WOW! The Muffin 2007 Blog Recap

In light of the New Year, I’m taking Editor Sue Donckels’ suggestion and recapping my favorite blog posts from 2007. Some of these posts I’d completely forgotten about, and when rereading them, I remember where I was (of course, sitting in the same chair I’m sitting in now), but more importantly, what was going on around me at the time. Staff members have come and gone—leaving the nest to spread...

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Leave a Comment best blog posts, blog recap, New Years writing Resolutions, the muffin 2007

Last Minute Offer from FundsForWriters

Hurry and take advantage before the end of December!FundsforWriters is offering a special on its paid subscription newsletter TOTAL FundsforWriters through the end of December. For $6 receive 80+ contests, grants, markets and other calls for submissions - all paying opportunities. TOTAL usually sells for $12. See more about TOTAL at www.fundsforwriters.com/total.htm . Ask for a sample copy. ...

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Titles: A Rose by Any Other Name

For some writers, when it comes to choosing a title, the perfect title either rings out loud and true like a single gunshot, or the various possibilities give off faint snaps, crackles, and pops like a bowlful of milk-wet Rice Krispies.No matter how the idea comes to you, you can never underestimate the power of a title. Think of the book "Gone wIth the Wind" by Margaret Mitchell. Would the title...

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Leave a Comment choosing a title

Lend Me Your Ears!

I know I missed the technology boat quite a while back, but I've recently discovered PODCASTS! (Yeah, and that round thing called a *wheel*.)Now, I'm hooked! I've enjoyed listening to interviews with authors, experts speaking on every conceivable topic of interest, authors reading excerpts of their books, and even took a slight detour to listen to the Average Joe American talk about his day.And...

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1 comment podcasting

A Santa Story By Marci Mangham

By Marci ManghamLike all little kids, I loved Santa Claus when I was a child. I loved his rosy cheeks, his jolly ho-ho-ho, and his philanthropic spirit. But most of all, I just loved that he brought me toys every year. Somehow, he always knew exactly what I wanted.On Christmas Eve when I was six years old, I woke up from that inexplicably thick slumber of a child, my young bladder calling to me....

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On Marriage, Writing, Sharing and Parrot Ownership

By Sally Franklin ChristieIt is a Sunday morning, over thirteen years into a marriage. Oh, if only I could make those young people who come to me for a custom wedding ceremony understand that thirteen years from now, if they followed the rules, they will be oh, so different.My mom came to visit early in our marriage and gave us an Eclectus Parrot. These are not the blue and golden birds with the long tails, nor are they the cuddly white umbrella cockatoos. No, Molly is a Red and Blue...

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3 comments

PASS IT ON

At the church I attend, a little girl has caught myeye. She has a sweet demeanor, unless her brothers getout of hand and she has to straighten them out a bit.She eagerly looks forward to school each day, and willbe part of a special program for gifted students nextyear. She observes the world quietly, huge eyesmissing nothing. And guess what else?Keyona is a writer. She proudly showed me a poem shewrote after service one Sunday and it was good.Extremely good. And when I told her that...

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Leave a Comment children writers, Jill Earl, journaling

Ahead of Time

Last week, one of my daughters brought home a nasty stomach bug from school that brought down our family one by one. I was stuck at home for an entire week taking care of loved ones, along with a few sick days of my own. Thank goodness I had taken care of some things ahead of time.These kinds of situations are never fun and you just have to get through them. It was a tremendous help, though, that many household tasks and holiday projects had already been started. Time spent organizing...

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1 comment balance, Marcia Peterson, Writing Moms

ElfYourself™ : Brought to you by OfficeMax®

ElfYourself™ : Brought to you by OfficeMax® createSummaryAndThumb("summary2774391431822747095","https://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com/2007/12/elfyourself-brought-to-you-by-officemax.html","ElfYourself™ : Brought to you by OfficeMax®...

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Miss Misunderstood

I was estatic. Ifelt like I had just won the lottery. I was jumping up and down, gawking at an e-mail announcing I had received an honorable mention in Women on Writing’s summer flash fiction contest. I told my husband, my best friend and my two-month-old son. Then I paused. Should I call my parents? Most people would say “Of course, call your parents!” But let’s just say that my family is – er— complicated. Whether or not to call them and let them read the story deserved at least...

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2 comments craft of writing, Family, WOW Summer 2007 Contest

The Importance of Goals

With the new year right around the corner, I've started thinking of what I'd like to accomplish next year, with my writing. I sat down to start a list and as I wrote down different goals I want to meet, I wondered if I wasn't being too easy on myself. One of my goals is: write a rough draft of a novel. Well, it wouldn't necessarily take a whole year to do that, so I wonder if I should shoot for a rough draft of one novel and the beginnings of another. Instead of a rough draft of one story...

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2 comments goals, writing

Online Book Publicity Workshop

Sandra Beckwith, sb@buildbookbuzz.com, 585-377-2768 ************************************************************** Online Book Publicity Workshop Feb. 4-29, 2008: Helps Authors Build Buzz Got a book coming out you want to hype? Has your publisher’s publicist moved on to other projects? Do you have a book in stores that you know deserves more media attention than it’s getting? Are you working on a proposal that would benefit from a better understanding of what you can do to promote your...

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Leave a Comment Online Workshop, Sandra Beckwith

Handling rejection

I've been trying to break into a magazine for a while now, and they finally liked one of my ideas and wanted to see clips. I picked out two feature stories to share - stories that I've received positive feedback for - and sent those, along with two examples of different types of writing that I'm experienced with.Then came the rejection. "The clips don't do it." What exactly does that mean?At first I was upset. I believe I'm a good writer, a strong writer, and I know I'm capable of writing...

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7 comments LuAnn Womach, rejection; goals; jodi picoult

Bad Book Review Blues

With the launch of my memoir, "The Break-Up Diet" looming closer and closer, my neurotic writer voices are kicking into high gear in my head. I know the early readers liked it... But what if they were just being nice? What if it's really terrible? What if everyone hates it and they post a bazillion horrible reviews all over the internet? Then I wake up with the bed sheet wrapped around my neck.The...

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5 comments bad books reviews, online reputation

What Is a Great Critique Group All About?

I am a lucky writer. Not because I have had minor success in getting my work published, not because I have my own office to work in at our house, and not because my husband bought me my very own laptop and puts up with living with a writer. Yes, those three things are wonderful, but that's not why I feel like a lucky writer today. I am a lucky writer because I have a GREAT critique group.Actually, since I have moved around a lot in the past seven years, I have been lucky to find a good...

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4 comments children's writers, critique, critique groups

Strikethrough Momentum

Sometimes the smallest things provide the greatest mental relief.One of my sanity saving strategies involves using strikethroughs for each new To Do List I organize. This strategy enables a stressed person to start a day's tasks knowing some of them have already been accomplished. Not so long ago, I used long hand for my various lists, from home remodeling projects to career-related duties to writing...

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Pain-Free Blog

I used to be a disciplined writer. No, let me rephrase that. I was becoming a disciplined writer. A novice, I decided to seriously pursue a writing career only earlier this year and struggled with carving out writing time in the beginning. By the end of summer, I'd finally found my rhythm. Each morning, I put my oldest child on the school bus, grabbed a steaming cup of hot cocoa, pressed pen to paper, and wrote until my two year old woke from his dreams. I learned to set my own deadlines...

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3 comments Finding Inspiration, Kesha L. Grant

Keep A Work Journal to Stay On Track

Every day, I start with the best intentions. I devise a 'to-do' list, and after checking email and sipping a cup of brewed tea, I start writing.And that's when the trouble begins."LuAnn, can you run to town for tractor parts?""LuAnn, the heifers are out. Yup, all 200 of them. I need your help rounding them up.""Hon, can you whip up some pancakes and coffee? I'm starved."Or if it isn't farm and family associated interruptions, it's the ringing phone, the "you've got mail" sound effect,...

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4 comments journaling, LuAnn Womach

TLC = Tenderly Loved Contest

Our founder and CEO, Angela Mackintosh, adds her own personal touch to each of the WOW! Quarterly Contest prize packages. Each season, Angela receives as many compliments as there are winners, and the winners are abundant! Thirty five winners every season. Hoo-Ya!We could post numerous testimonials, but here are a few words from one of our former contest winners that says it all: Dear Wow Women, I just got back from vacation, so I am only now getting to thank you for the wonderful prize...

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5 comments WOW Winter 2008 Contest

My Inspiration

By Sharon MortzI’ve always known that I should write but didn’t start in earnest until my daughter’s death. Without that impetus I’m not sure I’d ever have started. But with a compelling reason--grief--I began pouring my feelings out on paper. But six years later, I face the challenges that every writer faces--composing, editing, publishing and marketing. One of the major challenges is new subject matter--inspiration. Inspiration is everywhere. But I’ve recently had an epiphany and discovered...

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4 comments Sharon Mortz, writing inspiration

Making Manly Men

By Valerie FentressI don’t know if you ever did this when you were younger, or last week at your sister’s wedding, when your aunt bugged your cousin about when she could be mother of the bride, but we women make a list of what our Mr. Right will look like. Often having features of Brad Pitt, Antonio Banderas, or Johnny Depp, while also being sensitive, enjoying the arts, and would describe the perfect date as a picnic under the stars telling you how your beauty out shines every star in...

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4 comments Valerie Fentress, writing craft