In 2003, I moved from Indiana to Washington state, sight unseen, to take a job in the financial services industry only to be laid off nine months later. I was a single mom in a new state, with no job, no family and few friends. What I did have, though, was one freelance client, a passion for writing, and a stubborn streak that would keep me going…
Ali and Justin are renting a home nearby and they recently discovered termites. The owner is bombing the house tent-style so Ali, Justin, and their pets are staying with us this week. I really enjoying having a full house and we’re all having a great time…especially since they’re doing most of the cooking. Ha ha.
If you’ve ever searched for a domain name to buy on a website that sells domain names, this might have happened to you…
I had an experience similar to John Cali’s.
In high school, I completed a written work for a statewide writing competition. As part of the submission process, a teacher from my school read it. He shook his head and said he had no idea what it meant and that I should consider not submitting it. He felt that it would embarrass our school if I submitted it.
He also told me I would never amount to anything in life. (Way to build up a student!) I did not listen to him, and submitted it anyway. The judges at the competition were so impressed with my writing that they asked me to quote part of it to them to verify I had not plagiarized it. My teacher was thunderstruck to hear my name announced the first prize winner. This little victory solidified my resolve to write as my career.
I met the discouraging teacher years later. He seemed amazed that I doing well and was writing full-time. Success is the sweetest revenge.
Deborah Jeanne Sergeant
https://www.skilledquill.net
Most authors quickly discover that simply writing a good book and getting published are just the first few steps. All of us are required to quickly learn how to promote and market their work as effectively as possible. Book trailers are one way to do this…
My manuscript is in final review before I take the steps of submitting. In my last novel, it was my understanding that ANY line from a copyrighted song must be granted permission by whoever holds the copyright.
I did more recent research and found something stating I can use two lines from song lyrics. Is this true?
In the 1990s, I was a freelance writer and broadcaster for CBC radio. I wrote and broadcast a radio series for CBC’s nationally broadcast afternoon show, “Richardson’s Roundup”. The series featured letters about my flock of sheep, and lasted a little over a year. I put those letters aside for over ten years, then looked at them and thought, together with other stories of my shepherding experience that hadn’t made the radio, they might make a book…
We survived our vacation and we’re very happy to be back home. It was 37 degrees the morning we left Tennessee and the weather is now PERFECT in Florida! Our highs are in the low 80’s and our lows are in the upper 50’s. Aaaahhh!!
In Maine, we had to wear two pairs of socks and mittens to go Trick or Treating. In Florida, you don’t have to wear a heavy coat over your costume…
For the past six weeks, we’ve spent every spare moment judging the hundreds of entries submitted for the WritersWeekly Fall, 2013 24-Hour Short Story Contest. In case you’re not familiar with our quarterly contest, this is how it works. On the date of the contest, at start-time, we send out the topic for that specific contest to all registered entrants, while also posting it online. Entrants must be registered before the contest begins and there is a limit of 500 participants per contest. Entrants then have 24 hours to write and submit their stories. The stories “must deal with the topic in some way to qualify” and they must not exceed the pre-assigned word count, which is announced with the topic.
After reading the entries for each contest, we can see how difficult it is to come up with a unique plot when working with an assigned topic. But, inevitably, a few writers do manage to successfully break away from the pack…
Hi, Angela.
I wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed reading your article “13 Signs You Shouldn’t Include That Risky Content In Your Book.” Your experience shines here.
Through my first reading, I found myself nodding and even laughing. But then, on second reading, it occurred to me that even we seasoned writers and editors can, without thinking about it, fall into one of the 13 traps. In fact, just this morning I was mulling inserting the horrible Dr. ____, who created financial distress for me years ago, into a novel I’m writing. Reading your piece this evening, I saw that I’d combined #1 “She’ll probably never read it” and #12 “It’s been years since it happened…”
Thanks as always,
AM
