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ERMA BOMBECK WRITERS' WORKSHOP NEWSLETTER
University of Dayton
November 2005
mailto:erma@udayton.edu
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Dear writer:
The 2006 Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop sold out in 12 days. Three hundred writers from 43 states and Canadian provinces plan to attend. An additional 60 writers are already on the waiting list. We're investigating the possibility of recording some of the workshop sessions and will let you know if we move ahead with it.
In the October issue, I told you about a few of my favorite writing blogs. Here are a few more.
Keep writing!
Tim Bete
director, Erma Bombeck Writers'
Latest news...
OFFICE HUMOR: AN INTERVIEW WITH KEVIN REIFLER
Stooples: Office Tools for Hopeless Fools is a hilarious office catalog parody. Creator Kevin Reifler tells how the book came to be and gives advice to aspiring humor writers. Read more.
THE SCIENCE OF HUMOR
Scientist Igor Krishtafovich claims to have discovered the formula of laughter. Read more.
A WRITER’S REVELATIONS
An interview with Tim Bete in Independent Publisher magazine provides five revelations on the road to getting published and ten tips for building a great author Web site. Read more.
THE SECRET IS IN THE SAUCE
Terry Whalin shares a great blog post about how sitcom creator Phil Rosenthal and six top Hollywood writers are touring the country and giving a program called, “Everyone Loves Raymond– Inside the Writers’ Room – Secrets of a #1 Sitcom.” Read more.
THE ADVANTAGES OF SELF-PUBLISHING
With only six major publishers it can be difficult to sell your book. Industry experts at WritersDigest.com explain the many advantages of self-publishing your work. Read more.
FREELANCE FACTS
In 2004, a survey was given to a large group of freelance journalists. The results, posted at doresabanning.com, include tdemographics, their work and career paths, among other facts. Read more.
THE BEST MEDICINE
Comedy Cures is a national non-profit organization dedicated to bringing laughter to the sick. Their Web site includes information on how to get involved with the cause. The site also offers advice on using laughter to stay healthy. Read more.
MAKE SURE YOUR BOOK SELLS
Penny Sansevieri, writer for BookPitch.com, reveals secrets to ensuring your book's marketability and success. Read more.
LOST AND FOUND LITERATURE
Meredith Blum and Gordon Moore, owners of the Housing Works Bookstore Café in New York City, collect the unclaimed books from NYC Transit’s Lost Property Unit. This article describes some of their finds. Read more.
BIDDING WAR?
David Harris-Gershon has put his future earnings as a writer on the auction block. To the highest bidder goes 20 percent of his future earnings made directly from his writing ventures. Read more.
SEVEN-YEAR-OLD GETS BOOK CONTRACT
Seven-year-old Adora Svitak has written more than 330,000 words of stories, poems and essays in the past year. Her first book, Flying Fingers, was just released. Read more.
CHEESE, GROMIT, CHEESE!
The cheese-loving Wallace and his ever-faithful dog Gromit star in their first full-length feature film. Read more.
SELF-PROMOTION
Publishers won’t always promote your book for you, which means it’s up to you. Eleven published authors give advice on how to go about promoting your own work. Read more.
Humor writer of the month
MARY FRAN BONTEMPO
Mary Fran Bontempo writes her weekly “Everyday Adventures” column for the News Gleaner, a Philadelphia newspaper.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:
* Kathleen Louden
* Kimberly Sandman
* Michele Bernstein
Who's publishing what?
WORKSHOP FACULTY
THE KELLYS ARE BACK: Nancy Cartwright’s project, "The Kellys," has returned for a new season. This award-winning cartoon has an interactive Web site.
WORKSHOP ATTENDEES
ASTOR HAS FUNNY SIDE: Dave Astor, who writes the Syndicate World column for Editor & Publisher, also writes a humor column for the The Montclair (N.J.) Times. His column, "Montclairvoyant," uses a mock-advice format that discusses local issues with some national commentary and general nonsense thrown in.
BANG ON THE DRUM ALL DAY: Stooples: Office Tools for Hopeless Fools won’t get you out of work, but it will help you get some fun out of it. This fake office supply catalog parodies the American corporate workplace. Author Kevin Reifler is attending the 2006 Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop.
BORRIS PENS BOOK: Cynthia Borris’s newest book, No More Bobs, is a “fun-filled” mystery about a single mom living in a very bizarre town.
CHICKEN SOUP: Maria Monto recently had a story published in the weekly syndicated Chicken Soup for the Soul newspaper column. The story will also appear in the 2006 release of Chicken Soup for the Motheers of Preschoolers Soul.
OTHER PUBLISHING NEWS
BEHIND THE FUR – SASQUATCH: Me Write Book: It Bigfoot Memoir sets the record straight about everyone’s favorite man-beast as we read about his struggles from the time of his childhood.
DON’T STARVE, ARTISTS: The Starving Artist’s Survival Guide is a support for the “pretentious poor” including advice on various day jobs and ramen noodle cooking tips. Just don’t go too hungry before it hits bookshelves on November 22.
AVOID CHANGING DIAPERS: In addition to the many dos and don’ts of baby care, David and Kelly Sopp’s Safe Baby Handling Tips comes with the Wheel of Responsibility. Give it a spin to see whether mom or dad has to do the dirty work.
FOUNDING FATHER & HUMORIST: Benjamin Franklin was not only a builder of a nation but also a master of comedy. In Benjamin Franklin’s Humor, author Paul M. Zall chronicles Franklin’s use of wit.
MAGAZINE WRITING ADVICE: This comprehensive guide offers many strategies necessary for writing magazine articles. The Magazine Writer's Handbook is for writers of all levels.
Markets, contests and more
ESSAY CONTEST: Byline Magazine is holding many writing contests for the month of November. Categories include short story, personal experience essay and poetry. Read more.
BOOK BUZZ: At AuthorBuzz.com you can market your work to readers, librarians and booksellers. The site partners with two online publications, Shelf Awareness and DearReader.com. Read more.
SUBMIT PROSE AND POETRY: Tau Publising is looking for poetry and short stories about “real-life miracles.” Tau also accepts inspirational photos and writing for a new line of e-cards. Accepted materials pay up to $300. Read more.
FIRST PRIZE FOR BLOOKS: Has your blog been published as a print book? The LuLu Blooker Prize recognizes one winner in each category: fiction, non-fiction and comic-blooks. The prize is $1000 and is awarded yearly. Read more.
SHORT STORY & FLASH FICTION CONTEST: Unsuspected.org is “the literary version of American Idol without all the cheese.” Send your short fiction for a chance at a cash prize. Read more.
SHOWCASE YOUR SCRIPT: Register and post your script at InkTip.com. This database of scripts allows producers and agents to search for scripts and new writers. This site also contains links to many informational sites about scriptwriting. Read more.
WORD-A-DAY SITE: This interesting site puts a new spin on the word of the day. It has a daily podcast discussing the word and its origins. The audio is available in many different formats. Read more.
FIND A JOB: BookBizJobs.com is a searchable job listing site for every type of job in the writing, editing and publishing fields. Register and search as an employer or job seeker. Read more.
NEW PUBLISHING COMPANY: Humdrumming Ltd. has been set up by professional writers to seek new talent. The
UK-based company specializes in creator-owned projects. Read more.
SCREENWRITING CONTEST: The American Accolades Screenwriting Contest is searching for the best screenplays in the drama, thriller/horror, comedy and sci-fi/action/adventure genres. Read more.
WRITERS’ DATABASE: Script P.I.M.P. (Pipeline Into Motion Pictures) allows you to post your screenplay and outlines the submission guidelines of over 300 motion picture production companies. The Web site also has an annual screenwriting competition. 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 2005, University of Dayton
