Reading : Nancy Agabian at Beyond Baroque

Trust me, this will be an entertaining evening.

Nancy and I were briefly in the same writing group years ago, and I used to go see her performance art shows around Los Angeles. (She's in New York these days.) She's funny, smart, and she has something to say that will touch you and make you think.

While you wait, or if you can't make it, check out her website and her new book, Me as Her Again.

Where is Beyond Baroque? It's right here!

10 October, Friday - 7:30 PM
40th ANNIVERSARY SERIES
NANCY AGABIAN, with Guitar Boy

NANCY AGABIAN returns to BB from New York with a new book, Me as her again (Aunt Lute), an untangling of identity, desire, trauma, and multi-continent, multi-identity family history via Walpole Mass., Wellesley, Hollywood, New York, Turkey, and home. Agabian taught a workshop at BB for several years and published her first book with us,Princess Freak (to be reprinted in an expanded edition in 2009). Featuring a special reunion of Agabian and ANN PERICH in the folk-punk duo GUITAR BOY. Perich is a composer andvisual multi-media artist. They'll reprise old faves like "Don't Fall Off the Getty Center," "I Could Have Saved Kurt Cobain," and "I'm Not Gonna Be a Victim Anymore.” Perich and Agabian's 2000 CD was Freaks like me.

NaNoWriMo is Coming!

My NaNoWriMo 2006 Novel : Basura Canyon

Have you heard of National Novel Writing Month [NaNoWriMo]? It's this kind of amazing month long event during which you commit to write a 50,000 word novel in 30 days.

Sound crazy?

You may be right. It may be crazy. But it just may be the lunatic within yourself you're looking for. (Apologies to Billy Joel.)

I did NaNoWriMo in 2006. I wrote 57,000 words in 30 days. It was very empowering.

What'd it do for me? It gave me a half-baked first draft in a vein that's unusual for me. I've worked on revising it, off and on, since then.

My fantasies of writing and rewriting and selling a book a year due to NaNoWriMo were the really crazy part. Yeah, I'm one of those who's likely to build castles with the most flimsy of materials.

The best thing NaNoWriMo did for me was encourage me to put my writing first. Literally. It only took a few days to realize that my normal writing habits weren't going to garner the necessary average of something like 1,750 words a day.


That's when I started getting up earlier, driving to an all-night diner near where I work, and writing before going to my office.

Man, what a good choice that was. Two years later, I'm still an early-morning diner denizon. I do this thing for myself and my writing before I do anything for anyone else.

And some one brings me coffee! And they notice if I don't show up.

I'd encourage you to check it out and to make the one month commitment. See what good habits you can establish in a month. If you're a bit of a perfectionist, going for quantity over quality might actually help you break free of your internal editor.

Even though there's a great online community to tap into at www.nanowrimo.org , let me know how it's going.

Choosing the Right Word

Today my coworker, OneL and I were discussing whether it was appropriate to use "fictional" or "fictitious" in a report she was typing up. I went online and found a great write up about the choice between these words and others that are often mixed up.

Click on the pie and you'll be whizzed away to Chicago Writer's explanations.

(P.S. The pie is neither fictional nor fictitious. It's real. And peachy.)

Market: Per Contra

No, this picture doesn't have anything to do with the
journal, but I thought you might like a cupcake (or a fancy moon pie.)

Found this listing on Craig's list.

It's an online journal.

They even have a place for nanofiction of 55 and 69 words. Check out the submissions page for form guidelines for these pieces.

Bon chance!

Sally



If you are seeking a paying market for your work, you may want to consider Per Contra.

We pay $.07 per word for short fiction manuscripts up to 3,000 words, $50 for creative non-fiction essays and $5 for nano – 55 word and 69 word micro - fiction (Find complete details on rights purchased on our guidelines page). No reading or entry fees are required.

Per Contra has published quarterly since 2005 and has featured poetry and fiction by winners of the MacArthur Award, the Pulitzer Prize, the Pushcart Prize, the Orange Prize, the O. Henry Prize and many others.

Get complete guidelines at http://www.percontra.net/11guidelines.htm Writers can check the archives for aesthetic guidance.

We publish a journal with a global audience that appreciates well crafted fiction.

Market: Cadillac Cicatrix

Click on the image to go to the site.

Submission Guidelines

All submissions should arrive with a cover letter that includes contact information, a brief description of the work, a professional/personal biography, and a self-addressed stamped envelope (SASE). All submissions should be presented in a professional manner. Simultaneous submissions are fine as long as we are notified if/when your piece is accepted elsewhere. No submissions will be returned unless expressly requested in your cover letter, or without sufficient postage on your SASE. We accept electronic submissions, but the sub must be in the body of the email, not as an attachment. If we like what we read in the email, we will request another sample in another form. All electronic submissions should come via eMail and have the genre of your submission and the word "submission" ... "Poetry Submission" / "Screenplay Submission" ... in your "subject" line. eSubmissions should follow the same format as hard copy submissions: brief intro; bio; sample. Never send the only copy of your work.

* As of January 2008, we will begin a new open reading period for submissions to Cadillac Cicatrix. (Special projects, i.e. Book-length manuscripts and screenplays will also be accepted within the same timeframe.) The reading period will remain open from January 1 - July 31, each year. Manuscripts received/postmarked after the reading period is closed (August 1- December 31) will be held until the following reading period opens in January.

Words

We read poetry, fiction, memoir, nonfiction, criticism, journalism, reviews, letters, and novel treatments for consideration in Cadillac Cicatrix and for other projects. If you don't see your field below, contact us and let us know what you have. We are open to your interpretations of how the written word can be manipulated and how art can be perceived.

Essays - Essays of a journalistic or expository integrity can be submitted electronically or through the mail.

Novels - Mail cover letter with a two-page synopsis of work, including a brief introduction and how you can be reached.

Poems - Send a letter with any selections (3 - 7 poems). Include a brief introduction and how you can be reached.

Stories - We request a cover letter with any submission. Include a brief introduction and how you can be reached.

Art

All visual art should be submitted in a digital format (ie: pdf/jpg/eps/etc). Mail or email sample images with a personal and/or professional bio. We feature artists online and in print. From collage to cartoons, to video and film, we are open to your interpretation of your preferred medium. All submissions should be presented in a professional manner. No organic material please

Call for Submissions: Mid-American Review

Click on the image to go to the site!

An update from the Editor-in-Chief....

Hello!

It's me, Karen Craigo, editor-in-chief of Mid-American Review, just checking in to say hello and to bring you up to speed on our latest news and information.

We had a lively year at MAR, and my staff and I are relieved that summer has finally found us. Unlike many magazines, we actually read work all through the summer, and in fact this is probably our most productive time. So of course it's also a perfect time to reconnect with you.

I've organized our announcements with headings that may make this rather chatty newsletter easier for you to navigate. Below you will find calls for submissions, contest information, and information on various ways that you can get involved in our efforts.

As a reminder, I write to you only twice each year, but you are more than welcome to drop me an e-mail and let me know if you would like a break from future installments.

So ... here goes!

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

As I mentioned earlier, we do read work all through the year, and in general we're actually faster in the summer. So feel free to send your poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, translations, and reviews to the following address:

Mid-American Review

Department of English

Bowling Green State University

Bowling Green OH 43403

Unfortunately, we do not yet accept electronic submissions except in very rare cases for people with special circumstances. We expect to change that and open up electronic submissions to all in the future. Hopefully I'll be able to make that announcement in my fall newsletter.

CHANGES IN CREATIVE NONFICTION

It is with sadness that we say goodbye to our Creative Nonfiction Editor, Karen Babine, who served us in so many ways over the last several years. I will now be taking over the reins at the Creative Nonfiction desk, and I look forward to reading your submissions. Karen will be missed, but I will continue to see to it that your submissions are handled with the utmost care. I particularly welcome lyric essays that push the form in interesting directions, but I welcome most approaches, including the memoir.

OPENINGS REMAIN IN ONLINE WORKSHOP

We look forward to hosting our second online workshop next week, and a few openings remain in each of the workshops -- poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. The eight-week session costs $295, which may be paid in installments or by credit card. If you have any interest in participating in our workshops -- basically traditional workshops with an added publishing focus -- please contact my fellow editor, Michael Czyzniejewski, without delay. His address is mikeczy@bgsu.edu.

A full description of our online workshop appears on our website, www.bgsu.edu/midamericanreview. Be advised that work submitted for our workshop will NOT be considered for regular publication in MAR (although you would be welcome to submit future work upon completion of the workshop).

FINELINE DEADLINE APPROACHES

This will be your only reminder of the Fineline Competition for works of prose that are 500 words long or less, so if you're interested in entering, I would encourage you not to wait for the usual extended deadline notification. (I try to stick to my policy of sending only two newsletters per year, and so far I've been successful at that.) Our deadline is later this year than in previous years, but it is firm: Submissions to the Fineline Competition must be postmarked by June 1.

As usual, there is a $10 entry fee, which typically entitles entrants to send up to three prose poems, short-short stories, or micro essays. Our judge for the 2008 competition is Aimee Nezhukumatathil, author of two poetry collections, Miracle Fruit and At the Drive-in Volcano. Writers who have a close personal or professional relationship with the editors of MAR or the judge are not eligible to submit their work. You will find complete information about the Fineline contest on our website: www.bgsu.edu/midamericanreview.

As a Friend of MAR (our name for newsletter recipients), you ought to be entitled to some perks, right? So be sure to indicate in your cover letter that you are a Friend of MAR, and we'll be happy to read FOUR entries, rather than three, for the $10 fee.

Please address Fineline submissions as follows:

Fineline Competition

Attn.: Friend of MAR

Mid-American Review

Department of English

Bowling Green State University

Bowling Green OH 43403

WINTER WHEAT PRESENTERS SOUGHT

We are already planning for the next installment of Winter Wheat: The Mid-American Review Festival of Writing, to be held Nov. 13-16 on the campus of BGSU. Are you interested in serving as a presenter? We offer 75-minute sessions on various writing topics, and we depend upon our presenters to keep our offerings fresh and interesting. The ideal session includes a brief presentation on some specific area of writing, followed by exercises and discussion or sharing time. Some of my favorite topics from past festivals include Writing About Food, Journaling for Writers, Using Form to Revitalize Poems, Narration in Fiction, Travel Writing, and the ever-popular Writing About Sex. The sky really is the limit. Use our online form to propose a session of your own; it's located at www.bgsu.edu/midamericanreview (follow the Winter Wheat link at left).

We regret that we cannot pay session presenters.

WINTER WHEAT SYMPOSIUM

In addition to workshops, we also hold a symposium each year, and this year's symposium is all about poetry. If you would like to present a paper on a poetry topic, such as an issue or idea within the areas of form, voice, or imagery, please write to symposium coordinator David Williams (daviddw@bgsu.edu) for more information.

HELP IS AVAILABLE

Do you need to track down our response to your submission, or are you missing an issue from your subscription? Please write to me -- but put the word "QUERY" (and only that word) in the subject line so that I'll be sure to get back to you right away.

If you wish to unsubscribe to the newsletter, please reply with the word "UNSUBSCRIBE" in the subject line. (I'm not a machine, but this type of label helps me to keep my brain on straight!)

HAPPY READING AND WRITING!

I hope your summer is wonderful, and that you find plenty of time for the written word. And finally, thanks so much for your time and attention. My staff and I truly value your support.

Best,

Karen Craigo

Editor-in-Chief

Workshop : Podcasting for Writers

New Workshop: Podcasting for Writers: Getting your work heard online

When: Saturday & Sunday, May 31 & June 1, 2008 2-5 p.m.

Where: Writers At Work, 4022 Fountain Avenue, Suite 202
Los Angeles, CA 90029

Instructor: Bronwyn Mauldin

Cost: $45

Pre-registration is required. Space is limited. Send check made out to Bronwyn Mauldin at the above address and be sure to include your email address for further information.

Course Description:
If you can write it, you can read it aloud and record it.

If you can record it, you can post it online for all the world to hear.

Podcasting should be part of any artist's marketing plan. Writers can use podcasting to record and post their own work online, sell recordings of their work, and for author interviews. Beyond the Internet, podcast recordings can be distributed on CDs, through mp3 players, or played at live events.

The number of online literary podcast journals is also growing, creating new outlets for writers' work.
With today's technology, podcasting is as easy as sending an email and can be done from a home computer. Audio editing software is "point and click," and uploading mp3 files to the Internet is just like adding an attachment to an email message.
In this workshop we'll cover the basics of how to record, edit and upload your own podcasts. By the end of the workshop you'll have a rough draft of a podcast that you can finish editing and post online.

We'll also explore online literary podcasting sites where you can submit your work for consideration.
To get the most out of this workshop you'll need to bring your own laptop and headphones.The

The afternoon of Saturday, May 31 (2:30-5:00 p.m.) will be set aside for the recording of your audio file. Each enrolled participant will bring a 3-5 minute writing sample, pre-rehearsed, to read aloud and record in the appropriate audio format for podcasting. When you enroll, the instructor will contact you to schedule a time slot.

Instructor Bio: Bronwyn Mauldin is a writer, blogger, podcaster and
consultant. She has taught workshops on web 2.0 and blogging and coached new and established bloggers. She blogs at http://www.workforcedevelopments.com and
http://www.blog52.wordpress.com .
Her writing has appeared in Blithe House Quarterly, Clamor magazine and From ACT-UP to the WTO (Verso). She's also a producer and host of "Indymedia On Air" on KPFK radio in Los Angeles.

Also…don't forget to participate in our Reader's Survey. FMI & to participate: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=DDu9a8VJ5ipw5K0U8kGgTw_3d_3d


Writers At Work
inspiring, encouraging, empowering writers since 1997
4022 Fountain Avenue, Suite 202
Los Angeles, CA 90029-2220
323-661-5954 telephone
email: WtrsAtWork@aol.com
website: http://www.writersatwork.com
blog: http://writersatwork.wordpress.com/