Montana Scribbler: 2017

Monday, November 27, 2017

How to Choose a Book Title That Sells

Welcome to the Write Way Café , where you'll find author Bill Brier's wonderful article, "How To Choose A Book Title That Sells, published November 2, 2017.

Bill Brier is a member of Mystery Writers of America. His novels include The Devil Orders Takeout and the first book in his The Killer Who mystery series, The Killer Who Hated Soup. Book Two of the mystery series, The Killer Who Wasn’t There, is scheduled for release February 24, 2018.

Enjoy his wildly entertaining blog, The Brier Patch.

Become a member of the best free online group of writers: Internet Writing Workshop.

Wednesday, October 4, 2017

What Are Really Your Rights?

Wondering about your rights to previously published work, and where you might sell it? On November 28, 2015, Trish Hopkins posted an excellent article about it on her website. The information in her post is great for writer's as well as poets.

Hopkin's website, Trish Hopkinson, A selfish poet, is certainly well worth every poet's time to visit frequently.

Tip: Both websites were slow to load on my browser, but my patience paid off.

Tuesday, August 8, 2017

Make Your Character Enlarge Their Role via Character Folding

The Delicate Art of Character Folding,by Rebecca Makkai, explains the idea behind converting multiple characters into a single person. To begin with, Rebecca felt the need totrim the number of characters in a novel she was writing.

You'll find a wealth of information by studying The Delicate Art of Character Folding, published May 13th in The Masters Review Blog, whose mission is to support emerging writers.

Rebecca Makkai is the Chicago-based author of the short story collection Music for Wartime, and of the novels The Hundred-Year House, and The Borrower, a Booklist Top Ten Debut which has been translated into eight languages. She's also taught at the Iowa Writers Workshop, Tin House, and Northwestern University.

Wednesday, May 24, 2017

Short Courses at Abstract Magazine

At Abstract Magazine you'll find an excellent short course on writing short fiction here .

Check Submissions to study precisely what is wanted in your manuscript, in a variety of categories. Study them, and you'll learn important details.

Internet Writing Workshop members, Pamelyn Casto and Geoffrey Fuller, shared this information on IWW.

IWW is the finest writing list online that continuously helps writers improve their writing and get their work published. Do yourself a favor and join today.

The Forge - Paying Market

The Forge is a paying literary market that might be suitable for you. Check it out.

Monday, April 10, 2017

IWW Members Share Valuable Information for Writers

Like many other valued members of Internet Writing Workshop who share interesting information to help writers, Elma Schemenauer recently provided the two websites below that impressed her.

1.) For anyone who feels grammatically challenged, there are short to-the-point grammar lessons at English Grammar 101 under Free Lessons.

Browsing around a bit at English Grammar 101, I found a sign-up form for students to register on a webpage that offered mathematics by grades 1-8. I'm not sure if that means those lessons are free, and you sign up just to track your progress, or if the sign-up is for registering students.

However, English Grammar 101 certainly is an impressive website. One well worth visiting.

2.) Elma also shared the link to an interesting and informative article on Scroll In, that explained 8 reasons why agents and editors may reject even a good book.

Join the free Internet Writing Workshop today, and take advantage of the terrific resources shared by IWW members of all eighteen free lists, which include more than half a dozen genre's.

Friday, April 7, 2017

Local Book Fair ~ Unique Opportunity to Sell Your Book

A local book fair is an ideal place to display and sell your book.

The Assistant Manager of a public library had this advice about every upcoming book fair:

"Immediately phone the manager of the library, and ask if you can be part of the fair ... , even if you are too late to register. Most librarians would love to have a latecomer like you. Getting actual authors to participate in something like this is usually quite difficult."

Tables are often hosted by a book publisher, and several authors may be from that publisher. Nevertheless, ask to be at the first open table. Then, make your table-space as attractive and comfortable for the attendees as possible. Have a stack of your book at hand, in addition to 2 or3 copies you expect potential buyers to browse. You might also spread out several book jackets for perusal.

Provide an attractive, lined note pad for purchasers to print the name of the person or persons to whom you'll autograph your book. Have them list each person separately if they are buying more than one copy.
Provide 4 or 5 pens for their convenience.
Create, or have printed, bookmarkers featuring your book.(*)
Scatter a supply of your business card for easy pickup.

(*) Economical bookmark ~ On 8 1/2"x11" colored stock paper, you can print 4 abreast, using columns. Leave room at the top to punch a hole. Using a papercutter, cut the bookmarks apart. Insert several strands of yarn in the hole and form a tassle by tying a knot in them.

Along with a .jpg of your book cover, provide information about the book. Include purchasing information, and your website. Personally sign each bookmark. Add a .jpg of yourself if you wish.

Tuesday, March 14, 2017

2017 Okanagan Valley Writers Festival

Elma Schemenauer will present workshops at the Okanagan Valley Writers Festival, April 9-7, 2017, in Penticton, British Columbia.

Her novel, Consider the Sunflowers, is a 1940s-era Saskatchewan Mennonite novel .

Elma Schemenauer

YesterCanada: Historical Tales of Mystery and Adventure, her latest novel published in 2017, is a book of historical short stories.

Visit Elma's website to learn more about this entertaining author. Her books website provides details about the contents of each book.

"Elma Mary from the Prairie" spins tales of history, adventure, Mennonites, faith, fiction, non-fiction, community, travel, and more.

Friday, February 24, 2017

Where to get Your Writing Critiqued

"All writers, whatever their experience and expertise, need their articles and books critiqued, particularly by published writers and editors. The Non-Fiction members on Internet Writing Workshop are knowledgeable and thorough critiquers who significantly improve the style and substance of member's articles, memoirs, books and online content writing. Their camaraderie makes the reciprocal arrangement of submitting writing and critiquing others writing pleasant and fulfilling for members.

Dozens of writers became successful since joining IWW's Non-Fiction, a FREE on-line list. The following authors and writers are examples of the dozens who credit their success to IWW: Gary Presley, Diane Diekman, Jack Shakely, Sheri McGregor, Janaki Lenin, Tracy Foote, Sarah Morgan, Charles P. Hobbs, and Tim Elhajj.

Diane Diekman says, '"I subbed the four books below as manuscripts, one chapter at a time, before rewriting and publishing them. They are much better than they would have been without the advice of NFiction members.

Twentieth Century Drifter: The Life of Marty Robbins
Live Fast, Love Hard: The Faron Young Story
Navy Greenshirt: A Leader Made, Not Born
A Farm in the Hidewood: My South Dakota Home

Peggy Vincent says, "I sold "Baby Catcher Chronicles of a Modern Midwife"for $100,000 to Scribners in 2001, and it never would have happened without the Non-Fiction members on IWW, whose critiques made me a better writer." It's available in softback and hardback at Amazon.

Carol Newman published her Kindle edition of The Road to Anywhere But Here. "Thanks to the tremendous feedback I received on IWW Non-Fiction, I tightened, pruned, and expanded some areas. Then I entered the Writer's Digest E-book contest. WD gave me a 5 rating in Structure, Organization, Pacing, Spelling, Punctuation, and Grammar, Plot and Story, Appeal, Character Appeal and Development, Voice and Writing Style, and only one point lower in Production Quality and Cover Design. I also received an excellent review. IWW Non-Fiction group is a valuable resource. Thanks to the members' excellent help.

Paul Fein, author of "Tennis Confidential" and "Tennis's Most Wanted" says, "I've received about half of my 40 writing awards since joining IWW in 2005. My work has been published around the world in tennis and sports magazines. I truly appreciate all that IWW members have done for me with their very helpful critiques, and I try my utmost to reciprocate by critiquing as well as and as often as I can.

"Thanks to members of IWW Non-Fiction, my article about Rafael Nadal received Honorable Mention in the nonfiction category of Writer's Digest annual writing competition.

Dozens of other Non-Fiction members like Cathy Moser, Judith Stock, Paul Pekin, and June Gallant publish in magazines, newspapers, and at a vast variety of e-publications.

Join Non-Fiction today: Internet Writing Workshop

Mona Vanek, Montana Scribbler, IWW Non-Fiction member, and author of "Behind These Mountains, Vols. I, II and III"

Thursday, February 23, 2017

How Lynne Hinkey Succeeds at Selling Short Stories

Lynne M. Hinkey, author and marine scientist and long-time member of Internet Writing Workshop [IWW], says, "Different publications have different submission timelines. Some accept continuously, some list the themes of upcoming issues and ask you only submit stories meeting the theme, others have specific query/submission periods based on publication times (monthly, quarterly, annually, biennial)."

She keeps a list of publications based on the yahoos posted on IWW that have exposed her to markets and publications she might never have found otherwise.

Hinkey said, "One of IWWs most successful short story writers is probably Wayne Scheer." She suggests joining IWW so you, too, can keep a look out for his yahoos to get your own list started.

Hinkey also said, "Of course, we have Google which can be a writer's best friend if used well. I just searched for 'publications for short stories.' That came back with 4,310,000 results. The first 3 are:

1. Short Story Magazines: Where to Submit Short Stories: 25 Magazines and Online Publications (thewritelife.com)

2. How and where) to Get a Short Story Published (writersdigest.com)

3. 46 Literary Magazines to Submit to. (letswriteashortstory.com)"

IWW Yahoos and Google are how she's found homes for the short stories she's had published. She's been paid for about 1/2 of them.

Hinkey also says, "Rejections can be helpful. Almost every successful writer out there has a story about how many hundreds of rejections they received first.

"Rejections can tell us either we, as a writer, or our story, isn't quite ready. I think it was someone on IWW who posted---way back when I joined in 2005 or 6--that until you've written a million words (that have been tucked in a drawer, only shared with family and friends, or rejected) you aren't ready to be published.

"On that bit of advice that stuck with me, I have 3 novels tucked away in drawers that never saw the light of day. (OK, I did share one--I'm embarrassed to say now--with a few friends. It deserved to stay in the drawer.)

"I just Googled that bit of advice (Google search: "Write one million words before publishing") and got a number of interesting articles.

"That's not to say you or any of us aren't ready to be published, only an interesting item I picked up on the IWW list that's stayed with me all this time.)

Good luck!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lynne M. Hinkey
Author, Marine Scientist, Curmudgeon
www.lynnehinkey.com

Wednesday, February 22, 2017

Enjoy "Journeyman" by Judith Quaempts in Young Ravens Literary Review

You'll find Judith's story, Journeyman, in the winter issue of Young Ravens Literary Review. Scroll to Fiction. Judith Kelly Quaempts has been a member of Internet Writing Workshop for many years.

Judith's novels are available on Amazon. They include A Place Called Winter and A Creek Named Sorrow.

Learn more about Judith in her guest blog post.

Announcements of members successes are posted weekly on IWW's blogspot. Members of IWW, which includes several genres in addition to Nonfiction, also post the news to their social media.

Become a better writer and gain success like Judith by joining Internet Writing Workshop today.

Wednesday, January 11, 2017

URGENT: Help Vote Internet Writing Workshop to 1st Place in Preditors & Editors Reader’s Poll

I just noticed that our Internet Writing Workshop has been entered in this year’s Preditors
& Editors Reader’s Poll, and is currently in fourth place. There are three days left to vote, and I think as a group we can do better than fourth. :)

Click here if you’d like to vote. http://critters.org/predpoll/writerws.shtml

Scroll down, you’ll see the list (IWW is number 4).

After you vote and enter your name and email address, the spam
control at the bottom will ask for the name of the author on the shown book
cover. Sometimes that’s hardly legible, but if you click on the cover, it
will open in a different tab.

Return to the poll and type the author's name.

After submitting your vote, you’ll be directed to a page indicating an email has been sent to your address, which requires a click on a link inside the email for final confirmation.

Help boost IWW to number one!

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