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ERMA BOMBECK WRITERS' WORKSHOP NEWSLETTER
University of Dayton
August 2007
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Dear writer:
The 2008 Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop will be held April 3-5, 2008 in Dayton, Ohio. Online registration will open Sept. 10, 2007 at noon EST. The 2006 workshop sold out in 12 days, so please reserve your spot early.
The 2008 workshop registration fee is $350, which includes all sessions and meals (three dinners, two lunches, two breakfasts). Keynote speakers include Garrison Keillor, Martha Bolton, Mike Peters, Connie Schultz, Aaron Yonda and Matt Sloan. Take a look at the complete speaker list and schedule. We've asked some of our favorite instructors to give all-new sessions, so returning attendees shouldn't get much repetition from the 2006 workshop.
2008 workshop sessions include:
HUMOR WRITING
* How to develop and use humorous anecdotes
* Raising your humor writing IQ
* How to take your humor writing from amusing to amazing
* Humor writing: What works and what doesn’t
* Are you SURE you want to be a humor columnist?
* How to write humorous greeting cards
HUMAN INTEREST WRITING
* Shaping your life experience for the page
* How to touch readers’ hearts with your words
MOTIVATION
* How to survive and thrive throughout the creative process
* Networking for writers
FREELANCE WRITING
* Freelance writing for the greeting card industry
* The renegade writer's guide to breaking into magazines
MARKETING
* Podcasting for writers
* Using online video to market your books and yourself
* How to create an Amazon.com bestseller
BOOK PUBLISHING
* Book proposals and literary agents
* How to choose the right self-publishing company
Set your watches for Sept. 10 at noon. I Hope to see you in April!
Keep writing!
Tim Bete
Latest news...
CAN YOU LEARN TO BE FUNNY?
Suzette Martinez Standring goes over the Barry basics. Read more.
OPEN THE BOX
Lynn Colwell's client recognized how tuned out he had been to life. Suddenly, it became clear to him that he had been keeping writing in a separate box. He began to merge it with his life. Read more.
THURBER PRIZE FINALISTS ANNOUCED
Here's a funny one: Bob Newhart, Joe Keenan and Merrill Markoe are the finalists for the annual Thurber Prize for American Humor. Read more.
WHITEHOUSE HOPEFULS TURN UP THE HUMOR
Did you hear the one about the presidential candidates trying to be funny? Read more.
NEW YORK UNDERGROUND COMEDY FESTIVAL GOES GLOBAL
The 2007 New York Underground Comedy Festival will take place September 28th through October 7th in all five New York boroughs; Australia; Ireland, South Africa, and China (at the only comedy club in the nation of 1.4 billion people). For the first time in the festival’s five-year history, the entire world will be able to watch NYUCF comedy shows via real-time updates on New Media Comedy’s Web site. Read more.
GIVING SITCOMS A FIGHTING CHANCE
For decades, multi-cam comedies have been a prime-time staple as much for their hit-making potential as for the relatively cheap production costs, but the shows, filmed before live studio audiences, have fallen out of fashion. Read more.
UNLIKELY BOOK HITS #1 ON HUMOR BESTSELLER LIST IN CANADA
How did an unknown writer and unknown publisher team up to reach #1? Quality, tenacity, and originality. The book appeals to a broad audience and has a unique, welcome approach. Read more.
WELCOME BACK, POTTER
What do you get when you cross "Welcome Back, Kotter" and "Harry Potter?". Watch the video.
Humor writer of the month
LAURA SNYDER
Laura Snyder writes a nationally self-syndicated, humor column, called "Laura On Life." Laura is also the author of two books: Laura On Life: Wahoo For Dinner! and Laura On Life: Corn Dogs and Dust Bunnies. Visit her Web site.
Book 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:
* Maribeth Hickman
* Heather Siegel
* Noelle Larson
Who's publishing what?
WORKSHOP FACULTY
FROM TV TO PAPER: Sitcom writer Fred Rubin has been writing for the Studio City Sun.
BRYANT'S NEW BOOK: Leigh Anne Jasheway-Bryant has published, Life is Funny: A Riveting Tale of Comedy, Hairdressing, and Texas Politics.
MORE MOTHERHOOD: Susan Konig's new book,I Wear The Maternity Pants In This Family, was a Parade Magazine Pick-of-the-Week.
PAST WORKSHOP ATTENDEES
MONTVILLE WINS: Dan Montville was chosen as the 2007 Robert Benchley Society Humor Writing Competition winner.
TEA BAG WINNER: Tami Kamin-Meyer won the 2007 Bag Ladies Tea haiku contest. Her haiku will adorn the company’s Friendship Tea packages.
BIG APPLE: Lisa Friedman had a humor essay published in The New York Times. She credits the Bombeck Workshop with giving her the perseverance to keep writing.
FILM FESTIVAL WINNER: Jenn Dlugos was awarded a Script Recommendation from the Kids First! film festival for a feature-length screenplay she co-wrote with Andrea Henry, one of Nick at Nite's Funniest Mom finalists.
BY GEORGE, SHE'S PUBLISHED: Nancy George had an essay published in the Christian Science Monitor, a lead she got at the 2006 Bombeck Workshop.
WHERE AM I WEARING?: Kelsey Timmerman is going on a global quest to answer the question: Where am I wearing?
ON THE TABLE: DC Stanfa's The art Of Table Dancing:Escapades Of An Irreverent Woman, was recognized as one of the top-ten autobiographies at the 2007 New York Book Festival.
WHINE AND NOSES: Lisa Espinoza Johnson, author of Days of Whine and Noses, has added a blog to her new Web site.
OTHER PUBLISHING NEWS
SAWYER SPEAKS: Jeff Sawyer has a new blog.
ALWAYS A CYNIC: Norm Cowie has had many pieces published in Cynic Magazine, a lead he found in this newsletter.
SOUP'S ON: Pamela Christian had an essay published in Chicken Soup for the Wine Lover's Soul. She's working on a humor book for travelers.
Markets, contests and more
FUNNY STORIES WANTED: Meadowbrook Press is working on a series of hilarious anthologies featuring funnier-than-fiction tales about the "misadventures" of life. Read more.
WILL ROGERS CONTEST: The 2007 Will Rogers Writing Contest is open. Cash prizes will be awarded for entries that best reflect the Rogers style of writing. To enter the contest, submit an essay of 500 to 750 words (maximum) written in the style of Will Rogers. Read more.
GET AN AGENT: Spend two days with 22 top agents on a program of panels and workshops with plenty of free time to network. The Backspace Agent-Author Seminars is November 6-7, 2007, in NYC and includes Scott Hoffman, Paul Cirone, Miriam Goderich, Paige Wheeler, Michael Bourret, Stephany Evans, and many more. Read more.
POLITICAL SOULS: Chicken Soup is looking for stories for Democrat and Republican Souls. 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. Join now.
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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 2007, University of Dayton
