarnopolsky, Hamish Hamilton Canada - "Diary of Interrupted Days" by Dragan Todorovic, Random House Canada - "Daniel O'Thunder" by Ian Weir, Douglas & McIntyreThe winner will be announced at the annual Amazon.ca First Novel Award event in April in Toronto. The winner will receive $7,500 CDN - the largest Canadian prize for a first novel. All finalists will receive a $750 gift certificate redeemable at www.amazon.ca.

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Mar 4, 2010, Free Audiobook

Free Audiobook

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Mar 4, 2010, Ebook sales statistics

The ebook sales statistics from the International Digital Publishing Forum are worth a look. The graphs show the dramatic rise from 2002 through Q3 of 2009.

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Mar 3, 2010, How to turn Novel Excerpts into Short Stories

So few writing contests offer opportunities to submit novel excerpts. So I've had a brilliant idea which has in turn generated an equally brilliant, if

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Mar 2, 2010, Comma or full-stop

I would like your expert opinion on the paragraph below from my son's English worksheet on punctuation exercise. Quote: Sorry, do I know you? the woman

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Feb 28, 2010, Gotham Writers Workshop.

Gotham Writers Workshop

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Feb 26, 2010, Professional Manuscript Format

Use a professional manuscript format for short or long fiction

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Feb 26, 2010, How to Contact Editors or Writing Magazines

Is it okay to contact editors of writing magazines by fax? Can I fax or email my stories to them or do I have to use mail? If I use mail, how will I know

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Feb 24, 2010, Another copyright win for publishers

File-share company RapidShare has been providing free access to copyrighted material, in e-book form, most of them academic texts.

A German court approved an injunction against them, preventing them from giving the books away.

This is an important decision for authors and sets a precedent that may help prevent electronic theft of copyright material.

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Feb 21, 2010, Authonomy.com

I've mentioned Authonomy.com before, but for those writers who have not yet heard of it, you will want to check it out. Authonomy.com is a HarperCollins web site, and a virtual version of the traditional "slush pile."

A publisher's slush pile consists of all unsolicited manuscripts that get read if and when anyone has time to do so. In the past, a good book would occasionally be found in the slush pile, and if there were not quite so many books, and more staff, publishers would likely look at more of them.

However, publishers receive thousands of unsolicited ms. a year, and the staff they have is already overworked, so it's rare that anyone is discovered through the slush pile these days. With their online version, however, the odds are a bit better.

Authors can register at Authonomy.com and upload a manuscript for others to read.

If enough members add your manuscript to their virtual "bookshelf" HarperCollins takes notice. Every month they assign a reader to take a look at the top manuscripts.

Hint: you'll hook or disappoint potential readers in the first paragraph, so be sure it's strong!

For the best discussion on openings I've encountered, pick up a copy of Sol Stein's book Stein on Writing, found in the Library on my web site, or as a free audiobook download Here.

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Feb 20, 2010, Humber Summer Workshop for writers

The Humber School of Creative Writing in Toronto is now taking applications for its highly regarded summer writing workshop July 10-July 16, 2010.

Faculty includes:

Elizabeth AbbottDavid BezmozgisWayson ChoyAnthony DeSaBruce Jay FriedmanMary GaitskillAnnabel LyonAlistair MacLeodRichard ScrimgerOlive SeniorMarsha SkrypuchD. M. ThomasMiriam ToewsM. G. Vassanji

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Feb 19, 2010, Book marketing ideas

I've been published by a traditionall publisher, but sales of my novel are slow. Do you have any book marketing ideas that will help me get better exposure

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Feb 18, 2010, What Books Really Cost

If you've ever wondered what books really cost publishers, and why they need to keep the price higher than most readers like, read this excellent article for a breakdown of costs.

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Feb 17, 2010, Novelist freely admits to plagiarizing

Found this interesting article on Salon.com about best selling author Helene Hegemann. The 17-year-old German author freely admits to plagiarizing in her novel. What's more, news of the plagiarism did not prevent the book from being nominated for the $20,000 fiction prize at the Leipzig Book Fair!

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Feb 14, 2010, Book Publishing Industry Changing Not Dying

This short article about the book publishing industry suggests that Macmillan's court win over Amazon last week isn't as good for authors as we might think. This is a time of technological transformation, and the business model of the book publishing industry needs to and will change.

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Feb 12, 2010, Fiction is Rejected

I was interested in submitting my story to your website, but apparently I'm well over the Max limit for the character count. I was interested in gettting

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Feb 11, 2010, Writing Log

A Writing Log: Why Keeping Track of Time Marks You as a Professional

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Feb 11, 2010, Distance learning program for a MA degree / Career opportunities in writing

Hi, I am interested in a MA degree in Writing or English or Literature (Sorry, I am still in the planning stages). I would be grateful if you can help

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Feb 10, 2010, Historical Research

At the back of Madame Zee you say you did a lot of historical research, some of it on the internet. Is there someplace online to look for information about

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Feb 9, 2010, Apple Book Deal Provides Leverage for Publishers

Apple's more generous terms for publishers has given publisher's leverage with Amazon and now with Google Editions as negotiations begin.

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Feb 9, 2010, Australia Scraps $95k Literary Prize

Australia's largest literary prize abandoned after Western Australia's conservative government decided it was a waste of money.

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Feb 9, 2010, Writing Dialogue

I have trouble writing dialogue, and I don't know if I'm using character thoughts correctly. I was told to put them into dialogue to make the dialogue

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Feb 6, 2010, Get Paid to Write

When should you get paid to write? As soon as your work is publishable.

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Feb 5, 2010, Creating Characters, Part II

Creating Characters That Engage Readers

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Feb 5, 2010, Creating Fictional Characters

Creating Fictional Characters Readers will Love

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Feb 5, 2010, love (lower case)

I. I really hope we can still be friends, you say. II. Scrolling back through the worst moments of your life, this is at the top. Up there between

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Feb 5, 2010, The Verdana Obit

It's like that old joke, Goudy said. The one that old guy used to tell. Who was it? Youngman? Dangerfield? This isn't funny Goudy. The guy says something

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Feb 5, 2010, Cartwheels

Would there be a thud when she hit the tile, or would Sheila hear the skull crack? She shudders and clutches Emma more tightly. Thirteen beige Berber

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Feb 3, 2010, Meet Book Publishing Agents at Conferences

Literary Agents: Meet Book Publishing Agents at Conferences

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Feb 3, 2010, Bypassing a Book Publishing Agent

Literary agents:Bypassing a book publishing agent.

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Feb 3, 2010, How Publishing Agents Increase Your Chances of Success

Learn what publishing agents can do for you and how to hire one.

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Feb 3, 2010, Finding a Literary Agent

Finding a Literary Agent

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Feb 3, 2010, Macmillan/Amazon Squabble

When Macmillan asked Amazon for the same sales deal Apple offers, Amazon refused and pulled all Macmillan books from their store. This action has since been reversed.

The Apple business model allows Macmillan to set the price of their books and splits sales 70/30 in Macmillan's favor. The Amazon model allows Amazon to buy books at 50% off the retail price and to set the sales price low to undercut other stores.

This is important to writers because the Amazon model significantly reduces author royalties.

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Feb 3, 2010, Writers Eligible for Employment Insurance

As of January 31, 2010, self employed Canadian writers are eligible to apply for special Employment Insurance benefits allowing paid maternity leave, parental, illness, and compassionate care leave.

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Feb 2, 2010, Which Creative Writing Program Do You Recommend

Pearl: I am a beginning fiction writer and I am interested in getting a creative writing degree to better prepare me for writing novels. What Canadian

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Feb 1, 2010, Get Paid More for Writing

I've been writing travel articles for newspapers and small magazines, and I'd like to get paid more for writing these articles. I don't want to lose the

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Jan 30, 2010, Descriptiveness of a story and short story submissions

I'm a gr. 11 (16 years old) student, and in my English classes, it is always recommended to be descriptive and detailed in all our writing. However, when

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Jan 24, 2010, How do I find a publisher to distribute my self published book?

I self published of one of my children's books which did not take off. I will never do that again. I have a few stories ready to go. Is there a

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Jan 23, 2010, Should I Write Query Letters for Short Stories?

A writer I know says that I should never send anything to a magazine without writing a query letter first to see if the editor is interested in my

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Jan 20, 2010, Advice about writing program

I'm applying to several creative writing programs and I worry about the number of applicants they say they get each year. Is there any way to get

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Jan 17, 2010, Is private mentoring better than group work?

Hi. I'm trying to decide between a workshop that has ten writers and private mentoring. Both would cost the same, but the group would run a few weeks

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Jan 15, 2010, William Blake

There is no mistake so great as the mistake of not going

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Jan 14, 2010, I'm a teen. Can I publish?

I'm 13 years old. Could I publish a book? I've written a novel about shape shifters and I think its pretty good. ANSWER: If the writing is very

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Jan 14, 2010, Pay to enter short story contests?

What is your opinion of paying for entry to short story contests? Does a writer get any substantive exposure using contests if they are not the

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