Art Noir Exhibit ~ October 17 to November 17

"Dark Art is indeed enlightening," and, if you're inclined toward the wicked, the brazen, and the satirical, there's a special treat in store for you at the NoHo Gallery LA. An exhibit, kicking off with a free Meet The Artist reception, starts this Wednesday evening. The gallery is located in the Lankershim Arts Center at 5801 Lankershim Blvd. in North Hollywood, and there is plenty of free parking available.

Self Publishing and Print on Demand

We've heard a few amazing stories lately from people who've had success getting their books published at a traditional publishing house by self-publishing first. It's a controversial topic amongst writers. The people we've talked to all admitted that it was very tough, hard work, and that they might do it differently next time had they known more, so we've compiled a short list of resources on the topic. When a giant such as Amazon.com's BookSurge jumps on the self-publishing/book-on-demand bandwagon by offering programs specifically for self-published books, we thought we'd sit up and listen for a minute or two.

• The Writing Show has two very informative podcasts on the subject. The interview with writer Jeff DeRego is interesting in that he thinks self-publishing is akin to shooting oneself in the foot if one ever wanted to earn money as a paid writer, and he also talks about the work involved and the pitfalls, as well as the difference between self-publishing and print on demand.
• The Humane Self Publishing Blog by the folks at Blooming Twig Books, an internet book publishing house, has a blog from the publisher's perspective about self-publishing process.
• ASJA (The American Society of Journalists and Authors) has an article about one author's experience.
• Here is another article on The Writer Buzz blog on e-publishing versus self-publishing.
• This article on Beneath the Cover, a Web site devoted to "uncover[ing] the book industry" has some excellent information and even lists writers who've successfully self published.
• Here is an article in BusinessWeek about the self-publishing industry.
• This article from the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, Inc., offers an alternative to self-publishing, i.e., going directly to a book manufacturer.

There are also quite a few books out there on the topic that are easily found with a quick search on any bookseller site. Ultimately, it seems comes down to making an educated personal decision between going through the traditional submission process or becoming a publisher yourself. If you chose the do-it-all yourself route, you take on multiple roles: writer, editor, designer, layout artist, agent, promoter, printer, and marketer, to name just a few, and now you've become a book publisher as well as a writer, so the question is, how do you want to spend your time?

Crime Writer Contest

Court TV "Search for the Next Great Crime Writer Contest." After a successful 2006 premiere, Court TV has partnered with Borders® and Gather.com to bring the contest back to aspiring authors around the country! Via this unique and innovative contest, Court TV is inviting aspiring authors to submit a complete manuscript of their original idea for a crime novel for the chance to win a publishing contract through Borders, Inc. with a $5000 cash advance.

To learn more about the contest please go to courttv.gather.com for complete details and Official Rules.

Share Your Wisdom

Listen Magazine is aimed toward a primarily teen-age and young adult market, perfect if you've been "through all that", and have wisdom to share that might guide youngsters past harmful influences to a healthy life. They publish six kinds of articles each month: True Stories, Factuals, Positive Alternatives, Personalities & Organizations, Self Help & Social Skills, and Quizzes. Depending on which kind of article you submit, payment ranges from $50 to $150.

For Street-Bike Writer/Riders

Friction Zone, a monthly motorcycle publication with a circulation of 33,000 copies, focuses on local travel, motorcycle information, and rider safety. They publish at least 15 feature articles each month, from 800 to 1500 words in length, for which they pay 20 cents per word. They assign stories based on writer's proposals, and do not accept unsolicited manuscripts. Go to their website to check out the rest of their guidelines, and unleash the street-bike-riding wild one inside you.

Allan Ginsberg Poetry Awards 2008

The Poetry Center at Passaic Community College is sponsoring this contest honoring Allan Ginsberg's contribution to American literature. Fortunately, they're asking us not to submit poems that imitate Allan Ginsberg's work ;) Previously unpublished poems should be postmarked by April 1, 2008. First prize is $1000, 2nd prize is $200, 3rd prize is $100, and winners will be asked to participate in a reading in the Patterson Historic District in NJ. So if you're geographically mobile and want some extra incentive to visit your relatives back east, send up to 5 poems plus a $15 submission fee to the address listed on their website.

World AIDS Day Writing Contest

Literary Project Management is sponsoring World Aids Day: A Day With Art writing contest, and is accepting poems, plays and short stories relating to AIDS. Each category will have a 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winner. Your emails must be emailed or postmarked by October 15, and there is a $5 entry fee. You may enter as many times as you want, and may win in more than one genre, but not more than once in any genre. All proceeds from the event will go to AIDS charities.