Call for submissions!

From AWW friend, Christina Dendy, editor of MOCK TURTLE ZINE

Contact: Christina Dendy
Tel: 937-657-4041
Email: cdendy76@gmail.com


MOCK TURTLE ZINE ACCEPTING SUBMISSIONS FOR SEPTEMBER ISSUE
Deadline is Friday, August 27

The local, independent Mock Turtle Zine is accepting submissions for its upcoming issue. The publication will run in conjunction with Urban Nights on Friday, September 10. Submissions must be received by Friday, August 27, for consideration.

Mock Turtle Zine is an independent publishing effort undertaken to give artists and authors in Dayton, Ohio, and surrounding areas a vehicle for sharing their work. The zine accepts poetry, song lyrics, fiction and nonfiction as well as visual art.

Send electronic submissions to mockturtlepress@gmail.com by end of day August 27. Submissions guidelines are available on the zine’s website, http://mockturtlezine.weebly.com/submissions.html.

For additional information about the zine, please contact Christina Dendy at cdendy76@gmail.com or email Mock Turtle at mockturtlepress@gmail.com.


SHORT COPY (for calendar and classifieds sections):
Call for submissions to Dayton’s Mock Turtle Zine! Deadline Friday, August 27. Poetry, fiction, nonfiction, visual art. Visit http://mockturtlezine.weebly.com/submissions.html for guidelines, or email mockturtlepress@gmail.com.

Ways to Promote Yourself Before AND After You're Published

Workfellow Wes Gilbert shares pointers that Jeff Marks provided at AWW this year about promoting yourself both before and after you're published.

Before you're published:
1. Buy your website domain name.
2. Have a simple but effective website and keep it up-to-date.
3. Set up a blog and post regularly (weekly is great; monthly is minimum.)
4. Go to writers' conferences and get to know your peers and publishing professionals.

After you're published... keep doing all of the above, and:
1. Consider building up your audience through social media tools like Facebook and Twitter.
2. Contact book stores and get to know managers to set up signings.
3. Get in touch with local radio stations for interviews on community programs.
4. Write interviews or articles relating to your book topic for magazines.

Next year's AWW is July 9-15, 2011.

Tips and pointers from Visiting Agent April Eberhardt

AWW enjoyed learning from visiting agent April Eberhardt of Kimberley Cameron & Associates. Assistant Director Holly Hudson and Workfellow Wes Gilbert share these three tips from her talk:

1. April points out that self-publishing will increasingly become a viable alternative for many writers--for example, if you're a writer who gives speeches on a specific topic, and you have a book that is about that topic.

2. Whether you're published traditionally or not, you will need to be proactive about promoting your work.

3. Remember, as a writer you want to reach readers... and after you've written a great book, essay, poem, or story, you need to find ways to connect with them, whether through a blog, epublishing or other growing ways of publishing, so stay up-to-date on new technology.

Next year's workshop will be July 9-15, 2011.

Tips and pointers from visiting agent Janet Reid

AWW was privileged to have two agents visit this year! One was Janet Reid, from Fine Print Literary Management. Workfellow Wes Gilbert shares the six things Janet says writers MUST know before working with an agent:
1. What type of book you're writing--fiction, nonfiction, genre, etc.
2. Understand agents represent and advocate for you, but typically they are not editors or sounding boards.
3. Remember that publishers add value to your work and give you access to a market you can't reach.
4. Warning signs for non-legitimate agents and publishers: asking you for morney, and not adding value.
5. Mistakes won't kill you (or your career).
6. The best way to be a great writer is to be a great reader.

Learn more about querying and other publishing industry insight at Janet's blog, Query Shark.

Saturday Seminar Round Up

Sixty-five writers attended AWW's first ever Saturday Seminar on July 10. Here are some highlights from AWW Workfellow Wes Gilbert:

1. Morning Keynoter and fiction teacher Carrie Bebris noted that everything in fiction--including plot--comes first from character; not so much surface details, but what those details represent about the character. Carrie shared a brief exercise for getting to know your character better: write a first-person paragraph in which the character introduces him or herself.

2. Heather Webber taught "Nuts and Bolts of Publishing and How to Query." Heather pointed out it's important to remember a query is a business letter. Describe your work in present tense. And don't apologize in your letter (e.g., for not being published.)

Jeff Bruce shared pointers on how to write non-fiction, while Becky Morean gave tips on how to bring out and enjoy your inner writer.

Next year's AWW will be July 9-15, 2011.

Antioch Writers' Workshop Announces FREE, Open to Public Readings

Antioch Writers’ Workshop is pleased to announce the following free, open to the public events held during the week of its 25th annual workshop:
--Saturday, July 10: Keynote by Sigrid Nunez
--Sunday, July 11: Readings by Nancy Pinard, Ralph Keyes and Trudy Krisher
--Monday, July 12: Readings by Katrina Kittle, John Drury, Crystal Wilkinson
--Tuesday, July 13: Readings by Ann Hagedorn, Donald Pollock, Becky Morean
--Thursday, July 15: Readings by Cathy Smith Bowers, Matthew Goodman, Sigrid Nunez
--Friday, July 16: Readings by Selected AWW Full Week Participants

Keynote and Readings are all at 7:00 p.m., Antioch University Midwest (900 Dayton Street, Yellow Springs, OH 45387), in auditorium, with book signings to follow. No readings on Wednesday, July 14... but drop by The Emporium in Yellow Springs at about 7:00 p.m., where AWW Full Week participants will give open mic readings.

The workshop is held in partnership with Antioch University Midwest and with support from the Yellow Springs Community Foundation; Ohio Arts Council; The Frank Pace, Jr. Foundation; and WYSO (media sponsor).