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ERMA BOMBECK WRITERS' WORKSHOP NEWSLETTER
University of Dayton
March 2005
mailto:erma@udayton.edu
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Dear writer:
Thanks to all of you who purchased my book last month. Your support
Amazon.com best-seller in the parenting humor category!
about the changing nature of traditional book tours and how online tours
are replacing them. (p. 6, "The Virtual Meet-and-greet.") Steve O'Keefe
and Kevin Smokler provide detailed advice about promoting your book
on a shoestring -- and getting big results. In the article, O'Keefe says,
"Many authors have the mistaken perception that book tours are for
selling books. Publishers pay for book tours because major media outlets
cover those events and create awareness of the book."
I'm taking O'Keefe and Smokler's advice and will be doing two live online chats at Pregnancy.org -- one on Wednesday, March 30, at 1 pm EST and the other on Wednesday, June 15, at 1 pm EST. Feel free to join me.
Keep writing!
Tim Bete
Latest news...
THE PERSONALITY-DRIVEN HUMOR BOOK
What makes it different? What makes it funny? After Marsha Marks wallowed in agony after her line-edit from hell, she interviewed the editor of a New York Times best-selling humorist to find out. Read more.
GIVE MORE THAN YOU GET Networking isn’t just about what people can do for you. It’s also about returning the favor and “paying it forward.” Jenna Glatzer offers suggestions of how to give back to fellow writers, even when you’re convinced you have nothing to give. Read more.
RARE ERMA BOMBECK COLUMNS
RELEASED FOR VIEWING
To honor what would’ve been her 78th birthday, the Erma Bombeck Online Museum added to its collection 15 columns Bombeck wrote as a teen: proof that she possessed her trademark wit from an early age. Read more.
ERMA BOMBECK WRITING CONTEST SETS RECORD
This 2005 Erma Bombeck Writing Competition received more than 1,500 entries, up from 1,200 last year. Entries came from 49 states and 31 countries. Sixty-seven percent entered the "humor" category and 33 percent entered the "human interest" category. Winners will be announced in a few months.
BOOK REVIEW: A Freelance Writer's
Guide to Query Letters That Sell
Mridu Khullar’s new e-book dissects the query letter writing process from the inside out. Read more.
IT ALL DEPENDS ON YOUR GOALS After realizing her true motives for writing, Debbie Harbeson decided to offer her book online -- for free. Read more.
P.S. WALL BACK WITH NEW BOOK
When former Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop faculty member, Paula Wall, learned that Erma Bombeck had always hoped to write fiction, she retired her column and devoted her time to book writing. Her debut novel, “The Rock Orchard,” is now available. Read more.
FROM COLOR SCHEMES TO SYNDICATION: AN INTERVIEW WITH PATRICIA JOHNSON
A retired interior designer turned syndicated columnist offers a peek into her very busy life. Read more.
TITLES (and subtitles) SELL BOOKS!
Watch people who are browsing in a bookstore. A catchy title grabs their interest and makes them reach for the book out of curiosity. Read more.
KNOCKING THE SOCKS OFF WRITER'S BLOCK
Lynn Colwell gives a sure-fire cure for writer's block. Read more.
TAKING FULL ADVANTAGE OF ALL
THREE AMAZON PROGRAMS
Niki Behrikis Shanahan details the ways Amazon.com can help sell your books. Read more.
NOT TOO LATE TO ENTER THE 2005 NSNC CONTEST
The deadline for the 2005 National Society of Newspaper Columnists contest is March 15. Both members and non-members can enter. Download the contest entry form.
SHUI OF FREELANCING
Who knew that a cluttered desk was to blame for a futile day of writing? Humor columnist Bill Harper applies the Chinese practice of feng shui to a writer’s workplace. Read more.
WRITING FOR HOLIDAYS
Valentine’s Day has passed; it’s time to start thinking about Christmas. About.com alerts writers to the importance of planning ahead for writing holiday-related articles. Read more.
Humor writer of the month
SUSAN REINHARDT
Susan Reinhardt is a syndicated columnist through Gannett Newspapers and a full-time columnist for the Asheville Citizen-Times. Her work has appeared all over the world in major newspapers such as the Washington Post, Chicago Sun, Newsday, Woman’s World and dozens of other publications. She is also the author of Not Tonight, Honey...Wait 'til I'm a Size 6 (May 2005). Visit her Web site.
Emmis Books giveaway
Each month we give away a book on writing to a few subscribers to our newsletter. If you're subscribed, you're entered to win! This issue's winners are:
* Jim Six
* Kathryn Mahoney
* Simon Carreck
Thanks to Emmis Books for providing the books for our giveaway.
Who's publishing what?
PAST WORKSHOP FACULTY
WALL RETURNS WITH NOVEL: Humor columnist Paula Wall’s first book with Simon & Schuster, The Rock Orchard, is met with acclaim.
PAST WORKSHOP ATTENDEES
KEHLMEIER HAS SECOND ARTICLE PUBLISHED: Carol Kehlmeier had a humor article published in the Feb. issue of Senior Citizens Magazine.
OTHER PUBLISHING NEWS
FARMER IN THE MONITOR: Debbie Farmer, syndicated columnist and author of Don't Put Lipstick on the Cat, had her column, "A Third Grader's Valentine," published in the Christian Science Monitor in February.
GARFINKLE PUBLISHES STORKY: Debra Garfinkle's humorous novel for teens, "Storky: How I Lost My Nickname and Won the Girl," will be published by Putnam in April.
AWARD-WINNING HUMORIST LAUNCHES WEB SITE: Humorist, comedy writer and public speaker, Wendel Potter, has a new Web site.
CONNELLY CAPTURES SNIPPETS OF LIFE: Look for Claire Connelly’s Blue Hair and City Bound, a collection of humorous articles about memorable life experiences.
HEIN FEATURED ON FRONT PAGE: An excerpt from Lori Hein’s "Ribbons of Highway: A Mother-Child Journey Across America" was the front-page feature in the Traveling Today department of iParenting.com. Book proceeds will go to tsunami relief.
FOOTHILLS PUBLISHING RELEASES BOOK OF POETRY: Hanging out with Loose Words, the new book of poetry by actress and playwright Mary Rose Betten is available now.
POLITICALLY INCORRECT VIEW ON BEING A HUSBAND: In his first book, K.J. de Beau comments on the pitfalls of holy matrimony. Buffalo Wings and Beer for the Married Man’s Soul is now available through AuthorHouse.
Markets, contests and more
iPARENTING.COM: The award-winning network of family-oriented Web sites is accepting features, essays, humor, informational pieces, how-to pieces, news articles and interviews with celebrities for their numerous online publications. E-mail queries to editors@iparenting.com. No attachments. Mark the subject line as “query.” Read more.
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: Salt Magazine is looking for submissions in prose (preferably non-fiction) and art (photos, painting). Send submissions to submissions@saltmag.net. Read more.
CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMAN'S SOUL: The popular series seeks heart-warming true stories for its latest addition. Read more.
SOON-TO-LAUNCH WEB SITE SEEKS WRITERS: BookPitch.com is looking for columnists and feature writers who have an inside scoop on the publishing/writing industry. Previously published pieces will also be considered on a “donation” basis with byline. E-mail Patricia Kelley at pvance@globalbizgurus.com with a brief resume and “must have" rates.
MONTREAL-BASED WEB SITE NEEDS WRITERS: Caffimage.com is searching for weekly or biweekly writers on a wide variety of topics. Although not a paying job, it promises a worldwide audience and free promotion. Read more.
FREE BOOK PROMOTION: Dotsie Bregel, founder of BoomerWomenSpeak.com, promotes books written by/for/or about baby boomers. The site had over a half million hits in January. E-mail her at dots@boomerwomenspeak.com. Read more.
NEW BOOK-PUBLISHING RESOURCE: Submit a press release or check out the review links and industry news free of charge at BookCatcher.com. Read more.
FREE ONLINE DATABASE OF LITERARY AGENTS: Agent Query offers a searchable catalog of literary agents to fiction and nonfiction writers -- including agents who represent humor. Read more.
BOOKS & WRITERS: Track online sales at Amazon.com and BN.com. A free trial of the monitoring service is available. Read more.
NEW COMEDY WEB SITE ANNOUNCED: Comedy writing guru Gene Perret is proud to introduce his new Web site committed to the merging of humor and writing. Read more.
NEW NATIONAL BOOK AWARD: The Quill Awards, a book award attributing excellence in writing and publishing, will honor winners in more than 15 categories. The ceremony will be aired on NBC. Read more.
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NETWORK WITH OTHER HUMOR WRITERS: Network with other humor writers. Join the e-mail discussion group for past attendees of the Erma Bombeck Writers'
Workshop and those who would like to attend in the future.
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SUGGEST A RESOURCE: If you have a favorite book or Web site, let us know at bete@udayton.edu.
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Copyright 2005, University of Dayton
