A tribute to my grandma

Southern Fried Love

 

 

Crispy magic fried chicken

fresh collard greens

red beans and cornbread

sliced garden tomatoes

a chunk of yellow onion.

No one else can make it right

five years ago a hole was left in the world.

Grandma could make a silk purse

out of a sow’s ear.

Remnants from her job

sewing in a slack factory; dresses.

Aloe Vera for my burns

lemon juice to lighten my hair,

home remedies.

A strange red conglomeration  

she mopped on my sore throat.

A secret salve rubbed on my chest

feeding my cold

starving my fever.

On a farm in Palmer,
Texas,

her boys picked cotton.

Grandma sewed for neighbors.

Only one cow for milk

butter bartered for eggs

couldn’t afford chickens.

Grandpa,

worthless as tits on a boar hog.

Took the cow to town

sold it to buy liquor.

Grandma went to town and bought it back.

He died drunk behind the wheel.

She never remarried,

had bad taste in men.

A trait passed down to me.

But I raised two boys in our small
Texas town,

With no support from their father,

working two jobs to make ends meet.

Our house, a sanctuary

for mistreated waifs,

their friends and mine.

But a southern

gentleman,                                                                                                                                                  

hair spun with gold,

sweet ocean eyes,

came bearing gifts for no reason.

Calling on his lunch hour

to say he loves me.

He chops cilantro,

fresh garlic,

sautés in olive oil,

browns boneless magic chicken breast,

covers it with garden sliced tomatoes,

Monterrey Jack cheese;

and bakes.

Grandma,

at her haunted sewing machine,

red beans simmering

on her heavenly stove,

just in from picking fresh tomatoes

from her spiritual garden,

made a life size image,

a blue print sewn with golden threads,

stamped with spirits approval.

Shipped on the wings of angels,

To me.

 

More on editing…

When I left off last week in the discussion of my writing journey I was talking about how much I hated editing. But about that time is when a fellow writer said something that really hit home, about how editing was like rebuilding the engine of a car. For a former tomboy and car enthusiast like me, the metaphor was perfect.

I have been editing my novel, hating every minute of the work, for a few weeks now, and I kept wondering why I was so uptight, feeling so rushed.

What I realized is that my age, 51 next month, has felt like the sword of Damocles hanging over my head for whole three years I've been writing full-time, always thinking, gotta get published, gotta make money, gotta hurry before time runs out. And this attitude shows in my stuff. I have a file full of stories, essays and articles that reflect the rush, that aren't quite there yet, that need to be fleshed out, cut down, retuned.

I decided at the end of 2005 that 2006 would be the year of really breaking through, getting published in major pubs, making bucks, but this morning I am embracing the fact that, nope, 2006 for me is "The Year of Editiing."

Understanding this and accepting it have already made me breath easier. It takes what it takes, and I have a lot of overhauling to do. And that's where I am with my novel. Once I shut myself away from the world and stop that analytical and business side of my brain from trying to run the show, I'm right back in that world I created, but I am finding myself editing from a reader's perspective. I impressed myself with my prose, I got the story down and finished, and now I'm trying to view it with detachment.

I'm just going to start repeating, "I love editing, I love editing.."

Blog of the week

All Kinds of Writing is my pick for blog of the week. And the title ain't joking. This blog is jam packed with links and information.

Have a productive Tuesday!

Monday markets

* t-shirt slogan designer $200 (SOMA / south beach)
PAY: $200 per idea
Hello we need fresh, new unique, funny ORIGINAL slogans for our company http://www.threadpit.com E-mail us your slogans and we will pay $200 per each one we like! You will still retain ownership of your intellectual property, but your t-shirt idea has to be your OWN creation! If you're a graphic designer we would like to hear from you… thanks and we look forward to hearing from you! Contact mailto:gigs-142669116@craigslist.org

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Wisconsin Trails
Current Needs: Articles on Wisconsin people, history, nature,
adventure, lifestyle, arts, sports, recreation and business. Readers
are Wisconsin residents. "It is important that you write in a style
that lets the reader join you in the experience and conveys a sense
of place." Feature articles are 800-2,500 words and departments are
75-300 words. Query first by snail mail.
Payment Amount: $.25/word
Pays On Publication
Submissions Guidelines:
http://wisconsintrails.com/Wistrails/WriteGuide.html

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Setting Pace
PAY: varies
Publishing services company seeks expert freelance writers, editors, researchers, and project managers. BA/BS, excellent written communication skills, and competency in Microsoft Word required. Teaching background or experience in developing educational materials for grades 6-12 preferred. Submit cover letter and resume. Salary and Terms: Commensurate with projects and experience. Web site: http://settingpace.com Contact Instructions: Submit cover letter and resume to email address only. mailto:saltman@settingpace.com

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* The Chicken Soup Healthy Living books
PAY: $200
Introducing a new, refreshing format to a best-selling series. Featuring 10-15 stories interspersed with vital information from top medical experts, they are sold nationally in drugstores and supermarkets.
http://www.thehealthysoul.com/guidelines.html

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LOOKING FOR FREELANCE WRITERS
Looking for freeleance writers for
New Motorcycle magazine. Please
submit your resume to the e-mail
address below.
Compensation: TBD
Reply to: resume@throttlemagazine.net.
Fax: 410-686-2427

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PREGNANCY RELATED ARTICLES SOUGHT
ePregnancy.com needs articles on fertility, preconception, nutrition,
health and well-being, fun/humor, the male perspective, technology
for expecting and new parents, preparing for birth, birth stories,
motherhood, activities for babies, nursery design, newborn care,
newborn health and wellness, infant feeding, taking care of
mom and family life. Please include in your query information on
the experts you plan to use, what additional resources are
available and give us a good idea of the style and focus of
your proposed article.
We work on assignment only, so please do not send us
unsolicited manuscripts. We also accept first-person birth stories.
However, writers are not paid for birth story submissions.
We do not accept fiction or poetry. We have an ongoing need
for Up Front and Baby Steps submissions. Please include
expert/source information.
To submit queries for our Up Front or Baby Steps pages,
please contact our Senior “Steps” Editor, Julia Rosien.
Upcoming submission themes and deadlines can be found in the mediakit:
http://www.epregnancy.com/images/mediakit.pdf
Compensation: $50-75 each and average 250 words,
depending on the subject.
Reply to: Julia Rosien, juliarosien@rogers.com.

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Travelers' Tales Books
PAY: $100
Travelers' Tales Books has a number of travel-related titles in the works, such as More Sand in My Bra. While much of their past travel humor has been targeted at female writers/readers, one of the works-in-progress at the moment is called What Color Is Your Jockstrap? Pay is $100 and they take reprints. Note they are also working on a number of destination books (these essays need not be funny) – England, Middle East, Switzerland, Baja, etc. Guidelines:
http://www.travelerstales.com/guidelines/

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Common Ground
PAY: $.10/word
Generally we accept articles on health, wellness, the environment, transformational travel and personal growth. We prefer articles by Canadian authors, and we very rarely accept fiction and poetry. For current needs, please refer to the Editorial Calendar.
http://www.commonground.ca/aboutus/writers_guidelines.shtml

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Ruralite magazine
PAY: $30 – $500
Ruralite readers are predominantly rural and small-town residents who are interested in stories about people and issues that affect their Northwest lifestyles. The cornerstone of Ruralite's content is its colorful people features. Other mainstays include human interest and energy-related articles, as well as a limited number of Northwest travel, outdoor and unique history features. Ruralite rarely purchases stories about subjects outside of Ruralite Country, and it is not a market for poetry, short fiction or boilerplate features.
http://www.ruralite.org/Freelance%20Guildes.htm

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* KitTime
PAY: $50 – $200
We at KidTime have a need for quality stories, articles, and activities. The magazine will target children ages 7-12. In fiction, we are especially interested in material that focuses on the child’s experience, including learning, interaction with peers, sports and family. In nonfiction, we are interested in material that deals with the State Standards in any way.
http://www.kidtimemagazine.com/guidelines.html

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Writing-World.com
PAY: $.05/word
Uses articles on almost every aspect of writing, including fiction, nonfiction, business writing, self-publishing, etc. Since we now have approximately 600 articles and columns on the site, we are reducing the number of articles that we purchase per year. Instead of buying four or five "web" articles and two "newsletter" articles per month, we will be focusing primarily on articles that are appropriate for the newsletter. We will consider articles on finding markets, fiction techniques, non-fiction techniques, promotion, self-publishing, etc. We expect to use two to four articles per month. All newsletter articles are subsequently posted on the website. We have a huge collection of beginner/basic pieces — how to get started, deal with rejection, write a query, etc. — so we're more interested in advanced, specific how-to information. We always have a shortage of quality how-to info on fiction. We do NOT use personal experiences, personal essays, "how I got started" accounts, accounts of funny things that you've experienced as a writer, etc. Hint: if there are a lot of "I's" in the article, it probably won't fly.
http://www.writing-world.com/admin1/guidelines.shtml

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Children's Better Health Institute
PAY: $.12 – $.22/word
We at the Children's Better Health Institute have a constant need for high quality stories, articles, and activities with health related stories, articles, and activities with health-related themes. "Health" is a broad topic that includes exercise, sports, safety, nutrition, hygiene, and drug education. Health information can be presented in a variety of formats, including fiction, nonfiction, poems, recipes, and puzzles. Fiction stories with a health message need not have health as the primary subject, but they should include it in some way in the course of events. Characters in fiction should adhere to good health practices, unless failure to do so is necessary to a story's plot.
http://www.cbhi.org/cbhi/writersguidelines.shtml

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Chronogram
http://www.chronogram.com/submissions

TRAINS
http://www.trains.com/Content/Dynamic/Articles/000/000/003/113kwbmj.asp

OP Magazine
http://www.opmagazine.com/contributor_guidelines.htm

http://www.tpwmagazine.com/editorial/

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Dog Lovers needed to write content for Dog Website
PAY: Negotiated Per Article
We're looking for dog lovers to help write content for our website. We're looking for 5 articles to begin with at about 300-500 words each. The purpose is to retain our viewers so the articles need to be short, informative, and captivating. Email us for more information at mailto:gigs-142416847@craigslist.org

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MAGAZINE LOOKING FOR ARTISTS
AND WRITERS
TELECOMMUTE
The Arts Editor for St8ke Magazine,
an upcoming online publication, is
seeking specific material from artists
and writers. Sk8ke magazine is targeted
towards college-age students and readers.
The Arts section will feature a comic strip
and poem once a month. We will also highlight
a venue for our arts appreciation section.
For instance, if you know of an underrated
(or justifiably overrated) theater to see
performances or a great dive displaying
community artwork, a write-up of these
venues will be featured. We will also
feature one artist of the month. This
artist can be working in any media but
must be able to submit jpeg images of
his or her work and commit to a phone
interview. Other suggestions will be
strongly considered, such as artist
interviews or reviews. Submissions
should be approximately 200-500 words.
All submissions will be reviewed. We are
seeking submissions nationally; we strongly
encourage you to inform others. Material
for the first issue needs to be received
by Thursday, February 23, 2006. We will
accept ongoing submissions or a permanant
feature if you are selected. Please send
submissions of poetry, comic strips,
venue highlights, etcetera as soon as
possible.
Compensation: Selected articles will
receive $20 via PayPal for every
submission.
Reply to: job-134373485@craigslist.org

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ActorsInsider.com
PAY: $.25/word
ActorsInsider.com is a new website (currently in the  programming stage) which will cater the acting community in Los Angeles.  This will be heavily promoted throughout the industry. We are  looking for freelance writers to write articles and movie reviews. Some  articles, if you choose to take them, will require interviews with various  people in the industry. All articles will require research (unless you are  already well-versed on various topics). In addition to the prescribed  content, we will also be taking  pitches.
http://losangeles.craigslist.org/wri/132918556.html

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Writers Needed For Basketball Trivia
PAY: $.25/question
NCAA College basketball trivia questions needed. Pay..25 per accepted question. If you are interested please email me and I will send you the full details. Contact Aaron at mailto:gigs-134114009@craigslist.org

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Tech Writers and Tech Articles
PAY: $25 – $1000
Technology Online, a subsidiary of Blue Ideal Media Network Inc., launches on February 27th and we're looking for articles about anything and everything technology related – literally anything! It could be a how-to, a review, an article about new tech developments, or an opinion piece. We help you edit the article, then publish it for you. Every day, month, half year, and year the highest quality articles are selected to win large cash prizes ($25, $250, $500, $1000 respectively). That means that by submitting one article for publication you can make $1,775. Authors retain republication rights to their content. To find out more about Technology Online and what we do, visit http://www.technologyonline.org Don't forget to enter our Grand Opening Giveaway (details on main page). We look forward to seeing your content on the main page of our publication in the near future. Contact mailto:submissions@technologyonline.org

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CALL FOR ARTICLES
Student Traveler is committed to quality
writing about all aspects of travel for
students. We welcome new voices, as well
as established writers. As a young, but
growing magazine we seek to develop
working relationships with contributors
for long term partnerships of writing
and travel. We suggest sending a detailed
query letter with your article ideas
telling us what your angle is. Please
look at our present departments, and
see if your article might match one of
them. It's also important to read our
previous articles, archived online.
Student Traveler has a general
student-related theme for each
issue throughout the year. Submissions
that pertain to these themes are greatly
appreciated. We prefer article that are
primarily informational, and that answer
the questions you wish you knew before
going. Of course, it's always good to
use your personal experiences to help
bring authenticity to an article.
More guidelines online: http://www.studenttraveler.com/submission.php
Compensation: 10-cents/ word for articles,
and photo prices vary depending on the size
of the photo.
Reply to: jeff@studenttraveler.com
Address: Student Traveler
714 W. Olympic Blvd., Suite 701
Los Angeles, CA 90015

 

 

 

 

 

Spring has arrived with a bang in Texas, and this time of the year always sets my thoughts to wandering. If you are like me and won’t be sitting at the table in this picture this weekend, pretend you are. :)

Have a great one! See you on Monday with the markets.

Editing…argh!

For those of you who have been following along as I talk about my writing journey, when last I left off, I had finally decided it was time to do an edit on Maddy.

Eeeek!

I hate editing…no, hate is not the right word. I am impatient, and thus editing frustrates me. I thought when I sent my novel off to Delacorte contest that it was good to go. Nope, not by a long shot. I’ve always heard that you should step away from your work for a bit before you do any editing. I see why now.

I am in the process of killing my darlings, rearranging paragraphs, correcting punctuation, even deleting whole sections and totally rewriting others. It’s satisfying work, because I know for sure how much better the novel will be when I’m finished, but I’d like to quote Kris Broughton, who nailed the way a final draft feels to me, “overhaul it from the ground up – just take it apart, sentence by sentence, comma by comma, verb by verb, and take your time putting it back together as if you were blueprinting a brand new engine.”

It has taken me 2 weeks to get to chapter 7. I have to keep reminding myself that it’s all worth it, that it takes what it takes. Hopefully when I’m done I’ll have something a publisher would be happy to see. :)
 

Blog of the week

Here is a one-woman writing machine!

Check out Over the Hill Chick, you’ll be happy you did.

And have a wonderful and productive day!

Monday Markets

HERE IS A LIST OF MARKETS FOR FANTASY WRITERS
http://www.alienskinmag.com/ AlienSkin Magazine
http://www.allstarstories.com/epics.html All-Star Stories Presents Twenty Epics
http://www.riverwalkjournal.org/ River Walk Journal
http://www.analogsf.com/information/submissions.shtml Analog — Submission Guidelines
http://anotherealm.com/ Anotherealm.com
http://www.apexdigest.com/index.html Apex – The magazine for Sci-Fi and Horror
http://www.aphelion-webzine.com/index2.htm Aphelion_ The Webzine of Science Fiction and Fantasy
http://www.bewilderingstories.com/ Bewildering Stories home page
http://www.blackgate.com/bg/guide.htm Black Gate_ Adventures in Fantasy Literature

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BUSINESS, LIFESTYLE, HEALTH AND SHOPPING
WRITERS NEEDED

A glossy monthly publication is looking for freelance writers
that can write about business, lifestyle, health and even retail
shopping. Writers must be accurate, conscientious, talented and
not miss deadlines. They should also be experienced, take criticism
constructively and know the importance of self-editing.
If this sounds like you, please send a resume (in Word only,) and
two to three recent clips that show a range of writing styles.
All attachments should be less than 5 MB.
Compensation: $0.20 – $0.30 per word
Reply to: writerswanted@gmail.com

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* Writers wanted to write letters
PAY: $50
As we all know, it takes many different personalities to make up this world of ours. Not everyone has the same *tastes* therefore we are inviting your personality and imagination to create letters for use at All Letters.com. If we choose your letter (and we do this once a month) you will be paid $50 for its use. We will also give you credit for your work. Once we pay for your letter it becomes the property of  Personality Creations (our company) and we may do with it as we wish. We service both AllLetters.com and PersonalizedLetter.com. No royalties will be given. Take a look around if you are interested, and see how our letters are formatted. Get a good feel for them. All Letters at this time, is going to be revamped and much is not viewable. More information and apply at http://www.allletters.com/writers.shtml

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FREELANCE WRITERS NEEDED
TELECOMMUTE
JobBank USA is looking for a dedicated, hard-working freelance
writer to write articles and create content pages for JobBank USA
http://www.jobbankusa.com.
Content will include all aspects of careers, jobs, employment,
resumes, cover letters, interviews, sample resumes,sample
interviews, and human resources.
Internet knowledge and access along with strong research skills
is a must. Attention to detail is required. Some HTML experience is
helpful.
Compensation: negotiable
Reply to: jobbankusa-jobs@hotmail.com with your resume along
with a writing sample and salary requirements.

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FREELANCE WRITERS FOR NEW SAILING
PUBLICATION SOUGHT
TELECOMMUTE
Experienced newspaper publisher looking into the
viability of creating a new sailing magazine.
Looking for experienced sailors or sailing enthusiasts
that also have experience writing.
Compensation: $75, negotiable
Reply to: job-138130398@craigslist.org

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HOW-TO, WRITING TECHNIQUE AND
OTHER ARTICLES SOUGHT
Writer’s Digest is a monthly handbook for those who want to write
better and get published, whether they write fiction or nonfiction.
That means every word we publish must inform, instruct or inspire
the reader.
We do not use poetry, fiction or scripts; we do not buy newspaper
clippings and we handle book and software reviews in-house.
We do not buy reprints of articles previously published in other
writing magazines.
Writer’s Digest editors prefer queries over unsolicited manuscripts.
Queries allow us to review your article ideas and to suggest how to
tailor them for our audience before you begin writing.
Queries should include a thorough outline that introduces your article
proposal and highlights each of the points you intend to make.
Your query should discuss how the article will benefit our readers,
why the topic is timely today and why you are the appropriate writer
to discuss the topic. Please submit only one query at a time.
All submissions must include SASE–a self-addressed, stamped envelope,
unless an e-mail address is included.
Full guidelines: http://www.writersdigest.com/wdguidelines.asp
Compensation: $0.30-$0.50 per word
Reply to: wdsubmissions@fwpubs.com or
Submissions Editor, Writer’s Digest,
4700 E. Galbraith Road, Cincinnati, OH 45236

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* Resume Writers w/ Military Experience – Indep Contract
Seeking a few writers with military experience. Great part-time, supplementary income, on an Independent Contractor basis. Work from your home or office. You will work with military personnel separating or retiring from the service, to translate their military experience into “civilian” resumes. Interaction is primarily through email. We have a proven format and plenty of samples to assist you. Mandatory qualifications: prior military service, outstanding writing skills. Preferred qualifications: undergraduate degree or higher. When responding, please include your resume, or a sample you have written. Compensation: Average $65 per resume project. Contact mailto:gigs-136516290@craigslist.org

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* Instructional Writers (Work-for-Hire)
Instructional writers are needed by a new online career-oriented training institution to write high quality hands-on distance learning courses for adult learners (high school graduates and up). You will be paid in one lump sum without any royalties (work-for-hire) and will not get any by-line. You waive all rights (we own all the rights). You will also need to sign a non-disclosure agreement prior to starting the project. Requirements:
1. Strong work ethics (deadline-oriented, polite with can-do attitude) and proven research skills.
2. Have published at least one how-to or instructional book (not too technical). You will be asked to furnish this sample for review.
3. Familiar with learning objectives, lesson plans, quizzes and post-course assessments.
4. Have at least a bachelor’s degree (in any field).
5. Have the stamina to write at least 30,000 words on a designated topic (detailed outline and guidelines will be provided) in 4 working weeks.
6. Strong professional references (will be contacted).
Payment is $600 for the FIRST successful project and will increase up to $1,000 per project of 30,000-word length. Lengthier projects will pay even more (up to $2,500 per project). Steady assignments might be provided for up to one year, provided that the quality is up to par. Current available topics include:
- Designing Homes for Sell
- Business Brokering
- Concierge Service
- Life Coaching
Interested writers must include a resume, writing samples and at least three references. Contact us at mailto:hiringeditor@gmail.com.

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* WritersWeekly.com
PAY: $50
We purchase articles for two publications: WritersWeekly.com and The Write Markets Report. WritersWeekly.com is distributed to freelancers every Wednesday. The Write Markets Report is distributed to paying subscribers. Please do not propose a column to us. We are not interested in any columns at this time. WritersWeekly.com and The Write Markets Report focus on “selling” the written word. We do not seek articles on how to write. Rather, we seek articles on how to make more money doing what you love….writing! We are also interested in other forms of home-based businesses and self-employment that may result from writing, such as self-publishing, corporate writing, ghostwriting, etc. All ideas that help writers support themselves performing the work they love are warmly welcomed. Length: 600 words. Rights: First, non-exclusive e-rights or reprint rights. Pay: $50 for non-exclusive electronic rights only. Submit query with credits by e-mail to mailto:angela@writersweekly.com Please be patient for a response.
http://www.writersweekly.com/misc/guidelines.html

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* Freelance Celeb Writer Wanted
PAY: 250+ dependent on experience
We are a teen magazine looking for a freelance writer on an issue-by issue contract basis. Writer should be comfortable tracking down celebrities, preferably have experience with interviewing actors, musicians, and other famous people. It helps if you have a sense of humor, and understand deadlines. JVibe magazine is a Jewish publication. Being Jewish is not required. Thinking Jews are cool is. Knowledge of Jewish culture necessary. Previous experience writing for teen audiences a plus. Please contact Lindsey at mailto:lsilken@jflmedia.com. Provide resume and at least one clip. See our website http://www.jvibe.com

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* Teaching Miracles
PAY: $50.00 and contributor’s copy of the finished book
Are you a teacher who has experienced or witnessed a life-changing event taking place in the classroom? When you think of all the students who have entered your life, is there one special person or situation which stands out above the rest? This is a unique opportunity to acknowledge that special event in your professional life, and to share your experiece with an appreciative audience. Adams Media, publishers of A Cup of Comfort and The Rocking Chair series, is compiling an anthology of stories for a new book tentatively titled “Teaching Miracles,” to be published in late 2006. The book will contain true stories (written by people of all ages) that celebrate the ability of the shared classroom experience to positively influence our lives. They are stories that show that education doesn’t just come from books, and also that it’s not just a one-way street, flowing from teacher to students. Payment is upon publication, and is $50, plus a complimentary copy of the completed anthology. This is a paying venue, with a short turnaround time and thus a quick closing date of April 1, 2006. For more information, please visit: http://thorntonsmiraclesintheclassroom.blogspot.com

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The Rambler
Current Needs: The Rambler explores and celebrates creativity.
Artists, writers, poets, and photographers from North Carolina and
around the world contribute their work, their personal stories, and
the philosophies behind what they produce. Fiction, poetry,
nonfiction, and artwork. Also interested in excerpts from writing and
artistic journals. No genre fiction or children’s stories.
Payment Amount: varies
Pays On Publication
Submissions Guidelines: http://ramblermagazine.com/submissions.html

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Cezanne’s Carrot
Current Needs: Poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. Publishes high-quality literary work that explores spiritual, transformational, visionary, or contemplative themes, most interested in the personal quest for evolution and understanding, whether that takes place within the context of a religious tradition, an inner temple of your own making, or a seemingly mundane neighborhood or backyard. Payment Amount: $25 to 3 pieces in each issue. (No payment for others) Pays On Publication Submissions Guidelines: http://www.cezannescarrot.org/guidelines.html

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* Organic Producer Mag
PAY: $.10/word
A fledgling publication for organic producers and consumers is seeking writers/articles for coming issues. Producers can be small operations that grow their own food but have enough to also sell at a farmers’ market–or large commercial growers. We are looking for articles that provide info that will make their operations more efficient and productive. Others can be about producers who have been successful, unique ways of marketing and doing business, the science behind organics, etc. We are open to ideas. At this time, the rate is..10 a word. This is a small startup, but we have big hopes for it. Please tell me briefly what and where you’ve published. If your writing is online, send links, but please don’t send attachments. Passion for the organic lifestyle is important, but since our writers include farmers, academics and other specialists, we favor writing that goes beyond interest. Contact Sheila at mailto:sheilav@uniminds.com

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* Freelance Comedy Writer for Office Jokes
PAY: to be determined
We are a mainstream media company looking for a freelance comedy writer to provide us with original jokes focused on humor in the office to be used on one of our Web sites reaching a business audience. Applicants must have experience writing comedy on topics relevant to business. Please forward resume along with strong published or produced clips. This is a freelance assignment likely based on a flat fee for a set number of jokes with deadlines in March and April. It would help us if you could include your per-joke rate. Contact mailto:job-139859330@craigslist.org

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For Folks Who Like Reviewing Stuff
PAY: Max of $50
Do you like writing software and game reviews? We have a gig just for you. We pay for every review we publish (there is a $50 per review max cap). There are a lot of software and games to choose from (all available for free download). Read the rules at
http://www.softwarejudge.com/rules Contact mailto:gigs-140640648@craigslist.org

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Mountain Homes
Current Needs: Uses well-researched, well-written articles tied to
the Southern mountains and the second-home and retirement demographic
trends. Topics include gifted artists and craftspersons, developers
and architects who contribute to the sophistication of mountain
communities, and exceptional places and things, from spas to “bests”
in the region. “My special needs are for good writers in Tennessee,
Georgia and South Carolina, especially people who can travel short
distances.”
Payment Amount: $250-400
Pays On Publication
Submissions Guidelines: http://www.pinnacleliving.net/cu/esg.html

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Freelance writer for Yankee Stadium guide book
PAY: $50/story
Wise Guides Inc., producers of guide books to sporting venues, is looking for freelance writers familiar with Yankee Stadium and environs to contribute stories about the experience of attending a game in the Bronx. Stories are short (about 225-250 words) and can be about everything from how to score good seats to where to grab a bite and a beer before or after the game. Only interested in those truly experienced in taking in a game at Yankee Stadium, who know the little tips that will make a guide book interesting. Please send cover letter, resume and writing samples. Contact mailto:job-137259286@craigslist.org

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* Blog Writer
PAY: $200 – $300/month
Leading science & technology web site looking for  freelance writeRs who can contribute for a daily news blog. Writers wanted to publish a daily news reviews (approx. 100 words) for one of these topics: 
- Science & technology
- Computer science
- Gadgets 
You will need to be able to write a minimum of 5-7 times per week, and will have to search for the topic. We will pay $200 – $300 a month. Additional pay for hitting high traffic targets. Please send a sample of your writing (1-3 sample blog posts) and CV. More information is available on request. Send us an e-mail mailto:blogwriter@alphamediagroup.nl

Flash fiction is the best …

and fasted way for a new fiction writer to get some publishing credits under their belt. Or that’s been my experience, anyway.

Although, my VERY first published piece was an essay and found it’s way to getting published out of sheer luck. I was looking for a market to send it to, so I described the essay at WritersNet, and of all things, an editor at Hot Psychology magazine read my posts and was interested in it. Man, was that ever a thrill! But it’s rare for something like that to happen.

After I sent Maddy into the wild blue yonder, I discovered another online writing group that had flash challenges. I had never even heard of flash fiction, but I jumped in head first to these flash & chat sessions, began subbing the finished product to small literary ezines, and before I knew it, I had a hand full of flash pieces published.

There’s no confidence builder like a yes. From last fall until now, I wrote and submitted like a demon. I now have a list of flash pieces, essays, a few newspaper articles and YES, finally, my first bona fide print magazine piece, published.

When I found out in January that one of my pieces had been nominated for a Pushcart, Lord don’t you know, my heart soared!

But as I said yesterday, in the back of my mind was my novel. The winner of the Delacorte contest was announced the end of October of 2005. And for all of these months, while I was busying building my portfolio, Maddy was sitting lonely, waiting for me even offer her a glance. Finally, a few weeks ago, I could no longer avoid the fact that if I were ever to get her published, I would have to start sending out queries. But I did a smart thing. I asked a fellow writer, a YA author, to read Maddy for me and tell me what she thought. Her advice was priceless. Though she loved the book, she pointed out some grammar and punctuation errors, along with tweaks here and there which would make the story stronger.

Next week I will tell you how it feels, being back in Maddy’s world again. I have a one track mind, so I will not be working on any other kind of writing until I finish this last edit and send out queries to a handful of publishers.

Have a great weekend, and I’ll see you on Monday with markets and new helpful sites for writers!

The Maddening Joy of Immersion

When I started writing “The Sun Shines on Maddy Weaver,” I had no idea it would end up a novel. All I knew was that I had a story to tell–actually, I had a childhood to rewrite–and that I had a message to bring to kids in similiar situations. That message was one of hope.

My fingers flew across the keyboard, words trapped for years planted themselves on the page. I couldn’t wait to wake up in the morning so that I could write again. I could look up at the clock and hours would have passed as if they were minutes. I wrote in my sleep, the words typing themselves on a keyboard in my mind. In the middle of dinner, I would jump up and write something down, a thought, a phrase.

There was no joy like the madness of that immersion into Maddy’s world.

Within weeks, I realized I had the makings of a novel on my hands. So I took a break and started studying the craft of novel writing. I joined an online writer’s group, where I posted a short excerpt. No one had read a word up until then. And to my utter delight, I discovered that my peers loved it. To hear a professional writer say, “Your voice exudes charm and personality” was like they had handed me the Oscar!

It took over a year to finally come up with a draft I was happy with, and I entered Maddy in the Delacorte Middle Reader’s Contest. It was truly like saying goodbye to my little girl.

I didn’t win, and now, eight months later, after becoming sidetracked with other writing, the experience of which I will tell you about tomorrow, I find that I am a better writer than I was last summer. I am in the process of another round of editing Maddy, and this experience too I will share with you in days to come.