I'm Back with a Quick Deadline Call for Submissions for Veterans and their Families

If you've been wondering where I've been for the past two months, I'm still around, although I haven't been spending a lot of time on social media this winter.

Earlier this year, after scrubbing my kitchen and bathroom floors, I was so out of breath I had to sit down and rest. Around the same time, my Internet service provider "upgraded" their system and threw my program speed and capability for a loop.

Frustrated with not being able to easily do what I used to do both physically and on line, I took some action.

I joined a local fitness center and began a nutrition and exercise program, and my husband figured out what was wrong with my laptop.

Now that I have more energy and my computer is behaving itself, I hope to blog more often.

I wanted to begin with this call for submissions because it's for such a good cause and there is no fee to enter.

Here are some details:

For all military personnel, Veterans, and their families:
Call for Submissions for Proud to Be: Writing by American Warriors volume 4
Deadline: June 1, 2015
No fee
Prize: $250
Categories: Short fiction, Poetry, Interview with a Warrior, Essay, Photography
Writing must be by veterans, military-service personnel or their families.  Include the connection in your short bio.

You can find more information by clicking on this link from Walrus Publishing.

Sci-fi Anthology Submission Opportunity from Walrus Publishing: Building Red - The Colonization of Mars

Walrus Publishing is seeking submissions for a sci-fi anthology with the title of: Building Red: The Colonization of Mars.

Photo courtesy of NASA

The Building Red Anthology editor, Janet Cannon, wants: 

• "Themes along the lines of genetic engineering, terraforming, and resources" (Click here for details)
• Thoroughly researched submissions
• Unpublished, well-written, and well-edited stories 
• Word limit: 1,000-6,000
• No gratuitous violence or erotica

Deadline for submissions: November 1, 2014

Writers whose stories are accepted for inclusion in the anthology will receive:

• One-time payment of $25 
• Five free contributor copies
• 50% off copies that contributors purchase
• Expected publication date is Spring 2015

Please read complete guidelines, which specify document type, margins, font, etc.

Questions? e-mail janetcannoneditor@gmail.com

Good luck if you submit. 

Notes from Daniel Woodrell's Talk at St. Charles Community College

Last week, I was among an estimated crowd of 200 people at St. Charles Community College who listened to critically acclaimed Missouri author Daniel Woodrell read from his works and talk about writing.

I arrived early and saved seats for two of my writing pals, Mary Horner and Marcia Gaye.

During the event, Woodrell, who has been described by the LA Times as a “Backcountry Shakespeare,” read passages from Winter’s Bone and The Maid’s Version. He also spoke about the inspiration for his novels and answered questions about writing.

I took pages of notes and a few photos. Here are some highlights:

* Most of his bios don’t mention that he grew up in the Frenchtown section of St. Charles while his father attended night school at Washington University. He moved from the area in 1968 and remarked about how the area has grown since then.

* Because of his mother’s encouragement, he learned to read before going to school and was comfortable with books at a young age.

* He has always had “class” on his mind as a writer. He didn’t want to preach about it, so he decided to write about it fictionally.

* The setting for Winter’s Bone evolved after he and his wife moved to the Missouri Ozarks in 1995. In an early draft, the main character, Ree Dolly, was in her 30s and the younger kids in the story were hers. Once Woodrell realized he was “completely off the rails,” he wiped away pre-conceived ideas and had to go all the way back and start over.

* Strong, formidable women have influenced him his entire life. His mother and grandmother were “terrific gossips and told stories for which there was no proof.”

* The Maid’s Version, which is based on an actual event and is his most autobiographical novel to date, is a finalist in the Fiction category for the LA Times Book Award.

* When writing The Maid’s Version, he stalled until he decided to tell what the maid thought happened. Once he made that decision, he was able to get focused.

* As a beginning writer he wrote pages that didn’t go anywhere. He found he was technically proficient before he “could write with emotional honesty about characters.”

* In his non-writing jobs he was a “terrible employee” and knew writing was what he needed to do to “ride this horse to the end.”

While Mary (at left) and I (below) got our books signed, I asked Woodrell about his next project. 

He told me he is intrigued by the fact that in the past each generation of parents assumed their children would have a better life than they had, but nowadays that’s not necessarily the case. 

He also hinted that a setting for a future book might be a Missouri River town much like St. Charles. 

What a treat it was to learn about the craft of writing from one of the best writers of our time!

For a more detailed account of Woodrell’s talk, hop on over to the Walrus Publishing site to read an article I wrote about the event. 

Please feel free to leave a comment here or there.

Writing Tip: Write to Express, not Impress

For decades, my writing approach has been, “Write to express, not impress.” It’s a lesson I learned early in my writing career and attempt to use whenever I craft a story, an essay or an article.


Last year I wrote a blog post titled “Writing Tips from a Contest Judge,” which was published on the Walrus Publishing website in January 2012, and which included the advice “winners write to express, not impress.”

While the purpose of that post was to express my opinion, it must've made an impression.

In April “Writing Tips from a Contest Judge” won second place in a Missouri Writers' Guild contest sponsored by the Kansas City Writers Group/Whispering Prairie Press. That was exciting!

Because others have found merit in some of the tips included in my January Walrus Publishing blog post, I thought it would be a good idea to share the entire post today. Here goes.

*** 

Writing Tips from a Contest Judge

by Donna Volkenannt

After more than a decade of judging writing competitions I’ve noticed similarities among winning entries. The entries that rise to the top of the stack are not only well written, they are also ones I remember long after judging is done. Here are some tips to help your prose rise to the top of the judge’s pile.

Guidelines

Read the contest guidelines carefully and follow them precisely. This might seem obvious, but surprisingly, some talented writers hurt their chances for winning because they don’t follow the guidelines. A recent contest I judged called for essays or short stories. One writer submitted a well written article which didn’t place because it was neither a short story nor an essay. In another contest, one great story exceeded the word limit. It didn’t win either. Exceeding, and in some cases skirting, a word limit also hints a writer has not polished her work. If contest guidelines are unclear, call or e-mail the contest coordinator for clarification.

Title

A title should be a hint of what’s to come and an introduction to the writer’s style. About one-fifth of the entries in the contest I recently judged were untitled. A couple entries were noteworthy but didn’t make the cut because they didn’t include a title. Not giving your piece a title is like not giving your baby a name. Please name your baby.

Word Choices

The strongest entries use concrete nouns and active verbs as the workhorses for their stories. For example, the noun “mansion” is more concrete than “house,” and the noun “cardinal” is more specific than “bird.” Eliminate passive or weak verbs (is, are, was, were, would, have, had, looked, went, saw) and replace them with stronger, active ones. Use adjectives and adverbs sparingly. Eliminate filler words such as: just, very, only, little, so, that. Winners write to express, not impress.

Vivid writing

One way top-of-the-stack entries sparkle is by including the five senses: sight, scent, touch, hearing, and taste. They also include color and have varied sentence lengths. Dialogue punches up writing. They use dialogue when appropriate, but not as an info dump or to point out the obvious. Dialogue is for conflict, not agreement, and works best in short snatches.

Setting and Time

Stories don’t need exotic locations like Paris or San Francisco or the moon. Daniel Woodrell’s critically acclaimed novel Winter’s Bone is set in the Missouri Ozarks. Wherever you set your story, readers need to be oriented to the setting fairly quickly and have an idea of when the story takes place.

Character, Voice, Action and Conflict

In a winning story I look for well rounded characters, a strong and unique voice, compelling action, and conflict. In winning stories, change occurs. Something happens. Action and conflict occur before the story is resolved.

Technical

Even the most skilled writers make mistakes, but the strongest entries have correct spelling, punctuation, and grammar. When I’m judging, if I come across an occasional typo, misspelled word, or grammar hiccup, I overlook it. Having a lot of mistakes shows carelessness. And don’t overuse exclamation points!!!!! They are screaming on paper.

Revision

Polish your work until it shines. During revision, eliminate unnecessary or repetitive words. Don’t rely on spell check. Print out a hard copy to proofread. Reading a story backwards can help catch double words and other mistakes. Ask a writing friend to read your story or get feedback from a critique group. Put the work aside for a day or two, then re-read it again. Be sure to read it out loud to eliminate awkward or clunky-sounding writing.

Submit

Like playing the lottery, you can’t win if you don’t enter. Plan ahead so you’re not scrambling at the last minute. I’ve missed more than one deadline because my printer wasn’t working, my ink cartridge was dry, or I didn’t have enough postage on hand to mail an entry by a deadline. Remember to include the contest fee, and double check the mailing address. I received one entry from a contest chair a couple days after I had finished judging. The entrant mailed her entry on the deadline date but sent it to the wrong address. By the time I received it I had already picked the winners and sent the names to the contest chair.

Entering writing competitions stretches your writing muscles. Placing in contests boosts your ego and gets your work noticed. Winning contests validates your talent, can earn money, and be a step on the road to publication. So, don’t be afraid to enter contests. Send your babies out into the world, but when you do, make sure to submit your best work — and please don’t forget to name your babies.

***

Hope you enjoyed reading the above.

In writing fiction and nonfiction, “write to express, not impress” is a tip that has served me well.

What about you? Do you have a special tip to share with other writers?

My Article on "Writing Tips from a Contest Judge" is Posted on the Walrus Publishing Site

If you write short stories and one of your goals for the new year is to submit to contests, check out Walrus Publishing's recent posts.

The post from Lisa Miller, publisher and editor of Walrus Publishing. announces  "Twelve Months with Walrus, Monthly Short Story Contests Begins in 2012."   Lisa's publishing company is sponsoring monthly contests with cash prizes and opportunities to have your work included in an anthology which will be published in 2013. There is a small fee to enter the contests. Be sure to read the details and guidelines on the Walrus site.

While you're there, check out my article on "Writing tips from a Contest Judge."  I wrote the article shortly after I judged a short story contest, so the topic was fresh on my mind. I've included specific suggestions on how to catch a judge's eye and the one thing you should always include in your story.

Hope you find my article helpful, and if you enter the Walrus contests or any others listed on their website, good luck!

Walrus Publishing Accepting Submissions from St. Louis Writers

Hey, St. Louis-area writers. If you are looking for a book publisher, here's a submission opportunity.

Walrus Publishing is now open to general submissions of original, unpublished work.

Their goal is to bring talented Saint Louis writers to the Saint Louis reading audience. Submissions should be from authors in the St. Louis City or the greater St. Louis metro area. Submissions set in St. Louis or about St. Louis are greatly appreciated.

Accepting submissions through October 31, 2010.

Submissions accepted during that time will be scheduled for Summer 2011 publication.
Only complete submissions will be considered.

Submissions consist of:
Query Letter:
Real Name and Pen Name
Address
Phone Number
E-mail address
Biographical Sketch (no more than 200 words)
Working title of manuscript and anticipated word count
Synopsis which provides full detail of the work

Manuscript excerpt of 10,000 15,000 words or 50 pages of text with cover letter that provides your contact information and synopsis.

If you are providing poetry samples, they want at least five poems which best represent your work.

The excerpt and synopsis should be provided as one file in MS Word (.doc, .docx) or Adobe Acrobat© (.pdf) format attached to your email.

Subject matter of any genre is acceptable.

Please email your submission to mailto:submissions@walruspublishing.com?subject=Submission. An auto responder will confirm they have received your email. Allow up to 12-16 weeks for a personal reply.

Good luck!

(Note: I have no connection to Walrus Publishing. I'm just passing along information that might be useful to my readers.)