WRITERS' Journal

Table of Contents
March/April 2005
Volume 26, Number 2

Columns

  2        .....Editor's Note

  4        .....Readers' P.O.V.

  5        .....Massaging the Muse, Lynne Pisano
            Idea Inventory

  6        .....Marketing Helps, Janet Elaine Smith
            Those Wonderful Waves

  7        .....Effective Screenwriting, by Jerry McGuire
           Problem Solving
            Let's face it. The perfect script has not been written...yet. Sure, we try our best, and one method of improving is to share problems with other scriptwriters. WRITERS' Journal has received questions from readers, and suggestions for untying some of the knots in their projects may help you, too....

 9       .....Photography Techniques, by Ronald D. Kness
           How to Take Better Photos of Fido
            Nothing gets an "ahhh" quicker than a cute pet photo. Unfortunately, it can also be one of the most frustrating ordeals to get that photo. Below are some tips to make pet photography more enjoyable for both you and your pet....

11       .....Computer Business, by Laura Garcia-Manrique, Symantec Corp.
          Protect Yourself: Computer Security Tips Save Time and Headaches
           The advent of computer worms such as Blaster and Sobig punctuated the need for network and computer security. Hundreds of thousands of computers have been infected with these worms, and many more will be infected with future worms, viruses, and other forms of malicious code that are launched on the Internet....

47        .....Essay Writing Contests, by Dorothy J. Geiger
            March/April 2005
            Are ou one who cannot do without your tools? dorack your brain for this one, for a chance to win a Chapper, valued at $70,000....

58        .....For Beginners Only, by Jo Judy
            Make Editing a Daily Practice
            It can be frustrating, even discouraging, for aspiring writers to work full-time while hopefully reserving weekends and evenings for their craft. However, when writing does not provide sufficient income , practicality compels even the most impassioned to take a job that pays the bills.....

59       .....Words...Tools of Our Trade, by Betty Garton Ulrich
           You Wrote These, So Listen Up
           I sit here writing in November of 2004, but by the time you read this column, it will be 2005. The examples below were culled from the manuscripts that you—or some other contributor to WRITERS' Journal—submitted last year. I had (for once) the foresight to jot them down and preserve them on my computer for future use....

60       .....WRITERS' Journal Market Report, by Laurie Graziano
            Critical reading is analyzing the words printed before you in order to draw an opinion about what you read. It's looking at the grammatical preference of the writer. The typographic style, punctuation, and use of words—all coming together to form a unique thought....

                    Markets: Art Jewelry, Astronomy, Family Energy, Spectrum Magazine, Adrenalin Magazine, Woodsmith Magazine, Novo Card, Points North Magazine.

Feature Articles

13        .....Writer Naturally Scribbling, by Belinda Anderson
            Using Speech Recognition Software
            The sentence that you are now reading was composed by me, but I didn't type it. I spoke into a microphone and words magically appeared on the screen....

16        ........And the Beat Goes On, by Lori Myers
            How to Write an Exciting Proposal
            You've written your dream of a novel. You've edited it, refined it, and sculpted it until it shines. Now it's time to send it out into the cold, cruel world and take your chances. But not before writing the dreaded synopsis that will hopefully pique the interest of an agent or editor....

20        .....Mark Twain, Adverbs, and You, by Lindsley Rinard
            How to Interpret His Deadly Advice
            Mark Twain is credited with telling writers to kill the adverbs. Sage advice, but not every editor has gotten the word. Imagine a writer's weekly electronic newsletter ending its personal message to readers with the admonition to write tightly. It actually happened (not from the current editor), and up I rose to set him straight, like the lifetime English teacher I am. I received no reply, but he surely must have heard from hundreds of readers on that one.

22        .....Why You Need a Writer Buddy, Austine Keller
            Don't Go It Alone
            "What is the difference between a metaphor and a simile?" queried my writer buddy in her latest e-mail. I knew, of course, that she already knew the answer, but was setting the stage for a lively e-mail discussion about these literary devices. We've had debates about a variety of issues related to the writing life—When is it okay to call an editor? How long is long enough to wait for a response from a magazine? What is a restrictive appositive? We seem to have a never-ending discussion about commas because we both struggle constantly with them—when to use them, when no to use them.

23        .....How to Design an Irresistible Plot, Lois Gilbert
            Easy Steps to a Better Story
            A few years ago I was feeling pretty smug about my writing career. My novels were published, my work was translated into German, Russian, and Italian, and there was even a movie offer in the works. Then I wrote a book that didn't sell. 

41        .....Twenty Tips for Writers, by Jim Fisher
            Beware of Agents
            Beware of agents who: 

43        .....Writing Opportunities on the Road, by Susan Miles
            A Writing Checklist for Your Travels
            You don't need to be a travel writer to get a lot of writing mileage from your summer vacation this year. Whether you write fiction, nonfiction, are looking for your first sale or your 50th, here are a few tips to keep in mind as you pack your bags for a well-earned break this year. 

44        .....Writers' Notebook
            Cartoon, by Tom Prisk
            Favorites: www.brainyquote.com, www.travelwriters.com , www.yearbook.com
            Save Stamps—Calibrate Your Scale, by Gene Cabot
            

45        ........And Nothing But the Truth, by Gwyneth Box
            Personal Essays—Creative Nonfiction or Journalism
            Robert Louis Stevenson said, "There are two duties incumbent upon any man who enters on the business of writing: truth to the fact and a good spirit in the treatment." Nietzsche said, "There are no such things as facts, only interpretation." Must we always tell the truth when we write personal essays? Or are we justified in adapting some facts to suit our purposes?

More Fiction

27        .....McAlpin's Rising, by Dennis C. Martin
            H. M. Winner of 2004 Fiction Contest

28        .....The Snake Man, by John S. Pena
            H. M. Winner of 2004 Horror/Ghost Contest

30        .....Scat, by Dinah L. Richmond
            H. M. Winner of 2004 Fiction Contest

32        .....Broken Silence, by Nancy Ryan
            H. M. Winner of 2004 Short Story Contest

36        .....A Story Worth Hearing, by Susan McLeod
            H. M. Winner of 2004 Fiction Contest

October 20, 2004 Write to Win! Winner

38        ....."Arguing"—The door was open...," by Amanda V. Hayes

Poetry

50        .....Every Day With Poetry, by Esther M. Leiper
            "A Litany for Brittany"
            Once upon a time, and not long ago, there lived a special "purrsonality." She never did anything famous, and it is hardly conceivable that she ever could have. But she held her place for a brief while, and she loved living as much as anyone. She deserves to have her story told, and then we'll segue into poetry

54        .....Esther Comments On..., by Esther M. Leiper
            The Winners—August 2004 Poetry Contest
            Our First, Second, and Third Prize winning poems have several traits in common, besides being strong pieces in and of themselves. Each deals—though in a different manner—with the question of commitment. Each is set in free verse, and all three utilize most of the linage this competition allows; respectively, their lengths are 25 lines, 24 lines, and 22 lines. This is not to say that longer is better; the opposite may be true. However, provided authors don't pad and thereby waste their allotment, 25 lines offers a generous space in which to develop theme and mood.