Oct. 2002 Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop newsletter

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ERMA BOMBECK WRITERS' WORKSHOP NEWSLETTER

University of Dayton

October 1, 2002

mailto:erma@udayton.edu

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I heard Baxter Black, the cowboy humorist frequently

featured on NPR, read from his new book "Horseshoes,

Cowsocks and Duckfeet" while he was at Books & Co. in

Dayton a few weeks ago. Bax is a great writer with a unique

niche. Who else but a cowboy humorist could write a book

called "Croutons on a Cow Pie?" Take a look at his Web

site. It's a real treat: http://www.baxterblack.com

Keep writing!

Tim Bete Humor columnist (http://www.timbete.com) and

co-director, Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop

(http://www.HumorWriters.org)

P.S. Feel free to forward this newsletter to all your

writer friends.

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FREE SCREEN SAVER FOR HUMOR WRITERS

Get the "18 Tips for Humor Writers" screen saver which

includes sage advice such as "Don't go out and give birth

to three children just to have something to write about"

and "There are two people in this world who need attorneys:

people writing their first book and people who own

Yorkshire terriers."

See http://www.humorwriters.org/Screensaver.html

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WANT TO TAKE YOUR WRITING MORE SERIOUSLY?

Sharon Wren has some useful advice -- "write something

crappy."

See http://www.pineapplepath.net/amused

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HOW TO BREAK INTO THE WORLD OF SITCOM WRITING

Practical tips from WritersWeekly.com. Includes some great

links to screenwriting Web sites.

See http://www.writersweekly.com/articles/091102-01.html

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WATCH A PULITZER PRIZE WINNING AUTHOR WRITE!

Watch Robert Olen Butler as he writes a short story. An

incredible learning experience from Florida State

University.

See http://www.fsu.edu/~butler

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WHAT WOULD LIKE TO READ IN A BOOK ON HUMOR WRITING?

If you could have any question about humor writing

answered, what would it be?

See http://www.humorwriters.org/survey.html

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AN INTERVIEW WITH TRACY GAMBLE

The WGA Web site recently featured an interview with "Eight

Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter" sitcom writer

Tracy Gamble. "Eight Simple Rules" is based on the

best-selling book by Bruce Cameron, who is also a writer on

the show.

See http://www.wga.org/craft/interviews/gamble.html

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THE WRITER AT WORK

A cartoon that illustrates "the comic challenges and

frustrations faced by the writer." Very funny!

See http://www.thewriteratwork.com

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THE AUTOMATED DAVE BARRY COLUMN GENERATOR

Dave Barry's columns are published every Friday on his Web

site at the Miami Herald. But if you can't wait that long,

you can use this page to generate one instead.

See http://www.peacefire.org/staff/bennett/autodave

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TURNING YOUR COLUMNS INTO A BOOK

Columnist Mary Emma Allen provides useful tips for

evaluating whether yours will fly or not.

See

http://www.ewritersplace.com/columns/writingcolumn4.html

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WRITING JOKES FOR STAND-UP COMICS

"Like fuel that runs a car, new and fresh jokes are the

sustenance that keeps comics and their careers

flourishing," says Peter Fogel.

See http://www.writersweekly.com/articles/090402-01.html

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HUMOR WRITER OF THE MONTH: JOHN JANTSCH

John Jantsch writes "Knocking around the zoo: Thoughts on

family and other alien life forms."

See http://www.johnjantsch.com

If you'd like to be considered as our featured writer, send

an e-mail with a link to one of your columns to:

mailto:bete@udayton.edu

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BOOK GIVEAWAY

Each month we give away a book to one of the subscribers to

this newsletter. If you're subscribed, you're entered to

win! This issue's winner is Julie Ziesemann from Eureka,

MO. Julie has won a copy of "Comedy Writing Secrets" by Mel

Helitzer, as well as an Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop

mouse pad.

Stay tuned! You could be next issue's winner!

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RESOURCES FOR WRITERS

THE WRITERS MANUAL

The bragging zone for writers worldwide! Promoting fellow

authors and freelance writers by detailing their successes

in traditional/online publishing and freelancing. Learn the

tricks of the trade and expose yourself to 'tried and true'

methods of success.

See http://www.writersmanual.com

COMEDY SPEAK

Comedyspeak brings you the BEST in Stand-Up Comedy on the

Web in high quality streaming MP3.

See http://comedyspeak.com

WRITING CONTESTS

Hundreds to enter. Hundreds to win.

See http://www.proofpositive.com/contests/writecontests.htm

BOOK MARKETING UPDATE

If you're into book marketing, book promotion, free

publicity, or selling your books, you need to see this

site.

See http://www.bookmarket.com

If you have a favorite book or Web site, let me know at

bete@udayton.edu. mailto:bete@udayton.edu

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UNINSPIRED? GET AN ERMA T-SHIRT

The official Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop T-shirt has the

writers' workshop logo on the front and, on the back, the

Erma quote, "When I stand before God at the end of my life,

I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent

left and could say, 'I used everything you gave me.'" Buy

one at the Erma gift shop.

See

http://alumni.udayton.edu/rd.asp?cd=ermashirt&rf=EBWW802

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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. To join, send a blank e-mail message to:

humor_writers-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

(mailto:humor_writers-subscribe@yahoogroups.com) or visit

the Yahoo! Group at

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/humor_writers

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OTHER ERMA BOMBECK WRITING WORKSHOP LINKS

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ERMA MUSEUM: http://www.ErmaMuseum.org

ERMA T-SHIRT:

http://alumni.udayton.edu/rd.asp?cd=ermashirt&rf=EBWW1002

8 WAYS TO PROMOTE YOUR WRITING: http://www.timbete.com/Erma

FREE SCREEN SAVER:

http://www.humorwriters.org/Screensaver.html

FREE NEWSLETTER:

http://www.humorwriters.org/Newsletter.html

SPONSORS: http://www.humorwriters.org/Sponsors.html

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