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ERMA BOMBECK WRITERS' WORKSHOP NEWSLETTER
University of Dayton
September 2006
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Dear writer:
Chris Lamb contacted me a few years ago when he was thinking about writing,
of communication at the College of Charleston. He's also the author of Blackout:
The Story of Jackie Robinson’s First Spring Training and Drawn to Extremes:
The Limits of Editorial Cartoons in the United States.
Wry Harvest is an incredible compilation of humor from the heartland. The
publisher's description of the book reads, "If you live in the Midwest, you have to
know how to laugh. Tornados, floods, drought, and miles and miles of flat land: if
you don’t have a sense of humor, you might want to consider living somewhere
else. Humor is as natural to the Midwest as cow pats and corn mazes, seed caps
and road kill, Johnny Carson and David Letterman."
Chris' book is interesting because it brings together an incredible range of
humorists: Mark Twain, George Ade, James Thurber, Ruth McKenney, Erma Bombeck, Calvin Trillin, Mike Royko, Bill Bryson and Garrison Keillor, among others. If you're looking for examples of what makes great humor writing, this is the book you've been waiting for.
Keep writing!
Tim Bete
Latest news...
WILL ROGERS WRITING CONTEST ANNOUNCED
The National Society of Newspaper Columnists is sponsoring a Will Rogers Writing Contest, which is open to writers everywhere who are interested in the writings of Will Rogers, the philosopher-humorist whose words are still as alive as when he kept America laughing, and thinking, in the 1920s and ‘30s. Read more.
HUMOR WRITER LAUNCHES BOOK CAMPAIGN FOR SOLDIERS
Sharie Derrickson, award-winning humor writer and author of No Bad Deed Goes Unpublished, is determined to bring laughter to U.S. Army 10th Mountain Division Soldiers serving in Afghanistan and Iraq. Read more.
BEST-SELLING AUTHORS FEATURED AT DAYTON ’S PEN TO PAPER LITERARY SYMPOSIUM
Dan Poynter and Vickie Stringer will speak at the third annual Pen To Paper Literary Symposium on Friday, October 6 and Saturday, October 7, 2006. Read more.
ONLINE VIDEO AT THEONION.COM
Catching up with the online video craze, satirical newspaper and Web site the Onion has launched a Web video initiative.. Read more.
SECRETS TO GOAL SETTING
Prior to committing to any serious goal, we need to understand what going for it really means to us and whether we are willing to “pay the price.” Read more.
THE PERFECT PITCH
Sue Fagalde Lick shows how to make your 10-minute session with an agent or editor at a writers' workshop pay off. Read more.
HUNGRY HAMSTERS
Hungry Hamsters, a new comedy animation series, aims to take the multimedia stage by storm. Read more.
AMAZON SHORTS
A little more than a year ago, Amazon launched its "Amazon Shorts," which sells short stories for 49 cents. Kathe Gogolewski shares her experience with the program. Read more.
12 WAYS TO KEEP YOUR NONFICTION BOOK IN THE NEWS
Sandra Beckwith shares some easy things you can do to generate continuing publicity for your book. Read more.
HOW PRINT ON DEMAND WILL SAVE THE PUBLISHING INDUSTRY
Richard Curtis provides "another crackbrained prediction about the future of publishing." Read more.
10 TIPS I WISH SOMEONE HAD GIVEN ME
Patty Harder shares what she wishes she had known before she launched her freelance career. Read more.
Humor writer of the month
BETH HARPAZ
Beth Harpaz is travel editor for The Associated Press and writes an online-only column for the AP Travel package called "Are We There Yet," about traveling with children. She is also author of The Girls in the Van, a behind-the-scenes look at Hillary Clinton's historic Senate run. The book is the ultimate press pass to the day-to-day gossip, political maneuvering, awkward missteps, and inside jokes of the election. 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:
* Gerry Walker
* Susan Brockman
* Rebecca Lynn
Who's publishing what?
WORKSHOP FACULTY
PLUTO: Craig Wilson asks, "If the International Astronomical Union can downgrade Pluto to a 'dwarf planet,' as it did last week, then you have to ask: Who gets kicked out of the clubhouse next?"
PAST WORKSHOP ATTENDEES
KLINK HAS NEW BLOG: Angie Klink has started a blog, in which she discusses important topics such "deep-fried Twinkies."
OTHER PUBLISHING NEWS
HUMOR: The Humor of Humor: The Art and Techniques of Popular Comedy by Evan Esra compresses the vast panorama of the subject into a few basic building blocks of humor.
Markets, contests and more
GREETING CARDS: American Greetings is looking for freelance humor writers. Contact Mark Holthaus.
CHICKEN SOUP: Chicken Soup for the Soul is looking for funny, inspirational and heartfelt stories for their newest title, Chicken Soup for the Beach Lover's Soul. Read more.
TRACK-an-AUTHOR: HarperCollins Publishers has created a way to track where your favorite authors are appearing. Read more.
DAILY COMEDY: Web site features America's funniest comedians, fresh every day. Read more.
LOOKING FOR GAG WRITERS: Cartoonist Bruce Robinson is looking for humor writers to produce gag copy on spec. For more information, contact Bruce at cartoonistbrucerobinson@hotmail.com.
FIND AN AGENT: The Internet's largest and most-current database of literary agents. 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 2006, University of Dayton
