Short Story and Poetry Submissions

When poetry and fiction writers look to make a few dollars from their writing, they usually have to freelance in order to make ends meet. In a perfect world, we'd be able to write what we want and still get paid, rather than writing about something we could care less about.

I recently found an excellent website that you'll want to bookmark if you're a poet or a fiction writer.

Duotrope Digest is a searchable database of literary magazines that publish poetry and fiction.

With a free registration, you can search for magazines that publish specifically what you write. You can search by genre, style, theme, length, payscale, and many more. While some magazines don't pay at all, there are quite a few that pay from token amounts to professional rates.

They offer a free online submission tracker to help you keep up with which markets you've submitted to. There's a separate page for new markets, in case you want to increase your chances of publication with a magazine that's just starting out. To top it all off, you'll find a deadline calendar, listing markets with upcoming calls for submission.

Another good spot to visit is New Pages, a website that lists all the literary magazines in America. They publish news and submission guidelines  for magazines, alternative newsweeklies, an other places to consider publishing.

For you novelists out there, the thought of trying to write something shorter than 25K sends you in search of serious chocolate. So, in the interest of your sanity, I offer some links to articles on short story writing. My current novel started out as a short story that would have been submitted to one of these magazines, so you never know if one of these markets will spark your next great idea.

Short Story Articles: #1 #2 #3 #4

Forums where you can share your short stories and get feedback: Short Story Group and StoryWrite

A String of Pearls

I recently read a post on a blog that boasts many well-known writers as contributors. This particular entry caught my attention with its complex sentences and deep thoughts.

My first reaction was to feel inadequate as a writer. I compared myself to someone who has been in the business a lot longer than me. I wondered how I, a novice, could ever rise to a level even close to that kind of prose?

Then I thought about it for awhile. What kind of words do I want to spill onto the page?

Do I want an intricate tango of words, complex in their construction, leaving my reader to chew over their meaning? Or . . . a simple string of beautiful pearls?

If my writing were a beverage, I'd rather my words be a clear glass of water, than a fine wine--leaving the receiver to puzzle out the flavors. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy writing that makes me stop, think, and even chew. It's good for me.

But for now, I think I'll paractice writing words with clarity, rather than trying to impress with any philosophical ideas I might have. Just a thought. How about you?

Making Money from Your Writing

One of the most frustrating things about being a writer is that you spend hours and hours at your computer, and you feel like you have nothing to show for it. It's hard to justify time away from your family and friends when there's no paycheck waiting, and no boss looking over your shoulder.

In the years leading up to publication, you want to leverage your writing in to something that pays, even if it's not much. And it can't hurt to collect some publishing credits. Here are a few ideas you can try.

Online Freelance Writing
Several sites allow you to sign up as a freelance writer. A buyer posts a project, and writers bid on it. Whoever wins the bid does the job. I've worked for Elance for a year, and it's been a good experience. Elance holds the money in escrow, and when the job is done, the payment is made immediately. I can't speak personally about the other companies, but Elance is very professional.

Elance
ODesk
GetaFreelancer

Magazine Writing
There is a periodical for every niche in the world. Do you like fly-fishing, and sometimes fish in Canada? There's a magazine for that. Do you know anything about cheerleading in the USA? There's a magazine for that, too.

How do you find out what they need? Start with the magazines you already subscribe to. The big ones, like Woman's Day, or Better Homes and Gardens, are tough to get into without a track record. But smaller, regional or specialty publications need a steady flow of articles all year long. Check out the website of the magazines you get, and look for "writer's guidelines" or "submission guidelines".

If you have expertise in any area--from your career or you hobbies--do a search to find which publications cater to others with that interest. Look for regional publications like parent magazines and local tourist "newspapers".

Subscribe to free newsletters that post lists of freelance opportunities. Here are a few that I receive:
Worldwide Freelance Writer
Funds for Writers
Writing for Dollars

Check out my earlier post with more freelancing ideas here.
Terry Whalin has an article on 7 Ways to Write for Profit on the Internet here.

How have you made money from your writing? Post a comment to let us know.

Muse Online Writing Conference--It's Free!

Have you ever been to a writing conference? There's no better way to hone your skills, make connections with writers, agents and editors, and get motivated to keep on writing.

I've been fortunate enough to attend three major conferences so far. Two of the three I attended on scholarship, and the third was a wonderful gift from my family.

But here's one that you might consider, because it's not only free, it's online. So no matter the state of your budget, or which state (or country) you live in, there's no reason not to attend.

It's called The Muse Online Writer's Conference. I attended last fall, and really enjoyed the workshops I chose.

The dates for the conference are October 11-17, 2010. The only catch is that you must register before August 15th to get in for free. After that, it's a nominal $5 charge. Planners are expecting at least 2000 attendees.

What can you expect from this conference? There will be workshops and live chats with editors from publishing houses, some great agents, authors and publicists. You'll find live pitch sessions where you can pitch your book to agents, and weeklong workshops on everything from plotting to marketing. Check their website for information on how to register, and lists of the presenters and workshops lined up so far.


Registration is open now. Why don't you sign up while you're thinking about it? I just did.
The Muse Online Writing Conference 

Jane Yolen at the SCBWI Conference

I attended the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators Winter Conference in New York City a few weeks ago. I think it was the first time I've ever been away from my family for a whole week--and I got to spend it in my favorite city, with my best friend, Lois.

This was quite a large conference. Well over a thousand attendees, and a prestigious list of speakers and presenters. Like Jane Yolen , Libba Bray, and Jaqueline Woodson.

Jane Yolen is the author of over 300 books in many categories, from children's to adults. She is such a quotable writer, that I'll give you a few of her gems here. For more from this amazing woman, check out her book for writers, "Take Joy" .

Here is my favorite quote from this amazing writer:

Most women writers do not have the luxury of a wife. We muddle through our chores and our writing, doing a balancing act that would put the Flying Wallendas to shame.

 I couldn't agree more!

A few other pearls of wisdom from Jane Yolen--these are from my notes on her talk, so they may not be exact quotes:

Have fun writing--or do something else.

Butt in chair, heart on page.

You may not be the best, but you can always be better.

Don't write stuff you hate.

No one outside a fairy tale expects a happy ending. Don't look away from the hard choices.

Fall through the words into the story. Simple is best.

Exercise your writing muscle. Flabbiness is bad, so write every day.

Every writer is either a nurturer or is nurtured. No one can be both. Do what you have to do to make time to write.

What editors want: truth, attention to detail, quick responses, affirmation. We all need an editor.

Too many writers ignore landscape to their peril. Develop the art of seeing and looking. We miss the small or the large, immovable objects. Details of the landscape must be precise, like you're a native, and you've been there.

Beware of reading other novelists while you're writing. You'll lose time, and you might change your own voice.

There are some projects you'll never complete. Get over it.

Christian Fiction Online Magazine

If you're a fiction writer, Christian Fiction Online Magazine is one publication you've got to read. Writer's Digest is great, but it's pricey. This one is free.

CFOM comes out monthly. It boasts interviews with top Christian authors, and columns by top agents and authors and publishers on every angle of writing. From marketing and publicity to genre news and book reviews. They even publish two short stories each month.

And this is the exciting part: my short story, "After" is included in this month's issue! Check it out here. I'd love to know what you think. And sign up for email alerts on the magazine's home page. That way you won't miss a single issue.

Off to a Writing Conference

Due to the extravagant generosity of my wonderful family and friends, I am off today to the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators Conference in New York City. I'm attending with my amazing artist friend, Lois Rosio Sprague, a talented children's book illustrator (see her incredible work here ).

Besides the fun of a week in the city (my old stomping grounds), we'll be soaking up all kinds of information critical to writers and illustrators in the current market. I'll take workshops on writing fantasy, writing for teens,  and marketing. Once I get back, I'll post my impressions of the conference.

If you happen to write for children (picture books, middle grade, or young adults), it's worth your time to check out the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators . They have two national conferences and many regional conferences throughout the world. I'm a new member, and I keep discovering more great reasons to be a part of it. Check it out.

Storyworld: Fantasy vs. Reality

One of the many things I learned while writing my first novel was that I am not the best at dreaming up a storyworld. Interesting characters, complex motivations and intriguing dialogue? Check. But visualizing a landscape, culture and architecture? It was a blur.

My current novel details the harrowing experiences of Sleeping Beauty's chambermaid. She has been raised to serve, not to survive, but that's exactly what she will have to do. The poor girl wakes up from sleeping a hundred years, to realizes her fiance missed out on the enchanted sleep, and must now be dead. Mistreated by the princess, with no future ahead, she chooses to help the fairy responsible for the sleeping spell to find the blood-tipped spindle, before it can be used to destroy the remaining fairies.

It was important to my plot, for my main character to have a name that meant "pumpkin". No problem. I found a website and began translating pumpkin into every language I found.

Big problem. How could I saddle my female lead with a name like Calabaza (Spanish), Kurbis (German), or Zucca (Italian)? And those were the pronouncable ones. Finally, I found it. In Croatian, pumpkin is "Tikva". Bingo. I could live with that, and so could she.

Discovery

I decided that I may as well give some other characters Croatian names. As I looked them up, I noticed some amazing photos. There were castles in Croatia? Who knew? My ignorant image was of a war-torn bombed-out shell of a country. How had I missed this beautiful European gem? I lost track of time as I virtually explored the country--but it changed my novel for the better.

I found the perfect castle for the enchanted sleep, up on a hill, where you can just imagine brambles growing up all around it (both photos above). Fortunately, the castle is now a museum, with websites that have detailed floorplans and pictures of every room.

I needed a location for my fairies' home. The moment I laid eyes on Plitvice National Park, I knew I'd found it. The ethereal waterfalls that spill from the sixteen terraced lakes seem to shout "fairy kingdom".

The more I explored, the more I was able to fill in plot holes, and plan disasters that I never would have come up with otherwise.

The capital of my country needed to be a Camelot-like city on the sea. Again, Croatia did not disappoint. The old town of Starigrad in Dubrovnik took my breath away with it's tiled roofs and marble streets.

I've discovered that it's not entirely a bad thing that my skill at inventing a brand-new storyworld is not highly developed. My novel is far stronger for the plot points inspired by a real place.

So, if you're struggling with your storyworld, try taking a virtual trip. I've already found the perfect country for my next novel.

New Years Goals

While my most obvious goal should be to blog more often, here are my writing goals for 2010.

1. Attend at least one writing conference (I'm heading to the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators Conference in NYC at the end of the month--thanks to my wonderful family and friends--so this one is easy!)
2. Finish my current manuscript this month by writing at least 2K per day
3. Submit 5 articles or stories for publication (I've already taken care of one, and I have a fiction story that will be published in February)
4. Begin querying agents (I will read for two agents on January 20th, and hope to meet a few more at the SCBWI conference)
5. Continue to write every day.

Beyond my writing goals, I have goals planned for other areas of my life. I found an excellent goal sheet to keep them all in one place (see photo). It's a free pdf download, and after you fold it, you have a wallet-sized booklet that you can keep handy (read: actually remember what your goals are). You can find the goal sheet here .

Michael Hyatt wrote an excellent post on setting goals, and he recommended a book called Write It Down, Make It Happen: Knowing What You Want And Getting It . No matter what you do, get your goals in writing, and if possible, share them with others to keep you accountable. You're welcome to leave your goals in the comments, if you like.