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W R I T I N G W O R L D

A World of Writing Information - For Writers Around the World

http://www.writing-world.com

Issue 8:05 5,904 subscribers May 1st, 2008

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SPECIAL NOTICE: Please DO NOT REPLY to this e-mail; any messages sent in reply to the newsletter are deleted. See the bottom of this newsletter for information on how to subscribe, unsubscribe, or contact the editors.
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CONTENTS

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The Editor's Desk
THE INQUIRING WRITER: Essential Writing Equipment, by Dawn Copeman
FEATURE: Internet Want Ads: Finding Writing Jobs Online by Julie Bloss Kelsey T
he Write Sites -- Online Resources for Writers
FEATURE: From Beginning to End, A Fiction Format to Your Next Sale, By Shaunna Privratsky
COMING UP NEXT MONTH IN WRITING-WORLD WRITING CONTESTS with no entry fees
The Author's Bookshelf

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EARN AN MFA IN WRITING through the brief-residency program at Spalding University in Louisville, KY. Call (800) 896-8941x2423or email mfa@spalding.edu and request brochure FA90. For more info: http://www.spalding.edu/mfa
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WRITERSCOLLEGE.COM has 57 online courses. Prices are low. If you can reach our web site, you can take our courses. http://www.WritersCollege.com
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DISCOUNTED SOFTWARE FOR WRITERS -- PowerWriter, DramaticaPro,StoryCraft, WritePro, MovieMagic, StyleWriter, plus many more. HUGE SAVINGS! GREAT SELECTION! Save online at: http://www.MasterFreelancer.com
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CHILDRENS WRITERS. Read by most children's book and magazine editors in North America, this monthly newsletter can be your own personal source of editors' wants and needs, market tips, and professional insights to help you sell more manuscripts to publishers in this growing market segment. Get a Free Issue. http://www.thechildrenswriter.com/M0715
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HOW TO MAKE A LIVING AS A WRITER I finally found a way to make a living as a writer. I'm averaging about $150 an hour and I only work a few hours each morning, leaving me with most of the day to pursue my first love: Fiction. Learn how: http://www.thewriterslife.com/htm/wworld/

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FROM THE EDITOR'S DESK
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And the winners are...
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Hi everyone,

I've been reading a book recently called "Affluenza". The central premise of this book is that most people today are unhappy with their lot as they spend too much time comparing themselves unfavorably with others. (The book actually goes into a lot more detail than this and explains a complicated relationship between money, advertising and emotional well-being.) People with affluenza tend to view the whole world in a slightly skewed way. They see people, for example, winning a book contract with their very first manuscript and begin to feel distress. They blame themselves, saying they are "no good" or feel incredible amounts of jealousy and even hatred for the person who has achieved what they want.

I think that as writers, we too can be prone to this type of negative thought pattern. Moira once received some most abusive mail from a fellow writer because Moira had four articles published in The Writer over a short space of time. The writer claimed that Moira was 'stealing opportunities' from others.

Now I know we are human and we can't help but feel jealous, hurt or upset if we think we are not getting the recognition we deserve, but I guess it all depends on why you started writing in the first place and how seriously you take it.

Many a famous author has said something along the lines of "if you're in it for the money or the recognition, you won't ever succeed." In other words, you should be writing because you can't stop yourself, because if you don't write you feel cranky, because it is a passion within you.

And for writers like this, just the fact that you are spending time doing something you love, makes you a winner already.

Enjoy your writing, improve your craft and take it as far as you can, but remember that publication should be viewed as the icing on the cake, not the whole meal. But be realistic too; it's no good complaining about your work not being accepted for publication if you never submit it. If you think that's obvious, try telling that to the numerous people to whom I speak each month who want to be published but never submit their work. They are almost as bad as the novelists who have yet to put pen to paper, or switch on their word processor, yet who claim to be a novel writer.

If you find you are getting dissatisfied with your writing, if you're not enjoying it anymore, take some time to work out why. Are you writing what you love to write, or what you think you should write to get published? If it's the latter, then for sanity's sake, start to make time for the writing that you love. It's a hard enough world out there, without us making it harder for ourselves.

Oh and as for those 'lucky' writers, who strike it rich at their first attempt; I'm afraid luck has very little to do with it. It's mainly hard work, striving to perfect their craft and perseverance that has brought them their success, with only a little bit of 'luck' thrown in.

And speaking of success, here are the winners of our two competitions from last month.

First of all, I have this message from Elaine Saunders who offered a free copy of her book "A Book About Fiction Writing Exercises."

Elaine emailed me to say: "You're a clever lot at Writing World and I thought you might like to carry details of the competition win in your next newsletter "Despite my terrible handwriting, several of your subscribers managed to decipher the notes on the front cover of 'A Book About Fiction Writing Exercises'. "Wanda Bergman of Manitoba, Nadia Ali, Tanja Cilia, Donna Cook and Sarah White of Thatcham, UK all came up with the correct answer on exactly the same day. Eventually, I had to look at the time the message was sent, take into account the time zone and come up with a winner. "By a couple of hours the winner was Jennifer Jensen of Indiana who has already received a pdf of the download version of 'A Book About Fiction Writing Exercises'. I look forward to hearing from Jennifer and working with her across the coming months. "Although the competition was posted on several other writers' message boards, Writing World was the only site to come up with the reply - and so many at once! "Well done to Jennifer Jensen and thanks to everyone who entered. "PS. For those who couldn't read my writing, the words were copied from the opening page of Jane Eyre."

And the following three people have been picked out at random from the email draw to win a copy of Writer's Market UK 2009.

Vicki Kennedy from Longview, Texas Lyn Humphris from Melbourne, Australia and Mary Cook, Alford, Lincolnshire.

Congratulations! The book will be mailed to you direct from the publisher as soon as it becomes available.

Until next time,

-- Dawn Copeman, Newsletter Editor
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CHILDREN'S WRITERS. Improve your competitive edge and publishing record with this vital monthly newsletter of editors' wants and needs, market studies, and genre analyses loaded with editors' tips and insights into subjects and styles they're looking for right now. Get a Free issue and see. http://www.thechildrenswriter.com/M1044

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THE INQUIRING WRITER: Essential Writing Equipment
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by Dawn Copeman (editorial@writing-world.com)

Last month I wanted to know what your most useful writing tool is. There is a surprisingly wide variety of tools that you find 'indispensable' as you will see.

"While most of my writing is done on a PC, the one piece of equipment I could not write without is a trusty Visconti fountain pen. It helps ideas flow as freely as the ink!" says Mike Sewell.

Another person who needs pens is Donna Marie Taylor. She wrote: "Aside from the obvious (for me that is), which would be my very specific, comfortable blue-ink (or black) ballpoint pen, lined loose-leaf paper notebooks and Word Processor, my most essential tool would be: a red-ink pen. I find it nearly impossible to do revisions without it. I do most of my first draft writing on pen and paper, and type it all into Word, often revising as I go (I know--you're supposed to wait). I then print it all out, draft-speed and double-spaced (a different color paper for each revision), and begin the true revision process ALL in red ink in order to easily see every tiny revision detail, especially when I'm transferring them into Word again --- and again --- and again."

Whilst Perle Champion has specific ideas about the pens she needs, she also lists quite a few other writing essentials. She emailed to say that her writing tools were:

"1. Pens: Cheap fat ones, my expensive slender gold one, black or canary yellow tommy Bahamas with palm trees for clips... 2. 8x5 spiral notebooks from office depot. 3. Dell Laptop, the small Inspiron. 4. Clipboard and colored ink pens." Perle continued: "Don't get me wrong, I love my Dell laptop, but I think with a pen; my words flow with a pen in my hand. I even carry one on my morning 5-mile walk, alternately scribbling and watching where I'm going. All my first drafts are hand written then transcribed into MSWord (my personal favorite). They are then printed double spaced and affixed to my ebony clipboard. I then put on my editor's hat, and reach for colored ink pens, (red or lavender), and edit as if it was someone else's work. Then its back to the laptop, and so it goes.

"I could not write without a pen. The laptop is a tool for the finished product to send to my editors." For Marjorie Kildare, her journal is the most useful tool. She writes: "A daily hand-written journal - to record my observations and impressions and to describe the essence of my experiences - is most useful.

"Reading numerous writers' journals, most recently 'The Journals of Joyce Carol Oates: 1973 - 1982' and Gail Godwin's 'The Making of a Writer Journals, 1961 - 1963', proves the worth of journals.

"For me, 'journals, while seemingly over-personal & dead end, are a panacea - and may, someday, serve as a reference' when I find a route 'to that real transfusion from life to paper', as Godwin found."

Wendy uses something somewhat larger than a journal. She wrote: "My most useful writing tool is my whiteboard: for brainstorming off a word, laying out an article, dissecting a difficult scene or sketching up a map of my fictional world. I find it better than just using scrap paper because it's bigger, and it's more flexible as I can just rub a small bit out if it's gone wrong rather having to start all over again. Even if I just have a to-do list written on it, being able to physically rub out tasks when I've finished them is very satisfying."

Susan Huettman, however, prefers something much smaller, she says: "Sticky notes adorn my revisions and carry new ideas into action."

Other writers rely on more modern technology to help them in their work. Sue Fagalde Lick writes: "I love my mini voice recorders (Olympus VN3100). I have two and try to always have one nearby. They're great for ideas when you just have a minute or for adding those late-arriving thoughts after you've headed out for a walk or to run errands or already turned off the computer. I have used them in those moments when I'm briefly alone, such as in the restroom or in the car when I arrive someplace early, and I have used them to lay out whole articles while I'm driving. I even wrote an entire song on a long drive, singing a capella into the tiny recorder. They're also great for interviews.

"These recorders are inexpensive. They run on rechargeable AAA batteries, do not connect to the computer, but they do have headphone and microphone jacks and you never run out of 'tape'."

Another writer using modern technology is Margaret Fieland. She writes: "The thing I can't do without is my Thesaurus. I do have several in book form, but my favorite Thesaurus website is http://www.dictionary.com

"It's easy for me to open another tab on my browser and look something up."

Katherine Harms emailed to say: "My most useful writing tool is a set of macros I downloaded from http://www.rogerjcarlson.com. They identify and mark for editing things like adverbs, prepositions and passive statements. They even count the number of times any word is used in the document. It can be shocking to discover that some word is used 25 times in a document of 1000 words. It takes a lot of time to do this kind of editing, but my writing is much improved by using these tools. As I work, I am learning to write more powerful sentences, and that is worth everything. I highly recommend these macros. In fact, I hope that I will be able to create my own Word macros with edits specific to my own work now that I know how to use them." For Audrey L Brooks her most valuable writing tool is a piece of hardware. As she says: "It would be impossible to write and keep track of all my writing ideas without my jump drive. I just can't live without it."

Only one respondent said that a piece of software was her most useful tool and that was Joy Higgins. She wrote: "Dramatica Pro 4.0 software--I could write without it if I didn't care about plot holes, character inconsistencies, strong underpinnings, and the confidence to know that when my story was finished, it would stand up to any scrutiny. However, I do care. Enough so that I have three shelves of books and several other software programs devoted to correcting those problems in a seamless manner. Unfortunately, most leave one or another problem in a weak condition or not addressed at all. IMHO. That doesn't mean that 'whoever' will like the idea or my writing style, but it does mean the story will have every element and relationship covered to its fullest. Now, if I could only get it to write the story. Nah--that would take all the fun out of it. I'll do the writing, but Dramatica can do the structure. My story is safe that way."

Thanks for all who responded.

Next month, in place of the Inquiring Writer I'll be running The Writing Desk instead. I had to, reluctantly, omit it from this issue due to lack of space. However, in the meantime, if you have a question or problem of your own to put to our writing community, email me at editorial@writing-world.com with the subject line Inquiring Writer.

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HIRE EX-MACMILLAN EDITOR http://www.AnitaMcClellan.com. Fiction,nonfiction for all ages: Get the big picture from in-depth editing, evaluations, synopsis & proposal critiques. Email adm@AnitaMcClellan.com Subject "DeptWWorld".
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NEWS FROM THE WORLD OF WRITING
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Travel Guide Author Made it all Up!
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Contrary to the excellent advice given to us last month by Sean McLachlan, Lonely Planet guidebook writer Thomas Kohnstamm couldn't be bothered to travel to one of the countries he wrote about, so he made it all up. According to a report on CNN Wire, the travel guide author claimed that Lonely Planet didn't pay him enough to cover the cost of a trip to Columbia, so he wrote it in San Francisco with the help of his girlfriend - an intern at the Columbian Consulate. Kohnstamm has written over a dozen books for Lonely Planet and says he has made up whole sections in many of them. Lonely Planet, however, say that all their books are accurate. For more information visit: http://tinyurl.com/6za9zj

Learn journalism in Second Life
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If you've longed to study journalism, but could never find the time or money to attend a course, then you might just want to pop along to Second Life. You can now learn how to be a journalist courtesy of the London School of Journalism which has opened a virtual journalism college in the increasingly popular virtual community. The journalism school is offering free lectures and Q&A;sessions with leading industry professionals. So far, the idea seems to be popular with between 500 and 1000 Second Lifers attending the school each week. For more information visit: http://www.journalism.co.uk/2/articles/531446.php

Harry Potter and the vanishing authors
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Bloomsbury, the publisher behind the Harry Potter series of books is facing a revolt amongst its authors, with many of them defecting to rival publishing houses. The dissatisfied authors claim that the publisher is still devoting more time and energy to the J.K. Rowling books than to any others in its stable. For more information visit: http://tinyurl.com/6exo3y

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The Author's Repair Kit is a NEW ebook designed to help you breathe new life into your faltering or failing book. Use Patricia Fry's post-publication book proposal system and heal your publishing mistakes. The Author's Repair Kit, only 27 pages: $5.95. http://www.matilijapress.com/author_repairkit.html.

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Internet Want Ads: Finding Writing Jobs Online

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by Julie Bloss Kelsey

Searching the Internet for writing jobs can be profitable, but only if you know where to look. There are thousands of websites promising fame and fortune to writers. How do you know if a writing website is worth your time? And once you've found a promising want ad, should you apply for the job?

It pays to do your homework. Use these tips to evaluate a website before you use it as a job source:

Is the website established?
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Writing job boards come and go with distressing frequency. It can be frustrating to find one that you like only to have it disappear six months later. Check to see how long a website has been in business before you invest your time there.

With its ten-year history, Absolute Write is a good example of an established website for writers. Like Writing-World.com, Absolute Write contains a wealth of information for writers, from finding an agent to dealing with rejection. Check out Absolute Write's Announcements for writing contests and hit the Water Cooler (writing forums) for job postings.

How popular is the website?
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Deborah Ng's Freelance Writing Jobs was recently voted as a top blog for writers. During the work week, new online writing jobs are listed daily, along with cover letter clinics and advice for writers.

ProBlogger is a favorite website of bloggers. Be sure to check the ProBlogger Job Board often; blogging jobs fill quickly.

Does the website appeal to professional journalists?
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For the latest media news, mediabisto.com is a good place to start. You can search current job listings for free or pay to join AvantGuild, which includes access to a database of magazine mastheads, examples of freelance pitches that landed jobs, and othrr treats.

JournalismJobs.com offers a free listing of current freelance writing jobs in the media. New jobs are added almost daily. You can also post your resume for free for six months.

Does the website provide jobs specific to your writing niche?
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The National Association of Science Writers maintains an active job listing database for dues-paying members. If science writing is your beat, this is a good place to look for work.

If you write poetry or creative nonfiction, be sure check the classified ads at Poets&Writers, the online version of the print magazine. You can find writing contests and calls for manuscripts for anthologies, books, magazines, and chapbooks. New listings are posted every two months.

Will the website send jobs to you?
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Free writer's e-zines, such as this one, are wonderful time-savers for writers - as long as they come from established and credible sources.

WritersWeekly.com offers a free weekly writer's e-zine, complete with a listing of paying markets and jobs. Be sure to stop by the Freelance Jobs and Paying Markets forum while you're there.

C. Hope Clark's FundsforWriters offers two free writer's market newsletters weekly - FundsforWriters and FFW Small Markets. Check out C. Hope Clark's blog for additional funding opportunities.

Writing for DOLLARS! provides a newsletter including magazine writer's guidelines roughly twice a month. Don't forget to browse the free Guidelines Database to view writer's guidelines for nearly 800 magazines.

Once you've found a promising job lead, use caution when responding to online want ads. Before you send out a resume or writing sample, ask yourself these questions:

- Does the prospective employer provide an identity?

Anyone can say that they are a professional editor or a publishing house. Do they have the credentials to prove it? Does the e-mail address provided come from a dot-com or a free provider? Is the employer anonymous? Is a website listed so that you can assess the professionalism of the company? Be wary of sending your resume - with all of your contact information - to nameless entities.

- Does the ad offer little or no pay with promises of future revenue?

Many websites will offer you the "opportunity" to have your work published on their website. Don't be lured into giving away your writing for free. If you choose to write for little to no pay, make sure that the exposure will count. If the organization is not respected in the field or the website is shoddy, your clip won't mean much.

- Does the ad request writing samples that sound exactly like the type of writing that the person needs?

Be careful when sending writing samples that fulfill the needs of the person listing the job. For example, if you are told to send in descriptions of umbrellas for someone looking to update their online umbrella catalogue, don't be surprised if you never hear back from them. Yes, this may be a legitimate job opportunity. However, they might also take your writing samples and run, leaving you with no pay and little recourse for action.

- Does the ad provide just enough information to tease?

Some job boards will provide you with half an ad; if you want the contact information for the job, you have to pay for it. Before you invest in a job listing service, however, make sure that it's worth the money. That same ad might be listed for free on another job board.

- Is the ad still current?

Blogging jobs often have short shelf lives; positions sometimes fill within a day. Before you spend time crafting a query or drafting an article, check the job poster's website to make sure that they still need writers. If you found the writer's guidelines in a database, make sure the website is live. Don't bother with submissions if the copyrights for the web pages are several years out of date. If you are unsure as to whether a website is still in business, drop a short note to the editor.

Compared to print venues, online writing jobs can be more satisfying. You are often paid quickly for your work and your pieces are easily accessible. But searching for online jobs can be addictive, so be sure to set a time limit when surfing the web. Preserving your time to write should always be a top priority.

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Copyright (c) 2008 by Julie Bloss Kelsey

Julie Bloss Kelsey has three years of experience as a freelance writer. Her work has been published in several online venues including Washington Parent, Natural Family Online, Write-from-home.com, and Toddler Travel Guide. She still hopes to get paid by the umbrella catalogue company. Drop her a line at Mama Joules, her family-friendly science blog.

For more information on finding writing jobs visit: http://www.writing-world.com/basics/penny.shtml

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WRITE BETTER; WRITE FASTER; WRITE IT RIGHT! Discover a simple five-step process for creating flawless written text. Write It Right: The Ground Rules for Self-Editing Like The Pros shows you how! $17.95 + s/h. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0974496626/peregrine

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THE WRITE SITES
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Backspace
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This site must be one of the best kept secrets on the web. It's tagline is 'writers helping writers' and it runs articles offering writing advice from published authors such as Lee Child, as well as articles from publishing agents. Go take a look and see what you can learn. http://www.bksp.org/

DevelopmentHell
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This is a fantastic resource for all screenwriters. It carries screenwriting news and articles and offers two levels of membership: free and a premium paid-for service. Some of its current contributing writers are Dave Trottier (author, The Screenwriter's Bible), Linda Seger (author of Advanced Screenwriting, and Making a Good Script Great) and Michelle Wallerstein (Hollywood literary agent for over 20 years). http://www.DevelopmentHell.net

BlackonWhite
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If you've ever had problems getting anything written, then this site is worth a visit. A great site that's sole intention is to enable writers to overcome whatever it is that's stopping them from writing. http://www.blackonwhite.on.ca/ RightWriting.com
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A comprehensive site full of how-to articles covering most areas of writing: including non-fiction books, children's books, fiction, and grant proposals. The site is run by W.Terry Whalin, a freelancer with over twenty years' experience. Sign up to receive a free newsletter and a book full of tips on how to get published. http://www.right-writing.com/

ContractsandAgreements.co.uk
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Comprehensive site aimed at helping people to understand legal contracts and agreements. http://www.contractsandagreements.co.uk/home.htm

Elite Skills
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If you want to have your work read, reviewed and rated then this is the site for you. http://www.eliteskills.com/

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WORLDWIDE FREELANCE WRITER - You can download a free list of writing markets if you subscribe this week. Discover almost 2,000 writing markets from USA, Canada, UK, Europe, Australasia. http://www.worldwidefreelance.com
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CAN'T GET PUBLISHED? Be a Well-Fed Self-Publisher and make a living! Control the process and timetable. Keep the rights AND most of the profits. Here's the step-by-step blueprint used to create a full-time living from ONE book! By the award-winning author of The Well-Fed Writer. http://www.wellfedsp.com.

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FEATURE: From Beginning to End, A Fiction Format to Your Next Sale
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By Shaunna Privratsky

You have a stupendous idea for an exciting tale. You think you should describe your characters first, or set the stage so the reader understands where the outstanding action is taking place...

Wrong! Pull your reader in with a provocative scene, dazzling dialogue, or a bewitching beginning. Never save your best writing for page seven. Editors won't read that far if they have to plod through twelve paragraphs about Bessie's flushed cheeks or how the cottage on the moors looked forbidding.

Hook your reader with your first line, your first words, your first scene. Think of your first page as if you were a fisherman trying to snag a fish. You dangle the bait and hope the fish will bite hard, no half-hearted nibbling. Just like fishing, you want the reader to be so hooked on your writing that they can't put it down. The beginning is the most important part of your manuscript. This is especially true of fiction, but can also apply to creative non-fiction, poetry, essays or articles. A successful beginning pulls the reader in and makes them a part of the action. You can throw in description or back-story later, after things have cooled down a bit.

Use all of your skill and best writing in the first few pages of your manuscript. The more bewitching your beginning, the better your story will continue to be. Here are the first couple of paragraphs of one of my early stories.

"The day dawned bright and hot, the perfect day for Chandra's wedding. She reflected on how lucky it was that it wasn't going to rain then looked at the clock. It was an hour later than she'd planned on getting up.

'Oh no!' Chandra said when she saw the clock. She rushed through a shower and grabbed a piece of toast for breakfast. She rushed out the door with only five minutes to get to her hair appointment. She thought 'I don't want to be late for my own wedding!'"

This beginning would be more effective and intriguing if I cut the first paragraph entirely and begin with the second. It leaps right into the problem-Chandra oversleeping on a busy, important day. It also gives an added bonus of saving the "aha" moment for the end of the scene. 'Oh, this is her wedding day.'

Your story should start with a powerful scene, whether it's captivating, suspenseful, thought provoking or poignant. Get the reader curious by revealing just enough of the action or character to titillate their interest.

Another superior way to commence is dialogue. The reader is plunged right into the conversation and is drawn into the exchange. Dialogue can reveal a lot about the speakers through tone, action, their words, thoughts and dialect.

Maybe setting is integral to your plot. An alluring description told in an interesting way leads the reader into your story and sets the mood. Nature in all her glory can charm, amaze, or frighten the observer. Imagine a horrific storm at sea. Describe the churning waves hitting the ship like thundering blows of a giant's slap. Show how the ship seems to shrink before the towering ocean, the walloping waves falling upon the hapless ship. Let the reader feel the torrential rain and the inundating waves.

Then bring out a landlubber, an inexperienced sailor completely out of his element. The main character doesn't show up until the second or third paragraph, yet the reader knows the terrible peril he's in, at the mercy of the ocean's fury.

Look over your story. Try crossing out paragraphs until you reach the perfect "hook". Save everything else for a calmer moment, when the reader is content to be reeled in by the rest of your brilliant prose.

Start with a beguiling beginning and you'll have readers and editors hooked to the end. Speaking of endings, I have a question for you. Are you one of those incorrigible souls who peek at the final page or the ending of a story before settling in for a good read? Do you just have to know how it ends? Then you know the power of a compelling conclusion.

Why are endings so significant? The story needs closure, whether it is happily-ever-after or not. It should make the reader think back to the rest of the story and speculate on a deeper meaning.

Powerful beginnings will lead to a satisfying conclusion. Refer back to a word, phrase or image in the first few lines to bring the reader full-circle. Repeating or rephrasing a first line is a tried-and-true method of savvy authors. This works well even for non-fiction articles, to emphasize the point you're making or compel the reader to think.

By the end of your story, novel, essay, poem or article, the conflict should reach finalization. Here are some hypothetical endings for various scenarios. The heroine realizes her true love is the overlooked boy next door. A criminal is apprehended and the falsely accused hero is set free. A secret will is unearthed just in time to save the penniless orphan from a fate worse than death.

Every conclusion must logically follow the preceding storyline. Yet all stellar endings should resonate with readers and editors long after they turn the final page. A successful conclusion will move the reader in some powerful emotion, whether it is triumph, happiness, sorrow, displeasure or surprise. Many books that I love to reread move me to tears at the ending; exactly what you should strive for in your own writing.

A poorly constructed ending leaves the reader confused and disappointed. A brilliant story will fall flat if the conclusion leaves too many loose ends or cuts off too abruptly. Simply tacking "The End" onto your last paragraph or letting the action peter out will kill your story faster than a same-day rejection slip.

Reading and practice will help you develop an ear for satisfying conclusions. A fulfilling finale will cement your story in an editor's mind and compel her to publish it.

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Copyright (c) 2008 by Shaunna Privratsky

Shaunna Privratsky is a fulltime author with over 400 published articles as well as the editor and publisher of The Writer Within Newsletter. Learn 1,000's of more writing tips in Shaunna Privratsky's book, 'Pump Up Your Prose' $ FREE sign up to The Writer Within Newsletter at http://shaunna67.tripod.com" We're a paying market!

For more information and advice on fiction writing visit: http://www.writing-world.com/fiction/index.shtml

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COMING UP in THE NEXT ISSUE OF WRITING-WORLD...
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Nonfiction
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Sean McLachlan teaches us how to read our piles of 'how to write' books.

Fiction

Shaunna Privratsky wants to know if werewolves wear shoes and looks at writing and selling horror fiction.

And some useful advice from Moira in the Writing Desk.

Your next issue will appear in your inboxes on June 5.

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RECOMMENDED WRITING CLASSES
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TheFictionWritersJourney.com is the website of writing coach and novelist, Emily Hanlon. Emily demystifies the writing process with her two pronged approach of teaching technique and unleashing creativity. She offers coaching, workshops, and TeleSeminars and is holding a weekend retreat in Litchfield, CT May 2-4. Emily also offers two Mentoring Programs: Creativity as A Wellspring of Life and Writing Your Story, Creating a Tapestry of Your Life: Memoir Writing as a Healing Journey. If you are looking for help on writing technique or unleashing your creativity, explore these TeleSeminars from Emily Hanlon, now 50% off. http://www.thefictionwritersjourney.com/Journey_Into_the_Imaginatio n_Wisdom_House_May2008.htm

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WRITING CONTESTS

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This section lists contests that charge no entry fees. Unless otherwise indicated, competitions are open to all adult writers. CLAUDIA ANN SEAMAN POETRY AWARD
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DEADLINE: June 1, 2008 GENRE: Poetry OPEN TO: US High-school students grades 9 - 12. DETAILS: 1-2 poems, 10 pages max PRIZE: $500 and publication in Hanging Loose URL: http://tinyurl.com/6xbzdx EMAIL: Contests@teenreads.com

HAROLD WITT AWARDS
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DEADLINE: June 1, 2008 GENRE: Poetry DETAILS: Blue Unicorn wants well-crafted poetry of all kinds, in form or free verse, as well as translations. We shun the trite or inane, the soft-centered, the contrived poem. Shorter poems have more chance with us because of limited space. Submit 3 - 5 short poems. PRIZE: $100 & publication in Blue Unicorn. URL: http://www.blueunicorn.org/

LANDFALL ESSAY CONTEST
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DEADLINE: June 12, 2008 GENRE: Nonfiction OPEN TO: citizens of New Zealand DETAILS: 6000 words on any topic. PRIZE: NZ$2,500 and publication in Landfall URL: http://tinyurl.com/55xy23 EMAIL: university.press@otago.ac.nz

L. RON HUBBARD'S WRITERS OF THE FUTURE CONTEST
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DEADLINE: June 30, 2008 GENRE: Short Stories OPEN TO: Authors with No Published Books: The Contest is open only to those who have not had professionally published a novel or short novel, or more than one novelette, or more than three short stories, in any medium. Professional publication is deemed to be payment, and at least 5,000 copies, or 5,000 hits for online publication. DETAILS: 17000 words maximum sci-fi, fantasy or horror short stories PRIZE: $1000, 2nd Prize $750, 3rd Prize $500; winners and finalists receive all-expense-paid trip to the award ceremony in Seattle and tuition for week-long workshop with science fiction professionals, plus publication in the award-winning anthology series 'L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future'. URL: http://www.writersofthefuture.com/index2.htm

LIFE IN THE USA CONTEST
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DEADLINE: June 30, 2008 GENRE: nonfiction DETAILS: Articles that explain American life and society for immigrants and young people. Suggested 500 word length, with wide variety of themes. Multiple entries permitted. However, all articles are treated as if they are being submitted for publication, so it is vital that you contact the website first of all to suggest an idea, giving your credentials if relevant. Do not send in a completed article unless and until they express interest, even if you already have one written. Surf the site first to check what's been covered and then send an email to Elliot Essman at the address below with your proposal. Once you have the go-ahead, you can submit your work which will automatically be entered in the contest. The contest will end when 100 essays from entrants have been published online for judging or by the 30th June 2008 - whichever is later. All articles must be original. They must be written in the third person and strive to be as useful and objective as possible, in line with a reference work. If they treat a social issue where opinions differ, they must mention both points of view. PRIZE: $500 and five 2nd prizes of $100 URL: http://www.lifeintheusa.com/contest.htm EMAIL: lifeintheusa@usa.net

FAVORITE GRANDPARENT MEMORY ESSAY CONTEST
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DEADLINE: July 1, 2008 GENRE: Nonfiction OPEN TO: Babyboomersn (male and female) DETAILS: 500 words to tell us your favorite grandparent memory. Knock yourself out. Take us back. Who was there, what were you doing, how old were you, why was the event so special? Also include 75 word max bio. PRIZE: $250 & publication in Grand magazine and at www.boomerwomenspeak.com & membership of National Association of Baby Boomer Women (if a man wins, he can give the membership to a friend) URL: http://www.nabbw.com/display_news.php?nid=12 EMAIL: contest@nabbw.com

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