Writing in Michigan

Friday, November 12, 2010

Get to Work - It's Submission Time

If you want to be a writer, you have to write. It sounds simple enough, but many writers while away the hours on internet searches, scanning Facebook, clipping their toenails and doing anything, but writing. One way that I keep myself plugged into writing is by submitting. Sometimes I spend a day penning a short story about ghosts just because there's an upcoming contest (usually a free one) that has hauntings as a topic. It's not my area of expertise, short stories in general are not, but it forces me to leave my comfort zone, put away my bruised and bloodied manuscript and open my mind to fresh ideas, new characters and an entirely different style of writing.

Look below for some upcoming contests and submission deadlines to give your own writing a new twist that you may find suits you even better than your current project. Also, consider writing and submitting something totally out of your element - like poetry when you normally stick with essays - it could open a passage previously buried.

Hayden's Ferry Review - Submission Call for Short Forms - Deadline: 12/15/10

Shaw Poetry Prize (must live north of US 10 in MI) - Three Poems - Deadline: 11/19/10

Lingerpost Wants Poetry Submissions - 3 to 5 Poems - Deadline: None

Saltwater Press Seeking Submissions - Fiction/Nonfiction/Poetry - Deadline: None

Magnolia (Women's Lit. Journal) Seeks Submissions - Socially Engaged Writing - Deadline: 12/30/10

Ghost Town Lit. Magazine Seeking Submissions - Fiction/Nonfiction/Poetry - Deadline: February

London Writer's Society Call for Submissions - Women Writing on Family - Deadline: 12/15/10

Changes in Life Inspirational Anthology - Women on Challenges - Deadline: 12/15/10

Telling Our Stores Short Memoir Submissions - Memoirs - Deadline: None

Dream Quest One Poetry and Writing Contest - Prose and Poetry - Deadline: 12/31/10

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Writing Jobs for November 9th

Michigan Writing Jobs: November 9, 2010

Fitness and Nutrition Writers: Southeast MI

Editor for Film and Music Magazine: Detroit

Freelance Writer/Designer: Telecommute

Technical Writer: Holland

Blogger for Craft Site: Telecommute

Writers/Researchers: Telecommute

Senior Grant Writer: Lansing

Featured Commentary Writers - No Pay: Telecommute

Online Service Writer/Blogger: Telecommute

Assistant Marketing Manager, Kidz Books: Grand Rapids

Technical Service Information Author: Auburn Hills

Internet Marketing Writers: Telecommute

Grant Writer: Kentwood

Lead Help Developer Job: Belleville

Freelance Blog Guest Writers: Telecommute

Technical Writer: Lansing

Research/Writer/editor: Detroit Metro

French Speaking WHOA Magazine Writer: No Pay: Telecommute

Adult Review Writers: Telecommute

Advertising Copywriter: Rochester

Finnish Transcription: Telecommute

European Portuguese Transcription: Telecommute

Writing Tutor: Grand Rapids

Creative Technical Writer: Detroit

Monday, November 8, 2010

Mark Your Calendar

Hey Michigan Writers - I know that fall (and that other snowy season that's barreling down on us) makes writer's events drop a few notches on the priority list. After all, who wants to strap into a snowsuit and combat boots to go to a reading? But keep in mind that successful writers make their share of sacrifices whether it be writing after a twelve hour workday, two hour commute, once the kids are in bed or simply skipping a date with the couch to pump out an extra thousand words.

Whatever your personal reasons for avoiding writing events in the chilly months, remember that every event holds the possibility of an amazing connection or piece of advice that launches you further on your path to publication. So I say, rebel against the writer in you that desires solitude and slippers and opt instead for one of these fun and fulfilling events sure to pique your creative mind and provide fodder for that epic novel collecting dust in the corner.

Author's Forum Presents: Dakota, or What's Heaven For: A Conversation with Brenda Marshall and Tom Fricke
Location: Ann Arbor
Date: November 17

Author's Forum Presents: Being in Pictures: A Conversation with Joanne Leonard and Sidonie Smith
Location: Ann Arbor
Date: December 1

Weekend Playwriting Workshop at PRTC
Location: Chelsea
Date: Friday Nov. 12 - Sunday Nov. 14

Creative Writing Workshop with George Dila (4 Wednesday mornings beginning Nov. 10)
Location: Ludington
Date: Nov. 10 - Dec 8

National Writer's Series: An Evening with Karl Marlantes
Location: Traverse City
Date: November 12

Motown Literary Jam and Conference Day
Location: Detroit
Date: November 12

Mystery writer Loren D. Estleman visits Aunt Agatha's Bookstore to sing copies of his latest book, The Left-Handed Dollar.
Location: Ann Arbor
Date: December 11

Wade Rouse Two Day Writing Seminar at Saturn Booksellers
Location: Gaylord
Date: November 12 and 13

Reading and Signing by Heather Sellers at Literary Life Bookstore
Location: Grand Rapids
Date: November 11

Poetry with Linda Nemec Foster and Robert Fanning at Literary Life Bookstore
Location: Grand Rapids
Date: November 18

Author Reshma Sapre at Horizon Books - Signing and Reading
Location: Traverse City
Date: November 12

Friday, November 5, 2010

Michigan Writing Jobs for November 5th

November 5th Writing Jobs for Michigan

Creative Writers and Executive Writers: Telecommute

Automotive Forum Manager: Grand Rapids

Engineering Technical Writer: Milford

Technical Writer: Kalamazoo

Technical Writer: Allen Park

Reporter: Traverse city

Editor: Warren

Technology Blogger: Telecommute

Research/Writer: Detroit

Staff Writer: Owosso

Creative Technical Writer: Detroit

Writer: Dearborn

Automotive Writer and Editor: Detroit and Telecommute

Grant Writer: Saginaw and Telecommute

Feature Writer: Northwest Michigan

Technical Writer: Livonia

Editorial Assistant: Saginaw

Featured Commentary Writers: Unpaid: Telecommute

Music Writers: Telecommute

Personal Finance Blogger: Telecommute

Guest Blog Post Writer: Ann Arbor

Grant Writer: Detroit and Telecommute

Baseball Bloggers: Detroit and Telecommute

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Writing Jobs in Michigan: November 2

Michigan Writing Jobs:

Travel Website Writer: Lansing

Website Writer: Telecommute

Service Writer: Midland

Medical Technical Writer: Traverse City

Associate Editor: Detroit

Freelance Writers: Telecommute

Senior Copywriter: Detroit

Communications Specialist/Staff Writer: Lansing

CompTIA and Microsoft Technical Writers: Telecommute

Technical Writer: Warren

Northville Patch: Northville

Technical Writer: Holland

Translation Reviews: Novi and Telecommute

Copy Writer: Rochester

National Jail Standards Research Project: Telecommute

Sports Media Intern: Unpaid : Telecommute

Food Website Writers: Telecommute

Online Defensive Driving Web Copywriter: Telecommute

Social Media Coordinator for Crafting Site: Telecommute

Saturday, October 30, 2010

Advice from Writers for Writers

As a writer, I am not only curious about other (more successful) writers; I am also fascinated by their process. How many words do they commit to writing each day? What genre do they find easiest to tackle? Published writers are a wealth of, often untapped, information that is not only valuable, but also extremely inspiring for beginner writers. Read these tips and tales from other writers in the world who have made their writing dreams come true and take their words along on your own journey.

John Steinbeck on a writing class at Stanford: "The basic rule given us was simple and heartbreaking. A story to be effective had to convey something from the writer to the reader, and the power of its offering was the measure of its excellence. Outside of that, there were no rules. A story could be about anything and could use any means and any technique at all - so long as it was effective. As a subhead to this rule, it seemed to be necessary for the writer to know what he wanted to say, in short, what he was talking about. As an exercise we were to try reducing the meat of our story to one sentence, for only then could we know it well enough to enlarge it to three- or six- or ten-thousand words."

Kurt Vonnegut on How to Write With Style: "Find a subject you care about and which you in your heart feel others should care about. It is this genuine caring, and not your games with language, which will be the most compelling and seductive element in your style.

I am not urging you to write a novel, by the way --- although I would not be sorry if you wrote one, provided you genuinely cared about something. A petition to the mayor about a pothole in front of your house or a love letter to the girl next door will do."

Joyce Carol Oates in an interview on Readers Read: "Beginning writers should follow the lines of their own natural interests, look and listen hard, note the astonishing variety of personalities and voices in our culture. And of course they should read widely, and they should write every day. Like learning to play a musical instrument, learning to write has much to do with practice."

Stephen King - Excerpt from his book "On Writing." : "I believe the first draft of a book — even a long one — should take no more than three months…Any longer and — for me, at least — the story begins to take on an odd foreign feel, like a dispatch from the Romanian Department of Public Affairs, or something broadcast on high-band shortwave during a period of severe sunspot activity."

NY Times interview with Charlaine Harris: "Do you have any advice for young mystery writers or fantasy writers? For any writers at all, read everything you can and then put your butt in the chair and write. That’s all there is to it."

Lee Child in an interview on Booktopia: What advice do you give aspiring writers? "Ignore all advice. There’s room for only one mind on your side of the transaction, and it needs to be yours and yours alone."

Tana French in an interview with Book Browse: "Q: What advice would you give to a first novelist?

A: Read good things. I think writing a book is almost like running a marathon: you need the best nourishment you can get. The more you expose yourself to first-rate writing, the more you develop your instincts, and the more you'll push yourself towards that high standard. When I'm writing, I read the best stuff I can find. It doesn't matter what genre it is – thriller, literary fiction, chick lit, anything – as long as it's first-rate."

Interview with Chris Cleave by Kasey Carpenter: "KC: About your writing process, any kind of ritual, schedule, etc…?CC: I can do it anywhere. I don’t ever stop thinking about the stories really, and wherever I am there is part of my mind turning it over. I don’t need to be in a particular place, or have a candle lit or what have you, I don’t need anything really. I need to be left alone a bit, I need to sort of deal with all of the everyday demands of life and get them out of the way, and then I can write. I get up really early, I write from five a.m. and by lunchtime I’m more or less done. In the afternoon I’m giving to Caesar what is Caesar’s in terms of life, work obligations, family, etc…"

Writers News Weekly - Interview with Matthew Pearl: "Q: As a writing instructor/author, what advice do you have for aspiring writers?

“I think the best thing someone who wants to write can do is to REwrite. Too many writers want a project done as soon as they start writing, but the reality is every project has to be given room to evolve over time.”"

Sue Grafton in an Interview on Writer's Digest: "What advice do you have for newer writers?

My big gripe about newer writers is they’re not willing to put the time in. Somebody’ll write one book and they’re asking me who my agent and my editor are, and I’m thinking, Don’t you worry, sweetheart, you’re not any good yet. Give yourself time to get better. Writing is really hard to master. You learn by failing over and over, but a lot of people don’t care for that, thanks. I always wish new writers the greatest good fortune. It’s a helluva journey—I’ll tell you that."