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EDITOR’S SAY
A million apologies for the tardiness of this issue. Life just got in
the way of a deadline. I don’t usually let anything get in the way of a
deadline. This time it happened. In
early January, just about the time this
issue should have been nearing
completion, my husband died. In a
matter of moments, I was buried in
a paperwork mountain. Paperwork
is not ordinarily a problem for writers, but this time it was overwhelming. I’ve finally managed to dig
myself to the surface and so you will
find that two issues, Winter and
Spring, of Authorship are coming
out almost simultaneously.
Our Winter issue always tries to
honor the poets in our midst. For
some reason everyone who writes
wants to be a poet, but no one wants
to publish poetry. No wonder the
morose Edgar Allen Poe finally selfpublished his work. I often think it
is no wonder that poets turn to
drugs, drink, and thoughts of suicide. No matter how excellent your
choice of words and phrases, if no
one reads your work all seems lost.
So to honor those who toil at
unheard words, we take a moment
to give the poets their recognition.
There’s a poet in everyone who
writes and to those who agonize
over finding the right words; we
appreciate your diligence and
struggle.
DEPARTMENTS
BOOKS BY MEMBERS........6
BOOKSTORE......................18
CHAPTER NEWS................15
CONTEST FLYERS...8&9,16, 17
FOUNDATION NEWS............7
FYI...............................................7
GOOD NEWS........................6
JUST FOR LAUGHS.............10
MEET THE PRESS.................13
MEMBER BENEFITS..........12
SHOW WINDOW ADS..........14
THANK YOUS.......................7
THOUGHT FOR TODAY.......12
WRITER’S BOOKSHELF......5
Published quarterly by the National
Writers Association, 10940 S. Parker
Rd., #508, Parker, CO 80134-7440 **
303-841-0246. A not-for-profit corporation founded in 1937. Copyright ©
2014. NWA general membership $65.00
U.S. funds, open to all writers; qualified professional membership $85.00
U.S.; student memberships (must be accompanied by photocopy of student ID)
$35.00 U.S.; sustaining membership for
individuals or companies $250. Please
add $25.00 outside of U.S. for additional
postage. Subscriptions $20.00 U.S. includes postage and handling in U.S.
Outside U.S. please add $5.00 for extra mailing fees. Articles are considered for publication and may be edited
and/or condensed. Query first with
SASE.
FEATURES
THIS BUSINESS O F
WRITING....................................2
FLESH OUT YOUR WRITING WITH
BODY LANGUAGE ...............3, 11
CHOOSING A BO O K TITLE THAT
ATTRACTS READERS ..................4
THREE LITTLE KNOWN BENEFITS
TO WRITING AND PUBLISHING A
BO O K.......................................13
ISSN 1092-9347
Editor: Sandy Whelchel. NWA Executive
Director
Interim Managing Editor: Sandy Whelchel
Volunteer Editor: Paula Silici
Authorship Winter Issue 2015 1
FEATURE--This Business of Writing
Freelance magazine writing these
more popular, the pay rates should
increase and that might change the
way I feel about that kind of writing.
days is about as stable a profession as
building a China Shop on the San
Andreas Fault. The good news is the
market for freelancers is getting better.
The real challenge for a freelance
writer is to find an editor who likes
your approach to writing and who has
confidence in your ability to produce
material that his readers will like.
It’s really kind of exciting when you
think about it. You’re a writer, or you
think you are. You sit down at a PC or
laptop computer and compose words
that you think a magazine editor 200
or 2,000 miles away might decide is
worth a check. That’s what freelance
writing is all about.
If you discover such an editor, you
will have a steady market for your
work for months and even years to
come. I have found such editors at
Lost Treasure Magazine in Grove,
OK.; Coal People in Charleston,
WV.; New Mexico Magazine, Living, Lutheran Digest; Missouri Life;
and several other publications.
by Geno Lawrenzi Jr.
Even my grandchildren are interested in my writing. Why wouldn’t
they be? They have a generous
granddad who takes them to Incredible Pizza for the pizza, movies and
rides the attraction offers. I take them
on regular trips to the Dollar Store or
WalMart where they might find a toy
they don’t already have (although I
think that is probably impossible). And
I recently promised to take them
horseback riding at a stable between
Springfield and Joplin.
‘How much will it cost to take us
horseback riding, grandpa?,’ Harrison,
eight, wanted to know. He is the future lawyer in the family and wants
to know anything that concerns
I am a freelance writer as well as
money, down to the last dollar. He
a journalist. When I am working as a
If you come up with an excep- reminds me of the part Michael Fox
reporter or staff writer for a newspa- tional true story, you even have a played in ‘Family Ties.’
per or magazine, I often spend my good chance of connecting with large
nights or weekends writing for other circulation magazines like Reader’s
‘Well, it’s $25 per person for an
publications. The stories I come up Digest, which recently accepted one hour,’ I said. ‘There are five of us,
with might be humorous, they could be of my efforts at writing humor — I including your older brother and sisa celebrity interview, or they might be wrote a true story about four laying ter. That comes to $125.’
the opening of a new business that a hens my daughter bought to keep in
trade magazine could want to publish. the back yard. And those regional
‘Wow! That’s a lot of money.
magazines that every state and many Where are you gonna get it?’
Over the years, I have sold a lot of major cities have always need mastories, both non-fiction and fiction. terial, especially during these tough
I tried to sound modest. ‘I just sold
Probably 80 percent of my sales have economic times when many publica- another article to a magazine,’ I said.
been articles. The short story market tions have reduced the size of their ‘As soon as they release the check,
has been practically non-existent for editorial staffs and are relying on we go horseback riding.’
more years than I care to remember. freelancers.
Recently something called ‘flash ficMy beautiful daughter, Rossana,
tion’ — basically very short short sto- My relatives, neighbors and
came out of the kitchen wearing a
ries that have a beginning, middle and members of my church know
bemused smile.
an ending — has come along. While
about my writing. They have read
some writers are excited about the
‘You kids may have to wait for a
some of my stories and one or
emerging of this new market, I am not.
while,’ she said sweetly. ‘Do they pay
two of them have even offered me on acceptance or on publication?’
It’s the pay rates that bother me. personal stories of their own to
Flash fiction pays as little as $2 or $3 write about. If the story is strong
(Geno Lawrenzi Jr. is an internafor a short story. While this may be enough, I am only too happy to
tional journalist, magazine author,
fine for someone who has never been take their story and, in a sense,
ghostwriter and novelist who lives in
published or a beginning writer, it is not ghostwrite it for them, sharing the
Springfield, MO. If you have a story
enough for writers like me who have proceeds if the story sells.
you want to share with him, his email
worked hard to earn a living by writaddress is [email protected]).
ing. Naturally if flash fiction becomes
2
Authorship Winter Issue 2015
FEATURE-- Flesh Out Your Writing With Body Language
A goal of the fiction writer is to
put the readers in the story. In other
words, you strive to make your characters and your settings so real that
readers forget their actual surroundings and take up temporary residence
in yours. The goal is fine but a bit on
the theoretical side; the big challenge
is how to do this in practice. One
method is through the use of body language — that is, words and phrases
which relate to different parts of your
characters’ bodies.
Breathe Life Into Your Description By Using All Senses
Authors generally remember to
put in what the character can see. For
example: The sky was blue; the trees
were lush and green; the paint on the
house was gray and peeling. But you
may need to remind yourself that readers and your characters have at least
four more senses that you can explore. For example, if your hero is on
a wharf, what would your readers
experience if they were standing beside him? Here are some possibilities:
Sense of Sight: The old men drinking in their boats, the sails billowing,
the blinding reflection of the sun on
the water
by Victoria Grossack
Sense of Taste: Grittiness of sand
that gets into the food, the richness of
oysters
You can build upon this by having
the character interact more with the
setting, by bringing feelings and emotions to it. Perhaps a woman in a fancy
outfit walks along the pier: she may
feel irritation with the wind as it ruins
her expensive hairdo, or awkward and
embarrassed as she stumbles in her
inappropriate high heels. A certain
smell, such as a whiff of perfume,
may remind the hero of girlfriend who
left him. By doing this, you make the
setting come alive for your character,
and thus for your reader.
Use Body Language for
Conversational Beats
For readers to follow a conversation, writers have to include some form
of speaker attribution, such as “John
said” and “Mary replied.” This can
grow tedious for the author, who may
become tired of repeatedly typing SA-I-D. But without an indication of
the speaker the reader gets lost, especially when there are more than two
speakers.
Mark said, “I wonder what time it
is?”
“It is way past dinnertime,” said
Susan.
Sense of Hearing: Waves lapping
“You’re wrong,” said Katie.
against the shore and the pier, gulls
“Do you know where Jeff is?”
crying, sails flapping, the chug of a
asked
Susan.
small boat’s engine
Sense of Touch: The heat of the
sun on your hero’s black pants, the
coolness of the wind on her cheek,
the roughness of the old planks beneath the feet
Sense of Smell: The tang of salt;
the rotting scent of seaweed; the diesel in the boats
One possibility is to change the
word used to attribute the speech. Alternatives abound: ask, answer, exclaim, yell, whisper, retort, relate, sing,
say, declare, aver, pronounce, and so
on. Unfortunately, these have to be
used sparingly or your readers may
begin to pay more attention to these
words than to your story.
Mark wondered, “I wonder what
time it is?”
“It is way past dinnertime,”
averred Susan.
“You’re wrong,” Katie contradicted.
“Do you know where Jeff is?”
asked Susan.
Another alternative – and one
which will also get you away from the
talking head syndrome — is to include
movements of the characters.
Mark rubbed his eyes and
stretched on the couch. “I wonder
what time it is?”
Susan’s stomach growled. “It is
way past dinnertime.”
Katie looked at her watch.
“You’re wrong.”
Susan went to the window and
opened it. A gust of rain soaked her
T-shirt. “Do you know where Jeff
is?”
Admittedly, having four such movements in a row becomes tiring for the
reader, but used wisely, this method
provides the author with another way
of dealing with the dialogue attribution and also brings more life into the
story. The best solution is to combine
these different techniques in the way
that best enhances your narrative.
Show Don’t Tell
Most writers are familiar with the
directive: “Show, don’t tell!” Body language provides a great way to comply with this command. Here are a
couple of examples:
Telling: Henry was tired.
Showing: Henry yawned.
Telling: Sheila said angrily, “You’re
wrong!”
Showing: Sheila stamped her foot.
“You’re wrong!”
continued on page
Authorship Winter Issue 2015 3
FEATURE-Choosing a Book Title That Attracts Readers
they usually put burdens and restrictions
on certain characters. By thinking about
ook titles have a huge role in those restrictions and burdens surroundhelping promote a book and im- ing the subject, authors can form titles
prove sales. It is important that au- to incorporate those ideas. By being
thors take into consideration the fol- mindful of the context, an author can
lowing for their ebook to attract a choose a catchy title.
wider audience.
Allowing titles to sit for a day or two
Choosing a book title is ultimately can be very beneficial for an author who
the most important decision an au- is struggling with how to choose a book
thor will make when it comes to sell- title. By taking a break from the potential titles and then coming back to them,
ing the most books possible. While
authors sometimes come up with new
writing a book is important for an and great ideas. This step can be reauthor, choosing a good title is peated as often as the author would like.
equally as important. Since the book When an entire day goes by without any
title is what creates a spark in a new ideas, the author has most likely
reader’s interest, authors should formed the titles they prefer the most
choose their book title very wisely. and can then narrow them down to the
Bestselling authors have known for best one.
B
many decades that the title of the
book can do more to increase sales
than any other single factor or decision they make. When authors are
contemplating how to choose a book
title, there are several important factors that should be taken into consideration in order to create the best
title possible.
Adding perspective is one way to
choose a book title. If the subject is a
character, the author should ask how
they observe themselves and choose
the title that way. If the subject in the
book has many flaws, a self-description that puts an emphasis on their
flaws can make a catchy, unique book
title. Using an emotional filter is also
helpful for an author who is contemplating how to choose the perfect book
title. By asking how a specific character would feel about the subject,
authors can choose a title through the
emotions that they feel.
When an author is contemplating
how to choose a book title, considering context can be also be very helpful. When authors are writing a book,
4
By Tanisha Williams
the book directly in the title. By
being memorable and descriptive
of these ideasArticle Submission,
authors will be able to nail the content of their work and choose the
best book title possible.
Tanisha Williams is the author of
two non-profit e-books “501c3 In
12-Steps” and “Simple Internal
Controls That Protect Your Assets”. Her desire for more interaction with readers was the key
inspiration behind the development
of her latest business venture
ChatEbooks
(http://
www.chatebooks.com/).
ChatEbooks, launched in October
2014, harnesses the strengths of
An important method authors should social media in order to help auutilize in their final steps of choosing a thors and their readers engage and
book title is to ask strangers about their connect within the context of the
opinions on the potential titles. When au- selling/reading experience.
thors stop basing their decisions on the
feelings of their friends and family, or
the people who are very familiar with
their work, they are able to get an unbiased opinion. In order to do this, the author should give a poll and ask complete
strangers which title they prefer. By asking complete strangers to make a split
decision between two titles, authors will
be able to see exactly what strangers
will think of when their new book shows
up in the marketplace.
While writing a book can be complicated for a writer, choosing a good title
can be easily as complicated. However,
there are many ways authors can choose
a book title that will appeal to curious
readers. Choosing the best title possible
is essential if an author wants their book
to be a bestseller. By asking strangers
about their opinions on the title, an author can get an unbiased opinion on the
titles they have formed. By adding context and perspective to titles, authors can
choose a title that incorporates ideas from
Authorship Winter Issue 2015
WRITERS’ BOOKSHELF
\
W e always like to feature poetry
writing books in this issue. This time
we’ve found a poetry writing book
that should be on every poets bookshelf.
Haiku and Senryu: A Simple
Guide for All is an April release
from Artful Communicators Press by
Charlotte Digregorio. Digregorio
should be a familiar name to
writers for her previous books on
writing columns and articles. As the
second Vice-President of the Haiku
Society of America she excels in her
understanding of the poetry form.
She has won no less than 32 poetry
awards and was a 2011 nominee for
a Pushcart Prize.
Haiku is a poetry form that is
gaining in popularity. Digregorio gives
precise summaries of the elements
necessary to write a proper haiku.
The book also gives the poet valuable information on getting your
haiku and senryu published.
This must-have guide will be a
well-used reference on your bookshelf. It is available for $19.95 from
Artful Communicators Press and at
your local bookseller.
Now, through your
National Writers Association membership, you can
save up to 80% off the list
price of office supplies.
The National Writers
School, one of the oldest continuous writing
schools in the United
States now has a new
brochure and new
course work materials. For more information write to NWA
at 10940 S. Parker
Rd,, #508, Parker,
CO 80134-7440 and
reference school brochure.
Penny Wise Office Products offers huge selection,
free overnight delivery,
guaranteed lowest prices,
and an additional 3%
savings for ordering on-line
at www.penny-wise.com
For further details, call
800-942-3311 and mention
your NWA membership to
receive your exclusive
discounts.
Be sure to ask about Penny
Wise’s special Welcome
Kit offer—$75.00 worth of
office supplies for $24.99.
Authorship Winter Issue 2015 5
GOOD NEWS AND BOOKS BY MEMBERS
BOOKS BY MEMBERS
Durlynn Anema, Ph.D. of Stockton, CA sent us information on her
most recently published book.Love
or Duty? A Journey in Caregiving
was published by the National Writers Press November 3, 2014. It is
availble on Amazon.com and
Kindle.com
It has recieved some noteable accolades including these:
“My husband was ill for several years
and it became my responsibility not
only to care of his physical needs but
to take over the responsibilities of all
our family, financial and emotional
needs. To have such a resource available as Durlynn Anema's book on
care giving would not only have been
helpful to me, but would have given
some peace of mind to my husband
to know there was help available I
could use to ease my burden. It was
a three year struggle and it would
have been so much easier, especially
during the last year to learn ways to
cope with my husband as well as
myself.”
“Care giving a loved one is such an
emotional roller coaster ride. This is
a must read for those who are currently or thinking of being a primary
caregiver. As a Marriage, Family,
therapist, I also encourage therapists Elma Griffin
to read Love or Duty, to understand Astoria, OR
what many of their caregiving clients
are experiencing. “
“In a six month period of time I lost
a fifty-six year-old brother to a quick
Marie Derrick
battle with liver cancer, and two
Retired Marriage and Family
grandmothers to the slow process of
Therapist
age {one was ninety-eight, and the
other ninety-nine). In neither case
“I have been a part time care giver was I prepared, nor knew what to
for both my mother and father as well do. I could have used Durlynn's book
as a full time care giver for a spouse on love and duty in processing the
through the entire Alzheimer’s pro- time of care for these precious famcess.
ily members, the medical mazes of
seeming incompetence, and difficult
I find this book has a great many use- decisions that caused such pain and
ful suggestions and tips for care giv- disagreements in both sides of my
ers in almost any situation. It would family. It is always easier to follow
also be very helpful to the care giver someone who has walked in those
to know that he / she is not alone in situations.”
the process, and that there are some
options for help.”
Karen D. Wood, Licensed Clinical
Tom Fisher
Seattle, WA
6
Social Worker, Author of Brain
Prayers: Explore Your Brain, Expand Your Prayer
Authorship Winter Issue 2015
Join your fellow
members and
share your Good
News and New
Books. Take a
few moments to
let us know
about your latest
successes and
reviews we could
include.
FOUNDATION NEWS
NWAF celebrated it’s Fourteenth
Year of successful Victorian Teas on
May 10, 2014. Following the theme
of Victorian Games, attendees found
ways to describe celebrities and enjoyed a game of what kind of an
animal would this attendee be.
With many new recipes to enjoy, ladies had sweets and savories to go
with their cherry and raspberry tea.
Young ladies as young as three
added to the enjoyable afternoon
and more funds were added to the
NWAF scholarship coffers.
Thank yous go to the following person for their generous support of NWA and
NWAF in recent weeks.
Contributions went to the
scholarship fund.
Carol Scherling
Geraldine Wooley
For his postage contribution.
Dr. Bernd Huppertz M.D.
The National Writers
School, one of the oldest continuous writing
schools in the United
States now has a new
brochure and new
course work materials.
For more information
write to NWA at 10940
S. Parker Rd,, #508,
Parker, CO 801347440 and reference
school brochure.
FYI
The following is a list of publishers, agents, or editors which have
discontinued business or ones with
which members have lodged complaints. Please note that those
listed in the complaint section may
have resolved their problems with
members, so to make sure of the
status, call the office before making your final decision.
***If you’re considering working
with an agent or a publisher, please
contact us for current information.
Please call (303) 841-0246, or contact us via e-mail at
www.nationalwriters.com***
National
Writers Press
NWP is now
accepting new
manuscripts for
a 2016 release
date.
PUBLISHING
QUALITY,
ROYALTY
FICTION AND
NONFICTION.
No unsolicited manuscripts.
Accepting e-mail and mail
queries.
For more information about the
National Writers Press, visit their
website at:
www.nationalwriterspress.com
E-mail
[email protected]
Authorship Winter Issue 2015 7
NWA NOVEL CONTEST
OPENS December annually
PURPOSE OF THE CONTEST:
The purpose of the National Writers Assn. Novel Contest is to encourage the development of creative skills, recognize and reward outstanding ability in the area of novel writing.
CONTEST RULES:
Any genre or category of novel manuscript may be entered. All entries must be postmarked by April 1. Only
unpublished works may be submitted. All manuscripts must be typed, double-spaced, in the English language. Maximum length is 100,000 words. Those unsure of proper manuscript format should request Research Report #35.
The entry must be accompanied by entry form (photocopies are acceptable), entry fee of $35 per submission, and
return SASE if you wish the material and rating sheets returned. SUBMISSIONS WILL NOT BE RETURNED
WITHOUT SASE. The U.S. Postal Service will not allow us to use your metered postage unless it is undated.
Receipt of entry will not be acknowledged without a return postcard. Author’s name and address must appear on the
first page. Entries remain the property of the author and may be submitted during the contest as long as they are not
published before the final announcement of winners.
JUDGING AND PRIZES
Judging will be based on originality, marketability, research, and reader interest. Copies of the judges evaluation
sheets will be sent to entrants furnishing an SASE with their entry. First through fifth place awards will be presented
at the annual NWAF Conference. 1st Prize — $500 and possible representation; 2nd Prize — $250; 3rd Prize —
$150; 4th through 10th places will receive a book of the winner’s choice. Honorable Mentions receive a certificate.
ENTRY FEE AND CRITIQUES
The entry fee per submission is $35. If you wish to have your submission critiqued, please request this on the entry
form. Entry fees are used to pay judges and prize money.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
NWA NOVEL CONTEST FORM
To:NWA NOVEL Contest
National Writers Assn.
10940 S. Parker Rd. #508
Parker, CO 80134
Please enter the enclosed entry (title)______________________________in the NWA Novel Contest.
______My entry fee $35 is enclosed.
_____Please charge my ____MasterCard _____Visa #____________________________Exp. date__________
NAME (PLEASE PRINT)_____________________________________________________________
ADDRESS_________________________________________________________________________
CITY, STATE, ZIP________________________________________________________________
TELEPHONE #_______________________
_____You may retain my submission for a critique after judging. I am enclosing an additional
$1 per page for a critique.
8
Authorship Winter Issue 2015
THE DAVID RAFFELOCK AWARD FOR
PUBLISHING EXCELLENCE
ELIGIBILITY:
All books with a 2014 copyright date are eligible to enter. Both self-published and royalty published books,
fiction (in all genres) and nonfiction whether for children or adults are eligible for this award. Entries may be
submitted by authors, agents and publishers. If the author or agent submits a royalty published book, the
author is responsible for informing the publisher the book has been entered in the contest.
PRIZE AWARD:
One prize valued at $5,000 will be awarded to the first place winner of the David Raffelock Award for Publishing Excellence. The award will include a trophy and the services of a book promotions and publicity firm for
scheduling media appearances during tour dates (tentatively scheduled for October or November 2013, book
signings, and an author book tour. Airfare for travel to three major cities (currently set for Los Angeles, New
York City and Chicago) will be provided as part of the award. If the number of entries exceeds 400, hotel
rooms will also be provided.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS:
1. Winning author must be available to receive the award at the National Writers Association Foundation
Workshop in Denver, CO and to sign copies of the winning books at a special book signing scheduled for June.
2. The National Writers Association will take every reasonable precaution to insure the book’s condition, but is
not responsible for material lost by the U.S. Postal System or damaged during judging.
3. Entrants must be 18 years of age or older before the May deadline.
4. The author must be available to travel during the time period when book signings and other promotional
events have been scheduled.
5. The National Writers Association reserves the right to use the winner’s name and likeness in any future
publicity or promotions regarding this contest.
6. The author understands that National Writers Association has the option of canceling the contest and returning the material unjudged with refund for entry fee, if the number of entries does not exceed 100.
7. The author further understands that he/she is responsible for the cost of hotel room, unless the number of
entries reaches 400 at which time the cost of hotels will be assumed by National Writers Association.
8. The author understands that only published books are eligible for this contest. Unpublished manuscripts
should be entered in the NWA Novel Contest or the NWA Nonfiction Contest.
9. Books will not be returned without proper postage. Proper postage shall be considered as a stamped, selfaddressed envelope — undated postage strips may be used, however dated postage is refused by the Post
Office.
10. Judging sheets will be forwarded to contestants who include an SASE.
11. All decisions of the judges are final.
12. Judges reserve the right to withhold prize if entries are not of suitable quality.
13. Members or employees of NWA or board of directors are not eligible to enter.
14. Judges will be chosen from independent editors who have no relationship to any of the contest entries.
15. Written confirmation will be given to non-winners after June 15 annually.
Authorship Winter Issue 2015 9
THE DAVID RAFFELOCK AWARD FOR PUBLISHING
EXCELLENCE
OPENS January 1 annually
PURPOSE OF THE CONTEST:
The purpose of this Contest is assist published authors in marketing their works and promotion and to reward
outstanding published works.
CONTEST RULES:
All types of books may be entered. All entries must be postmarked by May 15. Only published books in the
English language may be submitted.
The entry must be accompanied by entry form (photocopies are acceptable), entry fee of $100 per submission,
and return SASE if you wish the book and rating sheets returned. SUBMISSIONS WILL BE DONATED TO A
SUITABLE CHARITY, IF NOT ACCOMPANIED BY SASE The U.S. Postal Service will not allow us to use
your metered postage unless it is undated. Receipt of entry will not be acknowledged without a return postcard.
JUDGING AND PRIZES:
Judging will be based on presentation, marketability, reader interest, design, layout, accuracy, uniqueness, content,
and style. Copies of the judges evaluation sheets will be sent to entrants furnishing an SASE with their entry.
Awards will be presented at the NWAF Conference. 1st Prize — A book promotion tour including airfare and
publicity, valued at $5,000. If a sufficient number of entries are received, tour will also include hotel rooms.
Second through fifth places will receive a certificate of merit.
ENTRY FEE AND CRITIQUES
The entry fee per submission is $100. Entry fees are used to pay judges and prize money.
_______________________________________________________________________________
DAVID RAFFELOCK PUBLISHING AWARD FORM
Entry #____
Date_______
National Writers Assn.
Amt________
10940 S. Parker Rd. #508
RP_____Y______N
Parker, CO 80134
Please enter the enclosed entry (title)______________________________in the DAVID RAFFELOCK PUBLISHING EXCELLENCE AWARD.
______My entry fee $100 is enclosed.
_____Please charge my ____Mastercard _____Visa #____________________________Exp. date__________
NAME(PLEASE PRINT)_________________________________________________________
ADDRESS_____________________________________________________________________
CITY,STATE, ZIP________________________________________________________________
TELEPHONE #_______________________
I have read and understand the terms and conditions of this award.
Signature__________________________________________________________
10
Authorship Winter Issue 2015
JUST FOR LAUGHS
Authorship Winter Issue 2015 11
Flesh Out Your Writing
continued from page 3
These are both simple examples,
but they make my point. The second
instance is particularly important, because the first part contains the adverb “angrily”. Adverbs ending with
“-ly” are warning signals that you
may have drifted into telling instead
of showing. By having Sheila stamp
her foot, Sheila shows her emotion
and the readers know she is speaking angrily without your having to tell
them explicitly.
Feet: shuffle, ache, swell, stink,
stamp
Of course, there are many more
body parts and many more possibilities. They are only limited by the parts
of the human body and your imagination. If your main character has antennae, either because he is a cockroach or because he is an Andorian
from Star Trek, you should develop a
repertoire of movements and associations for your character’s antennae.
Conclusion
Stretching Your Body and Mind
Language associated with bodies
can bring more depth to your writing.
By working through your senses, you
can deepen the sense of reality for your . THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
readers. By including gestures and
conversational beats, you can shift
from telling to showing. These both “I don’t care if a reader hates one
make the story more alive, and add to
of my stories, just as long as he
Start at the crown of your head
the feeling you want your reader to
finishes the book.”
and work your way down. For varihave: being in the story with your charous parts of your body (or the bodies
acters.
of your characters), come up with
movements and twitches and grandiose gestures. Write them down, so Victoria Grossack studied Creative Writing and
that you develop your own set of English Literature at Dartmouth College, and
~ Roald Dahl
possibilities. Try to move from the has published stories and articles in such pubcommonplace and the cliche to the lications as Contingencies, Women’s World and
creative. And award yourself extra I Love Cats. She is the author of Crafting Fabulous Fiction, a step-by-step guide to developpoints for gestures which convey ing and polishing novels and short stories that
emotions or interact with the envi- includes many of her beloved columns. With
Alice Underwood, she co-authors the Tapesronment.
We’ve covered some basics.
Now it’s time for you to develop your
own repertoire of body movements
and interactions. So, here is a writing exercise which you can do in the
safety of your own home.
Here are some examples of what
the different parts of your body can
do.
Hair: bounces, waves, falls in the
eyes
Eyebrows: lift, lower, squeeze together
Lips: purse, press, blow, whistle,
kiss
12
try of Bronze series (including Jocasta,
Mother-Wife of Oedipus; The Children of
Tantalus; and Antigone & Creon), based on
Greek myths and set in the late Bronze Age.
Her independent novels include The Highbury
Murders, in which she does her best to channel
the spirits and styles of Jane Austen and Agatha
Christie, and Academic Assassination (A Zofia
Martin Mystery). Victoria is married with kids,
and (though American) spends much of her
time in Europe. Her hobbies include gardening,
hiking, bird-watching and tutoring mathematics. Visit her website at http://
www.tapestryofbronze.com, or contact her at
tapestry (at) tapestryofbronze (dot) com.
Authorship Winter Issue 2015
FEATURE-3 Little-Known Biz Benefits to Writing & Publishing a Book by Michele PW Pariza Wacek
Kindle and ebooks in general, you
have more ways to get your books
sons to take the time to write and pub- into your ideal clients hands than ever
lish a book. But there are also a few before and if you position a lead genother reasons to author a book you erating opt in correctly inside your
may not have thought of. Here are 3 book (and what I mean by that is ofto keep in mind as you decide if it’s fering more free resources if they go
time to get that book written in be- to a page on your website and enter
tween everything else on that to-do their name and email address to get
the download) you’re going to have a
list:
way to capture leads from folks who
are truly interested in taking what you
Having authored a book gives you teach to a deeper level (which of
instant credibility as an expert, which course will lead to more sales).
immediately sets you apart from evSomething else to consider — as
eryone else in your field, helps fill your
an author you’ll have a presence on
pipeline with perfect clients and gives
Amazon and Barnes and Noble,
you a reason to raise your rates. Plus
which in some cases is better than a
books make great giveaways and clipresence on Google. Think about it
ent gifts, which is another fabulous
— if someone is searching for reway to use them.
sources on Google, they’re probably
looking for something free. If they’re
But there are also a few other reasearching for resources on Amazon
sons to author a book you may not
then they’re looking for something to
have thought of. Here are 3 to keep
buy — which means those are the
in mind as you decide if it’s time to
buyers, not the looky loos.
get that book written in between everything else on that to-do list:
* What about your ideal clients
who aren’t book readers? Well you
can also turn your book into an audio
* Book readers tend to be better clibook, which means you’ll reach anents. Even though you’re probably not
other segment of your ideal clients.
going to get rich selling a $15 book,
Now if they really aren’t book readthe people who take the time to read
ers (or book listeners) at all, just the
your book will be more likely to buy
sheer fact you’ve written a book will
your other products and programs
still add to your credibility and expert
AND spend more money overall with
status with them.
you (either by buying multiple programs or just investing in the higher* And a bonus tip — for many
priced programs). So if you have a
entrepreneursComputer Technology
good backend set up (and what I
Articles, one of the big reasons why
mean by that is if you have other prodyou went into business for yourself in
ucts or programs to sell them) writing
the first place was because you
a book is the perfect way to position
wanted to make a difference in the
yourself and your ideal client to get
world. What better way to spread
them into your sales funnel.
your message and get your gifts out
there is by writing and publishing a
* Kindle rocks! Okay this may not be
book? Think about your book as a
so little-known anymore, but the reallittle messenger — spreading your
ity is with all the options out there with
There’s a lot of excellent rea-
message and transformation everywhere it goes. Now isn’t THAT a
great reason to finally sit down and
finish that book?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Michele PW (Michele Pariza Wacek)
is your Ka-Ching! Marketing strategist and owns Creative Concepts and
Copywriting LLC, a premiere direct
response copywriting and marketing
company that helps entrepreneurs attract more clients, sell more products
and services and boost their business.
To grab your FREE “Ka-Ching! Business Kit” with a FREE CD visit http:/
/www.MichelePW.com/freecd
Authorship Winter Issue 2015 13
MEET THE PRESS
Can an oil rig really disappear? In the perpetual
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What would you do if you were thrust into the role of a
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While today’s caregivers are predominantly women in
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with present and past caregivers give a broad view of
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Roadblocks and “Shoulda/Coulda” demonstrates what
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The author tells the reader not to feel guilty about any
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Love or Duty? A Journey in Caregiving
by Durlynn Anema
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ISBN: 978-0-88100-160-0
14
Authorship Winter Issue 2015
Hide & Seek
by Sandy Whelchel
$14.95
$9.99 on Kindle
ISBN: 978-0-88100-159-4
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PUBLISHING
Have you Visited the NWA
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Authorship Winter Issue 2015 15
CHAPTER NEWS
NOTICE:
Chapters are a great way to network,
form critique groups and generally get
in touch
Remember, membership with an active NWA chapter gives you a $5.00
discount on your NWA member dues.
Contact NWA for information on
starting a chapter or joining one in
your area. We encourage our members to visit with their local chapters.
You can also request research report
#112 for more information. The meetings are a great way to network with
fellow writers, so drop by the next
NWA chapter meeting in your area.
Members are organizing a chaper in
the San Francisco, California area.
* * *
SOUTH FLORIDA
CHAPTER
The chapter regularly meets at the
Coral Gables Holiday Inn opposite the
University of Miami at 10:00 a.m. on
the first Saturday of each month. They
hold additional critique groups for fiction, nonfiction, short stories, poetry,
religious works and writing techniques. Write to the chapter at P.O.
Box 570415, Miami, FL 53257-0415 .
VIRGINIA CHAPTER
We welcome members of the
newly organized Chapter in Richmond, Virginia. Robblynn
Bonner has been working hard to
get this group organized. If you
live in the area and are interested
in the group, e-mail Robblynn at
[email protected]
LOS ANGELES CHAPTER
The NWA/LAC president is Tom
Howard. The chapter meets at the
Marie Callender’s Restaurant, 10050
Riverside Drive, Toluca Lake, CA.
For further information contact Tom
at [email protected]
SISKIYOU CHAPTER
They have annual meetings with social events scattered throughout the
year to encourage and support our local membership. Contact Shari Fiock,
406 Walters Lane, Yreka, CA 96097.
WRITE-ON HOOSIERS, INC
FOOTHILLS CHAPTER
An NWA Chapter has formed in the
Evergreen, Colorado area. The Foothills& Vicinity Writers Group meets
in Evergreen on the 4th Saturday of
every month. For time, location, and
program agenda, contact Jo Ann M.
Colton at [email protected]
HONOLULU CHAPTER
The Honolulu Chapter is currently
moving their meetings to several locations. Please check the NWA
newsletter for the location of their
current meeting. They are accepting membership from all NWA members living in and around Hawaii, this
includes members living in Guam and
other Pacific Islands. Send #10 envelope to Robert T. Tanouye at the
address below. They hold their meetings— from January to November—
on the first Monday of each month
Contact president Robert Tanouye
at: 1015 N. School St. #A-802, Honolulu, HI 96817 or call (808-8459585).
16
DENVER METRO CHAPTER
Is currently breaking into critique
groups only. For further information
on times and days call 303-841-0246.
Authorship Winter Issue 2015
We welcome our newest chapter,
the Write-On Hoosiers in Crown
Point, IN. Sharon Palmeri is the
President. She can be contacted by
calling 219-663-7307 or by e-mailing [email protected]
****
Any corrections or additions to Chapter Information should be sent
to:NWA Chapters, 10940 S. Parker
Rd, #508, Parker, CO 80134 Phone:
303-841-0246 Fax: 303-841-2607
AUTHORSHIP GUIDELINES
NWA BOOKSTORE
PURPOSE: Authorship magazine is the “in-house” publication for the National Writers Assn. It is read by thousandsof members on a quarterly basis. Currently the
magazine is a24 to 32-page publicationwith a fourcolor cover.
SCOPE: Articles submitted for consideration to Authorship should have a writing slant. Material should deal
with writing “how-to’s” or current market trends. We are
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writer...” type material and will not be interested in any of
these articles. Articles slanted toward aspects of fiction—
creating characters, setting scenes, etc. are of interest
and will be our primary interest. Humor is a plus — writing is serious enough without a totally serious article.
We do not accept fiction. Poetry is published in our winter issue, if it has a writing theme.
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NWA GUIDE TO WRITING FOR
BEGINNERS
Basics for every writer by Sandy Whelchel
Rowman and Littlefield publishers
$24.95 + $2.20 p&h
(retail $25.95)
##
THE FREELANCE WRITER’S BIBLE
by Dave Trottier
Don’t miss this book.
$18.15 + 2.50 p&h
###
A WAY IN THE WILDERNESS
by Paula Silici
This well-researched western romance is
bound to leave you asking for more.
$16.95 + $2.50 p&h
Moonlight Mesa Associates Publishers
ALL THE ABOVE BOOKS MAY BE
ORDERED THROUGH NWA.
Authorship Winter Issue 2015 17