Agent Blog Post on Writing Non-Fiction Query Letters

We are on a mission to bring you the best writing-related articles we can find online.  We usually post them on twitter and facebook.  Should we post them here too or is that repetitive?

Here is an example, an article written by a literary agent:

Let's talk about non-fiction query letters for a minute

Let us know in the comments.

Time to Write

We are delighted to post a guest post blog from Andrew McFayden-Ketchum, our Mid-City writers' group moderator!

TIME TO WRITE

One of the most common problems I hear about from writers is "finding enough time" to, yah know, WRITE. There are dinners to make, kids to clothe, vehicles to repair, fat to lose… the list goes on and on.

Though I've been writing stories and poems since I was seven years old, I've most certainly had this problem.

Throughout my formative years I loved to write and was pretty good at it. But after graduating from college, I was tending bar at a high-end club in downtown Nashville while clerking at a law firm and working on local political campaigns. I was meeting girls, making good money, and, every night when I came home to the stars spread above my studio apartment on the outskirts of town, it seemed my muse was waiting for me.

There was only one problem: I wasn't actually writing.

At first it seemed natural. I'd just graduated. I was making a living. I needed a break.

But as summer moved into fall and fall into winter, I discovered that even when I'd carved out some random time to write, I either had writer's block or simply didn't have the energy to write in the first place. That was when I knew something had to change.

So I went to my mother and explained the problem. And pretty quickly we came to a solution: Establish a schedule and never deviate from it.

"All great artists have a work routine," she said. "You're not going to write if you don't force yourself to. It's too hard."

So we spent the afternoon looking at my finances and at my day-to-day schedule. With a little tweaking we discovered I could cut back my work schedule a bit and write 2-3 hours a day if I got up at 6 am.

I tried it for a week and the results were obvious. I was reading poetry that had been gathering dust over a year on the bookshelf, and I was writing and revising poems left and right.

Of course, back then I was just a kid. No wife, no kids, no mortgage. Well, that's all changed now (minus the kids), and I still get up at 6 am every weekday and read and write for at least four hours. That's 20 hours a week of writing folks— not bad considering I have six part-time jobs, have been married for five years to a career woman, edit an online poetry journal, and live in the second most expensive city in the country.

I'm not saying everyone has to get up at 6 am or that writing several hours a day is required to create the works you have in you to create.

What I'm saying is simpler than that.

Establish a routine and don't let anything change the plan.

Try it for a week and let the results speak for themselves!

Guest Blog Post by:

Andrew McFadyen-Ketchum

Adjunct Professor of English

Pepperdine University

www.AndrewMK.com

------------------------

LAwritersgroup.com is a great way to keep yourself on a schedule by having a deadline to bring work in for constructive critique feedback every week. During the group, you have seven opportunities to bring work in and learn how you can elevate your story and your writing.

Check Andrew's writers' group schedule.

Collection about Barry Hannah seeks Essay, Poetry, Stories

VOX PRESS, in conjuction with the well known online journal, Drunken Boat, is compiling a collection of perspectives on Barry Hannah. If you have any perspectives on Hannah's work or personal accounts or both (a merging of the two would be ideal), send them as attachments to

louis-bourgeois(at)hotmail.com

The essays can be any length. Initially the essays will appear at Drunken Boat but eventually they will be collected and published in a book via VOX PRESS. There may be money involved when VOX takes over the project in earnest. All rights revert back to VOX and the authors. Also, we are seeking poems or stories about Barry Hannah.

Call for Submissions about the Inland Empire in So Cal: Inlandia

Inlandia: A Literary Journey, the online literary journal for the Inlandia Institute, is currently reading submissions.

We are primarily seeking stories, poems, novel excerpts, memoir, images, etc., by writers and artists whose work is in some way grounded in the Inland Empire, works that will give readers around the globe a sense of the region and its people.

To give a clearer picture of where this region is located, it is in the southeastern corner of California and encompasses all of Riverside and San Bernardino counties from the heights of San Gorgonio Mountain to the lows of Death Valley, from the wineries of Temecula to the shuttered citrus packing houses of Riverside, and all points in-between.

Above all else, we want fresh, compelling writing.

Please visit the Inlandia website for complete submission guidelines and to review our current issue, which includes works by Shin Yu Pai, Rebecca K. O'Connor, Stephanie Barbe Hammer, Louise Mathias, and many more.

Scribblers May Writers Conference

From the Scribblers' Retreat Writers' Conference, in case anyone needs a literary get-away:

Scribblers' Retreat Writers' Conference

St. Simons Island, GA

May 12-14

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 8, 2011

Fasten your seatbelts and get ready for adventure, suspense, mystery, and history. Our May Conference is sure to tantalize and inspire you on your own writing journey. If you have been wondering about how to make your writing a true success story, you will really get a lot out of this conference. We are proud to present a very interesting mix of inspiring experts from a variety of backgrounds and geographies. From "thriller" novelists to writers of enchanting poetry and award-winning juvenile fiction writers-this conference has it all!

Seating is limited so register today!

www.ScribblersRetreatWritersConference.org

800-996-2904

King and Prince Beach and Golf Resort,

www.kingandprince.com

620 Arnold Rd. St. Simons Island

Call for Submissions: Sliver of Stone: Fiction, Poetry, Essay, Creative Non-Fiction

Call for Submissions: Sliver of Stone

www.sliverofstone.com

Sliver of Stone is proud to announce that its second issue is now available online. Featured authors include Dan Wakefield, Allison Joseph, and Matthew Sharpe. Interviews with Susan Orlean, Les Standiford, Mark Vonnegut, and artist Kristin Meyers. Check out our past contributors, such as Kim Barnes, John Dufresne, Denise Duhamel, and many talented others.

We're now looking for submissions for our third issue!

DEADLINE: June 15, 2o11

Sliver of Stone is a bi-annual, online literary magazine dedicated to
the publication of work from both emerging and established poets,
writers, and visual artists from all parts of the globe. We publish
work that is surprising and inventive.

We're interested in the following:

Fiction, Creative Nonfiction, Essays (3,500 words or less).
Poetry, any form or genre (No more than 5 poems)
Visual art

Multi-authored works are not eligible.
No previously published works.
Simultaneous submissions are acceptable but we must be notified
immediately should your work be accepted elsewhere for publication.

For complete submission guidelines, please visit www.sliverofstone.com

Short short story contest (no fee): Shenandoah

As you may know, we no longer publish writing contests on this blog unless they have no fee. Here is a no-fee contest! Thank you, Shenandoah for not charging writers to submit their work.

The Bevel Summers Prize in the Short Short Story is open to all authors of stories of up to 1,000 words. Stories should be sent to Bevel Summers/Shenandoah, Mattingly House, 2 Lee Ave., Washington and Lee University, Lexington, VA 24450 and must be received by March 31.

Send two copies, one with name and contact information, including e-mail address, and a duplicate with no identifying information, along with an sase for notification. The winner will receive a $250 prize and be featured prominently on Shenandoah's first online issue. There is no entry fee for the 2011 contest. A judge has not yet been selected.

Call for poetry and mixed-genre chapbooks: Slash Pine Press

Call for Chapbook Manuscripts (Poetry and Mixed-Genre): Postmark May 1, 2011

Housed in the Department of English at The University of Alabama, SLASH PINE PRESS locates itself in an intellectual space where forms and intuitions make writing a process of risk and otherness—a space where the high stakes of creative inquiry make self-effacement impossible.

Slash Pine fosters work that investigates the dimensions of place, whether construed as location or situation. Such work is, like the slash pine itself, able to survive in swamps and sandhills, to thrive in salt and heat, to occupy an imaginative landscape that is raw and abrasive, and to expand its territory toward the interior. Neither cynical nor rhetorically meek, the work is concerned with but not limited by the map; its logic is global, written against the grain of history and biography. And where there is a cut, a thick sap flows.

Guidelines:

• Deadline: Postmark by May 1, 2011.
• Multiple submissions are acceptable; so are simultaneous submissions, but please notify us if manuscript is accepted elsewhere.
• Include two copies of manuscript with two title pages; one with title only; one with title, author's name, and full contact information.
• Manuscripts should be no longer than 24 pages and be either poetry or mixed-genre.
• No more than one poem or mixed-genre piece per page, please. No electronic submissions.
• Do not send SASE. Manuscripts will be recycled.
• All manuscripts receive a blind reading.
• Faculty, students, and graduates of The University of Alabama are not eligible for publication.
• Reviewers: Francine J. Harris, Nathan Hauke, Abraham Smith, Patti White, Joseph P. Wood
• Manuscript selections will be announced on our web site and Facebook page in late August.

SLASH PINE PRESS

Department of English

Box 870224

The University of Alabama

Tuscaloosa, AL 35487

www.slashpinepress.com/submissions

Call for poetry submissions: Poemeleon

Poemeleon: A Journal of Poetry is celebrating its 5th year in operation!

We have dubbed our next issue, Volume V Issue 2, The Open Issue, scheduled for launch June 2011. Unlike past issues, The Open Issue is not focused on any one particular kind of poetry but instead will strive to include as wide a variety as possible. Please send only your best work, any length, any style.

Deadline for this issue: March 31, 2011

Expect a response within 1 - 3 months after close of submissions. If you have not heard from us after 3 months please inquire.

Please visit the website for complete guidelines and a link to our submission manager, and while you're there check out our latest issue, Prime Time Poetry, featuring the work of Prime Time Poets Tony Barnstone, Robert Pinsky, Molly Peacock, Red Shuttleworth, Mark Halliday, David Kirby, David Graham, Martha Silano, and many others!

Call for poetry, fiction submissions: Gertrude

Gertrude, the biannual literary and arts publication of Gertrude Press seeks submissions of fiction, poetry, and creative non-fiction for its upcoming issue.

Gertrude accepts manuscripts from new and established writers and artists. Subject matter need not be LGBTQA-specific and we welcome writers and artists from all backgrounds. We accept simultaneous submissions with notification. We do not accept previously published work. Please note that we do not publish novels. We read chapbook manuscripts ONLY through our annual competition (currently open). Gertrude accepts surface mail submissions and electronic submissions submitted through our online submission form only. For surface mail include a cover letter and a self-addressed stamped envelope (SASE) for reply. Do not place your name directly on manuscripts. Submissions that do not include an SASE will be discarded. We shred and recycle all unused manuscripts.

For electronic submissions, please use our online submission form only:
http://www.gertrudepress.org/submit/

Poetry: Submit up to six poems of any subject matter. There is no line limit; however, poems less than 60 lines are preferable. Fiction/Novel Excerpts*/Creative Nonfiction:Submit one to two pieces, double-spaced, up to 3000 words, of any subject matter. Include a word count for each piece in your cover letter.

Interviews: Please query the editor by email with your proposal.

Art: Gertrude showcases one visual artist per issue, including full-color cover and six to eight black and white images inside the journal. To submit artwork for future issues, please send slides, prints (do not send originals), or a website URL to the attention of the art editor.

Send all manuscripts and artwork to:
Gertrude Press
PO Box 83948
Portland OR 97283
*Gertrude Press does not publish novels at this time.

__,_._,___

Peace of Mind for Writers

Nothing gives a writer peace of mind as much as a complete backup to an external hard drive.

The Los Angeles Review Wants Your Writing

The Los Angeles Review, the fabulous literary journal of Red Hen Press, notified us that they are seeking submissions for their 10th issue:

• Nonfiction: We seek essay, memoir, and commentary told as compelling, focused, sustained narrative in a distinctive voice, rich with detail.
• Fiction: We’re looking for to hard-to-put-down shorties under 500 words and lengthier shorts up to 4,000 words–lively, vivid, excellent literary fiction.
• Poetry: Please submit 3-5 poems that will surprise us, wow us, and make us wish we’d written them ourselves.
• Book Reviews: We welcome queries to review new and recent books. We are especially interested in authors and works that are connected in some way to the Los Angeles or Southern California regions.
• Translations: Please submit 3-5 translated pieces that open the writer’s original vision to an English-speaking audience; the writing may include poetry, novel excerpts, short stories, essays or interviews.

Full guidelines are available at www.losangelesreview.org.

New Writers Group in Santa Clarita Valley!

LAwritersgroup.com is coming to the Santa Clarita Valley! Our newest writers group is starting in Valencia on Tuesday, April 5th! We are excited to bring our groups to this often forgotten-about valley filled with creative and entertainment folks.

Our moderator will be Kirby Timmons, a versatile and talented creative writer with an impressive list of credits and the kind of cross-genre and supportive leader our groups require.

Kirby's Bio:

Kirby Timmons is a professional writer, trainer and speaker who has written scripts for some of TV's most enduring series, including THE WALTONS, THE LIFE AND TIMES OF GRIZZLY ADAMS, and THE INCREDIBLE HULK. Kirby has also written, produced and directed hundreds of training programs, including THE ABILENE PARADOX, named one of the 5 best business videos of all time by Fortune Magazine; GROUPTHINK, winner of the American Psychological Associations Award for Best Training Program; and TEAMWORK IN CRISIS: The Miracle of Flight 232, now used in disaster programs worldwide, including Columbine High School in Colorado. While he has concentrated in scriptwriting, Kirby is also a published author, and has contributed articles to THE LOS ANGELES TIMES, THE LOS ANGELES DAILY NEWS, THE HERALD-EXAMINER, MARRIAGE & FAMILY LIVING Magazine, among others. Kirby taught Scriptwriting For Informational Media at California State University at Northridge, and has lectured at Los Angeles Valley College. He has also taught high school screenwriting workshops with the Writer's Guild Foundation. After attending Oglethorpe University in his hometown of Atlanta, Kirby studied at USC where he graduated with a B.A. cum laude in Philosophy. He has been a member of the Writer's Guild of America longer than he can remember, and a member of the American Society of Training & Development for less long. Among Kirby's recent writing projects is a teleplay for CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION which won scriptwriting competitions at Scriptapalooza and Austin, and Grand Prize in Hour-Long Drama at the WildSound Film Festival in Toronto. Despite being the "best CSI episode ever written" (his words), it is not currently under consideration by producers of the show.

This group is in addition to the groups we already have in:

• LA South Bay - Rancho Palos Verdes
• LA South Bay - El Segundo
• Miracle Mile/Koreatown,
• Pacific Palisades / West LA
• Glendale / Glassell Park

Read more about how our new Santa Clarita Writers Group will work.

View our upcoming writing groups schedule.

Call for Submissions: FOX-NYTVF Comedy Script Contest

Enter the 4th Annual FOX-NYTVF Comedy Script Contest and submit your script for an original half-hour comedy series. One winner will receive $25,000 and a development deal with FOX. Twenty-five (25) Finalists will have their scripts evaluated by FOX for a possible development deal with the network and will receive NYTVF designation as 2011 Official Artists and be invited to the New York Television Festival, held in New York City in September 2011.

The New York Television Festival was founded in 2005 as the industry's first creative festival for television artists. The NYTVF works in partnership with networks, studios, brands and agencies to more effectively and efficiently deliver the best projects and showcase the most promising artists.

There is no fee to enter the script contest. There are a few dates to know before submitting:

• April 4, 2011 - Script Submission period begins (at 12:00 noon ET)
• April 18, 2011 - Script Submission period ends (at 12:00 noon ET)
• On or about September 17, 2011 - 2011 FOX-NYTVF Comedy Script Contest Winner is announced at the Festival Award Show

All scripts must be between 25 and 35 pages and in PDF format. For more information on the contest and how to submit scripts, please visit http://nytvf.com/2011_fox_contest.htm.

Call for Submissions: UCity Review

The UCity Review publishes twice a year, both on the web and as a limited edition letterpress print edition. Each issue highlights a noteworthy writer, whom the editors believe deserves more exposure. Each issue includes approximately twelve authors.

UCity Review considers poetry in February of each year. We will strive to provide the status of submissions by the end of March of each year. As for the likes and dislikes of UCity editors, take these words from Zbigniew Herbert:

In Poland, we think of the poet as prophet; he is not merely a maker of verbal forms or an imitator of reality. The poet expresses the deepest feelings and the wildest awareness of people... The language of poetry differs from the language of politics. And, after all, poetry lives longer than any conceivable political crisis. The poet looks over a broad terrain and over vast stretches of time. He makes observations on the problems of his own time, to be sure, but he is a partisan only in the sense that he is a partisan of the truth. He arouses doubts and uncertainties and brings everything into question.

Submissions can be emailed to editors[at]ucityreview.com. Please include the author's name and submission date in the subject line. We accept the following file formats: .doc; .pdf. Please limit poetry submissions to six poems, and please do not submit simultaneous submissions.

For more information, please visit our website: www.ucityreview.com

Call for Submissions: The Whistling Fire

The Whistling Fire is proud to announce our ongoing Guest Editor Themed Selection. Throughout the year, we will have various Guest Editors taking over The Whistling Fire for an entire month and selecting special themed work of their choice. The lucky few selected will be published every Tuesday of their Guest Editor's month. The Guest Editor for May is David Crawford, a graduate of the UC Riverside Palm Desert Low Residency MFA. He gives the following message for submitting writers:

What place do we have for humor in literature? We know the weighty subjects of the world are approached with a deferential reverence, but who is to say we cannot use humor just as effectively. Poets such as Billy Collins and Ron Padgett make humor a regular part of their work. Narrative writers like David Sedaris draw us into their world with the comedic exposé of self. We find humor in the larger premise and in the tiniest moment. So what can we create with humor? I want to hear the biggest subjects treated with humor that doesn't depreciate the weight or the importance of the topic; the humor of the character, the humor of the experience, the humor of language, bring it all to the table.

The Whistling Fire will be accepting submissions of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry under 3000 words. Please send your submissions to whistlingfire[at]gmail.com. Please include the words "May Editor" in your subject line. No more than two submissions per author. All submissions must be sent as an attachment (MS WORD preferred). Simultaneous submissions are accepted. Previously published work is also allowed as long as the author retains the rights. Please include a short, third-person bio for our contributor's page. The deadline for submissions is April 23, 2011.

There is also still time to submit to our April Guest Editor, Lindsey Lewis Smithson, whose deadline is March 26. For more information, please visit http.whistlingfire.com.

Call for Submissions About Women: ADANNA

Call for creative writing submissions about women: ADANNA poetry, short stories, essays, and reviews of books and visual arts:

Adanna: A Journal for Women, about Women will be an annual perfect bound print book publication, first issue Summer 2011.

Editor: Christine Redman-Waldeyer

Guest Editor: Diane Lockward

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

• The reading period for this first issue begins on January 31 and closes April 30.
• Please send your submissions to adannajournal@yahoo.com
• Adanna accepts poetry, short stories, essays, and reviews of books and visual arts.
• We welcome both National and International submissions in English.
• Please submit only unpublished pieces, 3-6 at a time.
• Please limit prose pieces to a maximum of 2000 words.
• Submissions should be one file in one attachment.
• Include your name in the header of each page along with current contact information including e-mail and phone number.
• Simultaneous submissions accepted.Please notify us as soon as possible of any accepted work.
• For works accepted, the author will receive a free complimentary copy.

Visit the Adanna Website for additional information:

http://www.adannajournal.blogspot.com

Call for Submissions from Chicano & Latino Writers (Some Pay)

Call for Submissions from Chicano & Latino writers: fiction, flash fiction, poetry, novel exerpts, cross-genre/hybrid work and short plays. Some pay.

Call for Submissions
PALABRA invites Chicano & Latino writers to submit fresh, engaged work that stretches beyond the boundaries of conventional form, content and context. We accept fiction, flash fiction, poetry, novel excerpts, cross-genre/hybrid work and short plays. Some pay. Submission period: September 1 to May 31.

Specific guidelines are available on the website: www.palabralitmag.com.

Queries:
Submit via USPS only.

PALABRA
A Magazine of Chicano & Latino Literary Art
P. O. Box 86146
Los Angeles, CA 90086-0146

Call for Creative Writing Submissions: Sunsets and Silencers

Call for Submissions for innovative short fiction, flash fiction, creative non-fiction, poetry, essays, paintings, photography, and comic strip:

Sunsets and Silencers," an online magazine, is now accepting submissions for our new issue.

"Sunsets and Silencers" is open to a wide variety of styles and wants to publish only the most innovative and creative work. We are careful about the work we publish, and we read and consider every submission, carefully. S&S publishes short fiction, flash fiction, creative non-fiction, poetry, essays, paintings, photography, and comic strips as a platform for emerging and established artists to showcase their work. On promising work, we may offer feedback, even if the piece didn't work for us. Please, keep in mind, however, that we do not respond to every piece, mostly because of the volume of submissions received. We want to provide exposure to artists and writers who create
out of a restless fever, and who are fearless in their choice to submit. So, send what you have, but please pay attention to our submission guidelines.

More detailed submission guidelines can be found at: http://sunsetsandsilencers.com/home/archives

The current issue of Sunsets and Silencers can be found at: http://sunsetsandsilencers.com

What Makes LA Fabulous? The Library!

A friend who moved to Los Angeles from back east once told me that, "Los Angeles is a great town to be broke in." I have to agree. Yes, rents are high. Yes, owning real estate is out of practical reach for most people who live here. Yes, gas is expensive and owning a car cleans out your bank account. However, free and low-cost entertainment and fun awaits in nearly every LA neighborhood. Free movie screenings and interviews with industry folks are available on practically any day of the week. We have parks, hiking, lectures, roller blading along beaches, snow-filled mountains that a mere couple hours drive away, museums, piers, live music, movie screenings in cemeteries, all things that are absurdly cheap and/or free.

As great as these options are, none of them are as awesome as the Los Angeles Public Library system (LAPL). Housing nearly 7.5 million volumes, our library system stands as the single greatest free resource in our city. As of July 2010, it became the 4th largest Public Library in the United States in terms of volumes, and the largest public library system in the Western United States. The LAPL system alone makes living in Los Angeles worth all the high rents and the time sitting in traffic. This should-be-legendary library system offers a comprehensive collection with branches in nearly every neighborhood, free internet access, free movie rentals, free book borrowing,

and free delivery of anything in their catalog for easy pick-up at to your local library.

Central Library is the LAPL headquarters stands sphinx-like on West 5th between Flower and Grand and is both is parking friendly and public-transit friendly - just two short blocks from the 7th Street Metro station. This easily-accessible library houses art exhibits, free lectures, a video-lending library, an awe-inspiring multi-storied atrium, seemingly endless rows shelves - 90 linear miles of shelves to be exact, and nearly 7.5 million volumes. It is apropos that it sits on a street between Flower and Grand, because it is just that, beautiful and grand. This enormous block-long building feels both historic and new all at the same time. Inside, murals depicting California history, mosaic wall-art, and modern art sculpture chandeliers all proudly nod to one another, artistic reminders that we can all live together in harmony. After the 1986 fire, architects Pfeiffer Partners redesigned and restored the library. They also designed the Boston Public Central Library and their website contains gorgeous photos of Los Angeles Central Library's interior and exterior. If you've never been to the downtown Central Library, take a day trip and go see it. You may never leave.

The LAPL online catalog will take your breath away, not only because of its comprehensive vastness but because it is digitally connected. The behemoth catalog integrates with social networking - you can tweet or create a Facebook post about nearly any item in their online catalog. Many items display links to amateur reviews on Goodreads.com and to professional reviews from publications like Publisher's Weekly and the Library Journal. Options to view a book's table of contents comes in handy when perusing anthologies. Many books even outline the characters in the book and have handy excerpts. The catalog lists how many available copies are available and at which branches you can find them.

Now, our fabulous library system has stepped even further into the digital age with downloadable digital content: E-books, electronically rentable movies, downloadable music, and audiobooks. With a library card number, renting online to an iPhone, iPad, Android device, Mac, or PC (just to name a few), can be a few clicks away once you've invested the inevitable learning time that necessarily accompanies new uses of new technologies. There are no late fees because when your time is up the download disappears like a self-destructing message right out of a Get Smart episode gone digital.

It takes a bit of time to master the whole digital borrrowing system, but the culprits are not the libraries - although it would be nice to be able to search by digital format - nor is it the fault of the companies that provide the digital content to the libraries, but the frustration comes from the digital e-reading devices, such as Kindle, iPad, iPhone, Android devices, etc., because certain types of content isn't available on certain devices.As far as what content is available on what device, the short answer is: If you have a Kindle, you can't (yet?) borrow an e-book. If you have anything else, you probably can borrow an e-book. The long answer is that E-books (for reading, not listening as you would with audiobooks) are generally available in two formats: EPUB format or PDF format, so you need to have a device (Mac, PC, iPad, Kindle, Nook, iPhone, Android phone) that can read at least one of these two formats. Sadly, neither EPUB nor PDF is currently supported by one of the most popular e-book readers, Kindle, so you can't rent e-books from LAPL if the only device you own is a Kindle.

Whether you groove on that irreplaceable smell and feel of a book in your hands at home, prefer sitting in a gorgeous library for hours, or you geek-out on the ability carry 150 e-books at all times, the Los Angeles Public Library awaits, ready to accommodate your every bibliophilic, artistic, or researchable whim.

Our List of Writing and Literary Agent Blogs

We've compiled a list of writing and literary agent blogs on our website.  It's a long list compiled over the last few years, so please check it out and let us know what you think!  There is also a form there to add a site if you know of any that should be on our list.  Enjoy and happy reading.

http://www.lawritersgroup.com/list-of-writing-and-agent-blogs.html

Friday Round-Up: Tweets you may have missed

Just in case you missed them - or you have yet to join the Twitter craze - here's a rundown of the posts from our LAwritersgroup.com Twitter account from the past couple weeks.

Key:
RT = Re-tweet, which means someone else tweeted something and we re-tweeted it.
@(name) = This is a user name on Twitter. If you click on it, you should be able to visit that person's twitter site and follow them if you so chose.

• The Poetry Market Ezine Call for Poetry Review Submissions: http://ow.ly/1s0CEx
  
  
• Miracle Monocle Call for Poetry, Fiction and Microfiction Submissions: http://ow.ly/1s0CTt
  
  
• Diverse Verses Quarterly Call for Poetry, Short Story, Personal Essay and Creative Nonfiction Submissions: http://ow.ly/1s0CTE
  
  
• Mythium Literary Journal Call for Poetry, Fiction and Creative Nonfiction Submissions: http://ow.ly/1s0CU5
  
  
• Writer Beware™ Blogs!: Alert for Poets: Oprah Wants You (But You May Not Want Oprah) http://ow.ly/1s12QJ
  
  
• The Redheaded Stepchild Call for Previously Rejected Poetry Submissions: http://ow.ly/3UlFC
  
  
• Why join a writer's group or a writing workshop? http://ow.ly/3UHmD

Call for Submissions: The Redheaded Stepchild

The Redheaded Stepchild is a magazine that only accepts poems that have already been rejected by other magazines. We publish biannually and only accept submissions in the months of August and February. We do not accept previously published work. We do, however, accept simultaneous submissions, but please inform us immediately if your work is accepted elsewhere. We are open to a wide variety of poetry and hold no allegiance to any particular style or school. If your poem is currently displayed online on your blog or website (or wherever), please do not send it to us before taking it down, at least temporarily.

You may submit 3-5 poems that have been rejected elsewhere with the names of the magazines that rejected the poems. We do not want multiple submissions, so please wait for a response to your first submission before you submit again. As is standard after publication, rights revert back to the author, but we request that you credit Redheaded Stepchild in subsequent republications.

We do not accept email attachments; therefore, in the body of your email, please include the following:

• A brief bio
• 3-5 poems
• The publication(s) that rejected the poems

Send your submissions to redheadedstepchildmag[at]gmail.com

For more information, please visit our website at http://www.redheadedmag.com/poetry/

Why join a writer's group or a writing workshop?

Nicole forwarded me this email from LAwritersgroup.com workshop moderator Kat Smith, and it felt relevant to post a piece of her message for our blog readers. If you're still on the fence about joining or participating in a writing workshop of any kind, perhaps her words will sway you:

Young musicians practice daily. A singer doesn't begin with an aria. She starts by warming up her vocal cords. A pianist practices his scales every day from a young age. An athlete doesn't begin with a triathlon. He spends hours lifting weights, stretching, building the muscle mass and flexibility that will support the feats he intends to achieve.

Writing is no different. We become writers with daily practice. Getting in touch with our unique voices. Writing fast, writing free. Progress may be so incremental as to be unnoticeable, just as a pianist doesn't go from chopsticks to Chopin. Some days you'll hate what you write. But one day, something astonishing will come pouring out of you and you'll wonder where the hell it came from.

It came from the 1,183 writing exercises that preceded it. Exercises where you trained your mind to focus, where you learned to trust your voice, to step out of your way, to let it flow. Practice writing like practicing scales, may not seem very glamorous. Bring your passion to it anyway. That's the work of an artist.

Kat also included the following video in her message. It features Ray Bradbury, author of Fahrenheit 451 and The Martian Boys, giving his take on consistent writing:

It seems as though a constant flow of writing is the best way to find your best work. Even small exercises on a consistent basis can help keep you in good practice. I myself participate in LAwritersgroup.com's writer's groups, and I completely agree with what Kat and Ray have said. Writer's groups and writing workshops provide their members the opportunity to practice their skill in an open forum with other writers just as dedicated to their craft. So I ask you this: do you practice your writing on a consistent basis? Do you think that this "fine tuning" and practicing approach can be effective?

Call for Submissions: Mythium Literary Journal

Mythium Literary Journal is now taking fiction, poetry and creative nonfiction submissions.

Mythium is the brainchild of award-winning author Crystal E. Wilkinson and visual artist/poet Ronald Davis. It's goal is to spotlight colored writers of various cultural and ethnic backgrounds in the aforementioned fields.

Submissions are accepted year-round. Fiction and creative nonfiction pieces must be limited to 5,000 words. Novel and memoir excerpts are acceptable. You may submit up to 5 poems at one time, but they must not exceed 20 pages total. Entrants may only submit one submission per category until you have been notified of acceptance or non-acceptance of submitted material. Payment is in one copy of the issue in which the author's work appears.

For full submission guidelines, please visit our website: http://mythiumlitmag.com/submissions.html

Call for Submissions: Diverse Voices Quarterly

Diverse Voices Quarterly is celebrating its third year of publishing online! Issue Eight is now available for download on our website.

For Issue 9, we are now accepting online submissions for poetry, short stories and personal essays/creative nonfiction. Please use the form on our website to submit your work: http://www.diversevoicesquarterly.com/submissions.

• For poetry: You may submit 3-5 poems. Please send in one file, separated by a page break between poems.
• For short stories: Submissions must be 3,000 words or less. You may submit up to two short shorts that add up to 1,000 words.
• For personal essays/creative nonfiction: Submissions must be 3,000 words or less. Send only one essay at a time.

Artwork, which is especially requested, must still be sent directly to submissions[at]diversevoicesquarterly.com.

For full submission guidelines, please visit our website: http://www.diversevoicesquarterly.com/submission-guidelines/

Call for Submissions: Miracle Monocle

Miracle Monocle is now accepting submissions for our upcoming Spring and Summer 2011 issues. We're looking for poetry, fiction and microfiction.

• For fiction: Please limit your submission to 4,000 words and submit one piece at a time. For paper submissions, please double-space.
• For poetry and microfiction: You may include up to 5 pieces in your submission. There is no word limit for poetry submissions. Please limit microfiction pieces to 500 words or less.

We accept both electronic and paper submissions year-round.

For full submission guidelines, please visit our website at www.miraclemonocle.com.

Miracle Monocle features works of contemporary fiction, poetry and microfiction and believes that even the most serious subjects can be handled with humor and charity. Miracle Monocle is an online journal housed and supported by the University of Louisville's English Department and is run by faculty, graduates and undergraduates. Issues appear quarterly. Unpublished, emerging and established writers alike are encouraged to apply and submit.

Call for Submissions: The Poetry Market Ezine

The Poetry Market Ezine is currently seeking submissions of poetry reviews for publication in our free monthly ezine.

The Poetry Market Ezine only accepts poetry book, chapbook or poetry magazine or ezine reviews. We do not publish poems. We only publish reviews somehow related to poetry.

Reviews must be unpublished in any form upon submission. They must be written by the person submitting the review. Reviews may not be a review of the reviewer's own poetry book or chapbook. They may be up to 800 words (or 1 to 1 1/2 pages) in length, but shorter reviews are preferred. Reviews must include the name of the item reviewed, where the item can be purchased (with the ISBN, if applicable), and author contact information (of both the author of the item if applicable as well as the author of the review).

Please submit reviews in the body of an email. Put "Poetry Review Submission" in the subject line. Include a brief bio (2-4 lines) and a cover letter. You may submit 1-3 reviews at a time. We will consider reprints, but there will be no payment for reprints. You can expect a response within 1-2 months. Please email reviews to thepoetrymarket[at]yahoo.com.

Full submission guidelines can be found at www.thepoetrymarket.com.

Friday Round-Up: Tweets and posts you may have missed

Here's a list of posts from our LAwritersgroup.com Twitter account from this past week, in case you missed them or don't participate in Twitter.

Key:
RT = Re-tweet, which means someone else tweeted something and we re-tweeted it.
@(name) = This is a user name on Twitter. If you click on it, you should be able to visit that person's twitter site and follow them if you so chose.

• Beware of agent solicitations: http://bit.ly/gy4SIF
  
  
• Why you should revisit the movie Psycho: http://ow.ly/3In47
  
  
• Johnaugust.com: No one stole your idea http://ow.ly/1s09KV
  
  
• Prime Number Magazine Call for Fiction, Poetry, Book Review, Interview and Short Play Submissions: http://ow.ly/3Jxlx
  
  
• Low-Residency MFA Announces Scholarships http://bit.ly/hj7rV6
  
  
• Mandala Journal Call for Poetry, Fiction, Nonfiction and Art Submissions: http://bit.ly/fg9X1Q
  
  
• RT @UnkScreenwriter: Los Angeles Writers Group Writing and Literary Agent Blogs and ... http://bit.ly/hrP4DM
  
  
• CEO Author Wants Readers to Write Ending of Third Book Fishbowl LA http://ow.ly/1s0g94
  
  
• SF Peace & Hope Call for Poetry, Nonfiction and Imagery Submissions: http://ow.ly/1s0ggK
  
  
• Weave Magazine for Poetry, Fiction, Nonfiction and Short Play Submissions: http://ow.ly/1s0ggX

Call for Submissions: Peace & Hope

The new online journal, SF Peace and Hope, is now seeking original, unpublished work that transforms and inspires from poets, writers and artists. The launch date for the premiere issue is early 2011 at www.sfpeaceandhope.com. Al Young, Poet Laureate California Emeritus, is writing the preface, and we will have a new visual stage for your work designed by Bay Area artist Niya C. Risk of Ritual Labs.

We are looking for poetry, short nonfiction and visual imagery related to the theme of peace and hope from writers and artists who live in the San Francisco Bay area or have a strong affinity for this locale. The Bay area as a subject is also encouraged.

For poetry: Submissions must be short- to medium-length poems of 34 lines or less. You may submit a maximum of 3 poems.

For non-fiction (including essays): Submissions must be 300 words or less. You may submit a maximum of 1 nonfiction piece.

For artwork: Submissions must be digital images of your original paintings, drawings and photographs. You may submit a maximum of 3 images.

Please submit your writing as a single document in the body of the e-mail or as a Word attachment. Send your images as jpeg files no larger than 1000 pixels in any dimension; please include the medium as well as a title or short caption. Please e-mail submissions to sfpeaceandhope[at]gmail.com.

Further submission guidelines can be found at http://www.elizabethhack.com/SubmissionGuidelines.html

In the subject line, list your name (Last, First) and the genre of your submission. Submissions will be accepted on an ongoing basis. Short bios are optional. Please check the website for changes to the submission policy. We will notify you of the status of your submission, so please do not send e-mail inquiries. We look forward to receiving your work.

Call for Submissions: Weave Magazine

Weave Magazine, an independent art and literary publication, is currently accepting submissions for our sixth issue, being released in June 2011. We welcome submissions of poetry, fiction, flash fiction, nonfiction, short plays and monologues.

For more information about Weave and the work we publish, please see the "About" page on our website: http://www.weavemagazine.net/p/about.html.

The deadline for submission is January 31, 2011. Please see submission guidelines for more detailed information: http://www.weavemagazine.net/2008/05/submission-guidelines.html

Call for Submissions: Pegasus

Pegasus, the literary journal at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in Tifton, Georgia, invites submissions of poetry, short fiction (flash fiction is welcome), creative nonfiction, artwork and photography for the upcoming spring 2011 issue. The submission deadline is January 31, 2011.

Pegasus is an award-winning regional journal, focused only on Georgia writers who are of high school age or who are currently enrolled as undergraduates in Georgia colleges and universities. All other writers should talk to editor Jeff Newberry before sending any submissions. Jeff Newberry can be reached at jnewberry[at]abac.edu. Past issues have included invited features by Mark Leidner, Janisee Ray, Patrick Phillips, Amy Blackmarr and Janice Daugharty.

Pegasus accepts electronic submissions only. Please visit http://www.abac.edu/pegasus/submit.hmtl for full submission guidelines.

Call for Submissions: NPR's Short Fiction Contest

National Public Radio (NPR) has announced the latest installment of its Three Minute Fiction contest. The contest, which was launched in 2009, invites writers to create stories in fewer than 600 words, which can be read in roughly three minutes.

Although the initial contest held only the word-count guideline, judge Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has given this sixth iteration a few more rules. Adichie, the author of critically acclaimed books Purple Hibiscus and Half of a Yellow Sun, has stated that each story submitted for this contest must include a) a joke and b) someone crying.

For more information on rules and guidelines, and for information on how to submit stories, please visit http://npr.org/.

The deadline for submissions is 11:59 p.m. ET on January 23, 2011.

Call for Submissions: Prime Number Magazine

The editors of Prime Number Magazine, a quarterly journal of distinctive prose and poetry, are now reading for Issue No. 7, to be released in April 2011.

We are interested in fiction and essays up to 4,000 words (including flash fiction and non-fiction), individual and groups of poems, book reviews, interviews and short plays. We're also looking for cover art reflecting the number 7 for the next issue (and you might be planning ahead for issues 11, 13, 17, etc.). For our full submission guidelines, see http://www.primenumbermagazine.com/Submit.html.

To better understand our tastes, please read earlier issues of the magazine. Issue 5 has just gone live and can be seen at http://www.primenumbermagazine.com/Issue5.html.

Call for Submissions: Apple Valley Review

Apple Valley Review will be reading submissions of short fiction, essays and poetry for its Spring 2011 issue (Vol. 6, No. 1) until Tuesday, March 15, 2011.

We prefer writing that has both mainstream and literary appeal. All work must be original, previously unpublished, and in English. Please do not submit genre fiction, explicit work, or anything particularly violent or depressing. Also, please note that we do not accept simultaneous submissions. All published work is considered for our annual editor's prize.

To submit, please send 2-6 poems or an essay/short story pasted into the body of an e-mail to our editor at editor[at]leahbrowning.net.

The current issue, previous issues, subscription information and complete submission guidelines for the Apple Valley Review are available at http://www.applevalleyreview.com/

Call for Submissions: Damselfly Press

Damselyfly Press, a prize-winning online literary journal for women, is pleased to announce the publication of our fourteenth issue and call for submissions for the fifteenth issue. We are seeking electronic submissions of original fiction, poetry and nonfiction by female writers only slated for online publication in April 2011.

For fiction: Send 9 - 10 pages of fiction not exceeding 2,500 words max. Submitters may send up to two fictional stories per submission to the fiction editor. Fiction submissions can be sent to jennifer[at]damselflypress.net.

For poetry: Send 1-3 poems per submission. Poetry submissions can be sent to lesley[at]damselflypress.net.

For nonfiction: Send 3-10 pages of nonfiction not exceeding 2,500 words max. Submitters may send up to two nonfiction submissions such as memoir or personal essays to the nonfiction editor. Nonfiction submissions can be sent to nonfiction[at]damselflypress.net.

The deadline to submit for the fifteenth issue is March 2011. For more information on submission guidelines, please visit http://damselflypress.net/submissions/

Call for Submissions: Floorboard Review

Floordboard Review is now accepting poetry and photography submissions for its second issue.

For poems: Submit up to 4 poems. We are especially drawn to poems with vivid, concrete imagery, and carefully crafted, musical lines (which does not necessarily mean rhyme). We are not interested in abstractions. Review your work carefully, as we do not generally ask for revisions. Please upload poems in a single file, and include the poems' titles separated only by commas in the name of the file.

For photos: Submit 3 to 4 black-and-white photographs.

Simultaneous submissions of poems and photos are fine; just let us know immediately if the piece is accepted elsewhere. At this time, we are only looking for previously unpublished material - that includes any public print or online sources. Upon acceptance of your work, Floorboard Review requests first North American serial rights (which means the work has not been published before); upon publication, all rights revert back to the author or artist.

Floorboard Review does not accept emailed poems or photos; please use our online submission manager at http://floorboard.submishmash.com/Submit.

For more information, please visit http://www.floorboardreview.com.

Call for Submissions: Mandala

Mandala Journal is an online, student-run multicultural journal for poets, writers, artists and thinkers published by the Institute for African American Studies at The University of Georgia. Since the online launch in April 2010, the journal's audience has grown to include readers in fifty-six countries and territories around the world.

Mandala Journal seeks submissions of original poetry, fiction, nonfiction and art for the 2011 issue, "Reconciliation." Complete submission guidelines and information about this year's theme may be found the website http://mandala.uga.edu/.

The deadline for Mandala Journal submissions is January 31, 2011.

Low-Residency MFA Announces Scholarships

The Red Earth MFA Low-Residency Program in Creative Writing at Oklahoma City University is pleased to announce five $1,000 merit scholarships for members of its inaugural class.

The Red Earth MFA is a two-year graduate program. Students work with faculty mentors to create a manuscript-length work of creative prose in fiction, non-fiction, poetry, screenwriting or another creative genre. The program allows students to continue with their professional lives as they devote short amounts of time to the residencies then continue their classwork remotely from home with the guidance of a faculty member.

All merit scholarships are based on the quality of the writing sample supplied as part of the MFA application. Preference will be given to prospective students who complete their application by March 15. Notification of the scholarships will be mailed and also announced at OCU's annual Creative Writing Festival on April 16. Scholarships must be applied towards the first year of study in the MFA program.

In addition, the Red Earth program is offering $1,000 tuition reductions in the first year of study for all of its inaugural class. The summer residency is slated for July 6 - 16. Please visit http://www.okcu.edu/english/redearthmfa or contact MFA Director Danita Berg at drberg[at]okcu.edu for more information.

Call for Submissions: The Bellingham Review

The Bellingham Review, a literary journal published in affiliation with the graduate program at Western Washington University, welcomes electronic submissions of flash fiction, prose poetry, and brief essays via Submishmash for online publication.

Submissions Guidelines:

This is an open (free) submission period and runs from January 1st, 2011 through April 15th, 2011. Pieces can be up to 1000 words in length and can be on any subject. Submissions must be submitted via Submishmash at http://bhreview.submishmash.com/submit.

Please, no more than three pieces per submission, only one submission per author during this period. Please include a cover letter with your contact information, submission genre(s), and publication history (if applicable) on the first page of your submission. Please submit all pieces in a single file, preferably a Microsoft Word Document. Simultaneous submissions are accepted and encouraged so long as you are prompt in informing us of any acceptances by other publications.

All work must be previously unpublished. We look forward to reading your work. Payment is dependent on availability of funds. Any questions can be sent to (replace (at) with @ in sending e-mail)

Call for Submissions: Poetry, Fiction or Memoir Chapbooks

Call for Fiction Submissions: Wordrunner Electronic Chapbooks (Revised)

This small press publishes four online collections annually of fiction, poetry or memoir, each featuring one author. Submit your manuscript for the mid-March FICTION e-chapbook by February 21. No fee to submit. Payment: $65. See www.echapbook.com/submissions.htm
for detailed guidelines and 2011 submission and publication schedule.

Submit a minimum of 6 and a maximum of 15 stories. Stories may be flash or longer, from 500 up to 3,000 words each, totaling a minimum of approximately 7,500 and a maximum of 16,000 words for the collection.

We are more interested in compelling and subtle narrative with characters that walk off the page than in experimental fiction. No genre fiction, please, unless a story is good enough to transcend genre. Stories need not be linked. At least one-third of the collection should be previously unpublished.

Call for Submissions: Union Station Magazine

UNION STATION is a quarterly online magazine that publishes fiction, poetry, photography, book review and interview.

With each issue, we seek to bring together diverse and emerging voices in poetry, fiction, and non-fiction, as well as showcase freshest talent in photography. Please checkout our most recent Issue nO.3 at unionstationmag.com.

Issue No.4 is scheduled for release in March 2011. Submissions will close for this issue on February 15, 2011.

For the complete submission guidelines, please visit the website:
http://unionstationmag.com/submit. All submissions can be made through our online submissions manager at Submishmash:

http://unionstationmag.submishmash.com

Any questions should be directed to unionstationmag.com

(replace (at) with @ when sending e-mail).

2011 Legal Workshops for Writers, Only $20

This just came in from California Lawyers for the Arts - looks like a fantastic deal chock full of great legal information we all need to know as writers...

California Lawyers for the Arts is pleased to present...

LEGAL & BUSINESS WORKSHOP SERIES FOR WRITERS

All workshops will be held:

Wednesdays, 7:30pm – 9:00pm at

Moving Arts Theatre, 1822 Hyperion Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90027

(Free street & free small lot parking available)

JANUARY 12, 2011: COPYRIGHT & IDEA SUBMISSION LAW FOR WRITERS

With Marc S. Williams, Esq.

This workshop will address the basics of copyright and idea submission law for writers. While most examples we will cover come from motion picture cases, the workshop is relevant to all writers. How do you obtain and enforce rights under copyright laws? What are the best practices for protecting your ideas, even if they are not protected under copyright laws? This workshop will clarify questions writers have about their contributions when they are not the final or only writers on a project.

JANUARY 26, 2011: ANATOMY OF A SCREENWRITER DEAL

With Gary G. Goldberger, Esq.

There are many different kinds of screenwriter deals made: film, TV, established writer, new writer, guild, non-guild, etc. This workshop will discuss and analyze the deal points involved in agreements between writers and producers.

FEBRUARY 9, 2011: FROM INSPIRATION TO PUBLICATION

With Cheryl Klein, California Office Director, Poets & Writers

You’ve written something, and everyone in your writing workshop thinks it’s great. Now what? This workshop will provide an overview for writers of fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction who are ready for the “next step.” We will discuss finding the right outlet for your work, seeking an agent, querying literary journals and independent presses, and presenting your work at readings and other events.

FEBRUARY 23, 2011: LITERARY PUBLISHING CONTRACTS FOR WRITERS

With Jonathan Kirsch, Esq.

This intensive workshop will show writers what to look for--and look out for--in the "fine print" of the various contracts that book, magazine, and newspaper writers will encounter in author-publisher, author-agent, and writer collaboration agreements.

ADMISSION (Per Workshop): General: $20, C.L.A. Members: $10, C.L.A. Member Senior Citizens & C.L.A. Member Students: $5

REGISTER: Phone: (310) 998-5590

Online: http://www.calawyersforthearts.org

Email: jennie.park@calawyersforthearts.org

(If emailing, include your phone number, mailing address, and workshop date(s))

Steve Kaplan's Comedy Intensive

We just found out about this weekend intensive - looks like a good one to check out if you're wanting to write comedy:

Steve Kaplan's Comedy Intensive is returning to L.A. on Decmeber 4-5, 2010. The seminar is The Industry's #1 Course on Comedy, attracting top writers, producers, directors and executives from such companies as Dreamworks, Disney, Aardman Animation, NBC, Touchstone, ABC and more.

For almost 20 years, Steve Kaplan has been the industry's most respected and sought-after expert on comedy. In addition to being a regular consultant and script doctor to such companies as Disney, Dreamworks, HBO, Paramount and others, Steve has taught at UCLA, NYU, Yale and other top universities, and created the HBO Workspace and the HBO New Writers Program, teaching and mentoring some of the biggest writers, producers and directors in comedy today.

His former students' accomplishments are unmatched: They have been nominated for 43 Emmy Awards, 1 Academy Award, 3 Golden Globe Awards, 1 American Comedy Award, 6 Writers' Guild of America Awards and several others. They've WON 10 Emmys, 1 Oscar, 2 WGA Awards and the American Comedy Award. His Comedy Intensive offers proven and practical methods and principles that help you reveal and understand comedy from the inside out.

Whether you're writing a comedy screenplay, working on a sitcom script, or producing or directing a comedy film or television series, Steve Kaplan's Comedy Intensive is a must for any serious professional. It is ideal for screenwriters, TV writers, producers, directors and more.

Steve Kaplan's Comedy Intensive will be held on December 4 & 5, 2010 at the Hollywood Renaissance Hotel, located at 1755 N. Highland Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90028. It will run from 9:30AM to 5:00PM on both days. There is a $325.00 registration fee for the seminar. Please visit www.kaplancomedy.com for more information about the seminar and registration.

Calls for Submissions: Straylight Lit Journal and Edgemar Theater One-Acts

- Straylight is in search of great work to publish! This is a call for poetry, fiction and flash fiction.

Straylight, the literary journal of the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, is calling for submissions of fiction for both our print magazine and for publication on our website. Our online edition is also calling for creative non-fiction submissions on the topic "Why write?" and novellette and novella-length fiction submissions for serialization. We will consider any genre, but are looking for high-quality work.

We will accept submissions through April 15, 2011. Please visit http://straylightmag.com/ for more information and submission guidelines. When you're ready to submit, send work either to straylight[at]litspot.net or via postal mail to:

Straylight
University of Wisconsin-Parkside
English Department
900 Wood Road
Kenosha, WI 53141

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The Edgemar Theatre Group is in search of work for Acts on The Edge: Annual One Act Short Play Festival. This is a call for one act plays and 10-minute shorts.

The Edgemar Theatre Group will be accepting submissions for the 2011 Acts on the Edge until December 1, 2010. There is a $5.00 fee to submit to the Edgemar Theatre Group. A $100.00 prize will be awarded to the author of the Audience Favorite Award.

All submissions will be accepted through www.edgemarcenter.org/events. After your $5.00 submission fee is processed, you will receive a confirmation email with all the details of where to submit your script(s). Please visit the aforementioned site for more information and submission guidelines.

Writing-Related Events This Week at the HAMMER Museum

HAMMER CONVERSATIONS: Jonathan Gold & Bret Easton Ellis

TUES Nov. 16, 7PM | HAMMER CONVERSATIONS

Jonathan Gold, restaurant critic for LA Weekly and author of Counter Intelligence: Eating in the Real Los Angeles, is the only food writer to have been awarded the Pulitzer Prize. Bret Easton Ellis is the author of six novels including Less Than Zero, The Rules of Attraction, American Psycho, Glamorama, and Lunar Park, as well as a collection of short stories, The Informers. His latest novel is Imperial Bedrooms. Gold and Ellis share their fascination for Los Angeles, pop culture, and eating.

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HAMMER READINGS: Joanie Mackowski

THURS Nov. 18, 7PM | HAMMER READINGS

Joanie Mackowski is assistant professor of English at Cornell University and author of the poetry collections The Zoo and View from a Temporary Window. Her awards include the Emily Dickinson Prize from the Poetry Society of America, the Associated Writing Programs Award in Poetry, the Kate Tufts Discovery Prize, a Rona Jaffe Foundation Grant, and a Wallace Stegner Fellowship.


The HAMMER Museum is located at 10899 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90024.

PITCHAPALOOZA: Presented by The Book Doctors at Vromans

Hey there writers - saw this and thought you might be interested, in case you were wondering what kind of writing-related thing you could do tonight:

The Book Doctors (a.k.a. Arielle Eckstut and David Henry Sterry), authors of The Essential Guide to Getting Your Book Published, are presenting Pitchapalooza at Vroman's bookstore in Pasadena on Monday, November 15th at 7PM.

It's the American Idol for books - only without Simon. Writers get a shot to pitch to a panel of publishing experts. But they only get one minute. Afterwards, the judges critique everything from idea to style to potential in the marketplace and much, much more. It's educational and entertaining. The winner gets a free consultation and a chance to jump start their book career. Arielle and David have taught everywhere from Stanford to the Miami Book Festival to the world famous Strand Bookstore. They have helped dozens and dozens of talented writers become published authors.

The Vroman's bookstore is located at 695 East Colorado Boulevard, Pasadena, CA.

Come see Writer Monkeys Again this Saturday!

LAwritersgroup.com and van Straaten Entertainment, inc. present:

WRITER MONKEYS! - A literary improv show.

Time:
Saturday, October 23rd · 8:00pm - 9:00pm

Location:
bang. studio
457 N. Fairfax Ave
Los Angeles, CA

A new theater experiment where writers create new pieces based on your suggestions, then read them -- live on stage!

This week's lineup of writers:
*J. Keith van Straaten (www.jkeith.net)
Plus two more writers TBA!

Does this mean you will be watching people write? Yes!

However, while they are doing so, you will be entertained by a different live musician each week.

This week: singer/songwriter TBA!

Come feel the literary thunder!

Ticket Price: $10

Created by J. Keith van Straaten and Nicole Criona

Come see Writer Monkeys this Saturday!

LAwritersgroup.com and van Straaten Entertainment, inc. present:

WRITER MONKEYS! - A literary improv show.

Time:
Saturday, October 16 · 8:00pm - 9:00pm

Location:
bang. studio
457 N. Fairfax Ave
Los Angeles, CA

A new theater experiment where writers create new pieces based on your suggestions, then read them -- live on stage!

This week's lineup of writers:
*J. Keith van Straaten (www.jkeith.net)
*Nicole Criona (www.lawritersgroup.com)
*Bart Gold (www.bartgold.com)
*Christian Elder (christianelder.yolasite.com)

Does this mean you will be watching people write? Yes!

However, while they are doing so, you will be entertained by a different live musician each week.

This week: singer/songwriter Jason Luckett (http://www.jasonluckett.com/).

Come feel the literary thunder!

Ticket Price: $10

Created by J. Keith van Straaten and Nicole Criona

Mary: Call for Submissions

Mary is in search of great work to publish! This is a call for poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and art for our Winter 2010 issue.

Mary is the online literary journal sponsored by Saint Mary's College of California's MFA in Creative Writing program. Since 2002, Mary has published contemporary poetry, prose, and new media arts from a diverse group of established artists and writers including Peter Orner, Brian Doyle, Gillian Conoley, Bruce Smith, Elizabeth Robinson, Nora Pierce, Rebecca Curtis, Brian Glaser, Carol Snow, Maria Hummel, as well as talented emerging writers. MARY Magazine has conducted interviews with award-winning writers such as Michael Palmer, Pico Iyer, Andrew Sean Greer, Nick Flynn, Phil Jenks, Cristina Garcia, Susan Steinberg, Michael Pollen, John D'Agata, Jo Ann Beard, Mary Roach, Forrest Gander, and Chris Abani.

There is no fee to submit to Mary. Writers selected for standard publication are awarded $50. Those who are chosen for our Nouveau section, which is dedicated to emerging writers who have not yet been published, are not paid. Please visit www.maryjournal.org for more information and submission guidelines. When you’re ready to submit, send work to mary[at]stmarys-ca.edu. The deadline for our Winter issue is December 1, 2010. Thank you for your time. We look forward to reading your work!