Dec 2002 newsletter

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ERMA BOMBECK WRITERS' WORKSHOP NEWSLETTER

University of Dayton

December 11, 2002

mailto:erma@udayton.edu

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I just finished reading John Grisham's novel, "Skipping

Christmas," and highly recommend it. "Skipping Christmas"

satirizes the commercialization of Christmas and provides

some biting humor. It would make a great Christmas present

for a friend -- or yourself -- unless you're planning to

skip Christmas this year.

Here's an excerpt:

"A year earlier, the Luther Krank family had spent $6,100

on Christmas -- $6,100! -- $6,100 on decorations, light,

flowers, a new Frosty, and a Canadian spruce; $6,100 on

hams, turkeys, pecans, cheese balls, and cookies no one

ate; $6,100 on wines and liquors and cigars around the

office; $6,100 on fruitcakes from the firemen and the

rescue squad, and calendars from the police association;

$6,100 on Luther for a cashmere sweater he secretly loathed

and a sports jacket he'd worn twice and an ostrich skin

wallet that was quite expensive and quite ugly and frankly

he didn't like the feel of...and what was left of it?

Perhaps a useful item or two, but nothing much -- $6,100!

With great relish Luther tallied the damage, as if it had

been inflicted by someone else. All evidence was coming

neatly together and making a very strong case."

You can purchase "Skipping Christmas" at:

http://alumni.udayton.edu/rd.asp?cd=Skip1202&rf=EBWW1202

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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ECONOMY NOT AS BAD AS SYNDICATES EXPECTED

In the Nov. 14 issue of Editor & Publisher, Dave Astor

writes, "The economy is still in the dumps, but several

syndicates and news services say sales are no worse or

slightly better now than they were early this year."

See http://alumni.udayton.edu/rd.asp?cd=EP1202&rf=EBWW1202

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AN INTERVIEW WITH ???????????

Kelly Coleman-Potter recently interviewed an author who

wrote eight books that went unpublished before his ninth

made the New York Times best-seller list. Oliver North even

helped get his humor column syndicated. We'll give you

eight simple guesses who it is.

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

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7th ANNUAL ERMA BOMBECK WRITING CONTEST IS OPEN

More than 1,000 budding writers from 18 countries and 49

states competed in last year's contest to capture the

essence of Erma Bombeck's writings and claim first prize.

The 2003 Erma Bombeck Writing Competition, sponsored by

Washington-Centerville Public Library and the University of

Dayton, is waiting for your entry. There is no entry fee

and cash prizes will be awarded.

See http://www.wcpl.lib.oh.us/adults/erma.html

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HOW TO KEEP A COLUMN FLOWING

Columnist Mary Emma Allen provides tips on how to make sure

you never run out of material, no matter what the topic of

your column is.

See http://www.ewritersplace.com/a207.html

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FLIGHT HUMOR CONTEST IS FLYING HIGH!

The Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop flight humor contest has

received huge media attention, appearing in USA Today and

The Wall Street Journal and heard on BBC radio (London).

The Front Porch magazine (http://www.thefrontporchmag.com)

recently signed on as the contest's national media sponsor

and will promote the contest in its February issue.

Thanks to Media Kitty -- the Web site for travel

journalists -- for helping us promote the contest. (See

http://www.mediakitty.com)

You can still enter the contest at:

http://www.flighthumor.org

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THE BEAT GOES ON

Written By magazine recently featured a story about Dave

Hackel's popular sitcom, "Becker." "I wanted to write a

character who had a life, who left a wake behind him," says

Hackel, who grew up in Ohio.

See http://www.wga.org/WrittenBy/1102/hackel.html

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BELLY BUTTON FUZZ

"Sooner or later, every writer starts to wonder -- 'where

do I get new ideas?'" writes Sharon Wren. "Silly and

obscure often sell quite well."

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

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THE BEST WRITERS' WEB SITES

Writer's Digest magazine ran a contest to find the best Web

sites created by writers. The sites had to be solely

created and maintained by the writer -- without outside

help. You may find some tips and ideas for your Web site by

taking at look at the winners.

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

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WHO'S PUBLISHING WHAT?

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CHAVEZ LAUNCHES NEW COLUMN

You think your parents are strange? Wait till you meet

these! National humor columnist Amy Chavez regales readers

with her stories about growing up with, living with and

taking care of her parents. You can read Amy's new column,

"Parents Do the Strangest Things," at:

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

You can read Amy's other column, "Japan Lite," at

http://www.amychavez.com/

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STANDRING CREATES WEB SITE

Humor columnist Suzette Martinez Standring has launched her

own Web site. The site, ReadSuzette.com, serves up a "slice

of sudden laughter every week." Suzette writes for the

Milton (MA) Times and other papers.

See http://www.readsuzette.com

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BROSIUS PUBLISHES "WILD-EYED RAMBLINGS"

What happens when you all of a sudden become a ma'am or

when you ask the dreaded question, "does this make me look

fat?" In her latest book, Jeanni Brosius addresses the

fears and concerns of being a mom in the 21st Century, what

to do with that old Barbie and how to survive an IRS audit

on Friday the 13th.

See http://www.jeannibrosius.com/booklist.htm

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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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HUMOR WRITER OF THE MONTH: FRANK KAISER

Frank Kaiser writes a syndicated humor column called

"Suddenly Sixty" -- a place for everyone who's become

senior before their time. Frank's latest column "Sex after

Sixty -- probably a short column" is on his Web site.

See http://www.suddenlysenior.com/sexafter60.html

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 Tom Witkowski from Arlington,

Mass. Tom 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

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NEW HUMOR WRITING FORUM

WritersWrite.com has created a new discussion forum for

writers, including a section for humor writers.

See http://www.wwforums.com

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THE FRONT PORCH

The Front Porch magazine welcomes nonfiction manuscripts

that bring out the best in people and that contain the

following elements: authenticity, community, simplicity,

warmth -- and humor.

See

http://www.thefrontporchmag.com/alt_site/contributors.htm

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1001 WAYS TO MARKET YOUR BOOKS by John Kremer

A 700-page "organized potpourri" of useful ideas, examples,

tips, and suggestions. You name it, Kremer covers it:

publication scheduling, series and directory writing,

attaining bestsellerdom, direct mail, cover design, offbeat

advertising, online sales and alternative markets.

See

http://alumni.udayton.edu/rd.asp?cd=Amaz1202&rf=EBWW1202

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NATL. ASSN. OF WOMEN WRITERS (NAWW)

Get FREE resources for writers when you sign up for the

FREE NAWW weekly e-zine. Send a blank email to

naww@onebox.com with "Subscribe" in the subject area or

visit the NAWW Web site at http://www.naww.org

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BLUEBERRY PRESS

Blueberry Press publishes books on marketing your writing,

nutrition, and martial arts, and also has a FREE newsletter

for writers and one for health enthusiasts and parents.

See http://www.blueberrypress.com

SUGGEST A RESOURCE If you have a favorite book or Web

site, let me know at bete@udayton.edu.

mailto:bete@udayton.edu

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ERMA T-SHIRTS ARE GREAT STOCKING STUFFERS

Better than a lump of coal, 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=EBWW1202

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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

FLIGHT HUMOR CONTEST http://www.flighthumor.org

ERMA BOMBECK WRITING COMPETITION

http://www.wcpl.lib.oh.us/adults/erma.html

ERMA T-SHIRT

http://alumni.udayton.edu/rd.asp?cd=ermashirt&rf=EBWW1202

FREE SCREEN SAVER

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

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

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

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